Some New-Ish Releases, May 2026 Edition

It's almost summer, and time for another quick look at some cool albums I've picked up. I have to admit that, so far, I'm not finding as many essential keepers as in 2025, which turned out to be a real banger; but that doesn't mean I haven't continued to stumble across some really great records. Here are a few I'm currently enjoying:

Norma, Country Catering

Funny how some of the finest Cosmic American Music seems to come from outside the U.S. Norma are a Norwegian band, but their first full-length release sounds straight out of Southern California, circa 1975. Like another fave of mine, London's Hanging Stars, these guys play slightly country-flavored, laid back rock with strains of the Eagles and the Grateful Dead, pretty mid-tempo jangle that makes you want to kick back in the sunshine and wait for dusk to drop down. They occupy a similarly psychedelic-country space as Rose City Band and Beachwood Sparks; really nice stuff. Buy it on Bandcamp.

Uni Boys, Uni Boys

Los Angeles band Uni Boys are back with another album that sounds like a dead-ringer for a late 70s skinny-tie power-pop record. Free of both punk edge and shiny production, it's mid-fi, wonderfully catchy, and chock full of wide-eyed innocent glee, occasionally dipping into Beatlesque British Invasion pop. Most of all, it's consistently solid from beginning to end, a rarity among power pop records which had a killer single or two and a bunch of filler; just wall-to-wall hooks. Fans of, say, Shoes or The Knack or The Records will be glad to hear someone keeping the flame alive. Buy it on Bandcamp.

The Asteroid No. 4, In Praise Of Shadows

In their earlier days, long-running Bay Area indie-band The Asteroid No. 4 (originally from Philadelphia) mined various shades of late 60s psychedelia, from trippy jams to eclectic pop-psych (the latter closer in spirit to various Elephant 6-scene bands). These days, though, they're sticking largely to shoegazey space rock, acid grooves that call to mind everything from late 60s Pink Floyd to Spiritualized. Their latest release is another one best enjoyed late at night with some headphones. Which isn't to say it isn't tuneful; there are some pretty moments throughout, lovely bits of Paisley Underground retro-psych-pop; but they ride the wah-wah pedal pretty hard, some dark outer space voyages to help you zone out this weekend. Buy it on Bandcamp.

The Lemon Twigs, Look For Your Mind!

Seeing the growth from the Lemon Twigs over the past decade has been a remarkable thing. Their earlier records were a little too ambitious for their own good, complex baroque pop with lo-fi production that sounded like some high school kids trying to recreate one of Todd Rundgren's stranger records from the 70s. But as their skills increased, their reach became more humble, resulting in wonderfully concise yet still fresh Beatlesque power pop. The latest once again sounds like a great lost Badfinger or Raspberries record, updated for the present day. Just non-stop hook-laden wonders. Buy it on Bandcamp.