Posted: by The Alt Editing Staff
The Alternative Weekly Roundup is a column where our staff plugs a variety of new releases in a concise, streamlined format: albums, singles, videos, live sets. Check back every other Monday to see what we were jamming the week prior.
Westside Cowboy – “Can’t See”
Manchester rock band Westside Cowboy has never sounded cooler than they do on “Can’t See,” the second single off their upcoming EP So Much Country ‘Til We Get There. The relaxed guitar riff, played so precisely it feels effortless, paves the way for a cheeky drum breakdown with a catchy chorus woven throughout. “Can’t See” serves as a preppy anthem for every slacker rock fan out there.
Jules Kelly | @snaiImaiI
birthsite – II
Edie Quinn is unstoppable. She’s constantly producing music, writing songs, drawing comics, and releasing other people’s albums through her label Middle Man Records. She’s been the backbone of the scene for decades at this point and, even though she’s released countless records and projects of her own, she simply cannot seem to keep the work from flowing out. II by birthsite is a four-song record completely written and recorded by Quinn, and it’s an exemplary showing of what one of screamo’s standard bearers can do, thrashing, winding, and snapping.
Elias Amini | @listentohyakkei
Water From Your Eyes – “Driving Classics, Playing Cars”
In early December, New York City weirdos Water From Your Eyes surprise-released a new EP, It’s Beautiful, featuring three new renditions and remixes of songs from their latest album, It’s a Beautiful Place. “Driving Classics, Playing Cars,” the extended cut of “Playing Classics,” turns the already catchy song into a fast-paced dance track that is practically begging to be played as loud as possible at Baby’s All Right. The piano breakdown that emerges in the middle of the song makes lead singer Rachel Brown’s monotone delivery hit that much harder, transforming “Driving Classics, Playing Cars” from a remix into a banger that rivals the original.
Jules Kelly | @snaiImaiI
Te Vista – “Didn’t Like” & “Corpse”
On their two latest singles from their upcoming album House, New Jersey powerfolk band Te Vista tells a story that lets the guitar speak when words just aren’t enough. “Didn’t Like,” a laidback indie track, is elevated from a simple song to a nostalgic jam thanks to the warmth of the instrumentation. The traditional country-inspired guitar riffs on “Corpse” set Te Vista apart from the slew of emerging alt-country acts, positioning them as modernized folk heroes who know how to wrangle and manage two different eras of the genre.
Jules Kelly | @snaiImaiI
The Undertaking! – Only Left Alive to See the End
The Undertaking! has put out a couple of EPs in the four years since their Funeral Psalms LP, and the latest of these is Only Left Alive to See the End, fifteen minutes of the most chaotic post-hardcore of 2025. The San Diego band has only gotten more brutal over the years, and tracks like the blistering opener “With Love and Courage” rank among their heaviest.
Zac Djamoos | @gr8whitebison
Libby Quinn – “HA (Gabaldon)”
New York art punk band Libby Quinn reaches cloud nine in the music video for their latest single, the blistering “HA (Gabaldon).” Directed and edited by Nuno Belmar, the video is a tour de force of unsettling imagery akin to The Seventh Seal set to a righteous, unpredictable track that hits like a freight train. Seeing is believing, and you’ll never see another music video quite like this one.
Jules Kelly | @snaiImaiI
cowboyy – “drawbridge castle”
In 2023, I fell in love with the eccentric Epic the Movie EP by British math rock band cowboyy. But you can never tie a cowboy down for long; just as quickly as they entered my life, they seemed to disappear, with the aforementioned EP and the lead single being the only releases from the band—until this month. “drawbridge castle” is an infectiously groovy post-punk track led by an ever-changing guitar riff that begs to be played loud. There is not a single stagnant moment in cowboyy’s small yet punchy discography, and their latest single is no exception.
Jules Kelly | @snaiImaiI
The Alternative’s ‘New Music Friday’ playlist
Each week we compile a playlist of songs our staff has been jamming. We post it on Fridays and then include it in each edition of the Weekly Roundup to make sure you don’t miss any of the great music we’re recommending.
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