From a new Bad Bad Hats project, to the long awaited Womack Sisters debut, a bluesy Irish folk-punk ripper and West African soul, Fresh Picks has it all this week.
Our Album of the Week sees Kerry Alexander and Chris Hoge from Bad Bad Hats teaming up with Elana Carroll for the literally mega-sounding Megasound. Then, we finally have The Womack Sisters' Daptone debut after a string of killer soul singles, and the beautiful messiness of Margaret Glaspy exploring her complexities.
For standout tracks, The Mary Wallopers pair uilleann pipes with a guitar boogie, Ibibio Sound Machine trades their typical electro-dance edge for sweet soul sounds, Mike Campbell combines the boogie blues with classic rock à la Tom Petty, and Angela Autumn's Appalachian Americana.
And we get a little taste of the glam god himself, as T. Rex's Futuristic Dragon is our "Pick From '76."
Check out this week's suggestions from Music Director Kari Hedlund, Asst. Music Director Malachy Koon, KAXE Morning Show Producer Andrew Dziengel and fellow Morning Show Producer Jennifer Barr.
Albums
Album of the Week: Megasound - Megasound
Kerry Alexander and Chris Hoge of Bad Bad Hats have found a kindred spirit in Elana Carroll.
The three longtime friends just dropped their debut album as Megasound, an infectious and bright collection of songs inspired by turn-of-the-century pop culture and alt-rock.
While touring together in 2018, Carroll joined Bad Bad Hats on stage for an encore performance of "Pretend To be Nice," a song written by Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne) for the 2001 movie Josie & the Pussycats. That moment planted a seed that was eventually watered in 2022, with Alexander and Hoge sending songs crafted in their Minnesota basement to Carroll in Los Angeles.
For Bad Bad Hats fans expecting to hear the familiar voice of Alexander, it's Carroll, who releases solo music as Party Nails, handling lead vocals. She is natural at bringing to life the era that inspired them, from the brash confidence of "I Hate It Here" to the Sheryl Crow radio rock of "Now Is All We Got."
With vocals expertly handled, Alexander is freed up to showcase her electric guitar riffs (also check the solo on "Light On Right On") and Hoge switches from bass to the drumkit.
Megasound is a ton of fun, drawing from garage rock, indie and pop, with punchy guitars, catchy hooks, and sing-along choruses on every song. Just like their name, everything on the album is done big, blown out, and truly mega-sounding. -MK
The Womack Sisters - The Womack Sisters
It's here! It's here! We first heard of this debut album back in 2025, and eons later it has arrived and worth the wait. Coming from a family of legendary status (granddaughter of Sam Cooke, nieces of Bobby Womack), The Womack Sisters have created a fully classic soul album that is anything but performative. In an era when retro soul is very hot and trendy, the 11 songs on the self-titled album are steeped in authenticity. Blood harmonies are thick and family is the core, summed up in "My Sisters and Me," the last song on the record. "People come and go/ baby this I know/ it will always be my sisters and me." -KH
Margaret Glaspy - I Am Both
To live is to be a series of contradictions. There’s a messiness to it all, and nobody can be put into one category. That’s what Margaret Glaspy’s latest album, I Am Both, is about. She says on this album she is “embracing my own complexity.” There’s plenty to latch onto on this album if looking for inspiration to be one’s true self, like the title track, “That Rose” or “Common Ground.” However, the real standout track is “Reminder,” which just builds and builds as an anthem for being willing to step out that door and demanding to be seen. - AD
Singles
The Mary Wallopers - "Kit Kat Club"
Pairing traditional sounds with a folk-punk spirit, The Mary Wallopers are — like Lankum, Róis and many more — part of an exciting wave of forward-thinking folk groups from Ireland. There are many differences between the groups, but what stands out the most to me is how much fun the Wallopers seem to have playing music. "Kit Kat Club" is a great example, pairing biting lyrics with winding uilleann pipes and a guitar line that sounds like Chicago blues legend Magic Sam's "Impossible Boogie" groove. -MK
Ibibio Sound Machine - "Love"
The Eno Williams-led genre-fusing group trades the electronic dance sounds for a sweet soul groove on this latest single from the upcoming album, Chopping Mountain. The West African influence is still strong with Afrobeat horns and highlife guitars, and the new direction is a great fit for Williams with the powerhouse vocalist dialing back her typical intensity while turning up the emotion. "Love" is clearly on the mind as this follows another single called "Concept of Love." -MK
Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs - "Done To Me"
Starting off with the boogie blues, "Done to Me" continues by blending in country rock and classic rock with great barroom energy. Following his long career as lead guitarist for Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Campbell is on his fourth album with The Dirty Knobs. This song finds the band in tip top form, clearly having a blast together making music, which is a benefit to us all. -KH
Angela Autumn - "Electric Lizard"
First released in December of 2023, this Appalachian Americana banger has steadily gained steam online, leading to the young Nashville-based singer-songwriter re-releasing it on her upcoming album, Believer, her second overall and first with Gar Hole Records. Listening to "Electric Lizard" it's easy to hear what sent the track viral, from the effortless melody to the timeless sound or even simply the way her drawling voice spits out the line "my f***ing lies." Angela Autumn is one to watch. -MK
Pick From '76
T. Rex - Futuristic Dragon
T. Rex were pioneers of the glam rock genre, and frontman Marc Bolan was always experimenting with new sounds. The group’s 11th album, Futuristic Dragon, plays with a blend of disco, soul, R&B and even sitar sounds, and it all adds up to rock 'n' roll.
Many of the tracks are upbeat and groovy alongside some slower tunes. The song “Dawn Storm” reminds me of David Bowie’s “Drive-In Saturday.” My favorite track is “Jupiter Liar,” with its repeated chorus, “Would you lie to me?/ Oh yeah, oh yeah.”
The last song on the first side is “Calling All Destroyers,” an epic rock song from the first note. In the days when you always had to flip the record over, this song is a great mid-record finale, making you curious about what’s to come on the other side.
The second side starts with “Theme for a Dragon,” a triumphant instrumental followed by a few slower tunes, ending with “Casual Agent,” a fun rock tune with a great bass line.
This album was not well loved at the time, but with 50 years gone by, it has been understood better.
Whitney Strub of online magazine PopMatters wrote in 2006, “By the time Futuristic Dragon arrived, Bolan was considered a has-been. But the album defies expectation, presenting a surprisingly consistent set of tunes dovetailing with the burgeoning disco scene without entirely partaking of it.”
Futuristic Dragon was T. Rex’s second to last album, with Dandy in the Underworld coming out in March of 1977. Marc Bolan died in a car crash later that year, effectively putting an end to the band. -JB
