Needle Drop Friday [3.6.26]
Hello kids! It’s the first Needle Drop Friday of March 2026!
It wasn’t too bad a week for new releases. There weren’t a ton but enough to get you through your weekend. So let’s get to those needle drops!
So this first one I’m going to show you should have been on last week’s NDF because it was released on February 27 but for some reason, it got put in my list for this week. You can blame me. This one is brought to us from Atlanta-based alternative rock band Starbenders. The album is The Beast Goes On and was released by Sumerian Records. Starbenders are kind of a genre hopping sort of band. Sometimes they have this glam rock sort of thing going on and sometimes they blue the goth rock sort of lines. Personally, I found the record kind of fascinating, especially the closing track, a kind of tripped out version of Bad Religion’s “21st Century Digital Boy.”
Next I have some post-punk from Philadelphia’s Bitter Branches. Let’s Give the Land Back to the Animals was released via Equal Vision Records. I get some Big Black vibes from this a bit. Maybe a little Jesus Lizard in there too. In any case, I like it. I’ve never heard of this band before and, to be honest, for the life of me don’t remember where I came across this one. I’m glad I did though.
Here’s some darkwave/synth/post punk from Vienna, Austria by Touch By Touch. The album is Power Dynamics. Is it just me or do you get some Einstürzende Neubauten from this one?
Next I’ve got a 2 song single for you from Goo. This indie rock band from Keighley, UK has a new album coming on May 1st titled Oh Wow, Oh Well. I thought I’d give you a taste of what these folks have to offer with “Slow Morning” b/w “FOMO.” Kind of fuzzy and grungy with a sprinkle of sunshine and some garage rock thrown in there is the best way I can describe this. If this is what the rest of Oh Wow will sound like, it’s definitely something you are going to want to catch.
Next album comes from an indie rock band called Vial based out of Minneapolis, Minnesota. They put out Hellhound through Candyshop Recordings. Garnering influences from 90s punk, grunge, and indie rock, this trio are loud and brash and full of politically charged tones hitting on topics such as gender equality and abortion rights, among others. Hellhound is their 4th overall album.
SiDETRACK’D is an EP from Boston-based indie rock band Bermuda Search Party. When I first started spinning this album I was not sure if I was going to like it based on the first track. It didn’t pull me in. To be honest, after finishing the other 6 songs I’m still not 100% sure. This might be something to get back to at another time. This band used to be called The Q-Tip Bandits. I’m not sure why they changed their name. I something there might be something worth listening to here. Just maybe not today. At least for me. Give it a spin and let me know what you think though.
Sweden’s Hater dropped Mosquito, their first release in 3 years. Mosquito is this indie pop quartet’s 4th LP. Released by Fire Records, the album is a mix of dream pop and shoegaze. It’s got some good melodic moments on it and at time is quite alluring. I feel like I have listened to this band before (which is probably how it ended up on my list).
And finally, there was a 3-song EP called They’re Coming For Us by Ryan Allen. Ryan is the singer for the band Extra Arms. These songs are a good mix of indie rock, power pop, and punk. There are hints of The Replacements in there, particular in the song “This Ugly.” I heard it anyway. Maybe you won’t. I dunno. Proceeds from this album are going to Democracy Forward, an organization that sets out to advance social progress and democracy. They provide legal services to the country’s inner cities. The song “Hurry Up and Wait” gave me a strong “Summer of 69” vibe.
That’s all I’ve got for this week. Go listen to these tunes and anything else that comes across your airwaves. Have a great weekend and remember to BE MORE KIND.
That Ryan Allen EP is great!