After a break of two weeks (sorry, but I was on a work mission), New Music Friday is back with a mix of alt-pop and rock, including at least one album that owes its existence to the Cookie Monster.
Singles
1. beabadoobee, Write Me a Letter (Dirty Hit/Interscope)
This is the latest single from her Pylon album, a record that went to number one in the UK. Production comes from Matt Healy and George Daniel of The 1975. It starts quiet, but just wait.
2. Phoebe Bridgers, Bobby (Dead Oceans)
Phoebe’s third album, Lost Weekend, is one of my favourite albums of the second half of 2026. The songwriting is strong and the performances beguiling. And I’m not the only one. The album has been streamed over 275 million times and she sold 500,000 tickets almost instantly for her North American tour.
3. JUSTICE, Flower in a Hurricane feat. Tame Impala, SZA, and King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard (Ed Banger/Because)
That’s a lot of cooks in the kitchen, but it works. This is one of the song on the soundtrack of Grand Theft Auto VI, which is easily the most-anticipated video game in like, forever. Cool Money for Nothing-like riff. The soundtrack is coming November 19.
4. Ten Kills the Pack, We Both Care (Independent)
Canadian stuff courtesy Sean Sroka, the guy who co-wrote Time Machine with TALK. He’s also collaborated with Aysanabee and Hannah Georgas, winning two JUNOs along the way. He’s the co-founder of the Beautiful View Music Festival in Belleville, Ontario, and he’s apparently working on some kind of app that he promises will shake up the music industry.
5. U2, The Greatest Show on Earth (Island/Universal)
For the first time in eight years, U2 is gearing up for a world tour, one that will take a couple of years and consist of about six legs, starting with two shows in Mexico City in February. The tour takes its name from the latest single from Carnaval De Luz, which will be here on November 13. Anyone else find the masks a bit creepy? Like Jason from Friday the 13th creepy?
Albums
1. @, Autosmile (4AD)
It’s pronounced “At,” which will make googling this fun. They’re a Philadelphia duo who specialize in an art-folk sound. Intriguing. Then again, most releases on 4AD are.
2. The Avalanches, No Bad Memories (Modular Recording)
Australia’s Avalanches have been operating since 1997, but this is only their fourth album. They’re make up for it, though, with 31(!!!) tracks running about 52 minutes featuring guest appearances from (deep breath) Panda Bear, Carly Simon(!!!), Rivers Cuomo, Mike Patton, Haley Hoel Osment, Haruomi Hosono, Karen O, Jamie xx, Portraits of Tracy, and more.
3. Eels, Cookie Happened (E Works/PIAS)
E (born Mark Oliver) now has 16 albums to his name and this one was, yes, inspired by the Cookie Monster. No, really. I’m serious. The exact Cookie Monster phrase at the heart of it all is “Me no cry because cookie is finished. Me smiled because cookie happened.” That’s paraphrasing Dr. Seuss, isn’t it? We end up with a record of orchestral pop that’s much more contemplative than the Muppet inspiration would have us assume.
4. Fontaines DC, Dopamine Chamber (XL Recordings)
The Dublin band is up to their fifth album and just keeps getting better. They’ve got stadium rock style that’s angry, cynical, sometimes apocalyptic, and above all, very Irish. If you’re sick of technology, social media, growing authoritarianism, and all the other anxieties we’re facing these days, you’ll want to dive right into this record.
© 2026 Corus Radio, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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