The Best of June '26

Jun 30

Opening Instagram to see an outpouring of Mid-year musical recaps, envy-inducing festival pictures, and inescapable “Love Island” discourse can only mean one thing: summer is in full swing. As June comes to its end, relish in the albums and singles that dropped with groove, spunk, and heart this month. After all, why pick just one song of the summer when the indie ilk are giving it their all, and plenty of it?

RAPID REVIEWS

On Love & Crushing Heartbreak: Olivia Rodrigo’s you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love - Eva Elisa Wells

Watch the music video for “stupid song” on YouTube.

“Olivia Rodrigo is no stranger to publicly exposing her bleeding wounds and then stitching them back together herself in pursuit of emotional self-preservation. Her latest album, you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love, is the perfect example of such a cycle: the body of work is a wound, exposed and still healing. Still trickling blood after the trauma inflicted upon it left a lasting impression, while her hand then threads a dull needle, slicing through the untouched skin encompassing the wound, creating even more trauma to the surrounding area in hopes of turning the anguish into a battle scar or a lesson learned.”

For Fans Of: new wave, season three of “Stranger Things,” vodka crans

Sleeping with Sirens Refuse to Run out of Steam in Eighth Studio Album, An Ending in Itself- Olivia Strohecker

“At this point in their journey, Sleeping with Sirens’ sound is simultaneously fresh and nostalgic without dulling the band’s edge. Following the bleakness of 2019’s How It Feels to Be Lost and 2022’s Complete Collapse, their newest record serves as a full-circle reckoning. Sleeping with Sirens is returning to the volatility of their earlier work, tempered by the survival and resolve they’ve reached since.”

For Fans Of: complex guitar work, anti-romanticization, angry journaling

Pond’s Terrestrials Matches Grit With Groove - Seay Howell

Listen to Terrestrials on Spotify.

“At its core, Terrestrials is about humanity. Pond has articulated their sound into a jumpy, frenzied attitude that chases, corners, and pins down the collective urgency to fix our relationships with each other and our environment driven by a sense of impending doom. Are we dancing the anxiety away, or are we flailing in fear? Either way, let’s do it in style.”

For Fans Of: Australian protest music, '80s rock, witty wordplay

Ryan Beatty Showcases His Growth on Latest Album, Sweet Fortune - Mitchell Stewart

“Few artists can understand the nuances of queer yearning and romance like Ryan Beatty. On his latest album, Sweet Fortune, he shows that he not only comprehends the idea but has lived it himself. From the grand production to the introspective lyrics, Sweet Fortune is both a sonic departure for Beatty and a dose of familiarity that comforts more than it cuts … “Fleur De Lis” is perhaps the entire thesis of the album, acknowledging the parts of us that are sucking the nutrients from our soil — the casual hookups and the things left unsaid — and planting the seeds of growth that allow us to live and thrive with greater strength than before.”

For Fans Of: queer storytelling, subtle twang, musical inhales and exhales

BROOKE’S BONUSES

Phoebe Bridgers’ Comeback is Cemented with New Single

Since becoming OTR’s Monthly Recaper, I’ve dreamt of the day there would be new Phoebe Bridgers music to write about. It’s easy to gush about my favorite artist — especially when her new single follows a string of surprise pop-up shows and ends a four-year release drought —but the queen of sad girl indie certainly has the artistry to back it up with “Lost Boys.” It feels apt that the lead single for Bridgers’ first album in six years is a sprightly track with Peter Pan Syndrome imagery to match. Lyrics like, “This machine is killing me / I pretended it was make-believe,” and “Never grow up, never get old,” feel sacred for the large part of Bridgers’ audience that have crossed into adulthood since 2020’s Punisher. If Bridgers is an elf-eared, flowy-gowned leader of a modern indie crusade — as she’s depicted in the “Lost Boys” music video —then consider this recaper a knight in her Order.

For Fans Of: chamber pop, renaissance faires, final chorus catharsis

We’re all in love with Quiet Houses’ Debut Record

Listen to we’re all in love on Spotify.

In an alternate reality where “Love Island” was a breezy sonic paradise instead of a semi-toxic — albeit highly entertaining — reality television show, then Quiet Houses’ debut album would soundtrack the Villa. We’re all in love courts listeners with its enamored attitude and seals the deal with its breezy atmosphere, guaranteeing its place on summer playlists everywhere. The Manchester-based duo crafts cinematic indie pop bliss on tracks like “i don’t wanna know how it ends” and “made for love,” with balladic serenades like “where does all the love go?” and “i’m not yours” make for a well-rounded listening experience.

For Fans Of: Samia, coming-of-age movies, songs that make you feel like you’re floating

Julia Jacklin Sets the Stage for New Era with “Get Away From Me (I Think I’ll Love You Soon)”

Accompanying the announcement of her fourth studio album, Gem, “Get Away From Me (I Think I’ll Love You Soon)” is the latest single from Australian indie mainstay Julia Jacklin. Ever the examiner of intimacy in the 21st century, Jacklin’s return is marked by and expressions of avoidant attachment to the tune of jangly guitars and cruising melodies: “There's no need to be sure / That this feeling will stay / I'm just trying to ready myself / For what's coming my way,” she sings in the first verse. The chorus of uninhibited “Get away, get away” yells scattered in the background of the final chorus add a playful tone to the landscape, as if acknowledging that very valid self-reservations can often sound trivial. With her recent signing to 4AD and upcoming global tour, “Get Away From Me (I Think I’ll Love You Soon)” is just a taste of what the rich-voiced Aussie has in store.

For Fans Of: getting attached too soon, Courtney Barnett, fun backing vocals

EXTRAS

June Staff Picks: