All Songs Considered

Best new songs: Mitski, Father John Misty, Kim Gordon, more

January 27, 2026

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  • The episode highlights a flurry of new music releases from established artists, including Mitski's new single "Where’s My Phone?" from her upcoming album *Nothing’s About to Happen to Me*, which showcases a return to a heavier rock sound. 
  • The hosts discuss the thematic depth of Mitski's new song, noting how she channels anxiety through the mundane act of losing a phone, and analyze Robber Robber's new track "The Sound It Made" as fitting a current trend of intense, industrialist rock with coolly delivered vocals. 
  • New music also features Father John Misty's reworked track "The Old Law" (formerly "God's Trash"), Kim Gordon's softer solo cut "NOT TODAY" from *PLAY ME*, and the transcendent Desert Blues from Tinariwen's new album *Hoggar*. 

Segments

Storm Talk and Small Talk
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(00:00:19)
  • Key Takeaway: Grocery store stocking levels during a storm varied between New York City and the suburbs, with one location being completely wiped out by Saturday afternoon.
  • Summary: The hosts opened the episode by discussing the impact of a recent storm, noting that one location experienced completely bare grocery shelves by Saturday afternoon. The conversation highlighted the unusual public obsession with hoarding toilet paper during such events. This initial segment served as light preamble before transitioning to the music.
Mitski’s New Rock Direction
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(00:01:49)
  • Key Takeaway: Mitski’s new single, “Where’s My Phone?” from Nothing’s About to Happen to Me, signals a return to an intense, anthemic indie rock style, contrasting with her recent 80s new wave and country influences.
  • Summary: Mitski announced her new album, Nothing’s About to Happen to Me, due February 27th, marking her third album in four years. The first single, “Where’s My Phone?”, is characterized as a big, stadium-sized rock track, reminiscent of her earlier work like Bury Me at Make Out Creek. The lyrics use the mundane act of searching for a phone to channel larger existential anxieties, including self-censorship indicated by a bleep in the track.
Robber Robber’s Intense Sound
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(00:09:48)
  • Key Takeaway: Robber Robber’s song “The Sound It Made” exemplifies a contemporary sound characterized by discordant, intense instrumentals contrasted with coolly delivered, almost monotone vocals.
  • Summary: The Vermont band Robber Robber is introduced, with their song “The Sound It Made” from the album Two Wheels Move the Soul (out April 3rd) fitting a sound the host associates with artists like Cassie Crutt and Kim Gordon’s The Collective. This style features frenetic beats and lyrics that contrast sweet sentiments with chaotic music, reflecting a feeling of being overwhelmed.
Father John Misty’s Wordplay
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(00:17:48)
  • Key Takeaway: Father John Misty’s newly released track “The Old Law” (previously known as “God’s Trash”) showcases his signature style of complex, ironic wordplay critiquing culture while maintaining a performance of ‘mad genius.’
  • Summary: Father John Misty released “The Old Law,” a reworked track he previously performed live as “God’s Trash.” The song is noted for its dense, often nonsensical lyrics that touch upon cultural folly, which some listeners find polarizing. The host suggests that Father John Misty’s performance often involves ironic, subversive dancing, which contributes to how his work is perceived.
Kim Gordon’s Softer Return
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(00:26:32)
  • Key Takeaway: Kim Gordon’s new song “NOT TODAY” from the album PLAY ME offers a significantly lighter, kraut rock-influenced sound compared to the abrasive trap beats of her previous album, The Collective.
  • Summary: Kim Gordon’s new song “NOT TODAY” (from PLAY ME, out March 13th) is described as much softer and less abrasive than her last work. The track features a deadpan humor, exemplified by the line “Where’s my gum, postmate?” which serves as a subtle critique of consumerism. The music video contrasts this mundane lyricism with visuals of her spinning in a designer dress in an empty house.
Tinariwen’s Transcendent Collaboration
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(00:34:02)
  • Key Takeaway: Tinariwen’s new song “Sagherat Assani (feat. Sulafa Elyas)” from Hoggar is a special, gorgeous track because featuring a female vocalist is rare due to regional oppression limiting women’s musical education.
  • Summary: The West African band Tinariwen released “Sagherat Assani” featuring singer Sulafa Elias from their upcoming album Hoggar (out March 13th). The hosts found the collaboration particularly special because the band stated it is difficult to feature women singers due to oppression in their region preventing musical education. The song is praised for its transcendent, meditative quality and the lightness brought by Elias’s voice.
Vero’s Slow Burn Emotion
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(00:39:39)
  • Key Takeaway: Swedish band Vero’s new song “100 Calls” from Razor Tongue is a slow-burning track evoking The Pretenders, culminating in an emotionally resonant lyric about making it to a gathering.
  • Summary: The Swedish band Vero released “100 Calls” from their new album Razor Tongue, which the host compared to a mumbly Chrissie Hynde/Pretenders sound. The song is noted as an intense slow burner that builds to a feeling of relief. A key lyric, “my friends are happy that I came. I want to tell them that I made it,” carries significant emotional weight regarding arrival or personal achievement.