By Maddox Lowe, Sophia Sciulli, Piper Turri, and Jonathan Sackett

---

:: You could say WDCE’s MDs ate up the state of music this week. Enjoy weekly recap #8.

:: November 9, 2025

:: The Mountain Goats – Through This Fire Across from Peter Balkan 

Genre: Indie Folk Rock

Release: Album 

Recommended Tracks: “Your Bandage,” “Through This Fire,” “Your Glow,” “The Lady From Shanghai”

Slightly reminiscent of the Broadway musical,“Dear Evan Hansen,” the album feels as though it is singing to an invisible audience of emo midwestern teens and twenty-somethings. Although The Mountain Goats are based in California, the lyrics sound more like a youth group leader conducting his campers to preach than an indie group from Cali. With this being said, there are some tracks that are calming and pleasing to the ear. The album does a great job of incorporating string instruments accompanied by light vocals. My interest is piqued when the intro, to a song, has a mellow quality, however, when the beat speeds up— and the vocals amplify— I become uninterested. 

— Sophia Sciulli

Danny Brown – Stardust

Genre: EDM / Hip-House

Release: Album

Recommended Tracks: “Book of Daniel,” “Starburst,” “Copycats,” “Flowers,” “1L0v3myL1f3!,” “The End”

Brown’s first album since a 2023 period in rehab — where he listened to 100 gecs each day for eight weeks — is a bizarre blend of house beats, industrial grit and experimental everything. It feels like being pulled into a camcorder. A distinct departure from previous albums, Stardust is not just a love-letter to hip-hop but also a retrospective on Brown’s own fame and success. The narrative flows through Brown’s semi-autobiographical character: Dusty Star. The fictitious 90s-inspired pop star struggles with addiction and finding joy in art and music again. Stardust is a reflection on Brown’s journey and his acceptance of sobriety, strengthened through collaboration with those who inspired him during rehab. For his first full foray into EDM, a genre often associated with drug use and drink, Brown has released a sobering reflection. 

— Jonathan Sackett

Del Water Gap – Chasing The Chimera 

Genre: Indie Pop Rock

Release: Album

Recommended Tracks: “How To Live,” “Please Follow,” “Eastside Girls,” “We Don’t Have To Take It Slow”

Chasing The Chimera leans into glossy, Role Model- and The 1975-style indie pop, dressed up with brass, trumpets, and smooth synths. The production, especially on “Eastside Girls,” is stunning, even if some tracks start to blur together. Jaffe’s voice is gorgeous but often tucked too far behind the polish, which feels like a missed chance to let it carry the emotion sitting just beneath the surface. The album is instrumentally light and nostalgic, but the lyrics vividly trace the space between heartbreak and acceptance.

— Piper Turri

Henry Hagerman – Ledbetter Sessions

Genre: Miscellaneous

Release: Album

Recommended Tracks: “Wicked Game,” “Baby Buddah,” “Fade Into You,” “Say You Love Me”

The assortment of songs, across an array of genres, was a nice mix up from Hagerman’s usual roots-revival classic country tune. Hagerman delivers a nice sound to the notable songs, with the strum of his guitar and commanding voice, the solemn songs shift to an optimistic mood. The upbeat songs slow down to fit Hagerman’s country acoustic genre. The songs do not feel like an imitation of an artist, because he capitalizes on the distinct sound of his voice. Specifically, the soft rock through the lens of a country singer was surprisingly enticing. 

— Sophia Sciulli

White Lies – Night Light

Genre: Rock

Release: Album

Recommended Tracks: “Nothing on Me,” “Juice,” “In the Middle”

Night Light is an aggressively alright rock album. For a band that considers itself to be one of the most influential contemporary cult guitar bands, White Lies really does not center their guitars that much. I know this album wasn’t made for me. When I hear “guitar band,” I’m thinking speed, gruff-ness, precision and garages. Night Light brings little of that; it’s a guitar-centric album, if you use a bygone definition. If you like falling asleep, be sure to keep this Night Light on. 

— Jonathan Sackett

Jake Minch – George

Genre: Alternative/Indie

Release: Album

Recommended Tracks: “Drawing a Tattoo,” “Fingers and Clothes,” “Changed Things,” “For Leaving”

I listened to this while riding a train through Virginia’s foggy hills, and it hit perfectly. Backed by bright, percussive guitar strumming, Minch’s lyrics unfold like a film reel—scenes of growing up, falling in love, losing it all, and stumbling through life. He doesn’t shy away from heavy stuff either, especially addiction, which he handles with brutal honesty and heart. I’ve been following him since his first raw release, “handgun,” and while there’s still some of that ruggedness here, he’s grown so much as a writer and performer.

— Piper Turri

Snocaps – Snocaps

Genre: Country Surprise

Release: Album

Recommended Tracks: “Wasteland,” “Hide,” “Heathcliff,”

Snocaps by Snocaps is an interesting album. “Coast” is easily the best song on the album, but unfortunately, like most real coasts, this one comes dirty as hell. This is the first album I’ve listened to in a while that went out of its way to deceive me. The first song feels very indie and alternative, and then after this banger, the songs got progressively more country with more and more twang, until by the end, we were in full full-fledged country Swiftie era. Truly shocking. Recommend to fans of early Taylor Swift. 

— Maddox Lowe

HighSchool – HighSchool

Genre: Alt punk

Release: Album

Recommended Tracks: “149,” “Peter’s Room,” “One Lucky Man,” “Sony Ericsson,” 

This album made me feel like I was in HighSchool again, but not in a shitty, depressed way. This album must encapsulate how it feels to be a misunderstood emo with a side part, walking the halls, head down, earbuds in, eyeliner popping. I wouldn’t know, but if you’re a member of the emo community, let me know if you agree. “Peter’s room” really got me going. He’s sad and wants connection, not just a crack ): and “honesty is all that [he’s] got.” Someone PLEASE play darts with this man, my emo heart can’t take any more. With absolute bangers like “Making out at the skatepark,” you really can’t go wrong with HighSchool’s entrance into the goth, sad-boy scene. But seriously, this album is really good. Recommend to fans of Wallows.

— Maddox Lowe

::