What We’re Listening To: 2/13/2026
Story by:
Brett Cortelletti
Each week, the Live Music Blog team takes stock of what’s been populating their playlists and getting endlessly stuck in their heads from the week that was. These can be new releases, obscure tracks in niche genres, or classic albums dusted off due to nostalgia (or because they’re simply awesome).
Enjoy what we’re listening to this week… and listen along with us if you so choose!
What We Listened to This Week
Here’s our weekly playlist check-in: new finds, deep cuts, and old favorites we can’t stop replaying.
Purple Mountains – Purple Mountains (2019)
Few lyricists managed to accrue cult following as loyal as those of the late David Berman. While he is primarily associated with The Silver Jews, over a decade after they were dissolved, he released this album just months before his untimely passing.
One of Berman’s greatest skills was combining deeply sad and tender lyrics with an upbeat groove, perhaps best exemplified in “All My Happiness is Gone,” whose melody is vaguely reminiscent of “Melt With You” by Modern English. Loneliness has never been more danceable than in these ten tracks. Consider this album to be a great addition to your Valentine’s day hangover.
Top Tracks: “All my Happiness is Gone,” “Margaritas at the Mall,” “Maybe I’m the Only One For Me”
Listen Next: American Water by The Silver Jews, Magnolia Electric Co. by Songs Ohia, The Purple Bird by Bonnie Prince Billie
Electroponic Chronic – The Arcs (2023)
While you may not have heard of The Arcs before, they are almost guaranteed to sound familiar. That is primarily thanks to the fact that the band led by Dan Auerbach, the guitarist and vocalist of the Black Keys. However, while the vocals and guitar may be familiar, The Arcs are still a step away from The Black Keys’ signature style. In this case, expect a more psychedelic sound. They also have irresistibly psychedelic music videos, reminiscent of Tame Impala’s “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards.”
![The Arcs - "Eyez" [Official Music Video]](jpg/lytecache8926.jpg)
Ironically, I stumbled across The Arcs while searching for another song featured on this list. They have their own highly stylized cover of Purple Mountain’s “Maybe I’m the Only One For Me” (coolly abbreviated as “Only One For Me,” with minor lyric changes as well). I came for the cover, but stuck around for the original tracks, stopping everything I was doing to give this album a full listen.
Top Tracks: “Eyez,” “Heaven is a Place,” “Only One For Me”
Listen Next: Lonerism by Tame Impala, Lucifer on the Sofa by Spoon, Turn Blue the Black Keys
Your Picture – Sha La Das (2026)
Going by release date, this album is the newest on this list. Going by vibes, it definitely feels the oldest. The Sha La Das are a neo-soul group, heavily influenced by R&B as well as doo-wop. Don’t let the gimmick get in the way of your genuine enjoyment, though. These songs are great, and whether they were released in 2026 or 1956, they bring a warmth and tenderness to any playlist. The mixing also deserves some credit here, as every track feels extremely textured with that vintage reverb reminiscent of “The Wall of Sound.”
Their newest album, Your Picture is a testament to their commitment to an era of sound worthy of a revival. While any song on it would be a great introduction to their extremely consistent sound, my top recommendation would be “Stop Using My Love.”
Top Tracks: “Stop Using my Love,” “Do You Remember When,” “Some Kind of Magic”
Listen Next: The Supremes A’ Go Go by The Supremes, Where Did Our Live Go by Thee Sinseers, Fading Forward by Les Imprimés
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