No Expectations 117: Surviving You
10 albums to check out this week. Plus, a new look for the newsletter and a stacked roundup of gig recaps.
No Expectations hits inboxes on Thursdays at 9am cst. Reader mailbag email: Noexpectationsnewsletter@gmail.com. Daily Chicagoan, the local news newsletter I produce at my day job with WTTW News (PBS Chicago), can be found here.
Headline song: Hannah Frances, “Surviving You”
Thanks for being here. It’s good to be back after a week off. I started August by visiting family in Michigan. When I got back to Chicago, I experienced what’s likely my best week of live music this summer with Resavoir’s orchestral show at Millennium Park on Monday, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard with the Chicago Philharmonic at Ravinia on Wednesday, and Ryan Davis and the Roadhouse Band with Tobacco City at the Hideout on Friday. I even managed to cram in a Chicago Sky game on Thursday (Note: If a WNBA team plays near you, go. It’s always a blast.) With that jam-packed social schedule, I took the rest of last weekend off to listen, read, and recharge. Because of the quick publishing break, you’ll find a slightly expanded number (10!) of new album recommendations, a 20-song playlist, plus gig recaps on every show I attended.
Here’s an explainer for those who are brand new to No Expectations: Each week, you get a wildcard main essay (often new album recommendations), a 15-song playlist, as well as updates on what I’m listening to, watching, and reading. Sometimes you’ll get an interview with an artist I love, and other times it’ll be a deep dive into one band’s discography. Since I’m a Chicago-based writer, this newsletter is very Midwest-focused. So, if you live in this city too, you’ll also receive a curated roundup of upcoming local shows to check out.
Here’s where I politely solicit paid subscriptions: This newsletter is something I write in my spare time after work. It’s unpaywalled and remains that way due to the generosity of my readers. I am not in the business of gatekeeping. If you have the means and like what you read, you can sign up for a paid subscription. If your budget is tight, telling a friend about a band you found out about here is just as good. It’s still $5 a month—the cost of one Old Style plus tip at Rainbo Club. Every bit helps, keeps this project going, and allows it to stay paywall-free. It’s rough out there, and it means the world to me that you are reading and supporting this writing project.
Next week, I’ll have a Taste Profile interview with one of the artists in today’s playlist. I won’t tell you who just yet, but it’s a longtime favorite songwriter. I can’t wait to publish it on Thursday.
Some News: No Expectations Has Original Art and a Logo Now
Burlington, Vermont’s Zack James has been one of my favorite artists since I started this newsletter. His solo project Dari Bay had my favorite album of 2023 in Longest Day of the Year, and his other band Robber Robber put out the best post-punk LP of 2024 in the explosive and inventive Wild Guess. He’s drummed on classic full-lengths from both Lily Seabird and Greg Freeman, and I’m stoked to see him play in Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s touring band next time they hit Chicago. He’s a great dude, now a good friend, and an incredible visual artist. A few months ago, he hit me up to see if I wanted him to design some original art for No Expectations. That sounded like a dream, and what he came up with was even sicker than I could’ve imagined. For at least the next 100 weeks, each unique cover image you’ll see published here will be from James. Expect more graphic design goodies from him throughout the year. (Maybe some merch?) Last but not least, now the newsletter has an official logo. I love it so much.
10 Albums Worth Your Time This Week
Ada Lea, when i paint my masterpiece
Since 2019, Montreal’s Alexandra Levy, who performs as Ada Lea, has released intimate and perceptive singer-songwriter LPs that thrive on resonant observations about love and loss. Her latest, when i paint my masterpiece, is her most playful, vibrant, and breezy yet. Using a Laurel Canyon-esque,‘70s-indebted palette over its 16 tracks, Levy feels comfortable and energized throughout. Recorded live with her band in rural Ontario, songs like “bob dylan’s 115th haircut” (the LP title isn’t the only reference to the iconic songwriter) showcase Levy’s humor with lines like, "Bob Dylan wouldn’t have thought of this song / A couple reasons—he wasn’t here, for one." Elsewhere, “baby blue frigidaire mini fridge” is a sweet, slice-of-life dose of folk rock where Levy finds yearning in the mundane. Loose and alive, these songs soar even at their most ramshackle.
Clifford, Golden Caravan
The best Boston indie rock bands always have a palpable edge to their music, melding pummeling noise with jangle.(See: Pile, Krill, Horse Jumper of Love, etc.) Clifford are no exception. On their sophomore album Golden Caravan, the quartet elevate their moody and nervy songs with a more patient and eclectic approach. You’ll hear the dusky slowcore of some of their local peers but Clifford imbues their songs with subtle twang and folksiness (more in line with out-of-state bands like Dutch Interior and Truth Club). At its loudest, like on highlight “C Song,” the band finds ways to add disarming beauty to the dissonance with understated falsetto backing vocals and plaintive piano. Standout “Ink Blot” features a seamless assist from Mei Semones and is propulsive and anthemic but closer “Sugar Pill” is mournful and calm. This is rock music that stretches out and searches, always finding a beguiling twist and satisfying melodic flourish in each tune.
Emily Hines, These Days
Emily Hines describes herself as a “chronically sincere farm girl from Ohio making folk rock” in Nashville, which is a delightful way to describe the vibe on her excellent debut LP These Days. Released this month via the great Texas label Keeled Scales (Good Looks, Lunar Vacation, Renée Reed, Will Johnson), these seven tracks make for one of the most efficient and rewarding folk debuts of the year. It’s uniformly lived-in and heart-rending. At times, Hines’ voice reminds me of Lily Seabird and other times, it’s Leslie Feist. She’s an evocative, emotional, and dynamic vocalist, especially in the sparse, acoustic-led, and downtempo numbers like “My Own Way,” “Cowgirl Suit,” and “UFO.” That said, the true highlight in an album packed with them comes in “All Of Our Friends,” which unfolds into swirling and stunning harmonies.
Hut, Hut
Here’s a slightly embarrassing story. The other week, I came across one of the singles on Hut’s self-titled debut on a playlist by a trusted source. I liked the tune, but I thought, “This sounds way too much like that Renny Conti record I included in my midyear list.” It turns out, it was Conti, specifically his new New York-based band, which he formed with Darryl Rahn, Isaac Stalling, and Noah Rauchwerk. While I could save face by claiming, “Here’s why just listening to playlists keeps you from necessary context and the ability to draw connections and learn more about music,” I really should’ve known. Hut’s self-titled debut has the relaxed, effortless feel that can only come from several close friends making music together. “Low” is anchored by wailing steel guitar, plucky acoustics, and winsome harmonies between Conti and Rahn. “August Moon” has a shuffling pace while “Didn’t I Need You” ventures into more rocking territory. It’s a charming, casual, but exceptional collection of songs.
No Joy, Bugland
No Joy started as a gleefully shapeshifting shoegaze band from Montreal that has since evolved into the solo project of main member Jasamine White-Gluz, which still boasts a fierce experimental streak on new LP Bugland. Here, White-Gluz teams up with Fire-Toolz’s Angel Marcloid for a thrilling LP of ecstatic, explosive, and glitchy indie rock. But for all the blasts of synths, samples, and other sonic left turns that pepper these songs, this LP is not a challenging listen. It’s strikingly cohesive, tangibly inviting with lush melodies and strong hooks, and sounds organic, even with the assemblage of electronics shaping each arrangement. This is the kind of record where transcribing what’s going on in a particular track (ex, “Closer “Jelly Meadow Bright” combines palm-muted riffage, black metal shrieks, smooth jazz, and ambient soundscapes”) sounds insane, but I promise you it all works perfectly.
Osees, ABOMINATION REVEALED AT LAST
While I’ve considered myself a fan of the long-running Bay Area psych-rock band Osees (or Thee Oh Sees or OCS, depending on how old you are) for at least 15 years, they’re so relentlessly prolific that I’m not familiar with a good chunk of their catalog of 29 (!) studio albums. I realize now that after my deep dives into the catalogs of King Gizzard, Phish, and the Grateful Dead, no ouvre is too sprawling or intimidating. Their latest, ABOMINATION REVEALED AT LAST, is such a blast that I feel like I’ve been missing out as a relatively casual supporter of their music. Songs like “SNEAKER” and “PROTECTION” explode with disorienting and confrontational riffs: the former a booming bass line and the latter a chiming rhythm guitar. “FLIGHT SIMULATOR” is abrasive West Coast punk with a chorus that starts with, “I am insufferable, unbelievably satisfied / It's my place to tell you what is wrong.” With caustic and overtly political lyrics, their furious energy and undeniable charisma are stronger than ever.
Seth Beck, Soft Heaven
Like me, Seth Beck is from West Michigan and made Chicago his second home. While that already makes me like him, his new LP, Soft Heaven, is so good that I’d sing its praises here no matter where he’s from. He’s been a DIY lifer in bands like The Fever Haze (which features members of Greet Death) and Bargain World, and his solo stuff has consistently been in my taste wheelhouse. Where his last LP, 2023’s Entertainment Center, was a synthy and snappy collection of compelling indie rock, his new one takes it into a much more atmospheric and immersive direction. Beneath the dreamlike arrangements are sturdy songs that instantly latch on to you. “Passenger Seat” is spacey heartland rock, while “I’ll Be Looking Out For You” adds crunchy, shoegazy distortion. It’s the kind of record where you listen and think, “Wow, that’s a good song” with each consecutive track.
Star Moles, Snack Monster
With an album title like Snack Monster and the unfussy Tascam-recorded vibe of the music, you might initially think the latest offering from Philadelphia’s Emily Moales is slight, low-key bedroom pop. But when you spend time with these charming and masterfully written songs, you’ll realize she’s onto something really special. She has an especially keen ear for a memorable melody that truly shines in a pared-back setting. “Tides” bursts to life in its jaunty chorus, while “Why” is so timeless it feels like a song I’ve loved my entire life. Closer “Killers” kicks off with what might be my favorite lyric I’ve heard in a long time: “Forgive your choices, forgive your friends / Reflect and try to make amends / Forgive them in the end.” It’s generous and irresistible writing that stands tall in its simplicity.
Teethe, Magic of the Sale
Teethe are a Texas group whose name always came up highly recommended when I’d interview other bands. Take one listen to their discography, and it’s easy to see why they’re so beloved. Magic of the Sale, their sophomore album, is a marked level-up from the twangy slowcore of their debut. Here, they lean in on dark enveloping, and nostalgic atmospherics with assists from string players along with Charlie Martin of Hovvdy on piano and Xandy Chelmis of Wednesday and MJ Lenderman on pedal steel. This is an album that you can live in, and at 14 songs, there’s enough musical world-building here to stay awhile. Lead singer and songwriter Boone Patrello is near peerless in how he can craft such gentle, melancholic, and affecting songs. “Hates Goodbyes” with its lilting cello, unhurried guitars, and pops of dizzy steel is so pretty it’s almost overwhelming, while the title track feels like the perfect 2025 answer to something by Stars and Broken Social Scene at their most vulnerable.
Wombo, Danger in Fives
Louisville trio Wombo has consistently excelled thanks to the juxtaposition of lead singer and bassist Sydney Chadwick’s sparkling, warm melodies and the icy, unfussy post-punk arrangements that engulf her writing. Their streak of albums on the great label Fire Talk has been excellent, but Danger in Fives is the best of the bunch. The opening title track finds Chadwick’s voice floating over her brooding bass, a frantic drum beat, and zips of clanging lead guitar. It’s a winning formula that the band perfects throughout the tracklist, especially on the woozy and spooky “Ugly Room” and the off-kilter dynamo “Spyhopping.” While the songs are rarely flashy and in-your-face, each one boasts something profoundly rewarding with each listen.
What I listened to:
The No Expectations 117 Playlist: Apple Music // Spotify // Tidal
1. Color Green, "Ball And Key (Free)
2. villagerrr, "Ride Or Die w/ Lydia"
3. Hannah Frances, "Surviving You"
4. Emily Hines, "All Of Our Friends"
5. Teethe, “Holy Water”
6. Ava Luna, "Frame of Us"
7. Ada Lea, "something in the wind"
8. Way Dynamic, "Miffed It"
9. Star Moles, "Tides"
10. Hut, "Low"
11. Seth Beck, "Everybody Dumb"
12. Hand Habits, "Dead Rat"
13. Shrunken Elvis, "K-House"
14. Clifford, "Ink Blot"
15. Osees, "SNEAKER"
16. No Joy, "Bugland"
17. Ganser, "Discount Diamonds"
18. Wombo, "A Dog Says"
19. Geese, "Trinidad"
20. Luke Schneider, "For Dancing In Quiet Light (coda)"
Gig recap: Orchestra Resavoir at Millennium Park (8/4)
Will Miller has been a bud for the better part of a decade. The Chicago trumpeter and producer was a member of Whitney, and his solo project Resavoir has released some splendidly heady doses of contemplative, verdant, and collaborative jazz on International Anthem. On Monday, I attended one of the City of Chicago’s Millennium Park Summer Music Series at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, where Miller brought a 17-piece orchestra of some of Chicago’s best players to flesh out his Resavoir arrangements. If you’re a longtime reader of this newsletter, you’ll know I’m a homer for my adopted city. After drinking wine on the lawn of one of Chicago’s many gorgeous public parks and taking in a free jazz show featuring several friends, I truly believe anyone would be charmed by what this city has to offer.
Gig recap: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard with the Chicago Philharmonic at Ravinia (8/6)
Probably the most bonkers thing I’ve ever done in this newsletter was a Discography Deep Dive (Triple D) where I ranked all 26 studio albums by the adventurous Australian rock band King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. I had a blast doing it and love most everything that band has put out, but it was such an undertaking that I have yet to do another Triple D. (I have two planned before the year ends—I appreciate your patience.) They’ve since released another LP since I published that newsletter (the excellent, string-led Phantom Island), and last Wednesday, they played it in full at the suburban venue Ravinia with the Chicago Philharmonic. 10 years ago, I liked a couple of albums from a psych-rock band with a goofy name, and now I think it’s evolved into one of the most sprawling, fascinating, and exciting art projects I’ve witnessed in my adult life. The band gleefully morphs genres from album to album, blitzes through their catalog in raucous, unpredictable live shows, and has remained remarkably consistent. While I wished some of the strings were louder in the mix, the show was masterful. To hear new tunes rendered this ornately and to see old favorites transformed ruled. Shoutout to my girlfriend’s aunt and uncle, Beth and Michael, for being Ravinia donors and hooking up the tickets.
Gig recap: Ryan Davis and the Roadhouse Band, Tobacco City at Hideout (8/8)
The best shows make you feel deliriously happy: grateful to be experiencing a band at the height of their powers and witness it around a similarly enthralled crowd of people. I was grinning ear-to-ear the entire gig at the Hideout Friday, where Chicago’s Tobacco City opened for Louisville’s Ryan Davis and the Roadhouse Band. Last week, I wrote about New Threats From the Soul, Davis’ excellent new LP, and I said, “[Davis] pens dazzling, barfly lyrics about underdogs, lost loves, and characters finding and flailing their way in America…[with] touchstones of Americana with pedal steel, violin, and ample twang.” While the LP is stunning, seeing it live might be the most cathartic rock gig I’ve attended in 2025. Also, seeing Tobacco City play their gorgeous and dusky country at the Hideout was perfect: that band feels like they were made to play that venue.
What I watched:
King of the Hill (Hulu)
One of my hottest takes is that King of the Hill is not just one of the alltimer animated comedies, but one of the best sitcoms ever. Over its 13 initial seasons, it was consistently hilarious, humane, and wholesome. After a nearly 16-year hiatus, showrunner Mike Judge nails it on its comeback 14th season. How the show handled the time jump—having propane salesman and patriarch Hank Hill (Mike Judge) and his wife, Peggy (Kathy Najimy), returning home to Arlen, TX to retire after a stint living and working for Aramco in Saudi Arabia—was genius. Seeing the Hills adapt to a changed America was both uproarious and heartwarming, and the bits landed just as firmly as they did 20 years ago. If you loved the initial run and are on the fence, you won’t be disappointed.
What I read:
The Sirens’ Call (by Chris Hayes)
A recurring theme throughout my writing at No Expectations has been my attempts to limit screen time, break away from the social media scroll, and hopefully regain focus and mental health. It’s impossible to churn out weekly newsletters if I’m dicking around online and doomscrolling. But more than that, I’d simply rather spend my spare time reading and listening, being around friends, or nurturing my interests than aimlessly glued to my phone. MSNBC anchor and journalist Chris Hayes’ new book, The Sirens' Call: How Attention Became the World's Most Endangered Resource, is one of the better researched and argued books on how online life has degraded our real lives and our politics. I’ve been reading the guy since he was at In These Times and The Nation, and while I don’t usually make space for TV news, his show is one of the only ones where watching doesn’t make me feel insane or cringe. In the book, there were some especially resonant passages on how people actually crave recognition, but what the internet gives them is attention, which is close enough that it becomes an insatiable addiction. If you’ve ever felt like a crank sounding the alarm over your decreasing attention spans and disruptive technologies’ effects on your mental health and society, this book will make you feel less alone.
The Weekly Chicago Show Calendar:
The gig calendar lives on the WTTW News website now. You can also subscribe to the newsletter I produce there called Daily Chicagoan to get it in your inbox a day early.
Besides my request for merch (take my money!), I would like to humbly submit a newsletter enhancement request.
Could you consider including the genre of the album you are reviewing at the top level of the review?
Something like what Rosy Overdrive does (thanks for turning me onto that blog, too):
No Joy, Bugland
Genre: Shoegaze, experimental rock, dream pop, electronica
Thanks!
MERCH PLEASE!