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March 2026 Monthly Report Playlist:

In full transparency, I don't expect everyone subscribed will like every single song in every single playlist. Taste is such a broad and personal thing. This is very much a reflection of what I've been enjoying lately, sharing it in the hopes that maybe one of these songs resonates and you find a new band or musician you might not have heard before or previously thought twice about. I'm leading with this disclaimer up front because this might be the "weirdest" playlist of the year so far. It also includes vocals on the harsher side of the spectrum. There will likely be songs here that you are not going to like, and that's okay. But maybe there are some tracks that will tickle a part of your brain and surprise you. As we say at the end of every episode of Global Garage: "Keep your ears open, keep your minds open, and keep your borders open."

There are two albums that didn't make the playlist cut for the sole reason of not being on bandcamp. I highly recommend you check them out anyways.

Johnny Blue Skies & The Dark Clouds - Mutiny After Midnight [Country*]

The artist formerly known as Sturgill Simpson is back with an absolute banger. Political & horny country-disco-funk*. Yeah. I know. But it WORKS and JBS might be the only one who can really pull it off in a way that takes the musical craft seriously, but very much does not take himself seriously. It's a record that feels like authentic musical expression and innovation while also trolling the people that make modern country insufferable. The first track is literally called "Make America Fuk Again." And it slaps. I think it might have dethroned A Sailor's Guide to Earth for me in terms of favorite albums from this genre-defying outlaw country musician. I'm a sucker for horns in surprising places - hence my love for Sailor's Guide - but you throw in some groovy bass, funk stank, and sardonic wit in as well it? Hot damn. If I had to pick a track for this playlist, it'd probably be "Ain't That a Bitch." The album is currently only out as a physical release (or iTunes), but, if you want a taste, the "Situation" music video is up on the 'Tube:

Irreversible Entanglements - Future Present Past [Free Jazz]

Camae Ayewa (AKA Moor Mother) is such a captivating and prolific vocalist. Last year she released an album in collaboration with post-metal band SUMAC. This year she, along with the four other members of the free jazz collective Irreversible Entanglements released their fourth studio album in March. It is excellent. If you're new to free jazz, this could be a great, more-accessible gateway into the genre. Liberation-centric spoken word vocals, a groovy rhythm section, expressive horns. It's one of those "put on your headphones and close your eyes" records. If I could pick a song to add to the playlist, I probably would have selected "Panamanian Fight Song" - it's on streaming platforms, just not bandcamp.

Now onto the playlist:

Click here to listen while you read along below.

You're Free to Go - Anjimile [Indie Folk]

Beautiful, catchy indie folk that explores themes of identity and liberation. The vocals are beautiful and smooth, layered on top of some lovely textures from full-band instrumentation.

Tadpoles - Nick Wheeldon & The Living Paintings [Folk Rock/Alt-Country]

I've been following Nick's output for the better part of a decade. I first interviewed him and his Os Noctàmbulos (surfy garage psych) bandmates back in 2018. Most recently, he was a guest on Season 2 of Let's Make A Mixtape around the time he released the double album Make Art and the same year he also released Waiting For The Piano to Fall with The Living Paintings. With a Nick Wheeldon album, you can expect poignant songwriting with a heartfelt delivery, backed by incredibly talented instrumentation and thoughtful arrangements. Tadpoles is another solid entry in a stunning discography. If you like the cosmic folk rock of the 60s & 70s ala Gram Parsons or that 90s alt-country sound from the likes of The Jayhawks, you'll find yourself right at home with this record.

A Portal To Here - Work Money Death [Spiritual Jazz]

Spiritual jazz out of Leeds, UK. Fans of Alice Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, and Sun Ra will likely enjoy this one immensely. Describing it won't do it justice. Give it a listen.

Hoggar - Tinariwen [Tuareg / Desert Blues]

If you're familiar with the Tuareg music tradition - also referred to as "Desert Blues"- this band is likely on your radar. If you're not, let me introduce you to Tinariwen, the legends of the gene. Dusty guitar, group vocals, hypnotic rhythm; sit back and let this music transport you far away.

Summerchild - Red Sun Atacama [Punky desert psych rock]

Turning up the heat, next is a bit of French rock'n'roll courtesy of Red Sun Atacama. Their high-octane garage punk ventures into heavy psych riffage and burning guitar solos. If you like Thee Oh Sees, Slift, Queens of the Stone Age, this album'll probably get your head bangin'. Horns up, friends.

Forever Beyond - Black Lung [Hard Rock]

Psychedelic stoner doom out of Baltimore. Fans of King Buffalo, Howling Giant, Psychlona, All Them Witches, Dead Meadow, or - broadly - good damn rock'n'roll - will likely find something to love here.

A Odesseia de Carlos Bizarro - Sereias [Punk Jazz]

This is one of those tickle my brain albums. The music coming out of Portugal never ceases to amaze me. This album in particular features a fuzzy, punky framework with smoky, psychedelic jazz and spoken word. There's a really intriguing and almost-unsettling tension the band is able to create with their sonic sculpturing.

An Undying Love for a Burning World - Neurosis [Proggy Post-Metal]

A very unexpecting release, post-metal legends Neurosis are back with ISIS (and the previously mentioned SUMAC) vocalist Aaron Turner joining the band. Colossal, sludgy, proggy, and cathartic. Moments of heavy tension released with beautiful, pensive instrumentation. Even if you're not typically a fan of heavy music, I suspect you might have some feelings towards the current state of the world. Summon those feelings, crank this sucker, and then let the heaviness carry some of that weight away.

Until Every Flag is Burned - Hempitera [Melodic Crust Punk]

I'm relatively new into the world of emo crust/neo-crust/melodic crust. My first introduction was to Fall of Efrafa. From there, I fell down the rabbit hole: His Hero is Gone, Tragedy, Nux Vomica, Habak, Lagrimas, etc. This new record from Brighton-based Hemiptera is in that same fantastic tradition and even features vocals from Fall of Efrafa singer Alex CF. Heavy, blackened, righteous punk rock songs backed with a cello. I have to imagine this is what people who haven't listened to Murder by Death think Murder by Death sounds like.

In case you missed them, check out the January and February 2026 mixtapes as well.

Shows of Note (for those in central NC)

The following are shows on my radar that I'd like to go to (or, if I'm out of town, will be sad to miss so you should go in my stead). This is not all encompassing by any means.

4/13 - The Belair Lip Bombs (@ Kings)

4/19 - Black Tusk, Howling Giant, Bongfoot (@ The Pour House)

4/22 - Pallbearer (@ Kings)

5/15-16 - Bull City Metal Fest (@ Stanczyks)

6/11 - BALTVS (@ Cat's Cradle)

6/17 - Playboy Manbaby (@ Local 506)

8/5 - The Body / BIG|BRAVE (@ The Pinhook)

Global Garage on WHUP FM

We've been shaking things up on Global Garage this year. Every other episode is a regular ol' episode of the show and in-between we're cranking out shows around a theme. So far this year we've built shows around:

Snow Tapes: Spectral Sounds from Icy Landscapes and Psyches

Winter Tropicália: Arctic Sounds from the Southern Hemisphere

Drone of the Endless Night: Droning sounds as summoning ritual in a Land Where the Sun Never Rises

Glacial Surf

Post Colonial Futures: Antifascist Sci-fi Soundscapes Ushering Us Out of the Long Winter

Local Garage (ft. Jackson Balling of BlankTapes.co - North Carolina's Local Music Webzine

Global Garage is a radio show that airs on Hillsborough, NC's community station WHUP. When we first started with the show - back in 2017 - we were focused on playing garage rock from around the world. Since then, we've "expanded the garage" into music that is rock-tangential (and beyond). You can listen live on WHUP every Sunday from 1pm-3pm EST or stream episode archives for two weeks on the WHUP website.

Let's Make A Mixtape Podcast

Work on Season 3 is starting now. I just needed to take a year off to focus on getting that Doomsday Profit album out last year. I'm the king of overcommitting and overcomplicating so I've decided to start this newsletter, naturally. Catch up on Season 1 and Season 2 in the meantime!

Doomsday Profit

Now that our self-titled album has been out in the world for over a year (for those who were on to our tricks) or six months (for those who weren't), we're busy writing a bunch of new songs. It'll be a pretty quiet year of shows for us.

4/18 - Legalize Lex (festival) - Lexington, KY (tickets)

4/23- The Cave - Chapel Hill (with Overton)

Speaking of Overton, they just released an incredible single and lyric video which should be reason enough to check out that Cave show...

Bite Back!

Thanks for making it this far. I'd love feedback if you have any, please let me know what you think! What would you like to see more of? Less of? What albums did you love so far this year that I've totally missed? What albums are you looking forward to? What shows are you looking forward to?

Until next month. Keep those ears open, keep those minds open, and keep those borders open.

-Ryan