Ben Kweller, Garbage, & Buffalo Tom
Catch up on the week in new releases and Dig Me Out podcast
Latest Podcast & Poll
Buffalo Tom - Birdbrain | 90s Rock Revisited
Buffalo Tom was a band that found us. Through a dorm room stereo, a mixtape passed along, or a late-night college radio stumble. They weren’t a fixture on MTV or plastered across magazine covers. But their music had a way of landing right when you needed it.
80s Metal Album Tournament
This week, we're spotlighting four albums that hit that nerve. Nominated by listeners and ready for rediscovery.
We're asking: which one deserves the full Dig Me Out deep-dive episode?
New Releases
🎸 Ben Kweller – Cover The Mirrors
If you ever burned a mix CD with “Wasted & Ready” or caught him opening for Death Cab, you remember the charm Ben Kweller carried into the early 2000s indie scene. Cover The Mirrors, his first album in years, arrives under the weight of personal tragedy—after the heartbreaking loss of his 16-year-old son, Dorian. The music is unguarded and reverent, featuring Waxahatchee, MJ Lenderman, and even Dorian’s voice. These songs are grief set to melody, but they also carry quiet, defiant hope.
🌀 The Minus 5 – Oar On, Penelope!
If you had a Soft Boys LP next to your R.E.M. bootlegs, The Minus 5 was probably already on your radar. Scott McCaughey’s rotating lineup, with Peter Buck in tow, brings back its kaleidoscopic charm on Oar On, Penelope!. The album darts between garage rock, glam, and off-kilter pop with the joy of a band making music purely for the ride. This one lets weirdness lead the way.
⚡ Garbage – Let All That We Imagine Be the Light
Back in the late '90s, Shirley Manson’s voice felt like both a warning and a rescue. With Garbage’s eighth album, she sharpens that edge again. Let All That We Imagine Be the Light pulls from recovery and resistance, tackling ageism and sexism with a blend of orchestral drama and punk tension. It’s about standing firm—older, louder, and completely unbothered.
🕯️ Swans – Birthing
If you remember Swans from their brutal early days—or their heavy, hypnotic rebirths—then Birthing will feel like the next logical descent. Michael Gira leads this two-hour journey into ominous repetition and grinding intensity. It doesn’t aim for catharsis. It insists on immersion. The album feels ritualistic, as if each sound was placed with slow-burning intent.
🎶 The Dead Daisies – Lookin’ for Trouble
If you grew up on '70s blues-rock and '80s hair metal, chances are The Dead Daisies scratch that same itch. With members from Whitesnake and Mötley Crüe, their latest album reimagines blues standards through a hard rock filter. Lookin’ for Trouble swings big—sometimes too big—but when the fire catches, like on “Black Betty,” it’s built to shake stadium walls.
🌾 Alan Sparhawk – With Trampled by Turtles
If Low’s glacial soundtracks once got you through long winters, Alan Sparhawk’s voice is already etched in your memory. On With Trampled by Turtles, he steps into a more rustic space with Minnesota’s beloved bluegrass band. The result is raw and intimate, never polished for comfort. These songs ache gently and stay close to the skin.
🌊 Matt Berninger – Get Sunk
If “Fake Empire” or “I Need My Girl” hit you right in the heart, Matt Berninger’s voice probably still carries weight. Get Sunk, his second solo effort, deepens his exploration of melancholy. Tracks like “Inland Ocean” and “Bonnet of Pins” unfold like long thoughts you can’t shake. There’s less drama here, more drifting introspection—perfect for quiet nights when the world feels too close.
🧪 (Hed) P.E. – New And Improved
If you caught them on Ozzfest or flipped through your burned copy of Broke, (Hed) P.E. was the wild card on your nu-metal playlist. On New And Improved, they crash through the ‘80s with a chainsaw—reworking classics in their signature blend of punk, rap, and chaos. It’s unfiltered, high-voltage nostalgia with a busted speaker edge.
Thanks for the Fire Red Sky shout out