When the esteemed writing team here at the Hard Times isn’t busy crafting Pulitzer-worthy journalistic masterpieces, they can often be found listening to music. Some of it is actually pretty good, too! We’ve compiled a list of some of the freshest tracks and classic oldies that have been inspiring our opuses this past week.

Arlo Parks “Pegasus (ft. Phoebe Bridgers)”

Phoebe Bridgers has been on seemingly everyone’s tracks this year. From SZA and The National to a guest appearance on a voicemail from your mom; the list seems to expand infinitely. Of course, all of these features have been exceptional, but this time Bridgers is lending her dulcet tones to absolute powerhouse Arlo Parks. The British singer-songwriter recently announced her forthcoming sophomore effort, ‘My Soft Machine,’ which promises to repeat the perfection of her 2021 debut. The fourth single from this run, “Pegasus,” features one of the catchiest hooks we’ve heard from Parks, Bridgers, or possibly anyone else we’ve listened to this year. Make sure you set down your drink before the fantastic trip-hop beat drops in after the masterful build. You won’t want to spill it when you start doing your signature dance that makes all of your friends cringe when you aren’t looking.

The Gaslight Anthem “Positive Charge”

Say what you will about New Jersey’s second-finest export, but just know that they have toured AND performed with Bruce Springsteen. Last time we checked, Bruce is literally the fucking Boss. Counting him as a fan automatically makes this band better than any you’ve been in, so quit the charade and listen already. TGA’s new single “Positive Charge,” debuted a few weeks ago and it denotes the end of a seven-year hiatus for the band. Long-time fans are sure to welcome this one with open arms as it features many of the group’s tried and true sounds, complete with raging guitars and heartfelt vocals. Newcomers visiting this track are destined to eagerly dig through the band’s back catalog after realizing they’re listening to a modern band and not a recently unearthed Springsteen demo.

The Exploding Hearts “So Bored (2023 Mix)”

The story of The Exploding Hearts is painfully brief and equally tragic. What should have been a stratospheric rise for the band was cut short by a horrific automobile accident in the summer of 2003. Despite their short time with us, the ethos of this gone-but-not-forgotten Portland quartet still reverberates through the indie-rock realm, influencing all who stumble upon their fantastic work. Their debut and, sadly, final album, “Guitar Romantic,” is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Third Man Records has taken it upon themselves to keep the band’s memory alive with a lovingly remixed and remastered version of this truly excellent album. In addition to the record’s already flawless tracklist, TMR is delighting fans with unreleased material like this newly dropped mix of the hidden gem “So Bored.” Be sure to blast this at full volume and pour one out for these absolute saviors of rock and roll.

DRAIN “Living Proof”

It’s official, hardcore is thrash metal now. Remember that short-lived period of time when Metallica could have passed for a punk band? Of course you don’t. DRAIN certainly does, though, and they are on a mission to make you never forget about it. As accurate as that description is, it still doesn’t come close to encapsulating the band’s ever-morphing sound. All we know is that these four assholes are making hardcore sound so fun that we might actually kind of hate them for it. Perhaps you’ve been avoiding them for the same reason. Listen, we get it, but it’s time we all lighten up and enjoy things every once in a while. In addition to featuring some of the tightest riffs you’ve ever heard in your life, the closing and titular track of DRAIN’s latest LP, ‘Living Proof,’ prominently features a cowbell. You’d think that would sound lame but it actually goes hard as fuck.

The Cure “Push”

We love new jams just as much as the next publication, but sometimes we feel the need to dig deep and dive right into our feels to produce the award-winning social commentary you have come to expect from us. No band gets us there quite like the Cure, who have recently just been announced as a headliner for Riot Fest. If that news doesn’t get you go, go, going, the lead riff here will certainly have you flipping over your desk in no time. Please be advised that we cannot be held responsible if you decide to go down a very sad Cure rabbit hole and text your ex again, though.

Sorry Mom “Teeth”

Rumor has it that you love Hop Along but you wish they didn’t feel the need to show off all the fucking time. We have just the thing for you. Enter Sorry Mom. New York’s femme queer punk trio has been scratching an itch we didn’t even know we had since their single “Teeth” came out a few weeks ago. The hypnotic grooves on this track are sure to have you in a trance-like state. It’s a spell that is only broken when lead-singer Juno Moreno shows up with an amazing vocal that sounds like a caffeinated Kimya Dawson entering the body of a sleepless Frances Quinlan. Their new album ‘babyface’ just dropped last week, and we implore you to become as obsessed with it as we are.

The National “Bloodbuzz Ohio”

We’ve been trying our hardest to get into the new National album, but our melatonin pills have been working just fine on their own. Honestly, we’ve never felt better and our skin looks great. You should give it a try. Anyway, the band just announced the return of their famed ‘Homecoming’ festival in Cincinnati, OH. It will be the first time the beloved Midwest event has taken place since 2018. We’re not sure what caused the four-year gap, but it must have been a pretty big deal. Anyway, while attempting to catch up on their newer material, we naturally gravitated to this absolute banger from their definitive 2010 album ‘High Violet.’ We’re sure we’ll appreciate the new stuff more when we hear it live or perhaps when they release an even more boring album in a few years.

Mikey & His Uke “Wish (Nine Inch Nails cover ft. Tony Hawk)”

It’s always great when a classic becomes a new hit all over again, and this track checks off that box with a significant amount of flare. We were so excited when this one dropped that we actually passed out a few times before we could even load it up. Having dazzled audiences to great effect in the past with his cherub-like voice, Tony Hawk seems intent on staying in the Punk Rock Karaoke spotlight a bit longer. Here we see him lending his golden cords to this absolutely star-stacked cover of Nine Inch Nails’ classic, ‘Wish.’ Featuring members of the Dillinger Escape Plan, Every Time I Die, and the Bronx, the track already reeks of your favorite imaginary Warped Tour lineup. Listening to this one on repeat feels like you’re expanding your taste without having to do any actual work, which is why we fully endorse it.