The Lead Sheet ~ 2/3/2026

The Lead Sheet is your guide to this week’s new music - taking a look at newly released albums, who made them, and how listeners are responding.

How does a rap trio continue in the wake of a founder’s untimely passing? Injury Reserve’s remaining members Nathaniel Ritchie and Corey Parker search for those answers this week with the release of My Ghosts Go Ghost, under the new moniker, By Storm. Following the tragic passing of vocalist Stepa J. Groggs, the group decided to formally conclude as Injury Reserve, beginning a new chapter as a duo. Injury Reserve’s recent album, By the Time I get to Phoenix, is dedicated to Groggs’ memory and holds the rapper’s final contributions to music. My Ghosts Go Ghost functions as a processing of grief, and both listeners and critics are enraptured with the visceral, blunt emotion in each track. The production, led by Parker, exhibits mourning through experimental hip-hop with fragmented, broken vocal loops, mirroring the messiness and lack of stability in the path forward. The result is a beautiful, haunting, authentic record that isn’t functional but doesn’t try or want to be. Instead, there is no message of closure, the message is that there is no closure. My Ghosts Go Ghost’s nine tracks are also infused with jazz and folk, featuring violins and acoustic guitars, which contrast the frenetic drumming that pulses through each song.

This week Los Angeles pop-punk group Joyce Manor released their seventh album, I Used to Go to This Bar to positive reviews. Joyce Manor formed in 2008 as an acoustic duo, later becoming a full band that would spend a decade in the emo revival scene. The group is now famous for their extremely short, high-octane songs, and the new album clocks in at just under twenty minutes long. I Used to Go to This Bar is centered around nostalgia, reminiscent in both its message and its sound of pop-punk guitar riffs and unpolished, basement rock, which transport the listener to the early days of groups like Wheezer and Blink 182. Joyce Manor will kick off a massive North American tour this March, and are scheduled to perform at Coachella 2026. 

Canadian folk pop duo Softcult’s debut album dropped this week to fantastic critical reception, following a few successful EP releases. Softcult is composed of twin sisters Mercedes and Phoenix Arn-Horn, who describe their sound as “riotgaze”, combining dreamy ethereal shoegaze with explosive, political grit. The album’s title, When a Flower Doesn’t Grow refers to a quote by Alexander Den Heijer: "When a flower doesn't bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower". The album conveys this idea through hard topics like childhood abuse and forced conformity. So far reviews are excellent, with listeners pointing out Softcult’s refined sound and noticeable growth. Flower Doesn’t Grow’s standout track, “16/25”, is also getting recognition for poignant, hard-hitting lyrics and direction. Across the board, listeners agree that Softcult has raised their own bar, and show immense promise with their new work. 

London based metal group URNE continues to produce cutting edge metal with the release of their third studio album, Setting Fire to the Sky. The group’s sound is best described as a blend of thrash and progressive metal, often compared to bands like Gojira or Mastodon. Their new LP changes tone from their most recent grief-stricken 2023 album, A Feast on Sorrow. Setting Fire to the Sky is strangely uplifting- “Be Not Dismayed” acts as a welcoming invitation to metal newcomers, and “The Ancient Horizon” pays tribute to some of metal music’s greats. Critics are calling it “Cohesive” and “Cinematic”, and consensus is that the new album is the best work from URNE so far, and the group gets better with every new release. URNE will tour through Spring and Summer of 2026 in Germany, France, and the UK. 

This week R&B star Jordan Ward released his highly anticipated sophomore album, Backward, following his debut 2023 record Forward. The title was inspired by Ward’s experience with a knee injury, for which the rehabilitation process required walking backwards on a treadmill.The new LP is a stripped back, grounded project, with less optimism than his previous work. Ward is known for blending genres like soul, hip-hop, funk, and alt-rock, and Backward does this to great effect. Critics point out Ward’s musical maturity, and willingness to address personal setbacks which give the record authenticity and relatability. Listeners agree the album suffers from some bloat, not every one of the seventeen tracks is worth adding to a playlist, and Backward’s somber spirit can sometimes feel lethargic. Overall, It’s a great addition to the young musician’s developing discography. 

By Storm - My Ghosts Go Ghost

Released Jan 30, 2026

deadAir Records, By(e) Storm

Joyce Manor - I Used to Go to This Bar

Released Jan 30, 2026

Epitaph Records

Softcult - When a Flower Doesn’t Grow

Released Jan 30, 2026

Easy Life Records

URNE - Set Fire to the Sky

Released Jan 30, 2026

Spinefarm Records

Jordan Ward - BACKWARD

Released Jan 30, 2026

ARTium and Interscope Records