Five Albums I’m Playing Non-Stop This Month

In a world of shuffled playlists and subscriptions, sitting down with a record feels almost rebellious.

Music has always been a kind of escapism. A way to be transported somewhere else for forty-ish minutes. A place where you can sit with your feelings, get lost in the music, or simply enjoy the company of a great record.

So each month I’m sharing five albums I keep coming back to. The ones spinning on repeat in my living room lately.

1. Paramore – After Laughter

Inspired by this month's Margins Muse is After Laughter- ten years after their breakthrough with Riot!, Paramore returned with something completely different. And somehow, it only made them better. After Laughter feels like the sound of a band growing up without losing what made them special in the first place. The guitars are brighter, the production leans into shimmering pop and new wave, but the emotional honesty is still very much there.

Tracks like Hard Times are undeniable. Upbeat, slightly chaotic and impossible not to sing along to.

It’s one of those albums that actually improves with age. The older you get, the more the lyrics land.

2. Olivia Dean – Messy

Yes, I am still listening to this album! Olivia Dean is the soundtrack to a perfect midweek evening. The kind where you’ve poured yourself a glass of wine, the lighting is low and there’s nowhere you urgently need to be. Messy feels warm, soulful and effortless in the best possible way.

It’s a record that can really transport you, great for date night vibes.

3. Jake Bugg – Jake Bugg

This album instantly transports me back to my teenage years.

Released in 2012, Jake Bugg still sounds incredibly fresh. There’s something unusual about the combination of country and folk influences with his unmistakably Nottingham voice and life experiences. It feels raw and grounded in a way that very few debut albums manage.

It’s nostalgic, yes. But it’s also just a genuinely brilliant record from start to finish.

4. George Ezra – Wanted on Voyage

Another album from a similar era, but one that still feels packed with youthful energy.

Wanted on Voyage released in 2014 is full of songs that make you want to travel somewhere new. There’s a sense of possibility running through it, like the whole world is waiting just beyond the next train journey.

And track for track, it’s hard to deny how many hits this album delivered.

5. Sabrina Carpenter – Short n’ Sweet

Sabrina Carpenter has mastered the art of pop that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Short n’ Sweet is full of sharp, funny lyrics and melodies that immediately stick in your head. There’s a humour running through the album that makes the songs feel refreshingly self-aware. No matter what kind of day you’re having, it’s the kind of record that instantly lifts the mood.

Sometimes you need nostalgia, sometimes you need energy, and sometimes you just need a record to set the vibe..

Either way, I’ll see you back here next month with five more albums that have taken over my life.