3 Cool Records Released in July 2026
Sam and Louise Sullivan - Love and Devotion
I've been following these siblings since last year when I heard their record. They just made it into my top 25 last year, I think number 25. Recently I watched an Instagram post from my favorite record of last year, Liam Kazar, saying that this is his album of the year so far. So that must mean something, right? Diving into this one right away, it's clear they've made a creative and big step forward as songwriters.
Sam and Louise Sullivan are siblings who've been singing and playing together for as long as they can remember. They grew up playing traditional Irish and old-time music, and they use this influence on this record, helping it stand out in a sea of indie music today. Both studied literature and visual arts, and both still work day jobs in Philadelphia, Louise as an elementary teacher and Sam as a high school literature teacher, making music because they can't afford not to.
Toast Club - Lift
Been eagerly awaiting this release for months, ever since Instagram served me a yacht rock infused track from these guys. It reminds me of Daryl Johns' record from last year, very jazzy, very pop, very yacht rock. But with these guys it's all about the aesthetic. The whole theme is escaping to some far-away tropical place by way of aviation, these guys are total aviation nuts. You can check out my other Scoop post about my trip to London to see them live.
Andrew Sa - American Rough
California-born and Chicago-based artist Andrew Sa is out with his debut album, American Rough. I caught him playing at Chicago's Hideout with the Cosmic Country Showcase a while back and totally forgot about it till now. great to see he is out with his record, and it’s stunning, bridging the gap between mid-century country-pop and contemporary indie-folk with Sa's signature siren-like croon, he draws inspiration from titans like Patsy Cline and Roy Orbison and poetry of Arthur Rimbaud and Ocean Vuong.
American Rough is a cinematic exploration of queer intimacy and masculinity. Sa rethinks the heteronormative traditions of country music, reimagining the genre through the lens of gay desire.
