All Songs Considered Big Thief’s Buck Meek, Joji and more of the week's best songs
Jan 13, 2026
Tom Huizenga, NPR's classical music critic, joins host Robin Hilton to explore the best new songs of 2026. They dive into Buck Meek’s playful ‘Gasoline’ and discuss Joji’s genre-blurring ‘Love You Less’, comparing its sound to shoegaze. The duo also highlights Pekka Kuusisto's lush collaboration with Sam Amidon and Jana Horn's meditative songwriting in ‘Don’t think’. Huizenga introduces Daníel Bjarnason’s ‘Fragile Hope’, contemplating its emotional depth and tribute to Jóhann Jóhannsson, offering a rich blend of modern classical and contemporary genres.
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Keep A Rolling New-Music List
- Start the year with a clean slate and keep a running list of new tracks you love.
- Update the list as the year goes on to track discoveries and favorites.
Playful Cosmic Love In Buck Meek
- Buck Meek's "Gasoline" mixes playful, nonsensical lyrics with cosmic imagery to capture early-stage love.
- The song balances intimacy and whimsy with an unexpectedly disjointed guitar solo that feels perfectly placed.
Buck Meek As Big Thief's Secret Weapon
- Buck Meek functions as a vital creative force within Big Thief with distinct solo work.
- His solo album The Mirror features contributions from bandmate Adrianne Lenker but showcases his own voice.