Vile Bees - Joy Coughs (Seismic Wave Entertainment)

I’m really glad the word “joy” is right there in the album title - because listening to Vile Bees' Joy Coughs on repeat evokes many emotions and the overwhelming one is certainly joy. But “Certain Joy” would have been an elusive album title for three humble guys from Wisconsin that quietly made one of the best albums of the year at Milwaukee’s Howl Street Recordings.

Vile Bees - live at Evelyn's (Racine, WI) 9/27/25

Musically, Vile Bees do an amazing job of pulling in influences from the whole spectrum of rock music and distilling them down to a recognizable and unique sound on each track, all while clearly having tons of fun playing the parts they’ve crafted. The most accurate way for me to describe their sound would be to propose an alternate universe where R.E.M. never got signed to a major label but instead just kept cranking out the best indie rock imaginable. But instead we live in a cursed timeline, so…

Lyrically, Vile Bees are clearly having just as much fun as when they are writing music. Bassist Kyle Scheuer sings lead on most songs with guitarist Michael Marchant occasionally taking over lead vocal duties. Discovering as many clever turns of phrase, puns, and pop culture references (allusions, Michael!) as possible on each listen is an especially joyful way to listen to Joy Coughs.

If you’re lucky enough to snag this one on vinyl, it’s a work of art to behold even before the needle hits the record. The amount of talent, passion, attention to detail and execution are truly impressive. And it’s impossible to talk about anything recorded at Howl Street without mentioning the drum sounds. Dan Hanke’s drumming propels the band’s energy level throughout with a musicality reminiscent of Stewart Copeland of the Police or even the oft-underappreciated Ringo Starr.

Bonus information for those in the midwest: Vile Bees are an even better live band than what they have accomplished in the studio so it would be silly to stay home if they are playing in your town in 2026. 

Recommended for fans of: Survival Knife, Hot Snakes, Elvis Costello, the Replacements, early R.E.M.