Prodger’s Playlist

From Lo-Fi Indie Breakouts to Charismatic Rap Veterans: The Best Albums of 2025

January 12, 2026 by Elias Prodger (‘26) Honorable Mentions: Cameron Winter: Heavy Metal/ Geese: Getting Killed 2025 was the year of Cameron Winter, every music publication’s new darling and “savior of indie rock.” After listening to both his solo record and his band’s latest release, Getting Killed, I can say that I am intrigued but […]

From Lo-Fi Indie Breakouts to Charismatic Rap Veterans: The Best Albums of 2025 Read More »

Mr. Ubriaco and His Band: Tops Of Trees’ Review

December 15, 2025 by Elias Prodger (‘26) Mr. Ubriaco, the beloved English teacher, record collector, and energetic staple of Saratoga’s English department. However, many of you may not know that Mr. Ubriaco’s musical interest extends to his membership in the local band, Tops of Trees.  The Capital Region’s own six-piece rock ensemble, Tops of Trees,

Mr. Ubriaco and His Band: Tops Of Trees’ Review Read More »

Classic Review: The Stroke’s Room on Fire

November 25, 2025 by Elias Prodger (‘26) Today we are visiting Room on Fire, the 2003 project from New York garage rock outfit The Strokes. This record follows the band’s debut effort, the critically acclaimed 2001 album Is This It. In 2001, The Strokes were welcomed into the rock scene as the second coming of Christ—a refreshing

Classic Review: The Stroke’s Room on Fire Read More »

The Best Music of September and October 2025

November 10, 2025 by Elias Prodger (‘26) Here are 6 tracks from the past two months that are worth your time. “Wound Up Here by Holding On” – Holding On-Wednesday Karly Hatzman and the band reach their peak on Bleeds, a loving tribute to messed-up guitars and alternative Americana. The second single, “Wound Up Here

The Best Music of September and October 2025 Read More »

The New Radicals: The Most Underrated Songwriting Duo We Forgot About

October 27, 2025 by Elias Prodger (‘26) As a writer and music fanatic born just on the eve of the 2008 financial crisis, I’ve had to learn about pop culture movements from a broader, reflective perspective. In the ’60s we had hippies, in the ’70s we had disco mania, in the ’80s we had giant

The New Radicals: The Most Underrated Songwriting Duo We Forgot About Read More »

Prodger’s Playlist: Best Songs of Summer 2025

September 29, 2025 by Elias Prodger (‘26) If 2024 was the freshman year of a brand-new era of popular music culture, 2025 is a confident sophomore slump. In a year of several misses from established artists, some artists found ways this summer to capture the attention of an audience who was left lost.  June Guitar-Alex

Prodger’s Playlist: Best Songs of Summer 2025 Read More »

I Am Music: Analyzing Playboi Carti’s Highly Anticipated Album

March 17, 2025 by Elias Prodger (‘26) and Max Vogel (’26)  Well everybody, it’s finally here. After over four years of self-indulgent, frustrating teases of snippets on a dormant Instagram account along with a handful of new singles, influential and cult favorite rapper Playboi Carti has given us a new album. We can dive into

I Am Music: Analyzing Playboi Carti’s Highly Anticipated Album Read More »

The Best Songs of January and February 2025 

March 3, 2025 by Elias Prodger (‘26) Music in 2025 has gotten off to a hot start. From major hip hop and R&B releases from Mac Miller and The Weeknd, to a plethora of underground indie gems, here are the most compelling songs I’ve heard to start this year.  Check out this list and other reccomendations

The Best Songs of January and February 2025  Read More »

At the Top of the Charts? Time to Experiment: Ethel Cain’s new Style Change and Album

January 27, 2025 by Elias Prodger (‘26) Nothing excites me in the music industry as much as when an artist does something unbelievably strange. There’s something so intrinsically special about an artist that finds the courage to subvert expectations and create something so left-field and experimental to a listener’s ear. 2025 has started with an

At the Top of the Charts? Time to Experiment: Ethel Cain’s new Style Change and Album Read More »

Robert Smith and The Cure’s Songs for A Lost World

November 25, 2024 by Elias Prodger (‘26) Robert Smith’s disintegrating world view, The Cure’s Songs for A Lost World and The Art of their Late Era Album  The Cure’s Songs for a Lost World may go down as possibly one of the most timely and relevant album titles of all time. In a time of

Robert Smith and The Cure’s Songs for A Lost World Read More »

The Lightning Rod’s Thrilling Hallo-week Playlist

October 28, 2024 by Elias Prodger (‘26) It’s Halloween season! Of course with a holiday so focused on its vibes and unique energy, it’s only fitting that I create a playlist to fit the dark, spooky, and best parts of late October! And, let’s be real: making a Halloween Playlist is hard. But you’re in

The Lightning Rod’s Thrilling Hallo-week Playlist Read More »

They Are Trying To Break Your Heart: Exploring Alternative Country

October 15, 2024 by Elias Prodger (‘26) MJ Lenderman and Why Alt Country is Producing Modern Indie’s Best Songwriters   Walking into an MJ Lenderman show, it’s almost guaranteed you will see two things. Flannel shirts and 70% of the audience wearing various shades of blue jeans. For a traditionally insular genre like Country where plenty

They Are Trying To Break Your Heart: Exploring Alternative Country Read More »