Chicago-based outfit Michelles, led by Michael Daly, has released a new double single today, aptly titled “Today” and “What Do The Kids Want”. His previous full-length album, The Empty Promises of Rock ‘n Roll, blends traditions and makes use of his Production skills to create delicate and resonant layers in his work. The new singles show some new explorations and arrive ahead of a planned 2027 release of a new album, now in its final stages of tweaking.

The single “Today” has a spareness along with its atmosphere that’s a new kind of mood for Michelles, suggesting Cosmic Country and other Americana-Psych Rock combinations. The subject matter is awfully relatable, considering the calming image of living through a day without any horrible surprises crashing in. Just the idea of it is enough to create a pleasant feeling, along with the music. Maybe after our recent Mid-Term elections that idea may not be such a pipe-dream after all!

The flipside track, “What Do The Kids Want” has plenty of mysterious corners for the audience to consider, but overall it brings in Michelles’ more electronically-driven side, a beat that suggests the slightly enervated pace of modern life, and lyrics that seem to consider the weirdness of change over time, maybe even the alienness of generations as they morphed into new iterations. Will future generations even be recognizable to us? Who knows?

Together the two tracks deliver a hypnotic Elysian dream and an energetic rush into an unknown future that may hold promise, but is bound to have its own problems, too.

For more Michelles sonic goodness, check out the soundtrack to the also excellent short documentary about legendary Texan music shop, Bill’s Records.