Sound Check: Rock, punk, and R&B rule my picks this month

In the midst of midterm madness, it’s music that gets me through.During busy times, I’m guilty of falling back into familiar listening habits, favouring songs that provide the nostalgic dopamine hit needed to push through the ever-shortening days. As winter’s shadow looms closer, hitting shuffle on old playlists may offer short term comfort, but it quickly leaves me feeling frustrated and stunted without something new to add to the rotation.Setting aside time to peruse new releases this past month gave me the boost of energy I needed to hand in those papers, survive the grueling Halloweekend, and brush out the cobwebs—making room for something fresh.