A post-Stranger Things second LP that makes good on indie-rock bona fides. After releasing his first solo album Happy Birthday in 2025 prior to Stranger Things‘ final season, star Finn Wolfhard—who previously fronted indie-rock acts Calpurnia and The Aubreys—makes good on his promise to focus on music with his second solo effort Fire from the Hip. Wolfhard, who wrote and produced the album with an assist from Twin Peaks’ Clay Frankel, Cadien Lake James, and Colin Croom, retains the jangly indie-rock spirit cultivated on Happy Birthday, boasting a carefree vibe that hides an emotional underbelly. “Trail” offers a slow burn on a potentially unstable relationship (featuring Lunar Vacation’s Gep Repasky on backing vocals). And the upbeat angst of “Nice to Meet You Again” imagines a bittersweet reunion. Pop-culture Easter eggs abound: “I’ll Let You Finish” directly quotes Kanye’s infamous 2009 VMAs interruption, while ̶“Lights Go Down” pays homage to Nicole Kidman’s AMC commercial. But certainly don’t confuse “The Climb (Not That One)” with the Miley Cyrus anthem—here Wolfhard ruminates on friendships long gone and a maturity gained in growing older.