New Music Friday - February 10, 2023

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Essential Full-Length Releases

	Andy Shauf - Norm Watch: "Wasted on You" Watch: "Catch Your Eye"
	Black Belt Eagle Scout - The Land, the Water, the Sky Watch: "My Blood Runs Through This Land" Watch: "Nobody"
	Kelela - RAVEN Watch: "Happy Ending" Watch: "Washed Away"
	Liv.e - Girl in the Half Pearl Watch: "Wild Animals" Watch: "Ghost"
	Paramore - This Is Why Watch: "This Is Why" Watch: "The News"

Other Full-Length Releases

Amber Arcades - Barefoot on Diamond Road Watch: "True Love" Listen: "Odd to Even"

The Golden Dregs - On Grace & Dignity Watch: "American Airlines" Watch: "Before We Fell from Grace"

Quasi - Breaking the Balls of History Watch: "Queen of Ears" Watch: "Doomscrollers"

Tennis - POLLEN Watch: "One Night with the Valet" Watch: "Let’s Make a Mistake Tonight"

Yo La Tengo - This Stupid World Watch: "Fallout" Watch: "Aselestine"

Singles, EPs, Soundtracks, etc.

The Rolling Stones - GRRR Live! Watch: "It’s Only Rock ’n’ Roll (But I Like It)" (Newark 2012) Watch: "Doom and Gloom" (Newark 2012)

Upcoming Album of the Week (Ending April 28, 2018)

We went to a wedding last night and, while the ceremony was beautiful and the food delicious, the real stand-out was the night's entertainment. The couple hosted live band karaoke and invited the guests to perform their favorite songs. I went with my new favorite karaoke go-to, Mark Ronson's and Bruno Mars' "Uptown Funk"!

I keep hearing small updates about Ronson teaming up again with some of his collaborators from his most recent album, including Tame Impala's Kevin Parker. If we get anything concrete, check it out over at my Upcoming Releases page!

Last week, Dutch artist Amber Arcade announced her sophomore album, European Heartbreak.

qobuz.com

It's always interesting to hear about musicians who didn't just start recording and releasing music as teenagers, but instead held other careers before. Arcades has a masters in law and worked for the United Nations on war crimes tribunals.

She recorded her first release while still working in law, self-funding a session in New York City. That caught the right ears and she released her debut, Fading Lines, in 2016.

She announced the new album on Monday and released a new track and video, "Simple Song". The album is scheduled for release on September 28.

Also announced this week:

The Breeders - Last Splash Vinyl Reissue (May 18)
The Breeders - Mountain Battles Vinyl Reissue (May 18)
The Breeders - Pod Vinyl Reissue (May 18)
The Breeders - Title TK Vinyl Reissue (May 18)
Flaming Lips - Greatest Hits Vol. 1 (June 1)
Phil Cook - PEOPLE ARE MY DRUG (June 1)

New Music Friday - June 3, 2016

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Essential Full-Length Releases

Cat’s Eyes - Treasure House After the release of their excellent self-titled debut album in 2011, it seemed Faris Badwan had forgotten about his side project with Rachel Zeffira. In the time since, he refocused on his main band, The Horrors, and released two albums with them. Last year, the duo released a soundtrack for the film The Duke of Burgundy. That seemed to bring them back to life; just over a year after the soundtrack, they're back again with their sophomore album. Watch: "Drag" Watch: "Chameleon"

The Kills - Ash & Ice I thought The Kills had been forgotten by their members as well. Their last album was Blood Pressures, released in 2011. Following that album, vocalist Alison Mosshart returned to her side project, The Dead Weather, and released Dodge & Burn last year. Not long after, she got back with Jamie Hince for The Kills' fifth album; two welcome returns in two years! Watch: "Siberian Nights" Watch: "Heart of a Dog"

Ladyhawke - Wild Things Ladyhawke's Pip Brown has been performing for 15 years, but has taken time between each album's release; with only three over her career. Her last record was 2012's Anxiety. Her third album doesn't follow four years of idleness for the artist. She had recorded a collection of darker songs, but felt it didn't reflect her. She went back to the drawing board with producer Tommy English to lighten things up. Watch: "A Love Song" Watch: "Sweet Fascination"

Paul Simon - Stranger to Stranger Paul Simon has been at it for almost six decades and has never shown any signs of slowing down. His latest follows 2011's So Beautiful or So What. The album sees Simon experimenting a bit; using new tools and working with new collaborators. He recorded three songs on the record with Italian electronic producer Clap! Clap! Not many artists in their 70s are willing to try something new, but Simon's willingness to experiment earned him another acclaimed record. Watch: "Wristband" Listen: "Cool Papa Bell"

Tegan and Sara - Love You to Death Following an 18-year career, Tegan and Sara scored their highest-charting album with Heartthrob in 2013. Now, they are in the unenviable position of following that up. They do so by proving that they can still produce some of the greatest pop songs of this generation. With an obvious call-back to 80s synthpop on many of the album's tracks, they even manage to make a sometimes grating style of music appealing! Watch: "100x" Watch: "Boyfriend"

Other Full-Length Releases

Amber Arcades - Fading Lines Watch: "Right Now" Watch: "Fading Lines"

And the Kids - Friends Share Lovers Listen: "Kick Rocks" Listen: "Friends Share Lovers"

Classixx - Faraway Reach Watch: "Whatever I Want" (featuring T-Pain) Listen: "Just Let Go" (featuring How to Dress Well)

Erin Tobey - Middlemaze Listen: "Work it Out" Listen: "All Over the World"

Fear of Men - Fall Forever Watch: "Trauma" Watch: "Island"

Kino Kimino - Bait Is for Sissies Watch: "Passion" Watch: "Rosy Rudiger"

Minor Victories - Minor Victories Watch: "Breaking My Light" Watch: "Scattered Ashes (Song for Richard)"

Moonface & Siinai - My Best Human Face Watch: "Risto’s Riff" Listen: "Them Call Themselves Old Punks"

Mourn - Ha, Ha, He. Listen: "Evil Dead" Listen: "Storyteller"

Psychic Ills - Inner Journey Out Listen: "Another Change" Listen: "I Don’t Mind" (featuring Hope Sandoval)

Saqqara Mastabas - Libras Listen: "Uto on the Upswing" Listen: "Smoking in the Mountain, Embalming in the Valley"

Steve Gunn - Eyes on the Line Watch: "Park Bench Smile" Watch: "Ancient Jules"

Whitney - Light Upon the Lake Watch: "Golden Days" Watch: "No Woman"

William Tyler - Modern Country Listen: "Kingdom of Jones" Listen: "Sunken Garden"

Singles, EPs, Soundtracks, etc.

Bishop Nehru - Magic 19 Watch: "It’s Whateva" Listen: "$acred Visions"

Charge It to the Game - Urban Hall of Fame Watch: "Bite Me" (featuring Hemlock Ernst) Listen: "Andale"

David Bowie - A Reality Tour Reissue Watch: "Rebel Rebel" Watch: "Heroes"

Mac Miller - Best Day Ever Reissue Watch: "Best Day Ever" Watch: "Senior Skip Day"

Madeline Kenney - Signals Watch: "Tricky Way" Listen: "Signals"

Me Before You: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Listen: Jessie Ware - "Till the End" Listen: Imagine Dragons - "Not Today"

Naomi Pilgrim - Sink Like a Stone Watch: "No Gun" Listen: "I Wonder"

Pink Floyd - The Piper at the Gates of Dawn Reissue Listen: "Astronomy Domine" Listen: "Lucifer Sam"

Pink Floyd - A Saucerful of Secrets Reissue Listen: "A Saucerful of Secrets" Listen: "Let There Be More Light"

Pink Floyd - More Reissue Listen: "Cirrus Minor" Listen: "The Nile Song"

Pink Floyd - Ummagumma Reissue Listen: "Careful with That Axe, Eugene" Listen: "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun"

Refugee Listen: Bonnie “Prince” Billy - "Most People" Listen: Jenny Lysander - "The Horn Still Blows"

Songs of Summer Listen: The Mountain Goats - "Summer" Listen: Baio - "Don’t Fight Fate"

Speedy Ortiz - Foiled Again Listen: "Death Note" Listen: "Emma O"

Vic Mensa - There’s a Lot Going On Watch: "There’s a Lot Going On" Listen: "Danger"