New Music Friday - May 6, 2022

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Essential Full-Length Releases

	Arcade Fire - WE Watch: "The Lightning I, II" Watch: "WE"
	Ibeyi - Spell 31 Watch: "Sister 2 Sister" Watch: "Lavender & Red Roses" (featuring Jorja Smith)
	Leyla McCalla - Breaking the Thermometer Watch: "Vini Wè" Listen: "Artibonite"
	Otoboke Beaver - Super Champon Watch: "PARDON?" Watch: "YAKITORI"
	Sharon Van Etten - Weʼve Been Going About This All Wrong Watch: "Mistakes" Listen: "Darkness Fades"

Other Full-Length Releases

!!! - Let It Be Blue Watch: "Here’s What I Need to Know" Watch: "Storm Around the World" (featuring Maria Uzor)

Belle and Sebastian - A Bit of Previous Watch: "Young and Stupid" Watch: "Talk to Me, Talk to Me"

C Duncan - Alluvium Watch: "Heaven" Watch: "Bell Toll"

Ella Mai - Heart on My Sleeve Watch: "DFMU" Watch: "Break My Heart"

Hater - Sincere Watch: "Something" Watch: "Far from a Mind"

IDK - Simple Watch: "Dog Food" (with Denzel Curry) Watch: "Taco"

Jack Harlow - Come Home the Kids Miss You Watch: "First Class" Watch: "Nail Tech"

Kikagaku Moyo - Kumoyo Island Watch: "Gomugomu" Watch: "Cardboard Pile"

Pink Mountaintops - Peacock Pools Watch: "Lights of the City" Watch: "Nervous Breakdown"

Praise - All in a Dream Watch: "All in a Dream" Watch: "Hotline to Memory"

Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever - Endless Rooms Watch: "The Way It Shatters" Watch: "My Echo"

Sigrid - How to Let Go Watch: "It Gets Dark" Watch: "Burning Bridges"

Sunflower Bean - Headful of Sugar Watch: "Who Put You Up to This?" Watch: "Roll the Dice"

Warpaint - Radiate Like This Watch: "Champion" Watch: "Stevie"

Singles, EPs, Soundtracks, etc.

Absolutely Free - How to Repaint Clouds Listen: "How to Paint Clouds" (Scattered Clouds Remix) Listen: "How to Paint Clouds" (Joseph Shabason Remix)

Anna Calvi - Tommy Listen: "Red Right Hand" Listen: "Burning Down"

Jens Lekman - The Linden Trees Are Still in Blossom Watch: "The Linden Trees Are Still in Blossom" Watch: "A Little Lost"

Karen Dalton - Shuckin’ Sugar Listen: "Shuckin’ Sugar Blues" Listen: "When I Get Home"

Tindersticks - Past Imperfect - The Best of Tindersticks ’92 - ‘21 Watch: "Both Sides of the Blade" Watch: "Willow" (Stuart A. Staples Version)

New Music Friday - July 28, 2017

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Essential Full-Length Releases

Arcade Fire - Everything Now Arcade Fire had a very interesting roll-out for their fifth album. Song titles were announced as anagrams on Twitter in June, they launched a Stereogum-spoof site, Stereoyum (which probably had more to do with the site's less-than-glowing reviews of their new songs), and released a pop-up video style video with clearly fake facts about the band for the track "Creature Comfort". It even involved fake news articles about the band. It all overshadowed the album itself, which would have benefitted from greater focus. Watch: "Electric Blue" Watch: "Signs of Life"

Vic Mensa - The Autobiography Despite having a career spanning eight years, The Autobiography is the first LP from this talented Chicago-based rapper. He does have a number of mixtapes and EPs under his belt; most recently, The Manuscript. As is the case with most hip hop records, there are number of featured artists on the record, including Pusha T, Pharrell Williams, and even Weezer. Watch: "Rage" Watch: "OMG" (featuring Pusha T)

Other Full-Length Releases

Manchester Orchestra - A Black Mile to the Surface Watch: "The Alien" Watch: "The Gold"

Mappe Of - A Northern Star, a Perfect Stone Listen: "Cavern’s Dark" Listen: "Nimbin"

Sweet Apple - Sing the Night in Sorrow Watch: "World I’m Gonna Leave You" (featuring Mark Lanegan & Robert Pollard)

Singles, EPs, Soundtracks, etc.

Afghan Whigs - "You Want Love" Listen: "You Want Love" (featuring James Hall)

Ben Frost - Threshold of Faith EP Watch: "Threshold of Faith" Listen: "The Beat Don’t Die in Bingo Town"

Ben Gibbard - Bandwagonesque Watch: "The Concept" Watch: "Metal Baby"

Cage the Elephant - Unpeeled Watch: "Trouble" Watch: "Punchin’ Bag"

Detroit: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Listen: The Roots - "It Ain’t Fair" (featuring Bilal)

Elvis Presley - A Boy from Tupelo Listen: "Harbor Lights" (Takes 5 -  8)

Margo Price - Weakness EP Watch: "Weakness" Listen: "Just Like Love"

Sylvan Esso - Echo Mountain Sessions Watch: "Radio" Watch: "The Glow"

Ty Segall - Fried Shallots Listen: "Is It Real" Listen: "Big Man"

Upcoming Album of the Week (Ending June 3)

I caught my first Reds game of the season last night. The team pulled out a victory in extra innings (yay!), but it was also a Friday game, so there were fireworks after the game. The fireworks were set to a short set of songs by artists playing the local Bunbury festival this week. Most of the artists I have no particular interest in (I still have no clue who G-Easy is), but they did include a great song from Death Cab for Cutie!

As always, you can view a list of upcoming releases here!

This week, Arcade Fire announced their fifth album, Everything Now.

stereogum.com

I think it's safe to say that I don't need to tell you who Arcade Fire is. The world's biggest indie rock band released their most recent album, Reflektor, in 2013. They've been anything but quiet since that record was released. Two members (Win Butler and Owen Pallett) received Academy Award nominations for their work on the Her soundtrack, the band performed on Saturday Night Live, and released a documentary about the making of Reflektor.

They started to release new songs earlier this year, with the Mavis Staples featuring "I Give You Power" being released in January. They were somewhat quiet until this week, when they announced the album and released its title track.



Everything Now is set to be released on July 28.

Also announced this week:

Major Lazer - Know No Better (out now)
Mutual Benefit - Just Another Diamond Day (June 23)
PARTYNEXTDOOR - COLOURS 2 (out now)
Prophets of Rage - Prophets of Rage (September 15)
The War on Drugs - A Deeper Understanding (August 25)

Upcoming Album of the Week (Ending November 21)

As ever, my Upcoming Releases page is up and ready for perusing! Check out the albums, EPs, compilations and more that will have me excited over the coming months.

While just about everything in music may have been overshadowed this week by one particular release (Hello!), there were some spectacular new music announcements made. Among the news was Sarah Neufeld, Arcade Fire's former violinist, who announced her second solo record, The Ridge.

stereogum.com

Although many of the band's collaborators are well-known for their solo work (i.e. Colin Stetson, Owen Pallett, David Bowie), Neufeld led a charge of solo work from the band's members when she released Hero Brother in 2013. She was shortly followed by Richard Reed Parry and Will Butler. She stepped back from being a full member of Arcade Fire following 2010's The Suburbs, though still contributed to the follow-up, Reflektor, and joined the band on the supporting tour.

After her debut album, she had two new releases last year; an EP, Black Ground, and a collaborative album, Never Were the Way She Was, with Stetson. But she will be back with a new solo full-length early next year.



The Ridge is set to be released February 26.

Also announced this week:

Cavern of Anti-Matter - Void Beats/Invocation Trex (February 19)
John Cale - M:FANS (January 22)
Major Lazer - Peace Is the Mission Extended (November 27)
Mass Gothic - Mass Gothic (February 5)
Ra Ra Riot - Need Your Light (February 19)
Ty Segall - Ty-Rex (November 27)
Wolfmother - Victorious (February 9)

Arcade Fire - "Reflektor"

Arcade Fire has always found interesting ways to promote themselves and to develop and release music videos. In 2010, they had one music video, for The Suburbs' title track directed by Spike Jonze. Another track from that album, "We Used to Wait," was accompanied by an interactive music video that made the viewing experience more personal for all viewers.

To help promote the title track from their latest album, they have again created an interactive video. A traditional video is below, but the interactive version allows the viewer to control the movements of the video's actors and closes out with a reflection of the viewer (provided that you have a webcam). Click here for the interactive video.



Arcade Fire's latest album, Reflektor, was released in October.

New Music Tuesday - October 29, 2013

New Full-Length Releases

Arcade Fire - Reflektor Arcade Fire arguably became the biggest indie rock act after their last album, The Suburbs, won Album of the Year at the Grammys in 2011. They'd been critical successes from the beginning, the but album helped to make them commercial hits as well. Though they'd released two full-length records prior, this may be their biggest challenge, as they're following up a highly-successful record. Thankfully, they haven't strayed from the epic sound that has served them well in the past. Listen/Watch: "Reflektor"

Diane Coffee - My Friend Fish Diane Coffee is the moniker for Shaun Fleming, drummer for the band Foxygen. It still amazes me how quickly we are seeing solo albums from the members of that band so soon after their own debut album. Still, I always enjoy hearing what individual band members do on their own; it can provide an interesting look at how their sound plays into the band's sound and what they can do on their own. Listen/Watch: "Green"

Los Campesinos! - No Blues No Blues is this Welsh band's fifth studio album, which sees them continuing to advance and mature their sound. While I liked the twee sound of their debut album, Hold on Now, Youngster..., I tired of it and they didn't seem to waver much from it even three years later, when they released their fourth album, Hello Sadness. This might be the biggest jump forward for them and I'm interested again! Listen/Watch: "Avocado, Baby"

Moonface - Julia with Blue Jeans On Wolf Parade (the former band of Moonface's Spencer Krug) broke up two years ago, which was a travesty for me... they were one of my favorite bands. Dan Boeckner went on to form Divine Fits with Britt Daniel and Moonface is Krug's post-Wolf Parade project. This is his third album with the project following last year's excellent With Siinai: Heartbreaking Bravery. Each former member of Wolf Parade has made unique music following the dissolution, and it's all been great! Listen/Watch: "Barbarian"

Sky Ferreira - Night Time, My Time Sky Ferreira is a young pop singer who began gaining critical acclaim following the release of her first EPs, As If! and Ghost. It took some time for her first full-length (hint: it's this album) to be released. She struggled a bit with major labels who wanted to turn her into a more typical pop star. Thankfully, Capitol has allowed her to be herself more. Maybe, she can start to change the course of modern pop music. Listen/Watch: "You're Not the One"

Son Lux - Lanterns Son Lux's music is an interesting mix of post-rock and hip hop. He upped the ante even more last year by releasing an EP under the name S / S / S with Serengeti and Sufjan Stevens. The three have very different sounds, so the combination was even more interesting. I started checking Son Lux out more following that release, this is his third full-length. Listen/Watch: "Lost It to Trying"

Upset - She's Gone Ali Koehler was the drummer for the band Best Coast until 2011, when she left the band under what she claimed was not her own decision. Bethany Consentino (Best Coast's lead singer) claimed her departure was much more amicable. Whatever the reason for that split, she is back with a new project, Upset, with Patty Schemel and Jenn Prince. The sound is similar to her past projects, Vivian Girls and, of course, Best Coast. Listen/Watch: "You and I"

White Denim - Corsicana Lemonade I've heard the White Denim name around the past couple of years, but only decided to check them out when they announced the release of this latest album earlier this year. I checked out the early single "Pretty Green" and was immediately impressed by their sound. It felt, to be, like a more psychedelic version of The Black Keys. Loving this album, now it's time to check out their back catalog! Listen/Watch: "Pretty Green"

Other New Releases

Baio - Mira EP Baio is the mononym for Vampire Weekend's bassist, Chris Baio. He's been active as a member of that band since its inception in 2006, but began releasing solo material last year. In sharp contrast to his main band's African-tinged indie rock, his music is electronic. Listen/Watch: "Mira"

Death Cab for Cutie - Transatlanticisms Reissue Transatlanticisms was Death Cab for Cutie's fourth album released in 2003. It became their first charting record at 97 (later releases would reach the top 10). It has been ten years since that breakthrough release and, of course, time for an anniversary release. This includes a remastered version of the original album and a disc of demos. Listen: "The New Year" (Demo)

Foals - Holy Fire: Live at Royal Albert Hall Foals released an excellent third album, Holy Fire, earlier this year. On March 28, they performed at the Royal Albert Hall in London, England. This, along with a DVD, is the official release of that show. Listen: "Late Night"

Mount Kimbie - CSFLY Remixes EP Mount Kimbie released their sophomore album, Cold Spring Fault Less Youth, earlier this year. This EP features various remixes of two of the songs from that album by producers such as Lee Gamble, Oneman and Kyle Hall. Listen: "You Took Your Time" (Kyle Hall remix)

Music from and Inspired by Dallas Buyers Club Dallas Buyers Club is an upcoming film starring Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto (and I can't wait to see it). The film's soundtrack features songs from Portugal. The Man, My Morning Jacket, and Tegan and Sara. Listen: Tegan & Sara - "Shudder to Think"

Phosphorescent - Muchachos de Lujo Though I wasn't yet into Matthew Houck's music when he released his latest album earlier this year, once I heard it, it quickly became one of my favorites of the year. The record is already getting its deluxe edition, which includes tracks recorded live at the St. Pancras Church. Listen: "Terror In The Canyons (The Wounded Master) (Live at St. Pancras Church)"

The xx/Sampha - "Reconsider"/"Without" The indie label Young Turks has been releasing a series of split 7" singles throughout 2013. Each has been available in limited edition quantities.The latest brings together The xx and Sampha. Listen: The xx - "Reconsider"