New Music Friday - July 7, 2017

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Essential Full-Length Releases

Broken Social Scene - Hug of Thunder Hug of Thunder is the fifth album from this Canadian collective, which counts Kevin Drew, Emily Haines, and Amy Millan as members. The album came about following a spate of festival performances for the band from 2013 to 2015. They were inspired to "get the band back together", so to speak. Interestingly, the new album comes in around the same time that several of the band's members also have new solo records out, including Feist, Emily Haines, and Brendan Canning. Listen: "Halfway Home" Listen: "Hug of Thunder"

HAIM - Something to Tell You The Haim sisters broke out in 2013 with Days Are Gone. A good album, but not one that really blew me away. The early singles from this follow-up got me pretty excited for the record, which I think is better that their debut. The band re-entered the studio soon after completing their tour for Days and worked with a great set of producers, George Lewis Jr. (Twin Shadow), BloodPop, Rostam, Ariel Rechtshaid, and themselves! Watch: "Want You Back" Listen: "Right Now"

This Is the Kit - Moonshine Freeze This Is the Kit is Kate Stables, who released her debut album, Krulle Bol, in 2008. Moonshine Freeze is her fourth record. She has always worked with a wide variety of musicians on her albums. Her follow-up to 2015's Bashed Out sees the return of The National's Aaron Dessner providing guitar and piano. Listen: "Bullet Proof"

Toro Y Moi - Boo Boo Boo Boo comes just two years after Chaz Bundick's last record as Toro Y Moi, What For?. It's not his first release this year. In March, he teamed up with The Mattson 2 as Chaz Bundick Meets the Mattson 2 for Star Stuff. The new album under his most well-known moniker was inspired by a variety of other artists, including Travis Scott and Daft Punk, and was made to help Bundick deal with his own growing popularity. Watch: "Omaha" Watch: "You and I"

Other Full-Length Releases

Mark Kozelek & Sean Yeaton - Yellow Kitchen Listen: "The Reasons I Love You" Listen: "Time to Destination"

Pawns - The Gallows Listen: "Damascus" Listen: "The Cross"

Sarah Jaffe - Bad Baby Watch: "Bad Baby" Listen: "Synthetic Love"

Tristen - Sneaker Waves Watch: "Glass Jar" (featuring Jenny Lewis) Watch: "Got Some"

Singles, EPs, Soundtracks, etc.

DJ Shadow - The Mountain Has Fallen Watch: "Systematic" (featuring Nas) Watch: "Corridors" (featuring Steven Price)

Olga Bell - America Watch: "Special Leave" Listen: "America"

So Many Singing: A Compilation to Benefit Immigrant Rights Listen: Half Waif - "Cary"

New Music Friday - November 11, 2016

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Essential Full-Length Releases

Martha Wainwright - Goodnight City The Wainwright Family remains one of the most prolific families in the music industry. Just one year after the release of the debut album, Songs in the Dark, from the Wainwright Sisters (Martha and Lucy Wainwright Roche), Martha is back with a new solo effort. The album features contributions from Merrill Garbus, Glen Hansard, and several members of her family, including her brother Rufus Wainwright. Listen: "Around the Bend" Listen: "Take the Reins"

oddCouple - Liberation oddCouple, Zach Henderson, is the house producer for the Chicago record label Closed Sessions, which boasts signees Kweku Collins and Jamila Woods. His new album showcases some of the best that Chicago hip-hop has to offer, including labelmates Woods and Collins, as well as GLC and Joey Purp. Listen: "Love Above" (featuring Jamila Woods & Kweku) Listen: "Eidetic"

Sad13 - Slugger Sad13 is Sadie Dupuis, best known as the frontwoman for Speedy Ortiz, with which she has released two albums, including last year's excellent Foil Deer. The band hasn't gone anywhere, but Sadie has struck out on her own as a solo artist. She first debuted the Sad13 project earlier this year on a collaborative single, "Basement Queens," with rapper Lizzo. Her debut album takes on a poppier approach, but seeks to counter the typically misogynistic messages expressed in the genre. Watch: "Less Than 2" Watch: "Get a Yes"

Sleigh Bells - Jessica Rabbit Sleigh Bells could have easily been a gimmick and lasted no longer than one album. The duo is defined by heavily-distorted guitars and pop melodies. As they release their fourth album, they haven't lost what made their sound distinctive, and seem to almost defiantly continue to flout it. When in doubt, be extra, and Sleigh Bells are definitely extra (that's a compliment)! Watch: "It’s Just Us Now" Watch: "I Can Only Stare"

A Tribe Called Quest - We Got It From Here, Thank You for Your Service A Tribe Called Quest seemed like a done deal following the release of 1998's The Love Movement. With the death of central member Phife Dawg earlier this year, hopes for any full return were further diminished. It turned out that Phife had already rejoined his bandmates and a new album had been recorded. They even brought back original member Jarobi White, who had departed following their debut album. They have announced that this is their final album; if so, they've gone out on a high note, returning to the roots of their sound. Watch: "We the People"

Other Full-Length Releases

Daniel Bachman - Daniel Bachman Listen: "Brightleaf Blues I" Listen: "The Flower Tree"

GUM - Flash in the Pan Listen: "Gemini" Listen: "Flash in the Pan"

Luke Temple - A Hand Through the Cellar Door Watch: "Maryanne Was Quiet" Listen: "Birds of Late December"

The Men - Devil Music Listen: "Lion’s Den" Listen: "Devil Music"

Simian Mobile Disco - Welcome to Sideways Watch: "Remember in Reverse" Listen: "Far Away from a Distance"

Singles, EPs, Soundtracks, etc.

A-Trak - In the Loop: A Decade of Remixes Listen: "Oh!" Listen: "Kilometer"

The Band - The Last Waltz 40th Anniversary Edition

Bob Dylan - The 1966 Live Recordings Listen: "Tell Me Mama"

Body/Head - No Waves Listen: "The Show Is Over"

Broken Social Scene - Feel Good Lost Reissue Listen: "I Slept with Bonhomme at the CBC" Listen: "Guilty Cubicles"

David Bowie - Legacy Listen: "Space Oddity" Listen: "Changes"

Forth Wanderers - Slop EP Watch: "Slop" Watch: "Know Better"

Hudson Mohawke - Ded Sec - Watch Dogs 2 (Original Soundtrack) Listen: "Shanghaied" Listen: "Play N Go"

Pink Floyd - The Early Years (1967-1972) Listen: "Arnold Layne" Listen: "See Emily Play"

The Rolling Stones - Havana Moon Watch: "Brown Sugar" Watch: "Paint It Black"

Yoko Ono - Unfinished Music No. 1: Two Virgins Reissue Listen: "Side One" Listen: "Side Two"

Yoko Ono - Unfinished Music No. 2: Life with Lions Reissue Listen: "Cambridge 1969" Listen: "No Bed for Beatle John"

Yoko Ono - Yoko Ono Plastic Ono Band Reissue Listen: "Why" Listen: "Mother"