New Music Friday - March 10, 2017

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Essential Full-Length Releases

Hurray for the Riff Raff - Navigator Hurray for the Riff Raff is a Americana, folk and blues band fronted by Alyndra Segarra. Influenced by a wide range of artists from Bob Dylan to David Bowie, their sixth album stretches the bounds of their past work. It is part autobiography, part political essay, and part concept album, loosely following the character of a Puerta-Rican punk-folk musician named Navita. The content and risks that the album takes has earned an already-celebrated band even more rave reviews! Watch: "The Navigator" Watch: "Hungry Ghost"

Jay Som - Everybody Works 2016 was a year of hype for Jay Som, aka Melina Duterte. A collection of songs that were initially posted to Bandcamp in 2015 got re-released twice as her debut, Turn Into; initially released in July of last year. She is a true bedroom musician, recording all of her music in a bedroom studio. Where her debut was a collection of demos not necessarily meant for release, her follow-up is more polished, more fully showing the strength of her music and lyrics. Watch: "Baybee" Listen: "1 Billion Dogs"

Laura Marling - Semper Femina I often forget, and find it surprising, that Marling has been so prolific for her age. She is 27 years old and Semper Femina is her sixth album. All of her records are spectacular and she is deftly capable of style progression with each one. She's grown on each release, but has yet to produce anything out of place in her discography. The album's title roughly translates to either "always a woman" or "a woman is a fickle thing," and is Marling's expert take on other women. Watch: "Nothing, Not Nearly" Watch: "Next Time"

The Magnetic Fields - 50 Song Memoir The Magnetic Fields' Stephin Merritt has been on this earth for 50 years and, for the band's 11th album, he has written a song for each of them. It's hardly the first time they have put out such a daunting collection of tracks, nor the biggest. That honor belongs to 1999's 69 Love Songs. The band started recording this album on Merritt's 50th birthday (February 9, 2015). It's autobiography presented in the form of music; Merritt is one of very few who could pull it off. Watch: "‘81 How to Play the Synthesizer" Watch: "‘83 Foxx and I"

Tennis - Yours Conditionally Yours Conditionally is the fourth album from this husband-and-wife duo. The pair are starting over following 2014's Ritual in Repeat. They are seeking the same inspiration that drove them at the beginning of their career, the sea. They have returned, somewhat, to the sound of their debut album, 2011's Cape Dory. I liked their early stuff, but was far more drawn to their sound on Ritual in Repeat. This is a good record, but not quite my favorite of theirs. Watch: "Modern Woman" Watch: "In the Morning I’ll Be Better"

Other Full-Length Releases

Cameron Avery - Ripe Dreams, Pipe Dreams Watch: "C’est Toi" Watch: "Wasted on Fidelity"

Century Palm - Meet You Watch: "Then You’re Gone" Watch: "King of John Street"

Damaged Bug - Bunker Funk Listen: "Bog Dash" Listen: "Unmanned Scanner"

Jacques Greene - Feel Infinite Watch: "Afterglow" Listen: "To Say"

Nathan Fake - Providence Watch: "RVK" (featuring Raphaelle) Watch: "HoursDaysMonthsSeasons"

The Shins - Heartworms Watch: "Dead Alive" Watch: "Name for You"

your old droog - Packs Watch: "Help" (featuring Wiki & Edan) Listen: "White Rappers (A Good Guest)"

Singles, EPs, Soundtracks, etc.

Beauty and the Beast (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) Watch: John Legend & Ariana Grande - "Beauty and the Beast" Listen: "Be Our Guest"

Blonde Redhead - 3 O’Clock Watch: "Golden Light" Listen: "3 O’Clock"

Charli XCX - Number 1 Angel Listen: "Babygirl" (featuring Uffie) Listen: "Dreamer" (featuring Starrah & RAYE)

Jim O’Rourke & Kassel Jaeger - Wakes on Cerulean Listen: "Wakes on Cerulean A" Listen: "Wakes on Cerulean B"

Mai Lan - Vampire EP Watch: "Vampire" Listen: "Pas D’Amour"

Thelma - Thelma Listen: "If You Let It" Listen: "Peach"

New Music Tuesday - June 9, 2015

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Essential Full-Length Releases

Damaged Bug - Cold Hot Plumbs Thee Oh Sees and frontman John Dwyer are quickly reaching Guided By Voices/Robert Pollard levels of prolificness. In May, the band continued their consistency in releasing a new album every year with Mutilator Defeated at Last. Last year, Dwyer began his solo project Damaged Bug with Hubba Bubba. Just one year later, and a few weeks after the latest with his band, he is back with his sophomore solo record. Watch: "Jet in the Jungle"

FFS - FFS FFS is the collaboration of two very different bands; Franz Ferdinand, a Scottish art rock band active since the early 2000s, and Sparks, an LA chamber pop band around since 1971. It's not clear how exactly they hooked up, but it seems they've been recording together since around 2005. I'm not very familiar with Sparks, but the collaboration is certainly more experimental than the music that Franz Ferdinand create on their own. Watch: "Johnny Delusional" Watch: "Piss Off"

No Joy - More Faithful No Joy is a Canadian shoegaze band active since 2009. They began their career in their native Montréal and quickly gained the attention of more prominent musicians, including Grant Hart of Hüsker Dü and Bethany Cosentino, who described them as "Two hot blonde girls just shredding away." Six years and three albums later, they are still going strong, and getting better with every release. Watch: "Everything New" Listen: "Moon in My Mouth"

Other Full-Length Releases

J Fernandez - Many Levels of Laughter Watch: "Between the Channels" Watch: "Markers"

Jenny Hval - Apocalypse, girl Watch: "That Battle Is Over" Listen: "Sabbath"

Leftfield - Alternative Light Source Watch: "Bilocaiton" (featuring Channy Leaneagh) Watch: "Universal Everything"

Of Monsters and Men - Beneath the Skin Watch: "Crystals" Listen: "I of the Storm"

Pete Townshend - Classic Quadrophenia Watch: "Love Reign O'er Me" (featuring Alfie Boe)

PINS - Wild Nights Watch: "Molly" Watch: "Young Girls"

Singles, EPs, Soundtracks, etc.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Live in Paris Watch: "Let the Day Begin" Watch: "Beat the Devil's Tattoo"

John Lennon - Lennon Box Set Listen: "Imagine" Listen: "Mind Games"

Sharon Van Etten - I Don't Want to Let You Down EP Listen: "I Don't Want to Let You Down" Listen: "Just Like Blood"

Uniform - Perfect World Listen: "Perfect World"

New Music Tuesday - February 25, 2014

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

New Full-Length Releases

Beck - Morning Phase It's been awhile since we've gotten a full-length album directly from Beck. In late 2012, he released original sheet music, Song Reader, and put out a series of singles last year. Morning Phase is his first album in six years. The sound of the album is promised to be more akin to 2002's Sea Change than to his last album, Modern Guilt. Listen: "Blue Moon" Listen: "Waking Light"

Damaged Bug - Hubba Bubba Thee Oh Sees officially disbanded late last year (though they still have an album coming out in April of this year). John Dwyer is already moving onto his next project, though. The sound should differ from that of his most-known band, with a style Dwyer has described as "hand-made electronics." Listen: "Photograph" Listen: "Eggs at Night"

SchoolBoy Q - Oxymoron SchoolBoy Q started his career as the hype-man for fellow rapper and label-mate Kendrick Lamar. He released his first album, Setbacks, in 2011. This is his third album and first on major label Interscope. He caught my ear with the Lamar-assisted "Collard Greens," but I've enjoyed the other tracks I've heard from the album, as well! Watch: "Collard Greens" (featuring Kendrick Lamar) Watch: "Man of the Year"

St. Vincent - St. Vincent It may be early in the year, but this was one of my own personal most anticipated releases for 2014. St. Vincent has truly been one of my favorites for several years and I love each of her albums. She expands her sound even more on this self-titled release. On certain tracks, you can really hear the influence from her 2012 collaborative album with David Byrne. Watch: "Digital Witness" Listen: "Birth in Reverse"

Other New Releases

Eternal Lips - Eternal Lips EP Tell me you're working with one of my favorite artists and you'll definitely get me in the door! I'm wasn't familiar at all with Eternal Lips, but I heard that they recorded a song with the incredible Sharon van Etten. I gave the song a listen and even liked the parts that weren't her! Watch: "Dream Hesitate" (featuring Sharon van Etten) Listen: "Voice" (featuring Kyp Malone)

Fadeaway Records 10: Friends Fadeaway Records has been on hiatus for about ten years. The founders parted ways to pursue other projects, but regrouped this year. Friends is the first new release from the label, including both covers of songs from artists who were signed to the label as well as some new tracks! Listen: Kevin Devine - "Kings Crossing" Listen: Andy Hull - "Back of Your Old Church"

The Field - Cupid's Head Remixe II The Field released Cupid's Head in October of last year. As has become standard, songs from the record are getting their own remix treatment. This remix EP features contributions from John Tejada, Tim Hecker and TM404. Listen: "No. No..." (John Tejada Mix)

FKA Twigs & inc. - "FKA x inc." FKA Twigs has risen to prominent recently for her peculiar brand of pop and R&B (and a voice that reminds me of Grimes'). She is partnering up with the band inc. for a new single! Watch: "FKA x inc."

Jon Hopkins - Collider Remixes Jon Hopkins released his latest album, Immunity, in June of last year, which featured the track "Collider." That track is being released along with some remixes of the song, including Karenn, Pangaea and Objekt. Watch: "Collider" Listen: "Collider" (Karenn Remix)

Making Patterns Rhyme Making Patterns Rhyme is a new tribute album from Duran Duran. It features covers of their songs by artists such as Liars, Crocodiles and Moby. Proceeds from sales of the album will go to benefit Amnesty International. More info: Duran Duran website

Morrissey - Your Arsenal Reissue Your Arsenal was Morrissey's third album, originally released in 1992. This latest reissue comes remastered and includes a DVD of Morrissey's 1991 concert in Mountain View, California. Listen: "I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday" Listen: "You're Gonna Need Someone on Your Side"