New Music Friday - March 7, 2025

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Essential Full-Length Releases

	Frog Eyes - The Open Up Watch: "I See the Same Things" Watch: "E-E-Y-O-R-E (That’s Me!)"
	Hamilton Leithauser - This Side of the Island Watch: "Knockin’ Heart" Listen: "This Side of the Island"
	JENNIE - Ruby Watch: "ExtraL" (with Doechii) Watch: "like JENNIE"
	SASAMI - Blood on the Silver Screen Watch: "Slugger" Watch: "Just Be Friends"
	TOKiMONSTA - Eternal Reverie Watch: "On Sum" (featuring Anderson .Paak & Rae Khalil) Watch: "Feel It" (featuring grouptherapy.)

Other Full-Length Releases

Bob Mould - Here We Go Crazy Watch: "Neanderthal" Watch: "Here We Go Crazy"

Doves - Constellations for the Lonely Watch: "Renegade" Watch: "Cold Dreaming"

Fust - Big Ugly Watch: "Spangled" Watch: "Bleached"

Jason Isbell - Foxes in the Snow Listen: "Foxes in the Snow" Listen: "Good While It Lasted"

JB Dunckel & Jonathan Fitoussi - Mirages 2 Watch: "Ghost Town" Listen: "Atlantica"

Lust for Youth & Creation Amor - All Worlds Watch: "Dummy" (featuring Purient) Listen: "Passerine" (featuring Emma Arcs)

Vundabar - Surgery and Pleasure Watch: "I Got Cracked" Watch: "Spades"

Singles, EPs, Soundtracks, etc.

De La Soul - Clear Lake Audiotorium Watch: "Bigger" (featuring Choklate) Listen: "Sh Fe MC’s" (featuring A Tribe Called Quest)

Upcoming Album of the Week (Ending August 6)

The Olympics have started! I look forward to the games every four years (tbh: the winter games just aren't interesting...except figure skating...I love figure skating) and, this year, my anticipation to watch the US girls gymnastics team dominate is matched only by my curiosity over how much of a disaster these games will be. Maybe none, but I'll be watching with my popcorn and music playing waiting to find out! Check out some of the music I may be listening to over at my Upcoming Releases page!

This week, Hamilton Leithauser and Rostam Batmanglij teamed up to bring us their debut album, I Had a Dream That You Were Mine.

pitchfork.com

Performing together as Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam, the two both leave other much beloved bands behind. Leithauser left The Walkmen two years ago as the band embarked on an "indefinite" hiatus, and Rostam recently parted ways with Vampire Weekend. Time will tell what kind of band Vampire Weekend is without their principal songwriter and guitarist, but the members of The Walkmen have made sure that their loss is not felt. So far, four (or all but one) members of the band have released other material in the past couple of years; the only hold-out is drummer Matt Barrick.

I've loved just about everything that Leithauser has touched and Rostam has released spectacular work both with his former band and on his own, so I have no doubt that this album will be amazing. The duo released a new song a few weeks ago, and gave us another new song with the album's announcement.




I Had a Dream That You Were Mine is set to be released September 23.



Also announced this week:

2 Chainz - Daniel Son, Necklace Don (out now)
Banks - The Alter (September 30)
Bob Weir - Blue Mountain (September 30)
Conor Oberst - Ruminations (October 14)
David Nagler & Friends - Carl Sandburg’s Chicago Poems (September 9)
GTA - Good Times Ahead (October 7)
M.I.A. - “Bird Song” (August 12)
Norah Jones - Day Breaks (October 7)
Parquet Courts - Performing Human 12” (August 12)
Restorations - “See”/‘Sea” (out now)
Swet Shop Boys - Cashmere (October 14)
Warpaint - Heads Up (September 23)
XOXO Soundtrack (August 26)

New Music Friday - August 28, 2015

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Essential Full-Length Releases

Beach House - Depression Cherry Beach House's previous two records, Teen Dream and Bloom, brought the band to new levels of commercial acclaim and popularity. Despite this, they sought to return to the simpler sound employed on their first two albums. The effort came in part from frustration in trying to recreate live what had been accomplished on those records. The frustration led to creative stagnation for the duo, but they were able to build on past ideas to create another fantastic record. Listen: "Sparks" Listen: "PPP"

Destroyer - Poison Season Even if it weren't for the amazing-ness that is the New Pornographers, many of its members would still be among the most highly-celebrated modern musicians. Destroyer's Dan Bejar is one of those musicians. He started Destroyer three years before his more ubiquitous band formed, and has pushed the envelope ever since. On his latest, he adds lush string arrangements to his already unique brand of baroque-inspired pop. Watch: "Times Square" Watch: "Girl in a Sling"

Foals - What Went Down Up until their last album, 2013's Holy Fire, Foals had felt a bit like a Bloc Party clone. Now, don't get me wrong; I did and still do really enjoy their debut album. Perhaps helped by the fact that Bloc Party had fallen off the radar a bit, Holy Fire was something very different, and even more amazing, from the band. What Went Down continues that progress and helps the band stand out even more in the crowded indie rock field. Watch: "What Went Down" Watch: "Mountain at My Gates"

Hamilton Leithauser & Paul Maroon - Dear God My worry over The Walkmen's hiatus last year was extremely short-lived since three of the band's members quickly released incredible records to fill the void. Two of the members are back at it this year with a limited edition collaborative album; frontman Hamilton Leithauser and guitarist Paul Maroon. The album is the second post-hiatus outing for Leithauser, and the first for Maroon, though he did help out on Black Hours. Listen: "How & Why"

Yo La Tengo - Stuff Like That There Throughout their career, Yo La Tengo has become known for their unique takes on others' music. In 1990, they released an album, Fakebook, almost completely made up of covers. They return to that format for their latest album, with their own interpretations of songs originally by Hank Williams, The Lovin' Spoonful, The Cure, and many more! Watch: "Friday I’m in Love" Watch: "Automatic Doom"

Other Full-Length Releases

All Dogs - Kicking Every Day Listen: "Skin" Listen: "How Long"

Frog Eyes - Pickpocket’s Locket Watch: "Joe with the Jam" Listen: "Two Girls (One for Heaven and the Other for Rome)"

Gin Wigmore - Blood to Bone Watch: "New Rush" Watch: "Written in the Water - Die Regardless"

Ruby Amanfu - Standing Still Watch: "Shadow on the Wall" Listen: "Streetlights"

Tamaryn - Cranekiss Watch: "Cranekiss" Watch: "Hands All Over Me"

The Weeknd - Beauty Before the Madness Watch: "Tell Your Friends" Watch: "I Can’t Feel My Face"

Willis Earl Beal - Noctunes Listen: "Flying So Low" Listen: "Survive"

Singles, EPs, Soundtracks, etc.

Cee-Lo Green - "Sign of the Times" Watch: "Sign of the Times"

Jamie xx - "Loud Places" Remix 12” Listen: "Loud Places" (John Talabot Loud Synths Reconstruction) Listen: "Loud Places" (Barnt E-Mix)

The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Live at the Atlanta Pop Festival Listen: "Purple Haze" Listen: "Stone Free"

LAMC #16 Listen: La Luz - "Believe My Eyes" Listen: Scully - "Don’t Want That"

Mark Lanegan - Houston: Publishing Demos 2002 Listen: "No Cross" Listen: "I’ll Go Where You Send Me"

Mos Def & Ski Beatz - "Sensei on the Block" Listen: "Sensei on the Block"

Noel Gallagher’s High-Flying Birds - "Lock All the Doors" Watch: "Lock All the Doors"

Toro Y Moi - Samantha Watch: "Dada Art" Listen: "Want" (featuring Washed Out)

My Favorite Albums of 2014

20. Spoon - They Want My Soul
19. Lykke Li - I Never Learn
18. The New Pornographers - Brill Bruisers
17. Jessie Ware - Tough Love
16. Tennis - Ritual in Repeat
15. D'Angelo & The Vanguard - The Black Messiah
14. tUnE-yArDs - Nikki Nack
13. Peter Matthew Bauer - Liberation!
12. Sharon Van Etten - Are We There
11. Afghan Whigs - Do to the Beast

10. Chet Faker - Built on Glass

I wish I had become acquainted with this Australian artist with the release of his first EP, Thinking in Textures, and his incredible cover of Blackstreet's "No Diggity." I came in earlier this year, though, just before the release of this debut album. I listened to, and watched the video for "Talk Is Cheap;" I was immediately reminded of Jamie Lidell at his best (around 2005's Multiply). Faker does a similarly masterful job of blending electronica, trip hop, and R&B. Watch: "Talk Is Cheap" Watch: "1998" Watch: "Gold"

9. Mac DeMarco - Salad Days

Prior to this year, I had dismissed Mac DeMarco as little more than a goofball with a guitar. However, after seeing how much praise his previous album, 2, received on 2012 year-end lists, as well as the praise heaped on this record when it was released, I decided I would be wise to check him out. While I have found a silly, irreverent attitude (and sometimes just gross) in many of his interviews, and especially in his music videos, I've also found laid-back, well-written work. I certainly regret underestimating this guy in the past, he's proof that a goofy persona doesn't equate to goofy music. Watch: "Chamber of Reflection" Watch: "Passing Out Pieces"

8. FKA twigs - LP1

This young lady has had quite the year. Some interesting things have happened in her personal life, but her music has been supremely impressive. She often gets pigeon-holed with the label of R&B (perhaps because of her race), but her music incorporates elements of trip hop, experimental, electronic, even choral music. All of that combines to make slow-burning, ethereal, and sensual songs. Her music didn't quite strike me on first listen; it's subtle, but over time I was able to parse out her influences and intricacies and ultimately come to love the release. Watch: "Two Weeks" Watch: "Video Girl"

7. Lia Ices - Ices

I loved Lia Ices' previous album, 2011's Grown Unknown, and found this to be a worthy follow-up, perhaps even more loved than that record. She took what she's done so well in the past and built upon it, while displaying more levity and a bit of international flair. This one of the few albums this year that, after listening through, I would allow to start back over at the beginning and listen through again. Watch: "Thousand Eyes" Watch: "Higher"

6. Adult Jazz - Gist Is

Adult Jazz is one of my absolute favorite new finds of the year. This Leeds band shows that the British do experimental rock just about the best. There are elements of so many things that I love here; vocals sometimes reminiscent of Yellow Ostrich, other times of Wild Beasts, and the occasional jangly guitar that reminds me of WU LYF. Oh, and trombones (if you know anything about me, you know that was my instrument of choice in high school and college). However, this also sounds like almost nothing else I've heard before. There was perhaps no other album this year that I was so excited to share with other people. Watch: "Springful" Watch: "Am Gone"

5. Sylvan Esso - Sylvan Esso

I'm sometimes a bit wary when musicians make a major shift from the genre in which they started. In Mountain Man, Amelia Meath created harmonious folk music. Her work here, with Megafaun's Nick Sanborn, is very different. The sound is a electronic-tinged indie pop. The backgrounds of the two musicians keep the output interesting and artsy, while Amelia's smoky vocals completely seal the deal. The album's opener "Hey Mami" was my own personal song of the summer. Watch: "Coffee" Watch: "Play It Right" Watch: "Dreamy Bruises"

4. Future Islands - Singles

It's not usually a live television performance that interests me in a band, but after hearing so much about Future Islands' Letterman appearance (and after an interesting NPR interview), I had to check this band out. I was not disappointed; the band looks so unassuming in pictures and, at first glance, their music seems to be the same way. But then, much as lead Samuel Herring busts into an odd dance move, he lets out a metal-style growl. The music is great, but it's those surprising touches that make it just a little more memorable. Watch: "Seasons (Waiting on You)" Watch: "A Dream of You and Me"

3. Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels 2

So many of today's hip hop talent is so young, with many artists having been born in the 1990s, but these two (El-P and Killer Mike are both pushing 40) set out to prove that it's not just a young man's game. They succeed, easily showing just about everyone else up. No album this year has made me feel so many emotions; anger, joy, sadness. Just for good measure, the duo also throws in a good amount of humor and sexuality. This could easily be my favorite hip hop album ever and another record that I would let repeat and listen to multiple times in a row. Watch: "Blockbuster Night Part 1" Watch: "Oh My Darling (Don't Cry)"

2. Hamilton Leithauser - Black Hours

At first, the announcement that The Walkmen were talking an "extreme hiatus" was terrifying news to me. No sooner than that news was released, though, several members had already announced their own solo records. They're all great, but frontman Hamilton Leithauser's stood out the most for me. His album could have come across as bare, lacking the band's other members, but he gets help from a number of other great musicians, and some of his bandmates are featured, as well. I still miss The Walkmen, but the solo albums are great to have in their absence. Watch: "11 O'Clock Friday Night" Watch: "I Don't Need Anyone" Watch: "Alexandra"

1. St. Vincent - St. Vincent

My number one favorite album for last year was a pretty easy choice to make. I've loved St. Vincent for a number of years and she hasn't has a misstep of an album yet. Her latest is probably her best yet. She's spent her career as the quintessential cool indie girl, but transformed herself in 2014; starting with an unexpected hair bleaching. She's become an almost superhuman figure, with music and a live persona to match. Albums released towards the beginning of the year tend to get forgotten once December rolls around,  this one was released in February, but I kept returning to this one all year long. Watch: "Birth in Reverse" Watch: "Digital Witness"

Honorable Mentions:
Alvvays - Alvvays
Azealia Banks - Broke with Expensive Taste
Cloud Nothings - Here and Nowhere Else
Marissa Nadler - July
Timber Timbre - Hot Dreams