New Music Friday - May 29, 2020

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Essential Full-Length Releases

Deerhoof - Future Teenage Cave Artists Deerhoof went in a different direction with their last album. 2017's Mountain Moves, bringing a large number of collaborators. The follow-up hearkens back to earlier work, with a title that indicates the band's isolationist approach and their conceptual view towards the future. Watch: "Future Teenage Cave Artists" Watch: "“Farewell” Symphony"

Lady Gaga - Chromatica Lady Gaga's sixth album was one of many that were delayed due to the coronavirus epidemic, originally scheduled for an April release. The album includes features from several other pop icons, including Ariana Grande and Elton John. Watch: "Rain on Me" (featuring Ariana Grande) Watch: "Stupid Love"

Mrs. Piss - Self-Surgery Mrs. Piss is a new project from Jess Gowrie and Chelsea Wolfe. The project started while the pair were touring for Wolfe's 2017 album, Hiss Spun. The project has given them a new opportunity to work together and a platform on which to bring in other female performers. Watch: "Knelt" Watch: "Downer Surrounded by Uppers"

Nicole Atkins - Italian Ice Italian Ice is the fifth album from this New Jersey artist, following 2017's Goodnight Rhonda Lee. On the album, Atkins collaborates with a number of her contemporaries, including McKenzie Smith (of Midlake), bassist David Hood, and Britt Daniel (of Spoon). Watch: "Captain" (featuring Britt Daniel) Watch: "Domino"

PINS - Hot Slick PINS became a fast favorite of mine after the release of their 2015 sophomore album, Wild Nights. I waited dutifully for a follow-up and gobbled up every interim project released, including the 2017 EP, Bad Thing, and frontwoman Faith Vern's collaborations with Iggy Pop. Finally, their third album is here, and I am beyond excited! Watch: "Hot Slick" Watch: "Bad Girls Forever"

Other Full-Length Releases

Christian Lee Hutson - Beginners Watch: "Lose This Number" Watch: "Talk"

Jade Hairpins - Harmony Avenue Watch: "J Terrapin" Watch: "(Don’t Break My) Devotion"

Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist - Alfredo Watch: "Frank Lucas" (featuring Benny the Butcher) Watch: "1985"

The Memories - Pickles & Pies Listen: "Second Try" Listen: "The Sign" (featuring Colleen Green)

Painted Zeros - When You Found Forever Watch: "Break" Watch: "Commuter Rage"

Thomas Wesley - Diplo Presents Thomas Wesley Chapter 1: Snake Oil Watch: "On Mine" (featuring Noah Cyrus) Watch: "Real Life Stuff" (featuring Julia Michaels, & Clever)

Singles, EPs, Soundtracks, etc.

Alex Lahey - Between the Kitchen and the Living Room Watch: "Let’s Go Out" (Bedroom Version) Listen: "Every Day’s the Weekend" (Laundry Version)

Baths - Pop Music / False B-Sides II Watch: "Mikaela Corridor" Watch: "Wistful (Fata Morgana)"

Capone: Original Motion Picture Score Listen: "mama’s hurt" Listen: "this is Al that’s left"

Esther Rose - My Favorite Mistakes Listen: "Blue on Blue" Listen: "My Favorite Mistake"

Flying Lotus - Flamagra (Instrumentals) Listen: "Black Balloons Reprise" (Instrumental) Listen: "Yellow Belly" (Instrumental)

Iggy Pop - The Idiot/Lust for Life Reissue Watch: "Lust for Life" Listen: "Neighborhood Threat"

K-os - Boshido Listen: "Crucial" (Kaytranada Remix) Listen: "Free Style"

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Chunky Shrapnel Watch: "This Thing" Watch: "Mars for the Rich"

Lily & Horn Horse - Republicans for Bernie Watch: "Balloon" Listen: "Crosby, Stills and Nash"

The Soft Pink Truth - Am I Free to Go?

New Music Friday - July 21, 2017

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Essential Full-Length Releases

Lana Del Rey - Lust for Life Del Rey's work has always been marked by her penchant for moodiness. The smile on the cover of her latest album indicates a slightly lighter mood for the record. She's an artist who just keeps getting better, expanding her stylistic influences, guest vocalists, and moods on this latest record. Watch: "Lust for Life" (featuring The Weeknd) Watch: "Love"

Nicole Atkins - Goodnight Rhonda Lee Nicole Atkins fourth album comes ten years after her debut, Neptune City, and follows a period of transition for the artist. She's on a new record label, has relocated from New Jersey to Nashville, and is working with a new production team. Rhonda Lee is a reference to Atkins' self-professed alter ego, one that comes out when she's acting up. Perhaps the album is an attempt to exorcise that part of herself. Watch: "Listen Up" Listen: "Goodnight Rhonda Lee"

Tyler, The Creator - Flower Boy This latest album from Tyler, The Creator, seems to expose some revelatory truths about the rapper. Response to much of his early work was punctuated by accusations of homophobia (not totally undeserved). On this album, though, he seems to reference his own homosexual experiences. He's matured quite a bit since starting his career; Flower Boy is the apex of that maturation and the first time I've been able to take him really seriously. Listen: "Ain’t Got Time" Listen: "Boredom"

Other Full-Length Releases

Avey Tare - Eucalyptus Listen: "Roamer" Listen: "Melody Unfair"

Meek Mill - Wins & Losses Watch: "Issues" Watch: "Young Black America" (featuring The-Dream)

Singles, EPs, Soundtracks, etc.

Deap Vally - Femejism Unplugged Watch: "Turn It Off"

Denitia - Ceilings Listen: "Planes" Listen: "Ceilings"

En Route - Then Is a Song Listen: "I Am the Problem" Listen: "Dumb"

Violent Femmes - 2 Mics & the Truth Listen: "Untrue Love" Listen: "It’s Gonna Rain"

New Music Tuesday - December 2, 2014

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

New Full-Length Releases

The Grates - Dream Team I'm not completely sure how I heard of them, but The Grates have been a favorite of mine for a pretty long while. They are, however, an Australian band who hasn't quite seemed to have their stride stateside, so I've usually found out about new albums long after they actually came out. I got lucky on this go-around and managed to find out about this new release before it happened. Watch: "Holiday Home" Listen: "Call Me"

Mary J. Blige - The London Sessions For her thirteenth studio album, Blige continues on a trajectory started in 2013, when she collaborated on new versions of songs from Sam Smith and Disclosure. She traveled to England to write and record with the aforementioned musicians, as well as Naughty Boy, Emeli Sandé, and others. The result is still her, but has an undeniable influence from modern British house music. Watch: "Right Now" Watch: "Whole Damn Year"

She & Him - Classics She & Him seem to be out of the habit of naming albums for the number release it is in their discography. The title, though, still tells you exactly what you're getting. For their fifth album, they've recorded their own versions of classic songs. Watch: "Stay Awhile" Listen: "Time After Time"

Walk the Moon - Talking Is Hard This young Cincinnati-based band continues to get a lot of positive press going into their third album. They also continue to do what they do best, make infectious dance-tinged indie pop. It's exciting to see them doing so well. Watch: "Shut Up and Dance" Listen: "Different Colors"

Willie & Bobbie Nelson - December Day Another year, another Willie Nelson album, it's pretty much guaranteed at this point. For his latest, he pairs with his sister, Bobbie, who plays piano throughout the record. Nelson was inspired by jamming with his touring band, and those members are also present on the record. Watch: "Laws of Nature" Watch: "Summer of Roses"

Wu-Tang Clan - A Better Tomorrow It's been a little while since we last heard from Wu-Tang as a whole, seven years since 8 Diagrams. This new one was announced as far back as 2012, but several members were unsure as to whether it would actually happen. Things seemed to be back on track last year, and now we have this new record whose message couldn't be more timely. Watch: "A Better Tomorrow" Listen: "Ruckus in B Minor"

Other New Releases

Circulatory System - Made a Sound PIAPTK is trying out something new, releasing singles which can be played either on a turntable or in a CD player. Their latest release in the project comes from Elephant 6 member Circulatory System. Listen: "It Never Made a Sound"

Leonard Cohen - Live in Dublin Even at 80-years-old, Cohen is still going strong, he released his thirteenth album, Popular Problems, earlier this year and it following that up with a new live album. Live in Dublin was recorded in September of last year at the O2 in Dublin. Listen: "So Long Marianne" Listen: "Save the Last Dance for Me"

Los Campesinos! - A Los Campesinos! Christmas It seems like Christmas albums are usually the domain of pop musicians, but it's becoming more and more common to see them from a broader variety of performers. English band Los Campesinos! is adding their own to the mix. The EP brings together a number of holiday songs the band has recorded over the past few years, along with a cover of Mud's "Lonely This Christmas." Listen: "When Christmas Comes" Listen: "Lonely This Christmas"

M. Ward - Transistor Radio Reissue M. Ward isn't letting his new album with Zooey Deschanel be his only release today, he is also reissuing his fourth studio album, which was originally released in 2005. Listen: "Lullaby + Exile" Listen: "You Still Believe in Me"

Nicole Atkins - Slow Phaser: Expanded Deluxe Edition Nicole Atkins released her third album back in February. The record's reissue comes with a set of live songs recorded at the Masonic Temple in Detroit. Watch: "Who Killed the Moonlight" Watch: "Girl You Look Amazing"

Pixies - Doolittle 25 Expanded Reissue To celebrate the 25th anniversary of their sophomore album, the Pixies have released a remastered and expanded version of the record. The reissue includes the original album, along with b-sides, a couple of John Peel sessions, and demos. Watch: "Debaser" Listen: "Hey"

Songs: Ohia - Didn’t It Rain Deluxe Edition Songs: Ohia was a fairly-well-known but much-celebrated Ohio band fronted by the now-deceased Jason Molina. Didn't It Rain was their second-to-last album, originally released in 2002. This re-release comes with a second disc of demos. Listen: "Didn't It Rain" Listen: "Ring the Bell"

Sun Kil Moon - "The Possum" Mark Kozelek seems determined to make this a busy year for himself. He's already released an album under the name Sun Kil Moon, a live album under his own name, and a Christmas album. Now, for his final act for the year, he has a new single out. Listen: "The Possum"

Tall Tall Trees - The Seasonal EP Tall Tall Trees is the stage moniker for Mike Savino; and, while he plays banjo, produces a form of folk unlike anything I've ever heard. For his latest EP, he enlists the help of violinist Kishi Bashi, who lends vocals, production, and his own voice to the release. Listen: "Picture Picture" Listen: "How Did It Get Dark So Fast?"

Yo La Tengo - Extra Painful Yo La Tengo's sixth album, Painful, was originally released in 1993. This renamed reissue comes packaged with a bonus disc of live and demo versions of the album's tracks. Listen: "Nowhere Near" Listen: "Big Day Coming"

New Music Tuesday - February 04, 2014

New Full-Length Albums

Bombay Bicycle Club - So Long, See You Tomorrow Bombay Bicycle Club has been a prolific and fairly diverse band. They've released four albums in the past five years, each with a different sound. They've explored folk rock, indie and acoustic. For they're latest release, they are injecting some electronic into their sound. Watch: "Luna" Watch: "It's Alright Now"

Broken Bells - After the Disco When James Mercer released his first album, Broken Bells, as Broken Bells (with producer Danger Mouse), it came at a time when it seemed like he was stepping away from his main band, The Shins. Then, The Shins released an amazing album, Port of Morrow, in 2012, which made me think that, perhaps, Broken Bells would be done. He's going to keep up both bands, though, giving us twice the pleasure! Watch: "Holding on for Life" Watch: "Leave It Alone"

Marissa Nadler - July Nadler has established herself as one of the greatest young singer-songwriters of the past few years. She's become known for her haunting voice and storytelling lyrics (and amazing, choreography-driven videos). Her latest album sees her continuing in her amazing-ness and is one of my early favorites! Watch: "Dead City Emily" Watch: "Was It a Dream"

Maxïmo Park - Too Much Information While Maxïmo Park rode in on the British indie rock boom of the early-to-mid-2000s, they've never considered themselves the "cool" band. In discussing the title of this latest release with NME, Paul Smith said that the band's music was emotional and that they tended to share "Too Much Information." Watch: "Leave This Island" Watch: "Brain Cells"

Nicole Atkins - Slow Phaser I learned something interesting in a recent NPR interview with Nicole Atkins. She was considered to have a "small" voice as a child, not good for singing. Compared to the deep, rich vocals she presents now, she's made some considerable strides in her singing. This is her third album and she just seems to get better with each release. Listen: "Cool People" Listen: "Girl You Look Amazing"

Snowbird - Moon Snowbird is the project of the Cocteau Twins' Simon Raymonde and singer Stephanie Dosen. The project may not be much of a departure for Raymonde, he has stated that the band's sound is very similar to the Cocteau Twins, which should be good news for fans still upset at the band's demise almost 20 years ago. The debut album comes with a second disc consisting of a remix of each track. Watch: "All Wishes Are Ghosts" Listen: "Porcelain"

Solander - Monochromatic Memories I started listening to this little Swedish band about three years ago, even posted about them on this blog! Three years and three albums later, I'm starting to see even more written about them on many of the music sites that I read daily, which is always exciting! The band is developing some outside of the fairly straightforward folk that I first heard and making some great music! Watch: "The Woods Are Gone" Listen: "All Opportunities"

Xiu Xiu - Angel Guts: Red Classroom Xiu Xiu have become the go-to purveyors of weird sounds in modern indie rock. This may be their weirdest record yet, if you don't count their album of Nina Simone covers released late last year. The title of the record comes from a late-70s Japanese erotic film and features similar themes in the music. By the way, the second video below is very, VERY, not safe for work. Watch: "Stupid in the Dark" Watch: "Black Dick"

Other New Releases

Sweetheart 2014 Starbucks released this compilation just in time for Valentine's Day. The album features covers of classic love songs from a variety of modern musicians; including, Phosphorescent, Sharon Jones and Vampire Weekend. Listen: Vampire Weekend - "Time to Say Goodbye (Con te Partirò)" Listen: Fiona Apple - "I'm in the Middle of a Riddle"

This Is the Town: A Tribute to Nilsson, Volume 1 Harry Nilsson was an influential pop and rock musician who achieved the bulk of his success in the late 1960s and 1970s. This is the first volume in a new tribute series to the musician, which features tracks from Langhorne Slim, Jenny O and Annie Nilsson (one of his daughters). Listen: Langhorne Slim - "Early in the Morning" Listen: Jenny O - "1941"