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 - May 27, 2016

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Essential Full-Length Releases

Kristin Kontrol - X-Communicate Kristin Welchez (née Gundred, aka Dee Dee) is primarily known for the Dum Dum Girls, a band for whom she has been the frontwoman since 2008. This year, she's breaking out on her own under the name Kristin Kontrol. Taking inspiration from a number of female musicians from the 80s and 90s, it's meant to be a non-genre-specific record, and serves as a way for her to reclaim her artistic identity. Listen: "X-Communicate" Listen: "Show Me"

Leyla McCalla - A Day for the Hunter, a Day for the Prey Leyla McCalla is an American-born singer and cellist of Haitian descent. She was a member of the Grammy-winning Carolina Chocolate Drops, but left to start her solo career. Her first album, Vari-Colored Songs, was a tribute to Langston Hughes, consisting of interpretations of his poems. The follow-up album continues on the same themes from her debut, though without the Hughes poems as the starting point. Watch: "A Day for the Hunter, a Day for the Prey" Listen: "Little Sparrow"

Maria Usbeck - Amparo Usbeck is also stepping away from a band to begin a solo project. She was formerly the lead singer of Selebrities. Though she's of Ecuadorian descent, she's never sung in her native Spanish. Her solo debut is also her first Spanish-language album. The album was co-produced by Chairlift's Caroline Polachek. Watch: "Uno De Tus Ojos" Watch: "Moai Y Yo"

Olga Bell - Tempo Olga Bell is a Russian-born American composer and musician who has performed with Chairlift and Dirty Projectors. For her third album she is turning her talents towards electronic music. The album follows her 2014 Russian-language album, Krai, and last year's Incitation EP. Watch: "Randomness" Watch: "ATA"

Yumi Zouma - Yoncalla Yumi Zouma is a band out of New Zealand, fronted by Christie Simpson, and this is their debut album. The album incorporates a variety of pop styles, from 70s-style disco pop to the goth pop of fellow Kiwi Lorde. Listen: "Keep It Close to Me" Listen: "Barricade (Matter of Fact)"

Other Full-Length Releases

Band of Skulls - By Default Watch: "Killer" Watch: "So Good"

Beth Orton - Kidsticks Watch: "Moon" Listen: "Snow"

Flume - Skin Watch: "Never Be Like You" (featuring Kai) Listen: "Wall Fuck"

Mark Kozelek - Mark Kozelek Sings Favorites Listen: "Win" Listen: "Amanda"

Mistah F.A.B. - Son of a Pimp 2 Listen: "Survive" (featuring Kendrick Lamar) Listen: "What Yo Hood Like" (featuring Jadakiss)

Nicholas Allbrook - Pure Gardiya Watch: "Advance" Watch: "A Fool There Was"

PUP - The Dream Is Over Watch: "If This Tour Doesn’t Kill You, I Will" Watch: "DVP"

Sonny & the Sunsets - Moods Baby Moods Watch: "Well but Strangely Hung Man" Listen: "Moods"

Singles, EPs, Soundtracks, etc.

Brenda’s Friend - House Down Listen: "House Down" Listen: "Horoscope"

Jarvis Cocker - Music from Likely Stories

Joey Purp - iiiDrops Listen: "Girls@" (featuring Chance The Rapper) Listen: "Photobooth"

Mattie Safer - All We Are Listen: "Sea Change" Listen: "All We Are"

Miles Davis & Robert Glasper - Everything’s Beautiful Listen: "Ghetto Walkin’" (featuring Bilal) Listen: "I’m Leaving You" (featuring Ledisi & John Scofield)

My Morning Jacket - It Still Moves Reissue Listen: "Golden " (Original Demo) Listen: "One Big Holiday"

Peaches - Rub Remixes Listen: "Rub" (Paula Temple Remix) Listen: "I Mean Something" (JD Samson Remix)

The Strokes - Future Present Past EP Watch: "Drag Queen" Watch: "Threat of Joy"

Sunn O))) - NOLIFE: Alive in Moscow 11 August 2015

Unknown Mortal Orchestra - "First World Problem" Listen: "First World Problem"

New Music Friday - March 11, 2016

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Essential Full-Length Releases

Charlotte Cornfield - Future Snowbird Charlotte Cornfield is a Toronto native who's been performing for ten years. Her latest album is inspired by a stint in New York from 2012 to 2014; during which time she dealt with health issues, relationships, and life in general. She recorded the album last year with help from members of Ought and Tegan and Sara's backing band. Watch: "Aslan" Listen: "Mercury" (featuring Tim Darcy)

Emmy the Great - Second Love Emmy the Great is the moniker of Emma-Lee Moss, a singer-songwriter hailing from Hong Kong by way of England. She's been active since 2006 and has performed with the likes of Lightspeed Champion and Noah and the Whale. As a solo artist, she has released three albums, her latest finds inspiration in change and new love. Watch: "Swimming Pool" Watch: "Algorithm"

Flatbush Zombies - 3001: A Laced Odyssey Perhaps obviously, this hip hop group hails from the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. Made up of members Meechy Darko,  Zombie Juice, and The Architect, they've taken the YouTube route to prominence, gaining notice after releasing a video for "Thug Waffle" on the site. After six years releasing mixtapes, EPs, and singles, 3001 is their first studio album. Watch: "This Is It" Watch: "Bounce"

Lucius - Good Grief Lucius is one of those bands who highlight the importance of image along with sound. The band's two frontwomen, Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig, often dress and wear their hair in the same style. They released their sophomore album, Wildewoman, in 2013 and rode high on a wave of positive responses to the record. In the short time since, Wolfe and Laessig have contributed vocals to both The Rentals and Tweedy. For their third record, they find inspiration in a wide range of dance pop styles. Watch: "Born Again Teen" Watch: "Something About You"

Other Full-Length Releases

Blancmange - Commuter 23 Listen: "Last Night (I Dreamt I Had a Job)" Listen: "Jack Knife"

Brian Fallon - Painkillers Watch: "Nobody Wins" Listen: "Smoke"

Jeremy Gara - Limn Watch: "Divinity" Listen: "The Dupe"

Shooter Jennings - Countach (For Giorgio) Listen: "The Neverending Story" (featuring Brandi Carlile) Listen: "Cat People" (featuring Marilyn Manson)

Singles, EPs, Soundtracks, etc.

Jeff Buckley - You & I Watch: "I Know It’s Over" Watch: "Just Like a Woman"

Olga Bell - "Randomness" Watch: "Randomness"

Povi - "Park Hill"/"4AM" Listen: "Park Hill" Listen: "4AM"

Vinyl Volume 1.5 Listen: The Arcs - "Watch Your Step" Listen: Alison Mosshart - "My Time’s Coming"

New Music Tuesday - April 29, 2014

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

New Full-Length Releases

Damon Albarn - Everyday Robots Damon Albarn has been incredible active over his 26-year career. He has fronted two bands, Blur and Gorillaz; worked with other musicians on various collaborative projects, including The Good, The Bad & The Queens; and scored operas. In all this time, though, he hadn't yet released a proper solo album. Everyday Robots perhaps plugs into Damon's most personal side and shows what he can do on his own. Watch: "Heavy Seas of Love" Watch: "Everyday Robots"

Fennesz - Bécs Christian Fennesz is an electronic guitarist from Austria who has been a frequent collaborator with many other artists, such as Jim O'Rourke, Tony Buck and Mark Linkous. He has also been an active solo artist, releasing seven studio albums since 1997. His latest record is being hailed as a return to the sound he developed on his 2001 breakout Endless Summer. Listen: "Static Kings" Listen: "Sav"

Nat Baldwin - In the Hollows Nat Baldwin is the bassist for the experimental indie rock band Dirty Projectors. He is also a solo musician who released his first album, Most Valuable Player in 2008. Last year, he released a collection of demos, Dome Branches, and is following that up with his latest studio record. Watch: "In the Hollows"

Olga Bell - Krai Olga Bell is another member of the Dirty Projectors, playing keyboards and providing backing vocals. Born in Moscow, she recorded her sophomore studio album in her mother tongue. Listen: "Perm Krai"

Pink Mountaintops - Get Back I never realized that the top of a black mountain would be pink in color! Pink Mountaintops is a side project of Stephen McBean of the Canadian psych-rock band Black Mountains. The band is a bit of a supergroup, also containing members of Godspeed You! Black Emperor!, Cold War Kids and Cat Power's band. Watch: "Ambulance City" Watch: "North Hollywood Microwaves"

Pixies - Indie Cindy The Pixies were one of the definitive alternative rock bands of the late 80s/early 90s, but disbanded in 1993. They reformed in 2004, but it wasn't until last year that they released new music. It started with the single "Bagboy" followed by three EPs released late last year and earlier this year. Their first proper studio album in over 20 years collects all of those tracks together on one collection. Watch: "Snakes" Watch: "Greens and Blues"

Ramona Lisa - Arcadia Carolina Polachek is a member of the band Chairlift, with which she has released two albums, including 2012's incredible Something. Polachek has also been performing secret shows under the name Ramona Lisa since last year. Her debut solo album features love songs told through the lens of nature. Watch: "Backwards & Upwards" Watch: "Arcadia"

Rodrigo y Gabriela - 9 Dead Alive Rodrigo y Gabriela are a pair of former heavy metal guitarists from Mexico. It was in Dublin, Ireland, though, where they developed the complicated, intricate, instrumental, dual-guitar sound for which they have become known. 9 Dead Alive is their fourth studio album and each song is dedicated to an important historical figure who has passed. Watch: "The Soundmaker"

Wye Oak - Shriek Baltimore-based band Wye Oak released four albums between 2008 and 2011. In the time since their 2011 release, Civilian, lead singer Jenn Wasner has been busy with side projects, including singles with Flock of Dimes and an eponymous album as Dungeonesse. Her return to her main band also brings with it a change of sound. In their previous albums, Wye Oak's sound has been guitar-driven, but the latest has more of an electronic base. They still sound like Wye Oak, though! Watch: "The Tower" Watch: "Glory"

Other New Releases

Disclosure & Friend Within - "The Mechanism" Disclosure have proven themselves as incredible musicians and have put out a number of awesome collaborative tracks. The latest partners them with UK producer Friend Within. Listen: "The Mechanism"

Haim - "If I Could Change Your Mind" Haim rode in on a wave of hype with last year's Days Are Gone. "If I Could Change Your Mind" was one of the stand-outs from that record and is now seeing its release as a single. Watch: "If I Could Change Your Mind"

Jacques Greene - Phantom Vibrate EP Jacques Greene is a Canadian producer who has made a name for himself remixing both new and classic tracks. This is his third collection of original material. Watch: "No Excuse"