New Music Friday - February 16, 2024

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Essential Full-Length Releases

	Heems - Lafandar Listen: "Sri Lanka" Listen: "Obi Toppin (Darling)"
	Middle Kids - Faith Crisis Pt. 1 Watch: "Dramamine" Watch: "Bend"
	San Fermin - Arms Watch: "Didn’t Want You To" Watch: "Arms"
	serpentwithfeet - GRIP Watch: "Damn Gloves" (featuring Ty Dolla $ign & Yanga YaYa) Watch: "Safe Word"

Other Full-Length Releases

Chromeo - Adult Contemporary Watch: "Personal Effects" Watch: "Lost and Found"

Grandaddy - Blu Wav Watch: "Long as I’m Not the One" Watch: "Watercooler"

IDLES - TANGK Watch: "DANCER" Watch: "GRACE"

Omni - Souvenir Watch: "Exacto" Watch: "Plastic Pyramid" (featuring Izzy Glaudini)

William Doyle - Springs Eternal Watch: "Relentless Melt" Watch: "Surrender Yourself"

Singles, EPs, Soundtracks, etc.

Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want to Turn Into You: Everasking Edition Listen: "Gambler's Prayer" Listen: "I Believe" (Acoustic Version)

Kelela - RAVE:N, the Remixes Watch: "Happy Ending" (A.G. Remix) Watch: "Holier" (JD. REID Remix featuring Shygirl)

Nouvelle Vague - Should I Stay or Should I Go? Watch: "Shout" (featuring Bijou & Marine Quéméré) Listen: "Should I Stay or Should I Go?"

Screaming Females - Clover Listen: "Where I Live" Listen: "You Got It"

New Music Friday - April 7, 2017

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Essential Full-Length Releases

Alexandra Savior - Belladonna of Sadness Alexandra Savior is a young singer from Portland who's become a bit of a protegé of The Arctic Monkeys' Alex Turner. She co-wrote a track on The Last Shadow Puppets album last year and Turner, in turn (heh), contributed writing to this debut from Savior. She draws inspiration from a variety of sources, ranging from Otis Redding to Adele, and has even found inspiration in Terry Gilliam's films. Watch: "Mystery Girl" Watch: "M.T.M.E."

Arca - Arca This self-titled album is the third album overall for this Venezuelan artist. His first two albums focused on his production, this record is the first to feature his vocals, presented entirely in his native language and entirely improvised. He had not initially intended to sing on the record, the suggestion came from Björk (a friend and collaborator of Arca's). The shift has paid off for the artist, earning an already-praised musician some of the best reviews of his career. Watch: "Reverie" Watch: "Anoche"

Future Islands - The Far Field Thanks in no small part to frontman's Samuel Herring's unique dance moves, Future Islands had a big 2014 with their fourth album, Singles. Despite following up that album, aspects of this release are more closely tied to their third album, In Evening Air. Both albums share a cover artist (Kymia Nawabi) and source of inspiration for the title (the poems of Theodore Roethke). Still, the album sees the band reaching for ever greater heights. Watch: "Ran" Watch: "Cave"

Karen Elson - Double Roses It's been a little while since we've last heard from Elson, at least on the music front. The model and musician released her first album, The Ghost Who Walks, in 2010,  but has been more active in the fashion world since. She has released one-off singles, often for the Record Store Days, and done some touring. She started working on her second album in 2015. The album features an impressive set of guests, including fellow Brit Laura Marling, Father John Misty, and Patrick Carney of The Black Keys. Watch: "Call Your Name" Listen: "Distant Shore"

The New Pornographers - Whiteout Conditions I don't think I will ever stop loving The New Pornographers. The indie supergroup has released seven albums, each as amazing as the last. I was a little worried about this album before it was released. The band announced that member Dan Bejar (who is also a member of Destroyer and Swan Lake) would not be appearing on the record. His voice is one of my favorites of the group, but the group doesn't suffer in his absence; of course, Neko Case cures all ills. This is another great album from the band! Watch: "High Ticket Attractions" Listen: "This Is the World of the Theatre"

Other Full-Length Releases

Cold War Kids - L.A. Divine Watch: "Love Is Mystical" Watch: "Can We Hang On?"

Diet Cig - Swear I’m Good at This Watch: "Tummy Ache" Listen: "Barf Day"

Father John Misty - Pure Comedy Watch: "Ballad of the Dying Man" Watch: "Two Wildly Different Perspectives"

Guided By Voices - August By Cake Watch: "5° Degrees on the Inside" Listen: "Dr. Feelgood Falls off the Ocean"

Joey Bada$$ - ALL-AMERIKKAN BADA$$ Watch: "Land of the Free" Listen: "Rockabye Baby" (featuring ScHoolboy Q)

San Fermin - Belong Watch: "Belong" Watch: "No Promises"

Those Lavender Whales - My Bones Are Singing Listen: "Lose My Mind"

Timber Timbre - Sincerely, Future Pollution Watch: "Sewer Blues" Watch: "Grifting"

Singles, EPs, Soundtracks, etc.

LAMC #17 Listen: Damaged Bug - "Rubber Lips" Listen: Black Pus - "High Tide"

Njomza - sad for you Watch: "Intro" Listen: "Hear Me"

Resistance Radio: The Man in the High Castle Listen: Angel Olsen - "Who’s Sorry Now" Listen: Sharon Van Etten - "The End of the World"

Yumi Zouma - (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? Listen: "Champagne Supernova"

Alt-J in Cincinnati

When: September 21, 2015
Where: PNC Pavilion at Riverbend in Cincinnati, OH

The Show:
Alt-J came to Cincinnati late last month and I knew it was a show that I could not miss. The concert was one of my relatively few group outings for live music. A friend of mine had gotten tickets for herself, her boyfriend, me, and Adrian, my boyfriend. The experience was definitely enhanced by being there with companions.

Brooklyn-based baroque-inspired band San Fermin has been touring with the band. Adrian and I got to the venue about halfway through the opening act's set. We weren't sure what to expect from them, but were impressed by their high energy show. I, for one, am also always a big fan of bands who use brass and woodwind instruments and this band used them extremely well (though I'm still a bit disappointed in their lack of trombone). Safe to say, that band won some new fans that night, though we were still anticipating the main act.

Our friends arrived towards the end of the first set. We patiently waited, while listening to tUnE-yArDs played through overblown speakers, for the headlining act to begin. Alt-J came out with an impressive set that seemed to reflect the success that they've gained over past couple of years. Their unique mix of rock, choral chants, and electronica was punctuated by an impressive light show behind them consisting of a couple dozen TVs. They played primarily from their first album, An Awesome Wave, though sprinkled in a few of the better tracks from the follow-up, This Is All Yours.

On a Monday, two strong bands and some great friends made for a great beginning to the week!

Mini setlist:
San Fermin - "Jackrabbit"
Alt-J - "Tessellate"
Alt-J - "Left Hand Free"