New Music Friday - May 11, 2018

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Essential Full-Length Releases

Arctic Monkeys - Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino Though the Arctic Monkeys were one of the core bands of the post-punk revival movement of the early-to-mid aughts, they've changed their sound with nearly every record. Their last, AM, recalled psychedelic and blues rocks sounds. This one, as best as I can describe it, is skeezy 70s lounge singer. It's the band at their least immediate, but the sound has grown on me since the record was released. Watch: "Four out of Five" Watch: "Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino"

Beach House - 7 The seventh album from this duo follows a closet-cleaning B-sides release and a departure from their longtime producer, Chris Coady. While still identifiably a Beach House record, it does see them progressing their sound and making a more adventurous album than any of their previous work. Watch: "Lemon Glow" Watch: "Dark Spring"

Jess Williamson - Cosmic Wink Coming just a couple of years after her sophomore album, Heart Song, Williamson's third covers an unlikely trio of life events. On the album, she sings of new love, moving cross country, and the aging of her canine friend. Watch: "I See the White" Watch: "Wild Rain"

La Luz - Floating Points Floating Points is the third album from this LA-based band. A prominent theme of the album is dreams, subtly inferred by the album's title. They combine this with the "surf noir" sound they've already become known for. Watch: "Cicada" Watch: "Mean Dream"

SSION - O SSION is the project of Cody Critcheloe and covers music, as well as visual and live performance. His more than 20 year career includes artwork design and direction for artists ranging from Charli XCX and the Yeah Yeahs Yeahs. O is his third solo record. Watch: "At Least the Sky Is Blue" (featuring Ariel Pink) Watch: "Comeback"

Other Full-Length Releases

Ament - Heaven/Hell Watch: "Safe in the Car" Listen: "The Noise, the Noise"

The Body - I Have Fought Against It, but I Can’t Any Longer Listen: "Can Carry No Weight" Listen: "Nothing Stirs"

Mark Kozelek - Mark Kozelek Listen: "The Mark Kozelek Museum" Listen: "My Love for You Is Undying"

The Sea and Cake - Any Day Listen: "Any Day" Listen: "These Falling Arms"

Simian Mobile Disco - Hey Sister Watch: "Caught in a Wave" Watch: "Hey Sister"

Singles, EPs, Soundtracks, etc.

Mount Kimbie - Love What Survives Remixes Part 1 Listen: "Blue Train Lines" (Nina Kraviz Main Mix)

Mount Kimbie - Love What Survives Remixes Part 2 Listen: "Four Years and One Day" (Marcel Dettmann Remix) Listen: "Four Years and One Day" (Gerd Janson Remix)

Ty Dolla $ign - "Clout" Watch: "Clout" (featuring 21 Savage)

New Music Friday - May 4, 2018

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Essential Full-Length Releases

Eleanor Friedberger - Rebound Fiery Furnaces may have gone on hiatus in 2011, but Eleanor Friedberger has been going strong in her solo career. Rebound is her fourth solo record, following 2016's New View. Fiery Furnaces' seminal Blueberry Boat also got reissued this year! Watch: "In Between Stars" Watch: "Make Me a Song"

FAN - Barton’s Den FAN is the solo project of Meric Long, one-half of The Dodos. That band is far from done (they're actually releasing a new album in just a few weeks). Long introduced his solo career last November with the "Fire" single. Watch: "Velour" Watch: "What a Mistake"

Leon Bridges - Good Thing Bridges started his career with a throwback sound reminiscent of 1960s soul (think Sam Cooke or Otis Redding). For his sophomore album, he sought to update his sound a bit, and mix some modern pop into his retro style. Watch: "Bet Ain’t Worth the Hand" Watch: "Bad Bad News"

Rae Sremmurd - SR3MM Rae Sremmurd's latest is a triple album. The first is the true third album from the duo. The second part is Swae Lee's solo debut, Swaecation, and the third, Jxmtro, Slim Jxmmi's. Watch: "Guatemala" Watch: "Powerglide" (featuring Juicy J)

The Temptations - All the Time Yes, they're still around, though Otis Williams is the only remaining original member. The new album from the band's current iteration is primarily a covers album, featuring songs originally performed by Sam Smith, Bruno Mars, The Weeknd, and others, as well as a few originals. Watch: "Waitin’ on You" Listen: "Earned It"

Other Full-Length Releases

DJ Koze - Knock Knock Watch: "Pick Up" Listen: "Illumination" (featuring Roísín Murphy)

Iceage - Beyondless Watch: "Catch It" Watch: "The Day the Music Dies"

Jon Hopkins - Singularity Watch: "Emerald Rush" Watch: "Everything Connected"

Killa Kyleon - Candy Paint N Texas Plates Watch: "Fuck You" Listen: "They Don’t Know" (featuring Bambino)

Matt and Kim - Almost Everyday Watch: "Forever" Watch: "Like I Used to Be"

Royce da 5’9” - The Book of Ryan Watch: "Caterpillar" (featuring Eminem & King Green) Watch: "Boblo Boat" (featuring J. Cole)

Simian Mobile Disco - Murmurations Watch: "Caught in a Wave" Watch: "Hey Sister"

Viva La Void - Viva La Void Watch: "Red Rider" Watch: "Death Money"

Singles, EPs, Soundtracks, etc.

Amber Mark - Conexão Watch: "Love Me Right" Watch: "Love Is Stronger Than Pride"

Braids - "Collarbones"/"Burdock & Dandelions" Listen: "Collarbones" Listen: "Burdock & Dandelions"

Brian Eno - Music for Installations Listen: "Kazakhstan"

Jenn Champion - "O.M.G. (I’m All Over It)" Watch: "O.M.G. (I’m All Over It)"

Katie Von Schleicher - "Glad to Be Here" 7” Listen: "Glad to Be Here"

Mass Gothic - "Dark Window" Watch: "Dark Window"

Perera Elsewhere - Drive Watch: "Drive"

New Music Friday - November 11, 2016

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Essential Full-Length Releases

Martha Wainwright - Goodnight City The Wainwright Family remains one of the most prolific families in the music industry. Just one year after the release of the debut album, Songs in the Dark, from the Wainwright Sisters (Martha and Lucy Wainwright Roche), Martha is back with a new solo effort. The album features contributions from Merrill Garbus, Glen Hansard, and several members of her family, including her brother Rufus Wainwright. Listen: "Around the Bend" Listen: "Take the Reins"

oddCouple - Liberation oddCouple, Zach Henderson, is the house producer for the Chicago record label Closed Sessions, which boasts signees Kweku Collins and Jamila Woods. His new album showcases some of the best that Chicago hip-hop has to offer, including labelmates Woods and Collins, as well as GLC and Joey Purp. Listen: "Love Above" (featuring Jamila Woods & Kweku) Listen: "Eidetic"

Sad13 - Slugger Sad13 is Sadie Dupuis, best known as the frontwoman for Speedy Ortiz, with which she has released two albums, including last year's excellent Foil Deer. The band hasn't gone anywhere, but Sadie has struck out on her own as a solo artist. She first debuted the Sad13 project earlier this year on a collaborative single, "Basement Queens," with rapper Lizzo. Her debut album takes on a poppier approach, but seeks to counter the typically misogynistic messages expressed in the genre. Watch: "Less Than 2" Watch: "Get a Yes"

Sleigh Bells - Jessica Rabbit Sleigh Bells could have easily been a gimmick and lasted no longer than one album. The duo is defined by heavily-distorted guitars and pop melodies. As they release their fourth album, they haven't lost what made their sound distinctive, and seem to almost defiantly continue to flout it. When in doubt, be extra, and Sleigh Bells are definitely extra (that's a compliment)! Watch: "It’s Just Us Now" Watch: "I Can Only Stare"

A Tribe Called Quest - We Got It From Here, Thank You for Your Service A Tribe Called Quest seemed like a done deal following the release of 1998's The Love Movement. With the death of central member Phife Dawg earlier this year, hopes for any full return were further diminished. It turned out that Phife had already rejoined his bandmates and a new album had been recorded. They even brought back original member Jarobi White, who had departed following their debut album. They have announced that this is their final album; if so, they've gone out on a high note, returning to the roots of their sound. Watch: "We the People"

Other Full-Length Releases

Daniel Bachman - Daniel Bachman Listen: "Brightleaf Blues I" Listen: "The Flower Tree"

GUM - Flash in the Pan Listen: "Gemini" Listen: "Flash in the Pan"

Luke Temple - A Hand Through the Cellar Door Watch: "Maryanne Was Quiet" Listen: "Birds of Late December"

The Men - Devil Music Listen: "Lion’s Den" Listen: "Devil Music"

Simian Mobile Disco - Welcome to Sideways Watch: "Remember in Reverse" Listen: "Far Away from a Distance"

Singles, EPs, Soundtracks, etc.

A-Trak - In the Loop: A Decade of Remixes Listen: "Oh!" Listen: "Kilometer"

The Band - The Last Waltz 40th Anniversary Edition

Bob Dylan - The 1966 Live Recordings Listen: "Tell Me Mama"

Body/Head - No Waves Listen: "The Show Is Over"

Broken Social Scene - Feel Good Lost Reissue Listen: "I Slept with Bonhomme at the CBC" Listen: "Guilty Cubicles"

David Bowie - Legacy Listen: "Space Oddity" Listen: "Changes"

Forth Wanderers - Slop EP Watch: "Slop" Watch: "Know Better"

Hudson Mohawke - Ded Sec - Watch Dogs 2 (Original Soundtrack) Listen: "Shanghaied" Listen: "Play N Go"

Pink Floyd - The Early Years (1967-1972) Listen: "Arnold Layne" Listen: "See Emily Play"

The Rolling Stones - Havana Moon Watch: "Brown Sugar" Watch: "Paint It Black"

Yoko Ono - Unfinished Music No. 1: Two Virgins Reissue Listen: "Side One" Listen: "Side Two"

Yoko Ono - Unfinished Music No. 2: Life with Lions Reissue Listen: "Cambridge 1969" Listen: "No Bed for Beatle John"

Yoko Ono - Yoko Ono Plastic Ono Band Reissue Listen: "Why" Listen: "Mother"