New Music Friday - February 14, 2025

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Essential Full-Length Releases

	Bartees Strange - Horror Watch: "Sober" Watch: "Too Much"
	Cryogeyser - Cryogeyser Watch: "Stargirl" Watch: "Blue Light"
	Horsegirl - Phonetics On and On Watch: "2468" Watch: "Julie"
	Mallrat - Light hit my face like a straight right Watch: "Horses" Watch: "Pavement"
	venturing - Ghostholding Listen: "Dead forever" Listen: "Famous girl"

Other Full-Length Releases

Denison Witmer - Anything at All Watch: "Focus Ring" (featuring Sufjan Stevens) Watch: "Shade I’ll Never See" (featuring Sufjan Stevens)

Drake & PartyNextDoor - $ome $exy $ongs 4 U Watch: "MEET YOUR PADRE" Watch: "DIE TRYING"

fish narc - frog song Watch: "my ceiling" Watch: "old band"

The Lumineers - Automatic Watch: "Same Old Song" Watch: "Automatic"

Peter Dreams - Peter Dreams and MOONRIIVR Watch: "Do Like I Do" Watch: "Arrivals"

Robert Ascroft - Echo Still Remains Watch: "Should’ve Stayed in Bed" (featuring Christopher Owens) Watch: "Devil Opens the Door" (with Kid Congo Powers)

Singles, EPs, Soundtracks, etc.

John Glacier - Like a Ribbon Watch: "Found" Watch: "Ocean Steppin" (featuring Sampha)

Kelela - In the Blue Light Listen: "Blue Light" (unplugged) Listen: "Waitin’" (unplugged)

Sabrina Carpenter - Short n’ Sweet (Deluxe) Watch: "Bad Reviews" Watch: "Please Please Please" (featuring Dolly Parton)

New Music Friday - April 8, 2016

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Essential Full-Length Releases

DTCV - Confusion Moderne DTCV was formed by James Greer, formerly of Guided By Voices, and Lola G as Détective in 2012. The duo started out opening for GBV during tours. It's a trans-Atlantic partnership, Greer is American while Lola G hails from France. It's Lola's background that influences the lyrical content of their music most, as all lyrics are sung in her native French. Confusion Moderne is their second album together. Watch: "Capital Ennui" Watch: "Bourgeois Pop"

Frightened Rabbit - Painting of a Panic Attack The initial announcement of Frightened Rabbit's fifth album scared me at first. I am on the band's mailing list and the wording of the first sentence of the email made it sound, to me, like they were announcing a breakup. Thankfully, that was not the case and the band announced this Aaron Dessner-produced album. It follows their 2013 album, Pedestrian Verse, and Scott Hutchinson's 2014 self-titled solo album as Owl John. Watch: "Get Out" Watch: "Woke Up Hurting"

Gallant - Ology It's rare that a cover, no matter how good or interesting, gets me into a new artist. I was highly impressed, however, with Gallant's recent cover of Sufjan Stevens' "Blue Bucket of Gold," recorded with the original artist on piano. His rendition lifted an already-emotional track to even higher levels of intensity. He has such a beautiful voice, I knew I had to check out the debut album from this young artist. Watch: "Weight in Gold" Listen: "Bourbon"

Kweku Collins - Nat Love Kweku Collins is a young rapper from the outskirts of Chicago. There's been an renaissance over the past few years of hip hop from Chi-Town, with growing popularity of artists like Chance The Rapper and Vic Mensa, as well as the continued dominance of Kanye West. He contributes his own unique take on music, with folk, neo-soul, and classical influences. This is his debut album. Listen: "Ego Killed Romance" Listen: "Stupid Rose"

Woods - City Sun Eater in the River of Light Woods have been one of my beloved bands for a long time; I first fell in love with their 2010 album At Echo Lake. They are one of those bands who rarely stray from a distinctive sound, but who manage to make albums that each stand out on their own. Their ninth album finally sees them moving from their standard style. Influenced in part by artists like Mulatu Astatke, they've added African jazz to their repertoire. Watch: "I See in the Dark" Listen: "Can’t See At All"

Other Full-Length Releases

Ben Watt - Fever Dream Watch: "Gradually" Watch: "Between Two Fires"

Colin Stetson - Sorrow Watch: "Sorrow - I " (Extractt) Listen: "Sorrow - III" (Extract II)

Deakin - Sleep Cycle Watch: "Just Am" Listen: "Golden Chords"

HEIDEMANN - Detectives Listen: "Last Chance" Listen: "I’m So in Love" (featuring Nancy Whang)

Kim Myhr, Jenny Hval, & Trondheim Jazz Orchestra - In the End His Voice Will Be the Sound of Paper Listen: "Something New" Listen: "Mass"

The Lumineers - Cleopatra Watch: "Ophelia" Listen: "Sleep on the Floor"

M83 - Junk Watch: "Do It, Try It" Listen: "Solitude"

Mayer Hawthorne - Man About Town Watch: "Cosmic Love" Watch: "Love Like That"

Niki and the Dove - Everybody’s Heart Is Broken Now Watch: "So Much It Hurts" Watch: "Play It on My Radio"

Parquet Courts - Human Performance Watch: "Dust" Watch: "Berlin Got Blurry"

Tim Hecker - Love Streams Watch: "Black Phase" Watch: "Castrati Stack"

Singles, EPs, Soundtracks, etc.

Babeheaven - "Heaven"/"Friday Sky" Watch: "Heaven" Listen: "Friday Sky"

fka twigs - EP1 Reissue Watch: "Ache" Watch: "Hide"

Morly - Something More Holy Listen: "Plucky" Listen: "Something More Holy"

Nosaj Thing - No Reality Watch: "N R 2" Listen: "N R 1"

River Tiber - "Illusions" Listen: "Illusions" (featuring Pusha T)

Tokyo Police Club - Melon Collie and the Infinite Radness (Part 1) Listen: "Not My Girl" Listen: "PCH"

New Music Tuesday - August 20, 2013

New Full-Length Releases

Crocodiles - Crimes of Passion Crocodiles has been on my radar for a couple of years, but I've never really listened to their music. This is surprising (to me, at least) considering their connection to other loved bands like The Soft Pack and the Dum Dum Girls (the lead singer, Brandon Welchez is married to Dee Dee Penny of the Dum Dum Girls). They have a sound that's somewhat similar to both bands, but theirs is much noisier and unhinged (a bit like early Black Lips). Now, I guess I just need to start checking out some of the other related bands! Listen/Watch: "Cockroach"

Earl Sweatshirt - Doris There's been a lot of hype around the Odd Future rap collective, but perhaps none more than for Earl Sweatshirt (maybe aside from Frank Ocean). Some of it is due to a delay in his career. After releasing an acclaimed mixtape in 2011, he was sent to boarding school in Samoa due to behavioral issues. He returned last year in almost full force. He was featured on several other Odd Future releases (including Frank Ocean's awesome album). A full-length release from him has been slow-coming, but I'm excited it's finally here! Listen/Watch: "WHOA"

Julia Holter - Loud City Song After the raucous rock and hip hop in this week's releases, you may be surprised to learn that I also enjoy more low-key music. Julia Holter is just one of those artists. Her music is intricately composed and ethereal; the result is really quite gorgeous. She caught my attention last year with the song and video for "Goddess Eyes II;" I loved the way that the song was layered. This is already being considered a great album by several publications, so I'm sure that my love of this artist will only grow more. Listen/Watch: "Maxim 1"

Julianna Barwick - Nepenthe OK, so we can have a little more low-key this week. Julianna Barwick has a similar name and sound to the previous artist. She, however, relies much more on looping to create her sound, which, despite the use of her voice, comes off much more instrumental. I'll be honest, I first checked her out because I was getting confused between her and Julia. Once I discerned the difference, though, I came to love her just as much. She's not as immediate (not to say that Julia is particularly so), but very rewarding. Listen/Watch: "One Half"

No Age - An Object No Age is another band that makes great use of noise, but in a much more experimental, maybe even "arty," way. This is their fourth album and is being touted as their protest release. I remember seeing them for the first (and so far only) time at Pitchfork two years ago and was amazed at the sound they were able to put out with just two members. I've read that this release is minimal in comparison to past albums, though. That makes me a little nervous, but I'm always up for seeing how musicians evolve their sound. Listen/Watch: "An Impression"

Porcelain Raft - Permanent Signal Porcelain Raft is another new act for me; and whose name has floated around on the websites and in the magazines that I most read. This isn't a band, rather the project of Italian musician Mauro Remiddi. It is his second album under the name and features even more of the dream pop sound that made him so acclaimed after his first album, Strange Weekend. I hope to discover what made so many others love his music. Listen/Watch: "The Way Out"

Sarah Neufeld - Hero Brother Neufeld is a member of one of the latest indie bands to come out of the "underground" and gain a more mainstream following, Arcade Fire! In that band, she plays the violion (as well as providing some backing vocals). While that band should be releasing a new album later this year, Sarah is releasing her first solo record. In contrast to music she's released with her various bands, this is an instrumental album. It's always interesting to see how these musicians translate their sound when they lose the vocals. Listen/Watch: "Forcelessness"

Other New Releases

David Bowie - "Valentine's Day" David Bowie proved that he's still got it when he released The Next Day earlier this year. In support of the album, he's released a number of songs with excellent music videos attached. Despite his break from recording new music, he made sure that fans really knew he was back. This is the latest single from that record. I know it's coming a few months too late, but it is a great song! Listen/Watch: "Valentine's Day"

The Lumineers - The Lumineers Deluxe Edition When The Lumineers released their debut album last year, they gained a lot of fans... and a lot of detractors. They're the type of band that I typically stall on checking out (yes, because of their popularity), but once I'd heard a few songs, I really started to like them. Re-releases aren't my favorite thing, especially when they come so soon after the initial release. But they often provide a way to hear newer songs from the band. Listen/Watch: "Stubborn Love"

Redder - Border/lines EP When it comes to identifying new music that I might like, I have several trigger words. Once of those is James Blake, who was used as a comparison for this band. It may not be much of a secret, but I love Blake's music, so I was interested to see just how this act stacked up. I listened and...they're not so bad! Similar to Blake, yes, but doing something fully unique as well. Listen/Watch: "Faster"

Zola Jesus - Versions Zola Jesus released her excellent third album, Conatus, about two years ago. This follow-up consists of versions (see what she did there?) of songs on that album, recorded with JG Thirlwell and the Mivos Quartet. She is interpreting her past releases in a neo-classical style, so this should be pretty interesting for fans. Listen: "Avalanche (Slow)"