New Music Friday - August 7, 2015

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Essential Full-Length Releases

Chelsea Wolfe - Abyss Chelsea Wolfe's music lies at the intersection of folk and metal, with  a distinctive dark folk sound honed over five albums. Her latest was inspired by a story of a worker's suicide at a Foxconn factory (Foxconn is a company which manufactures many of our electronics). Wolfe and her cowriter, Karlos Ayala, tried to explore the feelings of frustration and desperation that the worker must have felt. Watch: "Carrion Flowers" Listen: "After the Fall"

La Luz - Weirdo Shrine "Surf noir" band La Luz released their debut album, It's Alive, in 2013. Shortly thereafter, the band was involved in a serious car accident (which they all survived with minimal injuries), but didn't let that derail them. They got back on the road and returned to the studio to record a follow-up. 2015 has been a good year for all-girl rock bands so far; these girls are just making it even better. Watch: "Black Hole, Weirdo Shrine" Listen: "Don’t Wanna Be Anywhere"

Langhorne Slim and The Law - The Spirit Moves The Spirit Moves is the sixth album from Langhorne Slim and just the second to be credited to him and his longtime backing band, The Law. The album follows some changes in his personal and professional lives. The musician is now sober and has made his first move from his home studio in New York City to record in Nashville. These changes are reflected on the album, which he describes as simultaneously raw and relatable. Listen: "Changes" Listen: "Spirit Moves"

Public Enemy - Man Plans, God Laughs Given Flavor Flav's focus on the world of reality TV and the rise of another new group of hip hop artists, it's easy to forget that Public Enemy has been going strong since the early 1980s. Their 13th album comes just three years after the release of The Evil Empire of Everything. On this latest album, the group was inspired by those who came after, including Kanye West, Run the Jewels, and Kendrick Lamar. Watch: "No Sympathy from the Devil" Watch: "Man Plans, God Laughs"

Other Full-Length Releases

Dr. Dre - Compton: A Soundtrack By Dr. Dre Listen: "Lost" (featuring Dawaun Walker)

Gangrene - You Disgust Me Watch: "Driving Gloves" Watch: "Sheet Music"

GEoRGiA - GEoRGiA Watch: "Nothing Solutions" Watch: "Move Systems"

The Mynabirds - Lovers Know Watch: "Semantics" Watch: "Wildfire"

Night Beds - Ivywild Watch: "Tide Teeth" Listen: "Corner"

Singles, EPs, Soundtracks, etc.

Danny Brown & Clams Casino - "Worth It" Listen: "Worth It"

The Diary of a Teenage Girl Soundtrack Listen: Nate Heller - "Dreamsong" (featuring Amber Coffman) Listen: The Stooges - "Down on the Street"

GRiZ - For the Love (Remix) EP Listen: "For the Love" (featuring Talib Kweli) (Big Wild Remix) Listen: "For the Love" (featuring Talib Kweli) (Autograf Remix)

Iggy Pop - Search and Destroy: Live in Chicago 1988

Mac DeMarco - Another One Watch: "Another One" Listen: "The Way You’d Love Her"

Mastodon - The Hunter Reissue Watch: "Curl of the Burl" Watch: "Black Tongue"

Miles Davis - Live in Tokyo 1975

Robyn & La Bagatelle Magique - Love Is Free Watch: "Set Me Free" Listen: "Love Is Free" (featuring Maluca)

My Favorite Albums of 2014

20. Spoon - They Want My Soul
19. Lykke Li - I Never Learn
18. The New Pornographers - Brill Bruisers
17. Jessie Ware - Tough Love
16. Tennis - Ritual in Repeat
15. D'Angelo & The Vanguard - The Black Messiah
14. tUnE-yArDs - Nikki Nack
13. Peter Matthew Bauer - Liberation!
12. Sharon Van Etten - Are We There
11. Afghan Whigs - Do to the Beast

10. Chet Faker - Built on Glass

I wish I had become acquainted with this Australian artist with the release of his first EP, Thinking in Textures, and his incredible cover of Blackstreet's "No Diggity." I came in earlier this year, though, just before the release of this debut album. I listened to, and watched the video for "Talk Is Cheap;" I was immediately reminded of Jamie Lidell at his best (around 2005's Multiply). Faker does a similarly masterful job of blending electronica, trip hop, and R&B. Watch: "Talk Is Cheap" Watch: "1998" Watch: "Gold"

9. Mac DeMarco - Salad Days

Prior to this year, I had dismissed Mac DeMarco as little more than a goofball with a guitar. However, after seeing how much praise his previous album, 2, received on 2012 year-end lists, as well as the praise heaped on this record when it was released, I decided I would be wise to check him out. While I have found a silly, irreverent attitude (and sometimes just gross) in many of his interviews, and especially in his music videos, I've also found laid-back, well-written work. I certainly regret underestimating this guy in the past, he's proof that a goofy persona doesn't equate to goofy music. Watch: "Chamber of Reflection" Watch: "Passing Out Pieces"

8. FKA twigs - LP1

This young lady has had quite the year. Some interesting things have happened in her personal life, but her music has been supremely impressive. She often gets pigeon-holed with the label of R&B (perhaps because of her race), but her music incorporates elements of trip hop, experimental, electronic, even choral music. All of that combines to make slow-burning, ethereal, and sensual songs. Her music didn't quite strike me on first listen; it's subtle, but over time I was able to parse out her influences and intricacies and ultimately come to love the release. Watch: "Two Weeks" Watch: "Video Girl"

7. Lia Ices - Ices

I loved Lia Ices' previous album, 2011's Grown Unknown, and found this to be a worthy follow-up, perhaps even more loved than that record. She took what she's done so well in the past and built upon it, while displaying more levity and a bit of international flair. This one of the few albums this year that, after listening through, I would allow to start back over at the beginning and listen through again. Watch: "Thousand Eyes" Watch: "Higher"

6. Adult Jazz - Gist Is

Adult Jazz is one of my absolute favorite new finds of the year. This Leeds band shows that the British do experimental rock just about the best. There are elements of so many things that I love here; vocals sometimes reminiscent of Yellow Ostrich, other times of Wild Beasts, and the occasional jangly guitar that reminds me of WU LYF. Oh, and trombones (if you know anything about me, you know that was my instrument of choice in high school and college). However, this also sounds like almost nothing else I've heard before. There was perhaps no other album this year that I was so excited to share with other people. Watch: "Springful" Watch: "Am Gone"

5. Sylvan Esso - Sylvan Esso

I'm sometimes a bit wary when musicians make a major shift from the genre in which they started. In Mountain Man, Amelia Meath created harmonious folk music. Her work here, with Megafaun's Nick Sanborn, is very different. The sound is a electronic-tinged indie pop. The backgrounds of the two musicians keep the output interesting and artsy, while Amelia's smoky vocals completely seal the deal. The album's opener "Hey Mami" was my own personal song of the summer. Watch: "Coffee" Watch: "Play It Right" Watch: "Dreamy Bruises"

4. Future Islands - Singles

It's not usually a live television performance that interests me in a band, but after hearing so much about Future Islands' Letterman appearance (and after an interesting NPR interview), I had to check this band out. I was not disappointed; the band looks so unassuming in pictures and, at first glance, their music seems to be the same way. But then, much as lead Samuel Herring busts into an odd dance move, he lets out a metal-style growl. The music is great, but it's those surprising touches that make it just a little more memorable. Watch: "Seasons (Waiting on You)" Watch: "A Dream of You and Me"

3. Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels 2

So many of today's hip hop talent is so young, with many artists having been born in the 1990s, but these two (El-P and Killer Mike are both pushing 40) set out to prove that it's not just a young man's game. They succeed, easily showing just about everyone else up. No album this year has made me feel so many emotions; anger, joy, sadness. Just for good measure, the duo also throws in a good amount of humor and sexuality. This could easily be my favorite hip hop album ever and another record that I would let repeat and listen to multiple times in a row. Watch: "Blockbuster Night Part 1" Watch: "Oh My Darling (Don't Cry)"

2. Hamilton Leithauser - Black Hours

At first, the announcement that The Walkmen were talking an "extreme hiatus" was terrifying news to me. No sooner than that news was released, though, several members had already announced their own solo records. They're all great, but frontman Hamilton Leithauser's stood out the most for me. His album could have come across as bare, lacking the band's other members, but he gets help from a number of other great musicians, and some of his bandmates are featured, as well. I still miss The Walkmen, but the solo albums are great to have in their absence. Watch: "11 O'Clock Friday Night" Watch: "I Don't Need Anyone" Watch: "Alexandra"

1. St. Vincent - St. Vincent

My number one favorite album for last year was a pretty easy choice to make. I've loved St. Vincent for a number of years and she hasn't has a misstep of an album yet. Her latest is probably her best yet. She's spent her career as the quintessential cool indie girl, but transformed herself in 2014; starting with an unexpected hair bleaching. She's become an almost superhuman figure, with music and a live persona to match. Albums released towards the beginning of the year tend to get forgotten once December rolls around,  this one was released in February, but I kept returning to this one all year long. Watch: "Birth in Reverse" Watch: "Digital Witness"

Honorable Mentions:
Alvvays - Alvvays
Azealia Banks - Broke with Expensive Taste
Cloud Nothings - Here and Nowhere Else
Marissa Nadler - July
Timber Timbre - Hot Dreams

New Music Tuesday - April 1, 2014

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

New Full-Length Releases

Architecture in Helsinki - NOW + 4EVA NOW + 4EVA is the fifth studio album from this Australian indie pop band. I first heard the band sitting in a friend's living room back when I lived in Bloomington. While they can, at times, be a little too quirky for my tastes, their music is often good for a quick pick-me-up! Watch: "Dream a Little Crazy" Listen: "In the Future"

Band of Skulls - Himalayan Bonnaroo is a great place to hear new music, and not necessarily just those artists performing at the festival. Band of Skulls was playing on loud speakers while another band was setting up to play. I immediately loved their sound (at the time, the male lead singer's voice reminded by of Jaill). They've continued to prove their worth with this latest album with an awesome garage rock-revival sound. Watch: "Asleep at the Wheel" Watch: "Nightmares"

The Body - I Shall Die Here Last year was the year that I really got into hip hop and it's starting to look like 2014 will be my year for metal music. The Body is a sludge metal band and this is their fifth studio album. The record is a collaboration with The Haxan Cloak, who I became intrigued by last year following mass critical acclaim for his own record, Excavation. Watch: "Hail to Thee, Everlasting Pain" Watch: "At the Mercy of It All"

Cloud Nothings - Here and Nowhere Else Cloud Nothings became an easy new favorite band with 2012's Attack on Memory, which became one of my favorites for the year. I always have some nervousness when the artist that produced a favorite album gets ready to follow it up. At first listen, this one didn't quite strike me as living up. On subsequent listens, however, I've become more convinced that this is a great one, as well. Watch: "I'm Not a Part of Me" Watch: "Now Hear In"

Kaiser Chiefs - Education, Education, Education & War Kaiser Chiefs were a part of the post-punk revival wave that start in the early 2000s. 14 years after the band got together, they are still going strong when many of their contemporaries have since disbanded. Education, Education, Education & War (a reference to a quote from Tony Blair) is the band's fifth album. Watch: "Coming Home" Watch: "Misery Company"

Mac DeMarco - Salad Days Mac DeMarco is quickly becoming indie rock's favorite goofball. He released his second studio album, 2, a couple of years ago to a fair amount of acclaim and things aren't very different with this release. His goofball status is mainly a result of skits and collaborations he has done with groups such as Odd Future. He doesn't take himself too seriously, but is able to put out some incredible work. Listen: "Passing out the Pieces" Listen: "Treat Her Better"

Manchester Orchestra - Cope This band first caught my attention, and that of many other fans and critics, with the release of their sophomore album, Mean Everything to Nothing, in 2009. For their fourth album, they wanted to deliver something more "brutal" and guitar-heavy. I think they've done that, it's certainly a rocking album, but I don't think they've fully lost the emotion that became a signature aspect of their sound. Watch: "Top Notch" Listen: "Every Stone"

Millie & Andrea - Drop the Vowels Millie & Andrea is a side project of producer and musician Andy Stott and Miles Whitaker. This is their debut album, following a series of 12" releases over the past few years. Their sound together holds to the dark electronic music put out by both musicians as solo artists. Listen: "Corrosive" Listen: "Back Down"

Nickel Creek - A Dotted Line Nickel Creek went on a hiatus in 2007, which seemed, at the time, like it would be permanent. The time apart was to allow the band members to explore other musical projects, which they did; Chris Thile in Punch Brothers, Sara Watkins as a solo artist and Sean Watkins with Fiction Family. They've done some great work apart, but having them back together is a treat and the album feels like a true return. Listen: "Love of Mine" Listen: "Destination"

S. Carey - Range of Light S. Carey started his career the drummer and backing vocalist for fellow Wisconsinite Bon Iver, who band he joined shortly after the release of For Emma, Forever Ago. He quickly embarked on his own solo career, though. This is his second album, the first was 2010's All We Grow, and while his sound is similar to that of his other project, he brings his own unique style to the table. Watch: "Fire-Scene" Watch: "Crown the Pines"

Split Single - Fragmented World Britt Daniel has kept himself very busy recently. He became known as the primary singer and songwriter for Spoon, but released an album with Sam Brown and Dan Boeckner as Divine Fits two years ago. Before any new Spoon material, we get another side project from the prolific musician. Here, he's not contributing vocals, letting that task go to Jason Narducy. Daniel plays the bass in this project. Listen: "Waiting for the Sun"

Thievery Corporation - Saudade Thievery Corporation has made a name for themselves by combining various musical styles from around the world. Perhaps most pervasive in their sound has been bossa nova, but they've also incorporated jazz, reggae and Middle Eastern sounds. They've also made a habit of enlisting other notable artists as vocalists on their work. This latest album features contributions from Shana Halligan, Natalia Clavier and Lou Lou Ghelichkhani. Listen: "Depth of My Soul" (featuring Shana Halligan) Listen: "Claridad" (featuring Natalia Clavier)

Timber Timbre - Hot Dreams This is my new music risk of the month! I love exploring new music, but know that I don't have the time to listen to everything mentioned by every blog I read. I try to wait until artists hit a certain "critical mass," meaning that they're talked about (and praised) by more than one trusted source. Timber Timbre hit that mass and, on first listen, I loved it as well. They remind me a bit of 70s singer-songwriters or, more recently, Phosphorescent. Watch: "Hot Dreams" Listen: "Run from Me"

Other New Releases

Friendly Fires & The Asphodells - "Before Your Eyes"/"Velo" I loved Friendly Fires' 2011 album, Pala, and have long been hoping for a follow-up. That's not quite here yet, but we do now have a collaborative single with The Asphodells (Andrew Weatherall & Timothy J. Fairplay). Listen: "Before Your Eyes" Listen: "Velo"

Kim Deal & Morgan Nagler - "The Root"/"Range on Castle" Kim Deal was an early member of the Pixies, playing bass for the band starting in 1986. She joined her bandmates when they reunited in 2004 and stayed until last year. Since leaving that iconic band, she has released a few solo singles, the last was "Are You Mine?" in August of last year. Watch: "The Root" Listen: "Range on Castle"

Klaxons - "There Is No Other Time"/"Children of the Sun" It's been four years since the release of Klaxons' previous album, Surfing the Void. They're readying a follow-up, Love Frequency, for June, with a couple of singles here to tide us over. Watch: "There Is No Other Time" Watch: "Children of the Sun"

Small Black - Real People EP Small Black is band out of Brooklyn who have become known for a chilled-out, synthpop sound. They released their second studio album, Limits of Desire, last year and are following it up with an EP. They got a little bit of help from fellow Brooklynite Frankie Rose. Watch: "Real People" (featuring Frankie Rose) Listen: "Lines of Latitude" (featuring Frankie Rose)