New Music Friday - December 8, 2023

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Essential Full-Length Releases

Nicki Minaj - Pink Friday 2 Watch: "Last Time I Saw You" Watch: "Pink Friday Girls"

Other Full-Length Releases

Ben Lumsdaine - Murmuration Without End Listen: "Dallas" Listen: "Tough One"

HEALTH - RAT WARS Watch: "ASHAMED (OF BEING BORN)" Watch: "UNLOVED"

Singles, EPs, Soundtracks, etc.

Arlo Parks - My Soft Machine Deluxe Watch: "Jasmine" Watch: "Impurities"

Car Seat Headrest - Faces from the Masquerade Watch: "Bodys" (Live at Brooklyn Steel) Watch: "Sober to Death" (Live)

The Faithful: A Tribute to Marianne Faithfull Listen: Cat Power & Iggy Pop - "Working Class Hero" Listen: Tanya Donelly & the Tarkington Sisters - "This Little Bird"

The Killers - Rebel Diamonds Watch: "Spirit" Listen: "Your Side of Town"

Neil Young - Before and After Watch: "If You Got Love" Watch: "I’m the Ocean"

Runnner - like dying stars, we’re reaching out (deluxe) Watch: "another sublet" Listen: "plexiglass"

Wings of Desire - Life Is Infinite Watch: "001 [Tame the War, Feed the Fire]" Watch: "A Gun in Every Home"

Yumi Zouma - EP IV Watch: "KPR" Watch: "Kicking Up Daisies"

New Music Tuesday - November 11, 2014

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

New Full-Length Releases

Azealia Banks - Broke with Expensive Taste Now, this is a release I thought we'd never see. After a run of successful singles, Azealia Banks was expected to release her debut full-length in the fall of 2013, but the record repeatedly got pushed back, until it eventually didn't have a set date at all. Earlier this year, she started asking to be removed from her label, Universal. After a summer 2014 release was also scrapped, she got her wish, and the rights to her album. Working with Prospect Park, she was able to release the album on November 6. Watch: "Chasing Time" Watch: "Yung Rapunxel"

Damien Rice - My Favourite Faded Fantasy This is another record I am surprised to see. I was a big fan of Damien Rice through his first and second albums in 2002 and 2006, but after eight years of relative silence, I thought that he may have resigned himself as a guest player rather than as a solo artist. Out of curiosity, I Googled him after re-listening to 9 this past fall; just to see what he was up to. Imagine my surprise when I discovered, in that very week, that he had announced a new record! This is a very welcome return for the Irish folk artist. Watch: "I Don't Want to Change You" Listen: "My Favourite Faded Fantasy"

Dirty Beaches - Stateless Recently, Alex Hungtai announced the end of his Dirty Beaches project. It won't end before this last album, their third. The album is entirely instrumental and comprises only a few long tracks. For fans Alex's music, there should be no fear, he plans to continue to release new music with new projects. Watch: "Time Washes Away Everything" Listen: "Displaced"

Dream Police - Hypnotized The Men have been together for six years and five albums, but recently, members Nick Chiericozzi and Mark Perro have embarked on a psychedelic side project under the name Dream Police. The project started four years ago with a two-song cassette, but was brought back into focus following The Men's Tomorrow's Hits earlier this year. Listen: "Hypnotized" Listen: "Pouring Rain"

Ex Cops - Daggers Ex Cops is a duo made up of Brian Harding and Amalie Bruun. Bruun has recently been revealed as the vocalist behind black metal Myrkur, and has been performing as a solo artist since 2006. Harding is the former frontman of the Brooklyn band Hymns. Together they make funky, synthy pop. Their sophomore album features some guest vocals from a somewhat unexpected source, Ariel Pink. Watch: "Black Soap" Listen: "Tragically Alright"

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - I'm in Your Mind Fuzz King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard is a garage psychedelic band out of Melbourne, Australia. They describe themselves, colorfully, as "completely fried theremin wielding psychopaths." They are signed to Thee Oh Sees frontman John Dwyer's Castle Face records. True to their own self-description, they produce some pretty trippy music, with visuals to match. Watch: "Cellophane" Watch: "Satan Speeds Up"

Marianne Faithfull - Give My Love to London Marianne Faithfull has been at it for a long time. The 67-year-old singer has had a half-century-long career and is not slowing down. In the past, she's worked with Mick Jagger (with whom she was also romantically linked) and The Rolling Stones, Metallica, and PJ Harvey. For her 20th album, she adds Anna Calvi, Leonard Cohen, and Nick Cave to her already long list of collaborators. Watch: "Falling Back" Watch: "Sparrows Will Sing"

Oh Land - Earth Sick I first became introduced to Oh Land, who's name is a play on her middle name Øland, last year when she released her third album Wish Bone. She's back with a follow-up, which is a crowdfunded collaboration with PledgeMusic. 5% of the proceeds from sales for this record will go towards the Save the Arctic campaign. Watch: "Head Up High" Watch: "Nothing Is Over"

Parkay Quarts - Content Nausea Parquet Courts have been Parquet Courts since 2010, but have been releasing music under the homophonic name Parkay Quarts since last year. The altered name doesn't seem to indicate a shift in style, the songs they put together sound about the same. I guess maybe they just like to play with their fans. The band has already released one album this year (under the first name), Sunbathing Animal, but I will gladly take more from these rockers! Listen: "Uncast Shadow of a Southern Myth" Listen: "Content Nausea"

Pink Floyd - The Endless River When David Gilmour announced the release of this latest album, it came as a bit of a surprise for fans. It has been two decades since their last album, The Division Bell, and in the meantime,  two members of the band passed away and the only other still-living member, Roger Waters, left in the mid-80s. The album does not comprise newly-written material, it takes cuts primarily from that previous record. Gilmour does promise that this, truly, will be the last from Pink Floyd. Watch: "Louder Than Words" Listen: "It's What We Do"

Röyksopp - The Inevitable End The title of Röyksopp's fifth album is not just for the album, but it also a statement. The duo has stated that this will be their final album, though they would not be done making music...no word yet on what exactly that will entail. The Inevitable End continues the band's partnership with fellow Swede Robyn, introducing a new version of the collaborative track "Monument." Watch: "Monument" Listen: "Sordid Affair"

Sunbears! - Future Sounds While The Flaming Lips have been carousing with pop stars like Kesha (I'm to understand that the $ has been dropped) and Miley Cyrus, they have also been working with bands more like themselves. Sunbears! featured on The Flaming Lips recent Sgt. Pepper's covers album. But on their own, they've released three albums. Watch: "He's a Lie! He's Not Real" Watch: "Laughing Girl"

Other New Releases

Antony and The Johnsons - Turning Turning is a live-recorded soundtrack to a film of the same name. The film is a collaboration between Antony Hegarty and Charles Atlas, and is a performance documentary featuring a number of gay and trans artists who have worked with Antony. Watch: "Twilight" Watch: film trailer

Baauer - ß EP Baauer may be known for being behind everyone's least favorite meme of 2013, "Harlem Shake," but he's been making music since 2002. His latest EP contains four new tracks, including one with AlunaGeorge. Maybe the meme craze of 2015 will be started here (but hopefully not). Listen: "One Touch" (featuring AlunaGeorge) Listen: "Floreana"

BenZel - Men BenZel is production duo of Benny Blanco and Two Inch Punch. Both artists have worked with a wide variety of pop artists, from Katy Perry, to Sam Smith, to Jessie Ware. Their debut EP features guest vocals from Cashmere Cat, Stevie Earle, and Ryn Weaver. Listen: "Four" Listen: "Touch"

Cut Copy - Cut Copy Presents: Oceans Apart Cut Copy have become known throughout their career for infusing dance sounds into indie rock music, and they originated out of Melbourne, Australia. Given those two details, they are interested in promoting the dance music scene in their home city. This compilation serves as a primer for fans to that scene and includes tracks from Knightlife, Tornado Wallace, and Ara Koufax. Listen: Ara Koufax - "Brenda" Listen: Knightlife - "Don't Stop"

Cymbals Eat Guitars - Why There Are Mountains Reissue Cymbals Eat Guitars recently released an incredible third album, LOSE, in August. Now they are looking back to where they started with a re-release of their debut album, which was originally released in January of 2009. Listen: "And the Hazy Sea" Listen: "Indiana"

Jacques Greene - After Life, After Party EP Jacques Greene is a producer out of Montreal who has primarily released EPs throughout his career so far. His latest continues his stuttered, ethereal dance style and introduces a some new tracks, along with a couple of remixes of the EP's title track. Watch: "1 4 Me" Watch: "After Life, After Party"

Jon Hopkins - Asleep Versions EP Hopkins released his latest full-length, Immunity, in June of last year. This follow-up EP reworks several of the tracks from that release. As the EP's title should indicate, the songs have been slowed down and given a dream-like quality in their revisions. Listen: "Open Eye Signal" Listen: "Immunity"

The Kinks - Muswell Hillbillies Legacy Edition I'm not sure why this Kinks record is getting multiple reissues, but I guess last year's re-release didn't quite hit the nail on the head. This years' is being released by the Legacy Recordings division of Sony and has been remastered and expanded with nine bonus tracks. Listen: "Muswell Hillbilly" Listen: "Alcohol"

Lost on the River: The New Basement Tapes Prior to recording sessions for his Basement Tapes releases, Bob Dylan wrote a lot more lyrics than he would ever end up recording. Producer T-Bone Burnett got his hands on many of these lyrics and decided to bring together a group of younger musicians to interpret and record them. That is how The New Basement Tapes came together. The group is made up of Marcus Mumford, Rhiannon Giddons, Taylor Goldsmith, Jim James and Elvis Costello. Watch: "Marries to My Hack" Watch: "Liberty Street"

Mark Kozelek - Sings Christmas Carols Kozelek announced this Christmas album nearly a year ago, even before releasing his wonderful Benji as Sun Kil Moon earlier this year.  In the time since, though, he eroded much of his reputation through a couple of live outbursts and a peculiar ongoing feud with The War on Drugs, which resulted in a diss track. Still, he's a great performer and has created some beautiful interpretations of classic holiday tunes. Listen: "Away in a Manger" Listen: "2,000 Miles"

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - "Give Us a Kiss" 10" Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds released one of my favorite albums of 2013, Push the Sky Away, in February of that year. This year, to coincide with a pseudo-documentary film starring the frontman, 20,000 Days on Earth, a live recording of one of the tracks from that album is getting released along with a new song. Watch: "Give Us a Kiss" Listen: "Jubilee Street" (Live from The Sydney Opera House)

Nick Drake - Remembered for a While 10" Remembered for a While is a new book on the life of the short-lived, but long-celebrated, career of singer-songwriter Nick Drake. It was compiled by Cally Calloman and Gabrielle Drake, his sister. The book includes a 10" pressing of a previously unreleased 1969 John Peel session from the artist. Listen: "Cello Song" (John Peel Session) Listen: "River Man" (John Peel Session)

Queen - Queen Forever This is the latest compilation album from this iconic glam rock band. It features "forgotten" tracks from the band and is the first release of previously unheard content from Freddie Mercury since his death in 1991. Rather than simply being a greatest hits record from the band, it is meant to show their progress over their career. Watch: "Forever" Listen: "Let Me in Your Heart Again"

Tears for Fears - Songs from the Big Chair Reissue Songs from the Big Chair was arguably the biggest album from this 80s band (who are still going strong, by the way). It peaked at number one on the Billboard charts when it was released in 1985, and included a few of their biggest hits, "Shout," "Head Over Heels," and "Everybody Wants to Rule the World." This super deluxe reissue retains and remasters that original album, but also adds three discs of alternate versions, remixes, and live tracks. Watch: "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" Listen: "Head Over Heels"

Wild Original Motion Picture Soundtrack This latest film form director Jean-Marc Vallée starring Reese Witherspoon is getting a lot of praise. It also has a strong soundtrack backing it. The soundtrack features a new song First Aid Kit, as well as some classic tracks from Simon & Garfunkel, Bruce Springsteen, and Leonard Cohen. Listen: First Aid Kit - "Walk Unafraid" Listen: Simon & Garfunkel - "Homeward Bound"

YACHT - Where Does This Disco? EP The title track on this new EP from YACHT was released a couple of months ago. This longer release has a couple more new songs from the band, as well as a remix of the track from Jerome LOL. Listen: "Where Does This Disco?" Listen: "Works Like Magic"

New Music Tuesday - October 7, 2014

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

New Full-Length Releases

Caribou - Our Love Our Love is the return to the Caribou name for Dan Snaith, whose previous release under the name, Swim, came out in 2010. That's not the last he album he had put out, though; in 2012, he released Jiaolong under the name Daphne. His latest record, which contains R&B and hip-hop influences, features Jessy Lanza, and Owen Pallett (who seems to be showing up on a lot of records lately). Snaith says that this is his most personal album yet, partially inspired by the birth of his daughter. Watch: "Our Love" Listen: "Silver"

Ex Hex - Rips Ex Hex is led by Mary Timony, a punk/indie rock musician, who first started to make a name for herself as a member of the band Helium. That band separated in 1998, and Mary went on to a variety of other projects, including recording under her own name. In 2010, she joined up with other female 90s rockers, including Carrie Brownstein, to form Wild Flag. They released one album before disbanding last year. This is her first album with this new project, which takes its name from one of her solo records. Watch: "Hot and Cold" Watch: "Waterfall"

Field Report - Marigolden Field Report is a Milwaukee-based folk band, whose names is an anagram of lead Chris Porterfield's surname and this is their second album. Previously, Porterfield was a member, with Bon Iver's Justin Vernon, of DeYarmond Edison before Bon Iver became BON IVER. Outside of DeYarmond Edison, Porterfield he has received much critical acclaim for his work, though not at the level of his former bandmate. Watch: "Home (Leave the Lights On)" Watch: "Wings"

Flying Lotus - You're Dead This is the fifth studio record from Steven Ellison, who's been an active artist since 2006, first achieving attention for 2010's Cosmogramma, which was followed up by the even more amazing Until the Quiet Comes, in 2012. His latest was inspired by recent losses in his life, including former collaborators, friends, inspirations, and family members. The album boasts contributions from Kendrick Lamar, Angel Deradoorian (formerly of Dirty Projectors), and Snoop Lion. Watch: "Never Catch Me" Watch: "Ready Err Not"

Gorgon City - Sirens Gorgon City is the production duo of Foamo and RackNRuin, both from London, England. Their debut album follows a number of collaborative singles, including "There Is No Other Time" with the Klaxons. The album features guest vocals from Jennifer Hudson, Katy B, and Laura Welsh, as well as writing from Kiesza and Emeli Sandé. Watch: "Unmissable" Watch: "Here for You"

Iceage - Plowing into the Field of Love Iceage is a Danish band started by a bunch of teenagers in 2008. But don't let their ages fool you, they make post-hardcore impressive enough to rival some of the most seminal acts of that genre. They're making quick work of their careers, already releasing their third album in three years. The album, which is their first on Matador Records, follows up last year's You're Nothing. Watch: "Glassy Eyed, Dormant and Veiled" Watch: "The Lord's Favorite"

Johnny Marr - Playland It took guitarist Johnny Marr a long time to get around to releasing solo albums, but he released his debut album, The Messenger, early last year. He has wasted no time at all in releasing the follow-up, though results are still fairly middling. Seems, though, that he was excited about his sophomore album, speaking of how he always prefers bands' second albums to Rolling Stone magazine. And, granted, this is a better music than his first record, but it's still not coming close to what he's done in past projects Watch: "Easy Money" Listen: "This Tension"

NehruvianDOOM - NehruvianDOOM NehruvianDOOM is a new collaboration between young (as in still a teenager) American rapper Bishop Nehru and well-established (in his 40s) British rapper, MF DOOM. They got together after Nehru opened for MF DOOM and Ghostface at the 100 Club in London; obviously, he made an impression. The young rapper is still feeling things out, but getting attention and the opportunity to work with more established players, so I think he'll have a pretty good career. Watch: "Darkness" Listen: "OM"

Peaking Lights - Cosmic Logic Peaking Lights is a husband and wife duo, made up of Aaron Coyes and Indra Dunis. The couple met in 2006 and formed the band in 2008. This is their fourth album, following up 2012's well-received Lucifer. The album is intended to be a play on pop music, the duo have described it as "fucked modern pop." Watch: "Breakdown" Listen: "Eyes to the Sea"

Philip Selway - Weatherhouse Thom Yorke is not the only member of Radiohead known for his solo work; this is the second solo album from the band's drummer Philip Selway. Radiohead has been taking the year off from recording, but we've seen solo output from nearly all members of the band. Selway's own solo work leans towards the art rock side of things. Watch: "It Will End in Tears" Watch: "Coming up for Air"

Steve Gunn - Way Out Weather Steve Gunn is the former guitarist of Kurt Vile's backing band, The Violators. As a solo artist, though, he has released ten albums, including several collaborative releases; this is his third just this year. This latest is a more fully realized effort from the artist, featuring a full band, and a fuller sound compared to his past work. Watch: "Way Out Weather" Listen: "Milly's Garden"

Stevie Nicks - 24 Karat Gold: Songs from the Vault Stevie Nick is probably best known as frontwoman for Fleetwood Mac, but has been performing as a solo artist since 1981. Her newest album consists of rerecorded demos, originally produced between 1969 and 1987, and 1994 to 1995. There is one newer song on the record, a cover of Vanessa Carlton's "Carousel." Watch: "Lady" Watch: "24 Karat Gold"

Tinashe - Aquarius Tinashe is a young American singer born to a Swedish mother and Zimbabwean father. Her debut album is sporting some impressive guests in the likes of  Dev Hynes, SchoolBoy Q, A$AP Rocky, and Future. She started her singing career as a member of the Vitamin C-formed group The Stunners, which she departed three years ago to began her solo career. So far, she has released three well-received mixtapes, which garnered her comparisons to Aaliyah, Mya, and The Weeknd. Watch: "Pretend" (featuring A$AP Rocky) Watch: "2 On" (featuring SchoolBoy Q)

Weezer - Everything Will Be Alright in the End Weezer was everyone's favorite band in the '90s with two classic albums, Weezer (The Blue Album) and Pinkerton. Much of their later work, however, disappointed fans, with many feeling they were trying to appeal to the broadest potential fan base (well, that's how I felt, at least). They had a one-two-three punch of ill-received records in the late 2000s, but there's been a four year gap since their last, Hurley. This seems to be a bit better; not quite to the level their earlier work, but perhaps on par with Maladroit or Weezer (The Green Album). Watch: "Back to the Shack" Listen: "The British Are Coming"

White Laces - Trance White Laces are Richmond, Virginia-based band, who have opened for War on Drugs. They recorded their sophomore album back in December with Jeff Ziegler, who has also produced for Purling Hiss and Kurt Vile. However, they didn't have a label at the time, and weren't sure of how or when they were going to put out the record. They fortunately got signed to Happenin' Records in the interim and seeing the album get a release. Listen: "Cruisin'" Listen: "Nothing Clicks"

Zola Jesus - Taiga This is fifth studio album from the Russian-American goth pop singer, and the first for her new label Mute. It follows last year's Versions, which consisted of reworkings of older music with a full orchestra. The title of this album comes from Russian word for a type of forest. Watch: "Dangerous Days" Listen: "Go (Blank Sea)"

Other New Releases

Belle & Sebastian - It Could Have Been a Brilliant Career Reissues Belle & Sebastian are a Scottish band with a career spanning back 18 years. They will be releasing their ninth album, Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance, early next year. But first, they are reissuing their previous eight albums into a new box set. Listen: "Seymour Stein" Listen: "I Want the World to Stop"

The Bug - Exit EP This new EP from The Bug follows August's Angels & Demons, Kevin Martin's fourth album under that name. Like that album, this EP features guest vocals from Liz Harris, aka Grouper (who has a new album of her own coming out later this year). Watch: "Function"/"Void" Listen: "Black Wasp"

Cold War Kids - "All This Could Be Yours" This is the first single from Cold War Kids' recently released fifth album, Hold My Home. Their debut record was one of my favorites, but follow-ups left me feeling a little cold on the band. I'm hopeful, though, that their latest can get make the band one of my favorites again. Watch: "All This Could Be Yours"

LAMC #14 This is the 14th entry of the Less Artists More Condos series from the Famous Class record label. This one contains what may be my favorite song from Speedy Ortiz, and a b-side track from solo guitarist Chris Weisman. Listen: Speedy Ortiz - "Doomsday"

Peter Morén - Broken Swenglish, Vol. 2 Peter Morén is the lead singer of Peter Bjorn and Jon, but also has had a long career as a solo artist. This is the second installment of his Broken Swenglish EP series, which features English versions of some his most popular songs, which were originally sung in Swedish. Listen: "The Odyssey"

Spirit Club - "Eye Dozer"/"Sling" Spirit Club is the latest side project from Wavves' frontman Nathan Williams, with his brother and Sweet Valley collaborator Joel, along with Andrew Caddick. This is the first release from the new project, though he has created an extensive amount of work outside of his main band. In Sweet Valley, he has released a number of free albums and mixtapes. Listen: "Eye Dozer" Listen: "Sling"

TV Eyes - TV Eyes Reissue TV Eyes is the project of movie composer Brian Reitzell, with Jason Falkner and Roger Joseph Manning Jr. Their debut and only album was initially released solely in Japan in 2006. This year, it is finally getting a broader release. Listen: "She's a Study"

Underworld - dubnobasswithmyheadman Reissue dubnobasswithmyheadman was the third album from British house band Underworld, first released in 1994. The album went on to be considered one of the quintessential dance albums of the 90s. This 20th anniversary reissue expands content to cover 5 discs. Listen: "Dirty Epic" Listen: "Mmmm... Skyscraper I Love You"

White Sands - "The Wait" It's been a while since we last heard from Male Bonding, though band members are staying busy. White Sands is Male Bonding's John Arthur Webb along  with Mazes' Conan Roberts and Novella's Sophy Hollington. This is their debut single. Listen: "The Wait"