Martin Shkreli has been ordered to relinquish his copy of the Wu-Tang Clan's Once Upon a Time in Shaolin; his was the only one in existence. We'll have to wait to see whether that may mean a wide release for the record (though I doubt it). It that happens, be sure to look for it on my Upcoming Releases page!
This week, Tinashe announced the release date of her long-awaited sophomore album, Joyride.
This pop songstress released her debut album, Aquarius, in 2014. The album way met with high praise from critics and performed decently on the charts.
She wasted no time in getting to work on the follow-up, announcing Joyride was back in late 2015. For some reason, the album itself has slow to materialize. Tinashe has been far from quiet in that time, releasing an EP, two mixtapes, and a string of singles in the interim.
Finally, on Friday, she announced the album's release date. It will be released on April 13. Previously released singles "No Drama" and "Faded Love" will be included on the album.
Also announced this week:
Jess Williamson - Cosmic Wink (May 11)
Kali Uchis - Isolation (April 6)
Leon Bridges - Good Thing (May 4)
Roger Daltrey - As Long As I Have You (June 1)
Saba - Care for Me (April 5)
This band from Melbourne, Australia formed in 2015 and released their self-titled debut in 2016. They are known for their DIY approach to indie rock, but take on a more stripped back approach for their sophomore record. The result is more in-line with their live shows, taking advantage of being a small band.
I Need to Start a Garden is the debut album for this artist from Oregon. Haley's music draws from a number of influences, from her own religious upbringing, to Bob Dylan, to more elusive female folk singers like Vashti Bunyan.
I saw Lucy Dacus open for Hamilton Leithauser in early 2017. She mostly played from her first album, No Burden, but also performed at least one new song. I am not 100% sure if any of those songs made it onto this record, but they were the first indication that the follow-up to her 2016 record would be just as amazing!
I'm am still obsessed with the incredible debut album, Zeroes QC, from this band. While I don't think they've ever quite recaptured the work on that record on subsequent albums, but have remained excellent on each. They are already on their fourth album in just under ten years (fifth if you count the collaborative album with Jerusalem in My Heart).
Their latest still find that artsy groove, but aims for something more emotional.
Tracey Thorn was one-half of Everything but the Girl until 2000. She released her first solo album in 1982, the same year that EBTG started, but did not return to her solo career until 2007 with Out of the Woods. Since that return, has released two more studio albums (including this one), a Christmas record, and 3 EPs.
David Byrne released a new album, American Utopia, this week and received some criticism for the complete lack of female collaborators. For his part, he issued a very sincere apology for the exclusion, noting that it doesn't fit with his past work (remember that amazing collaborative album with St. Vincent?) and recognizing his position to help uplift female voices.
Hopefully, he keeps this in mind with his future work; I, for one, would not mind a new album with St. Vincent! If that happens, look for it on my Upcoming Releases page!
This week, the glorious Neko Case announced her seventh solo album, Hell-On.
Case has had an over-two-decade long solo career, with amazing six albums. My favorite of hers remains the 2000 sophomore album Furnace Room Lullaby. She released her most recent solo record, The More I Love You... (the full title is much longer) in 2013, which landed at the number two spot for my favorite albums of that year.
She hasn't been quiet since that last record. Two years ago, she joined up with kd lang and Laura Veirs for case/lang/veirs and, last year, rejoined with The New Pornographers for Whiteout Conditions; both also incredible albums.
She announced her latest on Monday and released the title track the next day.
Hell-On is set to be released on June 1!
Also announced this week:
The Amazing - In Transit (April 6)
Beach House - 7 (May 11)
Ben Frost - All That You Love Will Be Eviscerated (March 23)
Buck Meek - Buck Meek (May 18)
Damien Jurado - The Horizon Just Laughed (July 6)
Grouper - Grid of Points (April 27)
Jon Hopkins - Singularity (May 4)
La Luz - Floating Features (May 11)
Lily Allen - No Shame (June 8)
Little Dragon - “Best Friends”/“Sway Daisy” (April 20)
Logic - Bobby Tarantino II (out now)
Maria Usbeck - “Bosque De Bambú” (out now)
Now, Now - Saved (May 18)
Quiet Slang - Everything Matters but No One Is Listening (May 18)
serpentwithfeet - soil (June 9)
Shamir - Resolution (out now)
TT - LoveLaws (May 18)
Van Morrison - You’re Driving Me Crazy (April 27)
Wand - Perfume (May 25)
Renata Zeiguer is a performer of Argentinean and Philippine descent, raised in New York City. Her music combines a variety of influences, from classical composers to more modern pop music. She released her first EP, 2013's Horizons, under the name Cantina. I hear a bit of Twin Sister in her music, an unsurprising link as she has worked with the band in the past.
Screaming Females have been together for more than a decade and six previous albums. In that time, they've become known for their energy when performing live. For their sixth album, they sought to capture the spirit of their live shows. The result is more experimental than their past work, but the results prove the band is even better for it!
Turnstile is a hardcore punk act out of Baltimore. They've previously released three EPs and one album, 2015's Nonstop Feeling. Their sophomore album features vocals from another rocker, Tina Halladay of the Philly band Sheer Mag.
The Oscars are tomorrow night! While I'm hoping that some of my favorite films of 2017 will get some love from the Academy, I am looking most forward to the performance of Sufjan Stevens, who is up for the Best Original Song Oscar for his contribution to Call Me By Your Name. He alone is amazing, but he will reportedly be joined by at least two other incredible artists, St. Vincent and Moses Sumney! Ooooooooh, wouldn't the three of them make for an amazing collaborative record? If that happens, look for it on my Upcoming Releases page!
This week, Natalie Prass announced her sophomore album, The Future and the Past.
Prass released her debut self-titled record in 2015, though she started her recording career in 2009 with her first EP, Small & Sweet, and had writing songs and playing in bands since she was a child. That debut was spectacular, earning her many well-deserved accolades.
She debuted the follow-up with the lead single "Short Court Style", showing that combination of modern indie pop, 70s folk, country, and even a bit of doo-wop that makes up her sound. She was featured on the most recent episode of Song Exploder (a great podcast if you like learning how songs come together), and broke apart the track.
The Future and the Past was announced on Monday and is set for release on the first Friday of June!
Also announced this week:
Burial and The Bug - Flame 1 (March 30)
Chvrches - Love Is Dead (May 25)
Everything Everything - A Deeper Sea (out now)
The Flaming Lips - Scratching the Door: The First Recordings of the Flaming Lips (April 20)
The Flaming Lips - Seeing the Unseeable: The Complete Studio Recordings of The Flaming Lips: 1986-1990 (May 25)
Iceage - Beyondless (May 4)
Margaret Glaspy - Born Yesterday (out now)
The Saxophones - Songs of the Saxophones (June 1)
Tracyanne & Danny - Tracyanne & Danny (May 25)
Wussy - What Heaven Is Like (May 18)
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