New Music Friday - December 28, 2018

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Full-Length Releases

Fashion Brigade - Fvck the Heartache Listen: "Fvck the Heartache" Listen: "Kissyface"

New Music Friday - June 8, 2018

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Essential Full-Length Releases

Jorja Smith - Lost & Found Lost & Found is the debut album from this young British singer. Her style is a jazz-inflected R&B that's a bit reminiscent of Amy Winehouse's music. Prior to this album, she made a name for herself through collaborations, including with Drake, Kendrick Lamar, and Kali Uchis. Watch: "Let Me Down" (featuring Stormzy) Watch: "On Your Own"

Lykke Li - so sad so sexy Li has been one of my favorite artists for the better part of the past decade, and this is her fourth album. She subtly shifts her style from album to album, with this being her most straightforward pop outing (though pop has always been a part of her style). It's another great record from a great artist! Watch: "deep end" Watch: "hard rain"

Other Full-Length Releases

Kadhja Bonet - Childqueen Listen: "Childqueen" Listen: "Mother Maybe"

Lily Allen - No Shame Watch: "Trigger Bang" (featuring Giggs) Watch: "Lost My Mind"

Snail Mail - Lush Watch: "Pristine" Watch: "Heat Wave"

Singles, EPs, Soundtracks, etc.

Angelique Kidjo - Remain in Light Watch: "Born Under Punches" Watch: "Once in a Lifetime"

New Music Friday - December 21, 2018

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Full-Length Releases

Chewing - Pacific Ocean Blue Listen: "Moonshine" (featuring Cults) Listen: "River Song" (featuring Local Natives)

New Music Friday - June 1, 2018

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Essential Full-Length Releases

Father John Misty - God’s Favorite Customer Josh Tillman has been a very prolific artist since starting his career in 2004, with 12 album both under the name J. Tillman and under his newer moniker, Father John Misty. He's followed up his last record, 2017's Pure Comedy, fairly quickly, with an album he jokingly referred to as its Pure Comedy 2 while touring for the previous record. Watch: "Mr. Tillman" Watch: "Date Night"

LUMP - LUMP LUMP is the latest record from the spectacular Laura Marling, partnering with Mike Lindsay of TUNNG. It's a short, but sweet album. Vocally, the record is similar to her solo work, but Lindsay's involvement lends a different instrumentation to her sound. Watch: "Curse of the Contemporary" Watch: "May I Be the Light"

Natalie Prass - The Future and the Past Prass scrapped the initial follow-up to her 2015 self-titled debut following the 2016 election. A different record came out of her frustration with the results. She channels those frustrations into an R&B-inflected record that calls for unity in these times. Watch: "Short Court Style" Watch: "The Fire"

Neko Case - Hell-On Only Neko Case could make me look beyond the worst album art I've seen this year (I'm sorry Neko, though I still love you). She is as masterful as ever on her seventh album, showcasing the sounds she's developed both as a solo artist and with The New Pornographers, as well as introducing some new ideas. Watch: "Last Lion of Albion" Watch: "Curse of the I-5 Corridor" (featuring Mark Lanegan)

The Saxophones - Songs of The Saxophones The Saxophones are the husband-wife duo of Alexi Erenkov and Alison Alderdice. They've released a series of short EPs together over the past couple of year, this is their first studio album. Watch: "Mysteries Revealed" Listen: "Picture"

Other Full-Length Releases

Ali Shaheed Muhammad & Adrian Younge - The Midnight Hour Listen: "Black Beacon" Listen: "Better Endeavor"

Juliana Daugherty - Light Listen: "Light" Listen: "Sweetheart"

Oneohtrix Point Never - Age Of Watch: "Black Snow" Watch: "The Station"

Phil Cook - PEOPLE ARE MY DRUG Watch: "Miles Away" (featuring Amelia Meath) Listen: "Steampowered Blues"

Richard Edwards - Verdugo Watch: "Minefield" Listen: "Beekeeper"

Roger Daltrey - As Long As I Have You Watch: "As Long As I Have You" Listen: "I’ve Got Your Love"

Sam Evian - You, Forever Watch: "IDGAF" Watch: "You, Forever"

Singles, EPs, Soundtracks, etc.

Cold Cave - You & Me & Infinity EP Watch: "You & Me & Infinity" Listen: "My Heart Is Immortal"

The Flaming Lips - Greatest Hits Vol. 1 Watch: "The Captain" Watch: "Do You Realize??"

Mazzy Star - Still Watch: "Quiet, the Winter Harbor" Listen: "Still"

Paul Simon - Graceland - The Remixes Listen: "Graceland" (MK & KC Lights Remix) Listen: "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes" (Thievery Corporation Remix)

Upcoming Album of the Week (Ending December 15, 2018)

Grammy nominations were announced this week. There was, of course, the usual spate of disappointments, but they'll never please everyone. While there are certainly things I think were overlooked, I'm excited about nods to St. Vincent for Alternative Album of the Year, about half of the best new artist field, and Janelle Monáe and Brandi Carlile for Album of the Year!

As always, be sure to check out albums I'm excited about over at my Upcoming Releases page!

This week, Ben Shemie announced his solo debut, A Skeleton.

exclaim.ca

Shemie is better known as the frontman for the Montreal band Suuns. With Suuns, he has released four albums of avant-garde, progressive rock, including this year's Felt. The band also released a collaborative album with fellow Montréalais Jerusalem in My Heart in 2015.

As described, Shemie's solo album sounds like it will have a similar overall style to his work with him band, but a little more stripped back. The new album was announced on Wednesday along with the title track.

A Skeleton is scheduled for release on February 15.

Also announced recently:

Amanda Palmer - There Will Be No Intermission (March 8)
American Football - American Football (LP3) (March 22)
Charlotte Gainsbourg - Take 2 (out now)
Chewing - Pacific Ocean Blue (December 21)
Czarface & Ghostface Killah - Czarface Meets Ghostface (February 15)
Dave Harrington Group - Pure Imagination, No Country (February 1)
Greg Dulli - “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” (out now)
Jonny Greenwood - There Will Be Blood Vinyl Reissue (January 18)
Lambchop - This (is what I wanted to tell you) (March 22)
Linda Ronstadt - Live in Hollywood (February 1)
Mark Morton - Anesthetic (March 1)
Matmos - Plastic Anniversary (March 15)
Our Native Daughters - Songs of Our Native Daughters (February 22)
Prince - 3121 Reissue (February 8)
Prince - Musicology Reissue (February 8)
Prince - Planet Earth Reissue (February 8)
Queens of the Stone Age - “Silent Night” (out now)
Thelma - The Only Thing (February 22)
Woman’s Hour - Ephyra (February 15)
Xiu Xiu - Girl with Basket of Fruit (February 9)

New Music Friday - May 25, 2018

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Essential Full-Length Releases

Aisha Burns - Argonauta Aisha Burns is a violinist from Texas who contributed to the Balmorhea ensemble before going solo in 2013 with Life in the Midwater. On her sophomore record, she deals with both loss and love. Listen: "Must Be a Way" Listen: "We Were Worn"

CHVRCHES - Love Is Dead This third album from the Scottish trio is their first not to be self-produced, and probably their "poppiest" outing. Interestingly, though representing the band at their most pop, the sole feature on the record comes from the frontman for an established indie band, Matt Berninger of The National. Watch: "Get Out" Watch: "Miracle"

Tracyanne & Danny - Tracyanne & Danny Tracyanne is Tracyanne Campbell of Camera Obscura; Danny is Danny Coughlan, also known as Crybaby. The two are close friends, but joined up for a new project following the death of Camera Obscura's Carey Lander from a rare form of cancer in 2015. Her main act is on hiatus, but this album provides the 60s-inspired guitar pop that Campbell has become known for. Watch: "Alabama" Watch: "It Can't Be Love Unless It Hurts"

Other Full-Length Releases

Michael Feuerstack - Natural Weather Watch: "Nobody Knows" Watch: "Love Is All Around"

Pusha T - DAYTONA Listen: "Infrared" Listen: "What Would Meek Do?"

Wand - Perfume Watch: "Pure Romance"

Zaytoven - Trap Holizay Listen: "Back on It" (featuring Offset & Young Scooter) Listen: "Show It" (featuring Kodak Black, T.I., & Offset)

Singles, EPs, Soundtracks, etc.

Destroyer - City of Daughters Vinyl Reissue Listen: "School, and the Girls Who Go There" Listen: "No Cease Fires! (Crimes Against the State of Our Love, Baby)"

Destroyer - Thief Vinyl Reissue Listen: "The Temple" Listen: "Thief"

Hatchie - Sugar & Spice Watch: "Sugar & Spice" Watch: "Sure"

Jenny Hval - The Long Sleep Watch: "Spells" Listen: "The Long Sleep"

Upcoming Album of the Week (Ending December 1, 2018)

I've typically posted new Christmas songs from artists each year, but after this past holiday, it looks like I may need to start posting new Thanksgiving songs as well. The National partnered again with Bob's Burgers for a new song and video, "Save the Bird." If we get an entire Thanksgiving-themed album from them, check it out over at my Upcoming Releases page!

This week, the sister trio TEEN announced their fourth album, Good Fruit.

npr.org

TEEN is currently made up of the three Lieberson sisters, Kristina, Lizzie, and Katherine. They haven't always been a trio, though; they've also boasted other, non-Lieberson members, including Boshra AlSaadi, who left the band in 2017 (though she still contributed to this new record).

The new record reflects on the loss of the Lieberson patriarch and was announced on Wednesday. Along with the announcement, we got a new song and accompanying video for "Only Water."



Good Fruit is set for release on March 1 of next year.

Also announced this week:

Domo Genesis - Facade Records (December 7)
Kaytranada - NOTHIN LIKE U / CHANCES (out now)
Le Butcherettes - bi/MENTAL (February 1)
Telekinesis - Effluxion (February 22)
Vox Lux: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (December 14)