It’s been a heavy onslaught of great new music this year (and last year and the one before it too), but this week gives us a bit of a breather in terms of new albums, but there are still a ton of excellent new songs from the week.
Wolfgang Van Halen, the son of the late Eddie Van Halen, has a band of his own called Mammoth WVH and today they return with their sophomore record which is full of the big rock energy you’d expect from his dad, but is carried on by Wolfgang in a style all his own.
Annie Hart might best be known for her work as the singer in the indie-pop group Au Revoir Simone, but she’s back today with a new solo record called Weight Of A Wave. Dream-pop band Candy Claws haven’t been active in about a decade, but today they’re sharing the tenth anniversary reissue of their final album Ceres & Calypso In The Deep Time which features their first new music in ten years.
Indie titans Wilco announced their thirteenth album (entitled Cousin which I am convinced is a nod to The Bear given their appearance on the soundtrack and the fact that both call Chicago home) will be out this fall and shared the lovely new track “Evicted.” The band has been making good to phenomenal records over the course of their existence and this one is shaping up to be another excellent contribution.
After dropping one of the best albums of the year so far, billy woods is back with E L U C I D as rap’s best duo Armand Hammer. Their new album is out in September and this week they shared the punishing new single, “Trauma Mic,” which features an opening verse from Pink Siifu. woods has been of the top rappers over the past few years and he is showing no signs of slowing down.
Next week, The Hives will deliver their first new album in over a decade and this week they dropped two more powerhouse singles. Each song is a ripping thrill that captures the band’s infectious blast of energy and is setting up this album to be a killer throwback of total garage rock bombast. Spirit of the Beehive also shared two new songs this week, both of which will be on their upcoming EP, and they’re fully textured pieces that deviate from each other by branching into new territories.
The shoegaze revival picked up some heat this week as the Boston band Drop Nineteens announced their reunion and first new album in thirty years! The new song “Scapa Flow” is a droning, revved-up track that churns out thick clouds of guitar to create the haze that the scene loves so well. It’s a rather shocking reunion, even in an age when it does seem like everyone gets back together, but one that surely deserves the celebration.
Philly rockers Sheer Mag last released an album in 2019, but they’ve now signed with Third Man Records and are back with a blistering new single “All Lined Up” that captures their spirit of fierce licks and big choruses. Speedy Ortiz is gearing up to release their new album and their latest single is another buzzing track that brings their classic indie rock back into the fold. There’s also a new, one-off, new song from teen sensations The Linda Lindas and it’s another heater that once again affirms that they’re one of the most exciting new bands in recent time.
Alabaster DePlume has been making a name for himself in the jazz world for years, but has lately been breaking through with the indie crowd as well. He has a new album on the way and this week shared a new track called “Greek Honey Slick” which features Tom Skinner (best known as the drummer for The Smile and formerly Sons of Kemet). Harpist Mary Lattimore also announced a new album is on the way and dropped the arresting new single “And The He Wrapped His Wings Around Me.”
Albums:
Girl Ray | Prestige
Mammoth WVH | Mammoth II
Annie Hart | Weight Of A Wave
Vinyl Williams | Aeterna
Candy Claws | Ceres & Calypso In The Deep Time 10th [anniversary reissue]
Songs:
Wilco | “Evicted”
Armand Hammer | “Trauma Mic” (ft Pink Siifu)
Spirit of the Beehive | “tapeworm” / “natural devotion 2”
The Hives | “Trapdoor Solution” / “The Bomb”
Drop Nineteens | “Scapa Flow”
The Linda Lindas | “Resolution/Revolution”
Mary Lattimore | “And The He Wrapped His Wings Around Me” (ft Meg Baird and Walt McClements)
Sheer Mag | “All Lined Up”
Mutual Benefit | “Wasteland Companions”
Alabaster DePlume | “Greek Honey Slick” (ft Tom Skinner)
Speedy Ortiz | “Ghostwriter”
If you’re a Spotify user, you can listen to these songs (and more from 2023) here!