As we pass the half-way mark of February, we are once again treated to some exciting new records with the promise of even more epic releases from major artists still ahead. Post-punk rockers IDLES drop a bit of their edge for something a bit more refined and they’ve hot Nigel Godrich on deck to help smooth out their sound.
Progressive R&B artist serpentwithfeet makes rather compelling jams that straddles the border of pop music with a more adventurous twist. After popping up in the New York City subway this week (like Green Day before them), dance act Chromeo are back with a new record that continues their synth-heavy grind and funk style.
The Queen herself took it to the Super Bowl to announce that Act II of Renaissance would be released in March and we’ve since learned that Beyoncé will be going country for this one. The first two singles take listeners to new places such as a glitzy charged honky-tonk setting with blown-out hair and a deeper, yet more subdued take, both of which have taken the internet by storm.
Indie rockers Vampire Weekend recently announced their fifth album would be out this year and today they’re back with two new singles of their own, two steely jams that marry Ezra’s shinning, poppy vocals with more abstract and bleary-eyed melodies. Earlier this year, Four Tet shared a new song with the word that an album would soon follow and this week he made good on his word by announcing a new album for March as well as sharing the new single, “Daydream Repeat.”
The first single from Waxahatchee’s new album has easily become one of my favorites of the year (so far) and this week she dropped another gem, “Bored,” that helps build the hype around her new record and sets it up to be one of the most anticipated of the year.
Grunge and alt-rock icons Pearl Jam have a new album on the way (with some great, Tool-esque artwork) and along with the news of a major tour, the band shared the new track “Dark Matter” which they say is part of a heavier record than their more recent work.
Kim Gordon will release her sophomore record this year and following the more hip-hop influenced early single, she’s back with another that continues to shift her sonic template to new directions and reveals her creativity has still yet to hit a peak. After opening the Grammy’s with a preview of her new song, Dua Lipa has shared the (presumably) second single from her next album, the bopping “Training Season.”
Rock and roll greats Sheer Mag recently signed with Third Man Records for their new album and this week they’re back with another killer jam, “Eat It and Beat It,” the fourth single we’ve heard from the new record and it’s another high-octane ripper just like we’ve come to expect. Noise-punks METZ will release a new album this year and this week they also dropped two new tracks that revives their ripped-up and buzzing guitar work with massive walls of sound.
Albums:
IDLES | TANGK
Omni | Souvenir
serpentwithfeet | Grip
Laura Jane Grace | Hole In My Head
Kim Petras | Slut Pop Miami
Chromeo | Adult Contemporary
El Perro del Mar | Big Anonymous
Songs:
Beyoncé | “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” / “16 Carriages”
Vampire Weekend | “Capricorn” / “Gen-X Cops”
Waxahatchee | “Bored”
Four Tet | “Daydream Repeat”
Pearl Jam | “Dark Matter”
Dua Lipa | “Training Season”
Kim Gordon | “I’m a Man”
Tiera Whack | “27 Club”
Sheer Mag | “Eat It and Beat It”
METZ | “Entwined (Street Light Buzz)” / “99”
Jessica Pratt | “Life Is”
Georgia Gets By | “When All You Can Manage Is a Sigh”
If you’re a Spotify user, you can listen to these songs (and more from 2024) here!