As we reach the middle of November, things finally feel like they’re starting to slow down after an absolutely incredible run of new music all year. However, this week still brings some great new releases worthy of your attention. Bruce Springsteen’s new album Only The Strong Survive is out this week and finds the Boss covering classic R&B and Soul songs with his usual Americana / heartland sound coming through strong.
Last week, the mysterious musical collective known as SAULT followed-up their album from earlier this year, the modern classical, chamber-pop Air and their recent reggae-influenced EP Ten with FIVE(!!!!!) brand new albums that were all password-protected, but available for download from the group’s website. This week they’ve hit Bandcamp and streaming services. Ranging the musical spectrums of funk, classical, R&B, soul, and jazz, it’s unbelievable to see output like this not only in terms of the dexterity in craftsmanship, but in the speed of creation as well.
Colin Stetson is known for his avant-guard jazz and classical approach to saxophone music and this week he returns with Chimæra I, a collection of drone pieces that further push the boundaries of his sound. There’s also a new one from jazz guitarist Jeff Parker who shares long-form, groove based improv jams that brilliantly capture his exquisite taste and unique skills to blend contemporary sonics with long-standing classics.
In heavier news, post-metal legends Envy have a new EP out today which once again sees the band enforce their monstrous riffs with cinematic efforts. There’s also a new album from underground metal band Dream Unending which carries sludge and doom metal into new territory. Soul Blind, a noisy group from Hudson, NY, drop their debut record today which brings in the grunge factor alongside their heavy, alt-rock tone to channel a Soundgarden and Alice in Chains vibe with metallic riffs and bellowing drums.
Following 2020’s RTJ 4, the illustrious hip-hop duo of Killer Mike and EL-P (aka Run the Jewels) have shared a new take on the album, this time around it’s remixed entirely by Latin artists. This week we also get the deluxe edition of Sharon Van Etten’s excellent new album from earlier this year, We’ve Been Going About This All Wrong. This version features four additional tracks and comes as a double-LP.
After announcing her return to live music at Super Bowl LVII, Rihanna shared “Lift Me Up,” her first new song in six years from the Wakanda Forever soundtrack and it while it showcased her powerful vocals, it felt flat on arrival. Today, she’s shared another song from the soundtrack and it’s also a slow, piano-driven ballad that again puts her vocals on display, but fails to do much else.
Babyfather, the rap alter-ego of Dean Blunt, dropped a surprise new song without warning last weekend and it features Tirzah as a guest vocalist as the two trade rhymes over a woozy piano beat. Floating Points also dropped a new track, the dizzying “Someone Close” which features sporadic saxophone that gently fades almost as a tribute to his collaborator on last year’s marvelous Promises, the late, great Pharoah Sanders.
Fleet Foxes shared a majestic new song called “A Sky Like I’ve Never Seen” which features Tim Bernardes and soundtracks Amazon Prime’s new documentary Wildcat. It’s yet another gorgeous song from the band and once again finds them operating at an inspiring level.
After sharing a new track last month, Fever Ray stormed back with a vengeance this week as Karin Dreijer announced their new album and dropped another haunting, witchy techno jam that oozes with potential. The new album features Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross as well as Karin’ brother Olof which signals a semi-reunion of the Knife!
Country Westerns roared back with a buzzing new jam this week that hits hard on the scuzz and amplifies their bar band aesthetic. An electric rock track ready for shout-a-longs and head banging. After releasing a dream-pop centered album earlier this year, Australia’s Hatchie shared a new song that leans more into shoegaze territory with charged up riffs and club-ready intensity. It’s a sonic blast of pure force.
Post-punk visionaries New Order have announced what they’re calling the definitive edition of their album Low Life which features writing session recordings and demos of the album’s tracks. This week they shared the instrumental, writing session recording of their legendary song “The Perfect Kiss.”
Albums:
Bruce Springsteen | Only The Strong Survive
Nas | King’s Disease III
SAULT | 11, Aiir, Earth, Today & Tomorrow, Untitled (God)
Christine And The Queens | Redcar les adorables étoiles
Colin Stetson | Chimæra I
Soul Blind | Feel It All Around
Jeff Parker | Mondays At The Enfield Tennis Academy
Bill Nace | Through A Room
FaltyDL | A Nurse To My Patience
Dream Unending | Song of Survival
Envy | Seimei EP
Run The Jewels | RTJ CU4TRO [remix album]
Sharon Van Etten | We’ve Been Going About This All Wrong (Deluxe)
Songs:
Fever Ray | “Carbon Dioxide”
Rihanna | “Born Again”
Babyfather | “1471” (ft Tirzah)
Fleet Foxes | “A Sky Like I’ve Never Seen” (ft Tim Bernardes)
Hatchie | “Nosedive”
Country Westerns | “Money on the Table”
Laser the Boy | “Don’t You Know Who I Am”
Floating Points | “Someone Close”
BROCKHAMPTON | “The Ending”
Narrow Heads | “Moment of Clarity”
Pile | “Loops”
Fievel Is Glauque | “Clues Not to Road”
New Order | “The Perfect Kiss - Writing Session Recording”
Perfume Genius | “4 Minute Warning” [Radiohead cover]
If you’re a Spotify user, you can listen to these songs (and more from 2022) here!