It’s an exciting week for new music. Courtney Barnett returns with her new album Things Take Time, Take Time and judging by the lead singles, the music is more mellow than her previous albums, but still full of her witty, smart lyrics. Damon Albarn is also back with a new solo record that was heavily influenced by his time spent in Iceland.
Irreversible Entanglements, the avant-guard/experimental/hip-hop group featuring Moor Mother, have a new record out this week as does former Sonic Youth guitarist Lee Renaldo. The new album from Jon Hopkins features no drums or beats and “is not ambient, classical or drone but has elements of all three.” Silk Sonic, the duo of Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak, finally drop their debut album this week after months of hype and will surely be part of the end of year pop craze. Kylie Minogue rounds it out with a new edition of last year’s DISCO featuring a bunch of guests.
Even with a stellar list of albums, the week was really dominated by new singles. Mitski shared “The Only Heartbreakers,” a synth-forward song that packs a punch with a noir twist, in addition to announcing her new album, Laurel Hell, which will be out in early February. The vibes on this one follow previous single “Working for the Knife” and channel darker synth-wave sounds.
Lucy Dacus announced a massive tour and shared a new, full-band version on Home Video standout “Thumbs,” renamed “Thumbs (Again).” A wonderful update on the track that gives it more shape and volume, but slightly takes away from the original’s bold vulnerability.
Marissa Paternoster shared her second single from her upcoming solo record and it further heightens expectations. This is still a rock sound that Paternoster knows so well, but she flexes her songwriting muscles in a new way on these songs to give it a distinction from her band’s work. She’s always been the focus of her band, but here she truly sounds like a solo artist.
Never one to hold back, Jack White announced not one, but TWO new albums for 2022. Fear of the Dawn and Entering Heaven Alive will drop in April and July, respectively, and both will feature versions of his latest single “Taking It Back.” Q-Tip guests on Fear of the Dawn and continues the artists collaborative efforts (White played on Tribe’s 2016 classic We got it from Here… Thank You 4 Your service and Tip came out to guest with White at MSG in 2015).
The Queen returns! Beyoncé’s contribution to the upcoming Williams Sisters bio-film King Richard starring Will Smith finds her once again gunning for an Oscar and is her first new song since 2020’s “Black Parade.”
The almighty Beach House announced their eighth album, Once Twice Melody, will be out in February. Until then, the band will share one “chapter” of songs from the record each month leading up to the album’s release day. The new album was produced exclusively by the band themselves, a first in their history, and once again pushes their transcendent sound forwards towards infinite glory. At this point, the band feels unstoppable and one for the ages.
Albums:
Courtney Barnett | Things Take Time, Take Time
Damon Albarn | The Nearer The Fountain, More Pure The Stream Flows
Irreversible Entanglements | Open The Gates
Lee Ranaldo | In Virus Times
Jon Hopkins | Music For Psychedelic Therapy
Silk Sonic | An Evening With Silk Sonic
Makthaverskan | För Allting
Jonny Greenwood | Spencer [Soundtrack]
Kylie Minogue | DISCO: Guest List Edition
Speedy Ortiz | The death of Speedy Ortiz & Cop Kicker…Forever
Songs:
Mitski | “The Only Heartbreaker”
Beach House | “Superstar”
Beyoncé | “Be Alive”
Lucy Dacus | “Thumbs (Again)”
Marissa Paternoster | “I Lost You”
Camp Cope | “Blue”
Yumi Zouma | “Mona Lisa”
Nilüfer Yanya | “stabilise”
If you’re a Spotify user, you can listen to these songs (and more from 2021) here!