In a year that keeps giving brilliant new music, this week is no exception and one of the biggest weeks of the year, absolutely jam packed with new material to get lost in all weekend long. The Beths are back with their third album and as always, it’s full of revved-up energy and massive hooks. This power-pop to the max and the band continues to deliver on this one.
Prog-rock titans The Mars Volta are back this week with their reunion album and judging by the singles, this is a new sonic template for the band, one full of less frantic time signatures and a move towards pop melodies. Speaking of pop, Rina Sawayama takes the crown this week with her new album that pushes forward her extreme hyper-pop with glorious energy for big hooks and electric production touches.
Indie luminaries Death Cab For Cutie also return this week with a new album, Asphalt Meadows, that finds the band aging gracefully along with their fans who’ve kept up with them after all this time. Art-punks No Age are back this week as well as they continue to move along their sonic wavelength to explore new territories that skirt further away from the noisey sounds of their best records for something more melodic and at times ambient, a band still finding their sound long into their career.
There’s also the return of Whitney, who are back with more of their charming, whimsical at times, indie folk-pop that is sure to brighten up any mood. Soulful jazz vocal powerhouse Danielle Ponder’s debut record is out today too and gives the artist her biggest showcase yet to unleash her astounding voice.
Last week, Blood Orange announced a new EP, his first collection of new, original material since 2019 and it features more of his electro-funk, deep R&B vibes that we’ve come to love from him. Ela Minus and DJ Python have teamed up for a new EP this week as well that will surely satisfy lovers of dance music as it infuses high velocity rhythm with grooving beats. There’s also a new EP from living legend Ringo Starr.
Holy reissues! In case there isn’t enough new music for you this week, there’s also a stacked line-up of classics coming back your way starting with Wilco’s absolutely massive box set for their timeless classic Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (which turned twenty in April). It’s chock-full of live cuts, demos, and alternative takes on the classics that make up the album and a must-cop for any diehard fan.
While Miles Davis is best known for his work in the ‘50s defining post-bop and modal jazz or his fusion-era of the ‘70s, the work he did in the ‘80s is not to be missed as this new box set will reveal and it includes a stunning cover of Tina Turner’s iconic “What’s Love Got to Do With It?” Another icon, the forever cool Lou Reed, has a box set out (digitally) this week which compiles his earliest recordings for their first ever release and it includes tracks that would become Velvet Underground classics. A real treasure trove of gems that showcase the formidable years from one of punk’s biggest inspirations.
The Great American rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival have a live album and DVD/Blu-Ray out today showcasing the band at Royal Albert Hall in 1970 at their absolute peak. Capturing the band at their height, this was their five killer albums in two year run that contained all of their biggest hits, this is a real piece of history for American rock and roll.
American songwriter luminary, the legend Bill Callahan shared the first song from his upcoming record and it’s an exquisite track that showcases Bill doing what Bill does best, beautiful imagery with rich sound behind his remarkable voice. Björk also continues the to build-up the hype for her new album, out at the end of the month, by releasing the second single in as many weeks.
Kelela returned with her first new track in five years this week, the ambient, refreshing track that seems like a balm before the eventual bangers. It’s a pleasant sound bath that comes across as healing and rejuvenating. Weyes Blood also announced her return this week with the lush new track, “It’s Not Just Me, It’s Everybody,” which is a stunning piano ballad that displays the cosmic power of her voice over delicate melodies.
For those looking to lose themselves on the dance floor, Dan Snaith continues to drop stellar tunes that invigorate the rhythm with classic touches of house and techno and “Arrow” is the latest from his Daphni moniker. There’s also “Danielle (smile on my face)” from Fred again.. which also has skittering rhythms and progressive beats that are sure to keep you moving and grooving.
If collaborations are your thing, this week has those in abundance as well. Hot off the release of her wonderful new album, Angel Olsen has already offered up a new take on the album’s standout track “Big Time” and this time she’s roped in Sturgill Simpson to duet with her on the song. Industrial punks METZ have a new song out this week as well and they recruited Idles frontman Joe Talbot to help deliver the lethal vocal work. Finally, heavy rockers Algiers brought billy woods (responsible for one of the year’s best records, aethiopes) to the mic to guest on their great new track as well.
Albums:
The Beths | Expert in a Dying Field
The Mars Volta | The Mars Volta
Rina Sawayama | Hold The Girl
Death Cab For Cutie | Asphalt Meadows
Whitney | SPARK
No Age | People Helping People
Danielle Ponder | Some of Us are Brave
Innumerable Forms | Philosophical Collapse
Ringo Starr | EP3
Blood Orange | Four Songs EP
Ela Minus / DJ Python | ♡ EP
Iron & Wine | LORI EP
Wilco | Yankee Hotel Foxtrot [Super Deluxe Edition]
Miles Davis | That’s What Happened 1982-1985: The Bootleg Series Vol. 7
Lou Reed | Words & Music, May 1965
Creedence Clearwater Revival | Creedence Clearwater Revival At The Royal Albert Hall
Joe Strummer | Joe Strummer 002: The Mescaleros Years [box set]
Songs:
Bill Callahan | “Coyotes”
Kelela | “Washed Away”
Weyes Blood | “It’s Not Just Me, It’s Everybody”
Björk | “Ovule”
Carly Rae Jepsen | “Talking to Yourself”
Adam Blackstone / Jazmine Sullivan | “‘Round Midnight”
Fred again.. | “Danielle (smile on my face)”
Daphni | “Arrow”
Angel Olsen | “Big Time” (ft Sturgill Simpson)
METZ | “Come on Down” (ft Joe Talbot)
Algiers | “Bite Back” (ft billy woods + Backxwash)
Father John Misty | “I Believe (When I Fall In Love with You It’ll Be Forever)” [Stevie Wonder cover]
If you’re a Spotify user, you can listen to these songs (and more from 2022) here!