Best New Releases

Here are the favorite new releases from music and air teams!

From Inessa Anderson, Music Director

AngelHeaded Hipster: The Songs of Marc Bolan & T.Rex by various artists

This T.Rex tribute album boasts a star-studded cast of contributors, from U2 (with Elton John on piano), to Nick Cave, Father John Misty, Sean Lennon, to Peaches, and Kesha and many, many more. It’s a must-have collection. Bolan is due to be inducted into the 2020 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame November 7.

 

 

Elliott Smith: Expanded 25^th Anniversary Edition

“The 25th anniversary edition of the indie folk classic stays true to its amateur charm while enhancing its natural beauty. Elliott Smith’s self-titled album has served as a landmark in indie folk for the past 25 years. Smith’s work has taken on a life of its own (especially in the years following his death in 2003), creating a musical blueprint for exploring the deepest recesses of human emotion. To commemorate its anniversary, Smith’s label Kill Rock Stars released an expanded reissue of Elliott Smith that breathes new life into an old classic.”

 

 

From Asia Wagner, Music Curator, Host of beat | side

Sevdaliza – Shabrang

Sevdaliza, the Iranian-born singer, songwriter, and producer is one of the most prominent voices amongst the new trip-hop musicians. Sevdaliza, who is based in the Netherlands, weaves the traditional, dark and haunting trip-hop sound with elements of her Persian heritage. The sophomore album is a gem, and it offers plenty of diversity of sound and emotion.

From Nylon.com: “Across Shabrang’s 15 tracks, Sevdaliza holds a fervent fascination with the subconscious, the uncensored dream, and the inner world — ideas she connects back to opening herself up to her heritage, and in turn, her art. “I just realized listening back to all the music that I’ve done, that there’s so many, for instance, microtones and Arabic scales,” she says of the symbiotic relationship. “It just comes from a different grain.”

Kelly Lee Owens – Inner Song

There are definitely far fewer women in electronic music than there are men, but Kelly Lee Owens stands up to any of them with her solid beats and intricate lyrics. This is a second full-length release by the Welch musician, and it is sure to move any electronic music enthusiast.

From Pitchfork: “Few artists are as adept at fusing electronic music’s warmth and coldness as Kelly Lee Owens. What makes Owens’ work so distinctive is her equal proficiency as a songwriter and producer; her vocals are as confident and captivating as her beats. Inner Song, her second album, boasts a variety of styles, floating between tight pop structures and extended club grooves. What ties the record together is her unusual ability to join the physical with the emotional.”

Kid Bloom – Blood Sugar

Kid Bloom, whose real name is Lennon Kloser, is an emerging artist from LA. He returns with the latest EP, which offers an amalgamation of genres to arrive at a smooth sound, perfectly fitting our Fresh Vibe programming.

 

 

 

From Veronica Bisesti – Artist Liaison, Host of Subculture

Smashing Pumpkins – Cyr / The Color of Love

Giving us a taste of the new upcoming (untitled) album, two singles (Cyr & The Color of Love) have been released as a mini-EP. A bit industrial, a little less grunge, but still intriguing enough to make us slightly giddy for a new Pumpkins album.

 

 

 

The Flaming Lips – American Head

Slated to be released September 11, 2020, the Lips are back with American Head.   You’ll gently glide into the ethereal music and then BAM, the words will cut you like a knife.  Amazing!  Incredible!  GET IT!!

 

 

 

From Jenna D – Host of Theme for a Tuesday, Music Team

The Chicks – Gaslighter

“The sound is sleek but homey, with banjo and fiddle mixing with keyboards and programmed percussion behind the Chicks’ crisp vocal harmonies, which haven’t aged at all in a decade and a half… But although you can hear the women’s delight in using fresh textures and colors, Gaslighter doesn’t have the feel of a veteran act desperate for a reboot; what comes through is their collaborators’ excitement about being permitted into the Chicks’ private world.” – Los Angeles Times

“Their silence is no more. In fact, their voices are more amplified than ever. The Chicks are not only their own best defenders, but they also make great fighters for the vulnerable. Gaslighter is the best country album of 2020 because it forces empathy onto the listener while reminding us we don’t have to be superheroes to make a difference. As Maines sings on ‘For Her,’ ‘I’m not a martyr, I’m just a person who cares.’ It’s up to us to decide which direction we march in next.” – Paste Magazine

The Beths – Jump Rope Gazers

“[Elizabeth] Stokes’ self-deprecating and vulnerable lyrics, backed by Jonathan Pearce’s delicious, hook-laden riffs, is what made the Beths’ debut Future Me Hates Me one of the best indie releases of 2018. For their follow-up, the New Zealand outfit stuck to the same formula, but the sound is cleaner and more refined than its predecessor — thanks to Pearce’s studio wizardry.” -Rolling Stone

“Jump Rope Gazers is every bit as thrilling as their debut. The Auckland quartet effortlessly combine their trademark mix of fizzing melodies and crunching guitars underpinned with deft lyrics that evoke sunshine, self-doubt, euphoria, and heartbreak.”-Under the Radar

 

Cynthia Orlando – Writer, Music Team

Bob Dylan – Rough and Rowdy Ways

Bob Dylan’s fabulous “Rough and Rowdy Ways” is his first new music in eight years. The album’s pensive, sometimes rebellious tracks cover it all: pop culture, mythology and immortality. Turn the volume up for his swashbuckling “I Crossed the Rubicon,” on our playlist.

 

 

Taylor Switft – Folklore

Taylor Swift’s “Folklore” finds Swift downshifting from pop mode to a singer-songwriter vibe. Its 17 colorful tracks delight the imagination. It – along with Dylan’s newest – are safe bets for Grammy nominations.

 

 

 

The Noted – Lost & Found

You might also want to check out a new one from Portland band The Noted. Their newest “Lost & Found,” is solid pop-rock, and the band’s clean sound has a cool retro vibe. Especially nice are the lovely harmonies on “Not So Long Ago,” “Have a Wonderful Day” (both on our playlist), as well as the rather cinematic title track.

 

 

 

Patrick Meigs – Host of The Mixtape

John Craigie – Asterisk the Universe

John Craigie’s latest record is tremendous! He plays with a range of different musicians and the outcome is just so good. The album is titled Asterisk the Universe. If you don’t know John Craigie’s music, this a great album to dig into this incredible musicians music.

 

 

Robert Cray Band  – That’s What I Heard

Robert Cray released a great new record this year tilted That’s What I Heard. Cray is both a phenomenal guitar player and a great blues singer. His new album is classic and a must for fans both new and old!