Best New Releases

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

From Inessa Anderson, Music Director

The Guardian writes: “In the Christian folk tale, Eve was fashioned from Adam’s superfluous rib. Sleaford Mods think we’re all spare ribs: canon fodder, expendable in the eyes of a government that responded too weakly, too late, to the pandemic. The ruling class, they suggest, perennially sacrifice the powerless to feed GDP.”

If that’s the cheery take-home at the heart of Sleaford Mods’ sixth album, the east Midlands duo remain a joyous tonic, all funny, burbling noises, word association and banging tunes.

Perfect time to be listening to these loud noises from the east Midlands duo.

Steve Drizos – Axiom

During the course of an astonishing 2020, as I reflect back, one of the biggest missing pieces was the live music so many of us have taken to. From chilling out on the odd evening, to joining in the enormous outdoor music festivals, to making new music discoveries. Here’s your chance to do just that! What brought Steve to MY attention? When I was made aware of his new album, I also learned he is the drummer for a band I have admired for quite some time. Jerry Joseph And The Jackmormons.

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

Slow Corpse – Bite Your Tongue

Southern Oregon duo Mitchell Winters and Brenton Clarke, aka Slow Corpse, are back with their second album Bite Your Tongue. The follow up to their successful 2018 Fables is an ambitious 14-track release offering sounds that float between electro pop, R&B and hip hop. Their signature laid back vibe is present throughout all the tracks.

Navy Blue – Songs of Sage: Post Panic!

Sage Elsesser aka Blue Navy, a 24-year-old NY-based rapper, producer, designer, visual artist, and skateboarder, had a very prolific year in 2020. Songs of Sage: Post Panic!, an 18-track album, is his second release which came out late last year.

“He’s part of a growing cohort of musicians who make what’s been dubbed “lo-fi” rap, which seems just as insufficient a descriptor. Navy’s freewheeling approach to language and narrative shares a lot of tendencies with spoken-word poetry, and there’s a spiritual dimension to his music as well.” – Rolling Stone

Tour Maubourg – Paradis Artificiels

A debut album by Belgian born, Paris-based electronic music producer who skillfully merges downtempo with soothing jazz sounds.

From Veronica Bisesti – Artist Liaison, Host of Subculture

The Kills – Little Bastards

This album is a must have if you are a Kills fan – 20 B-sides and rarities dating back to the bands 1st 7″ singles (2002). The minimalist duo of Allison Mosshart and Jamie Hince guarantee maximum sound.

Buzzcocks – Late for the Train: Live and in Session (1989 – 2016)

Are you ready for this? Seminal punk rockers the Buzzcocks have released a 6 cd box set totaling 137 tracks including 83 previously unreleased AND…wait for it…tracks from 5 live shows between ’89 and 2016. Bringing a mosh pit into a living room near you…

Cyrus Nabipoor – Host of Bridge City #BAM

Nicole McCabe – Introducing Nicole McCabe

Portland-grown Nicole McCabe coming in hot with the debut album!! Backed by local heavy-hitters, McCabe doesn’t just keep up; she leads the charge.

Xavier Molina – Sky Boy

Xavier expresses himself through a pretty wide range of genres & instruments. Regardless of either, everytime I hear him I think: “this is really important and beautiful”.

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

Foo Fighters – Medicine at Midnight

“Medicine at Midnight is a solid addition to a discography that raises the bar for what it means to be a rock act that seamlessly evolves with the times. It also exemplifies how the group isn’t afraid to stretch their imaginations whenever the mood strikes them.” – Paste Magazine

“The Foos’ 10th album is upbeat even by their uniquely well-adjusted standards, returning to their core Nineties alt-rock sound minus any gimmicks, detours, or shenanigans.” – Rolling Stone

Odette – Herald

“Odette soars in her sophomore release with Herald. Throughout the album’s 11-tracks, she explores themes of love, identity and heartbreak through a self-critical and personal lens, like diary entries to her present self. Informed by her mixed identity with British and Zulu heritage, Herald is a coming-of-age album, where she sheds her past self and creates the new out of the ashes.” – Exclaim!

“Odette produces pop songs but, rather than working well known recipes, is unafraid to experiment to deliver something fresh. Singing from her own songbook and unafraid to break rules, Odette is a unique and authentic voice in the Australian landscape.” – The Music

Patrick Meigs – Host of The Mixtape

Fantastic Negrito – Have You Lost Your Mind Yet?

Have You Lost Your Mind Yet? is the new record from Fantastic Negrito. It is a powerful mix of funk, rock and soul. The confluence of guitar, keyboards, bass and drums makes for a complex and layered record. This is the kind of record that the more you listen to it, the better it gets.

Jeff Tweedy – Love Is King

This new record by Jeff Tweedy is so good. He is joined by his two children and they make a stark, poignant and textured record. The lyrics are classic Tweedy and the music matches beautifully. If you are a Tweedy fan you will love this record. If you have not heard his music before, this is an excellent gateway record.

Ms.Elle – Host of Ladies to the Mic

Jazmine Sullivan – Heaux Tales

“Heaux Tales is an empowering r&b record directed towards black millennial females. From finding self love to struggling with heartbreak, this is a story every woman can relate to.”

Megan Thee Stallion – Good News

“Good News was a #1 record the minute this hip-hop album was released in December 2020. Megan Thee Stallion made a statement by celebrating women of all body types, talking about her troubled past, and celebrating independence.

Jamie Drakos – Host of NW Honky Tonk

Valerie June, The Moon and Stars: Prescriptions for Dreamers

The latest tunes from Valerie June are a meditation on dreaming and love. While soft and lilting at times, it is filled with her powerhouse voice and some excellent horns. My favorite is the tune she recorded with Memphis Soul Queen, Carla Thomas – Call me a Fool – it’s a bluesy a tribute to all the dreamers out there!

Sway Wild, Edge of my Seat (featuring Anna Tivel on Violin)

This time we’re living in has inspired a lot of different themes in music. Sway Wild (San Juan Islands, Washington) reflected on anxiety and it’s hold on us in their latest single. Although the song addresses anxiety, it is melodic, with Anna Tivel’s lovely violin flying us above the tune. It serves as a reminder to the listener that you are not alone in the stress and anxiousness of the last year.