Best New Releases

Kye Kye – Arya

The Portland based, Estonian-born siblings Olga and Timothy Yagolnikov, released Arya earlier this summer, nearly 7 years after their successful LP Fantasize. The album offers 16 tracks that weave through indie pop and lush electronica sounds and feature beautifully haunting vocals of Olga.

Tora – A Force Majeure

Tora – the four-member band out of Byron Bay, Australia has been teasing their new album since early 2021, with beautiful singles, including “Why Won’t You Wait”, which came out in the spring. The band is the epitome of genre-less sound, with their alt R&B/indie pop & electronic vibe.

fanclubwallet – Hurt is Boring

“Featuring Judge’s signature vocal style and guitar-driven melodies, fanclubwallet is very much in the singer/songwriter vein of alt-superstars like Soccer Mommy. I think fanclubwallet has that potential. Hurt is Boring tackles intense topics such as heartbreak, queer love, and boredom. The pandemic has been wrought with isolation and boredom and Judge tackles the issue perfectly.”- Altrevue

From Veronica Bisesti – Artist Liaison, Host of Subculture

Documentary: Todd Haynes – The Velvet Underground

Duran Duran – Future Past

DD has been putting music out for 40 years and they STILL manage to capture the sounds of today while remaining true to their own musical stylings.   With lead off singles such as “Invisible” and “Anniversary” (paying homage to their 40 years of musical magic), it sounds as though we’re in for an album that will not only please Duran Duran devotees (yes – I am a Duranie) but will draw in a new generation of enthusiasts.   If you build it, they will come…

 

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

The Killers – Pressure Machine

“Pressure Machine, their second record in the space of the year, is a fascinating, character-driven record. Where their last record reached celestial heights, lockdown brought frontman Brandon Flowers back down to earth, prompting a period of reflection of his origins. The topics touched upon are specific to Flowers’ hometown in Nephi, Utah – where he spent his parts of childhood and teenage years – but will resonate with anyone whose hometowns have been hit designed with similar plights: economic hardship, dwindling opportunities, substance abuse and the personal squabbles that spread like wildfire through tight knit communities.”
– NME

Lucy Dacus – Home Video

“Addressing faith, young love, and nostalgia, the songwriter’s autobiographical third album is empathetic yet unsparing, catchy and finely crafted… She gives her listeners permission to shake loose the beliefs they held as children and dive headfirst into the clean, cool waters of the future. Write your own moral code, she suggests; write your own worldly music.”
– Pitchfork

“Home Video, recorded at Trace Horse Studio in Nashville, is just what you’d expect from such a talent. Here, her wise brand of rock music blooms into something even more palpable, relatable and beautifully messy.”
– Paste

Japanese Breakfast – Jubilee

“As if the title weren’t obvious enough, Japanese Breakfast’s latest LP Jubilee is the project’s most ecstatic-sounding album to date.”
-Rolling Stone

“How many can make an album like Jubilee? To put it another way… How’s it feel to witness Zauner at the height of her powers? Captivating every heart? Projecting her visions to strangers who feel it, who listen, who linger on every word? Oh, it’s a rush!”
-Stereogum

 

From Patrick Meigs– Host of The Mixtape

Rose City Band – Earth Trip

Earth Trip is Rose City Band’s third record. After hearing the record, I went back to get the entire catalog. The music and lyrics arch beautifully across the entire record in ways that makes one want to listen to the record on repeat. The songs on the record paint a picture of themes that “recur such as pining for summers spent in the company of friends to newer meditations on space, stillness and the splendor of the natural world.” This is an incredible local band that is must have in the collection!

Los Lobos – Native Son

Los Lobos’ latest record is another example of why this band is so incredible. They cross many musical genres on one record and Native Son is no exception. A highlight on the album is their version of two great songs meshed together,  Bluebird and For What It’s Worth. Los Lobos always hits the mark with their music and this album is an excellent example of their musical prowess.