Taylor Swift is not the only artist out there. Dua Lipa, who has a new album this week, is going to suck up a lot of oxygen, too. Below that, though, New Music Friday is teaming with plenty of interesting and engaging music.
Singles
1. Atlas Genius, On a Wave (Red Light Management)
Atlas Genius started making noise from their base in Adelaide, Australia, about fifteen years ago. Since then, the three Jeffrey brothers and their buddy Dave Green had several global rock hits between 2010 and 2015. However, they’ve been almost completely silent since 2017. That hiatus has come to an end with this single. There’s also an upcoming third album entitled End of the Tunnel. The band has a new label deal and is now living in Los Angeles.
2. LØLØ, Hot Girls in Hell (Hopeless Records)
As optimistic as that Atlas Genius song was, this track from Toronto singer LØLØ offers a dose of reality when it comes to a relationship got wrong. It’s our first taste from a debut album following three EPs (including one called Debbie Downer) and a series of singles with titles like u turn me on (but u give me depression), lonely & pathetic, and u look stupid. The new album will be called Falling for Robots and Wishing I Was One. Ready? Let’s proceed.
3. Serj Tankien, A.F. Day (Gibson Records)
The chances of getting a System of a Down album anytime soon are pretty much zero, but frontman Serj Tankien continues to release material. A new EP entitled Foundations is coming this month and is being introduced by this track which–well, let’s just say that Serj hasn’t mellowed at all.
Albums
1. Better Than Ezra, Super Magic (Round Hill)
Cast your mind back to the early 90s when alt-rock ruled the Earth. Better Than Ezra popped out of New Orleans with a sophomore album entitled Deluxe that made them staples on the festival circuit for the better part of a decade. The hits stopped coming after a while but the group continued to regularly release albums until 2014. Now they’re back with their tenth record and first in ten years. It’s another example of the 90s never planning to die.
2. Ibibio Sound Machine, Pull the Rope (Merge)
I’m throwing a curve at you this week with Ibibio Sound Machine, a London-based afro-funk outfit with an absolutely intoxicating sound. They’ve been around for a little more than a decade, are currently an eight-piece, and are tremendously imaginative in the way they combine so many different influences. I dare you to sit still while listening to this.
3. Kelly Jones, Inevitable Incredible (Stylus/Ignition)
If you know your Welsh rock, you’ll know Kelly as the frontman for Stereophonics, the Tragically Hip-loving band from coal country. The group has been a going concert since 1992 but last released an album two years ago. Kelly is taking this gap in their schedule to release his first solo album in 17 years. What did I say earlier about the 90s refusing to die?
4. P.O.D., Veritas (Mascot Recordings/Mascot Label Group)
Still with the 90s, P.O.D. (“Payable on Death,” in case you didn’t know) was born in San Diego in 1992 and is still soldiering on, having survived the nu-metal apocalypse late in the decade. This is their twelfth album and first in six years.
5. Frank Turner, Undefeated (Xtra Mile Recordings)
Frank Turner is an English songwriter of much acclaim who is now up to ten albums. This one was produced entirely by himself in his home studio on a small island off the coast of Essex. He spent a lot of time listening to everyone from Black Flag and The Pogues to Elvis Costello and Counting Crows to get ideas for this record. And he’s out to set the world record for the most concerts performed in 24 hours in different cities.
6. Willow, Empathogen, (Three Six Zero/Gamma)
Willow is the genre-shifting daughter of Will and Jada Pinkett Smith. For her sixth album, she’s moved away from the rock sound she pursued a while back and is into more of a jazzy and soulful headspace. St. Vincent and Jon Batiste appear on the album.
© 2024 Corus Radio, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
Ad Choices
