New Album Cycle April 11th
List of new albums, my thoughts on some, playlists for Apple Music and Spotify
HERE IS THE APPLE MUSIC PLAYLIST
Happy Sunday!
I’m a bit late this week due to Record Store Day, and today was when all the remaining albums went on sale online which is a whole other thing. I was listening to new music the whole time, and while it was a slow week for new releases because of Record Store Day, there was still quite a bit to explore. You’ll find my thoughts on a couple of albums below, along with some info on the rest, the full album list, and this week’s playlists for Apple Music and Spotify.
On the playlist, you’ll find country singer Abbey Cone with her second album, Greener. It kind of flips between indie singer-songwriter and pop country—not exactly a hybrid, but it shifts back and forth. There are some good songs, though. The Album Leaf has a new album of gorgeous ambient music. Bootsy Collins is back with a new album; the title track, “Album of the Year #1 Funkateer,” features classic Bootsy funk, though it reminds me more of late '90s Prince than anything else. The majority of the album relies on guest artists and rappers, making it a lot of fun without being anything more than that.
Eyedress has a new album out, following his last one, which had around 33 songs. This one contains 21 tracks and features a LOT of guests, including The Marias, Mayer Hawthorne, and Harmony Korine. It’s a cool listen, as is all of Eyedress's work. The Soul Queen of New Orleans, Irma Thomas, can still sing at 84; she teams up with Galactic, also from the Big Easy, for a new album. Valerie June is back with a new release as well. She hasn’t changed her sound since her fantastic 2022 album, which is a good thing. She’s one of the best in soulful Americana, and there are plenty of strong songs here. This should be getting more attention than it is. You will also find songs from Mamalarky, Neil Smith, Ribbon Skirt and Tara Nome Doyle.
Bon Iver – SABLE, fABLE
I stopped paying attention to Bon Iver a long time ago. I liked the first couple of albums, like everyone did—you can say you didn’t, but you probably did. Then he got kind of weird, and while I love weird, it just wasn’t interesting to me anymore. He hasn’t put out an album in a while, and he seems to be trying to move away from this, but I guess these songs brought him back, and it’s pretty damn good.
He has the old-school, beardo-in-the-woods songs we loved, like “S P E Y S I D E,” along with some weird funky soul tracks like “Everything Is Peaceful Love,” and big pop songs (he’s worked with Taylor and Charli, you know) like “If Only I Could Wait” featuring Danielle Haim. It’s a bit all over the place, but these songs feel genuinely inspired and are pretty good. It’s not a great album by any means, but he has my attention again.
Daughter of Swords – Alex
Daughter of Swords is Alex Sauser-Monnig, a member of Mountain Man, a trio known for their haunting a cappella folk music. However, this is not that. This is the second album under the Daughter of Swords name, and it’s a full-on, exciting blend of wonky, funky, danceable, infectious indie pop. In fact, it’s some of the best we’ve heard this year. These are interesting, happy, and charming tunes that will hold up to many listens. Check this out!
Full Album List
Abbey Cone – Greener
The Album Leaf – Rotations
Bedridden – Moths Strapped To Eachother’s Backs
Bjørn Riis (of Airbag) – Fimbulvinter
BLACKWRISTBAND – My Escape
Bon Iver – SABLE, fABLE
Bootsy Collins – Album of the Year #1 Funkateer
Daughter of Swords – Alex
Dead Pioneers – PO$T AMERICAN
The Driver Era – Obsession
ELVENKING – Reader Of The Runes – Luna
Epica – Aspiral
Eyedress – Stoner
Fancy Hagood – American Spirit: The Last Drag
Fomies – Liminality
Galactic and Irma Thomas – Audience with the Queen
Gerald Clayton – Ones & Twos
Idle Heirs – Life Is Violence
Jon Pardi – Honytonk Hollywood
Joni – Things I Left Behind
In Ken Carson – More Chaos
Leatherman – Turn You On
Lullahush – Ithaca
Magnolia Park – VAMP
Mamalarky – Hex Key
Marathon – Fading Image
Mark Morton – Without the Pain
Maria Usbeck – Naturaleza
The Mars Volta – Lucro Sucio; Los Ojos Del Vacio
Mika Häkki – Mørker
Nell Smith – Anxious
Nellie McKay – Hey Guys, Watch This
OK Go – And the Adjacent Possible
Putrid Offal – Obliterated Life
Ribbon Skirt – Bite Down
Röyksopp – True Electric
SONUM – The Obscure Light Awaits
Sons of Ra – Standard Devitation
Spin Doctors – Face Full of Cake
Tara Nome Doyle – Ekko
Tapeworms – Grand Voyage
Teen Mortgage – Devil Ultrasne onic Dream
Trousdale – Growing Pains
Valerie June – Owls, Omens, and Oracles
Within Destruction – ANIMETAL