New Release Album Cycle For May 23rd

My thoughts on some albums, full album list and Apple Music and Spotify Playlists

Kind of a slow week this week because of the holiday. It seems that the labels don’t think people can focus on grilling and listening to new music at the same time.

Included here are some thoughts on a few albums, the full album list, and the Apple Music and Spotify playlists.

Some of the artists on the playlist that I don’t write about include the third album from UK band Sports Team, and a band called Florry that I’m having a lot of trouble nailing down. It’s like country rock, reminds me of Courtney Barnett in places, is jammy, is kind of off-kilter slacker, and I hear Elton John riffs in places. Weird.

Teeny Lieberson goes by Lou Tides on the new album Autostatic! Teeny was in Here We Go Magic and is in Sharon Van Etten’s current band. A song from the dark, synthy pop album they put out is on the playlists.

Indie pop songwriter Margaret McCarthy is here with her project Moontype.

There’s a great new song from 90s UK music survivor Skunk Anansie, though unfortunately, the album kind of falls apart after that opening track.

Synth-pop songwriter Sophia Kennedy’s new album Squeeze Me is represented, and These New Puritans return with their first new music in six years with Crooked Wing. Caroline Polachek guests.

Here is the Spotify Playlist

HERE IS THE APPLE MUSIC PLAYLIST

Stereolab – Instant Holograms On Metal Film-People went kind of wild for this album this week. We sold out at the record store before noon on Friday, and it sounds like a lot of people did.

The first album in 15 years from the band that kind of defies labels—French pop, Krautrock, synth, post-rock, etc., etc. When Stereolab comes on, you know who it is.

They have become popular with a whole new generation of fans since their last album, as young people are all about it, and their old fans remain loyal as well.

This album is everything you love about Stereolab, and it’s an extremely pleasant listen and a lot of fun.

They are having a blast on songs like “Electrified Teenybop!”, which takes the band's signature vibe into glitchy hyper mode.

There is a lot to sink into on this album, and I look forward to many listens to hear all of it fully unfold.

Bed - Everything Hurts—the debut album from the Belgian band—dives deep into darkwave, shoegaze, dream pop, post-punk, and experimental sounds.

It’s all over the place, but each song is interesting for those deeply immersed in these styles. Casual listeners might not find it an easy listen, but for those willing to engage, there are moments of darkness and beauty throughout.

You may even catch some pangs of nostalgia for past musical loves—but this is far from a retro album.

I’ve spent a lot of time with this album over the weekend, and it needed that time to fully sink in.

Sparks – MAD!—The brothers in Sparks have been doing this for over fifty years.

Very few musicians or bands make interesting music later in their careers, and an even smaller number can say they do THIS late in their career. Sparks can say that.

MAD! might not appeal to those unfamiliar with the band, but if you are a fan, you will find much to delight in here.

It’s an album full of quirky electronic, post-punk songs with silly lyrics and themes, but it never sounds dated or just like a carbon copy of their past work.

It’s not really an evolution or an album that stands out as definitive in their entire body of work when all is said and done, but it is one that adds to it.

Album List

and Oceans – The Regeneration Itinerary

7Seconds – New Wind / Change In My Head

Age of Apocalypse – In Oblivion

BED – everything hurts

bob junior – record friends, vol. 2

CDSM – Convertible Hearse

Charmer – Downpour

Cola Boyy – Quit to Play Chess

Crystal Spiders – Metanoia

Dirty Nice – Planet Weekend

emptyset – Dissever

Florry – Sounds Like…

Fredo Bang – The Big Bang

Home Is Where – Hunting Season

Howard Jones – Piano Composed

Jawbone – Jawbone II

Joe Jonas – Music For People Who Believe In Love

Julia Wolf – Pressure

kuru – Stay true forever

Laura Anglade – Get Out of Town

Lou Tides – Autostatic!

Marc Ribot – Map of a Blue City

Marumari – Hidden Tracks and Rarities 2001-2005

Moontype – I Let The Wind Push Down On Me

pablopablo – Canciones En Mí‘

Pachyman – Another Place

Pan Amsterdam – Confines

Resavoir & Matt Gold – Horizon

rusowsky – Daisy

Sedona – Getting Into Heaven

Skunk Anansie – The Painful Truth

Smerz – Big City Life

Sophia Kennedy – Squeeze Me

Sparks – MAD!

Sports Team – Boys These Days

The SteelDrivers – Outrun

Stereolab – Instant Holograms On Metal Film

Taj Mahal + Keb’ Mo’ – Room On The Porch

Thalia Zedek Band – The Boat Outside Your Window

These New Puritans – Crooked Wing

When Rivers Meet – Addicted to You

— Witchcraft – IDAG

— Witchrot – Soul Cellar