New Release Album List for August 15th

The album list, Apple and Spotify playlists, and my thoughts on some.

Happy Sunday—running a little late this week, as I think being out in the sun at various festivals yesterday took its toll on me. Can’t do that like I used to.

I will review the new Molly Tuttle album below and Racing Mount Pleasant. Below you will find the playlists for this week for Spotify and Apple Music.

Included on that are songs from three pop albums that get called indie pop but are really more adult pop music. They all have some funny, hooky songs, but except for maybe the Billianne album, I probably won’t go back to them after the first listen. You may have different results. All worth a listen.

Billianne is from Canada, and Modes of Transportation is her debut album. She has a viral hit with an acoustic indie songwriter vibe version of Tina Turner’s “Simply the Best.” Also in that grouping is The Aces, a pop group I have always enjoyed but never really seek out. When they show up on the playlist or player, though, it is always enjoyable. They have their fourth album out this week entitled Gold Star Baby, and they are going for more of a disco and pop-funk sound. Alison Goldfrapp is in this grouping with her new album—she is, of course, from electronic duo Goldfrapp. Younger pop star Audrey Hobert is here; she wrote songs for Gracie Abrams and has a fun and funny album out this week.

I was going to write off Cass McCombs’ album with it coming in at over an hour, but I started it and didn’t stop. The indie folkster has some really great songs on this album. They are all not standouts, but the ones that do really do. I will dig into this one more.

Georgia Harmer has her sophomore album out this week, and it is a pleasant listen. Standard singer-songwriter, but nice. Marissa Nadler has a new album out called New Radiations. It’s pretty and has a real cool vibe to it—kind of dark without actually being dark. Pile have a new album out called Sunshine and Balance Beams. They have never really been my thing, but I think they are for some of you—so I included it.

Female-fronted alt-rock band, Pool Kids, bring their mix of angular rock and indie pop back with their sophomore album Easier Said Than Done. It is only like a dozen times a year anymore that I find a hip-hop album I can still relate to and not cringe in my old age at, but Rich Brian’s new album has potential. Steve Gunn has a new meditative album out that is a nice listen.

HERE IS THE APPLE MUSIC PLAYLIST

Racing Mount Pleasant – Self-Titled This band was called Kingfisher and put out a couple of albums. I am not sure what the makeup of the band is, but they did have a lot of members, including visual artists—like a good, weird collective should have. Not sure why they changed the name, but maybe it’s because there are plenty of Kingfisher and Kingfish bands that have existed.

You will put this on and immediately think of Black Country, New Road… and you should. The comparison is accurate. They also have opened for Geese, which also makes a lot of sense. This album is very open, very jazzy (the horns and the contrast they bring really make the album). The vocals are a little more accessible and classic indie rock singer-songwriter in tone—like Lord Huron or Bon Iver—and they pluck a little more and have a little more of the Americana overtones than, say, Black Country, New Road. But they are also American, and Black Country, New Road is not.

It’s a pretty cool album, and one that really stood out to me—probably because I have been mostly listening to country albums this month, it seems, with Tyler, Charley, Molly, Margo, Hayes, and everyone putting out records. Check it out.

Molly Tuttle – So Long Little Miss Sunshine So, I fell for Molly on her second album When You Are Ready, which feels like a lifetime ago, but it was only six years ago. Molly is a true bluegrass artist—comes from a bluegrass family, has played it all of her life. That album was a pop album with some bluegrass elements in it—and it clicked.

She then did a covers album, which I would usually cringe at for a young artist, but it was really good. Then she did a full bluegrass album with her band Golden Highway. It is good—I saw her play it live a couple of times. Many people will love that more than her pop album. Not me.

So I figured the next album would be a pop album. Nope. Another good bluegrass album. So I figured the pop music was gone, as she was getting pretty popular doing the bluegrass thing and it’s in her blood. Nope. Here is the pop album again—with plenty of bluegrass overtones—but a pop album.

There are some really strong songs on here. The driving and dark opener “Everything Burns” will ease the bluegrass fan into this album. Then the light and airy “The Highway Knows” will let the listener know without question that this album will be a festival of hooky songs. The hookiest song is the first single “That’s Gonna Leave a Mark,” and she gets kind of girl-pop-blues-rock group with “Old Me (New Wig)”—she has alopecia areata and wears wigs.

There is also a very fun cover of Icona Pop’s “I Love It,” which for some reason I had in my head was a Tegan and Sara song. There are a few songs on here that are a little too adult pop for me and a bit dull (at least so far on about four listens), but for the most part, this is a welcome return to pop music, and I am glad she is still mixing it up.

Full Album List

The Aces – Gold Star Baby

ADÉLA – The Provacteur

Alison Goldfrapp – Flux

Audrey Hobert – Who’s the Clown?

Babyface Ray – Codeine Cowboy

Billianne – Modes of Transportation

illie Eilish – Lullaby Renditions of Billie Eilish

Bret McKenzie – Freak Out City

Cass McCombs – Interior Live Oak

Chance the Rapper – Star Line

Chevelle – Bright as Blasphemy

Evidence – Unlearning Vol. 2

Fletcher Tucker – Kin

Georgia Harmer – Eye of the Storm

Joey Valence & Brae – HYPERYOUTH

Jordan Davis – Learn the Hard Way

K Camp – Kiss 6

Kal Banx – Rhoda

Kerosene Heights – Blame It On the Weather

The Kingston Lions – The Kingston Lions

Lupe Fiasco – Samurai DX

Marissa Nadler – New Radiations

Maroon 5 – Love Is Like

Molly Tuttle – So Long Little Miss Sunshine

Pile – Balance Beams

Pool Kids – Easier Said Than Don

Racing Mount Pleasant – Racing Mount Pleasant

Rich Brian – WHERE IS MY HEAD?

Rise Against – Ricochet

Stephen Bishop – THIMK

Steve Gunn – Music For Writers

Tom Grennan – Everywhere I Went Led Me To Where I Didn’t Want To Be

Various Artists – Highest 2 Lowest (Original Soundtrack)

Various Artists – Sitting on the Moon