Now we’re deep into pumpkin spice latte season, the recorded music industry begins its sprint to the end of the year. This tends to be a very busy ten weeks or so. Let’s get started with this edition of New Music Friday.
Singles
1. Jane’s Addiction, True Love (Warner)
Yeah, there was the big onstage bust-up between Perry Farrell and Dave Navarro that resulted in the cancellation of the long-awaited tour featuring the original lineup, but this single was already primed for release. Fans were rabid for the first bit of original music in 34 years. What are were they going to do, shelve it? Well, not exactly. Band management simply posted it to Spotify without any notice or promotion.
2. The Pixies, Motoroller (4AD)
A little more than a month from now (October 25 and just in time for Halloween)), The Pixies will release their tenth album, The Night the Zombies Came. The group insists that they will not be just a “greatest hits” act; they want fans to understand that they’re still capable of making new exciting new music.
3. A Place to Bury Strangers, Bad Idea (Dedstrange)
If you’re a fan and you prefer when the group goes raw and noisy yet manages to hang on to melody and hooks, you should be fine with Synthesizer, APTBS’ seventh album. It’ll be here October 4. Meanwhile, here’s another advance single. I had this one so loud in the car the other day that my Apple Watch gave me an extreme volume warning.
4. Japandroids, All Bets Are Off (Arts & Crafts)
Earlier this year, Brian King and David Prowse announced they were bringing Japandroids to an end with a final tour and album. Listen, it’s been a good 18-year run, so why not leave when things are still good? This is another advance single from that last record, Fate & Alcohol, which will be out next month.
5. Father John Misty, Screamland (Sub Pop)
I’ll confess to not being much of a Father John Misty fan–too mellow, too ethereal, too quiet–but I will readily admit that there’s something about this song that touched me. It’s quite lovely. More will arrive in the form of an album entitled Mahashmashana on November 22. I don’t understand the portrait orientation of the official video, though.
6. Our Lady Peace, Sound the Alarm (Frontside)
It’s been 30 years since OLP released the Naveed album, so the band has some celebrations planned. One is a brand new single to kick off the “OLP30” campaign that will run for the next year or so.
Albums
1. The Kills, Happier Girl EP (Domino)
I’ve always felt The Kills, featuring Alison Mosshart (also part of Jack White’s Dead Weather) and Jamie Hince (the ex Mr. Kate Moss), are tremendously underrated. This new EP features non-electric renditions of four songs from last year’s God Games album. It also includes a cover of Happier Than Ever by Billie Eilish.
2. Jamie XX, In Waves (Young)
Jamie, one half of the London electronic group The xx, has a second solo album that comes out only nine years after his debut. There are plenty of guest appearances on the record, including xx mates Romy and Oliver Sim. That’s some wild artwork, too. I’m dizzy.
3. Thurston Moore, Flow Critical Lucidity (The Daydream Library Series)
The former Sonic You Man is up to nine solo albums now. At 66, he’s still looking at the world through the lens of someone much younger. Here’s his description of the album: “The spirit of youth demonstrated in the early ’80s slam pits of hardcore refusing the worn-out expectations of adulthood.”
4. Neon Trees, Sink Your Teeth (Round Hill)
Neon Trees are one of those bands who always seem to be lurking below the surface. They’ve been around since 2005, managing to poke their head up for some attention every few years or so with their blend of pop-rock, synth-pop, New Wave, indie, and alternative. This marks their fifth album and first in about four years.
5. Seether, The Surface Seems So Far (Fantasy/Concord)
South Africa’s biggest rock export is back with a ninth album after teasing it throughout the summer. Seether was always very grungey in their approach and now that 90s alt-rock seems to be having a moment again, they may be in a position to capitalize on those sounds one more time.
6. The WAEVE, City Lights (Transgressive Records)
Oddly stylized name, yes, but this is Blur guitarist Graham Coxon working with singer and his real-life partner Ros Elinor Dougall, Coxon goes all out on this record, playing guitar, bass, keyboards, drums, and saxophone. The result is something a little spikey and angular with touches of Knack-style New Wave. It’s fun.
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