It took a little longer than usual to sort through the releases for New Music Friday this week because there were at least two dozen Christmas singles and albums in the way. How much longer before they thaw out Mariah Carey again?
Singles
1. The Jins, Crutch (Frontside)
Coming from Vancouver, The Jins seem to be on their way up with plenty of monthly Spotify listeners, a roadtrip that won’t end, and a new single that was produced by Dave Genn of 54-40 and mixed by Adam Kasper (who has worked with Nirvana). Expect more Canadian dates shortly.
2. St. Vincent, Flea (Virgin)
This is the latest single to be serviced to radio from her All Born Screaming. And if that pounding drum style is familiar, that’s because it’s Dave Grohl. Annie Clark and the Foos share the same management company.
3. StrateJacket, Dreamcatcher (UMe)
If you like Blink-182, Green Day, and Sum 41, this trio from the Bay Area tickets all those pockets. This is about as pop-punk as you get. The rest of their debut album, Bad Start, continues down this path.
Albums
1. Bishop Briggs, Tell My Therapist I’m Fine (Terry Eighteen, Inc)
I’ll be honest: The thing that capture my attention about this album was the title. This is Briggs’ third album and first since before the pandemic. Travis Barker of Blink-182 guests on drums.
2. Jerry Cantrell, I Want Blood (Double J Music)
The guitarist/singer from Alice in Chains brought in some of his friends for his fourth solo album. That includes Robert Trujillo (Metallica), Duff McKagan (Guns N’ Roses), and Mike Bordin (Faith No More). A tour with guests Filter starts in Niagara Falls on January 31. This single features plenty of talkbox goodness.
3. Julian Casablancas + The Voidz, Like All Before You (Cult)
Still nothing from The Strokes on the horizon, so frontman Julian Casablancas has turned his attention back to The Voidz for the first time in a while. This is the side project’s third album and fire since 2018. The digital version came out last month; it’s available on CD and vinyl as of today.
4. Japandroids, Fate & Alcohol (Arts & Crafts)
This is it, the final Japandroids album. Brian King and David Prowse are tapping out after this album after two decades together. They believe done and said everything they have to, so why not call it when things are still going well? This album is positioned as one last gift to all their fans.
5. MC5, Heavy Lifting (earMUSIC)
Detroit’s MC5 were one of the essential proto-punk bands that arrived in the late 1960s to set the fire for what would explode a few years later. Were they the world’s first punk band? There’s an argument to be made. This is their first album since–wait for it–1971. Three members of the classic lineup are long dead, so it was up to guitarist Wayne Kramer to do all the–ahem–heavy lifting. (Original drummer Dennis Thompson does appear on two tracks). Kramer also gets help from Slash, Tom Morello, and William DuVall of Alice in Chains.
6. Phantogram, Memory of a Day (Neon Gold)
Phantogram–Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter–is now up to a fifth album. Like everything else they’ve done, the music can be quite cinematic, no surprise given that a lot of songs seem to come together after watching movies. Dan Wilson of Semisonic (and a dude who has made a fortune writing songs for Adele) is also part of the project.
7. Rag’n’Bone Man, What Do You Believe In?, Columbia
Remember his big 2017 hit, Human? Englishman Rory Charles Graham is back with a third album that touches on blues (again), blues (again), and perhaps a touch more hip-hop than previously. No fewer than 13(!!!) producers worked on this album.
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