It was another week filled with new Christmas releases, something that we will ignore (again) for New Music Friday. Sure, we’ll look at anything cool that pops in, but for the moment, it’s all stuff aimed at radio stations that flip to all-Christmas music around this time of year. As for secular music, it’s a rather light week.
Singles
1. Alexisonfire, Cuz (Dine Alone)
Here’s the latest from the AoF covers EP, Copies of Old Masters. We’ve already heard their versions of The Tragically Hip’s Fully Completely and Rusty’s Misogny. This time, it’s something from Shallow North Dakota, a sludge rock band from Hamilton that loved to destroy their equipment onstage. The full EP will be available next Friday (November 7).
2. Arkells, What Good? (Universal/Virgin)
I honestly don’t know where the guys in Arkells get all the engery because they’re always working. After a ton of teasing on social media and TV (did you catch this song used in a World Series bumper?) and with a surprise performance in a garage for superfans, this single is an introduction to a new album due sometime in early 2026.
3. Inhaler, Hole in the Ground (Polydor)
Another single from the Irish band led by Bono’s son, Elijah Hewson. This single is the first bit of new music from the quartet since they released Wide Open, their third album, back in February. The band says this came out of a stream-of-consciousness jam and was recorded at Abbey Road.
4. Steve Mahabir, Go to Hell (AMG/UNI)
More from the guy formerly from Toronto indie heroes Groovy Religion. Steve has been dripping out new material for the better part of 2025 as he gets ready to release an album called Peace Love War & Hate. He promises it’ll be here by the end of the year, but we’ve yet to hear a release date. This song features contributions from Toronto indie stalwart John Borra and two members of Blue Rodeo, Michael Boguski (keyboards), and Glenn Milchem (drums). The producer is Terry Brown, the guy known of all his work with Rush.
Albums
1. Charlatans UK, We Are Love (BMG Rights Management)
The Charlatans UK, the Madchester-adjacent band from the early 90s and are approaching 40 consecutive years in the business. This new album–their 14th–will bring out a lot of feels from those early days, perhaps because they used concepts of hauntology and psychogeography in the writing. LOVE that organ!
2. Florence + The Machine, Everybody Scream (Republic)
After a near-death experience brought about by complications of an ectopic pregnancy, Florence Welch and her machine have released their sixth album, the first since 2022’s Dance Fever. She says that this is her most personal album yet. Why call it Everybody Scream? Florence believes in the act of “celebratory screaming” as a way of life affirmation. Go ahead. Let it out.
3. Guided by Voices, Thick Rich and Delicious (GBV Inc.)
If you’re counting, this is GBV’s 42nd album. I don’t know how Robert Pollard does it, although this album does revisit a bunch of unrecorded songs that dates back to the band’s early years.
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