It’s another one of those nutso weeks when everybody and their dog — and their brother and their brother’s dog — will be putting out a new album. So let’s skip the jibber-jabber and get right to the massive list:
Barry Adamson
Cut To Black
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Cut To Black is Adamson’s 10th solo studio album, and finds him in a fertile period of creativity, reflection and investigation: Up Above The City, Down Beneath The Stars, the first volume of his memoirs, was released in 2021, charting the years from his inception in Manchester’s Brutalist heart, his difficult journey through childhood and how art and music became his liberation, via his father’s jazz record collection and the spy theme sounds of John Barry, through transformative years in Magazine, The Birthday Party and The Bad Seeds, and up to the release of his first solo album, Moss Side Story in 1989. The book’s concept is typically inventive, with Adamson looking at the world as an observer. As he puts it, “I started to imagine my life without me in it. An author-as-observer, looking down upon this Murky World during that time and making a record of what I found there.” The album extends the concept, as Adamson journeys through rambunctious odes, mixing elements of soul, R&B, hip hop and funk with AI and Manhattan disco. Adamson examines various lives cut short, explores notions of race, and invites us to reflect on how much society has really changed since the original Civil Rights movement of the mid 20th-century, all with a deft, louche touch and gleeful wordplay and associations, both aural and visual.”
Arkells
Disco Loadout: Volume 1
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “A disco loadout is a term in our industry that describes a very humbling act. Many bands have experienced this, and we certainly have. Sometimes when you’re on tour you might pull up to a venue to find there is a later show happening the same night. The promoter, looking at his spreadsheet, has decided that it makes financial sense to book two separate shows on the same night. Your band is playing the early show, and when you are finished, you must load your gear down the stairs and out the door while a lineup of people waits to get into the venue for the next show. The later show is usually a cover band, performing songs that everyone knows and likes. We have been humbled by this in the past and instead of living with the embarrassment, we have performed and recorded those songs for you. We’re taking the term back. Disco Loadout: Volume 1. Songs Arkells like to play when we need to party like it’s a late show.”
The Avett Brothers
The Avett Brothers
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The Avett Brothers return with their first album in five years. Produced by longtime collaborator, friend and early champion Rick Rubin, The Avett Brothers is as much untitled as it is self-titled, for as Thomas Keating said: “Silence is God’s first language — everything else is a poor translation.” From the album’s all-vocal opening to the sharp, scrappy and scorching rock ’n’ roll blast of lead single Love Of A Girl, to the novel strains of folk, roots, synth and strings that have landed The Avett Brothers numerous Billboard top 5 and chart-topping albums, three Grammy nominations, five Americana Music Awards, a documentary co-directed by Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio, and so much more, this record is one that revealed itself naturally over time. Recorded in Malibu’s Shangri-La Studios, as well as Nashville, Mar Vista, and the band’s hometown of Concord, The Avett Brothers is a collection of songs seen through a lens of independently studied spirituality; questions and considerations in the interest of the divine unknowable. In an ongoing attempt to comprehend existence and our interpersonal connectedness, these songs seek the sacred in the commonplace: a cheap cup of coffee, the smallest movement of love, broken hearts and school bus lessons, a baby’s first and second steps, growing older and holding on to one’s roots, losing someone and accepting fate, rediscovering hope and finding sanctity in tragedy… ultimately reveling in the fun and surrender of what we cannot understand.”
Blitzen Trapper
100’s of 1000’s, Millions of Billions
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “There are numbers so vast they exceed the scope of human reckoning, concepts so immeasurable they surpass our capacity to understand. On their radiant new album, 100’s of 1000’s, Millions of Billions, Blitzen Trapper make peace with the unknowable, surrendering themselves to forces beyond their control as they explore the infinite with a broad mind and an open heart. Inspired by singer-songwriter Eric Earley’s fascination with Buddhist texts and meditation (the title comes from a phrase that appears over and over in the Mahayana sutras), the album offers a captivating take on rebirth and transcendence, and the circularity of existence, navigating its way through the space beyond dreams and reality, beyond gods and mortals, beyond life and death. The songs here are as sincere as they are surreal, rooted in rich character studies and deep reflection, and unfolding like a riddle-filled journey that asks many questions and offers no answers. The production is intoxicating to match, blending lo-fi intimacy and trippy psychedelia into a mesmerizing swirl of analog and electronic sounds. Add it all together and the result is a gorgeous, sprawling collection wrapped in lush layers of synthesizers and washed out electric guitars–a poignant, expansive exploration of perception and purpose that manages to look both forwards and backwards all at once.”
Cage the Elephant
Neon Pill
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Neon Pill finds the Kentucky-bred six piece — brothers Matthew Shultz (vocals) and Brad Shultz (guitar), Daniel Tichenor (bass), Jared Champion (drums), Nick Bockrath (lead guitar) and Matthan Minster (guitar, keys, backing vocals) — forging new musical ground, while maintaining their uncompromising creativity and wildly cathartic performances. “To me, Neon Pill is the first record where we were consistently uninfluenced, and I mean that in a positive way,” observes Matthew. “Everything is undoubtedly expressed through having settled into finding our own voice. We’ve always drawn inspiration from artists we love, and at times we’ve even emulated some of them to a certain degree. With this album, having gone through so much, life had almost forced us into becoming more and more comfortable with ourselves. We weren’t reaching for much outside of the pure experience of self expression, and simultaneously not necessarily settling either. We just found a uniqueness in simply existing.”
Collective Soul
Here To Eternity
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Ed Roland can describe 30 years in Collective Soul with two words: ‘It’s an honor and privilege,’ said the frontman and songwriter behind the Georgia-born band known for a bedrock of time-tested hits. ‘It’s that simple. Just being able to do what you love, it’s an honor and a privilege.’ And in the same year the band celebrate three decades of music making, Collective Soul return with what may be its most ambitious project to-date: Here To Eternity, a double LP cut in the California home once owned by Elvis Presley. With sharp, polished rock riffs and Roland’s signature wise-to-the-world storytelling, Here To Eternity plays like a full-throttle Collective Soul album from the moment it begins spilling out of stereo speakers. “When I gave the album to management and radio promo,” he said, “I was like, ‘Put the needle on any song, I’m that proud of it.’ ”
Ani DiFranco
Unprecedented Shit
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “These days, every artist’s album needs to have a story. The music can’t speak for itself. But after 22 records, why can’t Ani DiFranco’s work speak for itself? Yes, her forthcoming album is shaped by stories — ones about reproductive freedom, the double-edged sword of the pandemic, identity and ever-evolving belief systems that have shaped each of its 11 songs. There are songs that were written in 2011 and in 2022; some for musicals, others for children’s books. The album isn’t linear, but it is inherently teeming with DiFranco’s spirit. It was paramount to the folk-feminist hero that listeners not be saddled with preconceived notions while diving into her 23rd album Unprecedented Shit. “I believe there is a rhyme and a reason as to why these songs have come together in this way now and I want people to experience this album as a journey, a piece of art, without being influenced by a cacophony of surrounding narratives.”
Billie Eilish
Hit Me Hard And Soft
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Billie Eilish’s most daring body of work to date, Hit Me Hard And Soft is a diverse yet cohesive collection of songs, ideally listened to in its entirety from beginning to end. The album does exactly as the title suggests: hits you hard and soft both lyrically and sonically while bending genres and defying trends along the way. Hit Me Hard And Soft journeys through a vast and expansive audio landscape, immersing listeners into a full spectrum of emotions. It’s what the multiple Grammy and Oscar winner does best, continuing to affirm Eilish as the most exciting songwriter of her time. Hit Me Hard And Soft was written by Eilish and Finneas, her brother and long-time collaborator, who also produced the album.”
Beth Gibbons
Lives Outgrown
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Portishead singer Beth Gibbons’ debut solo album Lives Outgrown features 10 beautiful new tracks recorded over a period of 10 years. The album was produced by James Ford (Arctic Monkeys, Depeche Mode) and Gibbons, with additional production by Lee Harris (Talk Talk). Lives Outgrown is, by some measure, Beth’s most personal work to date, the result of a period of sustained reflection and change — “lots of goodbyes,” in Beth’s words. Farewells to family, to friends, even to her former self. These are songs from the mid-course of life, when looking ahead no longer yields what it used to, and looking back has a sudden, sharper focus. “I realised what life was like with no hope,” says Beth. “And that was a sadness I’d never felt. Before, I had the ability to change my future, but when you’re up against your body, you can’t make it do something it doesn’t want to do.”
Guster
Ooh La La
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Not long before making their new album Ooh La La, Guster celebrated three decades as a band — a journey that’s included landing a series of hits on the Billboard charts, working with luminaries like Steve Lillywhite and Richard Swift, launching their own music festival, and amassing an ardent fanbase partly on the strength of their relentless touring and deeply communal live show. But despite reaching a milestone few musical acts ever come close to attaining, Guster’s ninth studio LP reveals a band fully in touch with the voracious creative energy that first inspired their formation. A major leap forward for lead vocalist Ryan Miller, guitarist Adam Gardner, drummer Brian Rosenworcel, and multi-instrumentalist Luke Reynolds, Ooh La La ultimately matches that wide-eyed spirit with a newly heightened sense of confidence, conviction, and commitment to the raw sincerity that’s made them so beloved. “In all the time we’ve been together we’ve never really felt our age as a band — we’re still so hungry, still excited to create,” says Gardner. “A lot of people have told us they’re amazed at how democratic our process is, but I think that’s a big part of why we’re still able to open up this space where the ideas just flow. It also helps that we’ve built a relationship with our fans where there’s a real sense of trust and a desire for us to keep growing and keep pushing ourselves. It’s such a gift that allows us to be truly free, and to make whatever music we want to make.”
Kerry King
From Hell I Rise
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The Los Angeles Forum, just before midnight on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019. Slayer’s Kerry King stood center stage, his signature chains hung from his belt, he walked over to stage right, unhooked the chains and held them high, dropped them onto the stage floor, turned around and walked off the stage. But not for good. “I knew early on that I wasn’t done, and I had no intention of not continuing to play,” he says. With enough new material for two full albums, all written by King, if it hadn’t been for the pandemic, his long-awaited solo project would likely have emerged back in 2020. For his debut album, From Hell I Rise, King, on lead guitar, enlisted drummer Paul Bostaph (Slayer), bassist Kyle Sanders (Hellyeah), Phil Demmel (formerly Machine Head) on guitar, and vocalist Mark Osegueda (Death Angel). Working with producer Josh Wilbur (Korn, Lamb of God), the vast bulk of King’s debut solo album was recorded at Henson Studios in Los Angeles in about two weeks, and was finished this past June. According to King, the new music consists of “various religious topics, some war entries, heavy stuff, punky stuff, doomy stuff, and spooky stuff, with Herculean speeds achieved. If you’ve ever liked any Slayer throughout any part of our history,” he adds, “there’s something on this record that you’ll get into, be it classic punk, fast punk, thrash, or just plain heavy metal!”
Little Feat
Sam’s Place
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Little Feat, one of rock’s signature and most acclaimed bands, are inviting everyone to join them over at Sam’s Place. It marks the band’s first new studio album in 12 years, first-ever blues album and the first one to feature linchpin conga player Sam Clayton on lead vocals on every song. The members of Little Feat 2024 are: Bill Payne, keyboards and vocals; Clayton, percussion and vocals; Fred Tackett, guitars and vocals, Kenny Gradney, bass; Scott Sharrard, guitars and vocals; and Tony Leone, drums and vocals. Their individual musical chops and collective chemistry light up the nine-track Sam’s Place, which was waxed at Sam Phillips Recording in Memphis (in August 2023), except for Got My Mojo Working (Live), recorded live at the Boulder Theatre in Colorado in December 2022). This is the first Little Feat album recorded with new members Sharrard and Leone. Sam’s Place scratches a deep itch. Sam added, “I’m very happy because I was never expecting anything like that. I mean, I have wanted to, but I just wasn’t expecting it to come to fruition. It was a long wait, but it’s satisfying.”
The Lovely Eggs
Eggsistentialism
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “For The Lovely Eggs, being in a band is a way of life. It’s about art. It’s about creativity and expression. It’s about following your own path and doing things your own way. Holly Ross and David Blackwell operate on their terms, spewing out music, records, art and television shows before piling in the van and tearing round the country to perform a load of live sold-out shows. “The new album is really a reflection on what has been happening to us these last couple of years, stewing up in Eggland in our own juices,” explains Holly. “It’s about loss and strength. On this album you’ll hear us at our lowest and most vulnerable. Daily life is hard. Realising everything you grew up with and loved is never coming back, alongside the responsibilities of caring for others is sometimes hard to take. The album is about life and death. Eggsistentialism. It’s about dragging yourself through all the shit to get to the other side.”
The Mavericks
Moon & Stars
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Miami-formed and Nashville-based, genre-bending Americana icons The Mavericks return with their 13th studio album Moon & Stars. The record marks their first new music release since 2020’s groundbreaking and chart-topping En Español and their first return to a full English language release since their acclaimed Brand New Day album in 2017. “This record has been a journey of reflection, introspection, patience, learning and evolving. Some of these songs were written years ago, but they weren’t ready. Or maybe we weren’t. We are now,” the bandmembers say. Already known for their distinctive and eclectic Americana/roots fusion of alternative and outlaw country, rock, blues, R&B and Tejano/Tex-Mex influences, The Mavericks quite appropriately recorded the tracks of Moon & Stars across the country in Blackbird Studio (Nashville), Frogville Studios (Santa Fe), and Dockside Studio (Louisiana). The result is a long-awaited album that instantly invokes both a timeless feel of a classic release that will fit seamlessly among their most revered work, while once again challenging genre conventions and pushing the boundaries of their melting pot sound ever forward.”
Ruth Moody
Wanderer
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Ruth Moody is an award-winning singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Winnipeg. Her otherworldly soprano voice and her inspired songwriting have gained the admiration of the hearts, minds, and ears of millions of listeners. As a solo artist and a founding and current member of The Wailin’ Jennys, she has garnered two Juno Awards and performed to rapt audiences in sold-out venues around the globe. Her new album Wanderer is the chronicle of her life’s journey over the last ten years. Wanderer explores the emotional journey of motherhood, the joy and pain of life, the mysterious and complicated dance of love, and ultimately, the longing we all feel for home, wherever that might be. Recorded at Sound Emporium in Nashville, the self-penned album was co-produced by Moody and Dan Knobler (Allison Russell, Lake Street Dive) and mixed by Tucker Martine (My Morning Jacket, First Aid Kit, Decemberists). Moody brought together her favourite musicians and challenged herself to be as present and honest in her performance as possible. The result is a transcendent collection of ten deeply powerful and personal songs that reflect Moody’s inner world and wanderings.”
Of Montreal
Lady On The Cusp
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Kevin Barnes did not believe they could ever leave Georgia. Barnes arrived in the erstwhile college-rock hub of Athens around 1996, a pop four-tracker in their early 20s with permissive images of David Bowie, Prince, and Iggy Pop prancing through their head. Almost immediately, Of Montreal became a signal flare for a slowly changing South. Barnes, who will answer to any pronoun you proffer, bent gender and genre through complicated and ever-delightful records, trouble and woe fueling kinetic tunes of radical incandescence. But there is only so much energy one can expend on the vanguard, living in a town that often felt like a frat house suffused with regressive notions of race, sexuality, and decency. It all exhausted Barnes. They had, however, built a life there — a home, a family, a studio, a reputation. Could Barnes ever really exit? The new Lady On The Cusp is not only a rapturous synthesis of most everything Of Montreal have ever done but also Barnes’ final transmission from Athens, as they’re now a fresh Southern expatriate delighted to be living among the snowy peaks and progressive politics of southern Vermont.”
Shellac
To All Trains
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “THE BAND: It’s still: Steve Albini ◊ Guitar. Todd Trainer ◊ Drums. Bob Weston ◊ Bass. DATA: This is Shellac’s sixth studio LP. Recording & mixing took place at Electrical Audio in Chicago over a bunch of long weekends in November 2017; October 2019; September 2021; and March 2022. The record was mastered by Bob & Steve at Chicago Mastering Service. PACKAGING: LP and CD packaging and artwork are identical (the CD is just smaller). Bob took all the photos; some with a fancy camera and some with a telephone. QC: Audio quality is paramount, as always, with Shellac. The LPs are being manufactured by Green Vinyl Records using an injection molding process. This new process uses 100% recyclable PET (like soda bottles) and is environmentally friendly, containing no PVC or Phthalates. The process also uses 79% less CO2 than conventional hydraulic PVC vinyl presses. The records weigh 180 grams. PROMOTION: Other than the informational sheet you hold in your hand (or virtual hand), this record will have no formal promotion. There will be no advertisements, no press or radio promotion, no e-promotion, no promotional or review copies, no promotional gimmick items, and otherwise no free lunch. Photos of the band are available. And the band is available for email or telephone interviews.”
Slash
Orgy Of The Damned
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Slash’s new album Orgy Of The Damned is a collection of 12 dynamic songs that shakes up and revitalizes blues classics with a stripped down, instinctive approach. Working in a similar way to his 2010 self-titled solo LP Slash, which featured multiple guest vocalists, the acclaimed guitarist teamed up with numerous musicians and singers to create a singular expression that pays homage to the blues. By celebrating both well-known and largely undiscovered songs, Slash offers a nostalgic nod to the past while reinvigorating the songs with his inimitable guitar playing and the spirit of collaboration. The album enthusiastically encompasses a broad range of styles within the blues genre, veering from an upbeat, rowdy take on Robert Johnson’s Crossroads to a plaintive, twanging rendition of T. Bone Walker’s Stormy Monday. Hoochie Coochie Man, written by Willie Dixon, and made famous by Muddy Waters in 1954, showcases the in-the-moment nature and unrestrained energy of the LP, with Z.Z. Top’s Billy F. Gibbons stepping in on guitar and vocals. “I always thought about Billy doing it,” Slash says. “I had to chase him down and we ended up recording him at a studio in Palm Springs. It sounds very live, like you’re hearing it in a bar somewhere.”
Sqürl
Music For Man Ray
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Jim Jarmusch and Carter Logan (founding members of Sqürl) return with a sonic exploration of the cinematic works of Dadaist pioneer Man Ray, a captivating project that melds music and film. Over the past eight years, Sqürl have been enchanting audiences with their live scores to Man Ray’s short films across sold-out shows in prestigious venues in Paris, London, and Chicago. The culmination of their endeavor took place in the spring of 2023, on the 100th anniversary of Man Ray’s inaugural foray into filmmaking, when the newly restored Return to Reason premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. Jarmusch and Logan, two multidisciplinary artists known for their experimental prowess, approached these scores as a way to create an ecstatic state, a space between consciousness and unconsciousness, reality, and the surreal. The resulting album, Music For Man Ray, born out of a live recording at the Centre Pompidou in February of 2023, features distorted guitars, hypnotic feedback, loops and affected synthesizers. In the words of Logan, “It’s a journey we want to take the audience on, illuminating themes throughout these films. They are discrete, but there are also recurring echoes throughout the whole program.” Jarmusch adds, “We feel very proud to be Man Ray’s backup band.”
