So many artists, so little time. Each week we review a handful of new albums (of all genres), round up even more new music that we'd call "indie," and talk about what metal is coming out. We post music news, track premieres, and more all day. In these concertless times, that includes daily livestreams and live concert videos we love. We publish a monthly playlist of some of our favorite tracks. Here's a daily roundup with a bunch of interesting, newly released songs in one place.
ACTRESS - "WALKING FLAMES" (ft. SAMPHA)
When UK electronic musician Actress released his one-track, 48-minute album 88, earlier this year, he also mentioned he'd release a second new album, Karma & Desire, in the fall. That album now has an exact release date (October 23 via Ninja Tune), and it'll include this hypnotic, atmospheric song with airy guest vocals by Sampha.
--
MOZZY - "DEATH IS CALLIN"
Sacramento rapper Mozzy already put out the very good Beyond Bulletproof this year and he's gearing up for another new project, Occupational Hazard. New single "Death Is Callin" finds Mozzy exploring a darker side -- musically and lyrically -- over a classic West Coast bounce.
--
DANIEL AVERY - "LONE SWORDSMAN" (ANDREW WEATHERALL TRIBUTE)
Daniel Avery has released "Dusting for Smoke," from this year's surprise album Love + Light, as a single and with it comes a brand new b-side that's a tribute to the late, great Andrew Weatherall. “I was in my studio the morning I heard about Andrew Weatherall’s passing,” Avery says. “The track ‘Lone Swordsman’ is what formed that day. Andrew was a hero, a friend and someone who regularly reminded us all how it should be done, not to mention the funniest fucker around. Proceeds from this record will be donated to Amnesty International in his memory. Thank you for everything.”
--
JOHN CAMERON MITCHELL - "NEW AMERICAN DREAM" FT. JUSTIN CRAIG, AMBER MARTIN
"New American Dream is a lockdown-inspired remotely-organized platonic musical orgy," Hedwig creator John Cameron Mitchell says of his latest project. "The idea started during my self-isolation in a 100 year old stone hut near Palm Springs. I encouraged screen/songwriter Our Lady J to send me an instrumental track over which I wrote the melody/lyrics to 'See You Again' – a tribute to the homeless during the pandemic which we performed for the Stonewall Gives Back Zoom benefit. It went so well that I reached out to a variety of musical friends who sent in their own tracks which I could write to. I even contacted a stranger in the South of France on Instagram, Izae, because I liked his cover of a Hedwig song and we ended up writing two songs on the album. Like the old story about the Stone Soup where strangers throw whatever food item they possessed into a communal pot, old friends and new donated vocals, overdubs, mixing, mastering, video production, art and publicity. Soon I realized we had a double album that could benefit the various charities that I’ve been helping through this dark time with Hedwig merch sales. It’s been such a comfort to us and we hope others will feel it too and add to the pot for the benefit of those in need'." Here's the album's title track.
--
AQUILES NAVARRO & TCHESER HOLMES - "PUEBLO"
Aquiles Navarro & Tcheser Holmes are both members of Irreversible Entanglements and they're also a duo on their own, with new album Heritage of the Invisible II coming out October 23 via International Anthem. Navarro says lead single "Pueblo" is "a celebration of life, the coming together of the people, el pueblo, a celebration of who we are, where we come from, it’s our pueblo, our people, a feeling of openness, hope, and a future of unity from el pueblo, the people." Even without lyrics, those feelings come through.
--
MONICA - "TRENCHES" (ft. LIL BABY, prod. THE NEPTUNES)
Last night, "The Boy Is Mine" collaborators Monica and Brandy went head to head in the latest Verzuz battle, and now Monica has released a new single. It's off her upcoming TBA album (which will be her first since 2015), it was produced by fellow hip hop veterans The Neptunes, and it features the currently famous Atlanta trap star Lil Baby. It's nostalgia-inducing, but it sounds fresh and inspired and it suggests that new album could be a serious comeback.
--
LO TOM - "OUTTA HERE"
Lo Tom -- aka Pedro the Lion leader David Bazan, former PTL member TW Walsh, and Starflyer 59 members Jason Martin and Trey Many (the latter of whom also played in PTL) -- are self-releasing their sophomore album next Friday (9/11) and here's a second single from it. It's a soaring, driving rock anthem with a little U2-ish grandiosity but still clearly the unmistakable work of David Bazan.
--
KEVEL - "OF BEING"
Athens, Greece's Kevel are releasing their new album Mutatis Mutandis on October 23 via I, Voidhanger Records, and first single/opening track "Of Being" is seven minutes of harsh, proggy post-metal.
--
PROMETHEUS - "GRAVITONS PASSING THROUGH YOG-SOTHOTH"
Also out October 23 via I, Voidhanger Records is Resonant Echoes From Cosmos Of Old by fellow Greek band Prometheus. Their first single/opening track is nearly eight minutes of pulverizingly evil black metal.
--
CUT WORMS - “EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE” & “THE GOLDEN SKY”
Here's two more songs from Cut Worms' upcoming double album Nobody Lives Here Anymore. "Every Once in a While" is a loping folk-rock number, while "The Golden Sky" has a more atmospheric feel to it.
--
TOBIN SPROUT - "EVERY SWEET SOUL"
Former Guided by Voices member Tobin Sprout releases his new solo album Empty Horses on September 18 via Fire. (It was originally due out in June, but then...pandemic.) Spare and melodic, "Every Sweet Soul" is the quietest of electric folk, that Tobin says is "about dealing with separation." He adds, "Growing up, leaving home and learning to live on your own. How an exciting new world can be lonely at times, and the emptiness of having the kids gone. 'Empty rooms may try to break you’. It’s something you know is good for everyone and should happen, but it takes some time to move on.”
--
EELS - "WHO YOU SAY YOU ARE"
"Here’s a way to forget your troubles for two minutes and 55 seconds," Mark Oliver Everett says. "Listen to this song and think about my problems instead. You’re welcome!" "Who You Say You Are" is the b-side to "Baby Let's Make It Real," which came out last month.
--
JOHN FRUSCIANTE - "AMETHBLOWL"
Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante will release new solo album, Maya, on October 23. The album is named after his cat who recently passed and inspired by "his favorite music: '91 to'96 UK breakbeat hardcore and jungle." It's definitely in your face.
--
DEEP SEA DIVER - "IMPOSSIBLE WEIGHT" FT. SHARON VAN ETTEN
Deep Sea Diver are releasing their third album, Impossible Weight, on October 16 via High Beam Records / ATO Records, and they've shared the title track, which features guest vocals from Sharon Van Etten.
--
JEREMIAH SAND (FROM THE FILM MANDY) - "MESSAGE FROM THE MOUNTAIN"
Fans of phantasmagoric Nicolas Cage film horror/revenge flick Mandy may know the name Jeremiah Sand as the leader of the acid cult leader who Cage's character is set on killing.
Sand has a few songs in the film and now there's a whole record, which is being presented as a "lost" album from 1974. The late Genesis P Orridge wrote the liner notes for it and you can sample the wares via "Message from the Mountain."
--
BETTER PERSON - "SOMETHING TO LOSE"
‘Something to Lose’ is the first happy song I’ve ever written,” says Adam Byczkowski who records as Better Person and will release his debut album on October 23 via Montreal's Arbutus Records. This is the title track. “Initially I wanted to capture the ecstatic feeling of fresh love, the excitement and thrill that comes with it. But as time went by, this simple song gained more and more meaning for me. Falling in love so deeply and strongly woke me up from a lethargic, cynical state, it radically changed my view on the world and my entire life.”
--
ARAB STRAP - "THE TURNING OF OUR BONES"
Arab Strap returned with their first song in 15 years, and they sound as creepy and compelling as you remember. Read more here.
--
HEN OGLEDD (RICHARD DAWSON) - "CRIMSON STAR"
UK singer-songwriter Richard Dawson, in solo mode, is known for knotty, experimental psych-folk on such records as Nothing Important and Peasant. If you've wondered what it might be like if he made pop music, or his version of it, he is doing just that with his quartet Hen Ogledd -- that also includes Rhodri Davies, Sally Pilkington and Dawn Bothwell -- who will release their new album, Free Humans, on September 25. Hen Ogledd cite ABBA, 12th century mystic-composer-naturalist-visionary Hildegard von Bingen, and Werner Herzog as influences, but listening to new single "Crimson Star," it's more of a proggy synthpop vibe, and with Dawson's warm vocals things head into Robert Wyatt territory.
--
KEVIN MORBY - "CAMPFIRE" FT. WAXAHATCHEE
Kevin Morby hinted last week that something new was coming, and now the cat's out of the bag: new album Sundowner will be out October 16 via Dead Oceans. Kevin calls it an "attempt to put the Middle American twilight -- its beauty profound, though not always immediate -- into sound." First single is the quiet "Campfire" featuring Kevin's partner, Katie Crutchfield. The video's even better.
--
EASTWOOD - "I (DON'T) NEED YOU"
Eastwood, the lighter indie rock/emo project led by Cole Crutchfield of modern-day hardcore/metalcore greats Knocked Loose, have a new single off their upcoming debut LP, and you can read more about it here.
--
DESCENDENTS - "HOPE" (UKULELE VERSION)
LAW Records and The Nowell Family Foundation have come together to release a tribute album to the late Sublime frontman Bradley Nowell, The House That Bradley Built, with proceeds going towards the creation of The Nowell Family Foundation's forthcoming Southern California rehab center, Bradley's House, and Descendents' contribution is an acoustic ukulele version of their own "Hope," which Sublime covered on their 1992 debut album 40oz. to Freedom. Read more here.
--
AMIENSUS - "ICONOCLASM"
Minnesota progressive black metallers Amiensus have been going strong since 2010 (and lead vocalist James Benson has also been in Chrome Waves since 2018), and they're now set to release their third album -- and first in five years -- Abreaction, in October. Read more about the new single here.
--
Looking for even more new songs? Browse the ‘New Songs’ archive.