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 update a playlist weekly of some of our current favorite tracks. Here's a daily roundup with a bunch of interesting, newly released songs in one place.
WOODS - "NICKELS AND DIMES"
Woods are releasing a deluxe version of Strange To Explain later this month and one of the new bonus tracks is this lovely new song that seems too good for it not to have made the album originally. “It's kind of my way of asking if anyone is still listening,” says frontman Jeremy Earl. “It gets hard to tell if you are being heard with all of the digital noise out there. With no shows for almost 2 years it's even more difficult. I miss seeing people's reactions to our music. I miss talking to people after our shows. So this song hits especially hard for me right now. Is anybody out there?” The video, like the one for "Waiting Around for a New Me," also pays tribute to classic TV detective series Columbo.
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JOHN CAMERON MITCHELL & ALYNDA SEGARRA (HURRAY FOR THE RIFF-RAFF) - "AMERICAN SICKNESS"
John Cameron Mitchell recorded a new album in 2020 during the pandemic, and proceeds from it, and this new single, will go to Burritos Not Bombs food bank, Trans-GI Justice Project, and Dr. MLK Scholarship Trust Fund. "I can’t believe I got to co-write with Alynda Segarra of Hurray for the Riff Raff, who is my Springsteen, Chrissie Hynde, and Patti Smith all rolled into one" Mitchell said. "'American Sickness' uses the pandemic as a metaphor for what might be killing us spiritually. It’s a modern-day murder ballad, but what got murdered was idealism. Nathan Stassin’s brilliant animation perfectly captures the contagious ‘fever dream’ we all live in today."
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MOA MOA - "COLTAN CANDY"
Dan Carey's Speedy Wunderground studio (and label) are back in action and have just released this new 7" single recorded in one 13-hour session with new synthpop group moa moa. "It was scary and exciting in equal measures going into it" say the band, "but Dan and Lex create such a safe, encouraging creative space, and from that, we somehow came out with a moa track we're all happy with."
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JAYKAE x JORJA SMITH - "1000 NIGHTS"
UK grime MC Jaykae and UK soul singer Jorja Smith team up over a clattering beat (from producer Erzah) on this appealing new song.
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YAJIROBE - ASHBY TAPE
In addition to playing bass in the great screamo band Infant Island, Kyle Guerra is also a hip hop beatmaker under the moniker Yajirobe, and he just released the 9-song Ashby Tape with that project. Kyle made the beats, and raps come from a variety of guests, including Alfred., Ty Sorrell, Kwallah, and others. If you're into the heyday of the Def Jux/Rhymesayers alternative rap era, you should give this a listen.
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ERIC SLICK FT. TORRES - "AS LONG AS WE GOT EACH OTHER (GROWING PAINS TV THEME)
Solo artist and Dr. Dog drummer Eric Slick and Torres joined forces on this cover of the Growing Pains theme song for Perpetual Doom's weekly series. "I chose Growing Pains because it’s an absolutely bonkers theme song," Eric says. "It has been lodged in my brain since 1991. I don’t really like that show, but that theme song is incredible. There’s a key change and you really don’t see it coming. I’m really thrilled that I got Torres to sing it with me. It feels like kismet."
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DEMERSAL - "SUFFER FOR EACH OTHER"
Having just released a split with Regarding Ambiguity, Danish screamo/hardcore band Demersal have announced their own new EP, Death Routines, due September 17 via Zegemea Beach in Canada (and a bunch of other labels in Europe). First single "Suffer For Each Other" is intense, caustic stuff.
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GAMMAGIRL - "VAN HELSING KILLED KIDS"
UK artist gammaGIRL has released a new single, "Van Helsing Killed Kids," on Knifepunch Records (Home Is Where, Gilt), and it's a dose of rough-around-the-edges, lo-fi punk that's as scrappy as it is anthemic.
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YOLA - "STARLIGHT"
The latest single off Yola's new album, Stand For Myself, is "Starlight," which she says "is a song about looking for positive physical, sexual and human connections at every level of your journey towards love. The world seems to attach a negative trope of cold heartlessness to the concept of any sexual connection that isn’t marriage, this song looks through a lens of warmth specifically when it comes to sex positivity. Understanding the necessity of every stage of connection and that it is possible for every stage of your journey in love, sex and connection to be nurturing. Temporary or transitory doesn’t have to be meaningless or miserable. In the right situations every connection can teach us something valuable about who we are, what we want and what is healthy."
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GRAND COLLAPSE - "PANIC ROOM"
UK punks Grand Collapse will release their third album, Empty Plinths, on August 6 via TNSrecords, and lead single "Panic Room" is a ripper that's equal parts thrashy and melodic.
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DVSN & TY DOLLA $IGN - "I BELIEVED IT" (ft. MAC MILLER)
OVO-signed R&B duo dvsn and LA crooner Ty Dolla $ign are planning to release a collaborative album on OVO, and lead single "I Believed It" is a promising, soulful single featuring the late Mac Miller.
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BRENT FAIYAZ - "WASTING TIME" (ft. DRAKE, prod. THE NEPTUNES)
R&B singer Brent Faiyaz has released a new Neptunes-produced song that puts a fresh spin on late '90s/early 2000s R&B, and it features a rapped verse by Drake.
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COMMON - "IMAGINE" (ft. PJ)
Common raps over a classic soulful backdrop on his new song "Imagine," and the powerhouse hook from PJ really seals the deal.
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GOLDEN BOOTS - "EYE IN THE SKY" (ALAN PARSONS PROJECT)
Arizona dreampop artist Golden Boots has just released a lovely cover of Alan Parsons Project's 1982 hit "Eye in the Sky" featuring singer/songwriter Lonna Kelley on vocals and Alex McMahon (Gral Brothers) on pedal & lap steel guitars.
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TENACIOUS D - “YOU NEVER GIVE ME YOUR MONEY / THE END”
"Tenacious D are paying tribute to the greatest band in the world…not themselves…The Beatles!!! In the spirit of healing the world….please enjoy tenacious d’s mashup of two classics from Abbey Road. All vinyl proceeds go to Doctors Without Borders."
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ADE & CONNAN MOCKASIN - "THE WOLF"
Connan Mockasin has made an album with his father, Ade Mockasin. It's called It's Just Wind and will be out digitally July 14, which is Ade's 72nd birthday.
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DANIEL LANOIS / LEONARD COHEN - "TORN AGAIN"
Daniel Lanois has released a new song, "Torn Again," which features a spoken word performance by the late Leonard Cohen. It features pedal steel guitarist Rocco Deluca, who creates a gorgeous, ethereal backdrop for Cohen's sorrowful lines and unmistakable voice.
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DIVINE HORSEMEN - "STONY PATH"
Los Angeles punk/roots vets Divine Horsemen, still powered by the vocal forces of Chris D (The Flesh Eaters) and Julie Christensen, will release Hot Rise of an Ice Cream Phoenix, the group's first album in 33 years, on August 27 via In the Red.
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KEVIN NICHOLS - "MY FRIEND"
Bay Area musician Kevin Nichols refers to his music as "prunge," which is short for pop-grunge, and you can get a taste of that from new single "My Friend." Read more about it here.
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VILLAGERS - "SO SIMPATICO"
Villagers' new album, Fever Dreams, is due out August 20 via Domino, and the latest single is "So Simpatico," which Conor O'Brien says is "a song of devotion; whether to a person, the self, or the art of being, a struggle for authenticity is at its core. We all jammed and recorded an early version with too many words and I took it home and simplified it until it was as pure an expression as possible. It’s a pop song about the essence of love."
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NAS - "LIFE IS LIKE A DICE GAME" (ft. FREDDIE GIBBS & CORDAE)
Nas has released a finished version of his 1993 freestyle "Life Is Like A Dice Game" with help from Hit-Boy and guest verses from Freddie Gibbs and Cordae. Read more about it here.
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Looking for even more new songs? Browse the ‘New Songs archive.