PRESS PLAY: New Albums out August 2026

Wrap up the month with another astonishingly abundant assortment of new albums…

Though it’s only been eight years since their last full-length, Alabama Shakes’ reunion feels like nothing short of an event; I Must Be Dreaming is a welcome return from the Yellowhammer state trio. Bluegrass wunderkind Billy Strings co-produced So Much for Goodbyes with T Bone Burnett, introducing a murky moodiness (and several notable guest musicians) into his road-honed style. Though it lacked a title until mere hours before its release, Erykah Badu & The Alchemist’s long-simmering Before the World Blows is a trippy funk meditation.

Stepping back into the solo spotlight for the first time in eight years, My Morning Jacket’s Jim James checks himself out of the infinite scroll deluge on Wowed Out. Inspired by the musical ambitions of his sons (who appear on the record), Beastie Boy Mike D makes his solo debut with the whirlwind sound collage Thank You. The Linda Lindas, who gained viral fame for a rowdy performance at a Los Angeles public library, keep the energy high and the messages unfiltered on their third album, Gotta Get Out.

Massachusetts alt-rock lifers Dinosaur Jr reconvene for the sixth LP of their second act (and 13^th overall); J Mascis roundly throttles a newly acquired vintage amplifier throughout There Near. XPN favorites Brandi Carlile, Aaron Dessner, and Madison Cunningham all contribute to Good Grief, the first album by Sara Bareilles since her recent Broadway turns in Into the Woods and Redwood.

Recording in their hometown of New York City for the first time since 2014’s El Pintor, Interpol reexamine, reconnect, and reconcile on This Mirror Weighs a Ton. The Animeros made a strong impression at their late-night NonComm set back in the spring; the Austin crew’s Dan Auerbach-produced debut, ¡Qué Bárbaro!, is a celebration of south-of-the-border rhythms.

Listen for spotlights on new records like these (and more) every week on the XPN Morning Show and Indie Rock Hit Parade.

PRESS PLAY on these new releases

The PRESS PLAY-list

FURTHER LISTENING

A Certain Ratio – The Joy of Sextet / Force Majeure, Alex Warren – WILDCHILD, Allah-Las – Sirenas, Asher White – Love Aggregates, Bananarama – True Confessions (40^th Anniversary Edition), Beartooth – Pure Ecstasy, Bitchin Bajas – Isle Peaks EP, Brittany Ann Tranbaugh – Lucky Broke Girl, CMAT – EURO-COUNTRY (Live at St Anne’s) EP, Cold Gawd – Glory2 EP, Dahi – Black Boy (Alternative), Dos Santos – Es Amor, Enneads – Enneads, Elephant Stone – ASHA, Everlast – Embers to Ashes, Fruition – Something More, Graham Hunt – American Pyramid, Jared Hart – Midnight Motel, The Jayhawks – Sanctuary Park, John Vanderslice – FOCUS, LA Priest – Into the Sky, Lambchop – Punching the Clown, Little Big Town – It’s a Dying Art, Maripool – Rotten Luck, Mastodon – Marrow Deep, The Muffs – Live at Fort Apache, MuMu – The Brothel: A Musical Memoir, OK Go – Oh No (Extra Nice Edition), Prince – Timeless, Pulp – Live!, Reza Safinia – 1/∞, Riley Downing – Landfill Poetry, Ruthie Foster – Just Say Yes, Saul Williams – Leap Life, Sera Cahoone – I’ve Missed You All These Years, Son Volt – Sound Signal Serenades, Soul Asylum – MPLS Unplugged, Steve Hackett and Steve Rothery – The Roaring Waves, Tiny Habits – Keepers, True Mountain Laurel – Angel So Bad, Upper Wilds – Mercury, Velocity Girl – 1989-1992, The Warning – Everything’s Falling

PRESS PLAY Back Catalog

Still not enough new music?? For previous editions of PRESS PLAY, click HERE