Like your plastic pumpkin filled with miniature confections that you’ve been steadily dipping into since the first of the month, you won’t want to wait another moment to dive into this week’s batch of new releases. Soulful Texas rockers Black Pumas make their long-awaited return with their psychedelic, crystalline second album Chronicles of a Diamond. Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince prowl and purr their way through God Games; it’s The Kills’ first new release in seven years. Turntable icon DJ Shadow dives deep into his boundless sound library and forgoes guest vocalists on the return-to-form Action Adventure. Just in time for Halloween (and Simon LeBon’s birthday), Duran Duran howl at the moon and cover a few spooky classics on Danse Macabre.
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard offer two versions of their synthesizer based 25th album, The Silver Cord: the standard edition clocks in at just under 30 minutes while the extended mixes add on an extra hour of electronic Gizzardry. On Jenny from Thebes, John Darnielle returns to the story and setting of the Mountain Goats’ beloved 2002 album All Hail West Texas for an inviting sequel that features appearances by Matt Nathanson, The Go-Go’s Kathy Valentine, and Alicia Bognanno of Bully. Louisiana bluesman Robert Finley continues his fruitful collaboration with Dan Auerbach on the swampy Black Bayou. Angie McMahon’s Light, Dark, Light Again chronicles a challenging, but ultimately resilient time in the Australian singer-songwriter’s life.
PRESS PLAY on these new releases below. Listen for spotlights on new records like these (and more) every Friday on the XPN Morning Show and Indie Rock Hit Parade.
Black Pumas – Chronicles of a Diamond
CHECK OUT: “More Than a Love Song” “Angel”
The Kills – God Games
CHECK OUT: “103” “New York”
DJ Shadow – Action Adventure
CHECK OUT: “You Played Me” “Ozone Scraper”
Duran Duran – Danse Macabre
CHECK OUT: “Black Moonlight” “Psycho Killer (feat. Victoria De Angelis)”
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – The Silver Cord
CHECK OUT: “Theia” “The Silver Cord”
the Mountain Goats – Jenny from Thebes
CHECK OUT: “Clean Slate” “Fresh Tattoo”
Robert Finley – Black Bayou
CHECK OUT: “Sneakin’ Around” “You Got it (and I Need it)”
Angie McMahon – Light, Dark, Light Again
CHECK OUT: “Letting Go” “Exploding”
FURTHER LISTENING:
Barbra Streisand – EVERGREENS: Celebrating Six Decades on Columbia Records / YENTL (40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition), Billy Bragg – The Roaring Forty 1983-2023, Bruce Hornsby – Spirit Trail (25th Anniversary Edition), Circus Devils – Squeeze the Needle, The Gaslight Anthem – History Books, James Blunt – Who We Used to Be, Jessi Colter – Edge of Forever, José González – Veneer (20th Anniversary Edition), Julia Pratt – Two to Tango EP, Linda Ronstadt – A Merry Little Christmas (Reissue), Loyal Lobos – LOBA Vol. I EP, The Manakooras – Christmas with the Manakooras EP, Mayer Hawthorne – For All Time, Mötley Crüe – Year of the Devil, Nirvana – In Utero (30th Anniversary Edition), Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark – Bauhaus Staircase, PAWS – PAWS, Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs – Live In New York, Prince – Diamonds and Pearls (Deluxe Edition), Robin Trower – Joyful Sky, Rocket – Versions of You EP, Samara Joy – A Joyful Holiday EP, The Serfs – Half Eaten By Dogs, Shabazz Palaces – Robbed in Rareness, Sheer Mag – A Distant Call (Reissue) / Compilation I, II, & III (Reissue) / Need to Feel Your Love (Reissue), Superchunk – Misfits & Mistakes: Singles, B-Sides & Strays 2007–2023, Taylor Swift – 1989 (Taylor’s Version), The Third Mind – 2, V V Brown – Am I British Yet?, Wild Nothing – Hold, Various Artists – The Joyful Noise Halloween Party Vol. 1
