Once upon a time I was falling in love, now I’m only falling apart; while you’re waiting for the next eclipse (see you in 2045!), have a listen to this week’s new albums. Writing and recording at a breakneck pace, Maggie Rogers’ Don’t Forget Me is a raw and immediate document of the songwriter’s continued growth. For One Deep River, his tenth solo album, Dire Straits veteran Mark Knopfler showcases his signature guitar technique across a dozen reflective compositions. Leyla McCalla follows her multi-disciplinary Breaking the Thermometer project with the Afrofuturism-inspired Sun Without the Heat. Brooklyn art-punks BODEGA complete a trilogy of barbed consumer commentary on Our Brand Could Be Yr Life.
Leeds newcomers English Teacher confront expectations on their full-length debut, This Could Be Texas, which features several of the band’s early singles. With two of his celebrated projects, The Comet is Coming and Sons of Kemet, now in the rearview, saxophonist Shabaka Hutchings forges a new path on his solo debut, Perceive its Beauty, Acknowledge its Grace. It should come as little surprise that Marie Ringheim’s second album as girl in red, I’M DOING IT AGAIN BABY!, was heavily inspired by the Norwegian singer’s experience opening for Taylor Swift on the U.S. leg of her Eras Tour. As a member of Friendship and 2nd Grade, Philadelphia composer Michael Cormier-O’Leary has strong roots in the indie/folk-rock scenes; with his project Hour he expands into intricate neo-classical soundscapes on Ease the Work.
PRESS PLAY on these new releases below. Listen for spotlights on new records like these (and more) every week on the XPN Morning Show and Indie Rock Hit Parade.
Maggie Rogers – Don’t Forget Me
CHECK OUT: “Don’t Forget Me” “So Sick of Dreaming”
Mark Knopfler – One Deep River
CHECK OUT: “Ahead of the Game” “Two Pairs of Hands”
Leyla McCalla – Sun Without the Heat
CHECK OUT: “Scaled to Survive” “Love We Had”
BODEGA – Our Brand Could Be Yr Life
CHECK OUT: “City is Taken” “Tarkovski”
English Teacher – This Could Be Texas
CHECK OUT: “R&B” “The World’s Biggest Paving Slab”
Shabaka Hutchings – Perceive its Beauty, Acknowledge its Grace
CHECK OUT: “End of Innocence” “I’ll Do Whatever You Want (feat. Floating Points & Laraaji)”
girl in red – I’M DOING IT AGAIN BABY!
CHECK OUT: “Too Much” “DOING IT AGAIN BABY”
Hour – Ease the Work
CHECK OUT: “Mom Calls and You Answer” “Hallmark”