Like a tropical drink melting in your hand, this week’s new albums bring that summer feeling to your life. On South of Here, their fourth album, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats bring sweeping arrangements to some of their bandleader’s richest songwriting. Versatile singer Omar Apollo’s second LP, God Said No, is an emotional song cycle that features appearances by John Mayer, Mustafa, and Pedro Pascal. Philly combo Queen of Jeans’ fully realized All Again shrouds its raw subject matter in a cloud of guitar sparkle. Their first album in nearly 25 years, John Davis and Lou Barlow’s Folk Implosion return to their improvisational roots (and add in traditional Middle Eastern instrumentation) on Walk Thru Me.
Melbourne’s Hiatus Kaiyote dial in their funked-up jazz fusion on Love Heart Cheat Code, whose songs reference Sun Ra, The Temptations, and Adventure Time. Inspired by another well-known monochromatic self-titled double album, power-punk family Redd Kross celebrate 40+ years of melodic mayhem across 18 new songs. Ernest Greene’s fifth Washed Out album, Notes from a Quiet Life, emerged from a return to the countryside of his childhood.
Listen for spotlights on new records like these (and more) every week on the XPN Morning Show and Indie Rock Hit Parade.
Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats – South of Here
CHECK OUT: “Heartless” “David and Goliath”
Omar Apollo – God Said No
CHECK OUT: “Dispose of Me” “Less of You”
Queen of Jeans – All Again
CHECK OUT: “Karaoke” “Bitter Pill”
The Folk Implosion – Walk Thru Me
CHECK OUT: “Moonlit Kind” “My Little Lamb”
Hiatus Kaiyote – Love Heart Cheat Code
CHECK OUT: “Everything’s Beautiful” “Make Friends”
Redd Kross – Redd Kross
CHECK OUT: “Candy Coloured Catastrophe” “Born Innocent”
Washed Out – Notes from a Quiet Life
CHECK OUT: “The Hardest Part” “Running Away”
Aaron Frazer – Into the Blue, Aloe Blacc – Rock My Soul Vol. 2, The Babalooneys – Late to the Party!, Bodysync – Nutty, Brujas – Brujas EP, Camila Cabello – C, XOXO, Dirty Three – Love Changes Everything, Eric Hilton – Out of the Blur, The Felice Brothers – Valley of Abandoned Songs, Frances Forever – Lockjaw, Gabriel Birnbaum – Patron Saint of Tireless Losers, Gerry Beckley – Gerry Beckley, Guided by Voices – Strut of Kings, Imagine Dragons – LOOM, Johnny Cash – Songwriter, Lil Yachty and James Blake – Bad Cameo, Loma – How Will I Live Without a Body?, Lupe Fiasco – Samurai, Megan Thee Stallion – MEGAN, MILLY – Your Own Becoming, The Mountain Goats – Coroner’s Gambit (Reissue), Mt. Joy – Live at the Salt Shed, MUNA – Live at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, Neil Young + Crazy Horse – Early Daze, Previous Industries – Service Merchandise, The Residents – Demons Dance Alone (pREServed Edition), Sour Widows – Revival of a Friend, STEFA* – Born with an Extra Rib, SUSS – Birds & Beasts, Wilco – Hot Sun Cool Shroud EP, Yes – Fragile (Super Deluxe Edition), Young Fresh Fellows – The Fabulous Sounds of the Pacific Northwest (40th Anniversary Edition)
