Hard to believe but we’ve arrived at the end of another year of PRESS PLAY. After today, regular album releases are expected to resume in early January. I already have a list going.

Captured this summer, Rome offers a document of a particularly raucous career-spanning set by The National at the Eternal City’s Cavea of the Auditorium Parco della Musica Ennio Morricone. Continuing their experimental streak from 2021’s I’ve Been Trying to Tell You, UK pop trio Saint Etienne create liminal sonic spaces on their sample-driven 12^th album, The Night. Produced by Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg’s Missionary features guest appearances by Eminem, 50 Cent, Sting, and a rework of “Mary Jane’s Last Dance” with Jelly Roll.

In the world of archival releases, Daft Punk’s Discovery gets an updated edition to coincide with a one-night-only screening of Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem, the robots’ 2003 collaboration with Toei Animation and the late mangaka Leiji Matsumoto. The third and final installment in their thorough retrospective series, G Stands for Go-Betweens Vol. 3 collects the Brisbane group’s last three LPs alongside rarities like Robert Forster and Grant McLennan’s last demos before the latter’s death in 2006.

Listen for spotlights on new records like these (and more) every week on the XPN Morning Show and Indie Rock Hit Parade. And for a roundup of the year’s new holiday music releases, skate on over to Merry PRESSmas.

PRESS PLAY on these new releases

The National – Rome
CHECK OUT: “Lemonworld” “Fake Empire”

Saint Etienne – The Night
CHECK OUT: “Half Light” “Daydream”

Snoop Dogg – Missionary
CHECK OUT: “Another Part of Me (feat. Sting)” “Outta Da Blue (feat. Dr. Dre & Alus)”

Daft Punk – Discovery: Interstella 5555 Edition
CHECK OUT: “One More Time” “Veridis Quo”

The Go-Betweens – G Stands for Go-Betweens Vol. 3
CHECK OUT: “Going Blind” “Surfing Magazines”

The PRESS PLAY-list

Balún: “La Nueva Ciudad”