Welcome to our weekly music post, where we spotlight our favorite new songs and albums. Hop in the comments and tell us: What new music are you listening to?
twen, “Allnighter”
twen is Jane Fitzsimmons and Ian Jones, two “van-dwelling songwriters” and three other musicians as they tour and gear up for the release of their new album. It’s a tale as old as time, and “Allnighter,” the second track from the forthcoming Fate Euphoric, also has a certain timeless quality. “Allinighter” feels like it could have come out in the early ’90s, or the late 2000s, or, obviously, the mid-2020s, combining murky vocals and an effected guitar line. Fate Euphoric arrives in full on November 5.
Trousdale, “The Ick”
The ick can strike at any time, but at least Trousdale make the sensation of being turned off sound pretty fun. “The Ick” takes a Reba-inflected lead vocal and combines it with the jazzy rhythms of a Vulfpeck or a Sammy Rae. If this sounds a bit goofy, it is, but it’s also more than a little fun. “The Ick” is a new bonus track from Trousdale’s second album Growing Pains, which arrived in April.
Yaeji ft. underscores and Aliyah’s Interlude, “booboo2”
It’s not just the film and TV industry obsessed with reboots and sequels; Korean-American musician Yaeji is now on at least her second interpolation of her track “raingurl,” albeit with a lot of tact and creativity. “booboo2” is a follow-up to last year’s “booboo,” which reflected on her blowup from “raingurl” and now quite being ready. A year later, Yaeji embraces her lead role, tapping hyperpop upstarts underscores and Aliyah’s Interlude to step into the spotlight with her.
Robert Plant and Suzi Dian, Saving Grace
The road toward the debut album of Saving Grace—Robert Plant’s project with Suzi Dian and a coterie of other musicians—has been years in the making, but Saving Grace is now out in the world. The collection of American roots music and spirituals has a distinct Celtic air; “Chevrolet,” released this past week ahead of the album, is a take on a Donovan classic with finger-picked guitar and bowed string, while “Everybody’s Song” recalls the rhythm and mode (though, thankfully, not the tone) of bagpipes.
Mariah Carey, Here For It All
It’s been almost seven years since Mariah Carey’s last album, the rock-solid R&B piece Caution. Since then, she’s wholly embraced the Queen Of Christmas label to the point that it was a minor shock when she announced her return to the genre that made her a household name and a global star. We hadn’t heard too much of Here For It All before its release today, but what we did hear is peak Mariah, like her declaration that she doesn’t “have time for the rigamarole” in lead single “Type Dangerous.” With collaborations from Anderson .Paak, Shenseea, Kehlani, and The Clark Sisters, Carey seems to be aiming to please multiple generations of fans.
Neko Case, Neon Grey Midnight Green
Yet another long-awaited album arrives this week with Neko Case’s Neon Grey Midnight Green, the New Pornographers singer’s first since 2018. Case’s album is ethereal and overall optimistic, with the musician making a deliberate effort to honor human creativity. “I wanted to pay tribute to having real people play and the people who play, because, you know, the world wants us to go away,” she told The A.V. Club ahead of Neon Grey Midnight Green‘s release. A track like “Winchester Mansion Of Sound” lets its relatively simple instrumentation of drums and keys echo through space, making a sound both intimate and booming. You can check out our full interview with Case here.
