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?
“Fuck Me Eyes” is the second single from Ethel Cain’s upcoming sophomore album, Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You (out August 8). It’s got an ethereal, eternal summer vibe with an undercurrent of impenetrable sadness. In a press release, Cain explained about the song, “Continuing in the theme of high school anxieties, “Fuck Me Eyes” (on top of being an homage to one of my favorite pop songs of all time, “Bette Davis Eyes”) is meant to be an ode to the girls who are perfect and have everything, yet carry the reputation of town slut. The beautiful blonde who is just lonely and wants to be loved, that all the adults condemn to each other, who ultimately is the girl everyone simultaneously can’t stand and wants to be. I wrote the beginning of this song five years ago, making it the oldest demo for the record. As the story became more fleshed out, I realized it had a more relevant place on the album than I originally thought. This song represents Ethel’s complicated feelings for the girl she’s convinced has caught her crush’s eye, as well as her 16-year-old thoughts on the matter.”
Texas slowcore band Teethe are back with “Hate Goodbyes,” the latest single from their upcoming sophomore album, Magic Of The Sale (out August 8). “Hate Goodbyes,” which features Wednesday’s Xandy Chelmis and Hovvdy’s Charlie Martin, takes its time unraveling, with a hazy, nostalgic sound that amplifies its sparse but evocative lyrics. Last year, Winspear also re-released the band’s self-titled 2020 debut album.
Nuovo Testamento, “Dream On”
If you’re looking for something a little more upbeat, Los Angeles-based synth-pop band Nuovo Testamento has you covered with “Dream On.” It’s the second single from their upcoming Trouble EP (out July 25). In a press release, the band said about the track: “Dream On is about impermanence and seeking belonging. It’s about fading in the light and being told to become a simpler version of yourself, even after you thought you had found your place in the world. Dream On speaks to the constance of change, the falsehood of security and the reality of having to start over, again and again.”
Kesha, PERIOD
Kesha releasing her new album, PERIOD (stylized as .), on July 4 is no coincidence: It’s a purposeful declaration of independence from Dr. Luke and Kemosabe Records. She spent years in court trying to get justice after she accused Dr. Luke of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, and now she’s finally free. This is her first album where she is fully in creative control, and it’s a wild ride. It doesn’t always cohere perfectly, and it is, overall, a bit messy, but it’s still pretty damn fun.
Dropkick Murphys, For The People
Boston punk ambassadors the Dropkick Murphys are also making a statement by releasing their new album, For The People, on July 4 (digitally, anyway—you’ll have to wait until October for the physical release). The album is “an expression of humanity at a time of relentless dehumanization, a promise of hope in an era fueled by fear-mongering, a declaration of solidarity in an age of disunion, a defiant rebuttal to the charlatans and demagogues who seek to divide us for their own power and profit,” according to a press release. The lead single, “Who’ll Stand With Us?” is a rollicking protest song that declares, “Our labor, it’s been stolen / We’ve been robbed of our freedom / We’ve been held down and beholden / To the bosses and bankers / Who never gave their share.”
thistle., it’s nice to see you, stranger
it’s nice to see you, stranger is the debut EP from thistle., the U.K. trio that’s already making waves for their unique blend of lo-fi and hardcore. Its five songs clock in at under 15 minutes in total, and they’re all well worth a listen. In a note on Bandcamp, frontman Cameron Godfrey said, “We’re all super proud of all of the songs on this and it’s taken a lot for us to end up with the final project, with many obstacles on the way, as there are for many bands that have to balance their jobs, family life and mental health. I think the struggle shows in the music. Hopefully in a good way.”
