Well, that escalated quickly. After a couple of slow weeks, the music gods are clearly back up to speed. Not that I’m complaining. Next week’s releases are the makings of a great mixtape — rock, pop, psychedelia, punk, metal, blues, country, live albums, acoustic remakes, take your pick. Best of all: Along with plenty of new albums from familiar names, there are at least half a dozen artists I’ve never heard of before — but need to hear a lot more from right away. Meet your next favourite band below:
Sam Amidon
Salt River
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The Vermont native, now based in London, has collaborated with saxophonist and producer Sam Gendel to reinterpret and regenerate 10 songs that he has gathered together as part of a decades-long quest to re-contextualize what it means to sing folk songs or make folk music. The music on Salt River ranges from traditional Appalachian balladry to a radical reimagining of Lou Reed’s Big Sky. As Sam describes, “This album is a campfire, but the campfire is around Sam Gendel’s synthesizer. Or maybe it’s a journey through the corridors of my memory, if my memory was transplanted into Sam and Phil’s dreams.” Taken together, these 10 songs feel like a shared playground of discovery, with Amidon finding new ways for old songs to exist in the company of his two unfettered collaborators.”
Matt Berry
Heard Noises
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Following the huge acclaim of Matt Berry’s 2021 album The Blue Elephant — as well as last year’s one-off album of library music — comes Heard Noises, Matt Berry’s eighth album. In contrast to The Blue Elephant’s dizzying trip through an idiosyncratic love of British psych, freakbeat, acid rock and late ‘60s pop, Heard Noises finds Matt heading for a looser, Californian psychedelia through his love of the trippier sounds of space pop and rock, and his ear for an eerie, haunting melody. Once again, the album is testament to Matt’s exceptional musicianship, production skills and songwriting prowess. Almost every instrument is played by Matt including guitars, bass, a variety of keyboards (acoustic and electric pianos), synths and organs (including Moogs, Vox, Farfisa, Gibson and Eminent instruments) and Mellotron. He is joined by long-time collaborator, neo-progressive drummer Craig Blundell, and guests including Natasha Lyonne, old pal Eric D. Johnson, Phil Scraggs, Rosie McDermott and the S. Club 60s Choir (featuring Matt’s mum).”
Bilk
Essex, Drugs and Rock and Roll
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Reflecting on the highs and lows of British youth culture today, Essex outfit Bilk are three musicians who blend angsty indie, rap and punk. The brainchild of frontman Sol Abrahams (accompanied by bassist Luke Hare and drummer Harry Gray), Bilk’s honest social commentary is as real as it gets. Their raucous live shows are already becoming a thing of cult legend amongst a new generation of music fans, resulting in chaos at venues across the U.K. With a growing fanbase, Bilk’s second album Essex, Drugs and Rock and Roll will propel them.”
Blue Violet
Faux Animaux
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “On Faux Animaux, Blue Violet continue their exploration of rich electronic avenues inspired by Calvi, St Vincent, Radiohead, David Bowie, recent Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Twin Peaks. With their songwriting as sublime as ever, they’ve become one of the most enthralling underground propositions of the age. Recorded in Bristol’s J&J studios with Bat For Lashes and Hannah Peel mixer / producer TJ Allen, Faux Animaux is a unified and sophisticated update of modern British alt-pop, drifting from sizzling space disco to stunning, swirling cinematic vistas. It’s a stunning amalgam of modernism and melody that spotlights not just humankind’s failings and fakery but its leaders’ too. They say: “The fake animals could be seen as the powers that be, leading us down paths that result in us ignoring our more natural instincts, often making decisions without our permission.”
Benjamin Booker
Lower
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The last place you’ll find Benjamin Booker is where he was yesterday. The artist grew up in a woodsy trailer park on the outskirts of Tampa overlooking a sewage plant, surrounded by rebel flags and religious fanaticism. “The neighbors burned a cross in my yard when I was six. We didn’t really socialize with a lot of people around us after that. I spent all of my time in my head.” Eventually, he found his way to the local DIY punk scene, a welcomed escape, and never looked back. His 2014 self-titled debut album dabbled in fuzzy americana-inspired garage rock. Then, after nearly losing his life in a shooting in New Orleans, he retreated to Mexico City and wrote his second album Witness (2017). Both albums were met with critical acclaim and led to opening slots for Tame Impala, Jack White and Neil Young. But then, he disappeared. “I wanted to get to this sound, but I didn’t know how. At some point I decided I’m going to find it or die trying.” He spent years tinkering in a loft near Skid Row in Los Angeles before ending up across the globe in Perth, Australia. Trading stems via email, Booker crafted his third album with L.A. underground hip-hop mastermind Kenny Segal. Lower mixes experimental hip-hop, dream and noise pop, and singer-songwriter music into something that is entirely his own.”
Charm School
Debt Forever
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Charm School is the latest project from Andrew Sellers (aka Andrew Rinehart) and longtime collaborators Matt Filip, Drew English, Brian Vega and Jason Bemis Lawrence. The name change signals a move away from Sellers’ previous songwriting efforts (as evidenced by his recent duet with Bonnie Prince Billy) toward a much darker and more aggressive sound. Think ’70s post-punk and No Wave mixed with ’90s post-rock and you’ll be close. “The main theme of this new record is financial uncertainty (or just uncertainty in general),” says Rinehart. “They’re all ideas that have been swirling around in the collective unconscious for awhile now, pertaining to the intense state of the world: The rise of fascism, ongoing wars, financial pressure, overpopulation, media at a million miles per hour, the spectre of the algorithm, the total lack of empathy online, etc… I’m very curious to see how the next year goes in this country. I have a feeling a lot of people are gonna start waking up to how little capitalism really cares about any of us.” The Louisville singer-songwriter and musician has paid his dues in both New York’s and Los Angeles’s DIY music scenes. His various bands have played with acts like Joan of Arc, Grizzly Bear and At The Drive-In.”
DITZ
Never Exhale
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Never Exhale is the sound of a band that hasn’t stopped for a breath. DITZ have toured relentlessly since the release of their first album The Great Regression. The songs that form their newest offering were written across Europe, often on off days and in borrowed rehearsal rooms. It could be said that the band treat recording and release of music as an afterthought. Often playing songs live years before their release, tweaking them as they go. The songs on the final record may change before they are ever heard as part of the album. Never Exhale was largely recorded at Holy Mountain studios in London during a freezing cold January. The process was frought with obstacles, the original plan, to go and record in Rhode Island, was abandoned when DITZ were offered a support tour with Idles, although the album was still mixed by the originally intended engineer, Seth Manchester. The result is an album hardened by the pressure of its own making. Laboured but not loved.”
Robert Connely Farr
Good Hope
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Earlier this year I went home to Mississippi to be with my father for a few months as he passed away from leukemia. These are the songs that carried me through. Nothing fancy — me & a resonator on the land that’s been in my family since the mid-1820’s, a few miles south of the edge of the Delta between Edwards & Bentonia off of Highway 22. I decided against a bunch of mixing and editing — I think there is beauty in the realness of life, its pain & inconsistencies. I hope you enjoy these recordings — more like field recordings I guess…”
Flipturn
Burnout Days
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Across its 12 songs, Burnout Days finds indie-rock powerhouse Flipturn returning as sonic architects, harnessing their impressive knack for hooks, shimmering soundscapes and nostalgic lyrics. But this time out, Flipturn also arrive with more grit, craft and vulnerability than ever before — a clear evolution in the band’s sound, and one that reflects their growth as musicians and individuals. Recorded at Sonic Ranch Studios near El Paso and produced by Chad Copelin (Wilderado, Broncho), Burnout Days is inspired by the band’s journey on the road, as they sort through challenges like self-esteem, codependency, addiction and the twists and turns of day-to-day life in one’s mid-20s. Together, they uncover the beauty that exists even in times of burnout through a mix of raw, rhythmic moments and sonic experimentation – all with a palpable sense of meticulousness and maturity.”
Larkin Poe
Bloom
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Larkin Poe, the dynamic sister duo known for their electrifying blend of Southern rock, blues, and Americana, emerge once again onto the musical landscape with Bloom. Following their Grammy-winning success with Blood Harmony in 2024, Rebecca and Megan Lovell have ventured deeper into their musical journey, crafting a collection of songs that resonate with introspection, authenticity, and a profound connection to their roots in American music. The album also marks a significant evolution in Larkin Poe’s creative journey. All the songs were born from collaborations between Megan, Rebecca, and co-producer Tyler Bryant, reflecting a synergy that extends beyond mere musical partnership. As Rebecca observes, “Bloom is about finding oneself amidst the noise of the world, about wholeheartedly embracing the flaws and idiosyncrasies that make us real.” This theme of self-acceptance is central to the album’s narrative: Celebrating individuality against a backdrop of contemporary blues and rock influences.”
Tom Meighan
Roadrunner
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Tom Meighan returns with his new solo album Roadrunner, the sucessor to his 2023 LP The Reckoning, which reached No. 2 in the indie album chart. Meighan was a founding member of Kasabian along with guitarist Sergio Pizzorno, bassist Chris Edwards and drummer Ian Matthews, with the band releasing their eponymously titled debut album in 2004. Topping the British album’s chart, Kasabian were a critical success too, and six more bestsellers were to follow. Known for his energetic and charismatic performances, Meighan has been praised for both his powerful vocals and his ability to connect with a live audience.”