Said it before. Saying it again: I can never remember if it’s good things or bad ones that come in threes. Either way, here’s the first third of your 33 plays of the week — including Matt Andersen, Deerhoof, Samantha Fish, Ghost, Goose, Jeff Goldblum, Billy Idol and more. Drop the needle:
Matt Andersen
The Hammer & The Rose
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Matt Andersen’s The Hammer & The Rose is a veritable garden of heart. On his latest record, the Canadian songwriter opts for the kind of thoughtful, tender sentiments and arrangements one might associate with flowers, trading in the hard steel edges of his heavy blues riffs for delicate compositions and a warm sweetness. The title track provides an elegant metaphor for the differences and push-and-pull relationship between the head and the heart: The head wants to blaze a trail, prioritize practicality, and motor through things, while the heart wants to slow down, feel things, feel good. On The Hammer & The Rose, it’s the heart — the rose, the honey, the soul — that (mostly) wins out. But this is, of course, a Matt Andersen record. A surplus of heart is to be expected.”
Aterciopelados
Genes Rebeldes
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Aterciopelados releases their new album Genes Rebeldes, a manifesto of identity, resistance, and hope. An indomitable and rebellious sonic journey that fuses rock, blues, western, cumbia rebajada, bambuco, ranchera, and electronica, connecting us with the ancestral, the contemporary, and the cosmic, and disconnecting us from stereotypes, from outmoded molds, from neoliberal hypersexualization. Aterciopelados are the most emblematic band of Colombian rock. They possess an enormous repertoire of classic. Andrea Echeverri and Héctor Buitrago have journeyed through the alternative Ibero-American scene for 30 years. They are winners of three Latin Grammys for their albums Gozo Poderoso in 2001, Oye in 2007, and Claroscura in 2018; and have been nominated six times for the Grammy Awards. This dynamic duo have written part of Colombian history in choruses and verses, with a feminine voice, they have lamented its violence and committed themselves to a possible future, fairer and less violent.”
Bunnies
Horror Spectrum
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “With Horror Spectrum, Bunnies plunge headfirst into the shadowy abyss of their art-rock multiverse, unearthing sounds that slither, shimmer, and scream. Equal parts psychedelic hallucination, krautrock ritual, and noise-rock exorcism, this record feels like the sonic aftermath of mad scientists summoning Ghosts through an analog synthesizer they excavated from a cursed tomb. It’s less an album and more an experiment gone deliciously wrong — a séance that channels the chaotic energies of dimensions better left untouched. From extraterrestrial pulsations to technicolor bliss, Horror Spectrum is a seven-track odyssey that detonates the boundaries of Bunnies’ already unhinged catalog. These tracks drag you by the ankles into realms where sound has teeth, time melts into warped rainbows, and the music feels like it’s plotting something sinister. Few bands dare to tread where Bunnies boldly hop, but here they are, mapping out mythical soundscapes with the glee of cartographers lost in their own creation.”
Deerhoof
Noble And Godlike In Ruin
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “For a band that seems to thrive on collapse, it’s simply amazing that this U.S. / Japanese quartet are now celebrating their 31st year. Though Deerhoof long ago established itself as one of the greatest rock groups ever to stride the Earth — and if you think that’s hyperbole, you haven’t spent enough time listening to Deerhoof — the furiously inventive quartet releases new albums on the schedule of a young band still hungry for its first break. As Noble And Godlike In Ruin reaffirms, each one discovers some previously unknown combination of candy-coated hard-rock riffs and free-jazz percussive freakouts, sideways J-pop hooks and fearsome dissonance, trenchant social commentary and surrealist humor. This music is joyful and foreboding, cybernetic and deeply human, carrying an implicit note of defiant optimism in their refusal to bow to convention or received wisdom. Fronting it all is Satomi Matsuzaki’s inimitable alto, whose plainspoken calm can seem strangely outside of the band’s maelstrom. Deerhoof are defined by such paradoxes.”
Samantha Fish
Paper Doll
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “One of the most formidable guitarists of her generation, Samantha Fish deals in her own unmatched brand of bravado, bringing both mind-blowing power and extraordinary emotionality to everything she creates. Since first introducing the world to her larger-than-life talent, the multi-award-winning festival headliner has built a triumphant career whose latest milestones include earning a Grammy nomination for Death Wish Blues (her 2023 collaboration with rocker Jesse Dayton) and opening for The Rolling Stones on their final 2024 U.S. tour date. On her new album Paper Doll, Fish offers up nine powerhouse songs that hit with an unstoppable force, each delivered with an exquisite dose of illuminating insight, soul-soothing empathy, and — above all. —newly heightened clarity of vision. “It’s taken me years to finally find my voice in a studio setting,” Fish admits. “But with this record I took everything I had, and slammed it right on the table.”
Five Hundred Bucks
Pest Sounds
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “On their second full-length Pest Sounds, Philadelphia’s Five Hundred Bucks have written a set of maximalist punk songs that buzz like a metal detector in a crowded mine-field while never shying away from classic pop structures and affecting storytelling. This is the sound of a new and exciting band stumbling on to their masterwork. “We’re doing this for us,” says Jeff Riddle of their approach. “If people connect with it, great. But we’re not writing for anyone else.” And it’s that defiance that shapes Pest Sounds, which swings from world-dominating heartland anthems like Promises of Gold to the wild, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it fury of Baker’s Lung to the sleazy 70’s rock strut of The Cramp. There’s no safe zone here — every track is an unpredictable dive into a new corner of the band’s world.”
Ghost
Skeletá
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Produced by Gene Walker and mixed by Andy Wallace and Dan Malsch, Ghost’s sixth psalm Skeletá is their most unflinchingly introspective work to date. Where previous albums dealt largely with chronicling and/or observing outward facing subject matter — such as Impera’s meditations on the rise and fall of empires and its predecessor Prequelle’s evocations of the ravages of era-defining plagues — Skeletá’s lyrics render the distinct individual emotional vistas of each of its 10 songs in one-on-one fashion, at times as if in a dialogue with oneself in a mirror. The end result is a singular collection of timeless, universal sentiments, all filtered through a prism of a uniquely personal point of view. However, Skeletá is so much more than the sum of its tracklist. Its songs form a thematic arc that begins with the ascendant and anthemic Peacefield, then delves into progressively darker spiritual territory by way of the bittersweet melodies of Lachryma, demonically hooky first single Satanized and soul-searching epic ballad Guiding Lights.”
Jeff Goldblum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra
Still Blooming
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Jeff Goldblum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra are set to release their new album Still Blooming. Goldblum returns to the piano, joined by guest vocalists Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Scarlett Johansson and Maiya Sykes. The album showcases reimagined jazz standards alongside original compositions, highlighting Goldblum’s enduring passion for jazz. Still Blooming highlights Goldblum’s collaboration with these extraordinary artists, each adding their unique flair to the project. This release is a joyful exploration of jazz, filled with energy, emotion, and timeless charm.”
Goose
Everything Must Go
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Goose are an American rock band known for their genre-blending sound, improvisational live performances and dedicated fan base. The band includes Rick Mitarotonda (vocals, guitar), Peter Anspach (vocals, keys, guitar), Trevor Weekz (bass) and Cotter Ellis (vocals, drums). Their music — a deft union of indie-rock hooks, sprawling improvisation, and driving rhythm — has propelled them from performing in Connecticut basements to headlining some of the most revered stages in the country. Known for their strong DIY ethos, Goose have grown organically through relentless touring and utilizing online platforms to share live performances and connect with fans. Their fourth studio album Everything Must Go marks the band’s evolution since its inception in 2014. Drawing from the feel of its live performances, the album features a carnivalesque cast of characters — primarily songs written throughout the bands recent years of growth, including re-imagined live staples and songs that capture the band’s evolving, dynamic sound.”
Pearl Harbor & The Explosions
Pearl Harbor & The Explosions Expanded
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Originally issued by Warner Bros. Records in January 1980, the self-titled album from San Francisco new wave band Pearl Harbor & The Explosions anticipated the phenomenal rise of MTV the following year as it featured videoclips for the tracks Drivin’ and You Got It (Release It) / Up And Over.” The expanded edition will feature seven bonus tracks. Pearl Harbor & The Explosions formed in 1978 during the same San Francisco punk rock/new wave uprising that brought forth Romeo Void, Dead Kennedys, The Avengers, Mutants, Units, Tuxedomoon and many others. However, Pearl Harbor & The Explosions were more tuneful and melodic than their brethren, taking cues from local pop-rock group The Tubes, with whom singer Pearl E. Gates had gotten her start as a backup singer and dancer. When Gates was recruited from to join the band Leila & The Snakes, she met brothers Hilary and John Hanes (who billed themselves with the surname Stench). After 18 months, the trio decided to go in their own direction. Pearl (vocals, percussion), Hilary (bass, vocals) and John (drums, vocals) recruited guitarist Peter Dunne (stage name Peter Bilt) and Pearl Harbor & The Explosions were born.”
Billy Idol
Dream Into It
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Rock legend Billy Idol is set for the release of his first full-length album of new music in over a decade. Dream Into It includes performance and co-writing contributions throughout from Idol’s longtime guitarist and collaborator Steve Stevens plus appearances by Avril Lavigne, Joan Jett and Alison Mosshart of The Kills, and is produced by Tommy English. In anticipation of the record, Idol issued the single Still Dancing. “Still Dancing is really a reflection of my whole journey,” explains Idol. “From the punk rock period through to now. And I’m still looking towards the future, still living the life I set out to live. At the start of the song I’m recalling the early times in London, when I was living in squats or at friends’ apartments, all my belongings in a plastic bag. Everybody at home or work told you what you were doing was never going to happen. But punk rock gave me an opening. I was surrounded by people who loved the music as deeply as I did and you were going to throw caution to the wind, believe in what you were doing and grab on for dear life. As the song says, there have been many moments along the way where I’ve been self destructive. But what’s seen me through is that unflinching belief in the music that started all those years ago. That’s been the greatest gift of all.”
