What. A. Week. Was there always this much music news tossed at fans at once? Was there a holiday lull and we’re just now getting used to major announcements again? Who knows? All that’s certain is that it’s an outstanding New Music Friday and there’s plenty to hear, share and repeat this weekend.
boygenius – “$20”
Boygenius broke the world this week when supergroup trio Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus announced they would release their first full length album the record this spring. They dropped three singles to jumpstart the hype and each song allowed a member to take the spotlight as vocalist. The first of those tracks is the immediately powerful “$20” and fans are in disbelief over Julien Baker’s performance. The whole release is spectacular, teeing up a prospective album of the year candidate when the the record arrives.
Fall Out Boy – “Love From The Other Side”
Not only did Fall Out Boy announce their first album since 2018, nor just share they’ve signed to D.I.Y. label Fueled By Ramen, but the Chicago band shared what fans seem to largely agree is their best song in nearly a decade. Any band that can call back to previous eras while keeping things fresh isn’t copping out. Rather it seems Fall Out Boy is being true to themselves. Maybe another hiatus is all they needed to discover that. The full album So Much (for) Stardust is out March 24.
Read more: 10 Tweets That Could Also Be Fall Out Boy Song Titles
Arlo Parks – “Weightless”
Arlo Parks gifted a bright poetic pop record with 2021’s Collapsed In Sunbeams which would later see her granted the Mercury Prize. After touring the world, the 22-year-old has announced album number two My Soft Machine will be released in May. The anticipated follow-up was announced alongside a new single release for “Weightless,” which sees Parks picking up right where the last record ended. Except Parks never really stopped. She’s only continued a long, rewarding journey. Oh, Phoebe Bridgers will appear on the record too. That’s something to dream about while you dance to the new track.
The Murder Capital – Gigi’s Recovery
If you’ve never heard of Irish rock outfit The Murder Capital, then good luck trying to understand their sound. Today the band released their second full length album Gigi’s Recovery, a danceable and lyrically rich record that discusses the meaning of life, dreaming of having a first kid (and naming her Ethel), and even a ballad declaring to a lover that “A thousand lives with you and I won’t be enough.” It’s the band’s first release since the dark and angry 2019 album “When I Have Fears” and both are total far cry’s from one another. While groups are often expected to transition from one sound to another, The Murder Capital defyingly went from furious at everything to charming artistic rock in one full swing.
Mac DeMarco – Five Easy Hot Dogs
If you ever wondered what would happen if Mac DeMarco decided to write an entire record while riding across the continent in the back of a van, now you have an answer. If you weren’t that specifically concerned about how Demarco spent his long rides between Gualala, Portland, Edmonton, “Edmonton 2,” and so on then you still got an answer. Regardless, it’s an artistic challenge that the old dog answered. There’s something for everyone to appreciate on this record whether it’s silly, serious or somewhere gracefully in between. If that’s doesn’t describe DeMarco, then it’s time to pack the bags up, turn the van around and try again somewhere between Crescent City and “Portland 2.”
Which of these will you be adding to your favorite playlists today? Any we missed?
Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!
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