One more week closer to closing out 2023 and the new releases just can’t stop rolling in. This week we have a special list that embodies what this year in music has been, diverse and infectious. Everyone from legendary rockers to refreshing young acts planting their flag in everyone’s 2024 release calendar. This year provided some fantastic releases, but the albums being announced for next year are already shaping 2024 into an equally if not more, exciting year in music.
Check out Glide’s picks for the best new music of the week:
Michael Nau – “And So On”
Accompany
The multi-faceted Michael Nau finds solace in twangy minimalism on Accompany, the new 11-track LP. The album is brimming with infectious pop melodies that are greeted by warm tones and airy textures. “And So On” is a bouncy moment in a tracklist of sentimental balladry, the vocals soar right alongside the infectious drum pattern.
Uncle Lucius – “Tuscaloosa Rain”
Like It’s The Last One Left
The legendary Southern rock powerhouse Uncle Lucius has returned with Like It’s The Last One Left. The album seamlessly shifts from dense guitar work with blazing tempos to gospel-inspired slow-burners. “Tuscaloosa Rain” is the latter, a soulful outing right in the heart of Uncle Lucius’ quick yet potent new LP.
Car Seat Headrest – “Fill in the Blank (Live at Brooklyn Steel)”
Faces From the Masquerade
Car Seat Headrest took over New York’s iconic Brooklyn Steel for a night of their frantic yet sentimental brand of indie rock. That night was captured and packaged as Faces From the Masquerade. The album is overflowing with pure energy that radiates from what sounds like a legendary night in New York, and this version of “Fill in the Blank” captures it all perfectly. The hectic guitar playing is offset by a simple yet heartfelt drum pattern as off-kilter harmonies fill the air.
Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band – “Love For the Sake of Dub”
BRSB
The new self-titled LP from the incomparable Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band is already shaping up to be a stellar outing from the German funk group. The 12-track LP is set to be released on March 8 via Big Crown Records and the latest single, “Love For the Sake of Dub”, is a reggae-tinged track with hints of soul that make it undeniably Bacao. A steelpan steals the show (no pun intended) as the rest of the instruments round out the criminally smooth single.
Nate Mercereau – “Excellent Traveler Theme, with Idris’s Tenor and Carlos’s Percussion in San Francisco (Feat. Idris Ackamoor & Carlos Niño)”
From the people who helped shape André 3000’s ambient flute album comes a brand new exploration into jazz that is equally mesmerizing. “Excellent Traveler Them” is exactly that, a lush companion to pair with a long train ride or a warm night alone. The subtlety of the trio’s musicianship makes every note feel like the most important note they ever played, creating a gentle tension on the track.
Adrianne Lenker – “Ruined”
Single
The Big Thief singer/songwriter has essentially created her own brand of folk with her stunning solo material. Adrianne Lenker has perfected the gentle approach to vocals that evoke every emotion imaginable in the span of a three-minute song, a gift she never wastes. “Ruined” is her latest creation and it is as emotionally stirring and sparsely beautiful as you would hope. Lenker navigates spurts of piano and droning synths as she delivers a poetic narrative filled with vivid imagery.
Sonic Youth – “Expressway to Yr. Skull (Live)”
Walls Have Ears
Originally recorded during a 1985 trip to the U.K. Sonic Youth is finally officially releasing their bootleg live album Walls Have Ears. Copies of this coveted pre-Evol LP have been circling the fanbase for decades and the band has finally decided to gift us an official release. This early version of “Expressway to Yr. Skull” is dramatic and complex, featuring walls of sounds that giveaway to the haunting vocals.
IDLES – “Grace”
TANGK
IDLES already have one of the most anticipated albums of 2024 with TANGK. The 11-track outing is set to be released on February 16 and its singles are only adding logs to the fire of anticipation. This week, IDLES gave us the dark “Grace”, a menacing single with dense textures that are only broken apart by the low vocals and neck-breaking drum pattern.
San Fermin – “My Love is a Loneliness”
Arms
The Brooklyn-bred folk-rock of San Fermin is coming back in a big way. The band’s new LP, Arms, is set to be released on February 16 and the album’s latest single should be the only reason you need to add this release to your calendar. “My Love is a Loneliness” is a vulnerable track that personifies one of the most intense human emotions, isolation. The soaring vocals are paired with a subtle arrangement that explodes in classic San Fermin fashion.
Joanna Sternberg – “Without You”
Single
Singer/songwriter Joanna Sternberg has had one hell of a year. Their album, I’ve Got Me, was released to critical acclaim and they continue to release new tracks like the fresh “Without You” single. The subtle guitars that fill the arrangement complement the deep sadness that powers the lyrics. Sternberg’s natural sense of melody is on full display as they seamlessly navigate the complex emotions explored in the track’s lyrics.
Meatbodies – “Hole”
Flora Ocean Tiger Bloom
The fuzzed-out psychedelia of Meatbodies has returned with an unbelievably dense and cosmic new single. The band’s new album, Flora Ocean Tiger Bloom, is set to be released on March 8 and its monstrous lead single is enough to hold us over until the full LP. “Hole” is an emotionally dense single with slick guitar sections that bend tones and moods in the blink of an eye. The vocals add an airy texture to the whole track, creating otherworldly textures for one of the best singles of the week.
Guns N’ Roses – “The General”
Single
In a surprise turn of events, the iconic rock band Guns N’ Roses release a psychedelic, off-kilter new single. “The General” cements the band’s longevity in a technicolored marble case as they navigate an unpredictable arrangement with the ease their veteran status earned them. The epic single feels as large and celebratory as it should, Guns N’ Roses have returned with a stellar new single that proves they are far from done evolving as artists.
