The sun is shining, a cold breeze drifts in through an open window, and the smell of coffee permeates the air; it is a beautiful morning here at Camp Caustic. Today’s activities include a cornucopia of new releases that explore the deepest corners of modern music, and we have an expansive one for you guys this week. This week’s list continues 2024’s hot streak as singles from anticipated albums hit streaming services and full-lengths drop like beads of sweat onto a basketball court. This week, we have returning legends holding on to their iconic sounds while younger acts rearrange tropes to land on refreshing sonics. It is a colorful and wonderful Caustic, the perfect accompaniment to the final push for the weekend.
Check out Glide’s picks for this week’s best new music below.
Amyl and The Sniffers – “Doing In Me Head”
Cartoon Darkness
Australian-based band Amyl and The Sniffers prove to be far more than the average punk enthusiast on their sprawling new album, Cartoon Darkness. The tracklist shifts from subtle psychedelia to thrashing punk in the blink of an eye, allowing the band to keep one foot in their roots and another in their lofty sonic visions. “Doing In Me Head” leans more to the heavy punk side as dense distortion welcomes you to an acrobatic vocal performance that refreshingly delivers angsty poetry.
Pixies – “Mercy Me”
The Night the Zombies Came
The day has finally arrived for brand new music from indie rock icons Pixies. The Night the Zombies Came is 13 songs that see the band returning to their roots while venturing into new, psychedelic territory. Their jangly melodies are given a spacious sonic landscape to explore. “Mercy Me” is a slow-burning ballad with spaced-out guitars and an unforgettable hook built on subtle ambiance and groovy tones.
Paul Cauthen – “Lavender Jones”
Black on Black
Sons of Fathers member Paul Cauthen has been building an impressive solo discography since 2016, and today, that discography gets a daring and rewarding addition with Black on Black. The new album has the artist exploring the nuances of his beloved Outlaw country to carve his legacy into the genre with a tracklist that transitions from pop-leaning ballads to nostalgic twang. “Lavender Jones” lands more on the pop side but still carries the Outlaw attitude Cauthen has become known for. The staggering hook emphasizes the complex guitar layering for a hazy stand-out from a phenomenal album.
Laura Marling – “Looking Back”
Patterns in Repeat
One of the most celebrated acts to emerge in the modern folk scene, Laura Marling returns with an intimate set of songs that showcase the artist’s maturity. Patterns in Repeat comprises 11 quaint and ambient folk tunes that act as the perfect canvas for Marling to paint her touching portraits of love, life, and how the two interact and affect the other. “Looking Back” features soaring strings and gentle acoustics that delicately lift Marling’s touching poetry to new heights of sentimentality, evoking a palpable warmth that is much-needed heading into the cold months.
Chuck Prophet & Qiensave – “Sally Was A Cop”
Wake the Dead
Based on the sprawling assortment of singles, it was hard to tell what the new album from Chuck Prophet and Qiensave would sound like. The album we received, Wake the Dead, is a collection of Prophet’s stellar songwriting skating over arrangements from Qiensave, ranging from classic Outlaw to dubbed-out storytelling tunes. “Sally Was A Cop” found that coveted sweet spot between the two worlds explored on this album. Bouncy guitars and warping drums drive the narrative as Prophet delivers vivid imagery via passionate vocals.
Soccer Mommy – “Some Sunny Day”
Evergreen
At this point in her career, Soccer Mommy has established herself as a prominent and prolific figure in modern folk rock, and her new album continues to pave her inevitably expansive and colorful discography. Evergreen already sounds like some of the artist’s most vulnerable to date as she navigates explosive, twangy arrangements with lush vocals and heartfelt songwriting. “Some Sunny Day” is almost shoegaze-like with dense and plush textures. The stand-out has Soccer Mommy appreciating the tiny moments in life over a hypnotic arrangement with nuanced guitar work and intricate synths.
Tears For Fears – “Emily Said”
Songs for A Nervous Planet
Tears For Fears returns with a 22-song live album that doubles as a vehicle to deliver a few new studio recordings. Songs for A Nervous Planet captures the band at a performance in Franklin, Tennessee, that explores the deepest corners of the band’s discography. At the same time, the new studio recordings remind us that the iconic pop band is far from done building their discography. “Emily Said” is a trip down memory lane for longtime fans of Tears For Fears. The infectious melodies harken back to the band’s heyday while the choir and crescendo that closes the song show the listener that this band still has a few new ideas left to get off their chest.
SNACKTIME – “SDTS”
THIS IS DANCE MUSIC – EP
After exploding out of Philadelphia earlier this year with a string of space-aged, funky singles, SNACKTIME comprises them all, plus a new tune, on their THIS IS DANCE MUSIC EP. Do not attempt to find a specific genre to file this band under; their new EP proves they are just as capable of manipulating funk tropes into something new as they are of creating laid-back Hip-hop records. “SDTS” leans toward the latter as silky smooth vocals catch the waves created by the breezy guitar tones to create an early favorite from a young band hellbent on exploring every nook and cranny in popular music.
Elmiene – “TLC”
Anyway I Can
After breaking into the burgeoning modern soul scene earlier this year, singer/songwriter Elmiene released his fourth project of 2024 with Anyway I Can. The bite-sized project delivers stadium-sized anthems, proving the artist is more than we think and has far more lofty visions for his sound than some of his contemporaries. “TLC” is a sinfully sweet stand-out that showcases Elmiene’s ability to craft infectious pop melodies still lined with soulful undertones as his ever-growing vocal range coils around nimble acoustics.
Rejjie Snow – “Peekaboo”
PEACE 2 DA WORLD
On his new Rahki-produced LP, Dublin-bred rapper/singer Rejjie Snow delivers a wide range of his talents over an equally colorful spread of instrumentals. PEACE 2 DA WORLD is Snow’s experimental album as the artist explores bouncy pop, jazzy raps, sun-drenched acoustics, and everything in between. “Peekaboo” harkens back to the artist’s earlier releases while introducing more cartoonish vocal acrobatics we haven’t heard from Snow throughout his career. His bouncy flows deliver vibrant lyrics for a hypnotic favorite that only scratches the surface of the sonic landscape on this album.
Tyler, The Creator – “Noid”
Chromakopia
Tyler, The Creator is taking an unconventional method to the release of his new album, but the multi-hyphenate thrives on breaking the rules. His new album, Chromakopia, is set to drop on Monday, October 28 at precisely 6 a.m., a lovely treat to start the week with. Seven days before the album’s official release, Tyler dropped off “Noid.” The lead single from the artist’s eighth studio album is a chaotic journey about the downsides of fame as touches of soul peer out from underneath heavy guitar riffs, hectic samples, and dramatic tempo shifts.
Manic Street Preachers – “Hiding In Plain Sight”
Critical Thinking
Manic Street Preachers took this week to begin detailing their new album, and even better news: the album announcement comes with a fantastic new single. The iconic band’s new album, Critical Thinking, is set to be released on January 31, 2025, and will mark the band’s first album since 2021. “Hiding In Plain Sight” is our second single after August’s “Decline & Fall” and previews what is promising to be a sensational return to form. “Hiding In Plain Sight” is a whirling ballad with a slow-burning intro that quickly evolves into a searing rock tune with hectic vocal layering and complex instrumentation.
Erick the Architect – “CA$HMERE TEAR$”
I’ve Never Been Here Before: The Director’s Cut
Earlier this year, Flatbush Zombies member Erick the Architect released his proper debut album to wide critical acclaim, and now we’re getting an expanded edition. I’ve Never Been Here Before: The Director’s Cut is set to be released on November 15, and “CA$HMERE TEAR$” is our latest single from the deluxe. The single has the artist delivering head-spinning rhyme schemes over a horn-driven instrumental for a song that could make waves in the 90s the same way it is destined to create a modern buzz for Erick the Architect.
Sharon Van Etten – “Afterlife”
Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory
Sharon Van Etten begins a new era by announcing her first full-length album co-written and produced with her band, The Attachment Theory. Their self-titled debut album as a band is set to be released on February 7, and “Afterlife” is our lead single from the project. You can already hear the impact of collaboration on Etten’s signature sound. The sonics are more lively and vibrant as Etten’s bright vocals cascade around off-kilter synth melodies.
The Alchemist – “Ferraris in The Rain Part 2” (Feat. ScHoolBoy Q & Freddie Gibbs)
Single
The Alchemist is one, if not the busiest man in modern music. This year alone, the legendary producer has released three projects, and this week, we receive a remix for a single from his fantastic solo LP. Freddie Gibbs joins Alc and ScHoolBoy Q on the jazzy “Ferraris in The Rain” from The Alchemist’s The Genuine Articulate album. The addition of Gibbs gives the song more venom as the artist delivers a jaw-dropping verse over bursts of horn samples and face-melting drums.
