Boy, howdy, do we have a quiet New Music Friday on our hands this week, folks. Not to pull the curtain too far here, but here at Glide, we like to keep our Caustics to about 15 songs a week and let’s say that even narrowing it down to that was tough. We are proud to say that after toiling away, we may have one of the most extensive and inclusive Caustics of 2025. Modern soul music legends announce their triumphant return; alt-rock icons continue to redefine their sound, and the race for Hip-hop album of the year becomes even more competitive. Spring has sprung; avoid the showers before the flowers with some earth-shattering new music.
Check out Glide’s picks for the week’s best new releases, and be sure to follow our Caustic Spotify playlist to stay updated on the month’s exciting new music.
My Morning Jacket – “I Can Hear Your Love”
is
Alt-rock veterans My Morning Jacket return with a gentle pop-leaning album filled with swinging balladry and stunning vocal performances. This week, the band releases their highly anticipated album, is, a 10-song outing that shines a light on the band’s songwriting prowess as the band continues to explore the intricacies of a sound they seemingly already mastered. “I Can Hear Your Love” is a lighthearted, nimble ode to the overwhelming sensation of falling in love and how it can completely engulf someone, for better or worse.
Lonnie Holley – “The Same Stars” (With Joe Minter & Open Mike Eagle)
Tonky
On his latest LP, Lonnie Holley, the multi-faceted artist dives headfirst into his past to better understand the present moment. Tonky is a 14-song masterpiece brimming with heartfelt, autobiographical songwriting that navigates spiritual jazz influences with care and grace. “The Same Stars” is a stunning example of what to expect from Holley’s latest. The spellbinding highlight is a simplistic yet potent, off-kilter ballad that sees Holley delivering head-spinning vocals over splashes of hypnotic drums and fantastic performances from Open Mike Eagle and Joe Minter.
laMP – “The River Jordan”
One Of Us
The jam band laMP, which consists of Russ Lawton, Scott Metzger, and Ray Paczkowski, has finally released their sophomore effort five years after their 2020 breakthrough debut. One of Us is pure fusion with a subtle twang that brings the psychedelia that runs through these 10 songs to modern times, allowing the trio’s lofty visions to strike a delicate balance between alien and worldly. “The River Jordan” is a cinematic stand-out from the album that slowly builds into a percussion-heavy crescendo that is palpable with jazz influences while sounding wholeheartedly laMP.
Japanese Breakfast – “Honey Water”
For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women)
The day has finally arrived for the first Japanese Breakfast album in four years, and it makes up for lost time with vulnerable songwriting and unpredictable tone shifts. For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women) has band leader Michelle Zauner jumping from grunge anthems to piano-driven pop balladry, all while her quaint vocals deliver what feels like autobiographical snippets of the artist’s life since the the last time we heard from her alt-pop band. “Honey Water” is one of the more explosive moments on the album, with stadium-sized riffs and thudding drums that anchor Zauner’s acrobatic vocal performance to Earth.
Benefits – “Dancing On The Tables”
Constant Noise
Benefits sophomore album is a headfirst dive into the nuances of dance music history as they explore a multitude of subgenres and eras on Constant Noise. The album title doesn’t do the tracklist justice; there are more than droning notes here. These 14 songs jump from challenging drum-’n-bass to experimental house, all driven by the band’s restless creativity. “Dancing on the Tables” is a jovial anthem with bouncy tempos about not only accepting but owning who you are and marching into rooms unapologetically.
The Horrors – “Silent Sister”
Night Life
It is not every day we hear from The Horrors, but this week, the daring yet rewarding band returns with their most ambitious effort. Night Life is a hauntingly experimental yet welcomed change of pace with nine songs that feature whirling electronics, distant vocals, and an unpredictable tracklist that only becomes more chaotic with every listen. “Silent Sister,” shockingly, is one of the more conventional moments on Night Life. The gothic tune features infectious, strep-throat melodies that strain themselves to creep around the arrangement’s dense synths and distorted bliss.
David Ramirez – “Holiday (Crush)”
All The Not So Gentle Reminders
Heartbreak is an often-visited topic for songwriters, but when put in the hands of Texas’s own David Ramirez, it’s like experiencing it for the first time. All The Nott So Gentle Reminders is sonically sprawling and poetically written as Ramirez runs the gambit of human emotions and how, despite some overlap, every piece of heartbreak stings differently. “Holiday (Crush)” features a simplistic hook that allows the vivid storytelling in the verses to hit even harder.
Saba & No ID – “Breakdown”
From The Private Collection of Saba & No ID
Two Chicago Hip-hop giants finally released a full collaborative album after teasing the project with stellar singles for nearly two years. Saba and No ID team up for a self-titled effort that challenges Saba’s tendencies to craft high-concept albums by allowing the artist to explore many topics that are on all of our minds. The vocalist/writer meets this challenge with melodic hooks, thought-provoking songwriting, and effortless flows. “Breakdown is the horn-heavy stand-out that showcases No ID and Saba’s range as individual artists and how well their unique prowess blends.
Men I Trust – “Frost Bite”
Equus Asinus
Move over hazy bedroom pop Men I Trust has returned with the first of two albums in 2025, and this is a side of the band no one has heard before. Equus Asinus has the modern lo-fi icons switching to the folksy side of things, with gentle acoustics replacing lush synths. At the same time, vocalist/guitarist Emma Proulx’s signature vocals make these songs undeniable MIT. “Frost Bite” is a nice way to ease your way into the band’s new sound. The subtle ambiance left behind by the swaying acoustics gives the vocals an ethereal feel, while those otherworldly vocals deliver pure poetry in motion.
Deerhoof – “Immigrant Songs”
Noble and Godlike in Ruin
Deerhoof returns with the announcement of a new album and a fresh single, but this isn’t your typical album roll-out. The new album, Noble and Godlike in Ruin, is set to be released on April 25, and the latest single was released via a Craigslist ad earlier this week. “Immigrant Song” is a jovial and cinematic single with an ever-evolving arrangement greeted with soaring vocals for an anthem of a single ahead of the band’s anticipated new LP.
Wale – “Blanco”
Single
For his first single in 2025, modern-day Hip-hop icon Wale returns with a bluesy, soulful ballad. “Blanco” explores the use of substances as a last-ditch effort to make sense of the angry and hectic world around us. It continues Wale’s streak of evolving his sound, and it is refreshing to hear that the artist is still exploring the nuances of his sound after over a decade of recording.
Durand Jones & The Indications – “Been So Long”
Flowers
The golden children of modern soul return with a brand new LP and mesmerizing lead single. Durand Jones & The Indications will release Flowers on June 27, and the silky smooth “Been So Long” is our lead single. Bouncy bass lines juxtapose the acrobatic falsettos for a jazzy tune, indicating the band is refreshingly approaching their upcoming album.
Beirut – “Tuanaki Atoll”
A Study of Losses
We are slowly approaching Beirut’s exciting new album, A Study of Losses, which will be released on April 18. This week, the artist releases a new single that adds more coal to the fiery anticipation. The gentle, folksy “Tuanaki Atoll” is our latest single. The soothing acoustics of the arrangement accent the nimble harmonies in a quaint yet anthemic fashion for another excellent single from what is shaping up to be a landmark release for Beirut.
Alan Sparhawk & Trampled By Turtles – “Stranger”
Alan Sparhawk with Trampled By Turtles
Low’s Alan Sparhawk and veteran roots band Trampled By Turtles have joined forces for a collaborative effort. The band’s self-titled effort will arrive in all its glory on May 30, and the lead single should be all the reasons you need to be excited about this release. “Stranger” is a beautifully crafted Americana ballad with palpable melodies and heartfelt songwriting that leaps out of the speakers and morphs into a relatable anthem.
Noah Cyrus & Fleet Foxes – “Don’t Put It All On Me”
Single
Noah Cyrus returns with a fantastically heartfelt collaboration with one of her favorite bands. On “Don’t Put It All On Me,” Cyrus and Fleet Foxes blend their vocals for enticing harmonies that deliver heartbreaking realizations that a love you thought would last forever is slowly dying. This single marks Cyrus’s first release since her 2023 collaboration with Vance Joy.
