We are coming to you live from a busy day here at the Caustic Factory as our assembly line is firing off yet another exciting collection of refreshing new music. This week is nothing short of an onslaught of enticing new directions from familiar artists, singles from highly anticipated releases, and returns from familiar faces. Finding a place to start with a New Music Friday like this can be not easy. Do you kick the weekend off with left-field Southern Soul or dive right into feel-good folk? However you decide to head into your short break from work, we have a Caustic that will drift you away to your mental vacation.
Check out Glide’s picks for the week’s best new music, and if you haven’t already, follow our Caustic Spotify playlist for the latest additions.
Galactic & Irma Thomas – “Puppet On Your String”
Audience With The Queen
It is a meeting of New Orleans royalty, and everyone is invited to the soiree. Jazzy jam band Galactic combines their powers with the Southern soul icon Irma Thomas on their grandiose collaborative album, Audience With the Queen. The quick yet potent outing is brimming with swaying Southern soul, with Thomas’s acrobatic vocals crooning love and heartbreak over gentle, jazz-leaning arrangements. “Pupper On Your String” finds Thomas attempting to break free of something she knows is harmful, but her love for it is battling against her will.
Gerald Clayton – “Lovingly”
Ones & Twos
On his latest outing, Grammy-nominated jazz pianist Gerald Clayton looks to rejuvenate the timeless combination of jazz and Hip-hop. Ones & Twos is 12 mind-altering pieces of jazz that leap from traditional arrangements to sample-based nods to the funky Hip-hop of the late 80s, giving Clayton’s latest a refreshing fusion twist. “Lovingly” leans towards the artist’s jazz roots, with wind instruments forging the path for soft drums and warping bass lines.
Bon Iver – “I’ll Be There”
SABLE, fABLE
Justin Vernon crafts an electro-pop, psych-folk masterpiece for his first Bon Iver album in five years. SABLE, fABLE is 12 awe-inspiring pieces of blissful and refreshing pop-fusion that find Vernon sounding as confident and lovely as ever. The artist’s falsetto soars over stadium-sized arrangements. “I’ll Be There” is only a splash compared to the mystifying sonic tsunami Vernon stirred up with his latest. Splashes of jazzy horns collide with infectious melodies and lighthearted lyrics for a preview of Bon Iver’s triumphant return.
The Mars Volta – “Morgana”
Lucro Sucio; Los Ojos del Vacio
After debuting the LP at shows earlier this year, The Mars Volta finally released the studio version of Lucro Sucio; Los Ojos del Vacio. The ambitious, jazz-leaning LP marks the band’s first album since their 2023 acoustic effort and finds the veteran prog-rock band employing more traditional song structures. The eerie yet welcoming “Morgana” is a twisted ballad with plush vocals juxtaposing demanding drums while twinkling keys add a touch of whimsy.
Valerie June – “Superpower”
Owls, Omens, and Oracles
On her latest album, singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Valerie June continues to fuse genres to a point where her influences are unrecognizable, creating something she can confidently call her own. Owls, Omens, and Oracles is a moody LP filled with jazzy R&B, modern blues, and folksy acoustic balladry. “Superpower” touches on those blues influences and splashes them over modern production, creating a sturdy platform for June’s psychedelic vocals.
Billy Strings & Bryan Sutton – “Darling Corey”
Live at The Legion
Earlier this week, the bluegrass community rejoiced as Billy Strings and Bryan Sutton released their live LP, Live at The Legion. Recorded initially a year ago to its release date (April 7) at an American Legion in East Nashville, the album captures the monstrous performance across twenty twangy examples of the duo’s natural chemistry and prowess. “Darling Corey” finds the duo tackling this folk classic with expert precision and heartfelt plucking as Strings and Sutton take us back in time and welcome us into that packed Legion Hall.
Eyedress – “Do You Ever Smile”
Stoner
For his latest statement piece of an LP, the warping sonics of singer/songwriter/producer Eyedress dive headfirst into lush shoegaze. Stoner is 21 face-melting examples of the artist’s range as he blends his punk influences with pop-laden melodies and cloud-like shoegaze textures. “Do You Ever Smile” is one of the more explosive examples of the album’s charm. The hazy tune starts with a slow burn, only to explode into a distorted paradise.
Sports Team – “Sensible”
Boys These Days
As we inch closer to the highly anticipated album from modern rock chameleons Sports Team, the band continues to bless fans with enticing singles. Boys These Days is set to be released on May 23, and the funky fusion track “Sensible” is our latest preview of the LP. The new single is infectious, almost pop, with its deep grooves and rhythms combined with a hectic and unforgettable vocal performance.
Hotline TNT – “Julia’s War”
Raspberry Moon
After releasing a breakthrough LP in 2023, shoegaze band Hotline TNT sets its sights on a proper follow-up. Raspberry Moon will arrive via Third Man Records on June 20, and the grandiose warmth of “Julia’s War” is our lead single. The stadium-sized effort sounds like it was molded for live performances, but the studio version is just as moving. Hotline TNT crafts fuzzy guitar bliss on “Julia’s War” that bleeds into the chanting vocals to create a pop-leaning single that explodes upon pressing play, giving the single a celebratory feeling as fans await the whole album.
Turnstile – “NEVER ENOUGH”
NEVER ENOUGH
The time has finally arrived for Turnstile to make their triumphant and welcomed return, and the welcome home parade is just getting started. The band’s new album, NEVER ENOUGH, is set to be released on June 6, and the firework-style title track is our album opener and lead single. The new tune finds the band harkening back to their hardcore roots while keeping an eye on their pop visions, creating a peaceful middle ground for new and old fans.
Stereolab – “Aerial Troubles”
Instant Holograms On Metal Film
After a long 15 years of silence, the electro-experimental groove-crafters Stereolab returns with a new LP. Instant Holograms On Metal Film marks the band’s first album since 2010 and will be released on May 23. Our lead single, “Aerial Troubles,” is a bouncy ballad with the band exploring their pop tendencies while introducing a more mature, gentle side of a band we all thought we knew.
Willi Carlisle – “Work is Work”
Winged Victory
The prolificness of young folk veteran Willi Carlisle continues as the artist announces his latest LP. Winged Victory will be released on June 27 and follow up on the two LPs Carlisle released in 2024. “Work is Work” is our first single from the upcoming release. The toe-tapping, infectious single keeps its head down and gets the job done as Carlisle’s acrobatic acoustics swirl around a passionate vocal performance.
Ben Kweller & The Flaming Lips – “Killer Bee”
Cover The Mirrors
Ben Kweller and The Flaming Lips meet up to create the fourth single from Kweller’s upcoming LP that doubles as a heartfelt ode to a lost friend. “Killer Bee” is a sincere guitar ballad dedicated to young Lips collaborator and young star Nell Smith, who recently passed at only 17. The swaying tear-jerker is a soft and touching single with slow-burning melodies that deliver poetically heartbreaking lyrics. Kweller’s new album, Cover The Mirrors, is set to be released on May 30.
Smut – “Syd Sweeney”
Tomorrow Comes Crashing
Ohio’s DIY golden children Smut make their return with the announcement of their new album and its latest single. Tomorrow Comes Crashing will follow up on the band’s breakthrough 2022 release, which will drop on June 27. The latest single, “Syd Sweeney,” is a shoegaze-tinted anthem with head-spinning guitar work and throat-scratching vocals, doubling down on the band’s unique take on 90’s tropes.
Your Old Droog & Edan – “The Glitch”
Single
The prolific wordsmith Your Old Droog releases his latest collaboration with fellow Hip-hop purist Edan. “The Glitch” is a jagged example of the duo’s chemistry, with Edan crafting a glitchy instrumental that finds Droog in a braggadocious and aggravated mood. The single continues Droog’s streak of singles that started on Christmas of last year.
