Here we are on a jaw-droppingly beautiful Friday morning, and for every blinding, joyous ray of sun that is shining through your window, there is a piece of new music to accompany it. The wheels keep on turning on the old Caustic Express as we make a beeline for summer with a slew of new music in tow. This week’s Caustic is brimming with experimentation as familiar faces enter new sonic territories, and new faces amaze with refreshing releases. Just as always, there is something for everyone on the first Caustic of June. Push through the last work day of the week, and enjoy a rainbow of sounds for your reward.
Check out Glide’s picks for the week’s best new music, and be sure to follow June’s Caustic Spotify Playlist to stay updated on all the latest music this month.
Frankie & The Witch Fingers – “Conducting Experiments”
Trash Classic
The ever-evolving garage punk of Frankie & The Witch Fingers arrives in the form of a warping 11-song LP brimming with genre-pushing anthems. Trash Classic is a heady dose of risk and experimentation as the modern psych-rock golden children employ blistering tempos, off-kilter vocal melodies, and jagged arrangements for their first album since 2023. “Conducting Experiments” is a standout from the album, featuring droning synths and an industrial bounce that combine to create a hypnotic canvas for the acrobatic vocals.
North Mississippi Allstars – “Preachin’ Blues”
Still Shakin’
One of the most consistently exciting voices in modern blues is back with a geometric take on their nostalgic sound. Still Shakin’ finds the band fearlessly toying with the boundaries of blues music by carefully crafting left-field melodies that clash with a nimble guitar prowess. “Preachin’ Blues” welcomes us to the new LP with confetti-style drums that cascade around blazing guitar tempos, creating a rainbow of enticing textures.
Turnstile – “SUNSHOWER”
NEVER ENOUGH
After shattering expectations with 2021’s Glow On, hardcore fusion experts Turnstile emerge from their critical acclaim with a new LP that is even more daring than the last. NEVER ENOUGH is a 14-song visual album that finds the band somewhere between their hardcore roots and risky experimentation. Whatever strange land the band occupies, it’s a wild and welcoming one. “SUNSHOWER” is a frantic standout from the anticipated LP, which finds the band leaning on their past while incorporating psych-pop melodies and subtle hints of jazzy drums.
Joanne Shaw Taylor – “Summer Love”
Black & Gold
Singer/songwriter/guitarist prodigy Joanne Shaw Taylor returns with another nostalgic, quaint trip around her sonic universe. Black & Gold is another feather in the cap of Taylor’s prolific career as she puts together 11 head-spinning displays of undeniable blues talent with searing guitar solos and heartfelt songwriting. “Summer Love” already feels like a modern blues classic as Taylor weaves together a ballad of sun-drenched love mixed with longing.
The Doobie Brothers – “Speed of Pain”
Walk This Road
The legendary rock fusion gods, The Doobie Brothers, return with another LP, as if the band has anything left to prove. Still, even after spending decades as a beloved American band, The Doobie Brothers continue to push themselves to their creative limits, and Walk This Road is their latest sonic journey. “Speed of Pain” is an early favorite from this sentimental Doobie outing as the band implements soulful nods into their road-ready anthems.
Volbeat – “Better Be Fueled than Tamed”
God of Angels Trust
The high-octane, Copenhagen-bred hard rockers Volbeat are back with another mind-altering set of songs that hit you quicker than a right hook from a pro. God of Angels Trust is a mystifying set from the veterans, twenty years after their debut. “Better Be Fueled than Tamed” is a ripping, anthemic cut that is drizzled with surf-rock undertones, creating an intoxicating piece of scorching metal.
Jesse Daniel – “Jodi”
Son of the San Lorenzo
In an era where country music has blended so deeply with pop, Jesse Daniel is a breath of fresh, nostalgic, raw, twangy air. On his new album, Son of the San Lorenzo, Daniel employs folksy storytelling to deliver his heartfelt poetry for a set of 11 moving country ballads. “Jodi” is Daniel setting his heart out to sea. Slow-burning acoustics emphasize the palpable longing in his voice as the artist croons over lost love.
McKinley Dixon – “We’re Outside, Rejoice!”
Magic, Alive!
Virginia’s McKinley Dixon is quickly becoming one of the most exciting and invigorating voices in Hip-hop, and his latest concept album continues his meteoric rise. Magic, Alive! finds Dixon stepping outside of his autobiographical nature for an 11-track outing of jazzy Hip-hop centered around an immersive narrative. “We’re Outside, Rejoice!” is a gospel-tinted highlight from Dixon’s latest. The tune starts with a lovely jazz instrumental that gets interrupted by Dixon’s electrifying vocals and uplifting songwriting.
Ben de la Cour – “Lost Highway”
New Roses
Alt-folk artist Ben de la Cour emerges from his mystique with a diverse set of stunningly poetic, refreshing takes on modern folk. New Roses is the type of album that deserves your undivided attention, as Cour strings his lofty visions together with a web of expressive individuality. “Lost Highway” is an eerie, distorted six-minute ride through shoegaze-style vocals and vague imagery, a hauntingly beautiful piece on Cour’s most daring album yet.
Big Thief – “Incomprehensible”
Double Infinity
After smashing the folk world over the head with their ambitious and critically acclaimed Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You, Big Thief returns with the anticipated follow-up. Double Infinity is the band’s sixth studio LP, and the release date is set for September 5. “Incomprehensible” is our lead single from the album, and it is a mesmerizing electro-folk tune with warm, nimble vocals that dance over sterling drums.
Open Mike Eagle – “Contraband (The Plug has Bags of Me)”
Neighborhood Gods Unlimited
The multi-faceted artist Open Mike Eagle is fresh off tour with Future Islands, and now it is time for the Hip-hop pioneer to step into his own spotlight. After starting his trio, Previous Industries, in 2024, Open Mike Eagle announces Neighborhood Gods Unlimited, his new solo project set for release on July 11. “Contraband (The Plug has Bags of Me)” is our first single from the anticipated release. The lead single is a soulful, jazzy tune with hushed vocals that flirt with desperado-style guitar melodies and toe-tapping tempos, marking a rejuvenation of Mike’s iconic sound.
Shame – “Cutthroat”
Cutthroat
Modern post-punk band Shame has been steadily emerging as a shining light in the burgeoning scene, and they aim to add another dimension to the sonic landscape with the announcement of a new album and its lead single. Cutthroat arrives on September 5, and the confident, hectic title track is our first preview of the LP. What starts as a whirlwind of distorted guitars slides into a pop-inspired hook as Shame hint at a genre-shattering follow-up to 2023’s Food for Worms.
Gina Birch – “Doom Monger”
Trouble
As we all anxiously await the release of Raincoats’ co-founder Gina Birch’s second solo LP, the undeniable icon releases a groovy second single. “Doom Monger” is a breezy, danceable single with hints of psychedelia woven into elastic melodies, proving that Birch is far from done experimenting with her sound. The new single is from Trouble, Birch’s second solo album and second for Third Man Records, which is set to arrive on July 11.
Cate Le Bon – “Heaven Is No Feeling”
Michelangelo Dying
Thought-provoking and daring artist Cate Le Bon sets their sight on a new LP, their first since the groundbreaking Pompeii from 2022. Michelangelo Dying is set to be released on September 26 via Mexican Summer, and “Heaven Is No Feeling” is our first preview of the long-awaited release. The lead single is an ethereal joyride through deeply felt emotions, spun into lovely imagery that acts as a waterfall, soaking the twisted guitar melodies.
Pool Kids – “Easier Said Than Done”
Easier Said Than Done
Coming off of their sprawling sophomore effort, the genreless Pool Kids announce their third LP, Easier Said Than Done. The 11-song album is set to be released on August 15 via Epitaph Records, and the title track is our lead single. The pop-leaning single, on the surface, is a glistening yet grungey example of Pool Kids’ artistic range, but lyrically, the band details the pitfalls of love and the addiction it can become.
