As the mid-August sun turns the average day into a blistering journey into thick humidity, this week’s blazing New Music Friday attempts to outdo the weather with a stellar list of fresh releases. This week’s Caustic is jam-packed with fresh releases ranging from refreshing, psychedelic tendencies to danceable, infectious instrumentation. Everything from left-field punk to soulful folk found a way to be represented on this fine Friday, and each tune carries the possibility of being your new favorite. Use the heat as an excuse to sit on a porch and dig through some stunning new releases; it might be the only cure to the scorching days that lie ahead of us.
Check out Glide’s picks for the week’s best new music, and be sure to dig into our Caustic Spotify playlist to catch up on August’s freshest releases.
Pile – “A Loosened Knot”
Sunshine and Balance Beams
On their ninth album, Boston DIY outfit Pile crafts an immersive, sprawling outing that blends all the nuances of their uniqueness into something even fresher. Sunshine and Balance Beams is a mystifying journey through the deepest corners of rock music, as the band employs a post-punk aesthetic and decorates it with folksy storytelling and psychedelia. “A Loosened Knot” is an early favorite from Pile’s latest. A passionate, warping vocal performance navigates chugging tempos and searing guitar tones for a preview of the magic held on Sunshine and Balance Beams.
Molly Tuttle – “Oasis”
So Long Little Miss Sunshine
Molly Tuttle has long proven to be a master of tradition, with a discography that brings Americana and Bluegrass roots to modern times. Still, her latest release finds her exploring a more pop-oriented corner of the history books. So Long Little Miss Sunshine is an anthematic 12-song trip through technicolored arrangements and palpable vocal performances, with Tuttle seemingly diving headfirst into a newfound love for simplistic, twangy, pop balladry. “Oasis” is an acoustic number with vocal melodies that sway along with the breeze stirred up by the welcoming warmth of the arrangement.
Cass McCombs – “Who Removed The Cellar Door?”
Interior Live Oak
After years of toying and experimenting with his sound to stellar results, Cass McCombs returns with a rewarding, straightforward folk LP brimming with colorful storytelling. Interior Live Oak is a monstrous 16-song LP that emphasizes something fans of the artist already knew: McCombs has the capability of transporting listeners into his sonic universe. “Who Removed The Cellar Door?” is a six-minute stand-out from this moving LP, with McCombs detailing a narrative with poetic grace and expressive flair.
Pool Kids – “Perfect View”
Easier Said Than Done
Welcome to the blissful, wonderfully twisted world of Pool Kids’ first album in three years. The pop-leaning band’s third LP finds the band looking at their infectious tendencies through a kaleidoscope to unravel new textures and different dimensions of their artistry. “Perfect View” is a gentle example of this sprawling effort, with glistening acoustics that twinkle alongside the lush vocal textures.
The Kingston Lions & MitchdiSinga – “Book of Rules”
The Kingston Lions
The legendary session musicians from Jamaica, The Kingston Lions, are stepping into the booth yet again, but this time they’re taking charge of it all. The band’s self-titled debut finds them drawing on their legacy and prowess to craft a 14-song album with bubbly, bouncy instrumentation, with MitchdiSinga taking over vocal duties. “Book of Rules” is an early favorite with a rainbow of harmonies forming out of the mist kicked up by the sleek, honed arrangement.
Mae Powell – “Hot Headed”
Making Room for the Light
Mae Powell’s sophomore effort is a heartfelt ode to personal growth as the artist points her poetic songwriting inward for a confessional piece of folksy soul. Making Room for the Light is the artist’s first album for Karma Chief Records. It introduces the singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist as a refreshing voice in both the soul revival and burgeoning folk scene. “Hot Headed” is a swaying highlight that emphasizes the personal place Powell is writing from via simplistic yet potent instrumentation and a soft vocal delivery.
Rise Against – “Soldier”
Ricochet
Chicago’s melodic punk golden child, Rise Against, has returned with their first new album since 2021. Ricochet feels like a victory lap for a career brimming with well-deserved milestones, as the band spends their tenth studio effort creating loose anthems with sugary yet rugged vocals tangoing with stadium-sized arrangements. “Soldier” is positioned towards the end of Ricochet, and what a song to send us off with. The stand-out songs find Rise Against removing the things they can’t control from their lives, leaving nothing but their gut feelings to guide them through the confusion of the modern world.
Brett McKenzie – “The Only Dream I Know”
Freak Out City
On his second LP for Sub Pop Records, Brett McKenzie moves even further away from his comedic roots with an intimate set of songs built around acoustic solace and beautiful love songs. Freak Out City is ten harmonious songs of quaint folk with lyrics that paint vibrant portraits of love, life, and the complex emotions that come with experiencing both. “The Only Dream I Know” is as pretty as it comes, with blossoming harmonies that soar over trembling acoustics.
Marissa Nadler – “Weightless Above The Water”
New Radiations
A veteran of Americana music fusion and one of the most exciting voices in modern folk, Marissa Nadler returns with her tenth studio LP, New Radiations. The 11-song album brings with it a gothic ambiance that is room-altering and attention-demanding, as Nadler’s keen sense of tone helps bring her words to life as they drift like ghosts over meditative acoustics. “Weightless Above The Water” balances the eerie with the uplifting as Nadler’s precious harmonies fall over an ambiance that immerses the listener in a sonic blanket that feels new yet familiar.
Steve Gunn – “Park Entrance”
Music For Writers
On the latest addition to his ever-evolving artistry and sprawling discography, legendary singer/songwriter Steve Gunn puts those two talents to the side for an ambient instrumental outing. Music For Writers is pure atmospheric beauty, as cloud-like instrumentals crawl by like they have nowhere to be, boosting the energy of the room with subtle twists and turns. “Park Entrance” features a gentle finger-plucking while a droning silence adds depth to the minimalistic acoustics.
Kaytranada – “THINGS”
Ain’t No Damn Way!
Producer and DJ Kaytranada surprised fans with the announcement of his new album only a few days before its release, and now the album is before us in all its glory. Ain’t No Damn Way! finds Kaytranada removing his typical feature list of heavy hitters for an instrumental album that highlights the artist’s growth since he first exploded onto the internet all those years ago. “THINGS” is a mesmerizing piece of psychedelic house with enough flavor to feed a village, with synths shooting off sturdy drums that feature that classic Kaytranada swing.
Black Eyes – “Pestilence”
Hostile Design
For the first time in over twenty years, Discord Records’ post-punk outfit, Black Eyes, emerges with a new LP. Hostile Design, the band’s first piece of new music since 2004’s Cough, is set to be released on October 10 and can be pre-ordered on the band’s Bandcamp. The album’s lead single is also available exclusively on Bandcamp, with the twisted “Pestilence” as our first preview of the anticipated release. The industrial eeriness of the track is cut through with a vocal performance that is both cartoonishly passionate, yet seems to be the only aspect of the single to be anchoring Black Eyes to our realm.
Droogie Otis (Madlib & Your Old Droog) – “The Edge” (Feat. Killer Mike)
Single
The much-hinted-at and highly anticipated collaborative album from rapper Your Old Droog and super-producer Madlib is inching closer as the duo releases yet another stellar single. The Killer Mike-assisted “The Edge” is a mesmerizing display of Droog’s wit and Madlib’s jazzy magic, along with a guitar solo from Droog to close out the track. Some hints point to an October release for the whole album, but until then, “The Edge” is filling enough until the duo decides to unleash what is promising to be one of the best Hip-hop releases of the year.
Militarie Gun – “B A D I D E A”
God Save The Gun
One of the most promising bands to emerge in recent years, Militare Gun has established a corner of post-punk no one can take away from them, and they look to make that section even larger with a new LP and a stunning single. God Save The Gun is set to be released on October 17, with “B A D I D E A” being our latest single. It has a chorus meant to be chanted in a crowd, and an arrangement with enough personality to shift the atmosphere of the room into a confetti blast of punk passion.
Guitar – “Pizza For Everyone”
We’re Headed To The Lake
Portland-based band Guitar is primed to be a significant player in modern indie rock, and they look to solidify their spot with a new LP. We’re Headed To The Lake is set to be released on October 10, with the subtly twangy “Pizza For Everyone” accompanying the album announcement. The lead single takes the simplicity of a day at the lake and stretches it out to a nearly three-minute example of the refreshing sonic palette Guitar has to offer.
One Response
My favourite band since teenagers. Now they’ve made a comback!