Whether you are in the crosshairs of this brutal winter storm or not, this week’s Caustic is enough to keep you busy. Everyone in the Northeast woke up to a thick layer of snow this morning and we have the perfect soundtrack for those trying to escape the harsh conditions. This faithful Friday has provided us with a bountiful feast of new releases from across the board. 2024 is off to a fiery start and we couldn’t be more excited about the LPs being announced and the albums we have before us today.
Check out Glide’s picks for the best new music of the week below:
SLIFT – “The Words That Have Never Been Heard”
ILION
SLIFT has returned in all its glory and the new LP is everything you could ask for and then some. Today, the undefinable trio released ILION, their most ambitious album to date. The towering arrangements bend time and twist minds as vocals descend from the heavens in all different shapes and forms. “The Words That Have Never Been Heard” is an early favorite, distant vocals accent neck-breaking drum patterns for pure prog-psych-stoner-metal rock bliss.
Sleater-Kinney – “Don’t Feel Right”
Little Rope
Today is the day, Sleater-Kinney’s much-buzzed-about LP Little Rope is finally here. The ten-track LP feels like a long time in the making and is worth every second of anxious anticipation. “Don’t Feel Right” is the breezy stand-out featuring some of the best vocal work on the album and infectious guitar tones.
Lizzie No – “Sleeping In the Next Room”
Halfsies
Another highly-anticipated album that finally hit its release date, Lizzie No’s Halfsies puts an emphasis on her songwriting. The 11-track LP has some moving lyrics being delivered by heaven-sent harmonies and plush melodies. “Sleep In The Next Room” builds on the ambiance it sets up for itself, a lyrical exploration into a dissolving relationship set to a folksy arrangement.
Black Grape – “Quincy”
Orange Head
The elusive and consistently mind-melting music of Black Grape has chosen today to make its welcomed return, and we are over the moon about it. Orange Head marks the first album from the Shaun Ryder-led project since 2017 and it is as danceable and hectic as we could’ve hoped. “Quincy” is the funky cut with off-kilter vocals and a whole lot of passion, a disco-style arrangement is juxtaposed with harsh melodies to give this track a unique feeling you won’t find on any other release this Friday or any Friday.
Glass Beach – “motions”
Plastic Death
Glass Beach made their presence felt in the rock world with the release of their debut record back in 2019. Today, their sophomore album Plastic Death is here for our listening pleasure, and no sophomore slump has been detected. The album is bursting with colorful arrangements and charming melodies with “motions” being an early favorite. The crashing arrangement twists and turns with hints of math rock as the band pieces together an indie rock anthem with the attitude of punk.
Norah Jones – “Running”
Visions
The incomparable Norah Jones has returned from the clouds with a brand-new LP and single. Visions is set to be released on March 8 and the stunning ballad “Running” is our introduction to the project. The dancing piano melody indicates a return to form for Jones as her distinct vocal tones around bouncy drums and otherworldly harmonies.
Yard Act – “We Make Hits”
Where’s My Utopia?
Yard Act has one of the year’s most anticipated albums, and their latest offering from it only fuels that fire. “We Make Hits” features complex yet danceable melodies for a funk-riddled track with stellar vocals. Where’s My Utopia is set to be released on March 1 and it is not an album you want to miss, “We Make Hits” seems to be foreshadowing the success of the upcoming release.
Khruangbin – “A Love International”
A LA SALA
There is something undeniable about Khruangbin’s music and they’re preparing to add another feather in their cap. A LA SALA is the new LP from the fusion band and it is set to drop on April 5. To celebrate the new LP, the band has released “A Love International”, a criminally smooth instrumental track with tropical tones and a sleek guitar that carries the weight of this beauty.
IDLES – “Gift Horse”
TANGK
Yet another unbelievably anticipated release, post-punk golden child IDLES is gearing up for their new LP. TANGK is set to be released on February 16 and if the singles are anything like the rest of the album, we’re in for something special. The latest single is “Gift Horse”, a chugging arrangement that changes tempos in the blink of an eye as off-kilter vocals echo for another terrific single from the upcoming IDLES LP.
Adrianne Lenker – “Sadness As a Gift”
Bright Future
The head songwriter/vocalist of Big Thief is adding another diamond to her solo discography. Bright Future is set to be released on March 22 and will feature the earlier single “Ruined” and the new track “Sadness As a Gift”. This new track is Lenker at her best, moody strings form like a storm cloud as her nimble vocals navigate a sparse twang.
Vegyn – “The Path Less Traveled”
The Road to Hell Is Paved with Good Intentions
One of the most innovative producers of his time, Vegyn has no contemporaries to keep up with. He is stuck constantly trying to outdo himself, rarely failing, and constantly evolving. Vegyn looks to raise that endless ceiling a little higher with The Road to Hell Is Paved with Good Intentions, his new LP set to drop on April 5. Along with two previously released singles, the album will feature “The Path Less Traveled”. The instrumental track is a whirlwind of electronic bleeps and robotic melodies, a wonky track that you’ll have on repeat for a long time.
Fieldrow – “Likeness of a Man”
Single
The BADBADNOTGOOD musical universe just expanded with member Chester Hansen entering the world of murky garage rock. Fieldrow is the indie rock project of Hansen and the latest singles are about as infectious as it gets. “Likeness of a Man” features lush vocals and a guitar-driven arrangement that explodes into a distorted solo. If you take one song with you into the weekend, make it the new Fieldrow singles.
Peel – “Acid Star”
Acid Star
Sean Cimino and Isom Innis of Foster the People have combined forces to form Peel. The new project is a psychedelic journey through jangly guitars and vocals with the perfect amount of reverb to achieve a sound of cosmic proportions. Their debut album Acid Star is set to be released on March 29 and one of the lead singles doubles as the title track. The track glistens even in a windowless room through cloud-like textures and soaring vocals for a shoegaze-style single.
The High Llamas – “Toriafan”
Hey Panda
The new High Llamas album Hey Panda is set to be released on March 29. While that feels like worlds away on this cold Friday in January, the band has returned with the second single from the upcoming LP. “Toriafan” is an unpredictable ballad with gentle melodies that switch styles before you have the chance to comprehend the moving poetry in the lyrics. Hey Panda might still be a few weeks away but “Toriafan” is here to keep us company until then.
The Dandy Warhols – “Danzing With Myself” (Feat. Frank Black)
Rockmaker
Returning with an appropriately titled LP on March 15, The Dandy Warhols released a distorted masterpiece of a single. “Danzing With Myself” is a larger-than-life track with hauntingly beautiful vocals that feel right at home against the nightmare-fueled tones of the arrangement. “Danzing With Myself” is an experimental rock track that welcomes you to Rockmaker, the band’s first LP in four years.
