May has arrived, and it is already blooming with some stellar releases. As the weather heats up to Summer proportions, the steam of Spring showers rises from the asphalt to create a misty New Music Friday overflowing with punk prowess, pop-laden ballads, and head-spinning Hip-hop. The first week of May brings us one of our most diverse Caustics of the year, making it a must-listen as we all ship off into the weekend.
Check out Glide’s picks for the week’s best new music, and be sure to follow this month’s Caustic Spotify playlist never to miss a release.
Car Seat Headrest – “Planet Desperation”
The Scholars
On their first studio album since 2020, iconic indie rock fusion experts Car Seat Headrest release an expansive and daring set of songs. The Scholars is a tight, sophisticated concept album with arrangements that transform without warning, giving this nine-song LP a cinematic feel. “Planet Desperation, a nearly 19-minute highlight from the album, has an anthemic atmosphere that touches on epic rock balladry, distorted garage influences, and gentle, piano-driven serenades.
Esther Rose – “Rescue You”
Want
Esther Rose’s discography has always toed the line between nostalgic country and the artist’s lofty visions for the genre, but on her freshly released LP, Want, Rose dives into honed, pop-leaning indie folk. The 11-song LP is consistently infectious as the artist’s writing navigates emotional moments with bright melodies and a sprawling array of arrangements. “Rescue You” is a bouncy pop anthem with impressive guitar melodies that twirl around Rose’s passionate yet gentle vocal performance, creating a whirlwind of vulnerability and danceability.
Lucius – “Orange Blossoms”
Lucius
Lucius’s new self-titled LP is a return to form for the indie-pop outfit as they craft pastoral, lush indie folk. After their highly collaborative Wildewoman (Deluxe) release from 2024, the band opts for a more focused set with harmonies that perform an interpretive dance over raw ambiance and conventional folk-rock. “Orange Blossoms” has the band walking the tightrope between their experimental tendencies and pop sensibilities as the radio-ready vocals cascade around droning synths and slow-burning guitars.
Kassi Valazza – “Market Street Savior”
From Newman Street
Following the statement piece that is her 2023 LP, Kassi Valazza releases a focused and quaint LP that positions her songwriting as the star. From Newman Street is a poignant and palpable set of ten examples of Valazza’s storytelling ability and stunning vocal prowess. “Market Street Savior” is an early highlight that softly paints a vivid picture of a downtown scene.
James Krivchenia – “Undesigned”
Performing Belief
Producer/session musician/Big Thief drummer James Krivchenia unleashes his latest off-kilter electro-dance LP in a firework-style display of his fearless artistry. Performing Belief has the artist teaming up with Sam Wilkes and Joshua Abrams for a loose, jazzy, genre-blurring set of eight instrumental pieces. “Undesigned” is an awkward two-step that beautifully strings the nuances of Krivchenia’s approach via bubbly drums and pulsating tempos.
Jenny Hval – “I Don’t Know What Free Is”
Iris Silver Mist
Jenny Hval seems to set the pop world ablaze with every release, and her latest effort is no different. Iris Silver Mist emerges from the depths of Hval’s soul for a raw portrait of the artist whose left-field sensibilities manifest into 13 spellbinding examples of the artist’s ability to leap between genres with reckless abandon. “I Don’t Know What Free Is” features jazz-leaning drums that emphasize the intricacies of Hval’s poetry, her tender vocals, and the underlying fusion prowess on display.
M Ross Perkins – “Gone (In the Morning)
What’s the Matter, M Ross?
M Ross Perkins returns after three years with a hauntingly beautiful set of songs that inch listeners closer to the man behind the artist. What’s The Matter, M Ross is the artist’s most vulnerable LP to date, as the artist paints a self-portrait brimming with honed songwriting and breezy melodies. “Gone (In the Morning)” is a heartbreaking love letter disguised as laid-back surf rock, with Perkins crooning of lost love over colorful guitars.
Pup – “Needed To Hear It”
Who Will Look After The Dogs?
Pop-punk golden children, Pup, return with an aggressive LP that rejuvenates the genre while pushing the band’s sonic limits to their max. Who Will Look After The Dogs? is a relatable, distorted outing that finds Pup toying with their sonic landscape to land on hazy, passionate anthems that both self-analyze and provide the band’s perspective on the world around them. “Needed To Hear It” is an explosive punk anthem with awkward guitar melodies that come alive as the throat-scratching vocals deliver a story of heartbreak and harsh reality checks.
Maxo – “Human ?”
Mars Is Electric
After releasing two stellar LPs in 2023, Maxo returns with a new LP with an unforgettable lead single. Mars Is Electric is set to be released on June 20, and the abstract and uplifting “Human ?” is our first preview of the anticipated release. The quick and potent single features crooning vocal samples that interact with Maxo’s positive songwriting as the song reminds us that the world is our oyster.
BADBADNOTGOOD & V.C.R – “Found A Light (Beale Street)”
Single
Modern jazz giants, BADBADNOTGOOD, team up with the versatile songstress, V.C.R., for a seven-minute single that bends and twists between nostalgia and contemporary urgency. “Found A Light (Beale Street)” has the collaborative team crafting an acrobatic anthem with V.C.R.’s vocals skating over freewheeling jazz for a beautifully crafted example of both artists’ undeniable range.
MIKE & Tony Seltzer – “WYC4”
Pinball II
We are now less than a week away from the anticipated follow-up to emcee/producer MIKE and producer Tony Seltzer’s celebrated LP, and the duo releases another example of their pure chemistry. Pinball II is set to be released on May 7, and the animated “WYC4” is our second album preview. The latest single showcases MIKE’s ability to craft catchy hooks and Seltzer’s refreshing approach to modern Hip-hop.
McKinley Dixon – “Recitatif” (Feat. Teller Bank$)
Magic, Alive!
The jazzy Hip-hop of McKinley Dixon is getting a new chapter with the release of Magic, Alive! set for June 6. The ambitious LP will mark Dixon’s first album since his breakthrough 2023 LP, and the unpredictable, Teller Bank$-assisted “Recitatif” is our latest single. What starts as a calm jazz storm quickly turns into a distorted hurricane with Dixon’s vocals switching from calm to aggravated in seconds, highlighting the artist’s range and hinting at what will surely be another landmark release for the artist.
Turnstile – “BIRDS”
NEVER ENOUGH
The time has finally arrived for a new Turnstile LP, and while fans will have to wait until June 6 to experience the project in its entirety, these latest singles should hold everyone over for the next few weeks. “Seein’ Stars” and “Birds,” the two new singles from NEVER ENOUGH, juxtapose each other, with “Birds” harkening back to the band’s hardcore roots. “Birds” is a fast-paced explosion of Turnstile’s past, with dense guitars creating a wall of sound for the vocals to graffiti their rage across.
Stereolab – “Melodie Is A Wound”
Instant Holograms On Metal Film
We are only a few weeks away from the May 23 release of Stereolab’s first studio album in over a decade. With every single release, another log is added to the fiery anticipation. Our latest single from the project, “Melodie Is A Wound,” is an avant-pop ballad with colorful melodies and pop excellence. The new single is a sterling preview of the upcoming Stereolab LP as the band readies its triumphant return.
Far Caspian – “First Day”
Autofiction
Joel Johnston’s Far Caspian has announced its third LP, and the rocking lead single should have everyone excited for this release. Autofiction is set to be released on July 25, and “First Day” is our fantastically busy lead single. The shoegaze-leaning single features plush vocals and jangly guitars juxtaposed by hard-hitting, sturdy drums for a statement piece of a lead single that hints at another beautiful release from Johnston.
