While we are still waiting for the much-heralded Beck album
due in a few weeks, I can’t complain. The past few months brought new music
from some of my very fave bands sounding as strong as ever: Arcade Fire, LCD
Soundsystem and The National. So enjoy this playlist featuring songs from these
and other recent releases as we transition to fall. Listen on Spotify or as a
YouTube Playlist.
1. “Dear Life” – Beck
Another single appeared as Beck readies to release his 13th
studio album since 1985 next month. With a jaunty piano intro, “Dear Life”
brings another genre stew with guitar swagger and lyrical darkness as he mixes
up the sentiment, “Dear life, I’m holding on,” for the howling chorus.
2. “tonite” – LCD
Soundsystem
James Murphy finally returns to the music that most inspires
him after producing other bands and various creative projects: his own. (And it
turns out David Bowie had a hand in this eventual return after seven years!)
The fourth album since 2002, American
Dream heralds the band’s first number one album but better yet, it
comprises all the sonic trademarks expected from LCD, from low reverberating
synths, pulsating percussion layers and Murphy’s speak-sing rattling off random
thoughts, as found in the song “tonite.”
3. “Put Your Money on
Me” – Arcade Fire
“Put Your Money on Me” is perhaps my favorite track on the fifth Arcade Fire album since 2001, Everything Now. The slow build with alternating male/female vocals recalls the romantic push and pull of “It’s Never Over (Oh Orpheus)” from the last album, which was presented live as Win Butler and Régine Chassagne sang longingly to each other across
the crowd during the last tour in Montreal to great effect.
4. “You Push, I’ll Go
(feat. Alex Sanchez)” – Baby Dayliner
A favorite play on KEXP’s “John in the Morning Show,” this
cult hit by Baby Dayliner (the stage name of NYC native Ethan Marunas) has
finally attained an official release on an EP of the same name, after two
albums over a decade ago. The infectious tune “You Push, I’ll Go” follows city
dwellers on a night out, vowing to keep the faith in modern life.
5. “Offering” – Cults
NYC indie pop duo Cults is getting ready to release its
third album since 2010, with this title track “Offering” serving as a teaser
single. The lush instrumentation by Brian Oblivion under sweet youthful vocals
by Madeline Follin find their confident musical stride.
6. “Don’t Delete the
Kisses” – Wolf Alice
A four piece alt rock band from North London, Wolf Alice
pulls away from punk to offer a tender love song, “Don’t Delete the Kisses,” a
single for the upcoming sophomore album since 2010, Visions of a Life. The band embraces standard pop sensibilities
with a synth heavy take to conjure up images of modern romance, as sung in
hushed whispers by Ellie Rowsell.
7. “Airbourne” – Cut
Copy
When any band is formed by a DJ, it usually leans heavily
into dance music, as with Australian band Cut Copy. “Airbourne,” this quirky party
song bubbling with electronics, is off the fifth album since 2001, Haiku from Zero.
8. “Mourning Sound” –
Grizzly Bear
Brooklyn-based quartet Grizzly Bear is back with its fifth
album since 2002, Painted Ruins. Complex,
lavish instrumentation forms the foundation for Ed Droste and Daniel Rossen to
trade honeyed vocals once again.
9. “Valley Boy” – Wolf
Parade
Canadian indie rock band Wolf Parade will release its fourth
studio album since 2003 (after a hiatus from 2011 to 2016). You'd never know the band was on hiatus for
five years by this swaggering single and title track “Valley Boy” with Dan
Boeckner’s gritty yet soulful vocals.
10. “We Stayed Up All
Night (featuring Ardyn)” – Tourist
Tourist (AKA British electronic musician and Grammy-winning
songwriter William Phillips) teams up with British twins Ardyn for this buoyant
single “We Stayed Up All Night.” The
melodic polish fills this pop song with poise.
11. “Something to
Remember Me By” – The Horrors
Veteran English rock band The Horrors has offered a teaser
single “Something to Remember Me By,” for its fifth studio album since 2005, V. The classic pop sensibility of lead vocalist
Faris Badwan blithely carries the tune over wavering synths and pulsing
drums.
12. “Asido” – Purity
Ring
Canadian electronic duo Purity Ring recently released this stand
alone single, “Asido.” The song blankets Megan James’ childlike vocals over
electronic production provided by Corin Roddick.
13. “Call It Dreaming”
– Iron & Wine
Iron & Wine is the musical project of South Carolinian
Samuel Ervin Beam. His sixth full-length album since 2002, The Beast Epic, continues the acoustic aesthetic with his signature
sweet soft vocals, this time about themes of time and aging.
14. “Guilty Party” – The
National
Indie rock quintet from Cincinnati, Ohio, The National just
released Sleep Well Beast, its
seventh album since 1999. “Guilty Party”
offers a tender side of the band, although complexity reigns underneath the
introspective lyrics as conveyed by singer Matt Berninger.
15. “Party in the
Dark” – Mogwai
Scottish post-rock band Mogwai released its ninth studio
album since 1995, Every Country’s Sun. “Party in the Dark” is a sweet tune that
takes shoegaze into a resplendent chorus and back.
16. “Planet” – Four
Tet
Four Tet is the stage name for Kiernan Hebden, an English
musician who also considers himself in the post-rock genre. This stand alone
single “Planet” flaunts his wide range of influences, with a world view of
instrumentation and vocal pairings.