Silverbacks
Silverbacks

24 New Songs Out Today

So many artists, so little time. Each week we review a handful of new albums (of all genres), round up even more new music that we’d call “indie,” and talk about what metal is coming out. We post music news, show recaps, track premieres, and more all day. That includes a lot of tour announcements, a list of tonight’s NYC shows, and NY shows that just went on sale. We publish a monthly playlist of some of our favorite tracks. Here’s a daily roundup with a bunch of interesting, newly released songs in one place…

SPARKS – “LAWNMOWER”

Celebrating their 50th year as a group, brothers Ron and Russell Mael release A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip — their 24th Sparks album — on Friday. At this point, Sparks’ theatrical brand of rock is easily recognizable, like on this final early taste from the LP.

CHAI – “READY CHEEKY PRETTY”

“We are the upbeat cheeky monkey” declare CHAI in their new single and its accompanying video. Here’s more from the band: “KEEP IT REAL Go back to the real you! It’s all about moving forward and living by instinct! To go forward with the voice of your heart! Nothing symbolizes this more for us than the carefree nature, strength, and purity of a monkey. We pay homage to this in Ready Cheeky Pretty because we feel that animals have the ability to be REAL more than humans. It’s this type of song! Take a listen!”

SLOWTHAI – “MAGIC” (prod. KENNY BEATS)

Just a few days after dropping the new single “ENEMY,” the increasingly great UK rapper slowthai returns with another new single, this time with a beat from Rico Nasty/Vince Staples/Denzel Curry collaborator Kenny Beats that’s as loud and brash as slowthai’s raps.

IDK – “495” (ft. YUNGMANNY, RICO NASTY, BIG FLOCK, BIG JAM & WEENSEY)

Maryland rapper IDK is serving as music supervisor and composer for the new Kevin Durant documentary BASKETBALL COUNTY: In The Water, which premieres Friday (5/15) at 9 PM ET on Showtime, and it’ll feature this new song, which IDK says he wrote “to basically create unity amongst the DC/Maryland/Virginia area.” “This is one of the first times I’ve seen the DMV on one song,” he said. “It just felt really authentic when we put it together. We have elements of go-go by having Weensey from Backyard Band in there, we have Rico Nasty representing for the women, Big Jam and Big Flock. Big Jam from VA, and Big Flock from PG, Maryland. It’s just a great feeling to have all these people on one track.”

KEATON HENSON – “CAREER DAY”

Following last year’s classical album Six Lethargies, UK artist Keaton Henson has just released his first singer/songwriter-style song since 2016’s very good Kindly Now. It’s a beautiful song, and if you’re unfamiliar with Keaton but you like Sufjan or Bon Iver, don’t sleep on this one.

BING & RUTH – “LIVE FOREVER”

Here’s another single from Bing & Ruth’s new album, Species, that’s out July 17 via 4AD. “Depending on how you’re registering time, ‘Live Forever’ tends to be either the longest or shortest track on Species,” says B&R’s David Moore. “It is a very peaceful song for me, and lately that seems to be what I’m most in need of. I hope you can find something in it for yourself.” The video, full of fuzzy color, is ver peaceful, too.

LUKE JENNER (THE RAPTURE) – “IF THERE IS A GOD”

“‘If There is a God’ is part of this meditation ‍♀️ on life and death love ❤️ and ideas about who we are as people and beings,” says Rapture frontman Luke Jenner of this new single. “It’s a little Beach Boys and a little Krautrock and a little bit whimsy. Who the fuck knows what happens next in this life?” One thing we know is that Luke’s solo album, One, has been given a new release date — July 24.

ALISON MOSSHART – “IT AIN’T WATER”

Alison Mosshart of The Kills, Dead Weather, Discount and more has been focusing on her solo career this year, releasing two Lawrence Rothman-produced songs. Now she’s shared another bluesy solo single, produced by Alain Johannes, and due out as a 7″ with “Rise” on July 31 via Domino.

ALA.NI x CHASSOL – “(Not) Getting Married” (SONDHEIM)

British artist ALA.NI has teamed up with French composer CHASSOL to cover “(Not) Getting Married” from Stephen Sondheim’s Company as a tribute to the musical’s 50th anniversary. The song and video very cleverly works in clips from movies like Four Weddings and a Funeral, The Color Purple, The Runaway Bride, Barry Lyndon, Hair, and many more.

PAINT – “TA FARDAH (تا فردا)”

PAINT, aka Allah-Las’ Pedrum Siadatian, will release new album Spiritual Vegas out July 10, “2020 on Mexican Summer. First single is “Ta Fardah” (“Til Tomorrow), which is sung in Farsi. “The song is an ode to 70s/80s Iranian melodrama, with a video depicting a man falling in love with a TSA agent,” Pedrum says. “Quarantine resulted in a homemade metal detector and security screening room.”

LARAAJI – “TEMPLE OF NEW LIGHT”

Ambient pioneer Laraaji will release Sun Piano, an album of keyboard improvisations, on July 17 via All Saints. Check out a track, “Temple of Night,” and the album trailer.

SILVERBACKS – “MUTED GOLD”

Irish band Silverbacks make mathy, funky indie rock that at times recalls Foals. They’ve just dropped this appealing new single and video. “The video is loosely inspired by early Stereolab music videos,” says singer Daniel O’Kelly . “It’s a collection of clips from a few band outings we had near our practice space before the lockdown began. Fun fact, Peadar used to work in a bowling alley. Despite not having played in years he scored 192 on the day we brought the camera.”

OK GO – “ALL TOGETHER NOW”

OK Go have at least as much a reputation for making music videos as they do for writing songs, so it’s only fitting that the new song they wrote in quarantine also comes with a cool video they shot in quarantine. It’s a nice dose of harmony-fueled, classic-style pop rock and singer Damian Kulash says, “This isn’t the clever new video we’ve been working on for months or the lead single from our new album; there’s no campaign. It’s an earnest, personal song about the moment we’re all sharing, and a homemade video of us recording it in our closets and kitchens.”

Damian also shared a letter revealing that he and his family were diagnosed with COVID-19, but that they’ve thankfully recovered. Proceeds from downloads and donations will go to Partners In Health, “a global health organization restoring social justice by bringing quality health care to the most vulnerable around the world.”

HANNAH GEORGAS – “SAME MISTAKES”

Toronto artist Hannah Georgas shared an Aaron Dessner-produced single, “That Emotion,” back in March, and now she’s shared another track she worked on with Dessner, “Same Mistakes.” “Over the years I’ve been recognizing patterns and habits I’ve created in order to protect myself in situations that are difficult,” Georgas says. “I’m becoming more aware of how much my upbringing has had an affect on me. This song was inspired by learning how to accept the past and recognize when things come up and trying to learn to from them. Aaron and I tried a couple of versions of it before we found this one. I originally wrote it on guitar and I ended up finding a different arrangement for it on the piano. Towards the end of my time with Aaron, we re-recorded this- tracking piano and vocals first. He came up with a repetitive bass line and drum loop. He started playing these beautiful guitar slide parts that felt like whale calls. We were recording it in the evening and I remember listening and looking out the window and seeing a beautiful bright moon and clear dark sky. It was a really memorable and magical moment.”

SOFT PLASTICS (FROG EYES) – THREE NEW SONGS”

Soft Plastics (the new band of Frog Eyes’ Carey Mercer, Mel Campbell, and Shyla Seller) have shared another three songs off their upcoming debut album 5 Dreams (making for seven total songs released so far), and all three are the kinds of songs that could only have come from Carey Mercer.

GAEREA – “NULL”

Portuguese black metallers Gaerea will release their sophomore album, Limbo, on July 24 via Season of Mist, and the monstrous lead single “Null” is out now.

DANIEL ROMANO’S OUTFIT DO (WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN) “INFIDELS” BY BOB DYLAN & THE PLUGZ

Shapeshifting and outlandishly prolific artist Daniel Romano follows his recent collaborations with Tool’s Danny Carey and two Fucked Up members with another new project. Here’s the story of this one: in 1983, Bob Dylan made his first Letterman appearance, and he was backed by two members of LA punk band The Plugz for the first and last time in his career. This EP imagines what it might’ve sounded like if Dylan actually made a record with The Plugz. It’s an interesting, funny concept, and Romano delivers.

A$AP FERG – “FEEL SOME TYPE OF WAY FREESTYLE”

Fresh off releasing a song with Australian drill group ONEFOUR, Harlem’s A$AP Ferg has dropped a new freestyle which comes with footage of his recent Australian tour. It’s on his downtempo, sentimental side, and it’s cool stuff.

STRIKE ANYWHERE – “DRESS THE WOUNDS” & “IMPERIUM OF WASTE”

Richmond melodic hardcore greats Strike Anywhere have released their first two songs in over a decade, both of which will appear on their new EP Nightmares of the West, due this July via their new label home Pure Noise. Read more here.

INTER ARMA – “SOUTHERN MAN” (NEIL YOUNG COVER)

Inter Arma have announced a covers album and the first taste is this black metal version of Neil Young’s classic “Southern Man.” Read more here.

MAGGOT HEART – “MERCY MACHINE”

Maggot Heart is the project of Linnéa Olsson (who also played in Beastmilk, Grave Pleasures, Sonic Ritual, and The Oath), and they’re releasing their sophomore album, Mercy Machine, this July. Check out the title track and read more here.

THE 1975 – “GUYS”

The 1975’s anticipated new album arrives next week, and here’s another great single from it. Read more here.

EVERYTHING EVERYTHING – “ARCH ENEMY”

Having released new single “In Birdsong” last month, UK band Everything Everything have now announced a new album, Re-Animator, which will be out August 21. Here’s the new single.

Looking for even more new songs? Browse the ‘New Songs’ archive.