In this episode of We’re Listening, Engadget writers and editors discuss some of the latest music releases we’ve been recapping. It’s safe to say there’s some variety on this list.
Sierra Ferrell – Trail of Flowers
Sierra Ferrell seems almost anachronistic in 2024, but in the best way. He is the Carter Family or Flatt and Scruggs (his glossy covers once the songs performed by the latter duo are forever embedded in my head) and it is very refreshing. Trail of FlowersFerrell’s second studio album veers into a slightly more contemporary sound, but it retains that deep Americana feel that seems to naturally shake the West Virginia-born artist.
Country music is more than just one thing Trail of Flowers. He goes through different flavors—folk, bluegrass, hints of jazz—but he manages to do it in a way that feels cohesive when he puts it all together. The upbeat “American Dreams” and “I Wish You Well” are replaced by more whimsical, whimsical numbers like “I Could Drive You Crazy” or the deep-cut “Chitlin’ Cookin’ Time in Cheatham County.” Tracks such as “Money Train”, “I’m Gonna Get Off The Mountain” and “Lighthouse” immediately catch the eye. “Why don’t you still love me” and “No letter” are classics.
And then there’s the swaggeringly bad, scorned lover’s lament, “Rosemary.” This is one of the songs that first got me hooked on Sierra Ferrell years ago, as I think it is for many of Ferrell’s fans who have followed her career since her busy days. unforgettable GemsOnVHS performances. I almost got mad when I heard him Trail of Flowerswith full production, after loving the raw, stripped-down recording I played back YouTube it’s been so long. But they did a wonderful job of capturing that magic, and “Rosemary” might be my favorite song on the album. It’s hard to choose though.
castle rat – To the kingdom
Early last year I discovered something I didn’t realize was missing in my life: medieval fantasy doom metal. I was at a great trippy Brooklyn Made show fronting the band I went there to see, and I unexpectedly found myself on stage witnessing a choreographed sword fight (well, there was a scythe) between a woman in chains and someone wearing a hooded rat mask and underwear. I was already enthralled by the band’s heavy, immersive riffs and the singer’s hypnotic 1970s vocals, but at that moment, yes, everything fell into place. This was my introduction to Castle Rat and it was a very good one.
I’ve been eagerly anticipating the release of their debut album ever since, and from last month’s sophomore album, LP To the kingdom – I play it almost non-stop. It would actually be embarrassing if you check how many times I’ve listened to the album’s ballad, “Cry For Me.” It’s an uplifting, emotional song that really takes you on a journey, and I’m a little bit in awe of it. To the kingdom It opens strong with ‘Dagger Dragger’ and some real heavy hitters follow tracks like ‘Feed the Dream’, ‘Fresh Fur’ and ‘Nightblood’. “Red Sands” is a slow-building powerhouse, and I even found myself loving the three-minute instrumental interlude that ties the whole album together.
Doom guys love a good theme (as do I) and we see a lot of weed, witchcraft, sci-fi, and fantasy appearing in the subgenres that fall under this umbrella. Castle Rat certainly isn’t the first cripple, but the band has an even more specific, self-described freshness. middle-age century fantasy brand, perhaps because they are so attached to it. Their 70s and 80s influence is obvious, but everything they’ve put out so far still feels authentic. Some people might think the whole thing is gimmicky, but I think it works. Especially since he has the chops to back it up. I’m excited to see where Castle Rat goes from here.
Honorary titles:
A girl without a face Allie X— It’s another song I’ve been listening to an embarrassing amount of these days Strange WorldFrom Allie X’s latest album, The girl without a face. I still haven’t gotten over it, it absolutely drives me wild. The girl without a face Full of synth-pop gems like “Off With Her Tits” – a danceable, soulful anthem sure to resonate with anyone experiencing body image dysphoria – “John & Jonathan”, “Black Eye” and “Staying Power”. “
shy club, Shy girl — It’s just a collection of straight-up bangers. 16 minutes is not that long, but it really hits. If you need an instant mood lift before a night out, this album is it.
The Crowd: Volume 1Orville Peck — Orville Pekin’s first edition edgeless period is a duet album, the first part of which was released on Friday, featuring artists including Willie Nelson, Noah Cyrus and Elton John. I haven’t had time to spend much time with me The Crowd: Volume 1 yet, but so far I’m into it. “Conquer the Heart” ft. Nathaniel Rateliff and “How Will We Take It?” With Noah Cyrus, they feel they have combined the best elements Pony (2019) and Bronco (2022). Bronco two waves have arrived so I expect we will see one Volume 2 for the crowd not long after.
– Cheyenne MacDonald, Weekend Editor
Hannah Jadagu – Diaphragm
Every time I hear the words “banger” or “bop,” I don’t think of artists like Taylor Swift. I’m thinking of the smoky genre of music known as bedroom pop. Bop is, after all, above the name. Hannah Jadagu is a bedroom pop magician of the highest order. His first EP was made entirely on an old iPhone, and even though he’s done away with real recording studios since then, he’s still kicking ass. Jadagu’s latest full-length on Sub Pop, Diaphragm, full of both bangers and bops, and my personal favorite is Say It Now. Listen to this thing. It could just be a perfect pop song and it’s totally screaming for some road trip songs. The shoegaze-adjacent “What Have You Done” is another classic and would be right at home on any decent summer playlist.
– Lawrence Bonk, Contributing Reporter
Justice – Hyperdrama
Justice’s first full-length release the cross One of my favorite albums of all time from 2007. Not only did it define the crunchy electronic sound of the blog house era of the late 2000s and early 2010s, but it felt like a new French duo was picking up where Daft Punk left off after 2005. Human after all. Now Justice is back with his fourth album Hyperdrama. But instead of being inspired by a certain genre of music as we have heard Audio, Video, Disco stadium rock traces or The woman’s filled with disco beats, this album sounds more like the soundtrack to a moody sci-fi thriller, like it’s an alternate reality of Justice. Tron: Legacy soundtrack.
“Generator” is a certified banger and probably the song most similar to classic Justice. “Neverender” and “One Night/All Night” are also highlights, although Justice might have leaned a little too much on Tame Impala to give this album an identity. “Dear Alan” gives off super smooth vibes and Thundercat makes a delicious appearance and wraps things up powerfully on “The End”.
One thing I really miss is at least one indeed who can dance trace as with all of the band’s previous albums. I’ll also admit that some of the songs in the middle blend into each other in a way that’s less memorable. So for a while Hyperdrama which is not a masterpiece from top to bottom the cross ten and a half years ago, more Justice is not a bad thing.
– Sam Rutherford, Senior Correspondent
Hikaru in Utah – Science fiction
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been listening to more songs Science fiction, the first greatest hits album from J-Pop artist Utada Hikaru. I’ve been a fan since they released their debut album First love Back in 1999, when people seemed more than a little weirded out by the fact that yes, you can enjoy music with lyrics in a language you don’t understand. Utada has been on and off the J-Pop scene ever since, and there have been plenty of times when I haven’t heard anything about them. Every new music drop is a gift, especially this album because it’s tied to an upcoming concert tour that they only do once in a blue moon.
In Utah 2022, the songs “First Love” and “Hatsukoi” – which translates to “first love” – were revived when they were featured in (you guessed it) the hit Japanese drama series on Netflix. First love. There are traces of this, of course Science fictionIt also includes songs from various points in Utah’s career.
The album will take you on a journey from when they wrote mostly R&B-inspired pop to when their music was more experimental, introducing you to their current sound, which is both mainstream and unique. While some of the re-recorded versions of his older songs, such as “Journey,” don’t exactly hit the mark, it’s still a good representation of who Utada is as a musician. As a long time fan, this album for me is not just a collection of songs, but a collection of memories from different stages of my life.
– Mariella Moon, Contributing Reporter
Caroline Polachek – “Star Burnt and Unkissed”
There are several reasons for this.”Star Burned and Unkissed” appears I Saw The Flash Of Television Not only Broken Social Scene favorite mainstays like “Anthems For A Seventy-Year Old Girl,” but a soundtrack packed with other original songs by luminaries like Phoebe Bridgers and Hop Along’s Frances Quinlan. If pushed into a corner, I’d say the best thing about Starlit and Unkissed is that it’s a little too slow.
Each note stretches and longs with the impatience of adolescence, coming close to running out of air, to splitting in two. Like a very completely and equally brilliant scene I Saw The Flash Of Television written for captures the sleepy discomfort of an overheated high school, crowded and isolated. The weight of his crushing guitars ebbs and flows erratically, mimicking the experimentation of weak hands. (It takes a second try at the chorus to get the drums and guitars all in tune.)
It is unstable, hopeful. Caroline’s voice – gently marred by a deliberate auto-tune pitch shift – drops off-key in the song’s last few refrains, threatening to mar the dreamy beauty of the final three minutes. It ends abruptly, begging for another listen, another return to an irretrievable time.
Dear Notes:
“A Lover’s Saliva Plays in the Background”, Claire Rousay – of Rousay feeling it’s the perfect album to sing outside on a cloudy day. I’m not sure I could pick a great track because the experience is really about letting it all fall on you, but it’s close enough.
“Brian’s Stickers”, Hot Mulligan – A classic pop-punk theme (“my job sucks and I hate everybody”) but oh my god what an earworm.
“On Brand”, Ekko Astral – Levels of snottiness previously thought unattainable. It’s hard not to love what a beautiful mess these people make.
“Storm Is Coming”, On High Fire – Most of High on Fire’s 20+ years of output sounds like – and lyrically is probably about – an axe-wielding barbarian ripping a bong or some other D&D nonsense. (I say this with love. I adore High on Fire.) The new song’s title track is…uncannily mind-blowing? At first it felt very “old band showing its age” but it grew on me as a deliberate and welcome change. They’re not ready to use AI for the “Burning Down” music video. Come on guys.
— Avery Ellis, Deputy Editor, Reports
