It is time once again for me to make you wise to some new music hitting stores and digital platforms today. There are new releases coming from two alternative legends that have gone solo as well as the return of the Queen Bee. There are some great choices this week from every genre imaginable, so as you begin to start your weekend, be sure to add some of these to your playlist. So in the immortal words of SoBro Mose, “Let’s Fucking Go!”
Kim Gordon No Home Record
My all time favorite female alternative vocalist is releasing her first ever solo record after spending the greater part of the last four decades as the force, along with now ex-husband Thurston Moore, behind legendary rock band Sonic Youth. “Sketch Artist” the first track on the album sets the tone right off the start, sounding like something you’d expect to hear on the soundtrack to Hereditary. Kim Gordon’s solo debut has a very refreshing and modern sound, while mixing in some ‘90s trip-hop reminiscent of Portishead and Massive Attack. The album deals a lot with the feeling of being alienated in new places, but will still leave the listener feeling confident, greatly due in part to Kim’s vocal delivery. @kimletgordon
Lil Kim 9
In the 14 years it’s been since Lil Kim released her last album, The Naked Truth, hip-hop has seen many female M.C.’s come and try to take her throne, but the Queen Bee is here in 2019 ready to take back what is rightfully hers. 9 finds Kim ready to ‘Go Awff” and reign forever. The rap icon has returned with a more mature sounding record and the opening track “Pray for Me” finds Kim rapping about the strength of her relationship and her fear that the streets, not another woman, will be the one that brings it to an end. The aforementioned maturity doesn’t last throughout the whole record. “Found You” reminds us real quick why Lil Kim was regarded as one of the dirtiest rappers of the early 2000s. The “I let him use my face as a c** rag” is all you need to hear to know that the Queen Bee hasn’t lost her edge. @LilKim
Art Alexakis Sun Songs
Everclear frontman Art Alexakis breaks out on his own with his debut solo album Sun Songs “an acoustic singer-songwriter type of album.” The charismatic rocker just recently revealed that he has multiple sclerosis that was discovered following a car accident a few years ago and should be able to live a normal life while taking the proper medication. Art has been wanting to put an album of his own original material for quite some time now, but time and time again, they just manifested themselves into Everclear records. Using influences from country to hip-hop, Sun Songs is set to have a different sound and vibe found on Everclear albums. @artalexakis
Babymetal Metal Galaxy
There’s weird combinations of things that don’t make a lot of sense until they are experienced firsthand. Wendy’s Frosty and french fries are known to be delicious when put together. Peanut butter on a hamburger is down right heavenly, but then sometimes, you hear of two things being mixed together that makes absolutely zero sense like pickles and Oreos. The pickles and Oreos version in music is Babymetal. On paper, metal and j-pop is a head scratcher, but once you push play, it’s like M&M’s in popcorn, amazing. Even metal stalwarts like Slayer and Metallica give praise to the Japanese duo. Su-Metal and Moametal have returned with their latest effort Metal Galaxy that continues to promote the band’s message of global unity. The band expands its sound by incorporating Latin, Thai, and Indian influences into Metal Galaxy. Babymetal are set to embark on a U.K. tour soon, but fingers are crossed for U.S. leg and a middle Tennessee date. @BABYMETAL_JAPAN
Common Holly When I say to you Black Lightning
Singer songwriters evolve and grow over the years while between albums and Common Holly mastermind Brigitte Nagar has done just that with the follow up to 2017’s Playing House. When I say to you Black Lightning is very personable, but the intent of it is to feel very familiar, which Nagar accomplishes with her honest and frank lyrics. Mental health, loss, and the insecurities we struggle with in life are key themes spread throughout When I say to you Black Lightning. Common Holly’s sophomore album mixes multiple genres including folk, rock, and a little punk into one delightful fireball of an album and is sure to please fans of Playing House as well as new ones just discovering her. @common_holly
The Dead South Sugar & Joy
While compiling the list of new releases, I wanted to highlight The Dead South’s new album as the one that caught my attention first. Sugar & Joy is the ensembles follow up to the Juno award winning album Illusion and Doubt. Having some success on both the Bluegrass and the Country charts in the States, this Canadian folk-bluegrass band is ready to make a bigger splash here and recording Sugar and Joy in the historic Muscle Shoals area is a smart and calculated first step. The band is often referred to as ‘Mumford and Sons’ Evil Twins’ and the reference really fits after listening to early singles “Diamond Ring” and “Alabama People.” The Dead South has delivered one of the most entertaining albums of 2019 and shows that there’s a lot of life in bluegrass. @TheDeadSouth4
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