Now that MTV News has shuttered, we are the only reputable source available that can quell your taste for new music. It’s not the responsibility we asked for, nor the responsibility for which we have any formal training. Still, it is our burden to bear, goddamnit, and bear the shit out of it we will. Since we have to do everything for you now, we’ve compiled a list of some recent jams you may have been missing lately. Treat this as your free gateway to feeling relevant again and keep your eyes peeled for a sudden uptick of Kurt Loder written guest columns in the near future.
Blur “The Narcissist”
Everyone wants Oasis to get back together so badly (for some reason) that even Blur seem to be openly taunting the band by letting out some more of their perfect Brit-Pop. ‘The Narcissist,’ is Blur’s first new single in eight years and it’s absolutely gorgeous. If the ornate orchestration and production on this first teaser are any indication, we’re looking toward another opus from lead singer and songwriter Damon Albarn. With any luck, it will piss Noel and Liam off enough to get off their asses and make something that ultimately pales in comparison, but we’ll likely have to settle for more childish tweets about it instead.
OSEES “Intercepted Message”
John Dwyer of OSEES (or however they’re spelling it this week) just announced what we are estimating is their thousandth album, ‘Intercepted Message,’ last week. In a statement regarding the release of the title track, Dwyer promised a poppier side of the band on the forthcoming record. Of course, by his definition, ‘poppier’ equates to a sound reminiscent of the Cars dropping an entire sheet of acid and performing a live concert in the depths of hell. All of this is to say, the song is very fucking good and you should stop whatever you’re doing and put it on this instant.
Daft Punk “Infinity Repeating (2013 Demo) [ft. Julian Casablanca and the Voidz]”
Whether or not you choose to believe it, Daft Punk’s blockbuster album ‘Random Access Memories’ came out 10 years ago. To celebrate, the robotic duo released an expanded version complete with bonus tracks that they have the audacity to refer to as ‘demos.’ One major highlight is this incredibly catchy, amazingly produced and unreleased song featuring none other than Julian Casablanca and the Voidz, (who also just released a new single this week). It’s a great addition to your summer playlist and is sure to have you wondering why the fuck Daft Punk put ‘Instant Crush’ on the initial release instead of this one.
Jeff Rosenstock “Liked U Better”
How the fuck does this guy keep doing it? Just when you think he’s reached his creative peak the prolific New York songwriter and savior of DIY punk, Jeff Rosenstock, strikes again. Rosenstock’s solo output has never strayed very far from his Bomb the Music Industry! roots. However, the rough edges of his new surprise single, “Liked U Better,” sounds like it could have been plucked straight from the legendary band’s back catalog. A feat he hasn’t accomplished quite this well since 2016’s excellent ‘Worry.’ Rosenstock is known for one-off singles, so we can only hope a new full-length is forthcoming.
Mutoid Man “Call of the Void”
It’s been a great week for metal releases, and Mutoid Man’s excellent ‘Call of the Void’ is no exception. New York’s super-trio features Cave In’s Stephen Brodsky and Converge’s Ben Koller, in case you need further reason to expand your palate. On their latest single, they manage to blend elements of hardcore, metal, pop, and prog to produce a truly ‘what the fuck even is this?’ sound that will leave you slightly scared but eager for their upcoming full-length ‘Mutants.’ Fair warning, though. If you happen to have any traumatic memories associated with the famed rat casino Chuck E. Cheese’s, you may want to skip the accompanying video.
The Acacia Strain “bog walker”
Having just celebrated the 20th anniversary of their debut album, Massachusetts’ own The Acacia Strain released not just one, but two incredible records this month; the fast and heavy ‘Step Into the Light’ and the doomcore-inspired ‘Failure Will Follow.’ The latter significantly sludges up the sound of the former. One of our writers called the 17-minute-long ‘bog walker’ the new ‘Dopesmoker.’ We’re not sure we know what that means or if we totally agree, but this song is definitely worth the quarter of an hour you’ll lose while listening. You weren’t doing anything better anyway, let’s be serious.
Buck Meek “Haunted Mountain”
Something is clearly in the water over at Camp Big Thief, as nearly every member of the band continues to release banger after banger whether it be as a unit or independently. Lead guitarist, Buck Meek, just released the lead single and title track from his upcoming third solo album ‘Haunted Mountain.’ To celebrate, he inexplicably went live on Instagram and repaired an old Toyota truck for almost a full hour. The actual model is up for debate, but mystique is Meek’s selling point. Engine maintenance aside, this track is a warm ode to finding oneself and gathering the strength to live with your demons. Far from the indie-folk sound that defines Big Thief, Meek settles into the twangy aesthetic that paints his home state of Texas, making this track the only tolerable thing to come from that area in quite some time.
A Deer A Horse “Bitter”
We’re bumping this one up again because apparently everyone failed to get the memo the first time around. Brooklyn’s A Deer A Horse released their excellent album ‘Grind’ in the spring of 2022 while you were probably complaining that nobody makes good heavy music anymore. Their layered and careening sound is incredibly hard to place, but if you imagine System of a Down (back when they were still good) and Sleater-Kinney getting their songbooks mixed up, you’ll already have the incredible single ‘Bitter’ stuck in your head. Go ahead and put that Melvins record down and start living in the now. It’s okay to try new things.