Keeping up with new music can be exhausting, even impossible. From the weekly album releases to standalone singles dropping on a daily basis, the amount of music is so vast it’s easy for something to slip through the cracks. Even following along with the Uproxx recommendations on daily basis can be a lot to ask, so every Monday we’re offering up this rundown of the best music released in the last week.
This week sees the release of a hugely anticipated new song from Earl Sweatshirt, Fleet Foxes’ earliest recordings, and a posthumous album from Charles Bradley that is sure to tug on the heartstrings. Yeah, it was a pretty great week for music. Check out the highlights below.
Smino — Noir
[protected-iframe id=”d1da49b29235b8b058f3e010be98da3f-60970621-76566046″ info=”https://open.spotify.com/embed?uri=spotify:album:5rVlqi2fHOmWB764N8PsWF” width=”650″ height=”380″ frameborder=”0″]
St. Louis rapper Smino offers up a particularly strong collection with its sights set on being a classic. In his review of the record, Uproxx’s Aaron Williams notes that the artist makes a leap on the collection, “he’s become more accessible… despite its moody-sounding moniker, [it] is as bright as the St. Louisan rapper has ever sounded.”
Imagine Dragons — Origins
[protected-iframe id=”467a9d235e044653ffb059675662e31f-60970621-76566046″ info=”https://open.spotify.com/embed?uri=spotify:album:3JfSxDfmwS5OeHPwLSkrfr” width=”650″ height=”380″ frameborder=”0″]
No band has dominated rock radio over the last couple years like Imagine Dragons, strengthening a run that took the alternative world by storm dating back to 2012. At this point, the band’s ubiquity has become seamless, with new singles topping the charts while the old ones drift away. Their newest album already has a massive hit with “Natural,” and promises more on the way.
Charles Bradley — Black Velvet
[protected-iframe id=”3267be9d231aa30898306f5d3c2165f4-60970621-76566046″ info=”https://open.spotify.com/embed?uri=spotify:album:0MacRyoLEmxdMieklFAVM2″ width=”650″ height=”380″ frameborder=”0″]
There are a million reasons why Charles Bradley’s death a year ago gutted music fans all over the world, from his joyful spirit to his amazing success story. With that in mind, it’s hard to listen to unreleased songs by him without getting emotional. His final album, Black Velvet, seeks to have fans remember the artist not for his death but for the incredible talent and vitality he gave to the world. With his stunning voice, that won’t be hard.
Grapetooth — Grapetooth
[protected-iframe id=”d9b1ae0c26f04f3ad77feedd0eb3acbf-60970621-76566046″ info=”https://open.spotify.com/embed?uri=spotify:album:305RKijLp4VcdyJs3m0W6J” width=”650″ height=”380″ frameborder=”0″]
Clay Frankel and Chris Bailoni are a pair of Chicago musicians and roommates making synth-rock under the moniker of Grapetooth. Though the former is better known for his band Twin Peaks, this is the record that exists strongly outside of that context. In his profile of the band, Uproxx’s Corbin Reiff calls the album “a supremely gorgeous collection of ten different tracks that embody the soul of your favorite ‘80s synth-wave bands with the open-hearted punk rock angst of The Replacements.”
Fleet Foxes — First Collection 2006 – 2009
[protected-iframe id=”735ba4eecc2de8ad9886ec7e467ed567-60970621-76566046″ info=”https://open.spotify.com/embed?uri=spotify:album:62miIQWlOO88YmupzmUNGJ” width=”650″ height=”380″ frameborder=”0″]
I can still remember the first time I saw Fleet Foxes in concert, touring their just-released debut in front of a silent few hundred people at The Echo in Los Angeles. It’s wild to think about how far they’ve come, now able to headline the Hollywood Bowl. This collection of their earliest work takes listeners back to the humble beginnings, revealing a songwriter in Robin Pecknold who possessed a striking vision from the get-go, and a promise that has been more than fulfilled.
Trippie Redd — A Love Letter To You 3
[protected-iframe id=”082db28af2822d6bdf52fcfb0f1628a5-60970621-76566046″ info=”https://open.spotify.com/embed?uri=spotify:album:6qRbGZqJ3aQY8N8bcHc1ug” width=”650″ height=”380″ frameborder=”0″]
If you’re thinking Trippie Redd just released a record, you’re right. That is the nature of the hip-hop beast in 2018, where rappers are striking often to remain in the public eye. His latest tape, A Love Letter To You 3, offers up collaborations with Juice Wrld, Tory Lanez, and NBA YoungBoy.
Earl Sweatshirt — “Nowhere2go”
There was not a more anticipated moment this week than when Los Angeles rap star Earl Sweatshirt began teasing a new song on social media. The resulting track is a short foray into Earl’s mind, offering candid rhymes about his own mental health over a weathered soulful beat. The song shuns polish in favor of authenticity, for a track that will certainly be divisive among both his loyal and casual fans.
Smashing Pumpkins — “Knights Of Malta”
All roads have been leading here. In one of the strangest reunions in recent memory, Smashing Pumpkins‘ album with most of their classic lineup drops next week. On their latest single, “Knights Of Malta,” the band shows songwriter Billy Corgan still able to captivate over the course of a soaring ballad. As Uproxx’s Corbin Reiff notes, “It’s vintage Smashing Pumpkins in the best way possible, and will surely tug at the heartstrings of fans who’ve long adored songs like “1979” or “Today.”
Ariana Grande — “Thank U, Next”
There was a point a couple weeks back when Ariana Grande seemed to be subtweeting her recent ex Pete Davidson, criticizing him for seeking relevance while claiming that he hated it. Grande certainly doesn’t hold the same opinion, directly addressing both her recent breakup and her past relationships, including with the recently deceased Mac Miller, in one of the best songs of her career. It’s a particularly gracious and respectful ode to the people who make us who we are, delivered by a pop star who is owning her moment in spotlight despite the numerous tragedies she’s endured.
Dawn — “New Breed”
Dawn Richard has straddled the line between the indie and R&B worlds for years, refusing to be classified in any one genre and appealing to fans of many different worlds. On “New Breed,” she goes full hip-hop in the verse, crafting an expertly produced vision that feels as fully-formed as it is captivating. When she claims to be “the new breed,” her music backs the idea fully.
