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 saw Jenny Lewis return with another strong solo offering, Strand Of Oaks deliver the best album of his career, and Tame Impala prepare fans for their next cycle by showing as much talent on the keys as they’ve shown on the guitar. Yeah, it was a pretty great week for new music. Check out the highlights below.
Jenny Lewis — On The Line
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Both in Rilo Kiley and as a solo artist, Jenny Lewis has had a remarkably consistent career that only now seems to be getting its fair shake. And her latest is among her best. Writing about the album, Uproxx’s Steven Hyden notes, “Her songwriting style, metaphorically speaking, is to invite you over, line up a row of stiff drinks, get you feeling a nice buzz, and then lay on some tough truths. She does it over and over on her great new album.”
Strand Of Oaks — Eraserland
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On his sixth album as Strand Of Oaks, Timothy Showalter nearly lost everything after a deep depression put his career and life in jeopardy. But with the help of members of My Morning Jacket, he turned his low point into the best music of his career. Eraserland is an emotionally honest and stunningly grand record that feels destined to stand the test of time.
Nilüfer Yanya — Miss Universe
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Rising London songwriter Nilüfer Yanya might have one of the best debut albums of the year. Writing about the songs released in advance of the album, Uproxx’s Chloe Gilke called her “a genre chameleon,” adding that “each of Yanya’s songs showcases a different facet of her voice, embracing diverse and adventurous instrumentals.”
Tamaryn — Dreaming The Dark
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Los Angeles-based musician Tamaryn returns for her fourth-career album. A solo artist with a name that sounds like a band, Tamaryn has long embraced the power and choices that dichotomy gives her. Writing about the record, Uproxx’s Caitlin White called it “a stunning, layered song cycle that spotlights her molten voice like never before, and pushes Tamaryn to the forefront of a wave of modern artists repurposing the signifiers of ’80s pop for their own ends.”
La Dispute — Panorama
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Michigan rockers La Dispute are difficult to pin down genre-wise, incorporating post-hardcore, jazz, and spoken-word disciplines into music that stands apart from the field. Their latest offering follows the amazing 2014 effort Rooms Of The House, and maintains every bit of ambition and creativity found in their previous work.
Rich The Kid — The World Is Yours 2
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In a world where hip-hop albums frequently emphasize a guest list, Rich The Kid’s latest ups the ante. Offset, Big Sean, Young Thug, Gunna, Miguel, Takeoff, Lil Pump, Youngboy NBA, and A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie all turn up for the new project from the Atlanta rapper, putting the pressure on him to make his own presence standout on his sophomore record. Whether he succeeds is up for debate, but our own Aaron Williams contends that at the very least, “the beats slap and the guests add a tremendous amount of value.”
Tame Impala — “Patience”
The premiere psych-rock project in the world isn’t tied down to its past. Specifically, the band that was once known for big guitar riffs steps confidently behind the keys for a song that reinterprets yacht rock with its own singular bent. There are few contemporary musicians that have proved as influential as Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker, and this feels like an assured next step into the unknown.
Lizzo — “Tempo” (Ft. Missy Elliott)
I wasn’t at SXSW last week, but the very loud word on the street is that Lizzo won the whole thing. It’s not surprising if you’ve ever seen her live, or if you’ve been paying attention to her recent music. Her latest, “Tempo,” brings her together with a legend in Missy Elliott, for a body-positive track puts Lizzo firmly in a tradition, proving her to be one of the next great voices in hip-hop.
Mormor — “Outside”
When Mormor first started catching our attention last year, it was through laidback bedroom indie that felt like a new perspective on some well-worn aesthetics. “Outside” continues where he left off, sort of like if older Blood Orange had come out on Captured Tracks. It’s further proof that this young songwriter is setting himself up to be an essential voice in the indie world.
Weyes Blood — “Movies”
Weyes Blood’s singles ahead of her upcoming albums, Titanic Rising, have been impeccable. On “Movies,” she’s more cinematic and dramatic than ever, stretching out her Lynchian glory over arpeggios until the whole thing flips on its head. Weyes Blood has a way of making familiar emotions seem cosmic, but here they are pinned down to something we can all reach out and touch: the silver screen. Moving pictures never felt so alive.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. .
