The Pulse is the Uproxx Music guide to the best new albums, mixtapes, and other music releases that matter this week.
It’s been a long and sometimes joyless ride for Tinashe over the past few years as her new album Joyride faced delay after delay. Now, the world is done being patient, because it no longer has to: The album is finally out, and it’s proven itself to be worth the wait. Meanwhile, John Prine continues his run of greatness even at 71-years-old, King Tuff has produced one of the year’s most mystical and far-our albums, and Young Thug dropped some newness on us out of nowhere.
Tinashe — Joyride
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After days and weeks and months and years of waiting, Joyride has finally found its way into the world, and I’m glad it did. Rihanna almost sang the album’s title track, and although you can hear how RiRi’s voice would have worked here, Tinashe is more than capable of doing the smoldering song justice herself. She also recruited Ty Dolla Sign and French Montana for “Me So Bad,” a bouncy album highlight that came just in time for summer.
Read our review of Joyride here.
John Prine — The Tree Of Forgiveness
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Prine is one of the few living links we have left to the golden age of country and folk, and even though he’s got some miles on his tires, Prine still sounds surprisingly fresh, even as he enters his seventh decade. “Knockin’ On Your Screen Door” is an ideal album opener, a relaxed but head-bobbing track that runs under three minutes and lays the foundation for the similar superlative quality of songs like “Summer’s End” and “God Only Knows.”
Read our interview with Prine here.
King Tuff — The Other
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The Other is a mystical concept that has permeated King Tuff’s life in recent years, a driving force that’s unattainable as it is indescribable. The Other is also the title of his cosmic new album, that features psychedelic songs about things like his dream car and being eaten alive by the sun. Lastly, “The Other” is also the album opener and title track, a slow-burning and serene number that wonders about the forces that inform the universe.
Read our interview with King Tuff here.
Jason Aldean — Rearview Town
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You want consistency? Every Jason Aldean album from this decade topped the US country charts, and all but one topped the Billboard 200 (2010’s My Kinda Party peaked at only No. 2). The country hitmaker is back with another record, and the precedent says that it’ll be a smashing success. Lead single “You Make It Easy” brings blues to the pop country ballad, and the lyrics about loving his wife have been warming the hearts of cowboy hat-wearing fans everywhere since it was released in February.
Read our review of Rearview Town here.
Young Thug — Hear No Evil
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While most of us were sleeping, Young Thug decided to drop a trio of new songs on his new Hear No Evil EP. It features a trio of collaborations: “Anybody” with Nicki Minaj, “Up” with Lil Uzi Vert, and “Now” with 21 Savage. Thugger previously said he wouldn’t release new music this year in solidarity with his deaf brother, but this is no betrayal considering he released a sign language video for “Anybody” in his honor.
Princess Nokia — A Girl Cried Red
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Just because it’s emo doesn’t mean it can’t be hip-hop, and just because it’s emo doesn’t mean it has to sound so darn sad. Princess Nokia declared that her A Girl Cried Red mixtape would see her going emo, but album opener “Flowers And Rope” is downright playful and jaunty, and that’s not an uncommon vibe on this 20-minute collection.
Say Sue Me — When We Were Together
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There’s sad context here, since album highlight “B Lover” is actually an ode to a fallen bandmate, who is currently recovering from a significant injury and has temporarily been replaced by a new drummer. In their current iteration, though, the South Korean four-piece still really rocks, perhaps most epically and bombastically on the 7-minute album closer “Coming To The End,” which oscillates between tranquil vibes and cathartic walls of sound.
Murda Beatz and Smokepurp — Bless Yo Trap
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Murda Beatz has established himself as a must-collab-with producer, since he’s produced songs for rap stars like Lil Uzi Vert, Drake, and others. Now he’s teamed up with Smokepurp for a full-length release, and although they mostly do everything here by themselves, there are a few notable features: ASAP Ferg joins them for “Pray,” and they got an assist from Lil Yachty and Offset on “Do Not Disturb.”
See where Murda Beatz falls on our list of the best hip-hop producers under 25 who are revolutionizing rap here.
