New Music Friday 8/17/18

After a week off (which I regret!), NMF is back to dictate exactly what you listen to at all times this week. I control your taste, fools!

Mitski - Be the Cowboy (Dead Oceans)

The widely-anticipated fifth album from Mitski Miyawaki is finally here to bless the ears of literally everyone. Following the indie rock breakout of 2016's Puberty 2, Mitski has responded by crafting a pop universe all her own - she's being the cowboy in her own movie. Be the Cowboy was preceded by singles "Geyser," "Nobody," and "Two Slow Dancers."

Listen on Spotify here.
Listen on Apple Music here.

Death Cab For Cutie - Thank You For Today (Atlantic)

For their ninth album, Death Cab For Cutie underwent an official lineup change that was a long time coming. Thank You For Today is the first album since Ben Gibbard's debut demo without guitarist/producer Chris Walla (he's having too much fun making great Foxing records), and the first full-length to feature new members Dave Depper and Zac Rae (both guitarists/keyboardists). The record was produced by Rich Costey (Muse, Foo Fighters). CHVRCHES' Lauren Mayberry (!) contributes vocals "Northern Lights." Singles include "Gold Rush" and "Autumn Love." The band's last album, Kintsugi, came out in 2015.

Listen on Spotify here.
Listen on Apple Music here.

Animal Collective - Tangerine Reef (Domino)

Tangerine Reef is Animal Collective's 11th album and second foray into the audiovisual medium. The record was made in collaboration with Coral Morphologic, an "art-science" duo of marine biologist Colin Foord and musician J.D. McKay. It also celebrates the International Year of the Reef. Unfortunately, this is also AnCo's first studio album without Panda Bear. That makes me very sad. "Hair Cutter" was released as a single. Last year, the group released two EPs, The Painters and Meeting of the Waters.

Listen on Spotify here.
Listen on Apple Music here.

Trevor Powers - Mulberry Violence (Baby Halo)

Apparently three albums of fantastically weird critically-acclaimed psych-pop was too much for Trevor Powers, the man behind the Youth Lagoon project. Three years after the final YL album (Savage Hills Ballroom), he's back and releasing music under his own name, and it is weird. Powers dropped 70% of the album as singles, which I personally think is annoying.

Listen on Spotify here.
Listen on Apple Music here.

Lil Pump - Harvard Dropout (Warner Bros)

Well, it was supposed to come out. But apparently Mr. Pumpernickel "lost his album." See the Tweet below. We'll keep you posted, I guess.

I LOST MY ALBUM 🤬 pic.twitter.com/n18DkVOrK9

— Lil pump (@lilpump) August 17, 2018

Oh Sees - Smote Reverser (Castle Face)

John Dwyer is stupidly prolific. Smote Reverser is the 21st(!) release under some variation of the OCS/Thee Oh Sees/The Oh Sees/Oh Sees moniker. That's 1.4 albums per year since 2003, without even counting the myriad of other albums made under other names or with other groups. At this point, fans just know that Dwyer will release a bunch of really good psychedelic tunes every year, and Smote Reverser is another dose. "Overthrown" and "C" were released as singles.

Listen on Spotify here.
Listen on Apple Music here.

Cults - Motels (Turntable Kitchen)

Cults are the latest band to take a stab at Turntable Kitchen's Sounds Delicious series, which features current artists covering classic album. Previously Ben Gibbard, Mutual Benefit, and Frankie Rose contributed (among others). Motels was originally released in 1979 by California new wave group the Motels. Cults originally started covering their songs in the early 2010s. Fortunately, the album is not a one-to-one cover - Cults decided to "get a little weird with it." The single "Total Control" was released last month.

It is available on vinyl through Turntable Kitchen.

Slaves - Acts of Fear and Love (Virgin EMI)

UK punk rock duo Slaves (not to be confused with the Sacramento post-hardcore band of the same name) is back with their third album. "Daddy" is a song title, which I am immediately not excited about. "Photo Opportunity" and "Chokehold" were released in advance. 2016's Take Control was the band's last release.

Listen on Spotify here.
Listen on Apple Music here.

Young Thug - Slime Language (Young Stoner Life)

After many misdirections, delays, and literal snakes, the new Young Thug album is here! Sort of? Instead of being the new Thugger project fans expected, Slime Language is actually a label compilation from Thug's label, Young Stoner Life. Cool, I guess? It features Gunna, Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Baby, and more. Earlier this year, he dropped the three song EP Hear No Evil.

Listen on Spotify here.
Listen on Apple Music here.

Ariana Grande - sweetener (Republic)

I liked the singles for this album! I like some Ariana Grande songs! Joe thinks that it is bad that I like these things, but he is wrong! Grande's fourth album, sweetener, features Pharrell Williams, Nicki Minaj, and Missy Elliott. Williams produced around half of the album, with Max Martin contributing three songs, including lead single "no tears left to cry." There is a song about Grande's new fiancee, Pete Davidson, titled "pete davidson." Nice. Dangerous Woman, her last album, came out in 2016.

Listen on Spotify here.
Listen on Apple Music here.