If It's Too Loud...: First Listen: New Releases for 15 and 22 November 2024

Artist: Kendrick Lamar
Album: GNX
Quick Thoughts: We knew a new Kendrick was coming after having arguably the song of the summer during the Drake beef, but a surprise drop was unexpected to everyone. GNX suffers slightly from Jack Antonoff's production in many areas and is unlikely to end up as anyone's favorite K.Dot record, but "squabble up" and "hey now" are two of the better rap songs of the year that aren't "Not Like Us." I definitely think he probably gained some new fans this year (myself included) and this album is likely to be stratospheric in impact, but it's worth the time.
Songs of Note: "wacced out murals," "squabble up," "hey now," "tv off," "heart pt. 6," "gnx"

Artist: Poppy
Album: Negative Spaces
Quick Thoughts: Poppy's biggest flaw is the semi-identity crisis. She started as a robotic pop deconstruction, went full metal, and now comes at us with a sort of Paramore by way of Evanescence and Linkin Park record. It's great, mind you, but if you're not already buying what she's selling, this might be a harder one to take. "the cost of giving up" in particular is an excellent song, and is fairly representative of the record.
Songs of Note: "the cost of giving up," "push go," "nothing"

Artist: Du Blonde
Album: Sniff More Gritty
Quick Thoughts: I've been keeping up with Du Blonde for a bit, and this album and its cover implies a very different record than you expect. This is a real true slice of grungy alt-rock that has a ton of really catchy stuff throughout. There's not a bad song to be found here, so check it out.
Songs of Note: "Perfect," "Solitary Individual," "Blame," "Lucky," "Radio Jesus," "Metal Detector"

Artist: Lindsay Reamer
Album: Natural Science
Quick Thoughts: This is probably my favorite roots effort of the week. Songs like "Mushroom House" have that nice, natural flow, and "Heavenly Houseboat Blues" has a truly classic sound. I really loved this one, and in a busy end-of-year slate, it's worth your time.
Songs of Note: "Today," "Red Flowers," "Mushroom House," "Necessary," "John's Song," "Figs and Peaches," "Heavenly Houseboat Blues"

Artist: Moaning Lisa
Album: fainter
Quick Thoughts: I wanted to make sure I highlighted Moaning Lisa's latest, as the band is offering a fuzzy, hazy listen that really works. Worth it for fans of shoegazey alt.
Songs of Note: "4am (where have you been?)," "flower," "comfortable 2 (alone)"

Artist: Lara Ruggles
Album: Anchor Me
Quick Thoughts: This is the album this week that made me pay attention, because Lara Ruggles is doing something here that feels incredibly special. It's a singer-songwriter record, to be sure, but songs like "Bend the Truth" and "Hard Road" have that sticky quality that get trapped in your head in the longer run. Absolutely a mandatory listen this week.
Songs of Note: "Bend the Truth," "Anything," "While You Can," "Hard Road," "Same Moon," "Love Me Instead"

Artist: julie
Album: my anti-aircraft friend
Quick Thoughts: This one came out of nowhere for me in all the best ways. It's a shoegaze effort at its core, but songs like "feminine adornments" and "piano instrumental" absolutely crush it. This is so, so good, and I hate that their name is so SEO-unfriendly because this is a band that deserves to be huge. Make sure you take time with this one.
Songs of Note: "catalogue," "very little effort," "knob," "feminine adornments," "piano instrumental"

Artist: Deerlady
Album: Greatest Hits
Quick Thoughts: I also wanted to give some love to this one, a collaborative effort featuring Portland's Mali Obomsawin, because it's one we missed from earlier this year and the tongue-in-cheek title masks what's a really pleasant, dusky folk record. Don't sleep on this like I did.
Songs of Note: "Bounty," "Believer," "Masterpieces," "Lamplight"

Of note:

* Shower Curtain - words from a wishing well (A great fuzzy effort.)
* Kim Deal - Nobody Loves You More (The legend shows why she's a legend.)
* Soap&Skin - TORSO (A haunting and fascinating listen.)
* Father John Misty - Mahashmashana (Filled with a lot of great moments.)
* Body Count - Merciless (Yes, they're still around, and yes, it still works.)
* Gia Ford - Transparent Things (A sleeper listen in a busy end of year.)
* Caleb Clauder and Reeb Willms - Gold in Your Pocket (A solid roots effort.)
* Mae Deline - Whole Again
* Man Man - Carrot on Strings
* Clinic Stars - Only Hinting
* swanskin - boymoder
* O.L.I.V.I.A. - dulce o truco
* Dean and Britta - A Peace of Us
* Scarlet House - Homecoming
* Slick Devious and Janerio Lockhart - When it Rains
* Ice Cube - Man Down
* Blockhead - Mortality is Lit!
* Fightmilk - No Souvenirs
* Xeno and Oaklander - Via Negativa
* Mondaze - Linger
* The Coward Brothers (Elvis Costello and T Bone Burnett) - The Coward Brothers
* Future Faces - Memoria
* Sam Lynch - Outline
* Silkroad Ensemble with Rhiannon Giddens - American Railroad
* Miracle Blood - Hello Hell
* Drug Store Raidd - Background Music for Family Arguments
* SUUNS - The Breaks
* Clem Snide - Oh Smokey
* Misha Chylkova - Dancing the Same Dance
* Merely and Malibu - Essential Mixtape
* Lucky Love - I Don't Care if It Burns
* Shaylee - The Name of this Band is Shaylee
* Dorothea Paas - Think of Mist
* She Drew the Gun - Howl
* itz - Summer of Us
* Jai Wolf - The Red Eye Home
* Kwengface - A Gangster's Holiday
* Wallice - The Jester
* The Grand Southern and Rachel Fannan - Greatest Hits 1977-1987 Vol.1
* Hotline TNT - Trilogy
* Nessa Barrett - Aftercare
* Minky Starshine - Boozers Gloom and a Pinch of Anxiety
* Sugar Pit - Shhh...Don't Jinx It
* Fazerdaze - Soft Power
* The FMs - 51122
* The Green Child - Look Familiar
* blackwinterwells - Magician
* The Howl and The Hum - Same Mistake Twice
* Chad Crouch - Oaks to Wetlands Trail
* Say Lou Lou - Dust
* Michael Kiwanuka - Small Changes
* Ant - Collection of Sounds Vol. 2
* Lip Critic - Hex Dealer
* Bryan's Magic Tears - Smoke & Mirrors
* Yesness - See You At the Solopsist Convention
* Alice Ivy - Do What Makes You Happy
* Klara Goliger - Words
* Blisspoint - Dog
* Wussy - Cincinnati Ohio
* SHEBAD - Music is the Answer
* Kylie V - Crash Test Plane