First Listen: New Releases for 1 August 2025
Album: The New Eve is Rising
Quick Thoughts: This was a total unknown for me coming in. I was in love by the second track, I was telling multiple people about them midway through, and I decided that this was one of the better things I've heard in recent memory by the end of my first listen. I think I described them as if the B-52s joined a witch cult, and I stand by that: nothing else sounds quite like The New Eves, and they are 100% a band to watch out for, because this album is truly outstanding.
Songs of Note: "Highway Man," "Cow Song," "Mid Air Glass," "Circles," "Mary"
Album: ekkolaptómenos
Quick Thoughts: Is Hanu Nemuri hyperpop? Electroclash? Just her own thing, man? Whatever we want to call it, she's a unique voice and this latest albuim further proves it. This doesn't try to be anything it isn't, and it is accessible in a way I didn't fully anticipate while also feeling like it was still layered and often impenetrable. I loved every moment.
Songs of Note: "anointment," "panopticon," "excivitas," "angelus novus"
Album: Part of the Problem, Baby
Quick Thoughts: Another new-to-me band, Fortitude Valley does the sort of alt-indie stuff I love. It's poppy and pretty and bright and I more or less loved every single moment. I don't have a ton to say about it except that it was a favorite of the week and shouldn't be ignored.
Songs of Note: "Red Sky," "Totally," "Everything Everywhere," "Sunshine State," "Take Me Away, I'm Dreaming," "Part of the Problem, Baby," "Oceans Apart"
Album: Rhinestone Requiem
Quick Thoughts: Sunny Sweeney is perhaps as mainstream country as I get. I don't know what it is about her that speaks to me, but I do really enjoy her music and the latest album feels like more of the high-quality stuff I wish mainline country would get behind. A perfect balance between the old and the new, a song like "Diamonds and Divorce Decrees" shows what modern country music can be.
Songs of Note: "Find It Where I Can," "Diamonds and Divorce Decrees," "Houston Belongs to Me," "Last Hard Bible," "Waiting for a Reason to Stay"
Album: Post Atlantic Singles
Quick Thoughts: Paramore is out of their record deal, so lead singer Hayley Williams went and released 17 individual singles. Okay then. The good news? Most of them are great! There's a good balance of themes and styles across the board, but high notes for me include "Discovery Channel" (which does, in fact, borrow from The Bloodhound Gang), "Mirtazapine" (which is so true), and "Negative Self Talk." Worth a listen whether you're a fan or not.
Songs of Note: "Kill Me," "Discovery Channel," "Hard," "Mirtazapine," "Whim," "Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party," "Glum," "Negative Self Talk," "True Believer," "Love Me Different," "Disappearing Man"
Of note:
* S Y Z Y G Y X - SINNER (Lots of excellent moments.)
* Dev Lemons - Surface Tension
* Rene Najera - Painted Life
* Debby Friday - The Starrr of the Queen of Life
* The Wood Brothers - Puff of Smoke
* QWAM - Girls Aren't Afraid of Blood
* The Peppermint Kicks - Pop Rocks in My Chewing Gum
* Carmen Gilmore - BlackGate
* The Armed - The Future is Here and Everything Needs to Be Destroyed
* Emily Hines - These Days
* Blush - Beauty Fades, Pain Lasts Forever
* Wisp - If Not Winter
* Spafford Campbell - Tomorrow Held
* Jessica Risker - Calendar Year
* Brad Rose - A Live We Once Lived
* OK Cool - Chit Chat
* Josh Halper - Schlemiel
* Freezing Cold - Treasure Pool
* Seaside - Same Old/Same New
* Mal Devisa - Palimpsea
* Footings - The Worm Moon
* Grain Thief - House of the Dog
* Nuclear Daisies - First Taste of Heaven
* Bliss Samsa - This is Love?
EPs:
* Silver Biplanes - Coming Up for Air
* Flowers for the Dead - First Place
* Chad Crouch - Sunset Bay Soundwalk
* Ma Sha - Hydrofall
* Sex Week - Upper Mezzanine
Live albums/Compilations/Reissues:
* Metro Boomin Presents: A Futuristic Summa
Also out:
* Peterparker69 - yo,
