Damn, Kendrick Lamar is back: 25 essential albums to hear in May
Plus new records from Arcade Fire, Sharon van Etten, Wallice, and a host of other must-hear releases for the summer
Music News Albums
To everything, turn, turn, turn. It’s the season of heat—of sunshine, and flowers in full bloom, and outdoor festivals where Red Bull-fueled twentysomethings run roughshod through fields of mud while you sensibly avoid them like the plague. It’s a time for enjoy yourself, in other words, and there’s all sorts of new music coming out this month, ready to act as the perfect soundtrack for your summer. Want to party? So does a new release from longtime dancefloor groovers !!!. Feel like drinking in a deck chair and watching the stars while you ruminate on life? Sharon Van Etten’s got a new one, baby. Or maybe you just want to hear the sound of a master at work? At long last, Kendrick Lamar’s new record is arriving. Whether you’re on your way out the door of a pop-culture site that you no longer recognize or just driving through the streets with the windows down, there’s some music here to soothe the pain and bring the joy.
27 Comments
Thanks for focusing on some audio. There’s at least three things listed I need to check out, which is really rare for a snob like me.
New T&tB album woot!
Y’all forgot the new Porridge Radio album, my most anticipated so far this year.
Today I learned there’s a band called Bread Pilot.
Today I learned there’s a band called most of these bands.
Even Sharon Van Etten, Kendrick Lamar and Arcade Fire?
I said most! Though given my age, it’s much more likely that I’d know Liam Gallagher and Belle and Sebastian than Sharon Van Etten. I’m familiar with !!!, Soft Cell, Tank and the Bangas, and (of course) Harry Styles as well, but that’s still well under 50%, so I stand by my initial statement. 😛
why is this comment chain the only comment chain that ever seems to be posted any time music is brought up on this site
Because a lot of the regulars here are old and out of touch with current music trends I guess? I’m certainly not saying it’s a bad thing that I haven’t heard of most of the bands on the list. I wouldn’t have clicked on the article if I wasn’t interested in discovering new music that was unfamiliar to me.
I’ve heard of 14 of these bands!Also, is Arcade Fire still “must-hear” in 2022?
Yeah, this is gonna be a good music month. Maybe y’all just don’t like Warpaint much, but the new Warpaint album is also out on May 6th & that’s the most essential for me. I’m basically not removing headphones for the day with Warpaint, Sharon Van Etten, Wallice & Sunflower Bean all out on the same day.
I didn’t know this was coming out. I was just wondering the other day what happened to them.
One GREAT thing about getting older………knowing that these bands aren’t worth giving a shit about, no matter how many followers they have on the Gram. Musical talent was really cool, you guys. Wish you’d been there to see it.
That’s really dumb. Like REEEEEALLY fucking dumb. There’s a ton of great modern bands, some on social media, some not so much. You’re only fucking over yourself by ignoring new music. Go jerk off to Foghat or something.
Haha! Foghat.. Say Sue Me; Great music and good musicians. I love the tone and pace.
I made a big mistake when I didn’t give every musical style and genre a solid and appreciative listen too. I played from ‘65-74 in a few bands. I discovered that I really wasn’t good enough.
That’s no excuse though. Music is bigger than one generation. Funny that I only fell in love with 90’s alt-rock 10 years after it peaked. Not making that mistake again.
Time to drag this one out again
They’re all just goons with guitars moaning over the same five chord progressions your heroes ripped off from old blues guys
See I was bemoaning the fact that the older I get the the more unadventurous and stuck-in-my-ways I become.It happens to most of us I’m sure – the music that I loved from my teen years through to my lates 20s is *still* the music I fall back on time and again, with a few exceptions.In saying that I *do* try to get out of my comfort zone occasionally; like, I am not a complete retrogradiant, I like Kurt Vile and Mac Demarco and Khruangbin and stuff like that … but even then it is not a million miles away from the music I enjoyed as a kid.Challenged myself recently and listened to some Kendrick Lamar; have come across some really cool stuff on the Tiny Desk Concert series (which I watch through Youtube); it is a great way to expose yourself to cool new stuff; I don’t think I would know and appreciate someone like Meghan Thee Stallion or Anderson Paak otherwise …
There is definitely a lot of lowest-common-demoniator shite about – but there always has been, too.
Thanks for turning me onto Nectar.
“Bedroom pop”. Shudder.
Liam Gallagher gets a shout-out, but no mention of the new Coheed album?
May 6th also sees new albums from Otoboke Beaver and Pink Mountaintops.
also on thrsday “metric” is putting up a new single “it all comes crashing down” been hoping for new stuff from them.
Nectar is really good.
At 2:18 it sounds like Macarthur’s Park