Every week, Vulture gathers new albums you can listen to right now. We don’t have a problem admitting it: Keeping track of everything that’s released can be overwhelming, but finding out about interesting music doesn’t have to be work. Read our picks below, and share your thoughts in the comments.
Haim, Something to Tell You (Columbia Records)
Haim’s sophomore effort, Something to Tell You, doesn’t differ too much from their debut, Days Are Gone, but that’s hardly a knock. Their crisp, taught, melodic pop rock, with swooping choruses mourning lost love, is by now a well-worn trope, yet the trio of sisters ought to be appreciated for their sincerity, precision and cohesion. “You Never Knew” — a straightforward, electronic update of Fleetwood Mac — is a particular highlight, and the perfect reason why Haim’s continuation of their sound is worth paying attention to. —Ethan Sapienza (@ClickTheMovie)
DJ Shadow, The Mountain Has Fallen (Mass Appeal Records)
The problem with being DJ Shadow is that he will forever be defined by his seminal Endtroducing … an album that managed to improve upon and define the entire concept of instrumental hip-hop. He’s done plenty of great work since, but it all exists in the shadow of that album. Maybe it’s better to look at the work he’s done with rappers, which often showcases his ability to take a step back from showy sample trickery and produce consistently overlooked gems for disparate voices: On this brief EP, we get a fine-enough appearance from Nas (it’s skippable), and an energetic, stomping Danny Brown track that is perfectly tailored to Brown’s sculpted screech of a voice. —Sam Hockley-Smith (@Shockleysmith)
21 Savage, Issa Album (Epic Records)
21 Savage’s Savage Mode benefited from an absolute dedication to quiet threats over some of the best production of Metro Boomin’s already impressive career. Issa Album, 21 Savage’s official debut, doesn’t have the same tonal consistency (for what it’s worth, Metro Boomin does have a hand in 9 of the album’s 14 tracks), but he does continue to improve upon a style that shouldn’t really work, but does: 21 Savage never raises his voice, everything — from tales of love to tales of violence — is rendered in the same quiet monotone. If you pay attention to the rap internet, there will undoubtedly be discussions about whether or not 21 Savage is actually a good rapper — the answer is, yes, he is. He’s not dazzling, but he’s subtle and consistently evocative, and that, in itself, is an achievement. —SH-S
This Is the Kit, Moonshine Freeze (Rough Trade)
The soft harmonies and spare acoustic instrumentation on Moonshine Freeze — the fourth album from singer-songwriter Kate Stables — mix coolness and warmth. Stables blends human imagery with manmade grit on “Two Pence Piece,” where she remembers a time when the “Blood in my mouth tasted of coin.” In fact, there’s a bit of a fascination with blood elsewhere on the album: On “Easy on the Thieves,” she sings, “People want blood, and blood is what they’ve got” (the line is probably unrelated to that AC/DC song). A few tracks later, she’s singing about bloodsucking ticks. As a songwriter, Stables has an exacting control of language, and uses it to create slippery lyrical shifts where lines get repeated in slightly altered forms, often changing their meaning completely. “I know what is true” becomes “I know what is truth.” “We are not enough, and too much” becomes “Love is not enough, and too much.” This is music for your late-summer nights, best played in the forlorn final minutes right before they turn into summer mornings. —Gabe Cohn (@gabescohn)
Broken Social Scene, Hug of Thunder (Arts & Crafts)
There’s a moment on “Stay Happy” that gets at the reason Broken Social Scene are a great band. Vocal harmonies converge with a powerful brass section, and there’s a palpable rush of emotion that transcends lyrics. It almost doesn’t matter what “Stay Happy” is actually about, because it feels like euphoria. A lot of writing about Broken Social Scene — some of mine included — jokes about how there are like a million people in this band (actually, it’s 15, but whatever), but it’s also the reason they’re so good. There are 15 people in Broken Social Scene, and every song sounds like 15 people are working together to create something wonderful. —SH-S
Toro y Moi, Boo Boo (Carpark Records)
Boo Boo is Chaz Bear’s (formerly Bundick) fifth album as Toro y Moi, and it houses a rather counterproductive method for what he’s described as his way of coping with increased exposure: It’s an album chock-full of pop jams. If Chaz wants to keep a low profile, crafting an album on Frank Ocean, Travis Scott, and Daft Punk influences probably won’t help his cause. Boo Boo stays in line with the ’80s callbacks from the rest of his work, but songs like “Windows,” “You and I,” and “Labyrinth” experiment deeper with melody over mood. First single “Girl Like You” and should-be single “Inside My Head” are proper hits that rival “Rose Quartz” and keep his mellow pop lane flourishing. The visual album features Chaz mostly just taking an hour-long joyride to nowhere, but you’ll be tempted to use the album to soundtrack rest-stop makeout sessions. —Dee Lockett (@Dee_Lockett)
