In this installment of “What We’re Hearing,” Engadget’s writers and editors discuss some of the most recent music releases. It’s safe to say there’s a lot of variety on this list.
Sierra Ferrell – flower path
Sierra Ferrell looks almost anachronistic in 2024, but in the best possible way. She has this effortless, old-school country style that is reminiscent of Carter’s Family and Flatt and Scruggs. great cover The songs once performed by the latter duo are forever etched in my mind and feel very fresh. flower pathFerrell’s second studio album dips into a more modern sound, but maintains this deep Americana vibe that the West Virginia-born artist seems to roll with so naturally.
Country music isn’t just one thing. flower path. It wanders through a variety of flavors, including folk, bluegrass, and jazz notes, but it does it in a way that feels consistent when it all comes together. The plaintive “American Dreaming” and “Wish You Well” are offset by silly, whimsical numbers like “I Could Drive You Crazy” and the deep-cut cover “Chitlin’ Cookin’ Time in Cheatham County.” Songs like “Money Train,” “I’ll Come Off the Mountain,” and “Lighthouse” are instantly catchy. “Why Haven’t You Loved Me Yet” and “No Letter” feel like classics in the making.
And then there’s “Rosemary,” the lament of a brash, wicked, and scorned lover. This song is one of her songs that first made me fall in love with Sierra Ferrell many years ago. I’m sure the same goes for the many fans who have followed Ferrell’s career since her busking days. Unforgettable GemsOnVHS performance.I was almost nervous to hear that. flower pathin its full production, I’ve been playing it over and over again after loving the raw, stripped-down recording. YouTube forever. But they nail that magic, and “Rosemary” might be my favorite song on the album. However, it is difficult to choose.
castle rat – to the realm
Around the beginning of last year, I discovered something I didn’t realize was missing from my life: medieval fantasy doom metal. I went to the wonderfully trippy Brooklyn Maid show, watched the opener before the band I went to see, and unexpectedly saw a choreographed sword fight on stage (well, it even included a scythe). ) was witnessed. A woman in chain mail and someone in a hooded rat mask and lingerie. I was already captivated by this band’s heavy, immersive riffs and this singer’s hypnotic, 1970s-style vocals, but in that moment, things really clicked. . This was my introduction to Castle Rat, and it was a very good one.
Since then, I have been eagerly awaiting the release of their debut album. From the moment it was released last month, it was titled LP. to the realm — I’m playing on an almost non-stop loop. In fact, I’d be embarrassed if you checked how many times I listened to the album’s standout ballad, “Cry For Me.” This is a haunting and emotional song that really takes me on a journey and I’m a little obsessed with it. to the realm It starts strong with the boppy “Dagger Dragger,” followed by some real heavy hitters like “Feed the Dream,” “Fresh Fur,” and “Nightblood.” “Red Sands” is a slow-building, powerful piece, and I find myself loving the three minute-long instrumental interludes that tie the album together.
Doom bands love a good theme (as do I), and weed, witchcraft, sci-fi, and fantasy tend to pop up a lot across the subgenres that fall under this umbrella. Castle Rat definitely isn’t the first hater, but there’s a certain freshness to the band’s more specific, self-expressive side. Medieval Fantasy brands, probably because they’re so committed to it. Their 70’s and 80’s influences are obvious, but everything they’ve released so far still feels original. Some may find the whole thing to be a gimmick, but I think it works. Especially since they have the chops to back it up. I’m looking forward to seeing where Castle Rat goes from here.
Honorable mention:
girl without face, Allie X— Another song that I’ve been listening to a lot lately is strange worldfrom Ally X’s latest album. girl without face. Somehow I haven’t gotten tired of it yet, it drives me completely wild. girl without face It’s full of synth-pop gems like “Off With Her Tits.” The dancey, anxious anthem is sure to resonate with anyone who’s experienced discomfort with their body image. “John and Jonathan”, “Black Eye”, “Staying Power”, etc. ”
club shy, shy girl — This is just a collection of straight bangers. Although the song is less than 16 minutes long, it is truly shocking. If you want an instant mood boost before a night out, this album is for you.
Stampede: Volume 1orville peck — Orville Peck’s first release Fringeless era ‘ is a duet album, the first part of which was released on Friday, and features artists such as Willie Nelson, Noah Cyrus and Elton John.We didn’t have much time together Stampede: Volume 1 Not yet, but so far I’m hooked. It feels like it combines the best elements of “Conquer the Heart” ft. Nathaniel Rateliff and “How Far Will We Take It?” Noah Cyrus pony (2019) and bronco (2022). bronco There were two waves, Volume 2 for stampede See you soon.
— Cheyenne McDonald, Weekend Editor
Hannah Jadag – aperture
Whenever I hear the words “banger” or “bop,” I don’t think of artists like Taylor Swift. Consider the nebulous musical genre known as bedroom pop. After all, the bop is in the name. Hannah Jadag is a bedroom pop wizard of the highest order. Her first EP was made entirely on her old iPhone, and although she still uses Slap, she has since graduated from her studio to real recording. Jadagu’s latest full-length of her Sub Pop, apertureis filled with both bangers and bops, my favorite being the lovelorn “Say It Now.” Please listen to this. It’s the perfect pop song, and one you might want to sing on a road trip. The shoegaze-adjacent “What You Did” is another classic that should be on any decent summer playlist.
— Lawrence Bonk, Contributing Writer
justice – hyper drama
Justice’s first full-length release cross The 2007 album is one of my all-time favorite albums. Not only did it define the crunchy electronic sound of his late 2000s to early 2010s blog house days, but it also seemed like the new French duo picked up where 2005’s Daft and his punk left off. felt. Humans after all. Justice is back with their fourth album. hyper drama. But rather than being inspired by a specific genre of music that we listen to; audio, video, disco stadium rock truck or Female disco style When you hear the beats, this album feels like the soundtrack to a moody sci-fi thriller, as if this is Justice’s alternate reality. tron legacy soundtrack.
“Generator” is a certified banger and perhaps the song most similar to classic Justice. “Neverender” and “One Night/All Night” are also highlights, but I think Justice leans a little too heavily into Tame Impala to give this album its own personality. “Dear Alan” delivers a very smooth vibe, with Thundercat making a fun entrance and ending strong with “The End.”
There’s at least one thing I really miss Really danceable tracking Like he’s been on all of the band’s previous albums. I also have to admit that some of the songs in the middle part blend together in a way that isn’t very memorable.So, in the meantime hyper drama Isn’t it a masterpiece from top to bottom? cross was a decade and a half ago, but more justice is not a bad thing.
— Sam Rutherford, Senior Reporter
Hikaru Utada – science fiction
For the past few weeks, I’ve been exclusively listening to the following songs: science fiction, J-POP artist Hikaru Utada’s first best album.I’ve been a fan since his debut album was released. first love Back in 1999, people were much more likely to find it strange that you could enjoy music with lyrics written in a language they didn’t understand. Since then, Utada has been in and out of the J-Pop scene, and there were long periods where I didn’t hear anything about them. Every time new music is dropped, especially this album, it’s a gift. Because it’s tied to their next concert tour, which they do once in a blue moon.
Utada made a comeback in 2022 when their songs “First Love” and “Hatsukoi” (also translated as “Hatsukoi”) were featured on Netflix’s hit Japanese drama series “As You Guess”. Experienced. first love.Of course those trucks science fictionalso includes songs from various points in Utada’s career.
This album takes you on a journey from the days when they were primarily writing R&B-inspired pop, to when their music became more experimental, and explores their current sound, which is both mainstream and unique. I’d like to introduce_______ Some of the re-recorded versions of older songs, such as “Traveling,” don’t quite hit the mark, but they’re still a good representation of Utada as a musician. But as a long-time fan, this album is more than just a collection of songs to me, it’s a collection of memories from different stages of my life.
— Mariela Moon, Contributing Writer
Caroline Polachek – “Starburned and Unkissed”
There are several reasons. “Starburn and no kiss” stands out. I saw the glow on TV The soundtrack includes popular songs like Broken Social Scene’s “Anthems for a Seventeen Year Old Girl,” as well as musical artists such as Phoebe Bridgers and Hop Along’s Frances Quinlan. It also includes many original songs by other people. If you’re backed into a corner, I think the best thing about Starburned and Unkissed, its biggest strength, is that it’s a little too slow.
Every note lingers, evoking the impatience of adolescence, feeling like it’s about to run out of air or break in two.It looks exactly like the glorious sight I saw the glow on TV This song depicts the sleepy anxiety of an overcrowded, isolated, and overly warm high school. The crushing weight of the guitar ebbs and flows unsteadily, mimicking the experimentation of blunt hands. (It takes his second try at the chorus for the drums and guitar to all be in tune.)
It’s unstable, but I’m hopeful. Gently disturbed by an intentional Autotune pitch shift, Caroline’s voice goes off-kilter during the song’s final few refrains, threatening to ruin the dreamy beauty of her previous three minutes. It ends abruptly, and she begs to hear it again, to go back to the time she can’t get back.
Honorable mention:
“My lover’s saliva is flowing in the background” Claire Rousay Ruze’s emotions This is the perfect album to read outside on a cloudy day. I’m not sure I can pick a standout track because it truly is an all-over-the-top experience, but this one is close enough.
“Brian’s Sticker” Hot Mulligan — It’s a typical pop-punk theme (“My job sucks and I hate everyone”), but what an earworm.
“About the Brand”, Echo Astral — A level of height that was previously considered unattainable. I can’t help but love the beautiful chaos these people create.
“The Storm is Coming” High on Fire — Most of High on Fire’s 20+ years of work sounds like axe-wielding barbarians tearing apart bongs or other D&D nonsense. And lyrically it’s probably about that. (I say this with love. I love High on Fire.) The title song of the new album is… unusually dirge-like? At first it felt like a very “old band that feels old”, but it has grown on me as a deliberate and welcome change. However, they’re not without problems using AI in their “Burning Down” music video. Come on everyone.
— Avery Ellis, Associate Reporting Editor
