New Music Friday: The best albums out April 10

Summary

NPR Music – New Music Friday: The Best Albums out April 10

Date: April 10, 2026
Host: Stephen Thompson
Guest Co-host: Chloe Kimes (WMOT, Tennessee)

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Overview

This episode of "New Music Friday" features Stephen Thompson and Chloe Kimes diving into the standout albums released April 10, 2026. The conversation traverses genres, from blockbuster country records breaking new ground to under-the-radar UK country rock, experimental R&B, Norwegian folk, and more. The hosts spotlight five albums in-depth and close with a lightning round of additional recommendations, bringing in NPR Music colleagues for their picks.

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Key Albums & Discussion Segments

1. Ella Langley – Dandelion

[00:38 – 08:36]

Discussion Highlights

• Ella Langley Background:
  • Alabama-born songwriter now based in Nashville; broke out with debut EP (2023) and the album "Hungover" (2024).
  • Big viral success with "You Look Like You Love Me" featuring Riley Greene (platinum single, multiple CMA Awards).
  • Named 2025 ACM New Female Artist of the Year.
• "Choosing Texas":
  • Historic run: the longest-running country #1 by a female artist on the Billboard Hot 100 (5+ weeks), surpassing Taylor Swift's 2012 record.
  • The song has become a crossover hit, reaching pop playlists and general audiences.
• Song Themes & Album Vibe:
  • Tracks explore emotions of heartbreak, imposter syndrome, and resilience.
  • Langley positions herself as highly approachable:
    • "You can just wear this record like a blanket. It’s really comfort music." – Stephen Thompson [05:20]
  • Mix of "glamorous cowgirl superstar" with "relatable artist" authenticity.
• Country Traditions:
  • Covers country history with a rendition of Kitty Wells’ “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels,” adapting it for new listeners while honoring classic country.

Notable Quotes

• “Choosing Texas...has broken out in a big way beyond country. We're going to be talking about this song in Song of the Summer conversations.” – Stephen Thompson [04:25]
• “She’s got this authenticity that just feels like it is cutting through everything straight to the top.” – Chloe Kimes [06:26]

Memorable Moments

• Debut of tracks: “Choosing Texas” [01:45], “Dandelion” [05:35], “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels” [07:20]

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2. Tenille Townes – The Acrobat

[08:36 – 13:59]

Discussion Highlights

• Artist Background:
  • Canadian country singer-songwriter, now with her fourth album.
  • Known for her breakouts in 2018; self-releases, self-produces, and self-records "The Acrobat," playing all instruments.
• Production & Songwriting:
  • Remarkably stripped-down production, focusing on vulnerability and honesty.
  • Album is a reflection of professional and personal transitions.
• Standout Tracks:
  • “The Acrobat” (feat. Lori McKenna): Uses circus metaphors for emotional complexity.
    • “There are moments in that song where the air just leaves the room. Listening to it just...good.” – Stephen Thompson [11:25]
  • “If You’re Hearing This”: Finishes the album with notes of hope and togetherness.
    • “She doesn’t feel alone, and she hopes you don’t feel alone—those are literally the last lyrics of that song.” – Chloe Kimes [13:16]

Notable Quotes

• “People have always loved Tenille Townes because she’s this songwriter who's always been very honest and speaks very true to herself." – Chloe Kimes [10:26]

Memorable Moments

• Song performances: “The Acrobat” [08:45, 11:40], “If You’re Hearing This” [13:37]

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3. Wesley Joseph – Forever Ends Someday

[16:57 – 22:13]

Discussion Highlights

• Artist Background:
  • London-based singer, songwriter, and producer. Genre-busting—pulling from R&B, hip-hop, electronic, rock, psychedelia, and funk.
  • Noted for high-profile collaborations (Georgia Smith, Danny Brown).
• Album Concepts:
  • Joseph calls each song "a color or an emotion," reflecting personal experiences.
  • The record is deeply cinematic and multifaceted.
• Key Tracks:
  • “White Tea”: Thundering alt-R&B with psychedelic and alt-rock vibes.
    • “It feels like your dial is set to four different radio stations simultaneously, but in a good way.” – Stephen Thompson [19:13]
  • “Mind Games”: Uses only vocal layers for beat and atmosphere.
  • “July” (feat. Georgia Smith): Acoustic-based, emotionally rich.
  • “Shadow Puppet”: Late album standout, channels James Blake and straddles terrain between ethereal singing and hard-charging rap.

Notable Quotes

• “I love how much different vocal production is happening on this album...” – Chloe Kimes [20:07]
• “Wesley Joseph...is not a tourist in either setting. He is a commanding rapper. He is a very talented singer.” – Stephen Thompson [21:16]

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4. Brown Horse – Total Dive

[22:13 – 27:36]

Discussion Highlights

• Band Background:
  • Norwich, UK-based band blending country-rock, folk, and 90s indie. Collaborative songwriting among four main songwriters.
  • Debuted with "Reservoir" (2024); now releasing third album "Total Dive."
• Musical Style:
  • Rich with layered guitars, pedal steel, organ, and accordion—rooted in 70s/90s nostalgia (Uncle Tupelo, Cat Power, Magnolia Electric Company, Neil Young, Built to Spill).
• Songwriting & Themes:
  • Songs explore isolation, loneliness, and searching for meaning with immense emotional depth.
  • Band executes these sprawling, jam-like tracks with confidence—“The record worked best for me when the songs were their longest.” – Stephen Thompson [26:34]
  • Closing track, “Watching Something Burn Up,” noted for its evocative sound and lyrical fatalism.

Notable Quotes

• “You kind of get through all the different layers of the instrumentation, but then you go through it a second time and the meaning starts to seep in.” – Stephen Thompson [24:17]

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5. Juni Hobble – Evergreen in Your Mind

[28:34 – 33:58]

Discussion Highlights

• Artist Background:
  • Norwegian singer-songwriter, third album recorded around her home and local school.
  • Haunting, enchanting style, compared to Adrianne Lenker, Nick Drake, classic UK folk.
• Atmosphere & Lyricism:
  • Album described as “Sunday morning music” and perfect for introspective walks.
    • “Save this record for when you are sitting at your kitchen table staring into the middle distance with a cup of hot tea.” – Stephen Thompson [29:50]
  • Instrumentation is lush with hypnotic guitar, pedal steel, and gentle folk arrangements.
  • Lyrics wrestle with boundaries between dream and reality, imbued with whimsy and subtle mystery.
• Standout Tracks:
  • “Evergreen in Your Mind”: Captures feelings of connection to nature.
  • “Tessa”: Striking, voice-forward ballad that captivates instantly.

Notable Quotes

• “She’s so mysterious and enchanting—kind of felt like she’s casting a spell on me with her voice.” – Co-host [33:09]

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Lightning Round: Additional Recommendations

[33:58 – End]

A rapid-fire segment where team members share albums worth checking out:

• Stephen Thompson:

  • Gracie and Rachel – If We Could, Would We
    • Third album from the chamber-pop duo, known for tight harmonies and atmospheric arrangements.

• Chloe Kimes:

  • Melanie Baker – Somebody Help Me, I'm Being Spontaneous
    • Debut album from Newcastle artist. Witty, zany lyrics, queer joy, 90s alt-rock vibe.

• Hazel Sills:

  • Valentina Magaletti & Up Sammy – Sizemo
    • Collaborative avant-garde experimental percussion/electronic LP.
    • “It’s a very out there, extremely freak, kind of creepy, percussive, experimental record.” [36:44]

• Lars Gottrich:

  • Spirit Adrift – Infinite Illumination
    • Alleged final album by the metal band. Mixes doom, melody, blackened riffs, emotional weight.
    • “Spirit Adrift doesn't forget they’re metal...a hell of a note to go out on.” [38:37]

• Ann Powers:

  • Drivin’ N Cryin’ – Crushing Flowers
    • 11th album, southern rock stalwarts with fun, heart, and hooks.
    • “This is just really a record with so much heart and so much fun and just that kind of expertise that you get after 40 years in the game.” [39:43]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You can just wear this record like a blanket. It’s really comfort music.” – Stephen Thompson on Ella Langley [05:20]
• “There are moments in that song where the air just leaves the room.” – Stephen Thompson on Tenille Townes' "The Acrobat" [11:25]
• “It feels like your dial is set to four different radio stations simultaneously, but in a good way.” – Stephen Thompson on Wesley Joseph [19:13]
• “She’s got this authenticity that just feels like it is cutting through everything straight to the top.” – Chloe Kimes on Ella Langley [06:26]
• “Some albums are released at the exact right time of year. This is a perfect spring record.” – Stephen Thompson on Juni Hobble [31:56]

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Episode Flow & Tone

The episode blends enthusiastic, deeply informed music criticism with equal parts discovery and celebration. The hosts' mutual rapport and robust knowledge offer both entry points for newcomers and rewarding details for longtime fans. The tone remains conversational, warm, and inclusive—NPR Music’s hallmark style.

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Ella Langley – Dandelion: 00:38 – 08:36
• Tenille Townes – The Acrobat: 08:36 – 13:59
• Wesley Joseph – Forever Ends Someday: 16:57 – 22:13
• Brown Horse – Total Dive: 22:13 – 27:36
• Juni Hobble – Evergreen in Your Mind: 28:34 – 33:58
• Lightning Round: 33:58 – end

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Final Thoughts

This New Music Friday lays out a map of April's most essential new records, spanning country breakthroughs, inventive genre mash-ups, intimate folk, and more. Whether you’re looking for chart-topping anthems, heart-on-sleeve songwriting, or wild twists in sound, the episode’s selections and insights make for a lively, comprehensive guide to what's worth your ears this week.

Transcript

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A quick note before the show. This podcast contains explicit language.

[Stephen Thompson]

Happy Friday, everyone. From NPR Music, it's New Music Friday. I'm Stephen Thompson here with Chloe Kimes from WMOT in Tennessee. Welcome to the show, Chloe.

[Chloe Kimes]

Hi, Stephen.

[Co-host or Contributor]

Happy Friday.

[Stephen Thompson]

Happy Friday. I am so glad to have you. What an uneventful week it's been in America and the world. I'm glad to just sit down with you and geek out about some new music, which ultimately, that's all we can do.

[Co-host or Contributor]

Yeah, I can't think of a better place to be right now.

[Stephen Thompson]

And as a special bonus, bonus, the first record we are talking about is the biggest record that is out this week. And we don't always get to say that. Sometimes, you know, the, the big pop record will come out, the big hip hop record, the big R B record. These records aren't always kind of screened for critics ahead of time. They'll sort of drop them. Maybe we've gotten to hear a single, maybe we haven't. And so we sit here, have kind of having to acknowledge like, oh, Harry Styles put out a record. We only know what this one song sounds like. But here we get to talk about the big record of the week in its entirety.

[Co-host or Contributor]

I know. I was so excited when I got

[Chloe Kimes]

the call to be your guest this week because I have been so excited to hear this Ella record.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah. Well, let's kick off the show with Ella Langley. Ella Langley's new album is called Dandelion.

[Ella Langley (singer, performing song lyrics)]

She's from Texas. I can tell by the way he's too stepping round the room and judging by the smile that's written on his face, there's nothing, nothing I can do. It doesn't take a crystal ball to see a cowboy Always finds a way to leave Drinking jack all by myself. He's choosing Texas. I can tell.

[Co-host or Contributor]

So if you're new to Ella Langley, she's originally from Hope Hall, Alabama, and she's been in Nashville for a few years. She put a debut EP out in 2023, but her debut, you know, studio album hungover came out in 2024.

[Chloe Kimes]

And that's when I personally became hip to Ella through her song you look like youe Love Me. It was like a breakthrough viral song that turned certified platinum with Riley Greene,

[Co-host or Contributor]

this really beautiful due and she's won

[Chloe Kimes]

so many awards since then. Just with that debut album. She was the Academy of Country Music Award New Female Artist of the year in 2025. Multiple CMAs for that song with Riley Greene. Single of the Year Video of the Year Song of the Year. Additionally, this leading single from Dandelion, Choosing Texas, which came out in October of last year, it is making history. It's the longest running country number one by a female art on the Billboard Hot 100. Spent four weeks at the top, surpassed five this week. Five this week. Yeah. Surpassed Taylor Swift, who previously set that record back in 2012. So it's very exciting time for Ella Langley for women and country. Rock on, Ella. I'm so excited for her.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah. I mean, she's having a colossal year. And I think a good place to start with this record is with the song choose in Texas, which I think for a lot of people who aren't necessarily steeped in current country music music, even though she had these hits that you mentioned, you know, she had a hit with you look like youe Love Me, she had a hit with Warmth for the Wind. But like, this song has crossed over to the point where it's part of pop playlists. It. It has broken outside of the country music ecosystem to really become, you know, the biggest song and arg. One of the biggest songs in America this year, country or otherwise. And to listen to that song, it's wild how it has kind of taken on this life of its own to the point where we're, you know, we're not terribly far from summer. We're going to be talk about this song in Song of the Summer conversations. It has broken out in a big way kind of beyond country music. And I. I really felt like listening to this record as a whole. You really see her positioning herself as just one of the most approachable artists working today. You know, she has been kind of upfront about her own personal battles with imposter syndrome. And that theme runs through a lot of these songs. Choosing Texas is about, you know, kind of is about being, you know, passed over for another woman. The song Dandelion, you know, the title track from this record is really kind of, to use a cynical term, it's like branding herself as this very approachable every woman. And I think that that makes this record. First of all, it gives it enormous commercial potential, but it also just makes it. You can just wear this record like a blanket. It's really comfort

[Ella Langley (singer, performing song lyrics)]

born with free riding on the breeze On a summer night Tucked back in the weeds Guess that's just Me and a bed of red roses I'm the one growing up on the wilder side if you're tired of thorns I'm a little more dandelion.

[Co-host or Contributor]

Her ability to be sort of this

[Chloe Kimes]

kind of glamorous cowgirl superstar at the same time as the most relatable artist you're hearing on the radio and just sort of, you know, like, I'm just like you. And I have all these same insecurities

[Co-host or Contributor]

and feelings, and I'm gonna be honest about them in these songs. She's got this authenticity that just feels

[Chloe Kimes]

like it is cutting through everything straight to the top. And one of my favorite things about this album is how much she seems to lean on a lot of the traditions of country music from some bygone eras. And I'm just so excited to see so many people being excited about that.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah, I mean, you mentioned country music from bygone eras. There's a cover of the song It Wasn't God who Made Honky Tonk Angels popularized by Kitty Wells. I mean, you talk about digging into the roots of country music. This isn't necessarily somebody who is just tapping into country traditions that she might have been growing up with. Like, she's not just tapping into what Garth Brooks did or what Brooks and Dunn did or, you know, what Reba McEntire did. She's going all the way back to Kitty Wells. And I think that is part of what really made this record resonate for me.

[Ella Langley (singer, performing song lyrics)]

It wasn't God who made honky tonk Angels like you said in the words

[Brown Horse Band Member (performing song lyrics)]

of your song,

[Ella Langley (singer, performing song lyrics)]

too many, many times married men think they're still single that has caused many a good girl to go wrong.

[Co-host or Contributor]

When I saw it wasn't God who

[Chloe Kimes]

Made Honky Tonk Angels on the track list, I thought, you know, it feels like a statement where she wants her listeners who are not familiar with country music from, you know, older eras. She's bringing that to the foreground and this really cool way. Her cover of it is also very different than, you know, the Kitty Wells version that a lot of people if you know that song, you know, and love. She's making it totally her own and bringing it to a completely new audience. And I'm so excited about that.

[Stephen Thompson]

That is Ella Langley. Her new record is called Dandelion. Next up, Tenille Townes. Tenille Townes new album is called the Acrobat.

[Tenille Townes (performing song lyrics)]

I've been waking up from a long daydream still don't know what it all means Some say love is a gold mine I think love is A tambourine Though we played out of time Like a stolen ride Making it up as we go along this ain't no ordinary love song

[Stephen Thompson]

so for those who don't know, Tenille Townes, she's a Canadian country singer. She's from Alberta. This is her fourth album. In 2013, she moved from Alberta to Nashville. She had somewhat of a. Of a journey with kind of the country music star making machinery. She opened for Miranda Lambert and Little Big Town on their kind of joint headlining tour in 2018. She kind of had, like, a somewhat of a country breakthrough with the song called somebody's daughter in 2018, but she's kind of on the other side of that now. And this particular record, the Acrobat, it's her fourth album, and it's a solo effort in the truest sense. It's self released, it's self produced, it's self recorded. She played every instrument. Her voice is really front and center. Yes, she has. You know, it's not that no guests ever pop up, but it is really like a complete statement from an artist whose music I just found beautiful.

[Chloe Kimes]

The first thing that kind of struck me when I started listening to this record was how stripped this production is. People have always loved Tenille Townes because she is this songwriter who's always been very honest and speaks, you know, very true to herself. And she's doing that in this album in this way that feels like, she wants, you know, you to know how personal it is and how exposed these recordings are. They're just her with her guitar and, you know, some harmonies and the occasional tambourine. These songs are so vulnerable in their subject matter. I love the production choice she made. It feels so confident and stunning.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah, I mean, there really is a tendency in this mix. It just pulls you in. You hang on not only every word, but every vocal inflection. You take a song like the Acrobat, which is a duet with Laurie McKenna, you know, another country music treasure who doesn't get enough kind of commercial shine. That song kind of uses the circus as this sturdy metaphor for twist yourself into knots just to move through the world And I think, you know, that's a song where there are moments in that song where the air just leaves the room Listening to it just good

[Tenille Townes (performing song lyrics)]

at making herself smaller Good at flying Good at bending Been pretending for so long she forgets that she's pretending Breaking herself into pieces she's never gonna get

[Ella Langley (singer, performing song lyrics)]

back

[Tenille Townes (performing song lyrics)]

There goes the acrobat.

[Chloe Kimes]

In my first pass through this record, I remember kind of getting through it and thinking, man, these songs are so stripped, they're so exposed. The stories she's telling are quite heavy. And it wasn't until I got to the last track, if you're hearing this, where it almost sort of changed my whole perspective of the album, it's kind of like this perfect caboose. It's a nod to, you know, what Tenille says is this whole record is based on this period of profound transition, professionally and personally with the change and ending of some relationships romantically and in her work. And, you know, you definitely hear that throughout the album and all these different songs. But then you get to, if you're hearing this and it offers this almost like this cheeky moment where, you know, it made me feel like Tennille wants you to listen to this album and she wants to leave you on this positive note, where your takeaway should be, that this record is so vulnerable. But she doesn't feel alone, and she hopes that you don't feel alone because those are literally the last lyrics of that song. That's how the record ends. And I remember listening through to that final tune and it almost, it added just this breath of life into everything before it, too, where, you know, it doesn't have she's giving you these heavy songs and she has so much to say, but in this way that's like, I'm okay, you're okay, we're all in this together. I loved that song. At the end of the record, if

[Tenille Townes (performing song lyrics)]

you're hearing this, if you're hearing this song, then the reason I keep playing shows is all because you're fueling up the van. You're white, the dream lives on. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you for giving all these rhymes a place to land.

[Stephen Thompson]

That is Tenille Towns. Her new album is called the Acrobat. We've got more records we're gonna discuss in depth. But first, next, let's take a quick break.

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[Stephen Thompson]

from. NPR Music. It's New Music Friday. I'm Stephen Thompson here with Chloe Kimes from WMOT in Middle Tennessee. Chloe, tell us what's going on at the station.

[Chloe Kimes]

Yeah, Steven, It's a big year at WMOT because we're celebrating our 10th year as Roots Radio. So in 2016, WMOT adopted an all Americana format, and we've been roots radio ever since. And I joined the station in 2019, so I've gotten to see a lot of what has been some really immense growth in the last few years, you know, as a radio station, but specifically in the way that, you know, WMOT has become this cornerstone of the local music scene in Nashville. We've also been working really hard on our. Our video content archive, which, you know, a lot of that can be found on NPR Music's Live Sessions page. But we have this new studio in East Nashville, and we've, you know, really been doing a lot of live session video content artists coming into the studio. You can find all of that. Like, we're really building out our YouTube channel and working with NPR and Live Sessions. So we've got a lot going on, and we're really excited about 10 years.

[Stephen Thompson]

Nice. And, Chloe, we should note, one of those artists, I'm assuming gets played on Roots radio every now and then would be Chloe Kimes.

[Brown Horse Band Member (performing song lyrics)]

Oh, yeah.

[Chloe Kimes]

Am I correct? Definitely.

[Stephen Thompson]

You are yourself an Americana musician working out of. Working out of Nashville? Correct.

[Chloe Kimes]

I am.

[Co-host or Contributor]

That's sort of my first job, and I found my way into radio because

[Chloe Kimes]

of the amazing people at wmot, and I love getting to do both. But, no, I'm a songwriter and an Americana artist, and I'm so excited that my boss is here at the station. You know, we all spend. I get to spin it. We all play each other's music. Cause I'm not the only musician here, and so it's a lot of fun. I'm really thankful.

[Stephen Thompson]

Nice. All right, well, let's move on with the show. Next up, new album by Wesley Joseph. It's called Forever Ends Someday.

[Wesley Joseph (performing song lyrics)]

I'm down on my knees But I don't want that I'm down on my knees But I don't want that

[Chloe Kimes]

there's

[Wesley Joseph (performing song lyrics)]

blood on the leaves But I don't want that I don't want to leave I never come back Is it harder to breathe? I'm not too sure these days has passed me back maybe I was living too fast Too fast you couldn't believe

[Brown Horse Band Member (performing song lyrics)]

I know look back, look back I'm

[Wesley Joseph (performing song lyrics)]

done one year

[Stephen Thompson]

so Wesley Joseph is a singer, songwriter, and producer based in London, he kind of works in a somewhat genreless space. It's informed by R and B, hip hop, electronic music, but also rock and psychedelia and funk. He's kind of been coming up slowly over the last few years, putting out a couple of eps, but this is his first full length album and it's wild to spend time with these songs and just constantly be getting Paul pulled in multiple genre directions at once, even as the songs incorporate these very high profile guests. He's childhood friends with the R and B singer Georgia Smith. He has the rapper Danny Brown comes on and kind of provides this jolt of energy and it's just. It's a really impressive debut.

[Chloe Kimes]

It is. And I'm new to Wesley Joseph, but listening to the record is kind of an experience. It really takes you through many different soundscapes and it's really cinematic. My favorite quote that I read from Wesley, he said, I looked in the mirror more than I ever have with this record. And he also talks about how, you know, each song is meant to just sort of be like a color or an emotion or a feeling from his own life and taking that and, you know, kind of intensifying it to create these songs. That's sort of where it came from. And I. I think you feel that when you listen and it really does take you all over the place, really. Enjoy.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah, there are so many kind of genre paths you can take into this record. You take a track like White Tea, which is this big kind of thundering song, kind of alternative R and B with this psychedelic churn and kind of alt rock vibes. And then at the same time, Wesley Joseph is kind of rapping over this arrangement. It feels like your dial is set to four different radio stations simultaneously, but in a good way. Like, how is that a compliment? And yet it's a compliment.

[Wesley Joseph (performing song lyrics)]

Screw I twist tight White tea Summertime Blue sky went by Joy rising the night Back seat smoke rise Crooked smiles Never lie Grown man precious But I'm still feeling young inside we chasing FRS with no alibi before the violence would just end the night I swear she came from another life before she stole

[Co-host or Contributor]

my heart his shift from like, really soulful singing to rapping throughout these tracks

[Chloe Kimes]

is kind of wild. I've found myself, myself, you know, being like, man, is this really all him? And. And it is, it's. I love how much different vocal production is happening on this album too. Like in Mind Games, where it sort of starts with just, you know, the track is basically just a bunch of different vocal Tracks building the beat and building the feel and. And then it sort of goes into the rest of the song. But I think you get that through this whole album. It's just really creative in that way. I also love the song July with Georgia Smith. It's just like another one of those beautiful vocal soundscapes that they're creating. It's also got, you know, some acoustic instrumentation going on. It's really like one of the more emotional songs. There's so much to be found in this album.

[Stephen Thompson]

I wanted to call out Shadow Puppet, which is this kind of late album banger at times. The vibe of the production is giving James Blake, right, like these kind of warped and slightly distorted, ethereal, beautiful kind of voice echoing through the din. And then at other points in the song, it's a hard charging rap song. And like he is not a tourist in either setting. He does not sound out of place in either setting. He is a commanding rapper. He is a very talented singer and he is willing to kind of, as you said, play with his voice in ways that allow it to just never kind of sit still in the same place for too long.

[Wesley Joseph (performing song lyrics)]

How many times did I lose my shit? How many times did I bruise my fist? All the times I felt so dismissed when you see it clear but it don't exist how many times could I shoot and miss Counting fears When my mind played tricks Broke promises I tried making stick Wasting time in that moment

[Stephen Thompson]

Slip no more that is Wesley Joseph. His new album is called Forever Ends Someday. Next up, a band called Brown Horse. Brown Horse's new album is called Total Dive.

[Brown Horse Band Member (performing song lyrics)]

Haven't heard from you know it's been these last five years but I know what you've been going through Cuz my sister still speaks to cousin sometimes I don't know how much of it is true but I guess this morning

[Juni Hobble (performing song lyrics)]

I

[Brown Horse Band Member (performing song lyrics)]

was wondering Be still sometimes Thunder Right over the edge of town

[Chloe Kimes]

May you

[Brown Horse Band Member (performing song lyrics)]

still have that same T shirt Come back golden if I came back now I'd see your same smile the one you always did every.

[Co-host or Contributor]

So that is Brown Horse. They are a Norwich based band in the uk, sort of country rock band rooted in this collaborative approach to their songwriting. You know, they among the four main songwriters. The record is a lot of trading off between all of their ideas and collaborations and it's this really guitar driven, you know, 90s altogether rock thing with this like folk country, you know, sounds

[Chloe Kimes]

of the 70s almost.

[Co-host or Contributor]

Their debut album Reservoir came out in

[Chloe Kimes]

2024 and it was pretty highly praised.

[Co-host or Contributor]

They've put out A record since between,

[Chloe Kimes]

you know, this new one now Total Dive, it's their third album. They compare themselves with the country rock of Uncle Tupelo mixed with like the intimacy of Cat Power and some Magnolia Electric Company in there. And I definitely felt reminiscent of, you know, some 90s records that I loved.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah, absolutely. And I don't want to, you know, spend this entire segment just. Just listing comparisons and reference points. But the temptation is really great in. In this case and in part because I love some of these bands so much. You mentioned Magnolia Electric Company and kind of the collected works of Jason Molina, who was doing a lot of work in that blues rock space, but still finding like great, great emotional depth there. That comparison, I think is really valid. I mean, certainly Neil Young and Crazy Horse, you know, come through. I would also say Built a Spill, you know, these. These kind of circuitous songs that are just kind of built with like guitars layered on guitars layered on guitars. I think this band does that so confidently and so well. I think at its best this is. This is just a stellar record. You take the song Sorrow Reigns, you know, which first of all, great title opens the record. Total tone setter guitars doing work on top of work on top of work where like at first just taking in this record, I was just taking in the guitars of it all, taking in the. And taking in the comparisons, taking in these reference points, being reminded of bands I've loved. But then you go through it a second time and then the meaning starts to seep in in these songs about isolation and loneliness and this, you know, kind of a search for meaning.

[Brown Horse Band Member (performing song lyrics)]

Tearing down a building all part word was just dangling all its insides on the outside. Looks pretty like nothing's pret.

[Co-host or Contributor]

I would say I had the same experience. I didn't really realize, like what an emotional record it was until I kind of dug back in after. You know, you kind of get through all the different layers of the instrumentation,

[Chloe Kimes]

which I do love, you know, I love the pedal steel. I almost wish you could hear more of the pedal steel. Cause it's so. It's so atmosphere at parts and you know, there's. There's a lot of guitar layers going on, but like the organ and the accordion, it gave for a nostalgic sound that I really loved.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah, I think this record worked best for me when the songs were their longest. There are like three different six minute jams on this record, and I think those were all my favorites. You know, it closes with the song Watching Something Burn up, you know, again, extremely evocative title. Gives you a sense of some of the fatalism that seeps into these lyrics as this kind of low, sad rumble of a song gives way to this big, booming kind of epic bluster that in its own way, just the sound of it is ending it on this kind of triumphant and hopeful note feels

[Brown Horse Band Member (performing song lyrics)]

like some great function of the mind. Tearing up the details of the past feels like some great focusing off the mud, tearing off the details of the bus.

[Stephen Thompson]

That is Brown Horse. Brown Horse's new album is called Total Dive. We've got one more record we want to talk about in depth that's out today, April 10th, as well as a lightning round of some of our other favorite albums out today. But first, we're going to take one more quick break.

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[Stephen Thompson]

From NPR Music, it's New Music Friday. I'm Stephen Thompson here with Chloe Kimes from WMOT in Tennessee. Before we get to our lightning round, we've got one more record we want to talk about in depth. And Chloe, this record is so beautiful. It is by the artist Juni Hobble. It's called Evergreen.

[Juni Hobble (performing song lyrics)]

In your mind see how they go, how they fly, how they slide through the snow in the forest its colorless is where we would hide, would hide, would hide, would realize in time, in time, in time Forest grows tall. You look down on the trail you were cold to the bone. Honey, I don't want to go back home. I belong in the dark.

[Stephen Thompson]

So Juni Hobble is a Norwegian singer songwriter. This is her third album. It was recorded kind of around her house at the school where she works. Man, I talk on this show quite a bit about Sunday morning music. It's something that Bob Boylan, former All Songs host, and I have talked about a lot of like, save this record for when you are sitting at your kitchen table staring into the middle distance with a cup of hot tea. Exactly. This is a staring into the middle distance. I was listening to it late last night and I didn't want to go to bed. I Just wanted to listen to it over and over again. I spent an extended stretch of time trying to place exactly who she reminded me of. Because I got these, like, wisps of, like, Adrian Lenker from Big Thief, you know, all the way back to, like, classic UK folk singers. Beautiful timing, voice, and these gorgeous, lush. We talked about pedal steel with Brown Horse. There's pedal steel here. Just a beautiful record.

[Co-host or Contributor]

Yeah, it was almost giving, like, this Nick Drake essence that I really loved. But I was listening to this album

[Chloe Kimes]

on just a walk through my neighborhood. Like, whenever I would go for a walk, I'd put it on.

[Co-host or Contributor]

Cause it just made me feel a

[Chloe Kimes]

little more connected to the green around me, if that makes sense.

[Co-host or Contributor]

And it is called Evergreen in your Mind.

[Chloe Kimes]

And she talks about, you know, how the whole thing is sort of a. She's wrestling with the difference, the line between, you know, a dream and reality. I feel like that is so clear in the lyrics throughout this. It's just so whimsical. And her guitar playing is like hypnotizing.

[Co-host or Contributor]

It's. It's really beautiful instrumentation going on, too.

[Stephen Thompson]

Sometimes albums are released at the exact right time of year. And to me, this is a perfect spring record. It is a perfect record for walking around your neighborhood if you're not experiencing horrible allergy attacks. And you love to walk through feeding of. You know, like, the azaleas are in bloom in my backyard. And just, like, kind of walking around and just letting this music turn your surroundings into your own personal Eden. This record is just perfect for that. And that song, Evergreen in youn Mind, does that really beautifully. But there's also. Gosh, this song, Tessa. The first few seconds of that song, I. I just like. It's all her voice. Her voice just floods in and I just gasp.

[Juni Hobble (performing song lyrics)]

Tessa, come lead me to the door I'm leaving this place before it burns Leaving in time oh, my Lord. Feet trying to tell you where to

[Co-host or Contributor]

go But I don't mind she's so mysterious and enchanting. I kind of, you know, as much as it feels like this beautiful lullaby at times, it also kind of, you know, felt like she's casting a spell on me with her voice.

[Stephen Thompson]

Oh, my God. And the way she'll just tell me what to do.

[Ella Langley (singer, performing song lyrics)]

Yeah, exactly.

[Juni Hobble (performing song lyrics)]

Living with the dreams behind the loom Then do we silently ign. Drifting off to where the waters churn. Cause I know the time for when to come and go But I don't.

[Stephen Thompson]

That is Juni Hobble. Her new record is called Evergreen in youn Mind. Now, Chloe, we could not possibly get to every great record out today, April 10th. So we're gonna do a lightning round with some of our other favorite albums and in doing, we're going to bring in some voices from around the NPR Music team. However, because I'm the host, I'm going to invoke host privileges and I'm going to kick us off with the duo of Gracie Coates and Rachel Ruggles record together under the name Gracie and Rachel. They've spent the last decade or so recording these lush, beautiful chamber pop songs together. Tight harmonies, provocative lyrics, arrangements that highlight keyboards and violins. It's a beautiful sound. Check out their Tiny desk concert from 2017 if you haven't seen it. They also did a home concert during the Pandemic. But you'll really want to get lost in their new third full length album. Gracie and Rachel's new one out today is called if We Could, Would we what the? How can I get a se. What the. Chloe, what do you got?

[Co-host or Contributor]

My Lightning Round pick is from Melanie Baker. She's an artist out of Newcastle, England and her debut album came out today. It's Somebody Help Me. I'm Being Spontaneous. I love the album title and I became a fan. I'm new to Melanie, but I was like a fan from the first listen

[Chloe Kimes]

of the first track.

[Co-host or Contributor]

Her lyrics are really like zany. It's witty and self deprecating and kind of absurd sometimes, but it just has this huge dynamic range. Got this 90s alt rock spirit, but just a fresh attitude, a lot of queer joy, these like anthemic choruses and it's just so fun from top to bottom. It's a great record. Melanie Baker, her debut album is Somebody Help Me, I'm being sponsored Spontaneous.

[Stephen Thompson]

Thank you, Chloe. I gotta check the that out. That's. You made it sound great. I want to spend some time with it. Let's welcome onto the show the wonderful Hazel Sills, my dear colleague who will be hosting this show next week. Thank you in advance. Hazel, what do you got for us?

[Content Warning Announcer]

Yeah, so I really want to shout out a new album. It's a collaborative album and it's by the incredible avant garde drummer Valentina Magaletti and the electronic artist Up Sammy. They made this new album, it's titled Sizemo and it is a very out there, extremely freak, kind of creepy, percussive, experimental record. It's the exact kind of music that I love to listen to. And Magoletti in particular, I think is one of the most exciting, unusual drummers working right now. And so basically anything she puts out. I am. I'm really into the album Sizemo by Valentina Magaletti. And up Sammy,

[Stephen Thompson]

Thank you so much. Hazel in the room with me, staring me in the face, my dear colleague Lars Gottrich. Lars, what do you got for us?

[Lars Gottrich]

I have a surprise drop. This is the sixth and final album allegedly by the metal band Spirit Adrift is called, called Infinite Illumination. Actually I should do that in my metal voice.

[Stephen Thompson]

Infinite Illumination.

[Lars Gottrich]

So this is a band that's been around for a decade. I'm not really sure why Nate Garrett is closing up shop on this band. But the thing with Spirit Adrift, the thing that's always kind of set them apart from a lot of their heavy metal peers is that there's such emotional depth to their songwriting and to their lyrics.

[Stephen Thompson]

Did you say emotional depth or emotional death? Both.

[Lars Gottrich]

Why can't they be the same?

[Chloe Kimes]

Stephen?

[Lars Gottrich]

But they're the kind of band that started out very doomy and over time has gotten more melodically rich. So think about like really melody, forward, hard rockin songs. But here's the difference. Spirit Adrift doesn't forget that there are metal. So there's plenty of like breakdowns. There's plenty of like blackened metal riffs. There's. It's a little bit doomy, a lot triumphant and it's a hell of a note to go out on. That's Infinite Illumination by Spirit Adrift.

[Brown Horse Band Member (performing song lyrics)]

I was born in a bad way. Warfare Real.

[Stephen Thompson]

Thank you so much, Lars Gottrich. Ann Powers, welcome back to New Music Friday.

[Ann Powers]

How's it going?

[Stephen Thompson]

It is going well. I'm so glad to have you here.

[Ann Powers]

Always happy to talk to you and I'm excited about the record I have this week. So as a west coast girl, I grew up with my bands, but if you are from the south, you grew up with Driving and Crying, who are from Atlanta as one of your core bands. You know the lyrical, powerful, hooky songs of Kevin Kinney, kind of this shambolic poet type guy. So 40 Years in Driving and Crying is releasing their 11th studio album and their first since 2019. It's called Crushing Flowers and. And it really is such a beautiful and fun and funny set of songs from Kevin Kinney and the core trio of Driving and Crying. This is just really a record with so much heart and so much fun and just that kind of expertise that you get after 40 years in the game. Driving and Crying, Crushing Flowers, Mirror Mirror Stone.

[Stephen Thompson]

Awesome. Thank you so much, Ann Powers. That is our show for this week. Thank you so much, Chloe Kimes for taking time out of your week at WMOT and take Tennessee.

[Co-host or Contributor]

Thanks for having me, Steven. This has been such a pleasure.

[Stephen Thompson]

It has been a pleasure to have you. Thanks also to my dear colleagues Hazel Sills, Lars Gottrich and Ann Powers for coming on and giving us their lightning round picks. If you enjoyed this week's show, we always appreciate a positive review on Apple or Spotify or whatever app you're listening to right now. This episode was produced by Noah Caldwell, Alina Edwards and Al Manion and edited by oh Otis Hart. Our production assistant is Dora Levitt. The executive producer of NPR Music is Soraya Mohammed. Hazel Sills will be back next week to discuss new music with Nastya Vojnowskaya from KQED in San Francisco. Until then, take a moment to be well. Try somehow to shut out the world around you and treat yourself to lots of great music.

[Brown Horse Band Member (performing song lyrics)]

After you. Mirror Mirror song. I remember the prom. I remember.