New Music Friday: The best albums out June 27

Summary

Podcast Summary: All Songs Considered – "New Music Friday: The Best Albums Out June 27"

Introduction

In the June 27, 2025, episode of NPR's flagship music program All Songs Considered, host Stephen Thompson teams up with Juan from KALW in the San Francisco Bay Area to delve into the latest releases in the music world. The episode, titled "New Music Friday," serves as a comprehensive guide to the standout albums released on that day, featuring in-depth discussions, notable insights, and personal reflections from the hosts.

Major Releases Discussed

1. Bruce Springsteen – Tracks, the Lost Albums

   The episode kicks off with excitement over Bruce Springsteen's monumental release, Tracks, the Lost Albums. Stephen Thompson highlights the significance of this box set, which comprises seven albums filled with over 70 unheard and unreleased songs spanning from 1983 to 2018.

   "Today is a feast of Bruce Springsteeniana." (00:21)

   Juan echoes this enthusiasm, emphasizing the joy fans will experience with such a treasure trove of new material from the iconic artist.

2. Lorde – Virgin

   Although Thompson and Juan did not have the opportunity to preview Lorde's latest work, Virgin, they provide a brief overview. The album marks Lorde's fourth studio effort and follows the subdued tones of her 2021 release, Solar Power. While Virgin has received mixed reviews, Lorde has promised a return to more energetic tracks, with early singles suggesting increased intensity.

   "It's kind of an uncharacteristically subdued record. Got kind of mixed reviews." (01:35)

3. Laura Stevenson – Late Great

   The conversation then shifts to Laura Stevenson's new album, Late Great. Stephen Thompson praises Stevenson as "your favorite singer-songwriter's favorite singer-songwriter," noting her exceptional ability to blend furious rock elements with tender, emotive songwriting.

   "She has such a gift for toggling between kind of furious rock and tender singer songwriterliness that still has tension and power." (03:02)

   Juan adds that Stevenson's emotional transparency and vulnerability make the album particularly relatable, especially as it chronicles her journey through a breakup and motherhood during the pandemic.

   "I love artists who just kind of lay it all on the table emotionally." (04:12)

   Highlighting specific tracks, Thompson mentions how Stevenson's use of strings enhances the emotional depth of her songs, creating a professional-grade music therapy experience.

   "This is somebody who is now a professional music therapist. She has made a record that functions as professional music therapy." (07:22)

4. Adrian Quesada – Boleros Psychedelicos 2

   Next, Adrian Quesada's Boleros Psychedelicos 2 garners significant attention. The album reimagines psychedelic boleros from Latin America’s late '60s and '70s, infused with contemporary hip-hop elements. Thompson appreciates the blend of timeless styles with modern flourishes, creating a soundscape that's both nostalgic and innovative.

   "It's a great mix. And I think he really expanded on the concept in such a beautiful way." (10:06)

   Juan praises the collaboration with guest artists like Angelica Garcia, whose vocals add dramatic flair to the intricate arrangements reminiscent of Juan Garcia Esquivel's maximalist sound.

   "He collaborates so well, but he's also like, give me a second. Let me just hop on the guitar and do my thing and you guys will be good." (13:07)

5. Madison McFerrin – Scorpio

   Madison McFerrin’s Scorpio is celebrated for its eclectic mix of genres, including pop, R&B, soul, jazz, and gospel. Described by Thompson as "future soul," the album showcases McFerrin's versatility and deep musical heritage as part of the renowned McFerrin family.

   "She describes her sound as future soul. And that really comes through." (17:02)

   Juan highlights McFerrin's growth as a producer and songwriter, noting her ability to infuse uptempo, danceable beats into her heartfelt lyrics about personal experiences.

   "I love the way she kind of handles it. Kind of a tongue in cheek style, but, you know, has a good outlook on it." (20:03)

6. Duran Jones and the Indications – Flowers

   Flowers by Duran Jones and the Indications is lauded as the perfect California west coast summertime record. The album seamlessly blends sparkly, mellow psychedelic vibes with confident, vintage-inspired sounds, maintaining a modern edge without feeling outdated.

   "It's easy to hear a record like this and kind of let it just hang in the background because it's so extremely well crafted." (24:52)

   Themes of growth and adulthood are woven throughout the album, with standout tracks like "Been So Long" offering upbeat rhythms and nostalgic melodies.

   "I think it's a really delicate balance of doing a total nostalgia piece with trying to make something current." (24:44)

7. Herbert and Momoko – Clay

   The duo Herbert and Momoko delivers Clay, an album that impresses with its inventive use of found sounds and minimalist vocal performances. Stephen Thompson praises Matthew Herbert's mastery in transforming everyday noises into engaging musical textures, perfectly complemented by Momoko Gill’s expressive vocals.

   "It's crazy... it just works so, so well." (28:38)

   Juan notes the album's versatility, suitable for both dance floors and intimate headphone listening, making it an all-season masterpiece.

   "It's perfect." (32:02)

Lightning Round: Additional Highlights

In the lightning round segment, Thompson and Juan briefly spotlight several other notable releases:

• Frankie Cosmos – Different Talking: Evolving from a DIY bedroom project to a full-fledged band, this sixth album features elaborate arrangements and collaborative magic from members like Katie von Schleicher.

• Dana and Alden – Speedo: A European jazz duo that defies easy genre classification, blending influences from Serge Gainsbourg to experimental sounds.

• Richa Campbell – Sunwise: A Celtic musician who uses small pipes to create soothing, experimental drones in collaboration with artists like Colin Stetson.

• Maki Music – Will Explain Choir Music, Volume One: Canadian artist Maki Music combines dreamy pop with elements of Brian Wilson-inspired harmonies and breakbeats.

• Tim Barnes – Lost Words & Noumena: Prolific drummer Tim Barnes explores wild, inventive sounds across two albums, reflecting his experiences with early-onset Alzheimer's.

Host Favorites

As the episode draws to a close, both hosts share their personal favorite tracks from the week’s releases. Juan is particularly enamored with Herbert and Momoko’s track "Need to Run", while Stephen gravitates towards Adrian Quesada's instrumental "El Diamante", each citing the songs' unique ability to resonate and linger in their minds.

"For me, it was the track need to Run. As soon as I heard it, I got the little, you know, hair on the neck and the arm..." (36:01)

"I'm just gonna pick a track that I'm just gonna vibe on all weekend. And that is our show for this week." (36:27)

Conclusion

The June 27th episode of All Songs Considered offers a rich and engaging exploration of the latest music releases, blending critical analysis with heartfelt appreciation. From legendary artists like Bruce Springsteen to innovative newcomers like Herbert and Momoko, Thompson and Juan provide listeners with a curated guide to the best music of the week, complete with insightful commentary and memorable quotes.

Whether you're seeking therapeutic melodies, nostalgic beats, or groundbreaking soundscapes, this episode serves as a valuable resource for discovering music that resonates on multiple levels.

Transcript

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[Stephen Thompson]

Happy Friday, everyone. From NPR Music. It's New Music Friday. I'm Stephen Thompson here with One Way Possible from KALW in the San Francisco Bay area. Hey, Juan.

[Juan]

Hey, Stephen. How's it going?

[Stephen Thompson]

It is a pleasure to have you. There is so much good Music out today, June 27th to talk about. We didn't even get it all. There are two really highly notable records out today that we did not get an opportunity to listen to in advance. Bruce Springsteen. He's got this new box set. It is called Tracks, the Lost Albums. Juan. It is seven albums worth of unreleased Bruce Springsteen.

[Juan]

I know that the fans are gonna be really happy about that. To have that many tracks and hours of music from Bruce in bloody round.

[Unknown Artist]

Her long black hair, knee bed falling down.

[Stephen Thompson]

It's more than 70 completely unheard unreleased songs. These recordings span 1983 to 2018. Today is a feast of Bruce Springsteeniana.

[Juan]

Yeah, yeah. You just take your whole Friday if you want and just go there should be like an all Bruce party somewhere. I'm sure it's going to happen.

[Stephen Thompson]

I'd imagine a lot of those people, they're not listening to this on Friday because they have spent Friday listening to this old record. You can go to npr.org music Karen Rose has a really nice breakdown of tracks to the Lost albums. Also want to point out we did not get a chance to hear the new record from Lorde. Her fourth album is called Virgin. It's the follow up to solar power from 2021. Kind of an uncharacteristically subdued record. Got kind of mixed reviews. This one, she's pledged it's going to have more bangers. The singles she's put out certainly suggest a little bit more intensity, but we haven't heard the whole record, to be sure.

[Unknown Artist]

I stare at the painted faces. We talk coming off it, my love.

[Stephen Thompson]

We are gonna kick off with a record we have heard in its entirety. It's by the wonderful Laura Stevenson. The album is called Late Great.

[Unknown Artist]

No Eyes. No one's come close enough to ever love back in equal parts in equal size in equal parts in equal size, honey.

[Stephen Thompson]

Laura Stevenson, for those who don't know her, she's kind of your. Your favorite singer songwriter's favorite singer songwriter. She's a longtime collaborator with Jeff Rosenstock. The great kind of rock and Roller label mogul. She's putting out this record on Rosenstock's label. And she's one of my favorite songwriters around. She has such a gift for toggling between kind of furious rock and tender singer songwriterliness that still has tension and power.

[Unknown Artist]

Honey, tell your tale behind you Beat it. You are unable not to fail anyone you've ever met I'm not enough I never am an enemy in nobody I'm not enough I'll never be it Honey, get up on my sinking Shit, it's empty Honey, don't think about it.

[Juan]

I love artists who just kind of lay it all on the table emotionally. That always gets too. And, yeah, I know she talked about kind of going through a breakup through this process. And you really do hear the heartbreak in the music. Not. Not to wish that on anybody, but just relatable content for anybody going through it right now.

[Stephen Thompson]

She recorded a Tiny Desk concert right before the Pandemic while very pregnant. And in the years since her relationship broke up, she became a mother. She went through the pandemic like everybody else. And she's in the process this spring of getting a master's degree in music therapy. This is a record about standing on the ashes and seeing possibilities.

[Juan]

I'm a firm believer that you just gotta get it out. And it's beautiful for artists that can be so vulnerable and transparent. And I hope that she's in a much better space.

[Stephen Thompson]

And I talk about this all the time on this show. I don't wanna hear a breakup record. Cause I want y' all to be happy. I want my favorite musicians to be loving life. But it's interesting listening to this record kind of in the continuum of her career. When we had her at the Tiny Desk, Bob Boylan had the idea, God bless him. I wanted to bring her, just have her sing her songwriter acoustic guitar, keep it simple. And Bob was like, let's have a string section. Let's commission string charts for her songs. And it is so beautiful. That Tiny Desk concert just wrecks me every time. There was a marriage proposal at that Tiny Desk. It just felt like a very special show. And then listening to this record, you hear a bunch of strings coming in. There's. I couldn't sleep, you know, which builds to this big kind of bombastic climax. There. There are strings all over it. And I just like to think she played that Tiny Desk and thought more like this.

[Juan]

Yeah, yeah. That I was going to say the same thing. I couldn't sleep really grabbed me because it was a cool song. And then at the end, there's that section of the strings and it just kind of takes it to another level. And I. I really appreciate that.

[Stephen Thompson]

She knows how to. How to let a song build. And that's one thing I noticed kind of happening again and again on this record. Songs that might, you know, have, you know, kind of a swirl of guitars or maybe play it more of a softer whisper, then build to something really grand, sometimes with strings, sometimes just like guitars. That kind of dynamic quality really sucked me into this record over and over again and really allowed me to. To kind of rest on her meditations and then rock out as these songs build. And it's like, again, this is somebody who is now a professional music therapist. She has made a record that functions as professional music therapy.

[Juan]

I think it's one of my taglines. It's always like, music is medicine. And she has proven that for sure.

[Unknown Artist]

Push it till it runs me through I will say it till my lips are blue I want to.

[Stephen Thompson]

That is Laura Stevenson. Her new album is called Late. Great. Next up, another really terrific record. Adrian Cassada from the Black Pumas has a new record called Boleros Psychedelicos 2.

[Unknown Artist]

Sama.

[Juan]

Oh, man, so, so good. I fell in love with the first volume and then taken it to a higher level when I was stumbling across PBS one night and caught his Austin City Limits performance and just completely blown away. And then recently I got to catch him on tour with Hermanos Gutierrez and just every, every iteration has been amazing.

[Stephen Thompson]

The idea behind it is sort of re envisioning kind of psychedelic boleros, you know, Latin America ballada music from the late 60s and early 70s, 70s and bringing in this huge kind of army of high profile guest stars to come in and sing on it. And man, Juan, I was so sucked in by this record, which, you know, is so timeless and stylish. That first volume was really intended to sound like it was recorded in the 1970s, but there's also these little like hip hop flourishes. There's a track called A, you know, featuring Eric Maverick that has like, you know, little hip hop beats to it in ways that you would not have heard in an archival recording from the 70s.

[Juan]

Yeah, it's updated for now and it hits home in all the best ways. It's like memories of my grandmother, my mom, watching old soap operas, novellas to old films, listening to records that just really carried that sound, but kind of speaking to our generation. He's like, no, I got you, I got the beats. It's a great mix. And I think he really Expanded on the concept in such a beautiful way.

[Stephen Thompson]

I'm a fan of Juan Garcia Esquivel, you know, who made those kind of zazzy cocktail jazz records, you know, in the 50s and 60s. And, you know, they. They kind of had this boomlet in the 90s where Juan Garcia Esquivel kind of had this moment. It was very much like really spring jazz that was just meant to use every part of the stereo that was really just meant to like, be maximalist. Hi fi sound. And there's a track called no Juego, which features Angelica Garcia on vocals, who bring tons and tons of drama. But the arrangement around her feels of a piece with those wonderful, classic Juan Garcia Esquivel records.

[Juan]

Angelica Garcia, another artist who's just been killing it. I really loved her solo project and she actually discovered her at that same Austin City Limit show. I mean, I'd heard her on the album, but then seeing her perform, I was blown away. I really loved Bravo yeah Eli, which is. Oh, yeah. Oh, my God, her voice kills me.

[Unknown Artist]

Permit me a plaudit por la formaderi Mi centimiento.

[Juan]

Her and Mire Ramos, who's in Flor de Tolache, who's been a frequent collaborator. Oh, my God, their voices are just outstanding. They just break me every time I hear them.

[Stephen Thompson]

There's also one, like, really dynamite instrumental on this record. There's a track called El Diamante, which. Which is an instrumental that really feels like it has a voice. It's so distinct, this record. All the ingredients are there for a. For a wonderful, wonderful record, even if it didn't have all these great voices on it.

[Juan]

Yeah, that's the beauty of Adrian Casada. He collaborates so well, but he's also like, give me a second. Let me just hop on the guitar and do my thing and you guys will be good.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah. That is Boleros Psychedelicos 2 from Adrian Quesada. We've got some more records we're going to get into, but first, let's take a quick break.

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[Stephen Thompson]

It's NEW MUSIC Friday. I'm Stephen Thompson here with One Way Possible from KALW in the San Francisco Bay Area. Juan, tell me about the show that you're doing on KALW.

[Juan]

I do a show Monday through Friday, 8 to 10 on KLW. My tagline for it is Forgotten Favorites, Future Favorites, all the journeys in between. I try to just take you a couple different places, many different genres throughout the show, usually five or six broken up into segments. And it's just been really fun introducing the Bay Area to a lot of music that gets put under the radar. We just got our app so you can go wherever you download apps. Check out KALW and of course check out the website kalw.org and I highly recommend that you subscribe to our music newsletter because we're doing so many cool things out here in the Bay Area with music festivals and events and yeah, you want to be tuned in and caught up with us.

[Stephen Thompson]

Now, Juan, you're also working on a play. Tell me about it.

[Juan]

Yeah, I work as an actor and I do a lot of theater. A couple years back, I worked with this amazing playwright, Luis Alfaro, who did a play, the Traveler. He's a MacArthur Genius Award winner. We were able to tour it out in la. And so now we worked on his next play, original piece which he's been writing in conjunction with the actors to write for their voice, called La Salan. It's about kind of a redemptive journey from somebody released from incarceration trying to reconnect with his family. And it's beautiful and I'm super excited. We're about to be opening tomorrow night, so if you're in San Francisco, come get some great theater in your life.

[Stephen Thompson]

Wonderful. Thank you, Juan. Well, next up, we have an artist from the Bay Area. How's that for a segue? Madison McFerrin has a new album called Scorpio.

[Unknown Artist]

Headed for a heartbreak oh, I hope it wasn't all a mystery mistake.

[Juan]

Please.

[Unknown Artist]

Forgive me for the things I can't change Cuz you gonna need forgiveness for what I'm about to say.

[Stephen Thompson]

Looks like.

[Unknown Artist]

We are headache Looks like our heart we're headache for our heart Praise.

[Juan]

The incredible McFerrin family. Up and down.

[Stephen Thompson]

Daughter of. Daughter of Bobby.

[Juan]

Yep. And. And. And sister of Taylor, who's also just such a fantastic musician. And I. I always wonder, like, what's it like at the dinner table with. With those three? Like, are they just all just, you know, acapella?

[Stephen Thompson]

A lot of acapella vocals?

[Juan]

Yeah. So, so, so cool. And yeah, I've been a fan of Madison for a while. I've got to share the stage with her a couple times that she's been in the Bay. So I'm a big fan listening to.

[Stephen Thompson]

This record genre wise, really all over the map in a wonderful way, in kind of sleek, stylish, breezy pop, R and B and soul. But she's weaving in these little flourishes of jazz and gospel. She describes her sound as future soul. And that really comes through. There's a track called Spent that has these whispers of, like, I only have eyes for you, you know, so you can add like, doo wop to kind of the glimmers of what's coming through.

[Unknown Artist]

For you. You said you'd give me the winning.

[Stephen Thompson]

Or a song like over and Forth Forever is. Is like a slide dance pop song. She's so conversant in so many different sounds, which kind of makes sense given how steeped in sound she's been her whole life.

[Juan]

And it's really cool if you've been following her career, her growth as a producer and a songwriter, because I think her first projects were, like, produced by her brother or other people. And now she's fully producing everything I loved. Over. Yeah. Like kind of bringing in some uptempo, housey vibes in there. Something to dance to. And it's funny, yet another big breakup album, if you catch it. Talking about her almost marriage. And she just. I love the way she kind of handles it. Kind of a tongue in cheek style, but, you know, has a good outlook on it.

[Stephen Thompson]

We often find ourselves kind of stumbling over themes, you know, as we listen to these groupings of records. Yes, it's a breakup record. It's also like the Laura Stevenson record. Like, it's a record about kind of surveying the ash pile of your Life and then deciding where to go from there.

[Unknown Artist]

We were supposed to get married today. Instead I'm here all alone in our home with no one to call my own. Got me wondering did I make a mistake?

[Stephen Thompson]

The track I Don't, which was co produced by Willow, another person giving Nepo babies a good name. It's definitely a breakup song, but it really is about King at your life from the other side.

[Juan]

Yeah, she has a great outlook on it. She comes out and she feels. It just. Yeah, it feels great. I think it's. It's pretty uplifting in a way.

[Stephen Thompson]

There's a track called Run It Back. I would describe the sound as almost like solo gospel. The gospel that doesn't need a choir. It's a voice and a piano. But it has the energy and the force of gospel. But it's reduced to its kind of most elemental ingredients.

[Juan]

I like that one a lot. I caught it. It's also like a little late night vibe. Really catchy and yeah, that definitely stuck out for me.

[Unknown Artist]

Is it hard to keep me out? Your thoughts distracting from your plots. You can't afford to spend the time.

[Stephen Thompson]

That is Scorpio from Madison McFerrin. Next up, Duran Jones and the Indications. New record, it's called Flowers.

[Juan]

This is like the perfect record. Although San Francisco is still cold right now. If you don't know about San Francisco, we're like. It's like 50 degrees outside at the moment. But. But it. This is the like California west coast summertime record. So vibey, so fun. I really enjoyed listening to this one.

[Unknown Artist]

I'm crazy like a fool crying over.

[Stephen Thompson]

You.

[Unknown Artist]

Said a crazy like a fool crying over you in the endless winter cold found the peace that made me whole Perfect love, Best of Friends.

[Stephen Thompson]

This one felt really of a piece with the Adrian Quesado record to me. You know, kind of sparkly, mellow, psychedelic vibes throughout. So confident. A throwback without being vintage. Kind of vintage style. Novelty act, like drawing on sounds of the past, but finding ways to keep it current, finding ways to give it a little jolt of energy. There's a track called really Want To Be with youh. The album's been kind of rolling along with those kind of summery west coast vibes or whatever. They formed at Indiana University, but the vibes are still there. But like really Wanna Be with youh kind of picks up on that vintage vibey sound, but gives it a little kick, right.

[Unknown Artist]

Try to be your company but I.

[Juan]

Can'T get you next to me Wish.

[Unknown Artist]

That I can make you see Swear to God it's destiny but I.

[Stephen Thompson]

I.

[Unknown Artist]

Can'T lie, no and after just a drink or two I can't help but tell the truth Wish that you already.

[Juan]

Knew and hoping that you you feel it too.

[Stephen Thompson]

I was just struck this whole record, just how unbelievably confident and consistent it is.

[Juan]

I think it's a really delicate balance of doing a total nostalgia piece with trying to make something current. I love their balance of it.

[Stephen Thompson]

It's easy to hear a record like this and kind of let it just hang in the background because it's so extremely well crafted. It too thematically fits in with some of what we're talking about. The title Flowers refers to growing up and kind of tending your your garden, enjoying the the fruits of adulthood. That's like kind of lyrically a theme of the record, but it also speaks to how kind of grown up this sound feels.

[Juan]

I also enjoyed the track been so long that to me that was one of the standouts of the.

[Unknown Artist]

Telling everybody that we're back in town we'll ride all night we'll hit this bus Ain't too much but it's all we got Hit me up, drive around telling everybody that we're back in town we'll ride on it.

[Stephen Thompson]

That is Flowers by Durand Jones and the indications we've got one more record as well as a lightning round. First, we're going to take a quick break.

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[Stephen Thompson]

From NPR Music. It's New Music Friday. I'm Stephen Thompson here With One Way Possible from KALW in the San Francisco Bay Area, we're gonna get to our lightning round of some of our other favorite records out this week. But first, we got one more record we wanted to talk about in some depth. It's by Herbert and Momoko. It's called Clay.

[Juan]

I was blown away by this record. This was the last one I listened to. Not that I was being dismissive, but I just didn't recognize it. And then I listened and I was just, like, staring at my speaker. I was just blown away. I wasn't aware of Matthew Herbert's work as a DJ and producer, and then teaming up with this drummer, vocalist Momoko Gill, and just the way that they put it together and his style of taking random, everyday sounds into his production, it just works so, so well. It's crazy.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah, he's a veteran. He's been around for a really long time and has done a lot of really high concept records around sounds. In some cases, kind of found sound. Sometimes it's archival sound, sometimes it's overtly political, sometimes it's something as simple as, like, the sound of basketballs. But you really never know, listening to his music, where a sound is coming from. And in that way, he is an un, utterly distinct producer. He's not the only producer who's ever worked with found sounds, obviously, but he really has made it his life's work, and it just comes through here in such fascinating and arresting ways.

[Juan]

Are we still laughing?

[Unknown Artist]

Well, I'm not feeling it anymore.

[Stephen Thompson]

I want to single out a track called Mowing. You couldn't see it. Juan just pointed his index finger and wagged it at me, like Mowing. This song is constantly bending and warping and clattering amid the sound of God knows what.

[Juan]

There are tons of producers that do the found sounds, and I enjoy that. But it's not easy to have something balanced and just like the mix of the two, like the beautiful vocals over this sound that, like, in Mowing, which I noted was, like, almost, like, industrial, but it just. It just completely works. Don't let me choose a lesser hope.

[Stephen Thompson]

Both Herbert and Momoko Gill know their way around subtlety, know when to dial things back. Like, she is an extremely expressive singer, not kind of overly emotive or melismatic, but always just completely in command. And so in that way, she's a perfect collaborator for him because she can handle the kind of mellow reflections. But then you get a track like Baby Star, which has this kind of wild, swirly dance pop sound. Hypnotic and Warped all these great things that the sounds are doing. But she hangs with that brilliantly as a singer.

[Juan]

Yeah, I was thinking about that track too. I'm a big Little Dragon fan. Hearing Baby Star kind of gave me that. That memory of like hearing Little Dragon for the first time. Not to compare them, but just like in terms of excitement, like, wow. What is.

[Unknown Artist]

Take me far.

[Stephen Thompson]

The whole record mixes kind of dance floor fodder with headphone music. And you know, I. I haven't broken it out and tried dancing to it, but I have listened to it under headphones and it is all purpose. It is an album for all seasons.

[Juan]

You just, you just described my lane right there. That. That's it, right? I want to dance and I want something for my headphones. It's perfect.

[Stephen Thompson]

That is Clay by Herbert and Momoko Juan. We could not possibly get to every record out today. June 27th. I'm going to kick us off with a quick lightning round. Greta Klein has been recording clever DIY bedroom pop as Frankie Cosmos for more than a decade now. And in that time Frankie Cosmos has become a full fledged band unto itself, with members like Katie von Schleicher contributing to arrangements that have grown more elaborate and accomplished. Today the band releases its sixth album. It's called Different Talking.

[Juan]

Another great surprise this week coming from Dana and Alden. Really great jazz duo out of Europe. I'm not even sure if I should call it jazz, but it's like you're starting with a jazz album but it explodes all over the place. What I love, you don't know where it's going to turn next. I got like some Serge Gainsburg, even a little Wuang influence in there. It's been, it was a really fun listen. That album is called Speedo.

[Stephen Thompson]

Richa Campbell is a Celtic musician who's mastered the Scottish small pipes. Think like a less piercing cousin of the Highland bagpipes. If you thought it might be impossible for bagpipe music to sound soothing, think again. Aided by like minded collaborators like Colin Stetson, Campbell uses the small pipes to make dense and enveloping drones that meet somewhere between experimentation and tradition. Breacha Campbell's new album is called Sunwise.

[Juan]

Maki Music will explain out on Stone's Throw. Singer, songwriter, musician out of Canada, now based in Los Angeles. I would think of it like Dreamy Coral. After informations like centered around like the possibilities of the human voice. It's kind of like, you know, shout out to Brian Wilson, a little bit of Beach Boys inspiration with some break beats mixed in. And I put it on in the Morning. Great album to start the day with. That is Maki Music Will Explain Choir Music, Volume one.

[Stephen Thompson]

And finally, Tim Barnes is an enormously influential and prolific drummer who's worked with everyone from the Silver Jews and Jim o' Rourke to bands like Wilco and Sonic Youth. A diagnosis of early onset Alzheimer's has led Barnes to record two albums of wild, inventive, sometimes improvisational, sometimes jazzy, sometimes calm, sometimes frenetic music recorded with the aid of many of his well known collaborators. Those records are called Lost Words and Noumena. Juan, you and I listen to a ton of music. I'm curious, what was your favorite song? What was the best song that you heard in this week of listening to new music?

[Juan]

I gotta go back to the Herbert and Momoko record. For me, it was the track need to Run. As soon as I heard it, I got the little, you know, hair on the, the neck and the arm and I'm like, I'm gonna be listening to this a lot this summer.

[Stephen Thompson]

As tempted as I am to go with Laura Stevenson, who's been a favorite of mine for years and years, I'm just gonna go with El Diamante, that instrumental from that Adrian quesada record, Moleros Psychedelicos 2. I'm just gonna pick a track that I'm just gonna vibe on all weekend. And that is our show for this week. Thank you, Juan, for taking time out of your week at kalw.

[Juan]

Oh man, it's been so fun. It's been really great talking with you.

[Stephen Thompson]

Steven, 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 Simon Rentner and edited by Otis Hart. The executive producer of NPR Music is Saraya Mohammed. Be well. Thank someone who makes your life better and treat yourself to lots of great music.

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