New Music Friday: The best albums out May 2

Summary

All Songs Considered: New Music Friday – The Best Albums Out May 2, 2025

NPR’s flagship music discovery program, “All Songs Considered,” hosted by Stephen Thompson alongside Julie B. from Marfa Public Radio, delves into the freshest releases each week. In the May 2, 2025 episode, the hosts explore a diverse array of new albums, engaging in insightful discussions, highlighting standout tracks, and offering personal reflections on each release.

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Featured Albums

Car Seat Headrest – "The Scholars"

The episode kicks off with an in-depth look at Car Seat Headrest’s latest offering, "The Scholars." Stephen Thompson introduces the album, emphasizing its ambitious scope as a rock opera and concept album.

“It's actually a rock opera or concept album. It explains why the album felt flows so wonderfully with the music and the lyrics.” (03:24)

Julie B. praises the album’s cohesiveness despite its length, noting the presence of nine songs spanning 70 minutes, including the epic 19-minute track “Planet Desperation.”

“There's so much joy in. In so many of these songs, so much earnestness in the somber ones. Those long songs just sound like epics.” (05:09)

Thompson highlights the song “Devereaux” for its grand chorus and how the album balances single-worthy tracks with sprawling epics, commending Will Toledo for maintaining discipline across such a complex project.

“Their new album is called the Scholars, out today, May 2nd.” (07:10)

Samantha Crane – "Gumshoe"

Next, the hosts turn to Samantha Crane’s new album, "Gumshoe." Thompson provides background on Crane’s career trajectory, particularly her hiatus during the pandemic due to personal injuries and subsequent deepening of her roots in Oklahoma.

“This record kind of feels like a summation of her career and the best of the multiple different worlds that she's managed to document in her songs over the years.” (10:47)

Julie B. expresses her affinity for Crane’s voice and highlights standout tracks like “Dragonfly” and “Writing out the Storm,” appreciating the minimalist guitar work and playful rhyming.

“I really love her voice. To me, it just sounded like a friend singing to me. Really pure, very unaffected.” (10:54)

Thompson echoes this sentiment, particularly lauding the song “Bee Attitudes” for its superior guitar work and dynamic arrangements.

“The guitar lines just provide this kind of network of nerves that run through the record.” (13:16)

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Local Spotlight: Marfa Public Radio

Stephen Thompson shifts focus to Marfa Public Radio, hosted by Julie B., offering listeners a glimpse into the vibrant local music scene of Marfa, Texas.

“The population of Marfa is less than 2,000 and we're out in the middle of nowhere in West Texas, very close to the border with Mexico. However, we get a lot of bands passing through town.” (16:39)

Julie B. showcases local talent like Baby Steps and Zona Mutante, highlighting their unique sounds and the tight-knit, DIY community that fosters creativity.

“Baby Steps burst onto the scene a few years ago, playing songs about our real experience, experiences living here in Marfa.” (17:16)

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Pup – "Who Will Look After the Dog?"

Returning to the main roster, Pup’s latest album, "Who Will Look After the Dog," is thoroughly examined. Julie B. provides context on the band’s evolution and the personal challenges faced by frontman Stephon Babcock during the album’s creation.

“This album starts with a bang with the song 'No Hope.' No Hope kind of reminded me of a giant dog who I really love.” (19:28)

Thompson praises the album’s punk energy and maximalist sound, especially highlighting tracks like “No Hope” and “Get Dumber,” the latter featuring collaboration with Jeff Rosenstock.

“Get Dumber... is just this big doofy shout-along anthem. That was just exactly what I was looking for.” (23:04)

Julie B. adds her appreciation for the catchy hooks and intense live performance potential of the album.

“No, that song is a total earworm. It was stuck in my head for the rest of the week.” (23:32)

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Jenny Vall – "Iris Silver Mist"

Jenny Vall’s "Iris Silver Mist" offers a stark contrast with its experimental and eclectic sound. Thompson describes the album as embodying a mixtape vibe, reflecting Vall’s versatile musical background.

“This record, there are so many, just wildly different songs.” (25:24)

Julie B. points out the album’s ethereal qualities and standout tracks like “Drinking in the House of Fedlimid,” comparing them to the soundscapes of Guided by Voices and Daniel Johnston.

“I also sang really beautifully. There's a song called 'The Artist Is Absent.' It's like a minute and a half long and it's like this strange foreboding dance number.” (26:47)

Thompson notes the album's ability to offer something new with each listen, highlighting its ambient and experimental elements.

“This is a record you really could go back to listen to again and again and find something different each time.” (26:59)

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In-Depth Album Discussion: Jolie Led – "Creatures"

The episode delves deeper into Jolie Led’s "Creatures," discussing the collaboration between Nina Nastasia and Jeff McLeod. Julie B. explains the band’s origins and their goal to blend contrasting elements, making the “pretty ugly” beautiful.

“Every song was a duet. One of the standout tracks for me is 'Something for the Thrill.'” (31:22)

Thompson commends the album’s varied textures, from the bluesy grit of “Murder Ballad” to the pummeling energy of “Warwolf,” drawing parallels to Nastasia’s previous collaborations.

“The lyrics certainly have a certain element of discord to them, but there is this majestic feeling to these songs that works so well.” (23:04)

Julie B. connects the album’s themes to Nastasia’s personal experiences during COVID-19, noting the remote recording process that influenced the album's unique sound.

“They had to do these remote recording sessions back in 2023 that became their self-titled debut.” (32:07)

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Lightning Round: Additional Highlights

A rapid-fire segment showcases other notable releases:

• Lucius – Self-titled album: A polished blend of pop, country, and roots music, reflecting their seamless collaborative style.

• Milkweed – "Remscala": An experimental folk project from the UK, creating sound collages with ancient Irish legends-inspired lyrics.

  “Drinking in the House of Fedlimid... almost has a trip-hop sound.” (37:08)

• Clem Snide – "Oh, Smokey, Like the Clouds": A physical release filled with meditations on personal themes like divorce and death.

• Pet Symmetry – New Album: Highlighting the catchy power pop track “Big Engagement.”

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Conclusion

Stephen Thompson and Julie B. wrap up the episode by reflecting on their extensive music listening sessions and sharing personal favorites, reinforcing the episode’s rich exploration of new music across genres.

“I just have to be painfully on brand. So I have to acknowledge that one of my favorite bands of all time, Clem Snide...” (38:59)

Julie B. adds a final recommendation for Pet Symmetry’s “Big Engagement,” while Thompson reiterates his enthusiasm for Samantha Crane’s "Gumshoe."

“Stranger in the Light.” (40:16)

The hosts invite listeners to engage with the show through reviews and tease upcoming episodes featuring artists like Billy Woods and John Morrison.

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Notable Quotes:

• Stephen Thompson: “It's actually a rock opera or concept album. It explains why the album felt flows so wonderfully with the music and the lyrics.” (03:24)

• Julie B.: “There’s so much joy in. In so many of these songs, so much earnestness in the somber ones. Those long songs just sound like epics.” (05:09)

• Stephen Thompson: “The guitar lines just provide this kind of network of nerves that run through the record.” (13:16)

• Julie B.: “I really love her voice. To me, it just sounded like a friend singing to me. Really pure, very unaffected.” (10:54)

• Stephen Thompson: “Get Dumber... is just this big doofy shout-along anthem. That was just exactly what I was looking for.” (23:04)

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Conclusion

This episode of “All Songs Considered” masterfully navigates through a multitude of new releases, offering listeners a curated and insightful guide to the best music hitting the airwaves on May 2, 2025. From the ambitious rock opera of Car Seat Headrest to the experimental tapestries of Jenny Vall and the punk vigor of Pup, Thompson and Julie B. ensure that every album receives thoughtful attention, making it a valuable listen for music enthusiasts seeking their next favorite track.

Transcript

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[Stephen Thompson]

Happy Friday, everyone, from NPR Music. It's NEW Music Friday. I'm Stephen Thompson here with Julie B. From Marfa Public Radio. Hey, Julie.

[Julie B]

Hey, it's great to be here.

[Stephen Thompson]

It is a pleasure to have you. And now, if you're listening, and I hope you are, you may have noticed the sounds of Sharon Jones and her classic album Naturally that she made with the DAP kings. It has just gotten today a 20th anniversary reissue, which I think is their not only to celebrate the life and legacy of Sharon Jones, but also to make Julie and me feel old.

[Julie B]

Right? Hey, when you're Talking about the 90s, that doesn't really make me feel old, though. That's my time, you know.

[Stephen Thompson]

Julie, were you a Sharon Jones and the Daft Kings fan?

[Julie B]

Sadly, I kind of didn't get more into them until Sharon Jones passed away. Anyone who plays with Lee Fields is all right with me.

[Stephen Thompson]

This reissue collection includes a full disc of kind of karaoke instrumentals. If you can match the late, great Sharon Jones. You can't, but you'll at least have the option of doing that. We've got a ton of new records to choose from for this very packed release date May 2nd. We're going to talk about new records from Pup, Samantha Crane, Jenny Vall, and a lightning round of a bunch of other fantastic records out today. But first, we're going to kick things off with Car Seat Headrest. Car Seat Headrest has a new album called the Scholars.

[Guest Speaker]

SA.

[Julie B]

For those of you not familiar with Car Seat Headrests, they're an indie rock band that formed in Virginia. They're currently calling Seattle home. And in addition to founder Will Toledo, the band now also consists of Ethan Ives, Seth Dalby And Andrew Katz. They put out some great lo fi rock music all through the 2010s, mostly on Matador records. With their 2020 album making a door less open, they experimented a bit more, bringing in electronic instrumentation. It's not often that a record comes along that makes me just want to listen to it with all my attention and hit repeat. And it's actually a rock opera or concept album. It explains why the album felt flows so wonderfully with the music and the lyrics.

[Guest Speaker]

In the land of the free in.

[Julie B]

The hand of the law.

[Guest Speaker]

I select the skin from my parents clouds I.

[Stephen Thompson]

Keep the love on you this is nine songs in 70 minutes. Four of that songs are run past the eight minute mark. Three of the songs run past the 10 minute mark. And there's a song called Planet Desperation that clocks in at 18 minutes long. Staring at the.

[Julie B]

There's so much joy in. In so many of these songs, so much earnestness in the somber ones. Those long songs just sound like epics.

[Stephen Thompson]

It's actually 19 minutes long. Planet Desperation is the most uplifting 19 minute song ever to include the word desperation in its title. That song, as you can imagine with that runtime, it's moving through different phases. There's like an interlude halfway through where another voice comes in. Clear Shanta.

[Julie B]

Clear Shanta. Shanta. Clear Shanta. Clear shot.

[Stephen Thompson]

It's working through all these different phases, but it still hangs together sonically. It still feels like one piece.

[Julie B]

Two of the shorter songs. Because I'm kind of like a short and sweet song person.

[Stephen Thompson]

Sure.

[Julie B]

Catastrophe. Good luck with that, man. Yeah. By the time it kicks in, it is just so infectious.

[Stephen Thompson]

There's a song on here called Devereaux that where it's kind of careening into this big grand hokie chorus. The fact that you have these bangers, they sound like singles. They're just like big summery rock songs. But you also have these huge blooming epics. But they all hang together really effectively. It's not easy to apply discipline to a rock opera, but it is necessary. And I think he really pulls it off here. Seat headrest. Their new album is called the scholars, out today, May 2nd. Next up, another great one. Samantha Crane has a new album called Gumshoe.

[Guest Speaker]

I don't wanna worry When I worry I lose all that precious time to love Loving is my purpose I am all around I am you Slackening my limbs and wishing that I was just the sea Something that you long for I'm a po. I'm a po. And you are the water I'm a Poor.

[Stephen Thompson]

So Samantha Crane is kind of a veteran singer songwriter. She's been floating around for ages making kind of nervy, thoughtful folk rock music. She's at a really interesting point in her career because she's put out a big run of records. Light car seat, headrest. Kind of slowed down around the time of the pandemic. But in her case, slowed down because she'd suffered some injuries from car accidents and was bedridden for like a and a half. So she found herself kind of forced to put roots down in her home state of Oklahoma. And this record is kind of building off of that experience. She had always been this kind of itinerant folk singer. Traveling around the country, a little bit of a lone wolf. And then, you know, as she's putting these roots down and writing this record, she's able to write about more of the experiences of home. About helping a partner who's struggling, about working odd jobs, about, you know, just like making a living day to day in one place instead of kind of singing these itinerant songs. And I think in that way, this record kind of feels like a summation of her career and the best of the multiple different worlds that she's managed to document in her songs over the years.

[Guest Speaker]

Life is a gift to enjoy don't want to think about myself anymore I.

[Julie B]

See all the way around my listening to her. I really love her voice. To me, it just sounded like a friend singing to me. Really pure, very unaffected. There were some standout tracks for sure. Dragonfly was one that I really loved. The tone, the kind of fuzzy guitar and the kind of minimalism of it. I would say to me, I could hear the four distinct tracks almost of the instruments that she was using. I also liked Writing out the Storm. I thought it had really playful rhyming in it. I liked the psychedelic washed kind of folk rock in that one.

[Guest Speaker]

Defense. Hop on Deep Roti.

[Stephen Thompson]

There's a track called Bee Attitudes. Not Be Attitudes, but B Hyphen Attitudes, where she brings in these big vibey horns. But at the same time, what just kept jumping out at me in that song and elsewhere is that there's just superior guitar work on this album.

[Guest Speaker]

Magnolia and the Lily pad porn the stacks of VHS tapes and the freezer's full of food TV guides and cartoon cake pans to meal Bed spreads Beatitudes I wanna a place to call my own Somewhere I belong the place that I.

[Stephen Thompson]

She's a great guitarist. The guitar lines just provide this kind of. This network of nerves that run through the record. There's a song called Dart that leads into riding out the storm. And the one two of those records with these wonderful, sleek, slinky guitar lines. It just got under my skin.

[Julie B]

With.

[Guest Speaker]

Your crooked tooth and Mr. Joe, you under knees in a green raincoat Move to this town of fantasy Where I know you so little that I know everything and is it any wonder I become preoccupied? And is it any wonder I love you more all the time?

[Stephen Thompson]

If you kind of got into Samantha Crane 10, 15 years ago when she was getting written up, I think a lot more in the media, and you've kind of lost track of her, which is that's kind of my story with her. Get back into her. This record is terrific. It's called Gumshoe. That's Samantha Crane. We've got a bunch more great records we're going to talk about, but first, 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 Julie B. From Marfa Public Radio. Julie, tell me what's going on in Marfa these days. I mean, for those who aren't familiar, Marfa, this glorious little arts mecca in West Texas and just a place everyone should visit if they get the chance.

[Julie B]

Absolutely. The population of Marfa is less than 2,000 and we're out in the middle of nowhere in West Texas, very close to the border with Mexico. However, we get a lot of bands passing through town. As a DJ here at Marfa Public Radio, I've been able to discover some of these bands that are maybe just starting out and get them on my show, Amplified. We're kind of all a little bit DIY out here, but we got a lot of really creative people.

[Stephen Thompson]

I know you brought a favorite local band. They're called Baby Steps.

[Julie B]

Baby Steps. They burst onto the scene a few years ago, playing songs about our real experience, experiences living here in Marfa. These are songs about being under the too watchful eye of our local deputy whose name will be nameless. You'll have to listen to the Baby Steps album for more about that.

[Stephen Thompson]

Well, I grew up in a town of about 12, 1300 in the middle of Wisconsin, and I gotta say, like, I wish we'd had a music scene like Marfa's.

[Julie B]

There's a new band that's playing psychedelic cumbia called Zona Mutante. So on any given weekend, one of these bands will be playing and everybody in town will be there.

[Stephen Thompson]

Marfa, Texas, people listen to Amplified.

[Julie B]

So you can listen to Amplified every Wednesday night at 10pm Central Time on Marfa Public Radio. We're streaming at marfapublicradio.org and all of my shows are archived on MixCloud. Just look for DJ Julie B. And that's spelled B E E. Thank you, Julie.

[Stephen Thompson]

Well, coming up next, we've got a new record from Pup. Pup has a new album called who Will look after the Dog?

[Guest Speaker]

Let's meet at the Olive Garden. It's been too long lost how you grandma was in a coffin it was weird to talk I'm still waiting here Ever since he gone and after all these years you still turn me on.

[Julie B]

So Pup have been putting out some great punk rock for about 10 years now. They're a Toronto band and though its four members are all best friends, creative dysfunction and interpersonal friction have been a driving force in the music for Puppet. While writing songs for this record, frontman Stephon Babcock was separated from the band and romantic attachment. He had a long time relationship that had ended. It gave him time to kind of reflect and maybe even grow up a little bit. And the songs on this record kind of reflect that. This album starts with a bang with the song no Hope. No Hope Kind of reminded me of a giant dog who I really love. I think fans of Ammo and the Sniffers are really going to love this energy too. Lots of great punk energy.

[Stephen Thompson]

Sonically maximalist, you know, just big, bold, brash, aggressive, triumphant rock and roll at just the right time of year for that.

[Julie B]

Trust me, I get it.

[Stephen Thompson]

The lyrics certainly have a certain element of discord to them, but there is this majestic feeling to these songs that works so well. You know, you mentioned no Hope. I mean, what a killer two minute album opener. You can just imagine that. Just that. Absolutely crushing. Live fans of this band are pretty intense. I have several big big Big Pup fans in my life and I love them dearly. I know they are going to have internalized that song and will be off book on that song within a matter of days and it's gonna be amazing live.

[Guest Speaker]

Fuck everyone on this planet except for you. Except for you.

[Stephen Thompson]

This band is not a one trick pony. They're not necessarily like just in your face, big aggressive, you know, hooks on top of riffs, on top of riffs, on top of riffs. There's a song called Hunger for Death which kind of opens with this lo fi goof, you know, where it sounds almost like Daniel Johnston in its simplicity, but you start to like tremble with anticipation for when this song is going to slam into overdrive.

[Guest Speaker]

Except for you. And even so, I don't know how you explain all that violence still running through your veins. And I want to know the truth.

[Stephen Thompson]

One of the most reliable collaborators in all of rock and roll right now is Jeff Rosenstock. And there's a song on this record perfectly titled Get Dumber. You know, if you want your rock and roll to bellow with just maximum grandiosity, you enlist Jeff Rosenstock. And the result of course is just this big doofy shout along anthem. That was just exactly what I was looking for.

[Julie B]

No, that song is a total earworm. It was stuck in my head for the rest of the week.

[Guest Speaker]

Seems like every year I swear that you getting D.

[Stephen Thompson]

That'S who will look after the Dogs by Pup. Next up, something very different from Pup. The Norwegian singer Jenny Vall has a new album called Iris Silver Mist.

[Guest Speaker]

Get it? And so I dress in the stage the microphone of flower bed underneath this curtain Co follow me flower instead Give me your rose too far.

[Julie B]

So this album, Iris Silver Mist is named after a fragrance. It was described as smelling of steel and perfumes and scents filled a void for Jenny left by music during COVID when she wasn't performing for audiences. I think this album also plays like a mixtape.

[Stephen Thompson]

Yeah. And I think. I think that mixtape vibe speaks to her background as an experimental musician. She's somebody who does not just have one sound that she's very comfortable in. She likes to work in a lot of different approaches. And this record, there are so many, just wildly different songs.

[Guest Speaker]

Writing to set you free.

[Stephen Thompson]

You get these ethereal, expansive songs like Lay down, you know, which has like a little spoken word interlude to it.

[Guest Speaker]

Lay down, down in the deep where your love comes from Lay down, down in the deep and it feels like all is good seeing.

[Sponsor Announcer]

And.

[Stephen Thompson]

There'S a song called a Ballad that gives off Enya vibes. Hit me with those Enya vibes.

[Julie B]

I wrote down Enya vibes and I thought, oh, I don't want to say. I don't want to have too many 90s references.

[Stephen Thompson]

There are people who do not love Enya. I am not one of those people. People.

[Julie B]

I'm not one of those people either.

[Stephen Thompson]

With my whole heart. But then it closes with this song called I Want the End to sound like this. The payoff is exactly what the title promises. It's ambient beauty, kind of lightly futuristic and head filling. It's very Stars of the Lid, which is this ambient duo that has made some of the most important and special and beautiful ambient music in the world. There are so many different approaches here. There's a track called All Night Long, which is just full of these spoken word asides. But she also sings really beautifully. There's a song called the Artist Is Absent. It's like a minute and a half long and it's like this strange foreboding dance number. This is a record you really could go back to listen to again and again and find something different each time. So that is Iris Silver Mist from the artist Jenny Val. We have a lightning round coming up of a bunch of more of our favorite albums out today May 2, as well as a little bit more of an in depth discussion of one more record. But first, let's take a quick break.

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[Stephen Thompson]

We wanted to have a little more of an in depth conversation about one more record that came out this week. It's by Jolie Ledd and it's called Creatures.

[Guest Speaker]

The car's long shadow in the land I lived before Of a plan I'd say no more Holly's heart and Holly's lips the desert shadows the road is shy and lonely thin Never close It always left.

[Julie B]

Jolie Led is a band that was formed by Nina Nastasia and Jeff McLeod. They originally met in the mid 2000s at Steve Albini's studio. Actually they were both recording albums and Jolie Led. The band includes Jeff's bandmates from the Cape May and Florida bc. Jolie Led is a French term which loosely translates to pretty ugly. They're taking something that maybe isn't typically thought of as beautiful and making it beautiful, which I think is just such a lovely idea. I really love this band, the male and female voices together. One of the things they wanted to accomplish with this record was that every song was a duet. One of the standout tracks for me is Something for the Thrill. Me being like a fan of indie rock.

[Stephen Thompson]

Oh, I mean those riffs.

[Julie B]

Oh yeah. Thick guitars, pissed off vocals and the lyrics that kind of took me back to the Kinks. I don't know if that was intentional.

[Guest Speaker]

Mourn, mourn, mourn for the babes Murder.

[Julie B]

Ballad also was a standout track for me, I thought. Kind of reminiscent of PJ Harvey and Nick Cave's great version of Henry Lee. Covid also played a role in the development of this band. The theme this week, Covid and mixtapes. But they, Nastasia and McLeod kind of had to do these remote recording sessions back in 2023 that became their self title debut. So I think that that kind of played into how they created this record too. Them each sort of coming up with their own parts.

[Guest Speaker]

Over again in my head. Taking over again.

[Stephen Thompson]

You mentioned the song Murder Ballad and I was thinking when I was hearing this song how much how well it would fit in on the Samantha Crane record we were talking about. It's got this bluesy atmospheric grit to it that is very befitting its title. I've been a big Nina Nastasia fan for a really long time now, and you alluded to the records that she was making with Steve Albini about 20 years ago. She put out a record with the drummer Jim white back in 2007 called you'd follow Me.

[Guest Speaker]

I ran and ran but soon fell.

[Stephen Thompson]

Weak and I was obsessed with this record and I think that one of the things that I think she has done best over the course of her career is I think she really blooms in collaboration. There's also a song called Hoarwolf W H A R W O L that has more of a pummeling quality to it. It's bringing kind of blustery. You mentioned Something for the Thrill has these great riffs. Warwolf has almost this like thundering quality to it that brings texture. You know, where you have these spare, almost barren songs, but then you have songs that have more of a kick to them and I think it hangs together really nicely.

[Guest Speaker]

Wild they come Wild and free they were born to be charmed Just like me we were wild Wild and free and born to be charming because our werewolves we scratch the dirt Born to be charmed Born to cly Born to bird.

[Stephen Thompson]

So that is creatures. It's a new album By Jolie Led May 2nd of 2025 is a very, very busy release day. There's a bunch of records we could not even get to. We couldn't even get to the Blanchel record or Esther Rose has a really nice new record. But I'm going to kick things off with Lucius. Jess Wolf and Holly Lessig from Lucius have become go to collaborators for everyone from Brandi Carlisle to John Legend to Harry Styles to the War on Drugs. But Lucious, the band is back with their own new self titled full length album. It's a really polished and confident record that showcases just how seamlessly this band works across pop, full length country and roots music.

[Julie B]

There's a new album out by Milkweed called Remscala, not to be confused with the New York folk band by the same name. This experimental folk band is from the uk. This group is making really interesting music in the form of sound collages using what sounds like found tapes and lyrics based on ancient King Arthur style Irish legends. I made connections with other lo fi recordings like the sound collages woven into the Guided by voices classic album B,000 and the early outsider tapes of Daniel Johnston. A standout track for me was Drinking in the House of Fedlimid. It almost has a trip hop sound. It's really hypnotic and cool. You know, it always seemed to me.

[Stephen Thompson]

So like I said up top. There are so many directions we could go with these picks. There's a ton of great new music out today, but sometimes I just have to be painfully on brand. So I have to acknowledge that one of my favorite bands of all time, Clem Snide they've got a new record. It trickled out digitally late last year, but its official physical release is out today. It's full of deeply earnest and thoughtful meditations on divorce and death and God. It's been a sturdy companion for me these last few days, and maybe it will be for you, too. It's called oh, Smokey, like the clouds.

[Guest Speaker]

Only covered the sun when it got in our eyes.

[Stephen Thompson]

Julie and I, in preparation for this episode, listened to a ton of new music, and it's a curious thought exercise when you're listening to like six or seven hours of stuff. Like, did you what song are you taking away from your prep this week that is like, this is my favorite song of the week.

[Julie B]

I'm gonna throw in something different that we didn't talk about. The band Pet Symmetry put out a new album today, and their song Big Engagement is so fun. I love power pop, so this one has my heart. I'm gonna say Pet Symmetry and Big Engagement.

[Stephen Thompson]

Love it. That's great. Love a curveball. I just want to call people's attention back to that Samantha Crane record, which was really a curveball and really a welcome surprise for me. The song Dart is just so slinky and smart. That's the one I'm most likely to just kind of keep coming back to and remembering how much I really dug that record.

[Guest Speaker]

Stranger in the Light.

[Stephen Thompson]

And that is our show for this week. Thank you so much, Julie B. For taking time out of your week at Marfa Public Radio.

[Julie B]

Thanks so much for having me. It was so much fun.

[Stephen Thompson]

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 and Elle Mannion. The executive producer of NPR Music is Soraya Muhammad, and her boss is Keith Jenkins, NPR's vice president of music and visuals. We'll be back next week to talk about the new Billy woods album and more with John Morrison of Culture Cipher Radio on WXPN in Philadelphia. Until then, take a moment to be well, hug your pets and treat yourself to lots of great music.

[Guest Speaker]

Occupied. And is it any wonder? I love you more. I love you more.

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