Usher - Crash
Usher's last two studio albums have shown impressive versatility for someone 20+ years into a career. This week the R&B icon released a pair of very different sounding singles, "No Limit" with rap-feature-of-the-moment Young Thug and "Crash." The latter makes this list, thanks to soul-baring lyrics from a more lovelorn than ever Usher. "Would you mind if I still loved you?/ "Would you mind if things don't last?" he croons. Here's hoping for more heartbreaking tracks on his upcoming album Flawed, due out later this summer.
Angel Olsen - Intern
On "The Intern" Angel Olsen trades in the fuzzed out Americana that defined her last album, 2014's Burn Your Fire For No Witness, for a sleeker, more atmospheric sound. But make no mistake, her voice is still very much in the forefront. She warbles with the emotional intensity of Roy Orbison and the authority of no one but herself. When she sings, "Doesn't matter who you are or what you do/ Something in the work will make a fool of you" it sounds more than hopeless. It sounds true.
Alex Lahey - You Don't Think You Like People Like Me
Like a punkier Courtney Barnett, fellow Aussie Alex Lahey's blunt honesty and self-deprecating humor take centerstage on her newest track,"You Don't Think You Like People Like Me." The relative newcomer makes a big impression with this blast of in-your-face power-pop. While the title may seem clunky, it rolls off Lahey's tongue in just the right cadence, you'll be singing along in no time. While it may not be the song of the summer, it could at least be yours.
The Avalanches - Frankie Sinatra
The most amazing thing about Frankie Sinatra is that it exists at all. It's been over sixteen years since the Avalanches released their genre-defying debut Since I Left You, and we were convinced they left us for good. With "Frankie Sinatra" the group's everything-plus-the-kitchen-sink approach to songwriting is very much intact. The electronic collective samples reggae rhythms, kooky vocals, and a dash of John Coltrane's "My Favorite Things." Plus MF Doom and Danny Brown spit a few verses. What ensues isn't so much chaos, but a tune that you'll be mindlessly humming for the rest of year.
of Montreal - It's Different for Girls
Of Montreal have been making exceptionally catchy songs for nearly two decades, but their upcoming album Innocence Reaches marks the first time the band has been truly influenced by contemporary pop music. Lead singer Kevin Barnes cites Jack Ü, Chairlift and Arca as the record's inspirations. First single "It's Different For Girls" combines the upbeat electronica of these sources with the band's love of old-school psychedelia in a surprising, yet delightful way.
Merchandise - Flower of Sex
Arty pop and shoegaze rock rarely compliment each other so well, but Florida-based band Merchandise pull off this precarious balancing act. On "Flower of Sex" blistering guitar solos are drenched in waves of feedback and yet the melody manages to shine through the angst. With so many intermingled layers to wade through, the track is almost as kaleidoscopic as its video.
Wye Oak- Watching the Waiting
In an environment where surprise album drops are the new norm, it's refreshing when an album is notable for more than just its random release date. Such is the case with the latest Wye Oak album, Tween. On standout track "Watching the Waiting", the Baltimore-based duo take on struggles with self-image, perception and reality with a dreamy pop tune that's more revealing than a mirror.
Mitski - My Body's Made of Crushed Little Stars
Mitski Miyawaki's sophomore album Puberty 2 is a force of emotional reckoning. Nowhere is this more evident than on the lo-fi frenzy that is "My Body's Made of Crushed Little Stars." She howls a litany of existential juxtapositions ("I wanna see the whole world / I don't know how I'm gonna pay rent / I work better under a deadline / I pick an age when I'm gonna disappear.") with such intensity, it's a wonder she can even breathe through the 90 second-long jam.
You can stream Puberty 2 in its entirety on NPR.
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