New Music Friday: The Top 8 Albums Out Sept. 4
Bill Callahan released his new album, Gold Record, on Sept. 4. Hanly Banks Callahan/Courtesy of Drag City hide caption
Bill Callahan released his new album, Gold Record, on Sept. 4.
Hanly Banks Callahan/Courtesy of Drag CityWe open this week's show with hip-hop star Big Sean and his thoughtful, big-hearted Detroit 2, his fifth official album and a sequel to his beloved 2012 mixtape Detroit. Vritra, a founding member of Odd Future, returns with a jazzy, playful, decidedly concise set of sample-driven hip-hop. Tricky's 14th solo album explores the dark aftermath of his daughter's death in songs that radiate pain and hard-won hope, while Lomelda's new record is a bracing and revelatory showcase for singer Hannah Read. The sweetly uplifting Americana of Carolina Story, the hypnotic piano-and-loops compositions of Theo Alexander, the plainspoken profundity of Bill Callahan and an expansive tribute to T. Rex and Marc Bolan round out the mix, along with a packed lightning round.
NPR Music's Ann Powers and Stephen Thompson are joined this week by NPR Music's Marissa Lorusso, 88Nine Radio Milwaukee's Tarik Moody and WXPN's John Morrison.
Featured Albums:
- Big Sean, Detroit 2
- Vritra, Sonar
- Tricky, Fall To Pieces
- Lomelda, Hannah
- Carolina Story, Dandelion
- Theo Alexander, Animadversions
- Bill Callahan, Gold Record
- Various Artists, AngelHeaded Hipster: The Songs Of Marc Bolan And T. Rex (A Hal Willner Production)
Notable releases for Sept. 4:
Dirk Powell, When I Wait For You; Emily Barker, A Dark Murmuration Of Words; Afel Bocoum, Lindé; Josiah Johnson, Every Feeling On A Loop; Throwing Muses, Sun Racket; New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers, Vol. 1; Diplo, MMXX; Declan McKenna, Zeros; Grant-Lee Phillips, Lightning, Show Us Your Stuff; All Them Witches, Nothing As The Ideal; Hannah Georgas, All That Emotion; Laura Stevenson, Sit Resist (Remastered Deluxe Edition)