Today’s New Music Friday brings a deluxe reissue from Wilco, a Neil Young & Crazy Horse live album, an incredible krautrock EP from Dummy, a Pylon box set, a noise-punk debut LP from Adulkt Life and so much more. Here are 10 essential albums out today.
1. Adulkt Life: Book of Curses
London band Adulkt Life exude an untamed urgency that’s hard to capture. This newly formed, multigenerational band (featuring Chris Rowley of riot grrrl band Huggy Bear and John Arthur of Male Bonding) are prepping the release of their debut album Book of Curses, which overflows with noise-punk of the eccentric, bombastic variety. It’s ruthlessly wired and endlessly fun, with hints of jazz and hardcore lurking beneath the surface. Their atmospheric, offbeat moments blend seamlessly with fits of barreling punk, and Rowley’s shouty, gut-punching vocals affirm that a band fronted by someone in their mid-50s can be just as wildly exciting to listen to as an outfit several decades their junior. —Lizzie Manno
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2. Dummy: EP2
Earlier this year, Los Angeles noise pop band Dummy shared their debut release, Dummy EP, via Pop Wig Records. Now the group has put out their second release EP2, available now on cassette via Born Yesterday Records. Last month, they shared “Pool Dizzy”—the first taste of EP2—exclusively via Paste. Their debut was rooted in krautrock and synth-laden noise pop, and they even threw in a foggy folk tune and an eight-minute new age-esque closer. EP2, on the other hand, leans more on hypnotic synths than driving guitars—apart from “Pool Dizzy.” The track’s throbbing beat, murky guitars and retro keyboards are rejuvenating, and their heavenly, overlapping vocals are the cherry on top. It’s the sound of droning pop euphoria. —Lizzie Manno
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3. Ennio Morricone: Morricone Segreto
Decca and CAM Sugar have shared a new collection of songs from Ennio Morricone, the famous Italian composer best known for film soundtracks like The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and A Fistful of Dollars. Today would’ve been Morricone’s 92nd birthday, and this collection is his first posthumous release. The collection spans his work from the 1960s to early 1980s and features seven previously unreleased tracks, including forgotten songs and alternate takes. —Lizzie Manno
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4. Neil Young & Crazy Horse: Return to Greendale
Neil Young & Crazy Horse have shared Return To Greendale, a live album and concert film from their 2003 tour, which was in support of Young’s 25th studio album Greendale. The album has been released in several formats. There’s a limited-edition deluxe box set including a Blu-ray of the full concert, two LPs and two CDs, plus a DVD of Inside Greendale, a documentary on the making of the album. It’s also available on double vinyl, a two-CD set, and digitally on Neil Young Archives and all major DSPs. —Lizzie Manno
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5. Ólafur Arnalds: some kind of peace
Ólafur Arnalds has quite the resume—he composed scores for the acclaimed TV show Broadchurch and the 2013 film Gimme Shelter, and his song “Allt varð hljótt” was featured in the original Hunger Games film—and this Icelandic artist’s new album, some kind of peace, is a powerful addition. These neoclassical compositions are incredibly touching and full of wonder. —Lizzie Manno
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6. Pylon: Pylon Box
Athens, Ga. cult band Pylon released a new box set featuring four LPs and a 200-page hardbound book. The band took off in the late ’70s and early ’80s, calling it quits in 1983 after just two albums, but left a huge mark on post-punk, new wave and alternative rock at large. The box set contains 18 previously unheard tracks, including “Razz Tape,” the band’s first ever recording. The accompanying book features words from members of R.E.M., Gang of Four, Sonic Youth, Sleater-Kinney, The B-52’s, Deerhunter, Interpol and more. —Lizzie Manno
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7. Sólstafir: Endless Twilight of Codependent Love
Icelandic metal and post-rock band Sólstafir have shared their seventh studio album Endless Twilight of Codependent Love. “Having been a metal band for a long time and gone through shoegaze, atmospheric black metal, and post rock, I just feel privileged being able to mix all my favorite genres and get away with it,” says singer/guitarist Aðalbjörn “Addi” Tryggvason about the band’s evolving sound. The album arrived with three promo singles—“Her Fall From Grace,” “Akkeri” and “Drýsill”—all dynamic, sweeping tracks that exemplify the band’s deep emotional capacity. —Lizzie Manno
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8. Tiña: Positive Mental Health Music
Positive Mental Health Music is the first full-length to be released by London label Speedy Wunderground (black midi, Black Country New Road, Squid). Produced by Dan Carey, the album is full of playful indie rock and psych-pop, soundtracking what happens when mental health crises and inner demons threaten to get the best of you. Joshua Loftin’s high-pitched vocals, along with their rollicking guitars and keys, are a welcome break in the clouds. —Lizzie Manno
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9. Various Artists: No Bad Words For The Coast Today: The Execution Of All Things Covers Comp
There’s a new Rilo Kiley covers compilation titled No Bad Words For The Coast Today: The Execution Of All Things Covers Comp, out today via Bandcamp. The compilation features Sad13, Mannequin Pussy, Diet Cig, Adult Mom, Lisa Prank, Anika Pyle, Gladie and more. Half of the proceeds will go to the artists and the other half will go to G.L.I.T.S., a NYC-based non-profit, social justice, advocacy and service organization addressing the health and rights crises faced by transgender sex workers. —Paris Rosenthal
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10. Wilco: Summerteeth (Deluxe Edition)
Summerteeth is precisely the kind of challenging, detail-rich, time- and investment-rewarding work that warrants the deluxe treatment. Two decades later, the album’s well of mysteries still entices and, in some ways, continues to elude understanding. The more scrutiny you give these seemingly straightforward songs, the more mysterious they become, even as they grow more familiar. That said, while this expanded edition certainly helps provide context, opening new windows on a classic, long-inactive lineup of a band that was oozing with inspiration and still had something to prove, even listeners above the casual-fan threshold should exercise caution before taking the plunge a second time around. —Saby Reyes-Kulkarni
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