Every week, there’s a flood of awesome new tunes hitting streaming platforms, and picking what to jam out to can be tricky.
The Smile: Cutouts [XL]
The Smile’s second album in 2024 is like a wild ride through different styles—it’s got everything from cozy folk tunes to grand orchestral songs, indie-rock storms, electronic sadness, and slow jams that feel a bit like Can. If you dig Thom Yorke’s stuff since the days of OK Computer, you’ll find something here. There are the jittery beats in “No Words,” the reflective vibes in “Bodies Laughing,” Afrobeat grooves in “Eyes & Mouth,” plus lots more surprises—Tom Skinner’s drumming keeps you guessing while Yorke and Greenwood do their magical thing with a twist.
Fans sometimes wonder how they come up with such unique sounds.
You can check it out on Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal, Amazon Music; or snag it from Bandcamp or Rough Trade if you’re into owning your music.
The Hard Quartet: The Hard Quartet [Matador]
This week is packed with fresh albums from The Smile and The Hard Quartet among others. With so much variety, it’s like having an endless music party!
