*INTERESTING* NEW MUSIC RELEASES: FRIDAY MAY 23RD 2025
I'm about to be unemployed...for a week
Today is the last day for me at my job that brought me back to North Carolina in 2021. I start a new gig in a week and it will be the first time in my career that I will not be working for a k-12 or higher education institution. But I will get to wrangle all their data. Exciting and busy times ahead!
Just a reminder that each week, we will be adding all the releases highlighted on these pages to Spotify playlists - divided up by each month. We’ve entered May, so the new May 2025 playlist (2025 - 05) is below. Smash the little ⨁ sign next to the shuffle icon of each playlist if you want to save it to your library (recommended).
January 2025 Spotify Playlist - 2025 - 01
February 2025 Spotify Playlist - 2025 - 02
March 2025 Spotify Playlist - 2025 - 03
April 2025 Spotify Playlist - 2025 - 04
May 2025 Spotify Playlist - 2025 - 05
Now, then, let’s get into some select new releases from FRIDAY, MAY 16th, 2025, and let us know if we missed anything worth hearing!
::THE KNOWNS::
7Seconds ::NEW WIND [Trust Edition]:: We usually don’t do reissues around here, but this was remixed by my new friend Ian MacKaye and it sounds great!
Charmer ::DOWNPOUR:: If you were a fan of Marquette Michigan’s Liquid Mike (whose 2024 LP PAUL BUNYON’S SLINGSHOT made the Postcard From Hell’s top 100 that year coming in at #38), then Charmer might be in your wheelhouse as Dave Daignault and Zack Alworden pull double duty as members of both bands. Charmer is squarely more emo, but the fun energy that piqued interest in Liquid Mike is all here.
The SteelDrivers ::OUTRUN:: Even without Chris Stapleton, this band can still get it!
Stereolab ::INSTANT HOLOGRAMS ON METAL FILM:: Art Rock lives.
::THE NEWS::
Florry ::SOUNDS LIKE:: Soon enough, Florry is going to graduate to the “Knowns” section of these roundups. The Philly-based, Dear Life Records-signed outfit led by songwriter Francie Medosch may as well hail from the same scene as MJ Lenderman + The Wind, Wednesday, and Fust; all NC-based bands and one-time label-mates that have another common denominator: Drop of Sun Studios in Asheville NC. However, instead of Alex Farrar working his wizardry behind the board, Medosch enlisted The Wind’s drummer, Colin Miller to co-produce and engineer the record. What came out was a rollicking, raucous, alt-country party erupting from the speakers. There’s a good bit of roughness on this record (which I love) and reminds me of my favorite reminder whenever I would record music at East Hall Studios in Arkansas: “Perfect is Boring.”
Home is Where ::HUNTING SEASON:: This record is *gloriously* rough. Like the aforementioned Florry, this record is an alt-country party that just stumbles out of the speakers. The vocals may be an acquired taste, but again, perfect is boring!
Laura Anglade ::GET OUT OF TOWN:: No other way to put this than modern-day standard vocal pop that would sound best in a dimly-lit Vegas bar at 2AM. Her voice is unique and incredible. If you like standards, this should be a good one for you.
Moontype ::I LET THE WIND PUSH DOWN ON ME:: Moontype answers the question “What if Lucy Dacus were grungier and from Chicago?”