*INTERESTING* NEW RELEASES: FRIDAY MARCH 7TH, 2025
The first legit AOTY candidate dropped today...
This week finds me and the missus one step closer to owning our own home in scrappy Durham, NC after an encouraging home inspection report. Now we just wait on our closing early next month. But that is just the second-best news to come out of Durham today, as hometowners Fust released BIG UGLY, a superb follow-up to 2023’s excellent GENEVIEVE. I’m midway through my fifth spin of BIG UGLY today, but I’ve also spent some time with it on my turntable as the “beer-colored” vinyl arrived on my doorstep about an hour before I had to leave for the home inspection. Just lots of good stuff going down in Durham NC these days. Fairly certain this record will be the soundtrack to this next chapter in our lives, and I ain’t mad about that one bit.
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 March, so the new March 2025 playlist 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
Now, then, let’s get into some select new releases from FRIDAY, MARCH 7TH, 2025, and let us know if we missed anything worth hearing!
::THE KNOWNS::
Benmont Tench ::THE MELANCHOLY SEASON:: Founding member of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers is out with his first full-length in over a decade.
Bob Mould ::HERE WE GO CRAZY:: I mean, it’s Bob Mould. This record has buzzsaw guitars and that distinctive Mould voice. This guy doesn’t miss.
Fust ::BIG UGLY:: I had a text exchange with a buddy tonight and we were talking about what band’s career/level of ‘fame’ might represent a comparable ceiling for Fust. We both landed on Son Volt and/or The Drive By Truckers. There’s more to that convo, I also tried to make the case that Aaron Dowdy is to Appalachia what Patterson Hood has been to the American South (capital S). Dowdy’s characters throughout the band’s three LPs, EVIL JOY (2021), GENEVIEVE (2023) and BIG UGLY (2025) wrestle with a similar “duality” (a’la Hood’s ‘duality of the Southern thing) - but it’s the clash between fervent stubbornness and fatalism. I’m still just diving into this record, but Dowdy’s songwriting style is definitely checking all the boxes of what I’m listening for these days. It doesn’t hurt that it was produced by Alex Farrar at Asheville’s Drop of Sun Studios. BIG UGLY is what I think of when I see the phrase “make Americana alt-country again.”
Jason Isbell ::FOXES IN THE SNOW:: I have high hopes for this as it puts Isbell back into a rawer atmosphere with just a voice and a guitar. He clearly has some of the best chops on each of those elements. I’m hopeful that the additional breathing room (no shade to the 400 Unit) of the sparse arrangements will add more to the songs (as I feel like the slick production on his recent full band records has been more of a sonic distraction than feature).
Lady Gaga ::MAYHEM:: Fuck yeah.
LAKE ::BUCOLIC GONE:: Pac NW indie dream pop that you should probably know about. Some esoteric tunes and gorgeous steel guitar in spots. Their latest is out on Don Giovanni Records, so, respect.
Neil Young ::OCEANSIDE COUNTRYSIDE:: the latest of Neil Young's "lost" albums to be released as part of his Analog Original Series (AOS). The album was recorded from May to December 1977 on tape. These are the original mixes done at the time of recording. Young sang the vocals and played the instruments on Oceanside, in Florida at Triad studios and Malibu, at Indigo studio; and sang the vocals and recorded with a band of friends at Crazy Mama's in Nashville on Countryside.
Sierra Hull ::A TIP TOE HIGH WIRE:: Hailed as a mandolin prodigy in her early career, Hull has forged her unique Americana style while continuing to grow as a songwriter. In some ways, Hull answers the question “what do you get when you cross Chris Thile’s mandolin virtuosity with Alison Krauss’ song craft chops?”
Swervedriver ::THE WORLD’S FAIR [EP]:: When I was growing up, knowing who Swervedriver was gave you instant credibility. And you were even cooler if you owned MEZCAL HEAD on cassette.
The Tubs ::COTTON CROWN:: I guess a new Ex Void record wasn’t enough. This finds the former Joanna Gruesome guitarist/vocalist Owen Williams doing their best Dick Thompson fronting Husker Du impression. The new Ex Void has already gotten heavy play in my ears this year. I can see this Tubs record following suit!
::THE NEWS::
Arny Margret ::I MISS YOU, I DO:: Icelandic indie-folk singer songwriter who cites Andy Shauf, Phoebe Bridgers, Bon Iver, and Gregory Alan Isakov as influences. Not sure how to explain it in words, but this record sounds like Iceland felt when I visited last year; Sparse, cold at times, cosy at others. And Margret’s voice is silky smooth. This record is really doing it for me right now.
Harrison Gordon ::SPRING BREAK! [EP]:: This is like part Diarrhea Planet, part Frank Turner and the Bouncing Souls, part Benchmarks, and just righteous “Normal, Illinois Emo Guitar Music. Hell yes.” as their spotify bio so eloquently proclaims.
HotWax ::HOT SHOCK:: Brighton UK all fem power trio combining punk and alt rock reminiscent of acts you might see at Lollapalooza during it’s salad days.
Kinski ::STUMBLEDOWN TERRACE:: This band should probably be in the ‘knowns’ but I’ve never heard of ‘em, despite being contemporaries of Sonic Youth, tourmates with Silkworm, and were once signed to SubPop records. I think that alone is enough to give it a spin without me describing what they sound like (because they probably sound exactly like you’re imagining right now).
Melin Melyn ::MILL ON THE HILL:: Melin Melyn answer the question “what if the Beechwod Sparks were from Cardiff UK and blended some surf into their brand of psychedelic country/twang from across the pond?”
Michael Cera Palin ::WE COULD BE BRAVE:: From their spotify bio: “Atlanta-based emo/indie punk. Music for people who suck at parties but kill it at kickbacks.” I mean, the name alone is pretty great. This is really fun!
Staticlone ::BETTER LIVING THROUGH STATIC VISION:: This Philly-based hardcore trio sounds a little like if you processed Lemmy Kilmister through a mid-90s DC hardcore filter.
Tobacco City ::HORSES:: Shit, I am stealing this line from the Pitchfork review (7.3): “Tobacco City’s version of America smells like diner grease and cheap weed, and it sounds like hope on minimum wage.” Not sure how a band from Chicago came to reference Tobacco in their name, but it certainly fits the rich male/female vocal harmonies soaring over twangy tunes with sweeping steel guitar. This is another example of making Americana alt-country again.