New Music Friday - 4/30/21

It’s sunny and there’s a cool breeze-a-blowin’ in DC today and it’s New Music Friday – all in all, a pretty great combination! So let’s get to it and check out what I’m digging this week:

- Dawn Richard – On her latest release, the former Danity Kane singer introduces an alter-ego called King Creole: “assassin of stereotypes, a Black girl from the South at a crossroads in her artistic career.” It’s a cool meld of electronic pop and R&B. Check out the track “Bussifame”

- Ashley Monroe – One of my favorite country singers (her “Hands on You” is downright sexy as hell) is back with sort of a debut for her – pushing the country and sad songs aside, Monroe has put out a pop record full of love and joy. There’s still hints of the old, but this is a beautiful reinvention of a great singer. Check out the track “Silk”

- Shelley FKA DRAM – A welcome release from the artist formerly known simply as DRAM, he’s found his R&B voice after more rap based releases. It’s a soulful, rich release with guest appearances from Erykah Badu, Summer Walker, and H.E.R. Check out the track “The Lay Down”

- Matt Sweeney & Bonnie “Prince” Billy – The follow up to their 2005 release, it’s a beautifully peaceful collection of songs with fantastic harmonizing with shades of country and psychedelic. Check out the track “Watch What Happens”

- Julia Stone – Half of Angus & Julia Stone, Julia has released an intriguing pop record. Moving away from the indie-folk of old, she’s discovered the dance floor and it feels like a debut for her with songs that wouldn’t have had a place in previous releases. Check out the track “Fire In Me”

- Manchester Orchestra – 15 years into a career, the band’s sound remains true and solid with sweet harmonies and a new release that demands to be listened to from start to finish – like a movie, you don’t want to skip ahead. There’s great surprises and sounds around each corner. Check out the track “Keel Timing”

- Teenage Fanclub – One of my favorites over the years, the Scottish band’s eleventh album is melodic and subtle, but I guarantee you’ll be humming along to each song. It’s a long way from Bandwagonesque (an incredible album) and it shows great maturity in their songwriting. Check out the track “I’m More Inclined”

- Birdy – Another favorite of mine, the 24-year old singer from London heads to Laurel Canyon for her latest release. The sound is pure gold, melding the influences of Joni, Jackson and so many others that made the scene so famous back in the day. Check out the track “Second Hand News”

- The Dropkick Murphys – The Boston working class band have geared up with a new release for their 25th anniversary. It reflects the enthusiasm the band has put into its latest effort, with an array of vibrant tracks. Check out the track “Good As Gold”

Today’s featured artist: girl in red

Marie Ulven is the singer who writes and records as girl in red – I was first introduced to her by my daughter and loved what I heard. The 22-year-old indie rock/lo-fi pop artist has been open about her life with OCD, and brought her experiences with life, love, and growing up to the forefront of her debut album. It’s all over the place and that was part of her goal for her fans: “If they need comfort, I hope they find comfort in there. If they want to dance, I hope they can dance. If they just want to chill, I hope they can chill. I really want people to like it — I hope it means something to someone. I just hope it matters.”