Indie Roundup: Five New Albums to Stream Now
Here's what to listen to this weekend.
If you're anything like us, you're probably overwhelmed by the sheer number of albums being released on a weekly basis.
Popdust's weekly column, Indie Roundup, finds the five best albums coming out each week so that you don't have to. Every Friday, we'll tell you what's worth listening to that might not already be on your radar.
Japanese Breakfast, Jubilee
Coinciding with the release of her debut book, the memoir Crying in H Mart, Japanese Breakfast's Michelle Zauner uses her new album, Jubilee, as an outlet for joy. Where the topics of her last records meditated on grief and loss, Jubilee sees a world anew with love songs that don't glaze over the imperfections. "Don't mind me while I'm tackling this void," Zauner sings on "Slide Tackle," a hopeful reminder that we have to confront our own demons first.
Rostam, Changeophobia
Changeophobia is the latest solo record from Rostam Batmanglij, former Vampire Weekend member turned in-demand pop producer for the likes of Haim, Clairo, and Maggie Rogers. The music he makes under his first-name mononym is whimsical and jangly, with a dose of warped production elements to keep things fresh.
Liz Phair, Soberish
For her first new music in 11 years, Soberish, pop-rock icon Liz Phair leans on her strengths: tongue-in-cheek lyrics, big melodies, and sticky hooks. "Soberish can be about partying," Phair said in a statement about the record. "It can be about self-delusion. It can be about chasing that first flush of love or, in fact, any state of mind that allows you to escape reality for a while and exist on a happier plane. It's not self-destructive or out of control; it's as simple as the cycle of dreaming and waking up."
Loraine James, Reflection
London DJ Loraine James return with the aptly-named Reflection, an album made last summer that encapsulates an era of looking inward. The album is full of club-ready beats fit for a dance floor, evidencing James' expansive repertoire of influences; Reflection is a stunning mix of UK grime, dub, and house that feels like the heat of a summer night.
Various Artists, Simple Demands: A Hop Along Tribute
We'll say it: Hop Along are one of the most consistently great rock bands of the past decade. Their mix of folk-rock and emo have earned them critical acclaim as well as a fervent fanbase. On Simple Demands, a compilation organized by Minneapolis blog Ear Coffee, 11 artists give their best whack at their favorite Hop Along tracks. (Popdust favorites the Sonder Bombs recorded a cover of "How Simple.")
In January 2021, Hop Along's singer and primary songwriter, Frances Quinlan, came out as non-binary on social media. To celebrate Quinlan and the beginning of Pride Month, all proceeds from Simple Demands benefit No More Dysphoria and the Jim Collins Foundation, which help transgender and non-binary people in need.
