Info: REMY's monthly new album releases round-up returns for May, featuring singles already released from albums coming out over the next two weeks (and the week just past) in the above playlist, with a video or two to boot! Truth be told I've felt that 2018 has gotten off to a bit of a slow start in terms of ear-watering (yes) albums, ones I'd classify that upon hearing them I get the gut urge to purchase the physical copy as soon as possible. But May, oh my, it's brimming, and there are even more albums than the 11 here that I am keen to spend more time with. Essentially there is probably at least one, if not two or three of your own albums of the year on this playlist from just a single month.
It's a hard push, and I'll be a little bit torn, because you always like what's new best, at least for a while, but I'm thinking Gaz Coombes' World's Strongest Man might surpass the love I had for Matador. I'm still in right in the thick of enjoying the shit out of Irish band Just Mustard's debut LP Wednesday which was our Album of the Month for May, including their track 'Deaf'. Sydney's Courtney Barnett makes big leaps and bounds with new album Tell Me How You Really Feel, it sounds like a record from someone with a far larger back catalogue (on this playlist, easily an album I'll be running to buy on wax).
Parquet Courts - Almost Had to Start a Fight / In and Out of Patience (Live on KEXP)
Parquet Courts' seventh studio album since 2012's American Specialities also looks set to be their piéce de resistance, Wide Awake! is a hook-heavy modern day punk banger, these are the songs that people who don't like The Ramones felt like they should like. Alongside a most welcome return from the mighty Ash and their latest album Islands, where we have single 'Annabel', I'm (again) falling in love with Damien Jurado, it's been 10 and 8 years since I was smitten by Caught in the Trees and Saint Bartlett, and now The Horizon Just Laughed feels like his Carrie & Lowell from Sufjan Stevens.
There's also seriously good albums from a hopping Jon Hopkins in Singualarity (wow, electronic orgasm), Beach House's 7, a gorgeous return from Ray LaMontagne with Part of the Light and super electro-pop magnifique sounds via Chad Valley on Imaginary Music, an artist who never fails to bring an involuntary smile to my face. I reiterate that this is a monster month for album releases and there is loads to check out so get out there and find even more.
Jon Hopkins - Emerald Rush
Release Dates:
Out Now:
Just Mustard - Wednesday
Damien Jurado - The Horizon Just Laughed
Gaz Coombes - World's Strongest Man
Jon Hopkins - Singularity
May 11th:
Beach House - 7
May 18th:
Ash - Islands
Courtney Barnett - Tell Me How You Really Feel
Parquet Courts - Wide Awake!
Ray LaMontagne - Part Of The Light
May 25th:
Chad Valley - Imaginary Music
