7 New Albums Out Today: The Black Crowes, Kim Gordon, James Blake & More

The Black Crowes are back with A Pound Of Feathers, a new album out now via Silver Arrow Records. Like its Grammy-nominated 2024 predecessor, Happiness Bastards, the 11-track new album was recorded in Nashville with producer Jay Joyce.

“This album feels transformative to us,” guitarist Rich Robinson said. “Going back to our roots, we felt that spark in the studio and how we work together. Lighting a fire that hits harder, more jagged, but is still true to our musical essence.”

“We made this record in eight to 10 days,” noted frontman Chris Robinson. “Bringing the high and inspiration from Happiness Bastards into this album, it was a natural progression. We experimented more, we wrote on instinct and how we were feeling in the moment. Rich brought a spontaneity to the record that I can’t describe, but it’s the best shit he’s ever done.”

Following up on her Grammy-nominated 2024 LP, The Collective, Kim Gordon returns with a new solo album, PLAY ME, via Matador Records. Dave Grohl plays drums on the tack, “BUSY BEE.” The Sonic Youth co-founding bassist reconvened with The Collective producer, Justin Raisen, on PLAY ME.

“We wanted the songs to be short,” Gordon stated. “We wanted to do it really fast. It’s more focused, and maybe more confident. I always kind of work off of rhythms, and I knew I wanted it to be even more beat-oriented than the last one. Justin really gets my voice and my lyrics and he understands how I work — that came forth even more on this record.”

British singer-songwriter/producer James Blake released a new album, Trying Times. Blake’s first fully independent album, and seventh overall, was written in Los Angeles and London. Monica Martin and Dave feature on separate tracks.

“I’m obsessed with this album; it is my favorite album I’ve ever made,” Blake told Apple Music. “I know every artist says that, but I think this is, it’s the strongest possible foot I could have put forward. It’s what I get up in the morning to really do. And I can do that with confidence because I spent 25 years doing it.”

Tinariwen issued a new album, Hoggar, via the Tuareg band’s Wedge label. The Sahara-based musicians with 45 years as a band, Tinariwen’s new album sees them honoring the past while also looking to the future. Current members and and co-founders Ibrahim Ag Alhabib, Abdallah Ag Alhousseyni and Touhami Ag Alhassane reconvened with fellow founder Liya “Diarra” Ag Ablil for the first time in 25 years on Hoggar. The album also sees a guest spot from longtime fan and Swedish singer-songwriter José González. Due to political unrest in Mali, where the band’s founding members were based, Tinariwen relocated to Algeria to record the album at next-gen Tuareg band Imarhan’s studio in the southern city of Tamanrasset.

Hoggar is named after a mountain range in Southern Algeria, a special place for the Tuareg people and a “defiant marker of presence visible for miles, the Hoggar mountains are a symbol of a homeland for displaced people, while Tinariwen’s music continues to make space for future generations of their song,” as per a press release.

The Fray returned with their first full-length album in 12 years, A Light That Waits. Produced by Jason Suwito, Ryan Linvill and The Fray, A Light That Waits is the band’s first LP since 2014’s Helios and first full-length collection since the departure of frontman Isaac Slade in 2022. Now a trio, The Fray are Joe King, Ben Wysocki and Dave Welsh. King, who has taken over lead vocal duties after Slade’s departure, detailed the creative process behind A Light That Waits.

“This was the first moment where the three of us were writing from scratch,” King said. “We were in Ben’s studio in Denver, just trying to discover something… All of a sudden, it was clear: this is a light that waits. But it took us being in the room, listening to ourselves and to one another, to really find the song. And that’s what’s beautiful about being a band.”

Flying Mojito Bros released The Swamp Fox, an album featuring their remixes of recordings by late singer-songwriter Tony Joe White. Tony Joe White, known as The Swamp Fox, was a native of Louisiana and wrote such noteworthy songs as “Polk Salad Annie,” “Undercover Agent For The Blues” and “Rainy Night in Georgia.” White died in 2018 at age 75. White’s son and official archivist, Jody White, contacted Flying Mojito Bros (London-based duo Ben Chetwood and Jack Sellen) to collaborate with them on the remix album.

“Working from the rich musical seam of mid-1970s to early 1980s heritage artists lies at the very heart of our DJ and production work,” Flying Mojito Bros said. “And we hold no one in higher esteem than ‘The Swamp Fox’ himself, Mr. Tony Joe White. Since the very beginning of the Flying Mojito Bros project a decade ago, he’s without doubt been our Stratocaster master high sheriff; our swamp-king spirit animal.”

Sturgill Simpson returns as Johnny Blues Skies and a second full-length effort entitled Mutiny After Midnight. Credited to Johnny Blue Skies & The Dark Clouds -– drummer/vocalist Miles Miller, guitarist Laur Joamets, bassist Kevin Black and keyboardist/saxophonist Robbie Crowell — the album follows the 2024 Johnny Blue Skies album, Passage Du Desir. Simpson produced the Mutiny After Midnight sessions at Dan Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound facility in Nashville. The album, which briefly appeared on YouTube and is not coming out digitally, was issued by High Top Mountain Records and Atlantic Music Group’s Atlantic Outpost. The release marks a return to Atlantic, the label that issued Simpson’s acclaimed 2016 album, A Sailor’s Guide to Earth.

“This is a new and very different Atlantic Records than my last go-around,” Simpson commented. “Mostly, I’m very excited and honored to be working with my dear friend Ian Cripps, and to finally bring to fruition a vision we initially shared together over 10 years ago. I wrote words to what is happening in the world and my life in real time, and played with a group of musicians I deeply love and respect. Together, we made an album that is very fun and will hopefully offer some relief from darkness in the world.”