Don’t Miss New Albums From Dawes, Keller Williams, The Linda Lindas, Jelly Roll & More

Dawes released their ninth studio album, Oh Brother. The follow-up to 2022’s Misadventures of Doomscroller rings in a new era for Dawes co-founders and brothers Taylor Goldsmith and Griffin Goldsmith, the brothers soldier on as Dawes with touring guitarist Trevor Menear after bassist Wylie Gelber and keyboardist Lee Pardini left the band under amicable terms. Fittingly, the siblings co-produced Oh Brother alongside longtime friend Mike Viola. The Goldsmiths started writing and recording the nine songs featured on Oh Brother with just Taylor on guitar and vocals and Griffin on drums. Dawes later added contributions from Menear and other studio instrumentation.

“All you can really do is find out what are the most essential, truest, and idiosyncratic parts of yourself,” explained Taylor Goldsmith. “And I like the fact that Griffin and I are kind of clinging to each other and holding on to each other more than we ever have. We’re grateful for each other in a new way. But we’ve also been through a lot.

“It feels like we’re reborn in a way, and I mean that with so, so much love and gratitude to everyone we’ve ever played with before! This is what it means to be a lifer, to have iterations. It means having phases and chapters, and this is a very clear delineation as to the beginning of a new one. So Oh Brother feels like a ninth record, but it also feels like a first record.”

Keller Williams set a precedent of single-word album titles with the release of his 1994 debut album, Freek. Two decades later, Williams continues his streak with today’s release of a new album entitled Deer. Williams compiled a nine-song tracklist for Deer. The album follows Williams’ 2023 collaborative album with Gibb Droll, Droll and 2022’s Grit. KW has performed several of the Deer tracks in concert, including “Hippies For The Win,” “Face Melt Blues” and “B.I.T.C.H.,” which appeared on the 2013 Keller Williams with More Than A Little album, Funk.

The Linda Lindas issued a new album, No Obligation, today via Epitaph. The Linda Lindas wrote and recorded their sophomore album during “spring breaks, winter breaks, and long weekends.” Guitarist Lucia de la Garza and bassist Eloise Wong are in high school, while drummer Mila de la Garza just completed middle school. High school graduate guitarist Bela Salazar rounds out the quartet. Like their 2022 debut album, Growing Up, the 12-song No Obligation was produced by Carlos de la Garza. The band needed someone to play accordion on their new single, “Yo Me Estreso,” so they recruited none other than one of the top players associated with the instrument, “Weird Al” Yankovic.

Beautifully Broken is the 10th studio album by rapper/singer-songwriter Jelly Roll, released today through Republic Records. The 22-track album sees guest spots by Ilsey, Wiz Khalifa and mgk. Jelly Roll — Nashville native Jason DeFord — spoke to The New York Times about the follow-up to his 2023 LP Whitsitt Chapel, stating:

“I just want to serve people. I’m looking for songs that have purpose. When I go to put out a song under the name Jelly Roll, I think to myself, why? Because for the first time in my life in the last three years, I can tell you it has nothing to do with a financial decision at all. I’m well past putting out anything for money. I own my masters. If people see my record deal, they’ve made big announcements about record deals for artists that are worse than mine.”

RÜFÜS DU SOL — Tyrone Lindqvist, Jon George and James Hunt — released their fifth studio album, Inhale / Exhale, via Rose Avenue/Reprise Records. Inhale / Exhale follows Rüfüs Du Sol’s acclaimed 2021 album Surrender. “Inhale / Exhale marks a new creative groove for the band, an era that is defined by enjoying the process and creating from the now while binding organic and electronic,” as per press materials for the new album. “The album encompasses the themes that have endeared fans for over a decade – romance, heartbreak, euphoria, despair – through a medley of sprawling, mature soundscapes.

2023 Best New Artist Grammy winner Samara Joy released, Portrait, today through Verve Records. The jazz vocalist channeled her experiences and success into the album, marking a new chapter in her artistic journey. Portrait captures the 24-year-old Bronx native’s growth, not just as a vocalist but also as a songwriter, arranger and bandleader. The album, co-produced by Joy and veteran trumpeter and multi-Grammy winner Brian Lynch, features her touring band, the “egalitarian octet,” consisting of trumpeter Jason Charos, trombonist Donavan Austin, saxophonists David Mason and Kendric McCallister, pianist Connor Rohrer, bassist Felix Moseholm and drummer Evan Sherman. Recorded at the legendary Van Gelder Studio, Portrait highlights Joy’s lyrical abilities, blending her thoughtful words with compositions by jazz greats like Charles Mingus and Sun Ra. The album also includes fresh spins on standards such as “You Stepped Out of a Dream” and “Autumn Nocturne.”

Reflecting on the album, Joy stated, “This project is like a well of inspiration, fed by different streams of musical influence. Eight musicians, each bringing their unique perspectives and backgrounds, joined together in a setting designed for growth and exploration. We worked hard to create something that’s inspired by many but remains uniquely our own. I’m honored to present Portrait, shaped by a year of development and revision on the road.”

Rapper GloRilla‘s much anticipated debut album, Glorious, came out today via CMG Records. Glorious continues the Memphis native’s prolific 2024, which saw the rapper releasing her Ehhthang, Ehhthang mixtape in April. The 15-track Glorious sees a number of guests, with features by Latto, Sexyy Red, Muni Long, Kirk Franklin, Maverick City Music, Kierra Sheard, Chandler Moore, Megan Thee Stallion, Bossman Dlow, T-Pain and Fridayy.

Esteemed singer-songwriter Tucker Zimmerman tapped Big Thief to record his new album, Dance Of Love, which arrives today via 4A — Zimmerman’s first LP on the label. Over the course of his +50-year career, which includes poetry and prose, Zimmerman — who David Bowie said was “too qualified for folk” — has released 10 albums with Dance Of Love marking his 11th. Dance Of Love saw Zimmerman enlisting Big Thief — Adrianne Lenker, Buck Meek and ​​James Krivchenia — as his backing group along with the band’s close collaborators Mat Davidson and Zach Burba. Tucker’s wife Marie-Claire also contributed to the LP.

“After years of writing and filling a box with over 500 song sheets, I had finally found my path, my originality, my voice,” Zimmerman stated. “It had become clear to me that songs of only one kind were worth spending time on: those which had a positive message and a peaceful vibration […] Just poetry. Little hums that perhaps might lift us all above our daily worries and fears, little hums that try to make the world a better place to live in.”

“It was an extreme honor to make a record with one of the greatest songwriters of all time,” Big Thief said. “We believe in this music with all of our hearts, and we hope it brings you joy.”

Jenny Scheinman shared a new album, All Species Parade, through Royal Potato Family. The 10-track double LP sees contributions from a trio of excellent guitarists Nels Cline, Julian Lage and Bill Frisell. Along with the guitarists, All Species Parade sees contributions from pianist Carmen Staaf, bassist Tony Scherr and drummer Kenny Wollesen. Recorded by Eli Crews at The Bunker in Brooklyn, mixing was provided by Grammy-winner Tucker Martine and mastered by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound. The new record saw Scheinman expanding her sonic scope. Many of the tracks extend beyond 11 minutes. She gave the players on All Species Parade space to stretch out. All Species Parade is an homage to Scheinman’s native Northern California, specifically, Humboldt County’s Lost Coast.

“Scheinman considered the project from many angles,” press materials for All Species Parade noted. “She wrote a song cycle based on the ‘crusty characters’ from her hometown and sketched out a surrealist multimedia project based on the county’s namesake, Alexander Von Humboldt. She collaborated with filmmaker Ai Aiwane on a video installation about the Mattole River (Cojo Come Home) and immersed herself in the sounds and cultural history of the region, with hopes of conjuring, in music, the extraordinary diversity of life, past and present, in the Pacific Northwest. All Species Parade is the result of these meditations.”

Brat Summer may be over but a new season starts today with the arrival of a remix version of Charli XCX’s album, Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat, featuring updated versions the the album’s original tracks. Collaborator were revealed one billboards that appeared in cities across the United States and Europe. The signs one-by-one revealed the participants, Addison Rae, Bladee, Bon Iver, Julian Casablancas, A. G. Cook, Billie Eilish, Ariana Grande, Jon Hopkins, the Japanese House, Yung Lean, Lorde, Caroline Polachek, Robyn, Shygirl, Troye Sivan, Tinashe, BB Trickz and The 1975. The new version also features bonus tracks issued with other editions of Brat.

Excellent Traveler, the new solo record from GRAMMY-winning multi-instrumentalist Nate Mercereau, is out now on Third Man Records. Mercereau, who’s currently touring with André 3000, produced, mixed, edited and arranged the ambitious Excellent Traveller. Ostensibly a solo guitar album, the majority was recorded on guitar, save for the collaborative track “Infinite Palaces of Possibility / Horse,” which contains samples of André 3000’s flute and a Yamaha EM90 drum machine, and a middle section featuring a live trio performance with André 3000 and their tourmate Carlos Niño. Additionally, Mercereau created the album using guitar-controlled samples of varied sounds, which he explained:

“These are samples collected from my life — trips I’ve taken, moments with my family, concerts I’ve played, recording sessions I’ve attended, people I’ve had to my home studio, places I’ve traveled to and shared music in. A Massive Thank You to every sampled guest on this album for your openness to this process of making more music with our music.

“In addition to the musicians sampled, samples include the sounds and expressions of Manhattan, Brooklyn, San Francisco, Oakland, Amsterdam, Tujunga, Topanga, Los Angeles, Venice Beach, Benton, Mayer Arizona, Twentynine Palms, Köln, BART, wind, breathing, water, fire, traffic, crosswalks, guitar birds, birds, cymbals, shakers, gongs, flutes, toms, drum sets, tambourines, voices, bells, shells, chimes, saxophones, clarinets, keyboards, guitars, zithers, psaltery, clave, woodblocks, the hangers backstage at National Sawdust, concerts at home with Juniper, marimbas, xylophones, drum machines, bird calls, and more … Other Locations where samples were gathered include The World Stage in Leimert Park, Nublu in Manhattan, SFJAZZ Center in San Francisco, King Georg in Köln, The Watershed in Oakland, Different Fur in San Francisco, Mia and Jesse’s in Glendale, Earthstar Creation Center in Venice, various studios in Hollywood, Malibu, and Santa Monica, and my home studio in Tujunga.”

Teddy and the Rough Riders, the Nashville-native songwriting/vocal duo of Jack Quiggins and Ryan Jennings, released their new album, Down Home, today through Appalachia Record Co. The pair recorded the new album with engineer Jake Davis, who also helmed their previous, self-titled, Margo Price-produced LP. Rough Rider Jennings discussed circumstances surrounding and contributors to the new album, stating:

“After our (2020) Orville Peck opening tour had been canceled, one day before playing Luck Reunion no less, we got together, masked up and as responsibly as possible, started to “woodshed” songs for not only Teddy, but Emily Nenni, and Sean Thompson’s Weird Ears. The Down HomeWeird Ears. We would go back and forth recording one of ours then one of his. We had our legendary friend Mike Daly lay dobro and steel, and had Emily Nenni and Erin Rae sing with us on almost every song. I think this album is the closest we’ve gotten to the ideal Teddy sound, fine tuning riffs and balancing instruments while being as full on loud and rockin’ as possible. And a great variety of songwriting styles further each tune’s storyline.”

Released earlier this week, Cardinals At The Window is compilation benefiting victims of Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina. Proceeds from sales of the all-star effort will go to Rural Organizing and Resilience, BeLoved Asheville and the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina. Cardinals At The Window was compiled by North Carolina natives – musician/community organizer Libby Rodenbough, New Commute founder David Walker and music journalist Grayson Haver Currin – with additional contributions from Shirlette Ammons, Martin Anderson, Anna Morris, Cory Rayborn, and Rusty Sutton. Current North Carolina resident Nick Sanborn of Sylvan Esso and Asheville native Clay Blair donated engineering services. The compilation was released in conjunction with a support effort led by musicians, artists, and Western North Carolina residents Ryan Gustafson of The Dead Tongues and Hunter Savoy.

Among those who contributed to Cardinals At The Window were Phish, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Jason Isbell, R.E.M., The War On Drugs, Tyler Childers, Fleet Foxes, Angel Olsen, Drive-By Truckers, Tune-Yards, Superchunk, The Avett Brothers, The Decemberists, American Aquarium, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, MJ Lenderman, Sharon Van Etten, Little Brother, Sylvan Esso, The Mountain Goats, Hotline TNT, Six Organs of Admittance, Archers of Loaf, Flock of Dimes, Chuck Johnson, Real Estate, Jerry Douglas, Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, Wednesday’s Karly Hartzman, S.G. Goodman, Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Waxahatchee, Sluice, Gillian Welch, David Rawlings, Iron & Wine, Adeem the Artist, Yasmin Williams, Helado Negro, William Tyler, Terry Allen & The Panhandle Mystery Band, Dawes, Hiss Golden Messenger, Tim Heidecker, Feist, Kevin Morby, Futurebirds, Bahamas, James Elkington, Eric Slick and Watchhouse, plus many more.