Don’t Miss New Albums From J. Cole, John Craigie, Puscifer & Others

Rapper J. Cole released his latest album, The Fall-Off. The arrival of the long-in-the-making album was preceded by the lead single, “Disc 2 Track 2.” J. Cole revealed intentions to release an album project with the title The Fall-Off, as far back as 2018. The North Carolina native hip-hop musician’s last full length album was his 2021 release, The Off-Season. J. Cole addressed the lengthy time spent on The Fall-Off, sharing the below statement:

“For the past 10 years, this album has been hand crafted with one intention: a personal challenge to myself to create my best work. To do on my last what I was unable to do on my first.

“I had no way of knowing how much time, focus and energy it would eventually take to achieve this, but despite the countless challenges along the way, I knew in my heart I would one day get to the finish line.

“I owed it first and foremost to myself. And secondly, I owed it to hip hop.”

John Craigie released his milestone 10th album, I Swam Here, through his Zabriskie Point Records. The Portland-based singer-songwriter’s last album, 2024’s Pagan Church, was recorded with TK & The Holy Know-Nothings. Fire Season was mostly tracked in New Orleans with Craigie backed by a band compiled by The Deslondes guitarist Sam Doores, who recruited his The Deslondes bandmate, drummer Howe Pearson, as well as bassist Max Bien Khan, guitarist/vocalist Desiree Cannon and Lost Bayou Ramblers pedal steel guitarist Jonny Campo. Craigie’s longtime collaborator Anna Moss was another substantial contributor.

Three songs were recorded in Astoria, Oregon, with engineer Bart Budwig at The Rope Room. Craigie was joined by drummer Cooper Trail and bassist Nevada Sowle, who appeared on Craigie’s 2022 album, Mermaid Salt. Bassist Luke Ydstie and pedal steel guitarist Jamie Greenan were also part of The Rope Room sessions.

Puscifer — the project of Tool frontmanMaynard James Keenan with Mat Mitchell and Carina Round — return with their first album in more than five years, Normal Isn’t, out now via Puscifer Entertainment/Alchemy Recordings/BMG. Puscifer wrote and recorded Normal Isn’t in Arizona, Los Angeles and on the road during last year’s Sessanta Tour. Special guests on Normal Isn’t include Maynard’s Tool bandmate drummer Danny Carey, as well as renowned bassist Tony Levin. Greg Edwards (bass), Gunnar Olsen (drums) and Sarah Jones (drums) also contributed to the record. Mr. Ian Ross, the father of Nine Inch Nails‘s Atticus Ross, narrates the track “Seven One.”

“We’re definitely leaning into our early influences,” Keenan said. “It’s the place where goth meets punk. It’s where I came from. Normal Isn’t reflects this time we are living in. As storytellers and artists, our job is to observe, interpret and report. We take in our environment and share what we see, and what we see around us does not appear normal. Not by a long shot.”

Caribou’s Dan Snaith dons his dance-centric Daphni persona for the newly released album, Butterfly. Describing the 16-track record as “wild,” Snaith added “There’s such a broad range of stuff on there: weird tracks, club tracks, pop tracks… I just forgot to think about the album was supposed to be and just made whatever struck me. Weirdly though for me, at least, it hangs together really well I think…”

Beverly Glenn-Copeland’s new album, Laughter In Summer, was born out of collaboration with his wife, Elizabeth Glenn-Copeland. Released through Transgressive Records, Laughter In Summer is the follow-up to Beverly Glenn-Copeland’s 2023 LP, The Ones Ahead. The new nine-track full-length album, the couple’s “love letter to one another,” was recorded after Glenn was diagnosed with a version of Dementia known as LATE.

“This project feels like a return for me, back to self-producing, back to my roots sonically and spiritually,” Charlotte Day Wilson said describing her newly available album, Patchwork. The seven-song collection follows the Toronto-native’s sophomore album, 2024’s Cyan Blue. The multi-instrumentalist is joined by Little Dragon’s Yukimi Nagano on a track, and by Saya Gray on another.

ODYSSEY is DJ/producer ILLENIUM’s sixth album and first since signing to Republic Records. The album follows his 2023 self-titled full-length release. Numerous guests appear across the 19 ODYSSEY tracks, with contributions coming from Ellie Goulding, Kid Cudi, Bastille, Bring Me The Horizon, Ryan Tedder, Tom Grennan, Alna, HAYLA, Lauren Alaina, Dean Lewis, Emmy, Elley Duhé and others.

Noise rock group Mandy, Indiana released URGH today through Sacred Bones. The Manchester, England-based band is comprised of vocalist Valentine Caulfield, guitarist Scott Fair, synth player Simon Catling and drummer Alex Macdougall. Following their 2023 debut album I’ve Seen a Way, the 10-song URGH saw the band taking a more collaborative approach to composing on the new record. Daniel Fox of Gilla Band co-produced and co-mixed URGH with Fair.