Don’t Miss New Albums From Jon Batiste, Linkin Park, The Motet, Dwight Yoakam & More

Jon Batiste reimagines some of Beethoven’s most iconic works on Beethoven Blues (Batiste Piano Series, Vol. 1), his new album released today via Verve Records/Interscope. As its title implies, the forthcoming LP marks the first installment in Batiste’s new solo piano series. Batiste was inspired to make Beethoven Blues following a 2023 appearance with CNN’s Chris Wallace. During the interview, the multi-Grammy and Oscar Award showcased his talent for breaking down musical barriers by delivering a genre-bending rendition of Beethoven’s Bagatelle No. 25 (“Für Elise”). The idea for a full album of such interpolations took flight after a video of the performance went viral, alerting Batiste that the time was ripe to turn his long-standing concept into reality.

“For each work on the album, the starting point was one of Beethoven’s original compositions,” Batiste explained. “From there, I created something new at the piano, in real time. Spontaneous composition is a practice that’s all but lost in classical music, which can sometimes feel overly canonized. Recording this album was a deeply spiritual experience. It allowed me to honor Beethoven’s transcendent artistry while bringing his work into dialogue with my own creative journey.”

Seven years after the tragic death of lead singer Chester Bennington, the new era for Linkin Park continues with today’s release of their new album, From Zero, on Warner Records. Linkin Park — Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, Dave “Phoenix” Farrell and Joe Hahn — enlisted vocalist Emily Armstrong and drummer Colin Brittain to join the band for their next chapter. Armstrong co-founded the Los Angeles-based rock band Dead Sara and Brittain is a talented multi-instrumentalist and producer. Shinoda, Delson, Farrell and Hahn secretly started working on new material in recent years with few expectations. The four musicians were more focused on reconnecting than relaunching Linkin Park. They invited several artists to add to the sessions and formed a bond with Armstrong and Brittain.

“Before Linkin Park, our first band name was Xero. This album title refers to both this humble beginning and the journey we’re currently undertaking,” Shinoda said in a statement regarding the new era. “Sonically and emotionally, it is about past, present, and future—embracing our signature sound, but new and full of life. It was made with a deep appreciation for our new and longtime bandmates, our friends, our family, and our fans. We are proud of what Linkin Park has become over the years, and excited about the journey ahead.”

Colorado funk ensemble The Motet shared their 10th studio album, Love Time. The eight-song LP is the band’s first with singer Sarah Clarke. The new lead vocalist joined The Motet last summer after stints fronting Con Brio, Dirty Revival and Outer Orbit. Clarke is part of a Motet lineup that includes longtime members Dave Watts (drums), Joey Porter (keyboards), Garrett Sayers (bass) and Drew Sayers (keyboards/saxophone). The Motet assembled at Denver’s renowned Colorado Sound Studios to record Love Time. The band previously went the instrumental route on their last album, 2023’s All Day.

Dwight Yoakam will release his first album of new music in nine years, Brighter Days, on November 15 through Via Records/Thirty Tigers. Yoakam’s last album of new music, Second Hand Heart, arrived in 2015. The renowned country artist released Swimmin’ Pools, Movie Stars… in 2016, an album featuring bluegrass versions of older songs. The Yoakam-produced Brighter Days contains 12 originals along with two covers: the Carter Family classic “Keeping On The Sunny Side” and Cake’s “Bound Away.” Grammy-winning engineer Chris Lord-Alge mixed the record. The album features Post Malone on the single, “I Don’t Know How To Say Goodbye (Bang Bang Boom Boom).” Yoakam wrote “I Don’t Know How To Say Goodbye (Bang Bang Boom Boom)” with Posty in mind.

In April, St. Vincent (Annie Clark) released her new album, All Born Screaming. A Spanish-language version of the Clark-produced album, Todos Nacen Gritando, was released today. The record features newly recorded Clark vocals over the original tracks that included contributions by Dave Grohl, Rachel Eckroth, Josh Freese, Mark Guiliana, Cate Le Bon, Justin Meldal-Johnsen, Stella Mozgawa and David Ralicke. The lyrics were translated to Spanish with the assistance Alan Del Rio Ortiz. Clark talked about the companion album, stating::

“The origins of Todos Nacen Gritando can be traced back to some of the most memorable shows I’ve ever played, in Mexico, South America and recently Primavera Barcelona in 2023. Though separated by time and geography, and across a diverse range of settings and venues, these crowds were united in their passion — singing every word to every song in perfect English. It was truly inspiring. Eventually, I asked myself: If they can sing along in a second or third language, why can’t I meet them halfway?

“So I enlisted my best friend and occasional collaborator Alan Del Rio Ortiz to work on translating these lyrics, tweaking here and there for melodic reasons, making every effort to stay true to the song at hand without sacrificing accuracy. After much rewriting and re-singing every vocal track on the album, the result is Todos Nacen Gritando, equal parts labor of love and tribute to the people who inspired it.”

Rapper Denzel Curry released King of the Mischievous South through Loma Vista Recordings. The album is an expanded version of his mixtape, King Of The Mischievous South, that came out this summer. The album version contains five additional tracks and serves as the follow up to Denzel Curry’s fifth studio album, 2022’s Melt My Eyez See Your Future and the sequel to his third mixtape, 2012’s King Of The Mischievous South Vol. 1 Underground Tape 1996. Guests appear throughout the album released today, with features from , 2 Chainz, , A$AP Rocky, Ski Mask the Slump God, Project Pat, Juicy J, Duke Deuce, Key Nyata, Slim Guerilla, Playthatboizay, Armani White, Sauce Walka, Lazer Dim 700, Bktherula, Maxo Kream, Kenny Mason, That Mexican OT, Mike Dimes, 454, and TiaCorine.

Singer-songwriter Chelsea Wolfe completes a trilogy of releases with today’s arrival of the Unbound/em> EP. The third and final installment features stripped down versions of four songs from Wolfe’s album She Reaches Out To She Reaches Out To She, which was produced by TV on the Radio’s Dave Sitek and released in February. A remix EP, Undone, consisting of reworked versions of six Reaches Out To She Reaches Out To She, came out in August. “Whispers In The Echo Chamber” and “Dusk” appeared on both EPs, with “The Liminal” and “Place In The Sun” also re-recorded for Unbound. The newly released EP is rounded out with Wolfe’s stark arrangement of “Cellar Door” by Spiritbox.

Bangladeshi electronic musician/producerJai Wolf today released his long-anticipated second album, The Red Eye Home, through Mom+Pop. A number of guests were recruited for the 10-track effort, with features by Sayak Das, MYRNE, Ella Boh, Evalyn and rei brown. Describing the follow-up to his 2019 debut, The Cure to Loneliness, as the first release in his “Blue Babu Era,” Jai Wolf stated:

“A curious thing happened while I was on my quest to write my second album … After writing for two years straight I realized I had accidentally written two albums. I went through some of the most turbulent moments of my life during this time and instead of fighting against the storm, I led it shepherd me to new ground. I’m proud to present the first album of the Blue Babu Era: The Red Eye Home.”

TV On the Radio burst onto the scene in 2004 with the release of their first LP, Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes, which features such beloved songs as “Staring At The Sun,” “Dreams” and “Poppy.” The album arrived via Touch and Go Records, the same imprint that issued the 20th anniversary deluxe edition available today. Five bonus tracks accompany the original 10-track album, two of which were previously unreleased. The bonus tracks include “Final Fantasy,” an early demo of what became the Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes track, “Bomb Yourself.” Another is the demo of the album’s “Staring At the Sun.” The post-LP standalone single, “New Health Rock” and its B-side “Dry Drunk Emperor” are also included, along with the outtake “Modern Romance.”

George Harrison’s landmark 1973 album, Living in the Material World, received the 50th anniversary treatment via a variety of newly available expanded reissues via Dark Horse Records/BMG. Living in the Material World 50th Anniversary Edition was remixed and remastered from the original tapes by Grammy-winning engineer Paul Hicks (The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, John Lennon). Along with the revamped original album, the super deluxe edition — 2CDs, 2LPs and Blu-ray — boasts 12 previously unreleased Harrison recordings, a 60-page booklet with sleeve notes, photography and artwork from the Harrison archive. Living in the Material World arrived on May 30, 1973. The record followed the former Beatle’s potent All Things Must Pass 1970 triple LP and his live triple LP, Concert for Bangladesh, the latter documenting the guitarist’s benefit concerts to aid the humanitarian crisis in the war-torn South Asian country.

“It was a very emotional period for me,” George later said of the Material World era, “because a lot of people had helped with its success, which made me very optimistic about certain things. At the same time, I felt slightly enraged because, let’s face it, the whole problem of how to solve [the Bangla Desh crisis] lies within the power of governments and world leaders, yet they choose to squander it on weapons and other objects that destroy mankind.”

George’s wife Olivia and son Dhani Harrison oversaw Living in the Material World 50th Anniversary Edition.

“Finally, we are overjoyed to present to you the 50th anniversary package of George Harrison’s Living in the Material World,” Dhani said. “For those of you who are just discovering this album; This record was released in service and with deep love for all our Brothers and Sisters around the world who populate this dualistic system we live in called Earth. Peace be upon all sentient beings.”

Olivia Harrison stated:

“I hope you revisit Living in the Material World or discover it for the first time, and as you listen, share George’s wish for himself and mankind…..

Give me Love

Give me Peace on Earth.”