Crucial Releases: March 14/21 super post
In general, I've been having good luck in 2025 with finding a new release each week that really speaks to me... until the March 14th release weekend. There were a couple albums I liked (and I really wanted to like the new Courting album more), but none met my criteria. This past week there were a good number of albums to consider and I think I found two I really like... let's dig into those:
The first album is Equus Asinus by Men I Trust (Listen) - a new-to-me band, though I'm not sure why, as this is their fifth full-length studio album and having checked out the rest of their discography, they seem right up my alley.
Men I Trust play a smooth, laid back bedroom folk/pop with a vibe that would fit in an international coffee shop. Which makes sense, as they are from Quebec City.
Favorite tracks: "I Come With Mud", "Bethlehem", "Heavenly Flow", "I Don't Like Music", and "All My Candles"
This one isn't from the new album, but it's a great song and them performing live:
And the second album is For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women) by Japanese Breakfast (Listen), their fourth full-length album and a followup to Jubilee, their acclaimed (and Grammy nominated) album released in 2021. (And my #2 album of 2021.)
Whereas Jubilee was inspired by joy and big instrumentation, their latest album returns them to more of a bedroom pop, folk-y, simpler sound... and certainly not as straightforwardly sad as the album name implies.
I liked Jubilee a lot, as well as her two albums before that, but I think the sound they've created for this album fits Michelle Zaunder better... her lyrical talents and vocal range without a doubt. I don't think this album will be as big a hit as Jubilee, but in my opinion it's just as good, and maybe better.
Favorite tracks: "Honey Water", "Mega Circuit", "Orlando in Love", "Picture Window"
Honorable Mentions
Lust for Life, Or: 'How to Thread the Needle and Come Out the Other Side to Tell the Story' by Courting (Listen) - March 14
Their previous two albums (last year's New Last Name was #7 on my year end list; 2022's Guitar Music was #15 on that list) were adored so I had really high expectations for this one... and they didn't quite live up to them. The album is solid and enjoyable, just not the level I expected.
natural by terraplana (Listen) - March 14
A really, really solid shoegaze album from this Brazilian band, with lyrics in Portuguese.
From the Private Collection of Saba and No ID by Saba and No ID (Listen) - March 21
Saba's Care for Me is elite. This isn't that level, but it's one of my favorite hip-hop albums of the year so far.
Hornet Disaster by Weatherday (Listen) - March 21
A very interesting album. But way too long (19 songs and 1 hr, 16 minutes!) in my opinion. Tighten this up to like 12 songs and it would have been a contender for album of the week. Noisy, hyper pop and lo-fi influenced midwest emo. Very much worth checking out, though.
Warlord of the Weejuns by Goya Gumbani (Listen) - March 21
Alt hip-hop over jazz/soul loops and samples. A new-to-me artist, despite this being their 7th album. Really solid if you are into the genre.
Moneyball by Dutch Interior (Listen) - March 21
A new-to-me artist with their third album. They generally stick with the slowcore X alt country sound for most of the record, but I kind of liked it when they go toward a Pavement sound on "Fourth Street". More of that, please!
TELL DEM IT'S SUNNY by Greentea Peng (Listen) - March 21
Another surprise from a new-to-me artist on her third album. Really solid psych/neo-soul with hazy, confident lyrics. It's exciting to keep finding these new artists.
is by My Morning Jacket (Listen) - March 21
Not sure I've listened to a full MMJ album since 2005's Z, but this was good. They sometimes get into more of the jam band world than I care for, but at least they do it well.
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