The top albums from New Music Friday for Oct. 17

Every Friday, 88Nine music director Erin Wolf and Lilliput Records co-owner Tanner Musgrove tell you about the new albums you can’t miss on a new episode of On Vinyl. Check out their top picks and a list of this week’s other releases, and listen to their full conversation using the player on this page or on the 88Nine airwaves at 1 p.m. every Friday.

There’s a little air of theatricality to this week’s handpicked batch of releases, starting with indie psych that turns to electronic grooves as Tame Impala wallows in both self-deprecation and hedonism.

Jumping onboard a bit of a storyboard, U.K. trio bar italia takes its inspiration from a late-’50s film while The Last Dinner Party hits the black box stage, painting their glam with even more baroque shades and tones, issuing fiery and sharp creations with words and phrases like “pyre,” “Agnus Dei,” “inferno,” “The Scythe,” and beyond.

Longtime New Zealand band The Bats are the outlier of the party but are no less worthy. Around since 1982, these jangle-pop pros and Flying Nun Records mainstays offer up a sky-colored vinyl to inspire their own version of playfulness.

Happy New Music Friday!

Best new albums out Oct. 17

Tame Impala, Deadbeat

On the follow-up to 2020’s The Slow Rush, Kevin Parker sheds the ear-candy psych rock sounds of his past in favor of rave culture, leaning into beats and atmosphere. The overarching themes and vibes dance around hedonism and living in the moment. Even so, it’s a bit of a wallower, as evidenced by one of the lead singles, “Loser,” a straight-up sadboy dancefloor jam.

From dancefloor to turntable, fans will have plenty of options when it comes to vinyl variants. There are a couple web-store exclusives: bluejay-blue vinyl and smoke vinyl. There’s also classic black for folks who like to stick to the basics, and if you dig around you’ll be able to find exclusive retailers offering clear and yellow versions.

bar italia, Some Like It Hot

Grunge-y, gritty and a little new-wave-y, bar italia is a really fun new-ish band for fans of Jesus & Mary Chain, Sleater-Kinney and Blonde Redhead. That might seem like a weird combo, but somehow it rings true. Matador Records began sharing bar italia’s distinct music a couple years back, so there’s been a bit of a buzz around them that’s built up among aficionados of their growing catalogue.

Their newest album shares its name with the 1959 film, and the band says that — like the film — it explores themes of romance, intrigue and self-discovery. There’s a trippy limited-edition black-and-white picture disc available, as well as classic black (both versions ship with an autographed postcard while supplies last direct from Matador Records), or simply pick up a copy in plain black at your local record shop.

Last Dinner Party, From the Pyre

The Last Dinner Party hit the ground running — sprinting, even — with debut album Prelude to Ecstasy, and they keep that momentum going with the release of their sophomore effort.

This feels like one of the most anticipated albums of the year with the way the band effortlessly issued their debut and took the indie world by storm via musical chops and an air of theatrical fun. Many Milwaukee fans became further obsessed after seeing them live at their sold-out Turner Hall show in April of 2024.

For any newbies out there, if you’re into indie rock mixed with baroque pop, this is one to jump on. As for vinyl options, there’s a neon pink indie exclusive variant to amp up the theatricality and a standard black version.

The Bats, Corner Coming Up

The new Bats album, Corner Coming Up will be the New Zealand band’s first album in five years and it’l be their 11th studio album, overall.

The New Zealand band has been active with the same lineup since 1982, which speaks to their timeless, crunchy, sweet and jangly sound, as well as the power of their adoring followers. They’re also longtime members of the Flying Nun Records roster, another one of those labels that seems to only put out the hits.

Corner Coming Up is The Bats’ first album in five years and 11th studio effort overall. If you’re looking to get it on wax, hop over to Bandcamp for an exclusive orange variant, otherwise your local record store will have access to both the sky-blue vinyl variant and a classic black vinyl.