It’s been quite the week, what with the release of a new U2 video (and an announcement for a still-untitled, still-unscheduled album), new Jack White, a bit of Green Day, a dash of Cage of the Elephant, and some band called The Rolling Stones who may have just released their last album after more than 60 years in the business. And 16 recommendations in total? It’s the busiest New Music Friday in a while.
Singles
1. Actor, Golden Youth (Having Fun Records)
A nice little discovery out of Hamilton. Actor (also once known as Mister Rabbit) will have an album entitled The Best Of (cheeky, that, considering this is a sophomore album) on September 25. Solid stompin’ Canadian alt-rock.
2. Cage the Elephant, Beaches in Tennessee (RCA)
It’s been a couple of years since we’ve heard anything from Cage the Elephant. The last thing they released was Neon Pill in 2024, which featured three singles that reached number one on the Billboard alt-rock airplay chart. Can they do it again? And when may we find out about album number seven?
3. Gerald V. Casale, Just Do It (X Production)
The man from Devo has released a solo single, and it’s a protest song at that. If you’re a MAGA acolyte, you’re not going to like what he has to say. Trump doesn’t come off well.
4. Green Day, I’m Never Going to R.I.P. (Warner)
With the movie NIMRODS, the Green Day-themed buddy/road movie, coming to theatres on August 14, a soundtrack is in order, right? And here we go with a 30-track collection of Green Day favourites along with some live tracks, and songs from a few friends. And then there’s this new Green Day song. The full soundtrack will be here July 31.
5. Interpol, Iron City (Partisan)
Yet another early salvo for This Mirror Weighs a Ton, an album that will be out on August 28, which will be their eighth album. This track, says the band, “channel[s] the tension between past and future that runs throughout This Mirror Weighs a Ton.” Andrew Wyatt is the producer.
6. Howard Jones, Stand Up (Koch)
The 80s synth man is on tour with a bunch of peers this summer (Wang Chung, The English Beat, Modern English). He wanted to present some new material, so he dusted off his old Roland Jupiter-8 to create Stand Up. Says Howard, “[This song] was born out of revisiting my original Jupiter-8 synthesiser which has just been repaired. I rediscovered how much I love its analogue sound. It’s my favourite synth and features on What is Love?, New Song, and Things Can Only Get Better.” It’s also the first single from an upcoming album entitled Global Citizen. The tour’s only Canadian stop is in Toronto on August 23 at The Bowl at Sobeys Stadium at York University.
7. Linda Lindas, Closer feat. Hayley Williams (Reprise)
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Back in 2023, The Linda Lindas were picked to support Paramore on that band’s last official tour before going on an indefinite hiatus. Now Paramore frontperson Hayley Williams has lent her voice to a new Linda Lindas song. This rocks.
8. Mary in the Junkyard, Blood (AMF Records)
There’s a lot of buzz in the UK right now about this trio. Born in London in 2022, they moved up quickly from playing little pubs to supporting Wet Leg on their 2025 tour. Role Model Hermit, their debut album was released last Friday. If you liked the single New Muscles, this will work fine.
9. Shinedown, Young Again (Atlantic Records)
The band’s eighth album (not-so-enigmatically entitled Eight) arrived back in May but they’re already up to a sixth single. Did you know that no one has had more number one hit singles on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs Chart? Neither did I, but they’ve had 19(!!!). Will this be another?
10. U2, Street of Dreams (Universal Music Canada)
After hinting about a new album for years and releasing a couple of EPs earlier this year, U2 appears ready to deliver that album–their first in nine years. There’s no title or release date yet, although I’m going to make a prediction on a release date: Friday, September 25. Why? Because 50 years ago on September 26, U2 had their first rehearsal at Larry Mullen Jr’s house. Kalashi/Polymarket that. Whatever it’s called and whenever it comes out, this is the first single, the video for which was shot on the streets of Mexico City.
11. Jay Weinberg, Drown Fountain feat. Softcult (Independent)
This is interesting. Jay Weinberg, the ex-drummer from Slipknot (and son of E Street Drummer Max Weinberg) has teamed up with Toronto’s fuzzy buzzy duo, Softcult. Jay loves doing collaborations. This is a good one.
Albums
1. Bring Me the Horizon, Count Your Blessings | Repented (RCA)
Some bands record albums and then leave them be. Others, like Bring Me the Horizon, record an album, let it sit, and then re-record the whole thing twenty years later. That’s what this Sheffield band has done with their 2006 album. Call it their “Taylor’s Repented Version.”
2. Rolling Stones, Foreign Tongues (Capitol)
This is the Stones’ 25th studio album, Will it be their last? There’s sure been a big marketing push behind everything. This is another Andrew Wyatt production (he also worked on the Interpol album we just talked about) and guest appearances include Paul McCartney, Steve Winwood, Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and–brace yourself–Robert Smith of The Cure, who plays guitar on one track. And rhythm tracks left behind by Charlie Watts have been used, too.
3. Temper Trap, Sungazer (Mushroom Music)
Ten years ago, this Australian band was pretty hot in alt-rock circles. Then the albums stopped coming. Now, though, they’re back with their fourth album. Let’s see if they can pick up where they left off.
4. Jack White, Frozen Charlotte (Third Man)
Jack White is back. Jack White make good album. It Jack White seventh album. Jack White for everyone.
5. Working Royals, Cover Up (Independent)
Some bands re-recorded old albums (see Bring Me the Horizon Above). Others record albums featuring covers of the songs that inspired them. That’s where we are with Toronto’s Working Royals, you have released 12 intepretations of songs by Joe Jackson, Duran Duran, Heart, April Wine, Level 42, Payolas, Supertramp, Steve Miller Band, The Alan Parsons Project, Philip Bailey & Phil Collins, John Waite, and Genesis.
Check out the whole thing here.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source globalnews.ca ’
