It’s New Music Friday and this week saw the release of numerous exciting singles from popular bands. Read on to view a full list of new albums and songs out now.
The Best of New Music Friday:
The Strokes – “Going Shopping”
All most music fans could talk about on Monday was how excited they were for The Strokes to release their new album Reality Awaits in June, with the band sharing details of their latest release throughout the week. When fans received cassettes from the band Monday night with the new single “Going Shopping” on it and after the song’s official release on Tuesday, the narrative changed. “Why would The Strokes use auto-tune?” cried the internet.
Have you been living under a rock?
Yes, this is an apologist’s take on Julian Casablancas and The Strokes using auto-tune. This is not something new. This is not something reserved for Julian’s “other” band The Voidz. The Strokes have been using auto-tune in their songs since 2011 when they released Angles. The lead single (to the dismay of many) for 2013 LP Comedown Machine was “One Way Trigger.” It used auto-tune and vocal effects. Fans loathed that single. When the full album dropped, it was considered the band’s best work since 2003 when they released Room on Fire.
On the 2016 EP Future Present Past, The Strokes released a single made to sound like themselves in the future, one that sounded like their present self, and one that scratched the backs of fans that wished the band never stopped sounding like 2001 was the greatest time to be alive in New York City if you belonged to a trust fund and your parents paid for you to attend NYU (because there’s a 0% chance you got a full ride). The song that represented the future was “Drag Queen” and it prominently features auto-tune. Search Julian Casablancas on any streaming platform. His most popular song is “Instant Crush,” which was performed with Daft Punk. It has auto-tune. “Selfless” from the band’s most recent record and arguably their second most critically-acclaimed features auto-tune.
This isn’t new. Actually, it’s very much a part of this band, which so many people love. So are groovy bass riffs and killer guitar solos, which are found throughout “Going Shopping.” Don’t like it? Get out loser. The rest of us are going shopping. Onwards! Reality awaits. And the reality is, The Strokes will have and will continue to use auto-tune.
New Music Friday Top Picks:
Holly Humberstone – Cruel World [Polydor]
Iceage – “Ember” [Mexican Summer]
My New Band Believe – My New Band Believe [Rough Trade]
Skrilla – Z [Priority]
Squarepusher – Kammerkonzert [Warp]
Which of these tracks from New Music Friday will you add to your favorite playlists today? Any we missed? Let us know in the comments or on Instagram!
Ben is a music journalist living and working in Chicago. They joined Beyond The Stage as an intern and have stayed on the staff for several years. Now serving on the editorial board, Ben is proud to be BTS’ Music Projects Manager, coordinating coverage between international record labels and our staff. Ben has interviewed, photographed and written about bands from across the world. Ben has lived all over the United States working in television and media. They are an Emmy Award-winning writer. Ben can be found spinning records as ‘DJ Wearing Sunglasses’ in clubs and basements across the US.
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