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.
This Friday’s theme is “many happy returns” … apparently!
We get some artists jumping back into the mix after years of stasis (Sweden’s The Mary Onettes) and well-beloved artists dusting off their classic foundational releases to gift some nostalgia-laced dopamine for their longtime fans (Drive-By Truckers and Everything But the Girl).
The lone outlier from this long-game formula? Austra, the operatic dark synth-pop project of Katie Stelmanis, returning for her first new music after five years out of the release calendar. If you’ve been yearning for the seasonal goth-y vibes to linger a little longer, dip into her album for a little hit of the otherworldly.
Happy New Music Friday!
Best new albums out Nov. 14
Austra, Chin Up Buttercup
Austra is the project of trained opera singer Katie Stelmanis. That classical background is a big draw because it makes her voice really unique, especially against the sonic backdrop of dark electronic rock. She’s not afraid to lean into her darker side, even devoting a song from her new album to The X-Files. “Siren Song” was inspired by Fox Mulder’s search for his sister, and centers around desire and manipulation.
The full album, Stelmanis shares, is “a grief album you can dance to,” which really does describe it to a tee. For folks who need this one in physical form so they can dance until the record skips, there’s a limited edition neon orange version available, as well as plain black via Domino Records.
Drive-By Truckers, The Definitive Decoration Day
Athens-based Drive-By Truckers have been making dusty rock ‘n’ roll with Grapes of Wrath-like lyrics since the mid-’90s. Now they’re back with a new version of lauded 2003 album Decoration Day, tacking on “The Definitive” ahead of the original title.
This version is remastered by engineer Greg Calbi and features some of Jason Isbell’s first songs with the band. If you want to hear the sound of a band taking off, it also has a bonus double-live album recorded at Flicker Bar in Athens back in 2002. For fans who want/need this one on vinyl, there are black or burgundy options with a four-LP gatefold and 40-page book available from New West Records.
Everything But The Girl, The Best of Everything But the Girl
The week gets another definitive compilation, this one from Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt (aka Everything But The Girl). These 16 songs span their 40-plus-year career as a band — from jazzy-folk debut Night and Day to 2023 contemporary electronica album Fuse.
In an interview about this new comp, Thorn shares, “We always liked albums that had a fast side and a slow side, so we thought we’d start with the bangers and wind down with the ballads.” It’s available on standard black vinyl with a gatefold sleeve and four-page booklet.
The Mary Onettes, SWORN
Although we’ve seen a few EPs and singles from The Mary Onettes throughout the years, this is the first full-length album since 2013 for the Swedish dream-pop band. After more than a decade, they haven’t skipped a beat. These new songs fall right into place and make it feel as though they’ve been here with us this whole time. Sworn is now available on black-and-white splatter vinyl from Welfare Sounds at any local record shop near you.
More of our picks
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