

We’re not writing anything about our album of the week, not because we’re lazy, but because we’re talking about the new Willie Nelson record and if you need an introduction to him you need to be pulled from that cave first. Plus: new tracks by Sufjan Stevens, Ed Askew Band, James Elkington, The Dead Tongues, Cut Worms, Cool Sounds, Tommy Alexander, Grady Strange, Trummors, Nathan Ma, Jason Molina Music, Send Medicine, This Is The Kit, Porridge Radio, Madeline Kenney, SAMIA, Ron Gallo, Delta Spirit, Fontaines D.C., Les Big Byrd, Bananagun, Mulatu Astatke (Official Artist Page) & Black Jesus Experience (BJX), Ezra Feinberg, and Jeremy Cunningham & Dustin Laurenzi.
Though it helps, you don’t have to be a 25 year-old millennial to deeply empathise with Phoebe Bridgers’ sophomore album, “Punisher”. The star-studded ensemble of guests (Conor Oberst, Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus) and its universal and hauntingly beautiful themes of lost love, impostor syndrome and the end of the world will leave their mark on you. We dare you to try to listen to it only once. +: new tracks by Bob Dylan, Bright Eyes, Hayley Thompson-King, Mike Polizze (Purling Hiss), Tiña, The Fiery Furnaces, Elephant Stone, Sun on Shade (Heath Fogg from Alabama Shakes), Los Retros, Gum Country, Sports Team, Fontaines D.C., Noveller, Jeremy Fetzer, Wilder Maker & Gabriel Birnbaum, Thomas Csorba, Colter Wall, John Craigie, Neil Young, Willie Nelson, Ronnie Fauss, Arlo McKinley, Steve Gunn & Cass McCombs, and Mary Chapin Carpenter.
Blake Mills has been over the place over the past few years, including this very setlist (that’s also him on Perfume Genius’ new track). You can find him producing, playing or singing on albums such as Laura Marling’s “Semper Femina”, Dawes’ “We’re All Gonna Die”, Conor Oberst’s “Salutations”, Weyes Blood’s “Titanic Rising”… you know the drill. They’ve all been featured here. After adding some guitar tracks on Cass McCombs’ “Mangy Love” a few years back, he has now invited back the fellow Californian for some collaborative songwriting on his exquisite, brilliant new album, “Mutable Set”.
Plus: brand new tracks by A.O. Gerber, Skullcrusher, Fenne Lily, Dana Gavanski, Modern Studies, Woods, Blitzen Trapper, Dougie Poole, Willie Nelson, Sarah Siskind, Matthew Tavares, Masaki Batoh, Fontaines D.C., Disheveled Cuss, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, White Denim, Gia Margaret Music, Dirty Projectors, Jessie Ware, Tei Shi, Kehlani, Thundercat, and Bad Bunny.
We’re pretty sure you won’t run out of interesting things to keep you occupied during your forced quarantine period, but we’ll still add something to that. The Deslondes’ Sam Doores has just released his first solo LP in quite a while, and you can use it to remember how nice life could be when it was still normal. Plus: new tracks by Shabaka & the Ancestors, Soccer96 & Alabaster dePlume, Protomartyr, LIFE, Porridge Radio, The WIYOS, Viagra Boys, SINEAD O’BRIEN, U.S. Girls, Girlpool, Yves Tumor, Seasick Steve, Margo Price, Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit, Jim White & Marisa Anderson music, Willie Nelson, Whiskey Wolves of the West, Don Gallardo, Norah Jones, Mandy Moore, Anna Burch, Kate Bollinger, Sharon Van Etten, and JFDR.