• News

• All

Mar 11, 2022 By Mark Redfern (with Joey Arnone)

Welcome to the tenth Songs of the Week of 2022. It was without a doubt the strongest week for new tracks so far this year. Some of our all time favorite artists put out new songs this week and there were several amazing songs that were seven or eight minutes long. There was much debate on what should make the main list and the best we could narrow it down to was a Top 15.

In the last week or so we posted interviews with Nilüfer Yanya, Wednesday, and Alex Cameron.

In the last week we also reviewed a bunch of albums.

Covers of Covers, our first album, came out last Friday on CD and digitally via American Laundromat. You can stream it here. You can also buy it directly from American Laundromat, via Bandcamp, or on Amazon.

Don’t forget to pick up our new double print issue, our 20th Anniversary Issue (which is out now).

To help you sort through the multitude of fresh songs released in the last week, we have picked the 15 best the last week had to offer, along with highlighting other notable new tracks shared in the last seven days. Check out the full list below.

1. Spiritualized: “The Mainline Song”

Spiritualized (aka Jason Pierce and backing band) are releasing a new album, Everything Was Beautiful, on April 22 via Fat Possum. On Monday, they shared another single from it, “The Mainline Song,” via a video that was shot from the front of a moving train and directed by Pierce. Pierce rarely disappoints and “The Mainline Song,” despite its limited lyrics, is a real thing of beauty.

Everything Was Beautiful was due out on February 25, but has since been pushed back to April 22.

When the new album was announced in November, Spiritualized shared the song “Always Together With You,” which topped our Songs of the Week list. Then they shared its second single, “Crazy,” via a video for it.

Everything Was Beautiful has Pierce playing 16 different instruments, with more than 30 musicians and singers backing him up. His daughter, Poppy, is one of those musicians.

Pierce had this to say about the album in a previous press release: “There was so much information on it that the slightest move would unbalance it, but going around in circles is important to me. Not like you’re spiraling out of control but you’re going around and around and on each revolution you hold onto the good each time. Sure, you get mistakes as well, but you hold on to some of those too and that’s how you kind of…achieve. Well, you get there.”

Spiritualized’s last album, And Nothing Hurt, came out in 2018 via Fat Possum (and Bella Union in the U.K.). It was our Album of the Week. Read our review of And Nothing Hurt.

Read our 2008 interview with Jason Pierce. By Mark Redfern

2. Horsegirl: “Anti-glory”

On Wednesday, Chicago-based rock trio Horsegirl announced the release of their debut album, Versions of Modern Performance, which will be out on June 3 via Matador. In addition to sharing a video for the album’s lead single, “Anti-glory,” they also announced a tour in support of the album. View the album’s tracklist/cover art and full list of tour dates here. “Anti-glory” cements Horsegirl’s status as one of the most dynamic new rock bands around.

In a press release, the band state: “We wrote ‘Anti-glory’ almost by accident, while messing around with an old song during rehearsal. The song fell into place immediately, and looking back, we have no idea how we wrote it. As always, this song and album are for Chicago, our friends, our friend’s bands, everyone who can play the guitar, and everyone who can’t play the guitar.”

Versions of Modern Performance was recorded at Electrical Audio in Chicago with producer John Agnello. The band explain: “It’s our debut bare-bones album in a Chicago institution with a producer who we feel really respected what we were trying to do.”

Last year, Horsegirl shared the album track “Billy,” which was one of our Songs of the Week. By Joey Arnone

3. Destroyer: “June”

Destroyer (the project of Dan Bejar) is releasing a new album, LABYRINTHITIS, on March 25 via Merge. On Wednesday, he shared the album’s third single, the seven-minute long “June,” via a video for it. Bejar co-directed the video with David Galloway. It starts out in black & white as a meal is prepared in a restaurant kitchen, before switching to color in time for an armored delivery driver. Eventually Bejar also shows up.

Galloway cryptically had this to say about the song in a press release: “Is it spring where you are? I think June is technically summer, but that’s not the point I’m trying to make. The flowers are starting to come out now, and the birds sure as hell are. There it was; the future just flew by. What’s the quorum on something like that?”

The press release describes the video in more detail: “‘On a roll’ is an apt description for ‘June,’ which shows the journey of a humble burrito to Dan Bejar’s doorstep. Rolled together by cooks and then rolled to its destination via a Segway-riding, Tron-dressed Door Dasher, it goes through all the steps we expect but never really consider. Up close, the details shimmer and depict the beauties present, yet often overlooked, in day-to-day life.”

Previously Destroyer shared the first single from LABYRINTHITIS, “Tintoretto, It’s for You,” via an atmospheric video for it. “Tintoretto, It’s for You” was #2 on our Songs of the Week list. Then he shared the album’s second single, “Eat the Wine, Drink the Bread,” which is led by a bit of a disco beat. “Eat the Wine, Drink the Bread” was also #2 on our Songs of the Week list.

LABYRINTHITIS is the follow-up to 2020’s Have We Met. It was written mainly in 2020 and recorded in spring 2021. Bejar once again worked with regular collaborator John Collins, this time under lockdown conditions, with Bejar in Vancouver and Collins on the nearby remote Galiano Island. The Destroyer band then came in to flesh out some of the songs prior to mixing. The Books, Art of Noise, New Order, and disco are all cited as reference points in a press release announcing the album.

Read our interview with Destroyer on Have We Met. By Mark Redfern

4. Gruff Rhys: “People Are Pissed”

On Wednesday, Gruff Rhys, Welsh frontman of Super Furry Animals, shared two new songs, both around eight minutes long: anti-Boris Johnson A-side “People Are Pissed” and instrumental B-side “Arogldarth.” Both are out now digitally, but will be released as a limited edition cassette on April 15 via Rough Trade. “People Are Pissed” makes our main Songs of the Week list.

Rhys had this to say about “People Are Pissed” in a press release: “The lyrics were inspired by the widespread anger I—and many other people—felt towards the incompetence and arrogance of the Johnson regime during the lockdowns—not that I feel any different now. I mean the words go off on one like most of my songs, but that was the seed of the idea.”

Preorder the cassette here.

Rhys released a new solo album, Seeking New Gods, last year via Rough Trade. It was one of our Top 100 Albums of the 2021.

In January, Rhys collaborated with the Tuareg quintet Imarhan, singing guest vocals on their song “Adar Newlan,” from their new album, Aboogi, which is out now on City Slang.

Last week, Super Furry Animals shared their first ever recorded song, the previously unreleased “Of No Fixed Identity,” which features Welsh actor Rhys Ifans on lead vocals (he was their original vocalist, but left before the band released any music). By Mark Redfern

5. Belle and Sebastian: “If They’re Shooting At You”

Scotland’s Belle and Sebastian are releasing a new album, A Bit of Previous, on May 6 via Matador. Today they shared its second single, “If They’re Shooting At You,” which they have dedicated to the people of Ukraine and are donating all proceeds from the song to the Red Cross. It is accompanied by a video featuring images from photographers covering the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The UK government will match any donations made via Bandcamp for the next week (until March 18), which is part of the joint appeal with the Disasters Emergency Committee. All artist income from the song, including from streaming and digital sales as well as publishing royalties, will go to the Red Cross.

Frontman Stuart Murdoch had this to say in a press release:

“When the situation in Ukraine first started to happen it became clear that the lives of the people there, and probably ‘ours’ too, were never going to be the same. The band had just started rolling out tracks for our new album, and it all felt a bit silly to be honest.

“We had one track called ‘If They’re Shooting At You’, it’s a song about being lost, broken and under threat of violence. The key line is ‘if they’re shooting at you kid you must be doing something right.’

“We stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine and hope that their pain and suffering can be brought to a halt as soon as possible.

“We got in touch with various photographers and creatives in Ukraine and they generously said that we could put their pictures to music. In creating this we aspire to show a hopeful, defiant side, as well as bringing an awareness to the plight of the people there.

“We think any way in which we can get behind Ukraine—politically, culturally, practically, spiritually—it must all add up in the end. Together we have to do what it takes to help Ukraine beat this tyranny.

“Please consider giving to the Disasters Emergency Committee, The Red Cross, or any other humanitarian charity involved in the crisis.

“If you choose to donate to the Red Cross, please visit here redcross.org.uk/ukraine. They are part of the joint appeal with the DEC until March 18th, and money donated before then will be matched by the UK government.”

The video features photographs by Vadim Ghirda, Andreea Alexandru, Mikhail Palinchak, Matthias Derksen, Sima Ghaffarzadeh, Chest Max, Uǧurcan Özmen, Olenka Sergienko, and Max Vakhtbovych. Marisa Privitera Murdoch compiled the video collage. The song is a co-production between Belle and Sebastian, Shawn Everett, and Brian McNeill.

Previously Belle and Sebastian shared A Bit of Previous’ first single, “Unnecessary Drama,” via a video for it. “Unnecessary Drama” was one of our Songs of the Week.

A Bit of Previous was recorded in the band’s hometown of Glasgow after plans to record in Los Angeles in the spring of 2020 were scrapped due to the pandemic. The band self-produced the album, recording it themselves. The album features contributions from Brian McNeill, Matt Wiggins, Kevin Burleigh, and Shawn Everett. There are four different album covers for A Bit of Previous.

“We did it together, us and the city,” says Murdoch in the press release. “This record was the first ‘full’ LP recording for B&S in Glasgow since Fold Your Hands Child, 1999. We clocked in every morning, we played our songs, we wrote together, we tried new things, we took the proverbial lump of clay, and we threw it every day.”

Read our interview with Belle and Sebastian’s Stuart Murdoch on How to Solve Your Human Problems.

Read our interview with Belle and Sebastian’s Stuart Murdoch on Days of the Bagnold Summer. By Mark Redfern

6. Sondre Lerche: “Summer In Reverse” (Feat. CHAI)

Norwegian-born/American-based singer/songwriter Sondre Lerche is releasing a new double album, Avatars of Love, on April 1 via PLZ/InGrooves. On Tuesday, he shared another song from it, “Summer In Reverse,” which features Japanese quartet CHAI. It was shared via a video that also features CHAI.

“Summer In Reverse” gets locked in a cool groove and doesn’t let up, with Lerche’s pleasing croon blending effortlessly with vocals from CHAI. Marius Hauge directed and shot the video, which features choreography by Kari Hoaas and editing by Jon Danovic. Dancer Ida Haugen co-stars with Lerche. “Summer In Reverse” is the album’s final pre-release single.

Lerche had this to say about “Summer In Reverse” in a press release: “This song was written January 1, 2021, so it’s a bit of a hangover song really. A hangover jam about trying to unhook and ready yourself for a new year through facing some brutal truths. I wanted someone else to sing the pre-choruses, kind of like a soft Greek chorus and I had just heard and loved ‘Donuts Mind If I Do’ by CHAI, so I reached out. I’ve been immensely inspired by Japanese city pop and ambient New Age, and I love how the two go hand in hand somehow. I was thrilled to have some company on the song, so it didn’t feel so pathetic and sad!”

Back in October, Lerche shared the 10-minute album track “Dead of the Night,” which was one of our Songs of the Week. He later shared “Turns Out I’m Sentimental After All” alongside “Cut” upon the album’s announcement. “Cut” was also one of our Songs of the Week. Then Lerche shared the album’s title track, “Avatars of Love,” via an animated video. “Avatars of Love” was also one of our Songs of the Week.

Avatars of Love also features AURORA, Felicia Douglass (Dirty Projectors), Mary Lattimore, Rodrigo Alarcon, and Ana Müller.

His most recent album, Patience, came out in 2020 via PLZ.

Lerche is among the artists featured on our Covers of Covers album, which came out last Friday via American Laundromat. He covers Mitski’s “Townie” (check it out here). By Mark Redfern

7. Father John Misty: “Goodbye Mr. Blue”

Father John Misty (aka Josh Tillman) is releasing a new album, Chloë and The Next 20th Century, on April 8 via Sub Pop/Bella Union. On Wednesday, he shared the album’s third single, “Goodbye Mr. Blue,” which has a bit of a Harry Nilsson vibe. On Wednesday night he also performed the song on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, backed by a full string section.

In January Father John Misty shared the album’s first single, “Funny Girl,” via a video. The song made our Songs of the Week list. Then he shared the album’s second single, “Q4,” via a video that plays as one long opening titles sequence to a classic movie from the 1950s or 1960s and announced two shows at New York City’s iconic Rainbow Room, both happening on April 14.

Chloë and The Next 20th Century was produced by longtime collaborator Jonathan Wilson. It was engineered and mixed by Dave Cerminara and features arrangements by Drew Erickson.

Father John Misty’s last album, God’s Favorite Customer, was released in 2018 via Sub Pop, and it was one of our Top 100 Albums of 2018.

Read our 2017 cover story interview with Father John Misty. By Mark Redfern

8. Tess Parks: “Brexit at Tiffany’s”

On Wednesday, Tess Parks shared a video for her new single, “Brexit at Tiffany’s.” It is the latest release from her upcoming album, And Those Who Were Seen Dancing, which will be out on May 20 via Fuzz Club.

In a press release, Parks states: “We were recording at Rian [O’Grady]’s house and the guys started playing this music which had Francesco [Perini]’s Ray Mananzarek Doors’ sensibilities and Mike [Sutton]’s Neil Young-esque guitar, and then I started reading this poem I had written which pieces together definitions of words I found interesting and had written down. The title is thanks to Ruari [Meehan] who kept saying this over and over and we all thought it was the best thing we ever heard.”

She adds, regarding the video: “This video was as planned and thought out as its namesake. My friend Robert happened to be in London with a day to spare, so last minute we rallied up some friends who were graciously willing to spend an afternoon wearing these horrific English Breakfast masks.”

Upon announcement of the upcoming album in January, Parks shared the song “Happy Birthday Forever,” which was also one of our Songs of the Week. By Joey Arnone

9. Everything Everything: “Teletype”

British art-rockers Everything Everything are releasing a new album, Raw Data Feel, on May 20 via Infinity Industries/AWAL. This week they shared the album’s second single, “Teletype,” via a video featuring AI-generated faces singing the song.

Frontman Jonathan Higgs, who created the video for “Teletype,” had this to say in a press release: “This song began in a very experimental way, with Alex and Jon sampling voice and guitar then putting it through a process that randomized each chord in a chaotic and glitchy rhythm. A very direct song, straight from the heart, with a fresh new openness that we felt was a good scene-setting for the record.”

He adds about the video: “The video consists of human faces that were completely generated by AI, singing the song. It also includes several grotesque experiments that didn’t work, where the machine thought it was making a person but failed.”

On May 20, Everything Everything are also releasing a limited-edition lyric book, CAPS LOCK ON: Lyrics + Debris 2007-2022, via Faber Music.

Previously Everything Everything shared Raw Data Feel’s lead single, “Bad Friday,” which was one of our Songs of the Week.

For Raw Data Feel the band used an AI (artifical intelligence) of their own making to help create the album’s lyrics, song titles, and cover art, via selected information they fed the AI.

The band’s last album, Re-Animator, came out in 2020 on Infinity Industries and made it on our Top 100 Albums of 2020 list.

Check out the fourth episode of our Under the Radar podcast, where we speak to Jonathan Higgs. By Mark Redfern

10. Mitski, David Byrne, and Son Lux: “This Is a Life”

Mitski and David Byrne have collaborated with Son Lux, the composers of the upcoming A24 film Everything Everywhere All At Once. The resulting song, “This Is a Life,” came out on Tuesday, and it will be featured on the film’s soundtrack, which is set to release on April 8 alongside the film. You had us at Mitski and David Byrne, although the film looks really cool too.

In a press release, Son Lux states: “Even though we knew from the moment we were asked to score this film that it would push us in new and unexpected directions, we couldn’t have predicted how much we’d learn from the project. What emerged was our most ambitious undertaking to date, over two years in the making, resulting in two hours of new music. It was an opportunity for us to play, to infuse humor into our work, and to experiment from and beyond our various musical backgrounds.” By Joey Arnone

11. Aldous Harding: “Fever”

New Zealand singer/songwriter Aldous Harding is releasing a new album, Warm Chris, on March 25 via 4AD. On Tuesday, she shared its second single, the horn- and piano-backed “Fever,” via a video for it. Harding co-directed the video with Martin Sagadin.

When Warm Chris was announced Harding shared its first single, “Lawn,” via a video for it also co-directed by Harding and Sagadin. “Lawn” was also one of our Songs of the Week.

Warm Chris is the follow-up to 2019’s Designer. Harding once again partnered with producer John Parish, who also worked on Designer and 2017’s Party. The album was recorded at Rockfield Studios in Wales. Warm Chris also features H. Hawkline, Seb Rochford, Gavin Fitzjohn, John and Hopey Parish, and Jason Williamson (Sleaford Mods).

Last June Harding shared the new song, “Old Peel,” via a video for it. That song is not featured on Warm Chris.

Read our interview with Aldous Harding on Designer. By Mark Redfern

12. Oceanator: “Stuck”

Oceanator, aka Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter/guitarist Elise Okusami, is releasing a new album, Nothing’s Ever Fine, on April 8 via Polyvinyl. On Tuesday, she shared another song from it, “Stuck,” via a lyric video.

Okusami co-produced Nothing’s Ever Fine with Bartees Strange and her brother and longtime bandmate Mike Okusami.

Okusami had this to say about “Stuck” in a press release: “‘Stuck’ is about that feeling of all your collective traumas, disappointments, and general sadness just accumulating over the years and weighing you down more and more. I wrote this song the very first day I got my new baritone guitar. Bartees and Mike really helped me bring out the heaviness I was looking for with it in the studio, really helping me dial in a great guitar tone. We borrowed a double kick pedal for this song and Andrew Whitehurst nailed the drums. Eva Lawitts did the bass remote and I think the bass line is perfect.”

When Nothing’s Ever Fine was announced, Oceanator shared its first single, “Bad Brain Daze,” via a video that also features a cameo from Jeff Rosenstock (who plays saxophone on the song). “Bad Brain Daze” was one of our Songs of the Week.

Nothing’s Ever Fine is Oceanator’s sophomore album, the follow-up to her debut album, Things I Never Said, which initially came out in August 2020 via her own Plastic Miracles label and then was reissued physically in February 2021 by Polyvinyl. It was one of our Top 100 Albums of 2020.

Nothing’s Ever Fine was recorded at Falls Church, VA’s 38 North and at Mike Okusami’s space in Maryland, with the parts recorded separately as overdubs, rather than live. Most of the album’s tracks feature drums from longtime Oceanator collaborator Andrew Whitehurst.

Oceanator is one of the artists on our Covers of Covers album, which came out last Friday via American Laundromat. She covers Elliott Smith’s “The Biggest Lie” (which you can check out here).

Read our interview with Oceanator about Things I Never Said. By Mark Redfern

13. Tomberlin: “tap”

Tomberlin (the project of Sarah Beth Tomberlin) is releasing a new album, i don’t know who needs to hear this…, on April 29 via Saddle Creek. On Wednesday, she shared the album’s third single, “tap,” via a self-directed video for it.

Tomberlin had this to say about “tap” in a press release: “It was January 2021, my first pandemic winter in New York, when I wrote this song. I was investigating the things that help in connecting me to myself. I was taking a lot of big 10, sometimes 14 mile walks through the city trying to find my center, while also trying to get ideas and inspiration flowing. It was quite a lonely, uninspiring time and lots of disconnection, so on my walks I tended to observe parts of city life that people were lacking in or sometimes risking for connection. This song shifts through scenes of what does connect and disconnect me from myself. It’s funny because I think releasing music to be consumed by the public does both very strongly for me.”

Tomberlin previously shared the album track “idkwntht” in January. When i don’t know who needs to hear this… was announced in February she shared its second single, “happy accident,” which was one of our Songs of the Week.

Her most recent music project was the Alex G-produced Projections EP, which came out in 2020 via Saddle Creek.

Read our My Firsts interview with Tomberlin. By Mark Redfern

14. Good Looks: “Bummer Year”

On Tuesday, Good Looks shared their new single “Bummer Year.” It is the latest release from their forthcoming debut album of the same name, which will be out on April 8 via Keeled Scales. The lyrics are what sold this one to us, as frontman Tyler Jordan sings about trying to have understanding for former high school classmates who went on to vote for former president Donald Trump.

“I couldn’t reconcile how these people I knew to be kind, caring, and good could be swept up in the neo-fascist movement of Donald Trump,” states Jordan in a press release. “Here I was, deeply sad, partially because Donald Trump had just been elected president, and I was longing for the type of support and friendship that these folks had offered me in my teens.”

Jordan adds: “Ultimately, what I came to is, it was a failure of the left and working class institutions for not being able to win over enough folks to their cause. If there’s going to be positive, substantive change in this country, it’s going to take convincing a large section of the working class by showing them where their interests truly lie. So much ‘political action’ in this moment, is about shaming and dunking on folks via social media, but the task at hand is actually about meeting folks where they’re at, and bringing them into the fold. This song clumsily attempts to bridge that gap. And like most of my songs, who knows if it’ll change anything or win anybody over, but it made me feel better.”

The band previously shared the songs “Almost Automatic” and “Vision Boards” from the upcoming album. By Joey Arnone

15. Superorganism: “Teenager” (Feat. CHAI & Pi Ja Ma)

On Monday, Superorganism announced the release of a new album, World Wide Pop, which will be out on July 15 via Domino. The band also shared a video for the album’s lead single, “Teenager.” The song features CHAI (their second appearance on this list) and Pi Ja Ma, with the accompanying video starring actor and comedian Brian Jordan Alvarez. An upcoming North American and European tour has also been announced. View the album’s tracklist/cover art and full list of tour dates here.

Teenager was produced by Stuart Price, and features collaborations with Stephen Malkmus, CHAI, Pi Ja Ma, Gen Hoshino, Boa Constrictors, and Dylan Cartridge.

The band’s self-titled debut album came out in 2018 via Domino. Read our interview with the band on the album. By Joey Arnone

Honorable Mentions:

These songs almost made the Top 15. On a slower week any of these would made the main list.

S. Carey: “Waking Up”

Ed Schrader’s Music Beat: “European Moons”

Jenny Hval: “Freedom”

Ibibio Sound Machine: “17 18 19”

Junk Drawer: “Suspended Anvil”

ME REX: “Jupiter Pluvius”

P.E.: “Contradiction of Wants”

Seratones: “Two of a Kind”

Here’s a handy Spotify playlist featuring the Top 13 in order, followed by all the honorable mentions:

Other notable new tracks in the last week include:

Automatic: “New Beginning”

Belief: “Ulu”

The Black Keys: “Wild Child”

BODEGA: “Pillar On the Bridge of You”

Kate Bollinger: “Who Am I But Someone”

Dana Buoy: “When It’s You I See”

John Doe: “Never Coming Back”

Pete Doherty & Frédéric Lo: “The Epidemiologist”

The Dream Syndicate: “Where I’ll Stand”

Elzhi & Georgia Anne Muldrow: “Already Gone”

Floating Points: “Vocoder”

Florence + The Machine: “Heaven is Here” and “My Love”

Frog Eyes: “I Was An Oligarch”

Girl Talk, Wiz Khalifa, Big K.R.I.T., and Smoke DZA: “Put You On”

Hiatus Kaiyote: “Red Room (Nick Hakim Remix)” and “Get Sun (Georgia Anne Muldrow Remix)”

Charlie Hickey: “Nervous at Night”

Jeremy Ivey: “Keep Me High”

King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard: “The Dripping Tap”

La Neve: “History Solved”

Mandy Moore: “In Real Life”

Melody’s Echo Chamber: “Personal Message”

Moderat: “EASY PREY”

Alanis Morissette: “Olive Branch”

Pussy Riot: “Laugh It Off”

Rex Orange County: “Open a Window” (Feat. Tyler, the Creator)

Gruff Rhys: “Arogldarth”

Tess Roby: “Up 2 Me”

Jon Spencer & The HITMakers: “Worm Town”

Luke Steele: “Armageddon Slice”

Sunflower Bean: “Roll the Dice”

Kae Tempest: “No Prizes” (Feat. Lianne La Havas)

Rosie Thomas: “Always Be My Baby” (Mariah Carey Cover) (Feat. Sufjan Stevens, The Shins, and Josh Ottum)

Support Under the Radar on Patreon.