Jeff Terich

We’re in the depths of summer, which is typically a busy time for touring and festivals, but not necessarily new releases (though recent weeks have contradicted that somewhat). This week finds the schedule cooling down temporarily, but there’s still some gems to be found among the list of albums hitting shelves, including the latest from one of the best artists in hip-hop right now, the return of a few longtime indie rock favorites, and more.

It’s a big week for noisy bands with guitars! In fact, four of our five Essential Tracks this week more or less fit that description, with the fifth being the return of an Americana duo that’s a little less loud, but still features plenty of guitar. It’s not quite the Dudes Rock edition, but it’s not too far off, I suppose. Considering last week was all electronic beats and ambient pop, it never hurts to switch things up.

Welsh noise rock trio Mclusky have been a lot more active in the past few years. They’ve embarked on a series of reunion tours in the UK, Europe and North America, in addition to reissuing their celebrated 2002 album Mclusky Do Dallas. Today the band announced that they are in the process of working on a new album that’s slated for release on Ipecac (Melvins, Mike Patton, Spotlights) in 2025. It’ll be their first new album in 21 years. Last year they released a new single, “Unpopular Parts of a Pig/The Digger You Deep.”

Earlier this year, Wax Donut Records revealed the details of Day Old Donuts, which is out July 26 and features contemporary bands covering songs from the 1960s. The new album follows their ’80s covers comp, New Wave Donut. It features Night Goat covering LaVern Baker, The Triceratops taking on The Crystals, Genre Is Death doing The Sonics, and more. Proceeds from the sale of the compilation will be donated to CDP Global Recovery Fund, an organization committed to maximizing the impact of efforts to help victims of catastrophes worldwide.

Last month we introduced Crate Digging, a new column intended to give us a platform to write about and recommend the music that we’ve discovered and which has captivated lately but which doesn’t fit into our typical coverage schedule. None of it is newly released, some of it is in fact quite old, and it’s—for the most part—new to us. But sometimes they’re also re-discoveries (this month features some dusted off old favorites alongside the more revelatory discoveries). The common thread is that these 14 albums are all what we’re obsessing over now when we’re not writing about the latest Album of the Week or wrapping up our Treble 100 series.

On most days, Pornography is my favorite album by The Cure, its loathing and seething anger palpable and scalding hot, its heaviness and abrasion driven to the farthest extremes it ever would reach throughout the band’s career. On brighter days when I’m feeling more optimistic and carefree, it’s The Head On the Door

Glasgow band Nightshift ‘s 2021 debut album Zöe introduced them as a uniquely playful and creative post-punk group, taking a less direct or obvious approach to art-punk while retaining a hook-laden immediacy. Three years later, they’ve shuffled things around a bit; drummer Chris White now plays guitar, while they’ve brought in new drummer Rob Alexander into the fold, shaking up the dynamic while maintaining their stylistic idiosyncrasies.

On August 30, Mexico City-based dream pop/neo-psychedelia group Mint Field will release new mini-album Aprender A Ser: Extended, via felte. The new release was recorded during the same sessions as their 2023 album Aprender A Ser, and is an eclectic showcase of the group’s strengths, from atmospheric lullabies to massive sheets of distortion, and it likewise features an appearance from art-pop artist

New mini-LP 'Aprender A Ser: Extended' is out in August

Festival season and the doldrums of summer haven’t stopped the flow of new releases hitting digital providers and record store shelves this week. And there’s some great ones out today, including the return of some contemporary psych-rock favorites, a great new post-punk record, a pair of (very different) screamo albums, sound collage, jazz and more. Here are this week’s best new releases.