4 albums you need to hear this week
The best new releases on streaming this week, with music by Jamie T, Sean Nicholas Savage, and Jack White
In the age of streaming, it’s never been easier to listen to new music — but with over 60,000 new songs added to Spotify every day, it’s also never been harder to know what to put on. Every week, the team at Rolling Stone UK will run down some of the best new releases that have been added to streaming services.
This week, we’ve highlighted records by Jamie T, Sean Nicholas Savage, and Jack White.
Jack White, Entering Heaven Alive
The former White Stripes frontman may have only just released fourth album Fear of the Dawn in April, but he’s already back with number five Entering Heaven Alive, having previously even been tempted to drop them both on the same day. The singer has promised that the two records are “entirely different”, while each was “defined by different inspirations, different themes [and] different moods”. White previously spoke about the sonic range that spans the two albums, describing some songs as being “incredibly heavy; almost some like speed metal”, while others are “so gentle”.
Listen on: Spotify | Apple Music | Bandcamp | TIDAL | Amazon Music
Jamie T, The Theory of Whatever
On his fifth album, south London troubadour Jamie T proves why he’s become one of indie’s great survivors. While some of his noughties contemporaries have fallen by the wayside, here is a record packed with all the verve and spirit that elevated him to cult hero status in the first place. Songs like such as ‘The Old School Raiders’ and ‘Between the Rocks’ are anthems typical of his repertoire, while the acoustic ‘Talk Is Cheap’ sees him delivering one of the most powerful efforts of his whole career. A stunning return.
Listen on: Spotify | Apple Music | TIDAL | Amazon Music
Sean Nicholas Savage, Shine
On his latest album Shine, prolific Canadian songwriter Sean Nicholas Savage strips his music down to its bare essence. Recorded in Los Angeles and produced by his old friend Mac DeMarco, the album is full of tender, emotional, folksy songs. Savage emphasises traditional songwriting, acoustic instrumentation, and guitar-led rhythms, introducing only subtle electronics and foregoing the swing of percussion and bass.
Listen on: Spotify | Apple Music | Bandcamp | TIDAL | Amazon Music
She & Him, Melt Away: A Tribute to Brian Wilson
On their first album in six years, Hollywood star Zooey Deschanel and guitarist M.Ward deliver a tribute to one of America’s greatest ever songwriters. There’s been no shortage of similar homages to the Beach Boys icon over the decades, but it’s the charm and evident love for Wilson’s work that helps She & Him’s latest to really shine. A stand-out comes in their take on ‘Wouldn’t It Be Nice?’, which sees the Pet Sounds classic injected with fresh horns and keys to give it an irreverent, baroque pop spin.
Listen on: Spotify | Apple Music | Bandcamp | TIDAL | Amazon Music