Welcome to New Music Friday, NPR Music's podcast dedicated to sharing the best albums out each week. We listen to dozens of new releases in advance, identify the ones we think you need to hear and highlight our favorite five in a brisk mix of clips, context and commentary.
The podcast is hosted by NPR Music's Stephen Thompson, and each episode features members of the NPR Music Network of public radio stations. This week, our guests are Francesca Harding of KCRW in Los Angeles, Celia Gregory of WNXP in Nashville and Nate Chinen of WRTI in Philadelphia.
Scroll down to see which albums we discussed this week and links to our New Music Friday playlists, where you can hear singles from each album.
The Starting 5
🎵 Snoh Aalegra, Legendary Love (Feels Run Free)
🎵 Rochelle Jordan, Disc 1, Disc 2, Disc 3, Disc 4 (Empire)
🎵 U2, Carnaval de Luz Island (Island)
🎵 Emma Ogier, Fly 1111 (Lost Highway)
🎵 Brad Mehldau, Fantasy & Reveries (Nonesuch)
New Music Friday is part of the NPR Music podcast. Hear the discussion on the NPR App, Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
The Lightning Round
Five more albums we wish we could have discussed on the podcast, recommended by NPR Music's staff:
⚡ Anna Butterss, John Raymond & Ben Lumsdaine, Beginningless (Northern Spy)
⚡ Land of Talk, Lasts (Saddle Creek)
⚡ Radie Peat, No Human Tongue Can Tell (Rough Trade)
⚡ Aesop Rock & Blockhead, Trouble Mountain (Rhymesayers)
⚡ Armand Hammer, Snakes & Ladders (Backwoodz Studioz)
Listen to each album's best songs on our New Music Friday playlists on Spotify and Apple, or wherever you stream music.
Credits
Host: Stephen Thompson • Guests: Francesca Harding (KCRW), Celia Gregory (WNXP), Nate Chinen (WRTI) • Audio: Noah Caldwell • Producer: Elle Mannion • Assistant Producer: Dora Levite • Editor: Otis Hart • Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed • Executive Director: Sonali Mehta
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