New Music Friday: 13th Floor New Album Picks: October 4, 2024

New Music Friday is with us once more. Sure there are new albums by Coldplay and The Smile...but we here at The 13th Floor are here to turn you on to the good stuff that might get lost in the shuffle.

The 13th Floor’s Marty Duda picks these five new releases for your consideration:

1. Leon – Leon Bridges (Columbia) Sweet soul music from Texas and according to Leon, Texas is a major player on this record: “In many ways, Leon has been in the works since my childhood. This record is about simpler days. It’s about time spent in my beloved Fort Worth and the experiences that made me the man I am today. It’s soulful music in the truest sense—it’s imbued with my soul”, reveals Bridges. “I’m excited to share these stories about my home, about nostalgia, about my upbringing, about where I’m from, with all of you. I hope this music brings you back to your roots and your journey.”

2. Kasey Chambers – Backbone (Essence) This is the first album of new material in six years from the Australian ARIA Hall of Famer and multi-platinum singer songwriter. “Good and bad, this album is who I am,” she says. “I worked with my favourite musicians, and I sang about every beautiful, joyous, embarrassing and tough thing I’ve gone through. Everything that’s gone into making me this person. Even before anyone has heard this album or read the book, I feel like I’ve achieved something special.” Chambers enlisted some of the usual suspects to play on Backbone – her dad and guitarist Bill Chambers, her guitarist Brandon Dodd and longtime bassist Jeff McCormack. In a surprise twist, however, two first-timers also joined the fold in the studio: guitarist Sam Teskey, of The Teskey Brothers, and American drummer Brady Blade – who has drummed for Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle and the Dave Matthews to name only a few.

3. The Devlins – All The Days (Blue Elan) Here’s another act that’s been away for awhile. Irish band The Devlins last released an album in 2005. All The Days is a powerful reintroduction to the band’s atmospheric sound and Colin Devlin’s nuanced tenor voice and perceptive storytelling. Colin reflects, “It’s an emotional and uplifting song that deals with time passing, with accepting and letting go. It deals with resilience and holding on to the magic and the light. And of course, there are conversations with angels and the big questions…It also has superb production by Rob Kirwan which hits me every time. It’s one of the strongest songs The Devlins have ever recorded and we hope that as many people as possible get to hear it”.

4. Mindy Smith – Quiet Town (Compass) This is Mindy’s first new album in 12 years! A profound exploration centered on overcoming adversity, the journey of strength, peace, and self-love and discovering her Blue Ridge/Appalachian Mountain-based birth family, the album is emotionally wide-ranging, expressing the most human of vulnerabilities. “I write for one purpose,” offers Smith, “and that’s to figure out how to live in the world I am in.” Click here to read the 13th Floor album review and watch this space for a 13th Floor MusicTalk interview with Mindy.

5. Taylor Hollingsworth – Yahola (Dial Back Sound) Taylor Hollingsworth‘s (The Blips, Conor Oberst, Dead Fingers) new solo album  features his unique blend of folk, rock, and blues. Taylor has carved out a distinct musical niche that he calls “folk n’ roll” or electric folk. In a world full of manufactured pop sensations and cookie-cutter artists, Taylor stands apart as a true maverick of original music. Recorded in the heart of hill country blues at Dial Back Sound in Water Valley, MS, this record will stand out to those who love the genre but are seeking a fresh take.