New Music Friday: 13th Floor New Album Picks: July 21, 2023

Wooo-hooo! It’s New Music Friday and among our top five picks today is a brand new album by Blur. Find out what all five are right here!

1. Blur – The Ballad Of Darren (Parlophone) Blur’s ninth studio album is their first in eight years. Damon Albarn described The Ballad Of Darren as “an aftershock record” loaded with “reflection and comment on where we find ourselves now”, while guitarist Graham Coxon said: “The older and madder we get, it becomes more essential that what we play is loaded with the right emotion and intention. Sometimes just a riff doesn’t do the job.”

2. Will McClean – Don’t Forget To Breathe (Self) This Wellington-based hip-hop artist has reached down deep here. “Music has always been a safe place for me, a place where I can truly be myself and express the full range of my emotions,” says McClean. “With Don’t Forget To Breathe I wanted to create something that not only speaks to my own learnings and vulnerabilities, but also provides a space for others to find comfort and understanding. It’s a reminder to take a moment, a deep breath, and embrace the beautiful hecticness of life.”

3. The Isley Brothers – Make Me Say It Again (BFD) Last week it was Kool & The Gang, this week we have new music from classic r&b artists The Isley Brothers who released their first record way back in 1959. Says Ronald Isley, “For me, this new album is almost like the beginning. I’m so happy about it. But I also want people to hear it and decide. I remember when I couldn’t wait for people to hear That Lady when we were mixing it. That’s how excited we all were. You just want all of your fans to hear it too.” And it’s got Beyoncé on it!

4. Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway – City Of Gold (Nonesuch) Molly follows up her Crooked Tree with City Of Gold. Molly says, “The songs span from breakdowns to ballads, fairytales and fiddle tunes, from Yosemite up to the Gold Country and out beyond the mountains. That visit to Coloma, site of California’s first gold strike is where I first heard about El Dorado, the city of gold. Playing music can take you to a place that is just as precious. I hope you like this record!”

5. Nils Lofgren – Mountains (Cattle Track) Nils is currently a member of The E Street Band and Crazy Horse, but today he’s got his own music to talk about. “I just started writing,” Lofgren says. “I didn’t edit myself; whatever I wrote came out – rough, gentle, in between. So long as I was excited about it, inspired, I saw it through. It’s got all the different sides you might normally expect from me. It’s a very emotional record. It came out better than I hoped.”