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Here are the best new albums out this week

A Black man plays a saxophone in front of a mic on stand.
David Murray, almost 50 years into his recording career, has a fiery new album on legendary jazz label Impulse.
(
Gregg Greenwood
/
Verve
)

Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.

It's the end of the week, which means if you forgot to pre-order a Nintendo Switch 2 on Thursday, you're going to need to console yourself. Luckily, we've got plenty of new music available immediately that will cost you far less than $450.

NPR Music's Stephen Thompson welcomed Ayana Contreras of Denver public radio stations KUVO Jazz and The Drop to the New Music Friday podcast to discuss the latest from rising R&B star Coco Jones, revered saxophonist David Murray and much more.

Listen to the episode or stream the recommended albums below.

New Music Friday is a feature of NPR's All Songs Considered podcast! Hear the discussion on the NPR App, Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

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The Starting 5


A Black man has dreadlocks and wears overalls while posing against a wood wall.
Fly Anakin.
(
Will Pippin
/
Lex Records
)

Stephen and Ayana give you the backstory and best songs on the following albums:

💿 Coco Jones, Why Not More (Stream)

  • Recommended If You Like: Victoria Monét, Ashanti

💿 Samia, Bloodless (Stream)

  • RIYL: boygenius, Japanese Breakfast

💿 Emma-Jean Thackray, Weirdo (Stream)

  • RIYL: Meshell Ndegeocello, Parliament-Funkadelic

💿 David Murray Quartet, Birdly Serenade (Stream)

  • RIYL: Eric Dolphy, Ben Webster

💿 Fly Anakin, (The) Forever Dream (Stream)

  • RIYL: OutKast, Goodie Mob

The Lightning Round


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A white woman with blond hair in two braids wears a hand maiden's costume and sings into a handheld mic.
Self Esteem.
(
Aaron Parsons Photography
/
Polydor
)

Five more albums we wish we had time to discuss on the podcast:

💿 Self Esteem, A Complicated Woman

💿 Ledisi, The Crown

💿 Beach Bunny, Tunnel Vision

💿 Silas Short, LUSHLAND

💿 BRONCHO, Natural Pleasure

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Listen to each album's best songs on our New Music Friday playlists on Spotify and Apple or wherever you listen to music.

The Long List


A woman with dark-tone skin and long hair sitx in the passenger seat of a pickup truck.
Jensen McRae
(
Caity Krone
/
Dead Oceans
)

For those who want to dig even deeper, here are the week's new albums sorted by genre:

Rock/Alt/Indie

  • Jensen McRae, I Don't Know How But They Found Me!
  • Bells Larsen, Blurring Time
  • Ida, Will You Find Me (25th Anniversary Edition)
  • Deerhoof, Noble and Godlike in Ruin
  • Goose, Everything Must Go
  • Maria Somerville, Luster
  • Mobley, We Do Not Fear Ruins
  • The Moonlandingz, No Rocket Required
  • Uwade, Florilegium
  • Viagra Boys, viagr aboys
  • Wishy, Planet Popstar EP
  • Cloth, Pink Silence
  • Jo Schornikow, Quiet Excerpts EP
  • The Golden Dregs, Godspeed
  • Fib, Heavy Lifting
  • Rialto, Neon & Ghost Signs
  • Stereophonics, Make 'em Laugh, Make 'em Cry, Make 'em Wait
  • Sunflower Bean, Mortal Primetime
  • Tennis, Face Down In The Garden
  • Maria Usbeck, Naturaleza
  • Deeper, Live in Köln
  • Luke Titus, From What Was Will Grow A Flower

Electronic/Out There

  • Djrum, Under Tangled Silence
  • William Tyler, Time Indefinite
  • Salami Rose Joe Louis, Lorings
  • JakoJako, Tết 41
  • Nazar, Demilitarize
  • BIG WETT, RISK IT
  • Eliana Glass, E
  • Gloorp, Gloorp 'Em Up
  • Light-Space Modulator, The Rising Wave
  • Lila Tirando a Violeta, Dream Of Snakes
  • Natural Information Society & Bitchin' Bajas, Totality
  • Stimming, Friedrich
  • Rebekka Karijord, The Bell Tower
  • Somne, New Energy
  • Amanda Mur, Neu Om

Global

  • Vendredi sur Mer, Malabar Princess
  • Cazzu, Latinaje
  • -M-, Fatoumata Diawara, Toumani & Balla Diabaté, Lamomali Totem
  • Femi Kuti, Journey Through life
  • Satomimagae, Taba
  • DJ Dadaman & Moscow Dollar, Kagaza
  • Natalia Lafourcade, Cancionera
  • I-Octane, God & I

Country/Folk/Americana

  • Willie Nelson, Oh What A Beautiful World
  • Southern Avenue, Family
  • Randy Savvy, Rank Hours EP
  • Tucker Wetmore, What Not To
  • Joan Osborne, Dylanology
  • Mairi Morrison & Alasdair Roberts, Remembered in Exile: Songs and Ballads from Nova Scotia
  • Samantha Fish, Paper Doll
  • Olive Klug, Lost Dog

Rap/Hip-Hop

  • thegoodnews. (Del The Funky Homosapien), This Just In! EP
  • Niontay, Fada<3of$
  • Kai Ca$h, CASH RULES
  • MoneySign Suede, Mi Familia Por Vida

R&B/Soul

  • Roy Woods, Dark Nights

Classical

  • Thomas Newman, Of Mice and Men: Music from the Original Ballet
  • Yo-Yo Ma, Shostakovich: The Cello Concertos
  • Eugene Ormandy, The RCA Victor Recordings 1935-42

Jazz

  • Jeff Goldblum, Still Blooming
  • Luke Stewart, Silt Remembrance Ensemble The Order
  • Cyrus Chestnut, Rhythm, Melody and Harmony

Pop

  • LU KALA, No Tears on this Ride
  • d4vd, WITHERED
  • Litany, Sadgirl
  • Sting, Sting 3.0 Live
  • Gigi Perez, At the Beach, In Every Life
  • WesGhost, Am I Dreaming?
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Credits

  • Host: Stephen Thompson
  • Guest: Ayana Contreras, KUVO Jazz & The Drop
  • Producer: Simon Rentner
  • Editor: Otis Hart
  • Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
  • Vice President, Music and Visuals: Keith Jenkins

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