We spent last week’s Caustic summarizing the exciting releases we had the pleasure of featuring on our weekly outing. Still, now it’s back to our regularly scheduled programming as we dove through the Caustic catacombs for our Best Of The Year list, a few brand new releases slipped by our peripheral. Our necks nearly snapped as a slew of releases crashed into the Caustic factory. Just when we thought things were winding down, solo material from accomplished bands and triumphant sonic shifts made their presence felt in the last weeks of 2024. We have collected some music released over the past two weeks to bring a Caustic filled with exhilarating new releases.
Check out Glide’s selections below for the best new releases of the past two weeks.
Cameron Winter – “Cancer of the Skull”
Heavy Metal
Geese frontman Cameron Winter released a beautifully off-kilter solo debut filled with Tom Waits-style balladry and vulnerable songwriting. Heavy Metal is far from an accurate descriptor of the album’s sound. The brooding piano keys emphasize the longing in Winter’s voice as the artist crafts a wonderfully weird and heartwrenching. “Cancer of the Skull” delivers vague yet vivid imagery as Winter’s acrobatic vocals navigate bouncing piano melodies in an ethereal yet wistful dance.
Smino – “Dear Fren”
Maybe in Nirvana
For his latest outing, St. Louis vocalist Smino dives headfirst into soulful melodies with his silk-lined Maybe in Nirvana LP. The artist’s abstract vocabulary is on full display as Smino soars over simplistic yet groovy arrangements for the artist’s most R&B-leaning outing yet. “Dear Fren” is a stand-out on this quick yet unforgettable album that finds the artist in a reflective mood.
Roc Marciano & The Alchemist – “Cryotherapy”
The Skeleton Key
Two of the most groundbreaking and prolific voices in modern Hip-hop combine forces once again as Roc Marciano and The Alchemist team up on The Skeleton Key. The hypnotic 10-track album is the follow-up to the duo’s sensational LP, The Elephant Man’s Bones, and finds the pair in a more minimalistic, artsy space. “Cryotherapy” features eerie vocal samples and whirling synths that get cut in half by Marciano’s booming baritone and luxurious wordplay.
Amen Dunes – “Italy Pop Punk”
Death Jokes II
For his final album under the Amen Dunes name, the multifaceted Damon McMahon revisits his recently released LP with a few tweaks. Death Jokes II is a remix effort from McMahon that is touted as the final album from his acclaimed side project. It features subtle tone and melody shifts from his 2024 album. “Italy Pop Punk is a brand-new tune with muted guitar melodies intertwining with thudding drums, and McMahon’s soulful vocals tie the subtle fusion work together beautifully.
Snoop Dogg & Dr. Dre – “Thank You”
Missionary
Decades after their initial rise to the top of West Coast Hip-hop’s Mount Rushmore, Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre once again combined forces on Missionary. The explosive 16-song album reminds us that the duo’s chemistry never left, as Snoop’s signature soothing vocals become alive over Dre’s neck-breaking drums. “Thank You” samples a soul classic that gets flipped into rapid-fire guitars that act as an infectious canvas for Snoop’s well-deserved braggadocious rhymes.
Baths – “Sea of Men”
Gut
For the first time in seven years, the multi-hyphenate Will Wiesenfeld will release music under Baths with the announcement of Guts. The artist’s long-awaited album is set to be released on February 21, and “Sea of Men” is our first preview of the anticipated release. The bubbly vocals snuggle beside the sugar-lined drums for a bright, pop-leaning single with poetic songwriting and unforgettable crescendoes.
Jim White & Trey Blake – “The Long Road Home”
Precious Bane
This week, Jim White and Trey Blake surprised the folk-rock world with the announcement of Precious Bane. Their collaborative effort is set to be released on January 31, and the hauntingly beautiful “The Long Road Home” is our first single. A toe-tapping tune with dark undertones, “The Long Road Home” features jaw-dropping guitar sections that blend with the soulful passion of the vocals in a splash of awe-inspiring color.
Lucero – “In Lonesome Times”
Lucero Unplugged
Ben Nichols and Rick Steff of Lucero are gearing up to release an acoustic retrospective of their catalog with the release of Lucero Unplugged. The expansive project promises stripped-down versions of tunes from the band’s sprawling catalog, and the deep cut “In Lonesome Times” is one of our first previews of the album. The melancholy lyrics have become even more complex as this cut from Lucero’s debut record, with its downtrodden guitars and blunt yet poetic songwriting, becomes even more palpable in an acoustic setting.
Horsegirl – “Julie”
Phonetics On and On
For the second single from their anticipated new album, Horsegirl employs a subtle ambiance and nuanced simplicity on “Julie.” The single will be on Phonetics On and On, the band’s latest album, which will be released on February 14, and is a dark sonic shift from the previously released single. The repetitive guitar chords emphasize the monotone melodies, giving the single a horrifying yet endlessly enticing minimalism. With two drastically different singles, Phonetics On and On promises to be a landmark release for Horsegirl.
Pink Siifu & Kal Banx – “WHOUWITHHO+”
BLACK’!ANTIQUE
The prolific vocalist Pink Siifu has officially announced his next release, and it’s coming in the form of a proper solo outing. BLACK’!ANTIQUE is set to be released on January 27, and the dark yet bouncy “WHOUWITHHO+” accompanies the announcement. Siifu’s vocals are as cartoonish as ever, as droning synths and danceable grooves anchor the artist’s unpredictable songwriting and delivery to earth.
Reb & the Good News – “Pressure”
Single
Get lost in Reb & the Good News’s groovy funk as they return triumphantly with “Pressure.” The new single has vocals that cascade around loose melodies for a danceable effort and a catchy and masterful work of fusion. With a radio-ready lead single, Reb & the Good News pave a soulful lane for themselves on what is already shaping up to be a beautiful LP.
