It’s New Music Friday, and the first weekend of autumn has brought forth a handful of releases by beloved veteran artists.
Neko Case is back with her first album since 2018. Robert Plant and his melancholic bluegrass band interprets songs by Low, The Low Anthem, Blind Willie Johnson and more. Jeff Tweedy of Wilco released a sprawling triple album with help from his two sons. Plus, there are a couple of heartbreak-inspired albums by Amanda Shires and Cate Le Bon. (And we’d be remiss not to mention the new albums from pop culture royalty Mariah Carey and Doja Cat.)
NPR Music’s Lars Gotrich guest hosts this week with some help from Evan Miller of WYSO in Ohio. The two blond bearded men discuss those albums and a couple more favorites out this week. Listen to the show wherever you get your podcasts and then check back here for our full list of today’s new music.
The Starting Five
Robert Plant (second left) with his bandmates Suzi Dian, Matt Worley, Barney Morse-Brown, Oli Jefferson and Tony Kelsey.
Tom Oldham/Nonesuch
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Tom Oldham/Nonesuch
Our hosts share the backstories and best songs from the following albums:
💿 Neko Case, Neon Grey Midnight Green
Recommended If You Like: The New Pornographers, Rilo Kiley
💿 Jeff Tweedy, Twilight Override
💿 Robert Plant, Saving Grace
RIYL: Alison Krauss, Patty Griffin
💿 Amanda Shires, Nobody’s Girl
RIYL: Brandi Carlile, Emmylou Harris
💿 Cate Le Bon, Michelangelo Dying
RIYL: Horsegirl, Stereolab
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.
The Lightning Round
Geese.
Lewis Evans
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Lewis Evans
Seven more albums we wish we had time to discuss on the podcast:
💿 Mariah Carey, Here For It All
💿 Doja Cat, Vie
💿 Josie, A Life of Sweets Alone
💿 Bitchin Bajas, Inland See
💿 M. Sage, Tender / Wading
💿 Geese, Getting Killed
💿 Lady Wray, Cover Girl
Listen to each album’s best songs on our New Music Friday playlists on Spotify and Apple, or wherever you stream music.
The Long List
Olivia Dean.
Gwen Trannoy
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Gwen Trannoy
For those who want to dig even deeper, here are the week’s new albums sorted by genre:
R&B/Soul Olivia Dean, The Art of LovingRochelle Jordan, Through The Wall Rap/Hip-Hop Young Thug, UY ScutiJay Worthy, Once Upon A TimeMg Lil Bubba, Bub’s Burgers 2: DeluxePeezy, STILL GHETTTOJaden, 2025: A Surrealist Ball or Elephants Reflecting Swans EP Classical Anastasia Kobekina, Bach’s Cello SuitesChoir of Clare College, Cambridge, The Dmitri Ensemble, Graham Ross, John Rutter: A Clare College CelebrationChris Williams, Odu: Vibration IIDobrinka Tabakova, Sun TriptychEnsemble Galilei, There I Long to BeGideon Broshy, NestTamar Sagiv, Tamar Sagiv Country/Folk/Americana Adam Wright, Nature of NecessityAmble, HAND ME DOWNS EP HARDY, COUNTRY! COUNTRY!Jake Banfield, Open BarsJared Dustin Griffin, The Perseverance of SisyphusKolton Moore & The Clever Few, A Place That I Call HomeLady A, On This Winter’s Night (Volume 2)Lily Rose, I Know What I Want Marcus King Band, Darling BlueSir Richard Bishop, Hillbilly Ragas Electronic/Out There Masma Dream World, A GRAVE IN A LUCKY SITEa.brehme, OG01Daniel G. Harmann , VersaillesFred Armisen, 100 Sound EffectsGrandbrothers, ElsewhereJohn Maus, Later Than You ThinkMainline Magic Orchestra, Orchestra Magic MainlineNastia Reigel, IdentityNobukazu Takemura, knot of meaningsPiotr Kurek, Songs and BodiesPolygon Window, Surfing on Sine Waves (Expanded Edition)Purity Ring, Purity RingROLROLROL, DinnerSCALER, EndlesslyShygirl, Club Shy Room 2 + 2Sir Winston, Protect The FutureXexa, Kissom Global Meklit, A Piece of Infinity Jazz Tom Skinner, Kaleidoscopic VisionsAlex Hitchcock , Letters From Afar Cochemea, Vol. 3: Ancestros FuturosCole Davis, Consider It!Donny McCaslin, Lullaby for the LostMulatu Astatke, Mulatu Plays MulatuSven Wunder, DaybreakTomorrow Comes The Harvest , The HappeningYttling Jazz, Illegal HitHuman Error Club & Kenny Segal, HUMAN ERROR CLUB AT KENNY’S HOUSE Pop Eleri Ward, Internal RitualsKali Uchis, Sincerely: P.S. (Deluxe)Meghan Dowlen, Dizzy SpellZara Larsson, Midnight Sun Rock/Alt/Indie Automatic, Is It Now?Bill MacKay & Ryley Walker, Land of Plenty (Reissue)Bright Eyes, Kids Table Coach Party, Caramel Cockfighter, Better You Lucky Lifecrushed, no scopeDaffo, Where the Earth BendsDave Hause, …And The MermaidDimples, Obscure ResidueDying Wish, Flesh Stays TogetherEERA, I’ll stop when I’m done.GECKØS, GECKØSglaive, Y’ALLHUNNY, SPIRIT!Immersion, WTF??Kathryn Williams, Mystery ParkKINGFISH, Hard RoadLucky Horse Red, Lucky Horse Red LUSH, GALA (35th anniversary deluxe)Mason Lindahl, Joshua / Same Day WalkingMEGA, I Am EnoughPatrick Watson, Uh OhRemi Goode, Things I’ve Said BeforeSam Prekop, Open CloseShiner, BELIEVEYOUMESloan, Based on the Best SellerSONS, HalloSWOLL, AVOID ATTACHThe Cords, The CordsThe Macks, BonanzaThe Starting Line, Eternal YouthTrestles, SALTUNIVERSITY, YES EP
Credits
Host: Stephen ThompsonGuest: Evan Miller, WYSOAudio Producer: Noah CaldwellDigital Producer: Elle MannionEditor: Otis HartProduction Assistant: Dora LeviteExecutive Producer: Suraya Mohamed