Stellar albums by some of music’s biggest names have been released or reissued in recent months. Here are some new & notable titles you can stream for free on Hoopla using your Livingston Library card.
The Cure – Songs of a Lost World
The first album in 16 years from the iconic goth-rockers is also among their greatest. The Telegraph raves, “There is something so cathartically bleak about Songs of a Lost World, so epically pessimistic and emotionally wrought, that the results are perversely invigorating, transmuting powerful feelings of loss, grief, anxiety, anger and self-doubt into a work of such grandeur it leaves the listener strangely exhilarated and uplifted.”
The latest release from the Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper includes guest appearances by Jack Antonoff, SZA, and Kamasi Washington. Variety declares, “GNX is Kendrick Lamar at his most compelling — a mosaic that indisputably reaffirms his status as the most dynamic spitter the world has to offer.”
The sixth album by the L.A.-based pop artist flirts with harder and heavier sounds. The AV Club writes, “As usual, Poppy can effortlessly move between cutesy coo and blood-curdling scream, often contrasting the two within the same song (opener ‘have you had enough?’)—but the album’s transcendent moments are rarely in the harsh-metal realm at all.”
Michael Kiwanuka – Small Changes
The British singer-songwriter’s fourth album was co-produced by Danger Mouse. DIY Magazine calls it “an intimate but confident record that reveals more of its magic with every listen.”
Father John Misty – Mahashmashana
This latest album by the droll singer-songwriter is, according to Clash Music, “intimate yet expansive, beautiful, assured, emotive and luminous.”
George Harrison – Living in the Material World (50th Anniversary Edition)
Harrison’s second solo album was remastered & reissued late last year. Uncut says, “This new 2024 remix by Paul Hicks and Dhani Harrison brings the album into greater relief when compared to previous releases: the orchestral arrangements are brought out of the murk, Harrison’s vocals are clearer and sharper, and the album’s peculiar air of dry, ascetic starkness is increased.”
Another release by a former Beatle, this one has the legendary drummer performing Country songs produced by T Bone Burnett. AllMusic says the album “has a warm, organic feel that meshes comfortably with Ringo’s country influences without forcing the issue or sounding like the typical Nashville product of the 2020s. This music is mature in feel and outlook, in the best ways.”
Joan Armatrading – How Did This Happen and What Does It Now Mean
The veteran singer-songwriter produced, and played all the instruments on, her latest album. AllMusic notes, “She’s clearly having fun making the music she wants to make and exploring new facets of her craft. Hopeful, romantic, and energetic, Armatrading offers a strong dose of joy in troubled times.”
–Joe, Adult Services & Acquisitions