The Top Albums from New Music Friday for 14 November

Every Friday, 88Nine’s music director, Erin Wolf, and Lilliput Records co-owner, Tanner Musgrove, highlight the new albums you can’t miss on On Vinyl. This week, they bring you their top picks, along with a list of other exciting releases. You can listen to their full conversation on the 88Nine airwaves at 1 p.m. every Friday or via the player on their website.

This Friday’s theme seems to be “many happy returns” — with some artists making a long-awaited return after years of silence (such as Sweden’s The Mary Onettes) and others reintroducing classic albums to offer fans a dose of nostalgia (Drive-By Truckers and Everything But the Girl). The standout exception to this return-to-the-past trend is Austra, the operatic dark synth-pop project of Katie Stelmanis, who is back after five years with new music. If you’re craving those moody, goth-like vibes to stick around just a little longer, Austra’s new album is here to deliver.

Best New Albums Out 14 November

Austra, Chin Up Buttercup

Austra, the project of opera-trained Katie Stelmanis, brings her classical background to the world of dark electronic rock. Her unique voice stands out against a backdrop of haunting melodies, and she isn’t afraid to explore darker themes. One song from the new album, “Siren Song”, is inspired by The X-Files and centres on desire and manipulation. Stelmanis describes the album as “a grief album you can dance to,” which perfectly captures its emotional and rhythmic range. For collectors, a limited neon orange vinyl edition is available, along with the standard black version via Domino Records.

Drive-By Truckers, The Definitive Decoration Day

Athens-based Drive-By Truckers, known for their gritty rock ‘n’ roll with poignant, literary lyrics, are back with a remastered version of their 2003 album Decoration Day. This new edition, The Definitive Decoration Day, includes songs from Jason Isbell’s early time with the band and a bonus double live album recorded in 2002. For vinyl lovers, the album comes in black or burgundy options, housed in a four-LP gatefold with a 40-page book, available through New West Records.

Everything But The Girl, The Best of Everything But The Girl

This compilation spans the 40-plus-year career of Everything But The Girl, offering 16 tracks that trace their musical evolution, from their jazzy-folk debut Night and Day to their 2023 electronica album Fuse. Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt have always enjoyed albums with a clear distinction between upbeat tracks and slower ballads, and this collection starts with the bangers before winding down with the more introspective tracks. Available on standard black vinyl, it features a gatefold sleeve and a four-page booklet.

The Mary Onettes, SWORN

The Mary Onettes, Sweden’s dream-pop band, has returned with their first full-length album since 2013. Despite their long hiatus, SWORN feels as though they’ve never left. The band’s signature sound remains intact, and this new album blends seamlessly with their earlier work. The album is available on black-and-white splatter vinyl from Welfare Sounds and can be found at your local record store.

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