a surge of songs + albums for your long weekend! ✨🎧
+ Jazz Fest, Sinners, and more end-of-spring playlists
I’m still coming down from my first-ever Jazz Fest in sunny New Orleans, and can confirm it’s a pilgrimage every music lover should make at least once. Despite a slew of mainstream pop headliners that make the “Jazz Fest” name seem like a misnomer, the festival still does a remarkable job curating eclectic, local, and dynamic artists across its overwhelming mix of 10+ stages, four days, and two weekends. Plus, all sets end at a respectable 7pm — leaving room for an equally overwhelming lineup of after-shows throughout the city.
A few highlights I wanted to shout out…
Stellar headlining shows from John Fogerty (still rollin’ through a setlist of Creedence classics at age 79) and Lil Wayne & The Roots (a rapid-fire, full-band ride through Weezy’s greatest hits)
The angelic vocals of Sarah Quintana, who caught my ear by chance as I strolled over to the Lagniappe stage, seamlessly blending jazz and cajun music with coffeeshop folk
A magical, intimate living room show from The Deslondes, who I wrote about last year, with a sound memorably described by
as “if The Beatles were born in a contemporary New Orleans garage”A family affair from Haim, as the sisters brought out their mom and dad — reuniting their childhood cover band, “Rockinhaim” — for a lively rendition of “Mustang Sally.”
Spirited performances at the Gospel Tent (from Zion Harmonizers and Gospel Soul Children) and the Blues Tent (from Little Freddie King)
Speaking of the blues, it’s been a month since I caught opening night of Sinners, the latest classic from prodigal director Ryan Coogler. The trailers gave away too much but somehow still obscured the importance of music in the movie, which shouldn’t be spoiled. Once you’ve seen it, here are a few postgame resources to check out:
A Sinners-inspired playlist from the NYT’s James Thomas, “an imagined set list for a supernatural juke joint featuring Albert King, Outkast, Cécile McLorin Salvant and more.”
An LA Times feature on the long-running collaboration of Coogler and composer Ludwig Göransson, “two guys who bonded over a mutual love of hip-hop at a pool table in USC’s student housing.”
The movie’s official playlist, curated by the duo, with songs that inspired the film alongside its actual soundtrack.
8 new songs to hear
“Heartthrob,” Indigo De Souza // After delivering my favorite albums of both 2021 and 2023, I’m thrilled to report that De Souza’s new track meets the high bar she keeps setting for her unique brand of sleek, powerful indie rock. Brooklyn Vegan has the latest on her upcoming album, slated for July 25. Can’t wait.
“catch these fists,” Wet Leg // The UK duo is back — after a 2022 debut album so buzzy they were accused of being industry plants — and it sounds like they’ll dodge the sophomore slump based on this infectious lead single.
“NEVER ENOUGH,” Turnstile // The genre-defying band continues to evolve their hardcore-adjacent sound, blending intensity with surprising accessibility. For Pitchfork, Nina Corcoran nicely captures this balance of “blasted guitars and dreamy interludes” on the title track from their upcoming album. Coming June 6, the record will feature more collaborations with Blood Orange, who lent his signature touch to their breakout LP GLOW ON in 2021.
“Bus To Memphis,” Busman’s Holiday // Hailing from Indiana, these literal “brothers of melodic charm and ecstatic showmanship,” Lewis and Addison Rogers, need a bigger audience. I first fell for their harmonies at a freezing cold Brooklyn Masonic Temple in 2015 when they opened for Kishi Bashi, and I’ve loved their many whimsical tunes ever since. This track is one of their best yet — if you like it, here’s a whole playlist of favorites.
“What Was That,” Lorde // Meanwhile, Lorde probably doesn’t need a bigger audience based on the massive turnout at Washington Square Park for her pop-up single debut — but the song is so good that I still had to share. Another jam from one of our generation’s most reliable pop stars!
“Elderberry Wine,” Wednesday // This lovely new tune “drops the shoegazey noise of previous Wednesday records,” writes Abby Jones for Stereogum, “veering more towards their countryside with a heavy dose of pedal steel and twangy vocal harmonies.”
“Tricky Questions” & “My Love Will Bring You Home,” Allo Darlin’ // The return of this London twee indie-pop band was a surprise, as they broke up in 2016. Unsurprisingly, however, their new singles are absolutely lovely — just like their three stellar albums from the early 2010s.
3 playlists for the end of spring + early summer
Windows Half Open, An Abundance Of Light from culture critic Hanif Abdurraqib, who writes: “It is Store Brand Spring, it is Diet Summer, it is the only thing left on the shelf after what you showed up for has long disappeared, and so you delight in it. Or at least I do. Here’s a playlist that might help, or might not, but maybe it’ll make you think of a person or a moment you’ve managed to love in the seasonal in-between.”
Spring Mix No. 06 - 2025, from designer and seasonal playlist expert Laura Filas, who writes: “A new playlist to honor one of my favorite seasons. This year, we’re experiencing a true spring — one where the weather ranges from hot to cold to both to neither — presenting a perfect series of paradoxes to translate into music. Here we have a melding of ‘80s power pop stylings, ‘60s revival, disillusioned ‘70s rock, suave French pop, tropical and Brazilian notes, sunshine-y twang, and a sprinkling of distortion for good measure. Surely a recipe for something special.”
spring 2025 ☘️ from music supervisor + artist manager Jules Zucker, featuring up-and-coming artists like Horsepower, Billie Marten, Annie DiRusso, beaming, Samia, and Ally Evenson
7 albums of note
I haven’t had the chance to dive as deep into all of these as I’d like, but there were enough standout moments to earn a mention. And of course, I’ve already dropped a few early favorites into the Hear Hear playlist.
Bloodless, Samia: “On her flinty third album, the Minneapolis singer sharpens her storytelling, lacing deceptively bright folk pop with small, evocative details” writes Eric Torres for Pitchfork. [Standouts: “Carousel” // “Spine Oil” // “North Poles” // “Bovine Excision”]
Who Will Look After The Dogs?, PUP: A return to form for the melody-driven Toronto punk-rockers, as their 2022 album didn’t stick with me nearly as much as 2019’s instant classic Morbid Stuff. [Standouts: “Hallways” // “Needed To Hear It” // “Best Revenge”]
The Scholars, Car Seat Headrest: An ambitious rock opera that I still need to spend a full hour and ten minutes with. [Standout: Eight-minute opening track “CCF”]
Want, Esther Rose: Entrancing “rootsy-folky” ballads from an exciting singer-songwriter. [Standouts: “Want” // “The Clown”]
The Crux, djo: You know Joe Keery as Stranger Things’ lovable jock Steve Harrington, but at this point you might know his musical project djo as well, since 2022’s “End of Beginning” became such a massive hit via TikTok. His new album is a sonic leap forward — whimsical indie-pop in the spirit of Sure Sure and Rex Orange County. [Standouts: “Charlie’s Garden” // “Lonesome Is A State of Mind” // “Potion”]
From the Private Collection of Saba and No ID, Saba: “a master class in melodic rap that harnesses ’90s sampledelia, ’00s neo-soul, and the singsong lyricism of 2010s Chicago,” writes Stephen Kearse for Pitchfork. [Standouts: “Breakdown” // “Every Painting Has a Price” // “head.rap”]
Pink Elephant, Arcade Fire: Hard to earnestly recommend because it’s easily their weakest record, and it’s been clouded by the disturbing allegations against Win Butler and strange state of the band losing some original members. Still, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit there are a couple songs that have stuck with me, showing glimpses of the band at their best — specifically the title track and “Year Of The Snake.” That said, with duds like “Circle of Trust” and “Alien Nation,” the harsh reviews from Pitchfork’s Ian Cohen and Vulture’s Craig Jenkins are tough to disagree with.
Finally, here’s a nice message from The Boss, who released a great EP of live cuts from his show in Manchester on May 14.
So happy to see Elderberry Wine on here!
loved that samia record so much