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Weekly Releases 11.17.2023

By Sowing Monday November 13, 2023

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Here’s a list of significant new releases for the week of November 17th, 2023. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors.

– List of Releases: November 17th, 2023 –

Aeternus

Aeternus: Philosopher
Genre: Death/Black Metal
Label: Agonia

Celeste: Epilogue(s)
Genre: Black Metal/Hardcore
Label: Nuclear Blast

Ceremonial Bloodbath: Genesis Of Malignant Entropy
Genre: Death/Black Metal
Label: Sentient Ruin

Danny Brown

Danny Brown: Quaranta
Genre: Hip-Hop/Experimental
Label: Warp

Earthside

Earthside: Let The Truth Speak
Genre: Progressive Rock/Metal
Label: Mascot Label Group

Emeli Sandé

Emeli Sandé: How Were We To Know
Genre: Pop/Soul/R&B
Label: Venus Records

Kurt Vile

Kurt Vile: Back to Moon Beach
Genre: Folk/Americana
Label: overnite kv incorporated

Iron & Wine

Iron & Wine: Who Can See Forever Soundtrack
Genre: Indie-Folk/Americana
Label: Sub Pop

Julie Byrne & Laugh Cry Laugh

Julie Byrne: Julie Byrne With Laugh Cry Laugh
Genre: Folk/Psychedelic
Label: Ghostly International

Lacey Sturm

Lacey Sturm: Kenotic Metanoia
Genre: Pop Rock/Hard Rock
Label: Lacey Sturm

Welcome 2 Collegrove

Lil Wayne & 2 Chainz: Welcome 2 ColleGrove
Genre: Hip-Hop
Label: Polyvinyl

MAUL: Desecration And Enchantment
Genre: Death Metal/Hardcore
Label: 20 Buck Spin

Nicki Minaj: Pink…

Weekly Releases 11.10.2023

By Sowing Tuesday November 7, 2023

12 Comments

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Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of November 10th, 2023. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors.

– List of Releases: November 10, 2023 –

Aesop Rock

Aesop Rock: Integrated Tech Solutions

Genre: Hip-Hop/Experimental
Label: Rhymesayers

AJR

AJR: The Maybe Man

Genre: Pop/Rock
Label: AJR Productions

Beirut

Beirut: Hadsel

Genre: Indie-Folk/Rock
Label: Pompeii

Broadside

Broadside: Hotel Bleu

Genre: Alternative / Pop Punk
Label: Self released

Higher (CD)

Chris Stapleton: Higher

Genre: Country/Blues/Americana
Label: Mercury Nashville

COLD WAR KIDS

Cold War Kids: Cold War Kids

Genre: Indie Rock/Indie Folk
Label: Downtown Records

Funeral

funeral: asphyxiated

Genre: Doom Metal/Gothic
Label: siqaeda

Gama Bomb

Gama Bomb: Bats

Genre: Thrash Metal
Label: Prosthetic

Lonely The Brave

Lonely The Brave: What We Do to Feel

Genre: Alt-Rock
Label: Easy Life

Meshuggah

Meshuggah: Chaosphere (25th Anniversary Edition)

Genre: Progressive Metal/Djent/Thrash
Label: Warner Chappell Music

Tales

Night Crowned: Tales

Genre: Black/Death Metal
Label: Noble Demon

PinkPantheress

PinkPantheress: Heaven knows

Genre: R&B/Garage
Label: Warner

Fronzoli COKE BOTTLE GREEN MIX

Psychedelic Porn Crumpets: Fronzoli

Genre: Psychedelic/Stoner Rock
Label: What Reality?

Rick Ross & Meek Mill: Too Good To Be True

Genre: Hip-Hop
Label: Atlantic

Shylmagoghnar

Shylmagoghnar: Convergence

Genre: Death/Black/Progressive Metal
Label: Napalm

Inward To Gethsemane

Vastum: Inward To Gethsemane

Genre: Death/Doom Metal
Label: 20 Buck Spin

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Weekly Releases 10.13.2023

By Sowing Monday October 9, 2023

27 Comments

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Here’s a list of notable new releases for the week of October 13th, 2023. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors.

– List of Releases: October 13th, 2023 –

Goodnight, God Bless, I Love U, Delete.

+++(Crosses): Goodnight, God Bless, I Love U, Delete
Genre: Alternative Rock/Electronic
Label: Warner

Queen Of Time Live At Tavastia 2021

Amorphis: Queen of Time (Live at Tavastia 2021)
Genre: Melodic Death Metal
Label: Atomic Fire

Anna Hillburg

Anna Hillburg: Tired Girls
Genre: Indie-Pop
Label: Speakeasy Studios

Beartooth: The Surface
Genre: Hardcore/Metalcore
Label: Red Bull Records

Nick Keller - Beastwars - Tyranny Of Distance

Beastwars: Tyranny of Distance
Genre: Sludge Metal/Stoner Rock
Label: Destroy Records

Blue October

Blue October: Spinning the Truth Around Part 2
Genre: Alternative Rock / Pop
Label: Up/Down Records

Body Void

Body Void: Atrocity Machine
Genre: Sludge Metal/Doom Metal/Hardcore
Label: Prosthetic Records

Boygenius Announces Surprise EP 'The Rest' | uDiscover

Boygenius: The Rest
Genre: Indie-Folk/Indie-Rock
Label: Interscope

Cmat

CMAT: Crazymad, For Me
Genre: Country/Indie-Pop
Label: CMATBABY

Creeper

Creeper: Sanguivore
Genre: Gothic/Indie-Rock
Label: Spinefarm

Free Throw Lessons That We Swear to Keep Punk Rock Theory

Free Throw: Lessons That We Swear to Keep
Genre: Emo/Indie-Rock
Label: Triple Crown

Geese

Geese: 4D Country
Genre: Post-Punk/Indie-Rock/Country
Label: Partisan Records

Goat

Goat: Medicine
Genre: Psychedelic/Folk
Label: Rocket…

Staff’s Q3 2023 Playlist

By Sowing Monday October 2, 2023

6 Comments

Sputnikmusic Staff’s Q3 Playlist 2023

Welcome to the third installment for our 2023 quarterly playlist! Feel free to jam the playlist below while reading what our writers had to say about each selection. Tell us what your favorites are in the comments, any new artists you may have discovered here, or let us know what we missed!

Tracklist:

Angelo De Augustine – “Memory Palace”
Toil and Trouble

Proving himself as more than just the best Sufjan knockoff ever, De Augustine has now successfully built the cutest little unique kingdom all to himself, perfected on his 4th LP, and you should visit. The melancholic ivy spiraling around “Memory Palace”, in particular, is surprisingly warm. More than that: it’s the slow-burning summer HIT that never was. –Asleep

Bearings – “Howie, You’re a Freak”
The Best Part About Being Human

Every once in a while I delude myself into thinking that I have outgrown pop punk. Next thing you know, “Howie, You’re a Freak” deploys its incredibly infectious chorus to work its way into my head and overtake my summer. Dammit. At least pop punk will never outgrow me, either. –jesper

Big Thief – “Vampire Empire”
Vampire Empire…

Weekly Releases 9.15.2023

By Sowing Monday September 11, 2023

31 Comments

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Here’s a list of prominent new releases for the week of September 15th, 2023. Genres/labels are best guesses based on cursory Googling. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors.

– List of Releases: September 15th, 2023 –

Thirty Seconds To Mars

30 Seconds to Mars: It’s the End of the World
Genre: Alt/Pop-Rock
Label: Concord Records

Alkaloid

Alkaloid: Numen
Genre: Death/Progressive Metal
Label: Season of Mist

Baroness

Baroness: Stone
Genre: Sludge/Progressive Metal/Stoner Rock
Label: Abraxan Hymns

The Beaches

The Beaches: Blame My Ex
Genre: Alternative Rock
Label: AWAL Recordings

Chilly Gonzales: French Kiss
Genre: Experimental / Hip Hop
Label: Gentle Threat

Corey Taylor

Corey Taylor: CMF2
Genre: Hard Rock
Label: BMG

Corinne Bailey Rae

Corinne Bailey Rae: Black Rainbows
Genre: Pop/R&B/Soul
Label: Thirty Tigers

Electric Sounds

Danko Jones: Electric Sounds
Genre: Hard Rock/Heavy Metal
Label: AFM

Demi Lovato

Demi Lovato: Revamped
Genre: Pop/Rock
Label: DLG Recordings

Explosions In The Sky

Explosions in the Sky: End
Genre: Post-Rock/Indie-Rock
Label: Temporary Residence

Gridlink

Gridlink: Coronet Juniper
Genre: Grind/Metal
Label: Willowtip

K.Flay

K.Flay: Mono
Genre: Pop-Rock/Hip-Hop
Label: Giant Music

Kid Cudi 'INSANO'

Kid Cudi: INSANO
Genre: Hip-Hop/Alt-Rock
Label: Wicked Awesome Records

Weekly Releases 8.25.2023

By Sowing Monday August 21, 2023

26 Comments

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Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of August 25th, 2023. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors.

– List of Releases: August 25th, 2023 –

Alice Cooper: Road
Genre: Hard Rock/Metal
Label: earMUSIC

The Armed: Perfect Saviors
Genre: Hardcore/Noise Rock
Label: Sargent House

Ashnikko: Weedkiller
Genre: Hip-Hop/Pop
Label: Parlophone

Asking Alexandria: Where Do We Go From Here?
Genre: Metalcore/Post-Hardcore
Label: Better Noise Music

Blut Aus Nord: Disharmonium
Genre: Black Metal
Label: Debemur Morti Productions

Camille: Magie
Genre: Art Pop
Label: MOSTIKO

Candlebox: The Long Goodbye
Genre: Alt-Rock/Grunge
Label: Round Hill Records

Charlotte Cardin: 99 Nights
Genre: Pop
Label: Atlantic

Cinnamon Babe: Fatherless
Genre: Nu Metal
Label: N/A

Concrete Castles: Brand New Me
Genre: Alt-Rock/Pop-Rock
Label: Velocity

Dethklok: Dethalbum IV
Genre: Melodic Death Metal
Label: Turner Music Publishing

Filter: The Algorithm
Genre: Industrial/Alt-Rock/Metal
Label: Golden Robot Records

Heirloom: Romanticize
Genre: Math Rock/Indie-Folk
Label: Judge and Jury Records

…

Weekly Releases 7.28.2023

By Sowing Wednesday July 26, 2023

28 Comments

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Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of July 28th, 2023. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors.

– List of Releases: July 28, 2023 –

Anne-Marie

Anne-Marie: Unhealthy

Genre: Pop
Label: Asylum

Aphex Twin: Blackbox Life Recorder 21f / in a room7 F760

Genre: idm/Ambient/Techno
Label: Warp Records Limited

Ashtar

Ashtar: Wandering Through Time

Genre: Sludge/Doom Metal
Label: Eisenwald

Bear the Mammoth

Bear The Mammoth: Purple Haus

Genre: Progressive/Post Rock
Label: Art As Catharsis

Natural Disaster

Bethany Cosentino: Natural Disaster

Genre: Indie-Pop
Label: Concord

BØRNS

BØRNS: Suddenly

Genre: Synthpop
Label: Beautiful Glamorous Records

The Clientele

The Clientele: I Am Not There Anymore

Genre: Indie/Dream-Pop
Label: Merge

Carly Rae Jepsen

Carly Rae Jepsen: The Loveliest Time

Genre: Synthpop
Label: School Boy/Interscope

Closure in Moscow: Soft Hell

Genre: Alt/Progressive Rock
Label: Bird’s Robe

Dexys & Dexys Midnight Runners

Dexys: The Feminine Divine

Genre: Pop/Soul
Label: 100% Records

George Clanton: Ooh I Rap Ya

Genre: Electronic/Psychedelic
Label: 100% Electronica

Euphoric

Georgia: Euphoric

Genre: Pop/Electronic/R&B
Label: Domino Record Co.

Hailey Whitters

Hailey Whitters: I’m In Love

Genre: Country/Americana
Label: Pigasus

Jessy Lanza

Jessy Lanza: Love Hallucination

Genre: R&B/Garage
Label: Hyperdub

Madeline Kenney: A New Reality Mind

Genre: Indie/Dream-Pop
Label: Carpark Records

Mutoid Man

Mutoid Man: Mutants

Genre: Stoner Rock/Sludge
Label: Sargent House

Oslo Twins: Back to Nothing

Genre: Alt/Indie-Pop/Electronic
Label: Fascination Street Records

Post Malone

Post Malone: Austin

Genre: R&B/Pop/Hip-Hop
Label: Mercury

Sevendust

Sevendust: Truth Killer

Genre: Nu-Metal/Hard Rock
Label: Napalm

Signs of the Swarm

Signs of the Swarm: Amongst the Low & Empty

Genre: Deathcore/Death Metal
Label: Century Media Records

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Weekly Releases 7.21.2023

By Sowing Monday July 17, 2023

19 Comments

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Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of July 21st, 2023. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors.

– List of Releases: July 21, 2023 –

Agriculture: Agriculture

Genre: Black Metal
Label: The Flenser

Akercocke

Akercocke: Decades of Devil Worship (Live)

Genre: Death/Black Metal
Label: Peaceville Records Ltd

Bloc Party

Bloc Party: The High Life

Genre: Indie-Rock/Post-Punk
Label: BMG

Blur

Blur: The Ballad Of Darren

Genre: Britpop/Alt-Rock
Label: Parlophone Records

Greta Van Fleet

Greta Van Fleet: Starcatcher

Genre: Rock
Label: Republic Records

Guided By Voices

Guided by Voices: Welshpool Frillies

Genre: Indie-Rock/Lo-Fi
Label: Matador Records

jennifer lopez this is me now album 2023 release

Jennifer Lopez: This is Me … Now

Genre: Pop/R&B
Label: Hitco

Johnny Booth

Johnny Booth: Moments Elsewhere

Genre: Hardcore/Metalcore
Label: Booth Records

Mizmor

Mizmor: Prosaic

Genre: Doom/Black Metal
Label: Profound Lore

Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway

Molly Tuttle: City of Gold

Genre: Indie-Rock/Folk/Country
Label: Nonesuch Records

Mort Garson

Mort Garson: Journey to the Moon and Beyond

Genre: Ambient/Electronic/New Age
Label: Emanay Music

Nathanael Larochette: Old Growth

Genre: Folk/Ambient/Classical
Label: Anamnesis Arts

ODESZA & Yellow House

ODESZA & Yellow House: Flaws in Our Design

Genre: Electronic/Ambient
Label: Foreign Family Collective

Outer Heaven

Outer Heaven: Infinite Psychic Depths

Genre: Death Metal/Hardcore
Label: Relapse

Oxbow

Oxbow: Love’s Holiday

Genre: Noise Rock/Experimental/Blues
Label: Ipecac

Restraining Order: Locked In Time

Genre: Hardcore
Label: Triple B Records

Strange Ranger

Strange Ranger: Pure Music

Genre: Post Punk/Indie-Rock/Post Rock
Label: Fire Talk

Voivod

Voivod: Morgoth Tales

Genre: Thrash/Progressive Metal
Label: We Are Connected Music

Yellowcard

Yellowcard: Childhood Eyes

Genre: Pop-Punk
Label: Equal Vision Records

The Zenith Passage

The Zenith Passage: Datalysium

Genre: Progressive/Death Metal
Label: Metal Blade Records

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Staff’s Q2 2023 Playlist

By Sowing Wednesday July 5, 2023

10 Comments

2020 | 2021 | 2022

2023 :: Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4

Sputnikmusic Staff’s Q2 Playlist 2023

Welcome to the second installment for our 2023 quarterly playlist! Feel free to jam the playlist below while reading what our writers had to say about each selection. Tell us what your favorites are in the comments, any new artists you may have discovered here, or let us know what we missed!

Tracklist:

Alfa Mist – “BC”
Variables

If you’re a sucker for tricksy, stuttering drumwork, “BC” will have a firm hold on your nether regions from the jump. If you need to be wined and dined first, well, stick around for seven minutes worth of wild soloing and nimble comping before that final reprisal of the starting motif makes you want to spark a cigarette and stare at the ceiling, fully-satisfied and maybe just a little hungry. Go ahead and eat — you’ll need the energy. Those sheets aren’t gonna change themselves. –Milo

Allie Kelly – “Gunshy”
GUNSHY

Like Big Thief, Allie Kelly cognizes the value of a touch of the insolite among pop structures; like Sheryl Crow, she wants her guitars to shimmer like the sun; like both, she’s capable of knocking it out of the park — 2022’s excellent Menthol with Thumpasaurus…

Vol. 4: Let’s Get Physical – Sowing’s CD Collection

By Sowing Wednesday June 28, 2023

7 Comments

Welcome back! Those who have been following along know that I’ve already covered CDs on two other installments (Vol. 1 & Vol. 2) and apparel in the most recent publication (Vol. 3). I’m back with some more CDs that I hope you will find interesting/alluring; let me know what you think in the comments, and as always, feel free to share pictures of your own collections. Thanks for reading!

(1) The Republic of Wolves – Shrine

Aside from being one of my favorite bands, The Republic of Wolves are also a group that I feel a sense of closeness to. I’ve been reviewing their material since their 2009 debut EP when they were virtually unknown, and have conversed on a semi-regular basis with both their lead singer and drummer. They always have the coolest themes and artwork, and the above captures their essence: mysterious & ominous, yet full of purpose.

While the cover art shows people marching and wielding torches, the CD shows a building burning to ruins.

Signed by every member of the band; this is definitely a favorite keepsake.

Trisagion | Ethereal Shroud

(2) Ethereal Shroud – Trisagion

Another artist that I feel a sense of connection to. Ethereal Shroud is fronted by a fellow Sputnikmusic member, and his most recent 2021 LP, Trisagion, earned him critical accolades from several different publications. It’s…

Weekly Releases 6.30.2023

By Sowing Monday June 26, 2023

19 Comments

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Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of June 30th, 2023. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors.

– List of Releases: June 30, 2023 –

Anberlin

Anberlin: Convinced

Genre: Post-Hardcore/Alt-Rock
Label: Equal Vision Records

Angelo De Augustine: Toil And Trouble

Genre: Indie-Folk/Lo-Fi
Label: Asthmatic Kitty

Before the Dawn

Before the Dawn: Stormbringers

Genre: Melodic Death Metal/Gothic
Label: Napalm Records

Bdrmm

Bdrmm: I Don’t Know

Genre: Post-Punk/Indie-Rock
Label: Rock Action Records

The Body

The Body: I Shall Die Here / Earth Triumphant

Genre: Sludge Metal/Drone
Label: RVNG

Brigid Mae Power

Brigid Mae Power: Dream From The Deep Well

Genre: Folk/Country
Label: Fire

Cover art for After Angel by death's dynamic shroud

death’s dynamic shroud: After Angel

Genre: Electronic/Dream Pop
Label: 100% Electronica

death's dynamic shroud - Darklife Anthology

death’s dynamic shroud: Darklife Anthology

Genre: Electronic/Dream Pop
Label: 100% Electronica

Delacey

Delacey: The Girl Has A Dream

Genre: Pop/R&B
Label: Photo Finish Records

Dwellings

Dwellings: Little Gardens

Genre: Post-Hardcore/Progressive Rock
Label: Tragic Hero Records

East Of The Wall

East of the Wall: A Neutral Second

Genre: Post/Sludge Metal
Label: Translation Loss Records

Frank Zappa …

Vol. 3: Let’s Get Physical – Sowing’s Band Apparel

By Sowing Saturday June 24, 2023

30 Comments

Hello again! I’m back to break up the monotony of CD artwork/packaging with my band apparel. It’s not as diverse band-wise as I remembered, and it turns out I’ve only really bothered to buy (or, at least keep) apparel merch from four bands: Yellowcard, Brand New, mewithoutYou, and Manchester Orchestra. In a way this makes sense, as they represent favorite bands of mine at different junctures within my lifetime.

Disclaimer: I did not, nor would I ever have the desire to, iron or even dry all this stuff just to make a blog post, so please excuse the massive wrinkle epidemic as well as any dog/cat hairs that appear. They know not what they do. If you missed the previous installments in this series, you can check out Vol. 1 and Vol.2 by clicking the links.

Yellowcard

Of the bands in this post, Yellowcard was my first love. Nothing makes me feel more ready for summer than sporting a shirt featuring this band’s name or logo, although sometimes I do feel a little self-conscious being a 30-something dude wearing stuff promoting a pop-punk band that peaked 20 years ago. But, as they say, you gotta do you.

Ocean Avenue era T-shirt. Can’t remember when I bought this but I’m fairly sure it was long after OA was released.

One of my favorite band shirts

…

Vol. 2: Let’s Get Physical – Sowing’s CD Collection

By Sowing Wednesday June 21, 2023

20 Comments

Hello readers of Sputnik! Those who’ve been following along are aware that I’m in the midst of a deep dive into all things physically related to music – from CDs to apparel and random memorabilia – and right now I’m here to deliver the second installment within the CD category. If you missed it, Vol. 1 can be read here.

I’ve been trying to limit this series to CDs that (A) have a great deal of personal meaning to me, (B) have particularly alluring packaging/art, or both A & B. A lot of these check both boxes, so without any additional pointless stalling, here is the next batch of CDs that I view as treasure.

(1) David Bowie – Blackstar

The CD release for the legendary David Bowie’s final album does the music, and him, justice. There’s a dark/shadowy/reflective theme and color scheme that really sells the whole “black star” concept. This is one of my all-time favorite CDs to hold in-hand as I reflect upon his legacy. It’s a thick booklet, full of mysterious images with lots of layers to the art/conceptual meaning.

The man, the myth, the legend.

Ground control to Major Tom…

Notice the reflective quality of the images and words

Look up here, I’m in heaven…I’ve got scars that can’t be seen

Sue, I pushed you down beneath the weeds…Endless

…

Let’s Get Physical: Sowing’s CD Collection, Vol. 1

By Sowing Tuesday June 20, 2023

59 Comments

Preface: So much of listening to music in 2023 feels…impersonal. We consume and discard songs/albums/entire artists at an unprecedented rate, and thus lose out on a lot of what, at least in my experience, makes music special. At the risk of divulging my approximate age, CDs were the most popular means of listening to music for the majority of my life-to-date. I’d save up whatever money I could from my minimum wage job(s) as a kid and go buy my favorite artists’ albums from places like FYE, Walmart, Target, Sam Goody, or my local record store. There’s something about holding a CD (or, for those into it, Vinyl) in your hands that increases your connection to the music, and I think it goes beyond the mere financial investment. There’s a sense of pride in ownership, and with that comes a sense of duty to give the music the time and attention it deserves. This is far from a preaching moment – I’m now an avid streamer of music – but when it comes to the artists that I care about the most (especially those who have had some sort of nostalgic hold or notable impact on my life), there’s no substitute for having that music on me and being able to look through the pictures and/or display them.

It dawned on me that so much of my experience with music is centered around things that I physically own – from CDs to apparel – so I…

Weekly Releases 6.09.2023

By Sowing Monday June 5, 2023

40 Comments

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Here’s a list of major new releases for the week of June 9th, 2023. Please feel free to request reviews for any of the following albums from staff and/or contributors.