NToM #42
Retro Soul, Synth Pop, Alt R&B, Canadiana, Stoner Rock
On tap this week we have: smoky retro soul, shimmering synth-pop, razor-edged confessional pop, harmony-rich Canadian groove-rock, and some heavy stoner grooves baked in the sun.
Click on the album titles and tracks below to add them to your collection:
New Album
Kendra Morris – Next
Top Tracks – After Midnight, Back With Me, Bill, Go Nowhere
Genre – Soul, R&B
My take – Kendra channels a smoky retro vibe that feels equal parts Amy Winehouse, Andra Day and Dusty Springfield, with modern polish. Big hooks, lush arrangements, and just enough grit to make it stick. Timeless soul dressed up for 2025.
New Album
Nation of Language – Dance Called Memory
Top Tracks – Can’t Face Another One, Silhouette, Now That You’re Gone, Nights of Weight
Genre – Synthpop, New Wave
My take – These Brooklyn revivalists keep their dreamy streak alive with crystalline synths and driving basslines. Primarily a dance album, I am more drawn to their slower tracks and hope they keep exploring the dark side. Think OMD or New Order reborn but tinged with melancholy—the soundtrack to your 3 a.m. walk home.
New Album
Lola Young – I’m Only F**king Myself
Top Tracks – One Thing, SPIDERS
Genre – Pop, Alt-R&B, Singer-Songwriter
My take – Lola delivers biting, brutally honest songs with pop sheen and soul undercurrents. A little Lily Allen, a little Olivia Rodrigo, but sharper, darker, and unapologetically self-aware. These are breakup anthems with teeth.
New Album
Yukon Blonde – Friendship & Rock ’n’ Roll
Top Tracks – One Of These Days, That Girl
Genre – Indie Rock, Canadiana
My take – A bright, harmony-driven record that lands somewhere between The Shins and Tame Impala. Yukon Blonde lean into groove and camaraderie—jangly guitars, layered vocals, and choruses built for summer nights.
New Album
Stoned Jesus –
Top Tracks – New Dawn, Low, See You On The Road
Genre – Stoner Rock, Doom, Psychedelic Rock
My take – Big riffs baked in desert heat. Stoned Jesus stretch out into 90’s style fuzzed-out jams that feel equal parts Sabbath and Kyuss, with a little modern psych shimmer in the mix. Heavy enough to rattle your speakers, hypnotic enough to lose yourself in. Perfect soundtrack for a long drive under a blazing sun.
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