PlayARt - Bring Albums to Life

Blue Raspberry is Katy Kirby’s follow up to her renowned debut album Cool Dry Place, which came out in February 2021. Singer/songwriter Katy Kirby introduced her warm, articulate vocals, perceptive lyrics, and playful adult-alternative style on her debut album as she toured tirelessly supporting bands like Waxahatchee, Andy Shauf, Julia Jacklin and Alex G.

That record was a tried-and-true folk collection, perfectly displaying the chops of a young songwriter and emanating the warm feel of a band in a room; Blue Raspberry, made with the same band and producers (Logan Chung and Alberto Sewald) , hits the gas and enters completely new territory as we see Katy truly step into her own as a songwriting force. She fearlessly leans far into baroque piano pop on tracks like ‘Redemption Arc’ and the title track ‘Blue Raspberry’, and lyrically she explores themes of loss and queer love. Very few are able to capture the same emo- tional, theatrical magic of artists like Fiona Apple, Tom Waits and Joanna Newsom but Katy pulls it off on this record; standout ‘Drop Dead’.

Green Day is not your savior. 
 
But the spirit of rock n roll might be. And as the greatest punk band alive, they’re the loudest vessel we have… to give it a shot.
 
Green Day are ready to flip off the famous, stupid and contagious, by putting a mirror to the present tense like only they can, with Saviors — an inspired new studio album to be released in early 2024. 
 
Amazingly, Saviors represents Green Day's 14th studio album, yet somehow this enduring power trio -- Billie Joe Armstrong, Tré Cool & Mike Dirnt -- remain devoted to their defiant craft that has fueled their career-long destruction of every boundary bestowed on the genre, and landed 3 East Bay punks in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame.
 
The album was recorded in both London and Los Angeles under the audacious ear and Rock prowess of Green Day's longtime friend & collaborator, GRAMMY® Award-winning producer Rob Cavallo. 

Torchbearers for British guitar music, The Vaccines - Justin Young (lead vocals, guitars), Árni Árnason (bass, vocals), Timothy Lanham (guitars, keys, vocals) and Yoann Intonti (drums) - are back with their sixth studio album Pick-Up Full of Pink Carnations. The title comes from a misremembered lyric from Don McClean's "American Pie," a song that for Young fittingly evokes the death of innocence and the American Dream. After he moved to Los Angeles - a city the band has grown up being captivated by - he was forced to wrestle with the disillusionment that comes when expectations, dreams, and reality don't quite meet. Yet, though Pick-Up Full of Pink Carnations is an album about reconciling with loss, it's also filled with gratitude for the people and places we once loved.

"Pink carnations symbolise gratitude and tell a person they’ll never be forgotten," says Young. "So whether it's the loss of a lover, or a friend, or even just a dream, the record is a reminder that they’ll live on in whatever capacity the mind allows them to. And it's a reminder to keep on dreaming.”

Produced by Andrew Wells (Halsey, Phoebe Bridgers) with Mixing from Dave Fridmann (Tame Impala, The Flaming Lips), Pick-Up Full of Pink Carnations is an immediately anthemic addition to the band's discography. With a mammoth five UK Top 5 albums – including a Number 1 with 2012’s Come of Age – and a fierce live reputation forged through arena-filling headline shows and unforgettable slots at Glastonbury and Reading/Leeds, The Vaccines continue to be a vital band in the British rock canon.

GRAMMY Award-winner Kali Uchis releases her fourth studio album, Orquídeas. Marking Uchis’ striking return to Spanish-language music, the project features a superstar lineup with KAROL G, Peso Pluma, El Alfa, and JT. Inspired by the sensual allure of Colombia’s national flower, the orchid, Orquídeas traverses multiple Latin genres including reggaeton, dembow, bolero and salsa furthering Uchis’ connection to her Colombian roots. Indie Exclusive Silver Metallic LP with alternate cover.

Keith Urban #1’s CD includes 24 #1’s Hits on 2 CD’s (all packaged in 1 jewel case) from his entire catalog of albums.  The album spans from Keith’s very first #1 song to his latest and includes duets with Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Eric Church, and Julia Michaels.  This is the ultimate Keith Urban album and a must have for all fans.  Each CD will include a limited-edition double-sided poster.

AJR -"The Maybe Man" Republic Records; Mercury Records/Republic; Alternative EXPLICIT

Goodnight, God Bless, I Love U, Delete. presents an enchanting blend of personal reflections and diverse ideas, offering a glimpse into the captivating creative journey of Chino Moreno and Shaun Lopez as ††† (Crosses). Throughout the album, they skillfully craft immersive soundscapes that evoke a profound sense of emotion and empathy, a testament to their close-knit collaboration and enduring friendship over decades. Moreno and Lopez embrace atmospheric electronic textures, adorned with both intricate and minimalistic arrangements, all amplified by Moreno’s mesmerizing vocals. The result is a tour de force which boasts features from EL-P and Robert Smith adding even more depth and richness to the music. The themes explored in Goodnight, God Bless, I Love U, Delete. oscillate between optimism and dark romanticism, showcasing the duo's ability to traverse contrasting emotions and eclectic musical styles delivering a truly magnificent body of work.

As they set to work on their highly awaited sophomore album, Black Pumas broadened their palette to include a dazzling expanse of musical forms: heavenly hybrids of soul and symphonic pop, mind-bending excursions into jazz-funk and psychedelia, starry-eyed love songs that feel dropped from the cosmos. The debut was nominated for 7 Grammys and reached one million album equivalents. Chronicles Of A Diamond arrives as the fullest expression yet of their frenetic creativity and limitless vision.

Dusk, Boy Named Banjo’s exhilarating new album, is indeed an electrifying dose of lightning in a bottle, one that explores the full sonic and emotional spectrum of the band’s rich, eclectic sound, from late-night, feel-good, fall-in-love party anthems to stripped-down, introspective meditations on loneliness, loss, and letting go. The writing is keen and incisive here, artfully grappling with lust and longing, hope and heartbreak, regret and redemption, and the Nashville five-piece’s performances are nothing short of exhilarating, blurring the lines between Music Row and Laurel Canyon with lush harmonies and bold, cinematic arrangements.

Split-coloured vinyl & printed lyrics. "Run the Jewels - Hip-hop's preeminent collaboration between veteran rhyme-slayers El-P and Killer Mike have gone from a whim-driven underground rap project to a worldwide sensation since the release of their 2013 debut Run The Jewels. Mixing the industrial grime of New York City with the vibrant bounce of the dirty South, they forge hip-hop's future while adhering to the core tenets of it's bedrock: gymnastic displays of skills, incendiary political rhetoric, merciless braggadocio, battle-honed assholery, R-rated punchlines and a back-and-forth that brings the interplay of the shell-toe Adidas era screaming into our contemporary nightmare.Tearing up the music industry rulebook, their self-titled 2013 debut was originally released through a series of website-crashing free album downloads. Featuring Outkast's Big Boi on Banana Clipper and Prince Paul on Twin Hype Back, it's a "rough and rabid ride"; a "swaggering victory lap for two artists at the peak of their creativity"; and been dubbed "one of the best hip-hop records of 2013"." Now available in a special 10th anniversary edition with the original and instrumental album, packaged in a double gatefold sleeve with split-coloured vinyl.

This new Deluxe Edition features the original 12 tracks including the hit singles “Ghost Story” and “Hate My Heart,” plus 6 additional songs including “Take Me Out” and her latest single “Out Of That Truck.” Carrie is a true multiformat, multimedia superstar, spanning achievements in music, TV, film, and as a New York Times bestselling author and successful entrepreneur. She has sold more than 85 million records worldwide and recorded 28 #1 singles (14 of which she co-wrote).

Reigning from Atlanta, GA, vocal powerhouse Teddy Swims masterfully blends genres from pop, soul, hip-hop, to R&B. Throughout the last four years, Teddy has spent countless hours honing his craft by writing original music and solidifying who he is as an artist. His remarkable debut album I've Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 1) is a transformative record that pushes boundaries, inviting listeners to come along on his personal journey of self-discovery and growth. With his soul-stirring voice and heartfelt lyrics, Teddy delivers an intimate and cathartic experience, delving into themes of love, loss, and the complexities of life. With nearly 1 billion global streams across his catalog, Teddy Swims has become a force to be reckoned with, amassing a social following of over 10 million devoted fans and selling out tours across the globe. His undeniable talent has also attracted collaborations with renowned artists like Meghan Trainor, Thomas Rhett, and ILLENIUM, showcasing his versatility and musical prowess.

3-time GRAMMY® award winning recording artist olivia rodrigo will release her new album, GUTS, on september 8th via geffen records. available to pre-order now.

GUTS was recorded with producer daniel nigro, who also collaborated with her on SOUR, her chart-topping, 4x platinum debut album.

“for me, this album is about growing pains and about trying to figure out who I am at this point in my life and exactly what I want to say in my songs."

Black Rainbows is a musical project inspired by the objects and artworks collected by Theaster Gates at the Stoney Island Arts Bank in Chicago. Situated at the Great Grand Crossing neighborhoods of Chicago's South Side, Stoney Island Arts Bank is a cathedral to Black Art, a curated collection of Black archives comprising books, sculpture, records, furniture and problematic objects from America's past. As well as being a site for archive, the Arts bank is also a place for convening. Bailey Rae attended The Black Artists Retreat there in 2017 and performed in the space.

Wide ranging in it's themes, Black Rainbows' subjects are drawn from encounters with objects in the Arts Bank. Taking us from the rock hewn churches of Ethiopia, to the journeys of Black Pioneers Westward, from Miss New York Transit Queen 1957, to how the sunset appears from Harriet Jacobs' loophole. Black Rainbows explores Black femininity, Spell Work, Inner Space/Outer Space, time collapse and ancestors, the erasure Black childhood and music as a vessel for transcendence. The project will be released in various iterations - live performances, books, visuals, lectures, exhibitions, and more. Sonically, the album is a multi-genre mix of the progressive R&B, neo soul sound that will be familiar to fans but it also contains rock, jazz and electronic elements. The album was produced by S.J. Brown and Corinne Bailey Rae.