Every Friday, 88Nine music director Erin Wolf and Lilliput Records co-owner Tanner Musgrove tell you about the new albums you can’t miss on a new episode of On Vinyl. Check out their top picks and a list of this week’s other releases, and listen to their full conversation using the player on this page or on the 88Nine airwaves at 1 p.m. every Friday.
This Friday is undeniably for the indie-rock kids.
If you’re into the East Coast, slacker-ish thang, get a taste of Philly vibes in music form as Kurt Vile wraps his sonic arms around his hometown in a hug. If you want to get a little more insular, Operelly’s sweet new EP is like having tea with an old friend. Lean into the acoustics and hear the secrets Olivia Rose Austin has to share.
Mark Scott also releases music under his villagerrr moniker, no longer solo, but the leader of a fully fledged band that deals in elements of folk and shoegaze for a crunchy, heartfelt sound.
Finally, if you want something a little extra playful and bombastic, Welsh band Bug Club should hit your ears just right. Welsh bands love to be a bit silly, so if this short work week has you a little bit out of patience, turn Every Single Muscle up full blast and rock out with the tight-knit, collaborative crew focused on riffs and catharsis — all the right things.
Happy New Music Friday!
Best new albums out May 29
Kurt Vile, Philadelphia’s Been Good To Me
This is the Philly rocker’s first new album in four years, and it seems he’s wearing his hometown heart on his sleeve for this one. We last heard from Vile in 2022 with Watch My Moves, and this new one feels really personal and chill.
Recorded with his band the Violators in Athens (Georgia, not Greece), Vile also enlisted some pals like Ethan Buckler of Slint and Greg Cartwright of the Oblivians/the Reigning Sound on guest vocals, so you know it’s gonna be great.
The album comes as a double “Wooder Ice Red LP,” which includes a signed 11x11 cover art print. There’s also a “Wissahickon green” version and plain black available wherever you buy records or at your fave local shop. If you want to catch Vile live, he’ll hit Milwaukee’s Turner Hall Ballroom on Nov. 8 with Twisted Teens.
Operelly, FLUTTERS AWAY
Operelly is the project of Cali artist Olivia Rose Austin, who describes the tunes she makes under that moniker as “tiptoe music.” Her newest EP does indeed tiptoe around a relationship breakdown, cradled by her delicate electro-acoustic arrangements. Operelly might be gentle, yet she admittedly takes influence from more angular and propulsive electro-centric artists like Stereolab and Broadcast.
If you want something a little more hushed that still has some electro roots, this one will be for you. There are a couple versions to find on wax at your local shop, including a transparent offering and a purple-and-yellow swirl.
The Bug Club, Every Single Muscle
Formed in 2016 by songwriters Sam Willmett on guitar/vocals and Tilly Harris on bass/vocals, The Bug Club deliver their seventh studio album, Every Single Muscle. Tanner initially came across the duo in 2023 with the release of Rare Birds: Hour of Song and instantly fell in love with their brash-yet-witty high-energy lyrics and sound. They’re a band whose tongue is firmly planted in cheek, and it rings true on this new album, which you can find on blue vinyl on the shelves at Lilliput Records or your local record shop.
vilagerrr, Carousel
Originally started as a solo project in Columbus, Ohio, Mark Scott has released four albums as vilagerrr within 14 months. For their indie-label debut on Winspear Records, he began adding friends to the mix and ultimately created the five-piece band. The new album teeters between slowcore and shoegaze, with bits of folk sprinkled in the mix. You can find it on cloudy blue vinyl or standard black at an indie shop near you.
More of our picks
- Manchester Orchestra, Union Chapel (London, England)
- Guided By Voices, Crawlspace of the Pantheon
- All Them Witches, House of Mirrors
