Tuesday Music News

Baltimore duo Wye Oak are gearing up to release their sixth studio album, The Louder I Call, the Faster It Runs next week. Today, they've shared the third single off the album, "Lifer." It follows "It Was Not Natural" and the title track. The song is accompanied by an essay penned by frontwoman Jenn Wasner about the song, written on the way home from SXSW. The last paragraph reads: "I wrote this song after a long conversation with a friend — someone who loves me and wants to see me succeed, and let go of this burden of guilt that I’ve been dragging around for my whole life. While I wrote it, I was thinking about the people in my life who have had to struggle much harder than I do, or likely ever will — just to stay alive. For a moment, I saw everything differently than I ever had before — I was able to accept and be grateful for the gifts I had been given. I was able to forgive myself for having so much more than so many others. And I made a deal in my mind with those others: If you can keep trying to choose life, and find joy, in the face of all of these obstacles, well, then, so can I. This song contains that promise. It’s called 'Lifer.' I hope you like it." The Louder I Call, the Faster It Runs is out April 6 via Merge. Wye Oak will stop in Seattle on Sunday, July 15 to play Neumos. [ Stereogum ]

Frankie Cosmos has gifted their new album, Vessel, to the world ahead of its official release this Friday, March 30. Available to stream via YouTube, the infectious 18-track album breezes by in a little over 33 minutes. They've also shared a video for the lead single "Jesse," which sees the band make and play with slime. Vessel is out Friday, March 30 via Sub Pop. Catch Frankie Cosmos at Neumos on Tuesday, April 17 with Ian Sweet and Soar. [ SPIN ]

Philadelphia quartet Hop Along have shared the third single from their forthcoming album, Bark Your Head Off, Dog. Entitled "Prior Things," the strings-heavy song follows "How Simple" and "Not Abel." According to a press release: "Bark Your Head Off, Dog features the familiar sounds that have always made the band allergic to genre: grunge, folk, punk, and power pop all appear, with inspiration from ELO to Elvis Costello to '70s girl group vocal arrangements. This time around, they've added strings, more intricate rhythms, lush harmonies (featuring Thin Lips' Chrissy Tashjian), along with a momentary visit with a vocoder. In more than one place, Mark Quinlan drums like he's at a disco with Built to Spill. Bark Your Head Off, Dog is, without question, Hop Along's most dynamic and textured record yet." Bark Your Head Off, Dog is out April 6 via Saddle Creek. [ Paste ]

Sophie Allison released her debut full-length Soccer Mommy album, Clean, earlier this month. Today, she's shared the video for "Cool," an early single and fan-favorite that flips the script on the "cool girl" trope. Directed by Ambar Navarro, the video features animation from Art Baby Girl and sees Allison and her band perform in a number of colorful, cool outfits. There's also a very fitting scene where Allison plays guitar in a soccer field. Clean is out now via Fat Possum. Soccer Mommy will be in Seattle on Wednesday, April 4 to play Barboza with Madeline Kenney. [ Pitchfork ] 

Richmond, Virginia singer-songwriter Natalie Prass is releasing her sophomore album, The Future and the Past, this June. So far, she's shared the first single "Short Court Style" and today, a new single "Sister" has emerged. The feminist anthem comes with a video featuring animation from Jordan Bruner. Prass had this to say about "Sisters": "This song was written right after 45 was elected. I was raised in an environment where 'women can't do this or that.' It was around me in my personal life, but was also deeply built in the culture around me. It resulted in me thinking (sadly up until recently) to be a girl meant to be weak. I was rebellious and confused on what being a woman meant for me in life. A lot of women can't relate to my situation, and I commend you, but I know a lot of women and girls out there can relate to my story. I now know more than ever that women are a force to be reckoned with, and we can change this world for the better. I desperately needed an anthem after Nov. 6. 2016. All of my past ghosts that I thought I had overcome came back to haunt me and I was paralyzed for months. This song was my warrior cry when I was losing hope. We demand equality for all marginalized groups, we demand safety in our neighborhoods, we demand safe health care and proper family leave, we demand better public schools for all classes, we demand equal pay & safety in our place of work. There are solutions to these issues and we need to stick together to solve them. When one ship rises, we all rise. Keep your sisters close. WE ARE WORLD WIDE WORLD CLASS." The Future and the Past is out June 1 via ATO. [ Under the Radar ]