Damn, Kendrick Lamar is back: 25 essential albums to hear in May

To everything, turn, turn, turn. It’s the season of heat—of sunshine, and flowers in full bloom, and outdoor festivals where Red Bull-fueled twentysomethings run roughshod through fields of mud while you sensibly avoid them like the plague. It’s a time for enjoy yourself, in other words, and there’s all sorts of new music coming out this month, ready to act as the perfect soundtrack for your summer. Want to party So does a new release from longtime dancefloor groovers !!!. Feel like drinking in a deck chair and watching the stars while you ruminate on life Sharon Van Etten’s got a new one, baby. Or maybe you just want to hear the sound of a master at work At long last, Kendrick Lamar’s new record is arriving. Whether you’re on your way out the door of a pop-culture site that you no longer recognize or just driving through the streets with the windows down, there’s some music here to soothe the pain and bring the joy.

!!! [Chik Chik Chik], Let It Be Blue [May 6]

!!! [Chik Chik Chik], Let It Be Blue [May 6]

On their ninth album, !!! promise “lots of surprises” as well as the usual groove-heavy shenanigans—or, in their words: “Lots of stuff for u to sing along to, lose ur shit to and hug ur bestie on the dance floor to.” That’s about as perfect a summary as it gets for the approach of !!!. The Brooklyn collective has spent the last two-plus decades working up a sweat thanks to a potent combination of disco, post-punk and funk. Expect much of the same on Let It Be Blue. [Annie Zaleski]

Arcade Fire, WE [May 6]

Arcade Fire, WE [May 6]

It was about time for Arcade Fire to release new music. After teasing material throughout the past two years, making fans curious about what the post-Everything Now era holds, the band finally announced WE in March. The first two-in-one single, “The Lightning I, II,” felt promising enough, steering in a direction different from that polarizing 2017 record, with the second half in particular feeling like the classic Arcade Fire of old. The new songs the band played at its recent surprise New York City residency at Bowery Ballroom also suggest something exciting and fresh from the group. [Tatiana Tenreyro]

Belle and Sebastian, A Bit Of Previous [May 6]

Belle and Sebastian, A Bit Of Previous [May 6]

It’s been seven long years since the band’s last proper studio album (the 2019 film soundtrack Days Of The Bagnold Summer is fine; honestly, 2020’s live release What To Look For In Summer is the unexpectedly awesome record to check out), but Belle And Sebastian are back—and if lead single “Unnecessary Drama” is any indication, they’ve never sounded more like the New Pornographers. It’s been trending that way for awhile, but the evolution of this once twee-est of twee acts has been refreshing. Look for more delightfully sharp-edged pop from an act for whom the phrase “maybe too fey” has—happily—never been in the mix. [Alex McLevy]

Karen Dalton, Shuckin’ Sugar [May 6]

Karen Dalton, Shuckin’ Sugar [May 6]

The vault of the criminally-ignored-in-her-day, gone-too-soon folk singer Karen Dalton keeps growing, this time thanks to reel-to-reel tapes bestowed to Delmore Recording Society (also behind 1966, the excellent collection of unearthed songs Dalton recorded in her Colorado cabin). Shuckin’ captures the musician—and, during duets, her then-husband Richard Tucker—performing in 1963 and ’64 at Boulder folk club The Attic. Lo-fi, pared-down, and incredibly intimate (the polite applause after songs makes it sound like maybe 12 people are in the audience), it’s further testament to her arresting voice, one so good that some guy named Bob Dylan called her his favorite singer. [Tim Lowery]

Sharon Van Etten, We’ve Been Going About This All Wrong [May 6]

Sharon Van Etten, We’ve Been Going About This All Wrong [May 6]

While Sharon Van Etten’s released two singles this year already, neither will be found on her sixth studio album, We’ve Been Going About This All Wrong. It’s an album meant for listening in its entirety, breaking away from the single/record structure: Here, she seeks to create a story of pain and redemption by mapping out a cohesive journey. Fans know that Van Etten’s got a knack for tenderness and nostalgia—both of which We’ve Been Going About This All Wrong promises. [Gabrielle Sanchez]

Soft Cell, *Happiness Not Included [May 6]

Soft Cell, *Happiness Not Included [May 6]

Soft Cell certainly had high fan expectations to meet for their first album in 20 years—and the U.K. synth-pop duo promptly exceeded them all by teaming up with fellow keyboard enthusiasts Pet Shop Boys on a dance floor-friendly single, “Purple Zone.” “In this album I wanted to look at us as a society: a place where we have chosen to put profits before people, money before morality and decency, food before the rights of animals, fanaticism before fairness and our own trivial comforts before the unspeakable agonies of others,” Marc Almond said in a press release. True that. [Annie Zaleski]

Sunflower Bean, Headful Of Sugar [May 6]

Sunflower Bean, Headful Of Sugar [May 6]

For as hard-rocking as Sunflower Bean can get live, there’s something stubbornly, almost defiantly languid about so much of its recorded material. It’s an invigorating combination—fuming, fussing guitars and eclectic drum patterns wedded to the fuck-off-meets-come-hither exhortations of singer Julia Cummings—and on Headful Of Sugar, the band may have finally perfected its blend of sun-dappled ’70s soft rock and grimy post-millennial nightclub thrum. Alternating between blissful road-trip grooves and slinky, shout-along bangers like “Roll The Dice,” it’s an album for all seasons—but especially the current one. [Alex McLevy]

Wallice, 90s American Superstar [May 6]

Wallice, 90s American Superstar [May 6]

Though her music began squarely in the world of bedroom pop, L.A. musician Wallice has always strained against the confines of the genre, mainly through the sheer intensity of her musical aspirations. From early single “Hey Michael” on through to “Little League” off her forthcoming 90s American Superstar EP, the artist has a knack for beginning songs with a seemingly genteel hook, before the force of her personality kicks through the easygoing vibes, launching the music into a more frenetic register. This new release finds her toying with the concept of stardom, undercutting ideas of fame and recentering them on day-to-day life, in ways that bring out her most engaging music yet. [Alex McLevy]

Ethel Cain, Preacher’s Daughter [May 12]

Ethel Cain, Preacher’s Daughter [May 12]

Ethel Cain’s music has the uncanny ability to sneak itself into your arteries, en route to tugging on your heartstrings. It feels unrushed and intimate, allowing Cain to feel everything that comes with a repressed, religious upbringing, and what comes after—with truly being yourself. The singles from Preacher’s Daughter have such depth, it’s almost frightening, and certainly exhilarating. You’d never know this is her debut album, as she arrives with such a strong sense of self, and more importantly, masterful songwriting. [Gabrielle Sanchez]

Busty & The Bass with STS, Karneval [May 13]

Busty & The Bass with STS, Karneval [May 13]

There are plenty of musical touchstones you could reference when trying to describe Busty And The Bass’ sound: the jazz-funk instrumentation of The Roots, the laid-back, hip-hop-meets-soul vibes of Common and Outkast’s mellower cuts, the R&B workouts of ’80s Minneapolis sound… it’s all in the mix of the Montreal seven-piece’s musical DNA. For third studio album Karneval, it’s teamed up with Philadelphia rapper/spoken-work artist STS to create a collection of jams that would be just as at home soundtracking your next raucous backyard barbecue as they would slinking into the ears of weary patrons at a smoke-filled, late-night lounge. [Alex McLevy]

Findlay, The Last Of The 20th Century Girls[ May 13]

Findlay, The Last Of The 20th Century Girls [May 13]

Findlay herself describes her latest album, The Last Of The 20th Century Girls, as a “late coming of age story,” and listening to the effervescent mix of ’60s pop, ’70s psych, and ’80s indie rock, you can practically hear the arrested development coming to an end amid the blending of retro pleasures. The London-based musician has delivered a record that would sound equally at home alongside the Beach Boys and Wet Leg—no mean feat for a sophomore album only five years out from a much more modest debut release. It’s the kind of unabashedly retro delight that never goes out of style, not as long as there are nerdy pop-music enthusiasts to properly fall in love with such commitment to the sounds of the past six decades. [Alex McLevy]

Kendrick Lamar, Mr. Morale & The Big-Steppers [May 13]

Kendrick Lamar, Mr. Morale & The Big-Steppers [May 13]

Understandably, we still don’t know much about Mr. Morale & The Big-Steppers, the long-awaited follow-up to Kendrick Lamar’s 2017 album .Damn. The notoriously withholding artist hasn’t popped up often in the past five years, though when he has, it’s been for little things like… the Super Bowl halftime show, or helping cousin Baby Keem win a Grammy for “Family Ties.” So when he suddenly spoke up last week to announce his new record, it’s very much in keeping with the Pultizer-winning rapper’s m.o. You know what would also be in keeping with his track record Unveiling a new album that puts just about every other record released this year to shame. [Alex McLevy]

Nectar, No Shadow [May 13]

Nectar, No Shadow [May 13]

Musically and melodically, Champaign-Urbana’s Nectar have a lot in common with ’90s groups like that dog., where blissful harmonies meets pealing riffs and major-chord sweetness. But the hyper-caffeinated sensibility of Nectar, which shines through on singles like “Scab,” always retains some underlying retro sensibilities, whether old-school power-pop, ’60s girl-group bop, or the classic midtempo alt-rock of anthems like “Ponytail.” Taken altogether, it makes for a wonderfully infectious sense of breezy, distorted joy—no one is reinventing the wheel here, but the wheels on Nectar’s ebullient new pop-rock release No Shadow feel like they could go flying off at any moment, in the best possible way. [Alex McLevy]

Quelle Chris, Deathfame [May 13]

Quelle Chris, Deathfame [May 13]

As has often been the case throughout his career, it looks like Quelle Chris has once again decided if you want to do something right, do it yourself. New album Deathfame is largely produced by the multihyphenate musician, though he brings in old friend Chris Keys to engineer a few tracks, including first single, “Alice Ain’t Always Living,” a laid-back jam that features a molasses-slow BPM that allows Chris’ sly, sharp persona to pour through in volumes. There are also appearances by ace talents like Pink Siifu, Moruf, Navy Blue, and more, but let’s be honest: As always, the real draw is Quelle Chris and his predictably unpredictable muse. [Alex McLevy]

Say Sue Me, The Last Thing Left [May 13]

Say Sue Me, The Last Thing Left [May 13]

South Korean indie pop band Say Sue Me is excellent at crafting captivating, surf-rock infused songs that have the ability to instantly liven your mood. After a pandemic-borne delay following 2017's When We Were Together, Say Sue Me has thankfully returned, and the singles from the forthcoming record are just as bouncy and danceable as those from the previous albums. From what we’ve heard so far with songs like “Around You” and “To Dream,” The Last Thing Left has potential to be a perfect summer record: Even when Say Sue Me slows down the tempo, these songs have the warmth of a ray of sunshine. [Tatiana Tenreyro]

Tank & The Bangas, Red Balloon [May 13]

Tank & The Bangas, Red Balloon [May 13]

Longtime A.V. Club favorites Tank & The Bangas return with Red Balloon, the latest evolution in the group’s ongoing fusion of old-school soul and modern hip-hop, all shot through with the cracked, wry worldview emanating from frontwoman Tarriona Ball’s vocals. The 16-track (!) album, recorded during the pandemic, expands the group’s sound while still delivering the excellent, celebratory style for which the group first gained attention, albeit now with a richer and more lushly produced sound for the group’s third studio record. Basically, it’s a party in recorded form. [Alex McLevy]

The Smile, A Light For Attracting Attention [May 13]

The Smile, A Light For Attracting Attention [May 13]

When Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and Johnny Greenwood, along with Sons Of Kemet’s Tom Skinner, announced their new project The Smile, it probably wasn’t what most people were expecting. Churning post-punk guitar rock, leavened with skronking horns Didn’t these dudes leave that kind of rock and roll behind After three singles, the answer is, “Sort of”: only one of the three singles released thus far has been a hard-charging rocker, while “The Smoke” and “Skrting On The Surface” echo some old-school Radiohead, with noodley bass and guitar licks, stuttering drums, and falsetto from Yorke. In other words: two great tastes that taste great together. [Alex McLevy]

Craig Finn, A Legacy Of Rentals [May 20]

Craig Finn, A Legacy Of Rentals [May 20]

How the fuck is Craig Finn already on his sixth solo album Where the hell does the time go How do these quieter, more introspective singer-songwriter albums that have more in common with country-rockers and Americana artists than The Hold Steady keep coming out, one after the other Who are we as people when we start to get older How do we process and embrace the past without slipping into either nostalgia or bitterness How does the addition of strings and a more expansive orchestration change these songs Oh, right—Finn’s music is all about these questions (well, maybe not the last one), so we’ll just have to wait and see what A Legacy Of Rentals brings to the table, besides some strong early singles. [Alex McLevy]

Fanclubwallet, You Have Got To Be Kidding Me [May 20]

Fanclubwallet, You Have Got To Be Kidding Me [May 20]

Sometimes, an artist just shows up, fully-formed, with a clearly defined style and sound that immediately makes an impact. Ottawa’s fanclubwallet (a.k.a. Hannah Judge) is such a talent: The 22-year-old is only now releasing her debut album, but it’s chockablock with catchy rockers that combine early Tegan & Sara start-stop guitars and melodies with Madchester-style electronic drums, all wedded to Judge’s minimalist, world-weary vocals. With hooks for days and a knack for slick, appealing arrangements, the musician should have no trouble finding an audience for her tales of embracing the messier sides of yourself. [Alex McLevy]

Harry Styles, Harry’s House [May 20]

Harry Styles, Harry’s House [May 20]

After bringing down the house at Coachella with a surprise Shania Twain performance, Harry Styles has a lot to live up to on his latest solo album, Harry’s House. Rest assured, the superstar will have no issues with that: Along with the instant pop smash “As It Was,” he debuted two songs at Coachella that are likely to be found on the new record—the cool, soulful “Late Night Talking” and the Fleetwood Mac-esque “Boyfriends.” [Annie Zaleski]

Jordana, Face The Wall [May 20]

Jordana, Face The Wall [May 20]

There’s a definite tone of early-’90s alt-pop to be found on Jordana’s new single, “To The Ground,” in the tradition of Eels or The Cardigans (two very disparate acts, but you’ll see). And that’s just part of the musical ground covered on her new album Face The Wall, in which the singer and multi-instrumentalist (who plays every instrument on the record) runs the gamut from lo-fi bedroom pop to lush, anthemic shoegaze-inspired pageantry. In that sense, it’s a continuation of the evolution she began on sophomore LP Something To Say To You, pairing spritely music with heady themes in a way that hearkens back to fizzy-pop forbears (paging Cornershop) while still retaining her own identity. [Alex McLevy]

SOAK, If I Never Know You Like This Again [May 20]

SOAK, If I Never Know You Like This Again [May 20]

This is the first time a full band has tracked the music on a record by SOAK, rather than just artist Bridie Monds-Watson and their collaborator Tommy McLaughlin, and it sounds like it. A new focus on alt-rock riffing from the Alternative Nation era makes third album If I Never Know You Like This Again sound like a fusion of early Teenbeat indie rock and confessional bedroom pop (albeit of the organic instrumentation, coffeehouse variety, not the bleeps-and-bloops kind) that turns out to be the ideal vehicle for Monds-Watson’s relatable, insightful lyricism. Plus, this latest release has a song called, “Baby, You’re Full Of Shit”; that’s a must-hear, right there. [Alex McLevy]

Bread Pilot, New To You [May 27]

Bread Pilot, New To You [May 27]

There’s an immediate, Big Star-like appeal to Bread Pilot’s unabashedly poppy music; true, it’s leavened with a good deal of crunchier distortion and the periodic ragged holler of vocals, but the commitment to expertly crafted songs (with unexpected hints of psychedelia) is similar. Plus, the band performs the admirable task of getting in and out in under three minutes on most of these tracks. Rarely has the phrase “You have your whole life to make your first album” been more applicable: New To You is the full-length result of a decade of playing together that began in high school. And it’s one hell of a coming-out party. [Alex McLevy]

Dehd, Blue Skies [May 27]

Dehd, Blue Skies [May 27]

Dehd has a wildness about it—an untamed desire for passion itself that seems to animate its every song. Together, the three musicians create a sense of just running with every emotion that comes their way. The singles shared by the Chicago trio thus far are bottle rockets of joy, perfectly fit for the summer ahead. For fans of garage rock and artists such as Ezra Furman and the late 2000s band Girls, Dehd is for you. [Gabrielle Sanchez]

Liam Gallagher, C’MON YOU KNOW [May 27]

Liam Gallagher, C’MON YOU KNOW [May 27]

By now, you probably know what to expect from a Liam Gallagher solo album: swaggering guitar riffs, gigantic chorus hooks, and upbeat lyrics. C’MON YOU KNOW has all of these things in spades on “Everything’s Electric,” a ferocious song co-written by Dave Grohl that also features the Foo Fighters leader on drums. However, the album also finds Gallagher in expansive form—as on the sinewy, electro-kissed title track, which was produced by Andrew Wyatt and features Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig on saxophone. [Annie Zaleski]