Tom Waits & Massive Attack – Boots On The Ground

New music from Tom Waits seemed to have totally dried up after his wonderful 2011 album ‘Bad As Me’ so anything fresh from the man was always going to grab some attention. Massive Attack too have been quiet since 2020 but here they are, both working together, on a song with subject matter that could not be any less a cause for celebration. Instead, these musical heavy weights are reacting in audio to the devastating emphasis our modern world has placed on waging war and disregarding the precious nature of human existence. At least they are picking up the baton visionaries like Bob Dylan previously carried in reacting to the horrors of the present time in song but typically for these artists, there is no sugar coating the terror of the situation. Luckily, Tom has not limited his resurrection to this one track, a twelve inch single of the release will follow that also has a new and exclusive Waits b-side entitled ‘The Fly.’ The man himself says this. “One day many years ago, I accepted an invitation from Massive Attack to collaborate. Their long release delay never worried me. Today, as in all of mankind’s yesterdays, guarantees this type of song will never go out of style. Man’s folly of fiascos is a feast for the flies. Hence, the b-side of Massive Attack’s upcoming 12 inch features my appreciation for the winged nuisance.” You can get yourself a copy of the record via this link: https://amzn.to/4sKPA7N

Johanna Samuels – White Limousine

Johanna Samuels has kicked off her next chapter with ‘White Limousine,’ a crisp, beautifully measured single marking her arrival on the Odd Man Out label. It is the first taste of a new album currently being readied for release, though specifics are still to come. If this track is any indication, Samuels is gearing up to deliver a record that will be getting a lot of the right kind of attention. For now, get going in this ‘White Limousine’ and enjoy an excursion that takes in suspence and an aching longing all wrapped up in warm hazy sounds that find room for sun-drenched guitar solos, yearning vocals and a Mercury Rev ‘Deserters Songs’ style eeriness. The video is pretty spectacular too, especially that fading in and out radio signal effect. Keep an eye out for the album, I am sure to be on it here at Fruit Tree Records upon arrival but for now you can download the single via this link: https://amzn.to/4tYcgCD

Parlor Greens – Eat Your Greens

This is a scorching live in the studio version of the lead track from the Parlor Green’s new sophomore album ‘Emeralds.’ The nuts and bolts of the band are Tim Carman holding down the beat on drums, Jimmy James who, in a heartbeat, can take us to funky town then back to soul city via his electric guitar and Adam Scone, who can spray paint the room in the most vibrant of moddish colours on that fruity organ and keys. The album is a soul-jazz joyride from start to finish and will be covered in greater depth on these pages very soon but for now, get some of the good stuff down with ‘Eat Your Greens’ and if this one tune is enough to convince, and why wouldn’t it be after all, you can get straight onto the new album via the link right here: https://amzn.to/4cuYXT2

Gorillaz featuring Sparks – The Happy Dictator

For over twenty five years now Gorillaz has proven to be the perfect situation for Damon Albarn to paint his musical visions and realize his bountiful supply of ideas and inspirations. Clearly he needed something fluid and widescreen enough to explore, without boundaries, his open eared approach to music with freedom and rather satisfying mainstream success. His feel for a commercial hook is beyond doubt at this point and the thing I enjoy the most is how he almost smuggles quite mature art-rock into the mainstream through the back door. Of course, Sparks were a band who did the very same thing, blessed as they were with a gift for timeless melody, eye catching presentation and a flare for absurdist, head scratching delivery in the way the Mael brothers performed. And here they are with an outstanding track from new album ‘The Mountain,’ working together and proving that this town actually is big enough for the both of them. You can get the latest release this way: https://amzn.to/41IIYvO

Fruit Bats – The Landfill

Fruit Bats make a welcome return on June 12th with ‘The Landfill’ album, the title track of which is presented here. It is a vibrant full‑band project released via Merge Records. The record finds Eric D. Johnson in a prolific streak following 2025’s intimate ‘Baby Man,’ expanding his palette with renewed energy. ‘The Landfill’ anchors the album’s central metaphor: surveying the future from atop the accumulated layers of personal and cultural history. The accompanying video, directed by longtime collaborator Adam Willis, playfully riffs on cult‑band mythology and the strange double life of an artist both celebrated and obscure. You can pre-order yourself a copy via this link: https://amzn.to/3OtaHO0

SPELLLING featuring Jean Dawson – Ammunition

And finally for this week, some rousing new music from an artist who has long been highly rated on these pages. SPELLLING continues to expand the world of her last album ‘Portrait Of My Heart’ with a new version of ‘Ammunition,’ this time reimagined as a duet with Jean Dawson. The track follows recent remixes featuring Weyes Blood and Turnstile’s Brendan Yates, extending the original album’s collaborative afterlife. Cabral recasts the song’s romantic R&B core into a darker, synth‑lit fairytale, leaning into the outsider sensibilities that define her latest work. It arrives as the release on which it originally appeared continues to draw widespread acclaim, praised for its raw self‑reflection and its bold, genre‑bending emotional clarity. Head to Bandcamp for more on the latest single and the original album is still available for purchase via this link: https://amzn.to/487Kc7l