7 albums you need to hear this week

In the age of streaming, it’s never been easier to listen to new music — but with over 60,000 new songs added to Spotify every day, it’s also never been harder to know what to put on. Every week, the team at Rolling Stone UK will run down some of the best new releases that have been added to streaming services.

This week, we’ve highlighted records by Lola Young, Nine Inch Nails, Ocean Alley, The Divine Comedy, Terry Hall, NewDad and Cardi B.

Lola Young – I’m Only Fucking Myself

One glance at the tracklist for Lola Young’s third album shows that the singer is coming out swinging. ‘FUCK EVERYONE’ opens the album in a brash cloud of punk, with songs like ‘SAD SOB STORY!’, ‘who fucking cares’ and ‘ur an absolute c word’ to follow. On the equally provocatively-titled I’m Only Fucking Myself, those one-hit wonder tags should subside. ‘One Thing’, already a radio hit in its own right, she turns to 00s-influenced pop, while ‘d£aler’ is brighter and more upbeat with its fuzzy guitars.

Listen on: Spotify | ‎Apple Music | TIDAL | Amazon Music

Nine Inch Nails – Tron: Ares Soundtrack

While Nine Inch Nails pair Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross have become the premier go-to duo for film scores in the past decade, most notably on David Fincher classics The Social Network, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and Mank, as well as Pixar’s Soul, Tron: Ares marks the first time that the whole band have been credited with a film score. It sees them providing a typically menacing and propulsive as the film demands and the band are capable of.

Listen on: Spotify | ‎Apple Music | TIDAL | Amazon Music

The Divine Comedy – Rainy Sunday Afternoon

The thirteenth album from Neil Hannon sees him reflect on the chaos and confusion in the way that only a lyrical genius like him possibly could. It’s funny and comforting – as shown on the cosy title track – while Mar A Lago By The Sea shows off a scathing edge as he tackles Trump too. “It’s just a need,” he recently told RS UK of his desire to create new records. “It’s what I do and I really am aware of that need when I’m doing other jobs, you know, like TV and films and theatre. Because there’s days during that when I just need to be on my own and do my own thing.” When the results are as good as this, here’s hoping he won’t stop for a long time.

Listen on: Spotify | ‎Apple Music | TIDAL | Amazon Music

NewDad – Altar

NewDad’s second album was written when the Galway three-piece were moving to London, a move made by countless Irish artists including CMAT and Fontaines D.C. in recent years. “The album itself is where I divulge my love for home,” vocalist Julie Dawson says. “It’s the idea that Ireland is the altar and it’s the thing that I worship, in a way.” It makes an album that maintains all the striking Cure-ish elements that made Robert Smith a fan of their debut album Madra, with a lyrical story that is brilliant in its conflictions.

Listen on: Spotify | ‎Apple Music | TIDAL | Amazon Music

Cardi B – Am I the Drama?

The eponymous question posed by Cardi B’s second album is partly answered by the record’s gargantuan 70 minute length and features with the likes of Summer Walker, Kehlani and Cash Cobain. It’s dramatic, overblown but equally brilliant in parts. That’s certainly true on ‘Shower Tears’, the Summer Walker-featuring track which takes Cardi’s sound in an R&B led direction. At times, it’s just incredibly funny too.  “All of my cars is chauffeured/I ain’t touched door handles in years!” she offers. Fair play.

Listen on: Spotify | ‎Apple Music | TIDAL | Amazon Music

Ocean Alley – Love Balloon

We’re at the tail end of summer, but Ocean Alley can instantly convince us that we’re in warmer climes if this record is anything to go by. The title track is a fun-flecked piece of summery joy, while the rest of the album from the Aussie group shows off woozy indie vibes that prove to be an absolute winner. A huge London date at Alexandra Palace follows next week too, which suggests that their sound – which has us longing for those warmer days – has found a captive audience on this hemisphere too.

Listen on: Spotify | ‎Apple Music | TIDAL | Amazon Music

Terry Hall – LAUGH (reissue)

We’d never pass up the opportunity to hail a celebration of the late, great Terry Hall, and that’s exactly what this reissue of his acclaimed second solo album is. The record saw the Coventry icon team up with former Smiths guitarist Craig Gannon, alongside further collaborations from a stellar cast including Stephen Duffy, Sean O’Hagan (The High Llamas), and Blur’s Damon Albarn. Songs like ‘Ballad of a Landlord’ shine as a perfect reflection of what Hall – one of Britain’s great social commentators – was truly capable of.

Listen on: Spotify | ‎Apple Music | TIDAL | Amazon Music