10 new albums to listen to in November

Songs Of A Lost World is The Cure’s first new album in more than 15 years, and goths of a certain age are stoked. Lead singer Robert Smith has been out here fighting with Ticketmaster left and right, which has consistently kept the band’s name in the headlines for the better part of a year. Somehow, in 2024, The Cure has cultivated less of a comeback narrative and more of an argument for why they’re one of the most important bands working right now. Plus, the two singles released so far absolutely rule. [Jen Lennon]

As a producer, Richard Swift, who passed away in 2018 at just 41 years of age, brought his warm-sounding touch to some stellar records by the likes of Damien Jurado, Foxygen, and Kevin Morby. But the guy truly shined with his own work, with songs like ”Lady Luck” and “Would You?” showing off the artist’s rare ability to sound both decidedly retro and modern at once. (He also had, it’s worth mentioning, a really good sense of humor and some very enviable falsetto chops.) His label home of Secretly Canadian pays homage to the late-great with this 14-track collection, which includes the previously unreleased cut “Common Law.” [Tim Lowery]

On Seed Of A Seed, Haley Heynderickx’s sophomore album, the Portland-based folk artist sings about the ways in which we interact with our modern world and how wearying digital life can be. Her album provides a respite from all that, as she marries thoughtful lyrics with low-key instrumentals that let her voice shine. Seed Of A Seed follows thematically from her debut album, 2018’s I Need To Start A Garden, which approached the subject of self-reflection with the same keen eye. [Jen Lennon]

It’s been four years since A$AP Ferg’s last album, Floor Seats II, and the former Trap Lord wants you to know he’s still kicking. On “Thought I Was Dead,” Ferg responds to all those who “thought [he] was dead” with a simple, “Nope.” In many ways, it’s classic Ferg—fun, boastful, and clever. The album announcement came as a surprise and there’s been little news about it since then. Before the release, we can likely expect a tracklist at the very least, which should reveal some interesting collaborations. [Jen Lennon]

St. Vincent might not speak Spanish, but that didn’t stop her from reworking and re-recording her latest album, All Born Screaming, in the language. The translation was inspired by her love for playing in Mexico, Latin America, and Spain. Speaking about the motivation for the album, St. Vincent told Vogue, “You know in a lot of cases English is [my international audience’s] second or third or fourth language, who knows? So I thought, if they come to me, why don’t I try to go to them?” Trying something different is thematically fitting for an album about new beginnings, so it’s a clever tie-in, too. [Jen Lennon]

Human-android-art-project Poppy has never fit comfortably in any genre, musical or otherwise. But her upcoming sixth album, Negative Spaces, is definitely leaning more towards an industrial-pop sound, thanks to the influence of producer Jordan Fish, former keyboardist of Bring Me The Horizon. The metal and hardcore inspirations she teased on collaborations with Bad Omens and Knocked Loose are there, too, making for a sound that’s distinctly Poppy, but also singular from the rest of her oeuvre. [Jen Lennon]

Shawn Mendes took a much-needed break after he canceled his Wonder tour in 2022, citing a need to focus on his mental health. His upcoming album, Shawn, is his first full-length in four years, and he doesn’t shy away from talking about the anxiety that caused him to cancel his tour. Lead single “Why Why Why” dives right into the deep end, examining his past relationships and directly addressing the tour. Mendes has called Shawn his “most musically intimate and lyrically honest work to date.” [Jen Lennon]

On Small Changes, Michael Kiwanuka once again teams up with the production team of Danger Mouse and Inflo. It’s an electric and effective collaboration: Since they first worked together on 2016’s Love And Hate, Kiwanuka’s popularity and critical acclaim have exploded. Kiwanuka told The New York Times that Small Changes is “more inward, more intimate” than his previous work, and lead single “Floating Parade” proves him right. [Jen Lennon]

Mahashmashana might contain only eight songs, but we’ll take what we can get. Father John Misty has already released four of those tracks as singles, and some lucky fans have already heard the other four via an advance listening party on Bandcamp. For the rest of us, we’ll have to wait until November 22 to see how the full album comes together and explores the concept of its title, which is derived from a Sanskrit word that translates to “great cremation ground.” [Jen Lennon]

It’s hard to believe that former Pixies bassist Kim Deal has never released a solo album, but that just makes the anticipation for Nobody Loves You More even greater. The album has been in the works for more than 10 years, and the amount of collaborators she’s roped in is frankly staggering. Even the late great Steve Albini makes an appearance as a producer on “A Good Time Pushed,” the album’s closing song. [Jen Lennon]