Twenty One Pilots/St. Vincent/J. Cole

Episode 21 features a huge variety of styles. The “black-metal-turned-post rock” band Deafheaven - owner of 2013’s top rating on Metacritic - has a new album “Infinite Granite” that seemingly eschews all black metal influence. Then we cover one of the most anticipated pop albums of the year with Lorde’s “Solar Power”. Last, we get very weird and cover a more experimental album garnering lots of praise, Lingua Ignota’s latest attempt at the scariest album ever called “SINNER GET READY”. It’s a mess of genres, a concoction you’ll only find here at The Play Button Recommended Tracks: Deafheaven - Infinite Granite - "Other Language" Lorde - Solar Power - "California" Lingua Ignota - SINNER GET READY - "PERPETUAL FLAME OF CENTRALIA"

We’re back after a little summer break! This episode settles on some July releases scattered across the month with American artists once again front and center. Vince Staples’ new self-titled album is pretty dialed back by his standards, can it match his old critically-acclaimed hits? Next up is a new EP from Yves Tumor, perhaps some late session B-side cuts that didn’t make it on their well-received 2020 album. We then dive into Billie Eilish’s new album “Happier Than Ever” - does it live up to its expectations? Finally, we take a closer look at the recent controversy surrounding rapper DaBaby. Recommended Tracks: Vince Staples - Vince Staples - “TAKE ME HOME” Yves Tumor - The Asymptotical World - “Crushed Velvet” Billie Eilish - Happier Than Ever - ”NDA”

Our 19th episode features an entirely American group of artists. Doja Cat’s new album “Planet Her” feels like her big leap at stardom loaded with features. Does she stick the landing though? Elsewhere, Lucy Dacus follows up her stellar sophomore album with “Home Video”, a softer more personal release. Finally, we tackle Tyler, the Creator’s new album “Call Me If You Get Lost”, a tour-de-force of all different sides of him packed into one whirlwind of a track list. It’s also the return of our topic of the day segment - this week, we cover how music can sometimes remind you of past memories and past relationships. Recommended Tracks: Doja Cat  - Planet Her - "You Right" Lucy Dacus - Home Video - "VBS" Tyler, the Creator - Call Me If You Get Lost - "LEMONHEAD"

This episode aims to catch up on some releases from late May and early June 2021. We cover two albums garnering tons of praise: “Jubilee” by Japanese Breakfast and “Blue Weekend” by Wolf Alice. We then cover the wild new album “Cavalcade” by Black Midi, a band that has caught Kevin’s eye recently. Will we both buy into the hype? Recommended Tracks: Japanese Breakfast - Jubilee - "Paprika" Wolf Alice - Blue Weekend - "Feeling Myself" black midi - Cavalcade - "Dethroned"

It’s time to kick off summer with the psychedelic haze of St. Vincent’s latest, the much-anticipated “Daddy’s Home”. Also, Kevin tries his best to sit through Twenty One Pilots, and J. Cole rounds things out with the most-streamed release of the year so far: “The Off-Season”. Recommended Tracks: Twenty One Pilots - Scaled and Icy - "The Outside" St. Vincent - Daddy's Home - "Somebody Like Me" J. Cole - The Off-Season - "m y . l i f e"

With one exception, this sixteenth episode exclusively features artists both of us are fairly new to. We cover Brooklyn-based indie rock band Crumb, Atlanta-based alt rock band Manchester Orchestra, and finish it off with the disorienting and ambitious debut by British band Squid. No special topic this week! But we’ll both break down some of what’s new and anticipated in the world of music this spring. Track Recommendations: Crumb - Ice Melt - “Gone” Manchester Orchestra - The Million Masks of God - “Keel Timing” Squid - Bright Green Field - “G.S.K.”

Following a string of strong releases in early April, Kevin and Peter tackle a diverse collection of them on this latest episode. Leading the charge is the wild and versatile collective Brockhampton who boast some of the most diverse music going in the hip-hop scene. Next up, we dig into legendary post-rock band Godspeed You! Black Emperor who came back from a ten year hiatus in 2012 and haven’t lost momentum since. We’ll cap it off with London Grammar’s new album, and if you haven’t already heard enough of Peter’s gushing of vocalist Hannah Reid, get ready for more! Given how far-left and political GY!BE tends to be in their music, we discuss politics and how they fit into an artist's identity. [recorded May 2, 2021] Recommended Tracks: BROCKHAMPTON - ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE - “COUNT ON ME” Godspeed You! Black Emperor - G_d’s Pee AT STATE’S END! - “First of the Last Glaciers” London Grammar - Californian Soil - “Missing”

This week’s fairly stacked lineup leans heavily towards the pop side. Canadian pop icon Justin Bieber kicks us off with his sneakily titled album “Justice”. Toronto-based rock duo Death From Above 1979 delivers arguably their poppiest album to date on the self-produced ”Is 4 Lovers”. And capping us off is the softer side of things with Lana Del Rey’s gentler and more reflective piece “Chemtrails Over the Country Club”, supposedly one of two albums she’ll deliver this year. We also reflect back on Death from Above 1979’s ten year hiatus and what happens when bands take a long period of time off like that. [recorded April 8, 2021] Recommended Tracks: Justin Bieber - Justice - “Deserve You” Death From Above 1979 - Is 4 Lovers - “Glass Homes” Lana Del Rey - Chemtrails Over the Country Club - “Dark But Just a Game”

In this episode, Kevin and Peter get reflective about past musical favourites and experiences. In Peter’s case, the latest album “NIRATIAS” by Chevelle has him feeling nostalgic about all their old hits he loved in his teens. For Kevin, it’s an unfortunate but hilarious memory surrounding a Julien Baker concert as we unravel her latest album “Little Oblivions”. Finally, we discuss music written in languages other than English after reviewing Altın Gün’s “Yol”, why there are barriers in North America for this music and what those are. [recorded March 14, 2021] Recommended Tracks: Altın Gün - Yol - “Yekte” Julien Baker - Little Oblivions - “Ringside” Chevelle - NIRATIAS - “Ghost and Razor”

Feb 5th was a hot day for new music and Kevin and Peter work through some of the bigger releases to come out of it. Paramore frontwoman Hayley Williams leads this episode’s trio of reviews with her second solo album “Flowers for Vases / descansos”. Then we dig into Toronto band The Weather Station’s latest album “Ignorance”. Next, Peter drools over Cult of Luna’s latest EP “The Raging River” in what is a stark contrast from the other two artists of the day. Finally, Peter smugly claims he has a good grasp now of what Pitchfork rates well after they hand The Weather Station the “Best New Music” tag. Is he right? Is Pitchfork predictable now? Kevin and him discuss more. [recorded Feb 15, 2021] Recommended Tracks: Hayley Williams - Flowers for Vases / descansos - “Good Grief” The Weather Station - Ignorance - “Subdivisions” Cult of Luna - The Raging River - “What I Leave Behind”