Featured Crucial Releases for January 10

Welcome to the new year and what I consider the first full New Music Friday of 2025. I have a few releases for you to check out this week, starting with my top selection, Perverts by Ethel Cain.

I want to start off by saying Perverts is not for everyone, in fact it's not an enjoyable music experience at times. It's unsettling, haunting, and anxiety inducing in some aspects. And at other times it's shockingly beautiful.

There were a number of times I almost stopped listening because I didn't like the feeling I had, but I pressed on and that feeling was usually replaced by a beautiful segment of a song or her amazing voice. It's a roller coaster ride that I envisioned as the soundtrack of a black and white horror film. I also haven't stopped thinking about it since I listened yesterday. Simply put, it's a magnificent piece of art.

Along those lines, I absolutely love the music video for the song "Punish" off the album. It fits exactly the feeling I had while listening to the album. And to top it off, it's just a beautiful song.

I enjoyed Cain's debut full length album, Preacher's Daughter, released in 2022. It mixed folk, Americana, and pop through a sort of gothic lens. It also received a lot of critical acclaim, which seemed to be unexpected and unwanted based on my research for this post. Cain didn't like the attention and fame, so it only makes sense that her follow-up album was an anti-success album, which unfortunately (for her) she did really well. It won't garner the same kind of mass fandom that her debut delivered, but I think it will be one of those cult classic albums that people view as a piece of art over being an album you listen to casually.

I also don't think you necessarily have to like most of the genres or elements associated with this album, like slowcore, ambient, drone, loops, etc. to appreciate or more importantly EXPERIENCE the album. Heck I don't even like goth music, nor am I a huge horror fan. But, at an hour and a half long, it's a commitment and I do ask that if you do listen, you give it the entire time. I'm interested to know if folks have the same experience I had!

My favorite tracks: "Punish", "Vacillator", "Amber Waves"

Perverts by Ethel Cain

Listen

Honorable Mentions

Who Let the Dogs Out by Lambrini Girls (Listen)
Finally the debut full-length from the Lambrini Girls, who I've heard a lot about ever since Chris saw them last year. It's a great album that combines the political, noise-y punk energy of SPRINTS and IDLES, with the snotty fun of Amyl and the Sniffers. Highly recommended.

Spiral Your Way Out by zzzahara (Listen)
The third solo album from Zahara Jaime, the guitarist from The Simps and U.S. Velvet, combines three genres I like into a very solid release. I wasn't familiar with them prior to listening, but glad I stumbled upon this record... particularly the song "In Your Head."

See you next week!
-Jason