Paul McCartney – McCartney III

It would be hard to imagine a way for Paul McCartney to produce more hype for a new album than naming it McCartney III. The series began with 1970’s McCartney, his first solo album after the Beatles’ dissolution, which featured the hit “Maybe I’m Amazed” and was largely recorded by the singer himself. McCartney II was released in 1980 and also featured McCartney playing all of the instruments on the album, heavily featuring new synthesizer technology. McCartney III follows these albums’ process 40 years later, with Sir Paul again recording all instruments himself while quarantining during the COVID pandemic. Fortunately, the result is the opposite of his most recent solo release, the poorly-written and over-produced Egypt Station. The Beatles bassist sounds loose and exploratory, digging into organic grooves musically and lyrically, with an overall clean rock aesthetic that finds him much closer to his initial solo album than he has been in years.

Phish – Bozeman 1994

The newest archival release from Phish comes from November 28, 1994 at Montana State University’s Field House in Bozeman, Montana on LivePhish.com. With no full recording available to fans prior, the show’s release is a terrific surprise for fans. Featuring a stacked setlist including a “Stash,” “Sparkle > Simple > Divided Sky,” Sweet Adeline” as first set highlights, second set only gets better. The continuous, seven-song second set is anchored by “Tweezer” with a “Digital Delay Loop Jam” at its center. Better yet, Phish encores with “Fee” before returning to the “Tweezer Reprise.” 

Maggie Rogers – Notes From The Archive: Recordings 2011-2016

Indie-pop songwriter Maggie Rogers rose to fame following her 2016 single “Alaska,” and has maintained a confident level of quality and productivity since. However, Rogers had been writing songs since her pre-teen years, well before she saw actual success. Her newest collection, Notes From The Archive: Recordings 2011-2016, gives unfamiliar listeners a detailed view of Rogers’ early years. The collection features remastered versions of favorites from her first albums, as well as six previously unreleased songs.

Tycho – Weather Remixes

Electronic musician and composer Scott Hansen, better known by his stage name Tycho, received a much-deserved Grammy nomination for his 2019 album Weather. Now, Hansen revisits the album in Weather Remixes. Enlisting a number of big names in the electronic music scene, including Com Truise, pluco, Mild Minds and more, the record revisits the original eight songs, transforming the initial pieces into creative new soundscapes. With great music to work with from the get-go, the collaborators truly handle the originals with respect while still seeking new destinations for the instrumentals to head.