The Lead Sheet ~ 7/1/2025

The Lead Sheet is your guide to this week’s new music - taking a look at newly released albums, who made them, and how listeners are responding. 

 Alt-pop superstar Lorde released her fourth album, Virgin, this week. Virgin is getting great reviews so far, with fans and critics hailing it as a fantastic return to form. The new project features a more electronic sound, reminiscent of Lorde’s earlier work, and the tracks have a great balance between authenticity and consumability. “Hammer,” the first song of the album, experiments with blending waveforms and vocals into a creepy yet catchy shuffling. Other tracks show a varied musical range – “Man of the Year” is contrarily stripped down, mostly just a bass and layered vocals, but is effective and haunting. “Clearblue” is equally stunning, layering almost a whole choir of the singer’s voice, with subtle harmonies and moving lyrics. For an artist that consistently tops the charts, Lorde isn’t afraid to take risks and try new sounds. 

Clifford Ian Sampson, known as “Kevin Abstract”, has a new album out this week titled Blush. Abstract got his start with an internet music collective called Brockhampton, which broke up in 2022. Blush marks the artist’s 5th studio album, and it’s being well received. The album is a high energy mix of hip-hop and pop, and embraces a lot of chaotic musical impulses. Sometimes changing tempo and flow mid-song, sometimes making sharp left turns with unexpected sounds. Blush is also a curation - “Abstract” features plenty of artists he’s collaborated with in the past, longtime producer, Quadeca, and former bandmates Roro, Love Spells, and more. 

Bruce Springsteen is a rock legend, and his discography speaks for itself. The artist frequently topped the charts throughout his multi-decade career. This week, “The Boss” released Tracks II: The Lost Albums, which is an anthology of never before heard music, seven albums-worth in total, dating as far back as 1983 – that’s nearly a five hour archive of brand new (old) Springsteen! Tracks II is being described as a treasure trove of unheard greats. Additionally, Springsteen has selected 20 of his favorite tracks from the new project, and compiled them into Lost and Found: Selections from the Lost Albums. 

Durand Jones and the Indications have a cool new album this week, entitled Flowers. The dreamy project is the group’s 4th studio album, featuring their classic neo-soul sound. Most of the tracks on this album are slower tempo with reflective moods. Flowers feels retro, like the 70’s, but with crystal clear quality of sound and each part of the group can be heard distinctly – the breathy, saccharin vocals are beautifully layered with twinkling keyboards, and jazzy guitar plucks. This is an album to put on after a long day, or when you need to slow down for a beat. Durand Jones and the Indications are wrapping up the European leg of their current tour, and will then head to the US starting in September of this year. 

Singer, rapper, actor, and classically trained flautist, Lizzo, released My Face Hurts from Smiling on Friday. The new album hasn’t been doing great so far, although with Lizzo, it can be hard to determine what drives legitimate musical criticism, and what is simply a dislike of the artist on a personal level. Lizzo fans like the new album, but general listeners and critics don’t have many positive things to say. Still, the project is extremely energetic, and is a deviation from what has sometimes been called “toxic positivity” that is often associated with Lizzo. My Face Hurts from Smiling also features both Doja Cat and SZA, who each collaborated on one of the album’s 13 tracks. 

Hot albums to check out this week:

Lorde - Virgin

Released June 27

Universal Music New Zealand

Kevin Abstract - Blush

Released June 27

X8, Juno Records

Bruce Springsteen- Tracks II: The Lost Albums

Released June 27

Sony 

Durand Jones and the Indications - Flowers

Released June 27

Dead Oceans Records

Lizzo - My Face Hurts from Smiling

Released June 27

Atlantic Records