12 Greatest Songs of the Week: Wolf Alice, Anna von Hausswolff and Iggy Pop, Flock of Dimes, and Extra
Plus Nation of Language, Florence + The Machine, bar italia, Gruff Rhys, Jeff Tweedy, and a Wrap-up of the Week’s Different Notable New Tracks
Aug 22, 2025
Welcome to the twenty ninth Songs of the Week of 2025. This week Andy Von Pip, Issa Nasatir, and others helped me resolve what ought to make the checklist. We thought-about over 40 songs and narrowed it all the way down to a Prime 12.
Problem 74, The Protest Problem, is out now. It options Kathleen Hannah and Bartees Unusual on the 2 covers and could be purchased from us straight right here.
In current weeks we posted interviews with Mocky and Feist, Open Mike Eagle, Gwenno (a My Firsts), Frankie Cosmos (a My Firsts), and extra.
Within the final week we reviewed some albums.
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That will help you kind via the multitude of contemporary songs launched within the final week, we have now picked the 12 greatest the final seven days needed to supply, adopted by some honorable mentions. Try the complete checklist under.
1. Wolf Alice: “Bread Butter Tea Sugar”
British four-piece Wolf Alice launched a brand new album, The Clearing, as we speak by way of RCA. Whereas all three of its pre-release singles made our Songs of the Week checklist, we additionally cherished “Bread Butter Tea Sugar,” our favourite observe from the album not beforehand launched as a single, and that makes #1 on our checklist.
You’ll be able to stream The Clearing on our web site right here and in addition learn our rave assessment of it right here.
Final night time Wolf Alice additionally carried out the album’s “Bloom Child Bloom” on Jimmy Kimmel Stay! And you may watch that right here.
“The uncooked, grunge-infused guitars of their early years have given approach to a sound that showcases what distinctive musicians and songwriters Wolf Alice have develop into,” writes Andy Von Pip in his assessment of The Clearing.
Beforehand Wolf Alice shared The Clearing’s first single, “Bloom Child Bloom,” by way of a music video. It was #1 on our Songs of the Week checklist. Additionally they introduced some new North American tour dates for this fall, in addition to some UK and EU ones. The album’s second single, “The Couch,” was #1 on our Songs of the Week. “White Horses,” the one tune on The Clearing to characteristic drummer Joel Amey on lead vocals, additionally landed on Songs of the Week.
The Clearing is band’s fourth album and follows Blue Weekend, which was #2 on our Prime 100 Albums of 2021 checklist. The band wrote the album in Seven Sisters, North London, England and recorded it final 12 months in Los Angeles with Grammy successful producer Greg Kurstin.
The press launch says The Clearing was influenced by ’70s traditional rock and is akin to Fleetwood Mac making an album in North London in 2025.
Learn our interview with Wolf Alice on Blue Weekend.
2. Anna von Hausswolff: “The Entire Lady” (Feat. Iggy Pop)
This week Swedish musician/composer Anna von Hausswolff introduced a brand new album, ICONOCLASTS, and shared two new songs from it, “The Entire Lady” (a duet with Iggy Pop) and “Stardust.” The previous was our favourite of the 2.
ICONOCLASTS is due out October 31 by way of YEAR0001. The album additionally options Ethel Cain, Abul Mogard, and Maria von Hausswolff.
Von Hausswolff produced the album with longtime collaborator Filip Leyman. Her final studio album, All Ideas Fly, got here out final in 2020 by way of Southern Lord. In 2022 she launched the dwell album, Stay at Montreux Jazz Pageant.
Von Hausswolff had this to say about “The Entire Lady” in a press launch: “Generally we have to throw ourselves into the deepest of waters and maintain our breath so long as we are able to. As soon as we attain the floor we are able to see past the pettiness of life and converse solely the reality. This love tune is a tribute to the person who is aware of the way to pay attention; it’s for the lady who’s courageous sufficient to dive in.”
3. Flock of Dimes: “Afraid”
Flock of Dimes (the solo mission of Wye Oak’s Jenn Wasner) is releasing a brand new album, The Life You Save, on October 10 by way of Sub Pop. This week she shared its second single, “Afraid,” by way of a music video.
Wasner had this to say in regards to the tune in a press launch: “This tune is an intention, an incantation, a prayer. It says: I settle for what has occurred, however I refuse to let it dictate the end result of my life. All of us enter this world untainted, and our circumstances dictate the burden that we must carry all through the remainder of our lives. For some, this weight is much higher than it’s for others. This tune is a mantra for individuals who want to consider that we are able to transcend the circumstances over which we had no management.”
Beforehand Flock of Dimes shared the album’s first single, “Lengthy After Midnight,” by way of a music video. It was certainly one of our Songs of the Week.
The Life You Save is the third Flock of Dimes album and follows her 2021 album, Head of Roses (and its 2022 companion assortment, Head of Roses: Phantom Limb). Head of Roses was certainly one of our Prime 100 Albums of 2021. Wasner produced the brand new album, with further manufacturing from Nick Sanborn. She recorded it at Betty’s in Chapel Hill, NC and Montrose Recording in Los Angeles, CA.
Learn our assessment of Head of Roses right here.
Learn our The Finish interview with Wasner about endings and demise right here.
4. Nation of Language: “In Your Head”
Synth-pop trio Nation of Language are releasing a brand new album, Dance Known as Reminiscence, on September 19 by way of Sub Pop. This week they shared its fourth single, “In Your Head.”
The Brooklyn-based band options Ian Richard Devaney (lead vocals, guitar), Aidan Noell (synthesizer), and Alex MacKay (bass guitar).
The album consists of “Inept Apollo,” a brand new tune the band shared in Could after they introduced they have been signing to Sub Pop. It was certainly one of our Songs of the Week. When the album was introduced she shared a brand new tune from it, “I’m Not Prepared For the Change,” by way of a music video. It was additionally certainly one of our Songs of the Week. Then they shared its third single, “Beneath the Water,” which once more landed on Songs of the Week.
Nation of Language’s final album, Unusual Disciple, was launched in 2023 by way of [PIAS]. It was certainly one of our Prime 100 Albums of 2023. Unusual Disciple was the band’s third album and the follow-up to 2021’s A Manner Ahead and 2020’s Introduction, Presence.
Nick Millhiser (LCD Soundsystem, Holy Ghost!), who produced Unusual Disciple, as soon as once more labored with the band on Dance Known as Reminiscence.
“What’s so nice about Nick is his potential to make us really feel like we don’t have to do what could be anticipated of us,” says Noell in a press launch.
Of the brand new album, Devaney says: “There’s a dichotomy between the Kraftwerk college of thought and the Brian Eno college of thought, every of which I’ve been drawn to at totally different factors. I’ve examine how Kraftwerk needed to take away all the humanity from their music, however Eno usually spoke about desirous to make synthesized music that felt distinctly human. As a lot as Kraftwerk is a sonically foundational affect, with this file I leaned way more in direction of the Eno college of thought. On this period rapidly being outlined by the rise of AI supplanting human creators I’m focusing extra on the human situation, and I want the underlying music to assist that… As a substitute of hopelessness, I wish to go away the listener with a sense of us actually seeing each other, that our particular person struggles can really unite us in empathy.”
Learn our interview with Nation of Language on A Manner Ahead.
Nation of Language additionally took half in our twentieth anniversary Covers of Covers album, the place they lined Damaged Social Scene’s “Stars and Sons.”
5. Florence + The Machine: “Everyone Scream”
This week Florence + The Machine (aka Florence Welch and backing band) introduced a brand new album, Everyone Scream, and shared a video for its title observe. Everyone Scream is due out October 31 (aka Halloween) by way of Republic. Autumn de Wilde directed the “Everyone Scream” video.
The album was made in collaboration with Mark Bowen of IDLES, Aaron Dessner of The Nationwide, and Mitski. Bowen seems within the “Everyone Scream” video.
Everyone Scream is the follow-up to 2022’s Dance Fever. Through the tour for that album Welch wanted lifesaving surgical procedure and her restoration influenced the brand new album. A press launch explains that her restoration “took her down the trail of religious mysticism, witchcraft and people horror as she felt the bounds of her physique and explored what it means to be ‘healed.’ The album treads via womanhood, partnership, getting old and dying; exposing the murky within the mundane.”
In 2023 Florence + The Machine lined No Doubt’s 1995 hit “Only a Lady” for season 2 of Showtime’s acclaimed drama Yellowjackets (which is partially set within the Nineteen Nineties).
6. bar italia: “Fundraiser”
7. Gruff Rhys: “Taro #1 + #2”
8. Jeff Tweedy: “Really feel Free”
9. Water From Your Eyes: “Nights in Armor”
10. Westerman: “Adriatic”
11. Snõõper: “Guard Canine”
12. Supergrass: “Don’t Depart Me Alone”
Honorable Mentions:
These songs virtually made the Prime 12.
Hand Habits: “Bluebird of Happiness”
Jade Hairpins: “Like Fumes”
Joyce Manor: “All My Pals Are So Depressed”
Legss: “See No Evil”
Residing Hour: “Waiter”
Purity Ring: “imanocean”
Tchotchke: “Playin’ Dumb”
Wednesday: “Bitter On a regular basis”
Right here’s a helpful Spotify playlist that includes the Prime 12 so as, adopted by all of the honorable mentions:
