{"id":32094,"date":"2025-11-20T15:04:48","date_gmt":"2025-11-20T21:04:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wearememphis.com\/?p=32094"},"modified":"2025-12-18T06:23:29","modified_gmt":"2025-12-18T12:23:29","slug":"5-excellent-new-memphis-albums-help-to-end-the-year-on-a-high-note","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wearememphis.com\/play\/music\/5-excellent-new-memphis-albums-help-to-end-the-year-on-a-high-note\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Excellent New Memphis Albums Help to End the Year On a High Note"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

From jazz rooted in mid-century cool to synth-punk nightcrawlers and boundary-pushing R&B, Memphis artists continue to show just how wide the city\u2019s musical spectrum runs. Whether you\u2019re chasing something tender, something loud, or something wonderfully strange, these five new albums capture the creative pulse of Memphis right now and ensure that you’ve got plenty of good listening to last you the rest of the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cameron Bethany-YOUGETONMYNERVES<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Cameron Bethany\u2019s upcoming album YOUGETONMYNERVES isn\u2019t out yet, but the lucky few who heard his recent preview performances at the Green Room and at the MOSH planetarium know it is going to be something special. Bethany has long been celebrated for his blend of soulful vulnerability, experimental R&B, and meticulously crafted soundscapes, and this long wait for a follow-up has only heightened the anticipation. The new material he shared feels both more intimate and more daring, showing an artist who has grown in the years since his 2017 debut YOUMAKEMENERVOUS. If these early glimpses are any indication, YOUGETONMYNERVES promises to be a rich and immersive next chapter from one of Memphis\u2019s most distinctive voices, fully worth the patience it took to get here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dead Soldiers-CivilWarLand<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Although commercial country radio is still sadly in the grasps of dude bros and even chart-topping AI \u201cartists\u201d gag<\/em>, there has been a real and welcomed resurgence of the type of country and Americana that speaks truth to power and that isn\u2019t afraid of breaking some rules. Memphis\u2019 own Dead Soldiers is one such group, and they\u2019ve never been better or more insightful than on their urgent new album CivilWarLand. It’s a powerful commentary on how old wounds still shape today\u2019s world and a must-listen for fans of thoughtful, character-driven Americana.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HEELS-We Look Happy Here<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

HEELS, the local punk band with a blue collar folksy side, is back with both a new album and a new member. For their newest full-length We Look Happy Here, founding members Josh McLane and Brennan Whalen welcomed bassist Buddy Forbess to the party, resulting in a more robust and full sound. The album\u2019s title, which I initially took as a dark joke (the group\u2019s previous album was Pop Songs for a Dying Planet, for some context), seems to be sincere, as the project is filled with moments of sincere warmth. Fans of the group\u2019s previous efforts need not fret, though\u2013there is still plenty of introspective gloom here, if that\u2019s your thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Optic Sink-Lucky Number<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lucky Number, the third album by the excellent synth-punk trio Optic Sink, was released on Halloween, an exceptionally fitting drop date for an album that is equal parts gloom and party. You know the video from the original Addams Family series when Wednesday absolutely kills it on the dance floor? Yeah, it kinda sounds like that. In all seriousness though, the group has never sounded better, allowing their minimalistic grooves to build and morph into something cosmic. Pro tip: If you haven\u2019t already, be sure to check out the band\u2019s hypnotic live show as soon as you can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Joe Restivo-A Beautiful Friendship<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Joe Restivo, a Memphis-born guitarist steeped in the city\u2019s rich jazz and soul legacy, pours his deep love of mid-century swing into his stunning new album A Beautiful Friendship<\/em>. Recorded at the iconic Sam Phillips Recording Studio, Restivo channels a bygone era of great Memphis jazz, reuniting organist Charlie Wood and drummer Renardo Ward to evoke the warm, intimate grooves of \u201950s-\u201960s Beale Street. Across seven beautifully crafted tracks, his lyrical guitar lines and tight ensemble create a vibrant celebration of timeless friendship and sound.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From jazz rooted in mid-century cool to synth-punk nightcrawlers and boundary-pushing R&B, Memphis artists continue to show just how wide the city\u2019s musical spectrum runs. Whether you\u2019re chasing something tender, something loud, or something wonderfully strange, these five new albums capture the creative pulse of Memphis right now and ensure that you’ve got plenty of…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":32102,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5145,5141,5150,5143,127,38,5147,5139,1],"tags":[5704,5711,15,5712,5702,5709,117,5429,5407,5710,5425],"class_list":["post-32094","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alternative","category-country","category-folk","category-jazz","category-memphis-music","category-music","category-rb","category-rock","category-uncategorized","tag-cameron-bethany","tag-dead-soldiers","tag-featured","tag-heels-band","tag-joe-restivo","tag-memphis-albums-2025","tag-memphis-music","tag-memphis-musician","tag-new-memphis-music","tag-optic-sink","tag-we-are-memphis"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n5 Excellent New Memphis Albums to Close Out the Year<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Discover 5 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