It’s New Music Friday, featuring the latest venture from Japanese Breakfast, plus fresh records from other acts that are worthy of a listen. Scroll down to view all of the top releases in music today. First, here are thoughts on this week’s most anticipated album.
The Best of New Music Friday:
Japanese Breakfast – For Melancholy Brunettes (and Sad Women)
Japanese Breakfast delivered 2025’s first major music announcement this January when the mega popular band, lead by the perennially talented Michelle Zauner, unveiled plans for their new album For Melancholy Brunettes (and Sad Women). Lead single “Orlando In Love” was the band’s first release in almost four years. It’s a song themed around people, often men, who find themselves seduced by temptation and are duly punished for it. It instantly became this year’s first “on-repeat” song.
Some fans immediately noticed how somber “Orlando In Love” sounded compared to other Jbrekkie tracks, including the majority of their most recent record Jubilee, which featured funky songs worthy of music videos about chasing aliens. The theatrics for the accompanying “Orlando In Love” video were still present, but took a different form. They were simply beautiful. The video drew inspiration from German painter Eduard von Grützner’s painting “The Connoisseur,” which led Zauner to picture Orlando as a “daydreaming friar” who searches for the unlikeliest of love interests: a siren.
After around a month where fans blasted “Orlando In Love” and immersed themselves in “sipping milky broth,” Zauner and company shared the second single from For Melancholy Brunettes (and Sad Women), a more upbeat tune called “Mega Circuit.” It’s got jammy pianos.
Later on in this new album, a lot of listeners will likely be surprised to hear actor Jeff Bridges’ voice on “Men in Bars.” Another surprise for Japanese Breakfast fan’s might be the lack of synths on this album. For Melancholy Brunettes (and Sad Women) is a different Japanese Breakfast experience than previous renditions. But despite those differences, it’s an equally enjoyable one.
For the record, here’s how important Japanese Breakfast is: The band’s upcoming tour is so sold out that some cities are hosting three performances. This group is one of the only “can’t miss” acts in music right now. They are popular to the point some people will have no choice but to miss out on these shows.
It would be an injustice to avoid mentioning For Melancholy Brunettes (and Sad Women) is largely inspired by grief and the death of Zauner’s mother, who also inspired the artist to write parts of Jubilee and her book Crying in H Mart. After recording For Melancholy Brunettes (and Sad Women), Zauner moved to Seoul, South Korea for a year, effectively delaying the album’s release.
Now Zauner is back in New York City with a new record and a year of fresh horizons awaiting. Regardless of hair color, gender (or lack thereof), Japanese Breakfast has unlocked new boundaries on their new album, just like they opened doors on their first record Psychopomp, each release after, and hopefully, from now until whenever.
New Music Friday Top Picks:
Bathe – Inside Voice(s) [MNRK]
Conan Gray – Kid Krow, Decomposed (5 Year Anniversary Edition) [Republic]
Dutch Interior – Moneyball [Fat Possum]
Güner Künier – Yaramaz [Flirt 99]
Jefre Cantu-Ledesma – Gift Songs [Mexican Summer]
My Morning Jacket – Is [ATO]
Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco – I Said I Love You First [Interscope]
Sharp Pins – Radio DDR [Perennial]
Which of these tracks from New Music Friday will you add to your favorite playlists today? Any we missed? Let us know in the comments or on Instagram!
- New Music Friday – March 21, 2025 - March 20, 2025
- Durand Jones & The Indications Announce First New Album in 4 Years, Share Lead Single: Listen - March 19, 2025
- Lollapalooza 2025 Official Lineup Revealed - March 18, 2025
