New Music Friday: The best releases out on Oct. 27

The Austin, Texas, duo Black Pumas drew album-of-the-year nods when they dropped their self-titled debut in 2019. Now the group is back with its long-awaited follow-up, Chronicles of a Diamond, a scruffy, fuzzed-out soul and psych-rock album anchored by singer Eric Burton's unforgettable voice. We give Chronicles of a Diamond a spin to kick off this week's show and talk about the ways the band reimagines classic sounds with a steady dose of seemingly unrelated but completely captivating sonic shifts.

Hear The Songs

We've also got the thumping, idiosyncratic electronic music of Peruvian artist Sofia Kourtesis, an epic, story-driven album from The Mountain Goats, late-night brain music from Shabazz Palaces, the 30th anniversary of Nirvana's In Utero and more. Writer and critic LaTesha Harris joins NPR Music contributor Stefanie Fernández and host Robin Hilton as they share their picks for the best albums out on Oct. 27.

Featured Albums:

Other notable releases for Oct. 27:

• Angie McMahon — Light, Dark, Light Again
• DJ Shadow — Action Adventure
• Duran Duran — DANSE MACABRE
• The Gaslight Anthem — History Books
• The Kills — God Games
• Mayer Hawthorne — For All Time
• Mike Reed — The Separatist Party
• Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark — Bauhaus Staircase
• Poppy — Zig
• Wild Nothing — Hold

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