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This week, albums from Arlo Parks who is falling in love with the nightlife; from the Putumayo label spotlighting the desert blues; and from Bob Corritore and Friends, connecting the blues world with his harmonica.
Plus, psychedelic soul from Alabama Shakes, rocksteady from Joey Quiñones, folk-country from Duluth's Feeding Leroy and a lesson in empathy from Goodnight Moon.
Check out this week's suggestions from Music Director Kari Hedlund, Asst. Music Director Malachy Koons and Volunteer Coordinator Dan Gannon.
Albums
Album of the Week: Arlo Parks - Ambiguous Desire
After making a name for herself with tender, poetic indie-pop songs that sounded like you were sitting in the bedroom as she sang them, Parks takes her songwriting skills to the dancefloor on her third album, Ambiguous Desire. Inspired by a move to NYC and her newfound love for the nightclub and dance music culture, it captures that wide-open feeling of breaking out of your shell and finding your community in your early 20s. Drawing from U.K. pirate radio, two-step rhythms and the queer dance music culture of Larry Levan’s Paradise Garage, the album is a great entry point into the world of dance music. -MK
Various Artists - Desert Blues by Putumayo
A primarily acoustic take on the West African desert blues sound pioneered by Tinariwen, this collection showcases many artists who are less familiar to our Western ears. The instrumentation may change according to the specific region the artist comes from, but the quiet virtuosity of this blues-influenced sound remains constant. For example, Tasuta uses a violin on their song "Izem (Lion)," and the hand drums on Angam's "Ach Temel" give the tune a different rhythmic sense than the trap kits that many desert blues musicians employ. What a lovely compilation sharing the expanding and evocative sounds of shifting sands and unique independence! -DG
Bob Corritore & Friends - Ernestine Blues
Harmonica player Bob Corritore is on a mission to connect the tradition of the blues to the players and audience of today. A frequent collaborator, over the years, he has showcased legends like John Primer and Henry Gray while also giving a spotlight to contemporary artists like Kid Ramos. This new album covers all of the ground with features from newer names like Carla Denise and Sugaray Rayford to longtime soul and blues voices like Johnny Rawls and Willie Buck. An exploration of Bob’s world of Chicago blues to early R&B, country blues and soul ballads, Ernestine Blues is a home run for fans of the genre. -KH
Singles
Alabama Shakes - "American Dream"
Our second taste of the influential group’s return following “Another Life” last August, “American Dream” is a slow-burning psychedelic soul protest song. As you could probably guess, the present climate in America is not so dreamy to Brittany Howard. In a news release, she said, “My hope is that one day people will hear this song and say, 'Yeah, shit was crazy back then, but we made it through.'" -MK
Joey Quiñones - "Don't Let Go"
Joey Quiñones got his start leading backing bands for Jamaican ska and dancehall acts, a musical foundation that clearly shapes the sound of his new single, “Don’t Let Go.” Steeped in dreamy rocksteady, the leader of Thee Sinseers leans into retro textures and Latin soul on this preview of his solo album, Inna Soul Steady Situation, out May 29, 2026. -KH
Goodnight Moonshine - "Somebody's Child"
A wonderfully empathetic song by this Connecticut couple that challenges our assumptions about folks who are living on the streets or panhandling. Molly Venter's vocals use a talk-sing style to convey her story of poverty, travel and alternative ways to live a life. Check out the whole record, Business Unusual, as it's a goodun’. -DG
Feeding Leroy - "Comes a Time"
Led by Duluth-based musicians Lee and Sonja Martin, Feeding Leroy has always centered around harmonies and thoughtful songwriting. I first heard this new song on Minnesota Mixtape and was immediately taken by Lee and Sonja's voices together with lyrics telling of better days ahead. The title track from their upcoming album, out in September, "Comes a Time," starts with an acknowledgement of the surplus of tough times, then through a melancholy transition, shifts into a call for hope. -KH
1976 Album
J.J. Cale - Troubadour
From the opening notes on Troubadour, J.J. Cale signals something new amid his comforting and classic rhythms. The lead track, “Hey Baby,” introduces horns into his sound and continues his streak of kicking off albums with an infectious and boppin’ number, just as he did on Naturally, Really and Okie.
Cale helped define the Tulsa sound alongside musicians like Leon Russell and Elvin Bishop by mixing the blues, rock, roots, jazz and rockabilly into a swampy minimalist style. A true musician’s musician, his understated style left a deep mark on artists such as Neil Young, Mark Knopfler and Waylon Jennings.
This album produced one of the most famous cover songs of his, “Cocaine,” recorded by Eric Clapton in 1977 and made into a hit. In Troubadour, we hear the now-iconic guitar riff in its original form: grittier, more laid back and stamped in Cale’s signature sonic restraint. This album also features “Travelin’ Light,” covered by Widespread Panic in 1988.
Cale gets downright sexy in “Ride Me High,” “You Got Me On So Bad” and in the simple “Let Me Do It to You,” while songs like “Hold On” and “Super Blue” reveal jazz influences.
Produced by longtime collaborator Audie Ashworth, this fourth album also included the synth on the funky “Ride Me High.” Even with these additions in sound, Troubadour remains deeply rooted in the hypnotic rhythms and understated grooves that define Cale's sound. -KH
