Even as the year races to a close, it seems there’s no rest for the music industry. Artists continue to deliver some of their finest work, announce new albums and put in their last-minute bids for song-of-the-year, all the while keeping fans on their toes. Broadly speaking, 2023 has been a year of musical excellence, with acts new and old working together to emphatically show that the creative tap is flowing harder than it has for a long time.

This week saw the return of alternative rock veterans The Lemonheads along with new material from super-producer Jack Antonoff’s Bleachers and even welcomed a beautiful cover by everyone’s favourite supergroup, Boygenius. Following the vanguard’s exemplary flourishes, a collection of our favourite up-and-comers shared fresh tracks, including Lime Garden, Wasia Project and Saint Saviour.

If that wasn’t all, this bountiful seven-day cycle also provided compelling full-length studio efforts from Dolly Parton, Madness and more, but head to our weekly Alternative Album Chart for the complete lowdown on all that zest. In a testament to the all-encompassing nature of music in 2023, there’s something for everyone over there.

Here, though, we’re sharing the best new songs you need to hear this week. Cutting through the piping steam of the many sizzling releases on the hot plate, these selections are the finest from the realms of indie, alt and folk. The quality in store is quite something.

The week’s best new music:

The best new indie songs:

Tom Odell – ‘Answer Phone’: Tom Odell seems to have returned to his roots, and we’re loving it. Stripping his style way back to spotlight the incredible lyricism that first got the world hooked on him, new tracks ‘Black Friday’ and now ‘Answer Phone’ are stunning. ‘Answer Phone’ drips with classic influences, Beatles instrumentals and Pink Floyd strange melodies. A haunting and striking track; we’re so on board with this Tom Odell era. (4/5)

Bleachers – ‘Alma Mater’: With Jack Antonoff being the king of modern music, of course his own tunes are brilliant. His band Bleachers have returned, following up the high-energy ‘Modern Girl’ with ‘Alma Mater’ which features Lana Del Rey. As expected, the production is incredible, reminiscent of Bon Iver or Antonoff’s own recent works with Taylor Swift and The 1975. Bleachers are like ’80s synth meets Bruce Springsteen, and the combo is delicious. (4.5/5)

Wasia project – ‘Remember When’: Brother-sister duo Wasia Project, which features Heartstopper’s Will Gao, have been ones to watch for a while now. With each new track, their sound is maturing and developing. The new one, ‘Remember When’, is a breathtaking ballad with a vocal performance from Olivia Hardy that will stop you in your tracks. (3/5)

Divorce – ‘Sex & the Millenium Bridge’: The midlands indie outfit have shared their second EP, Heady Metal. Opening up with ‘Sex & The Millenium Bridge’ this strange little ballad is hypnotic. Spiralling around convulsions and intrusive thoughts, betterment and self-destruction, it’s a lyrical feat. (4/5) 

Lime Garden – ‘I Want To Be You’: Tiding us over until the release of their debut album early next year, the new track from Lime Garden is another stellar cut from the band. ‘I Want To Be You’ manages to be so catchy yet so unique, filled with all the quirky guitar sounds and rhythms we’ve come to love the band for. If you haven’t been introduced to them yet, now is the time to get to know them before they blow up next year. (4.5/5)

The best new rock/alt songs:

The Lemonheads – ‘Fear Of Living’: 1990s rockers The Lemonheads returned with a brand new track, ‘Fear Of Living’. With the same Boston drawl that took the new punk scene by storm way back when, Evan Dando’s voice sounds as good as ever. (3/5)

Baby Said – ‘Fight’: Sister duo Baby Said are launching into the world with a punch debut single. The Italian-Punjabi band shared this gobby punk number that is just begging to be heard live. Being only 17 and 19 years old, they’ve got a lot of life in front of them and from the sounds of this debut, big things are coming their way. (3.5/5)

Lauran Hibberd – ‘Mary’: The Isle Of Wight’s answer to Avril Lavigne, Lauran Hibberd makes pop punk fun again. Her sharp storytelling pen makes every song feel so thorough, and ‘Mary’ is no exception. All sung with a heavy dose of gobby attitude, this track makes you feel like a teenager in the best way. (3/5)

Bilderbuch – ‘Bluezone’: Not many bands can say they’ve been personally spotlighted by Mick Jagger. But Austria’s Bilderbuch can. Picked out by the Stones icon himself to support them on their recent stadium tour, the art-rock quartet are making something different. ‘Bluezone’ merges electro flavours of Kraftwerk with a classic rock heart. Sounding huge and utterly unique, we’re into it. (4/5)

The best new folk songs:

Fiona O’Connell – ‘In The End’: O’Connell’s bio on Spotify reads “wannabe songwriter and producer”, but we think she’s already made it. With only two tracks out, her second ‘In The End’ is an incredibly mature effort for a new artist. Indie folk at its finest with a beautiful vocal performance and lyrics that get you real in the heart; we’re keeping ears pricked for more. (4/5)

Boygenius – ‘The Parting Glass’: In honour of their musical hero Sinead O’Connor, Boygenius have shared a haunting version of the Gaelic classic. With all proceeds going to The Aisling Project, a charity chosen by O’Connor’s family, this cover is as beautiful as the sentiment behind it. (5/5)

Saint Saviour – ‘A Picture Is All I Have’: Pairing up with former Maccabees leader Orlando Weeks, the new track from Teesside’s Saint Saviour is a stunning folk take on nostalgia. Revelling in the bittersweet notion of memory, ‘A Picture Is All I Have’ navigates reflection, regret and remembrance with a beautiful guitar and horn backing. (4/5)

Related Topics