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Listen to new songs from Michigander, Robert Finley, Beabadoobee and more

The Current: Music You Should Know
The Current: Music You Should KnowMPR graphic

March 25, 2021

Thursday means a batch of cool new tracks for you. We've got music from Michigander, Robert Finley, Beabadoobee, Jungle, Bachelor and Yusra J.

Michigander, "Better"


"Everything Will Be OK Eventually" seems like a good mantra for 2021, so it makes for a good title for the new EP from Michigander. It kicks off with "Better," a song that is full of revved-up drums and U2-like guitar strums to inspire self improvement.

Robert Finley, "Souled Out On You"


The Louisiana-born blues and soul singer started making music when he was 11. In the 1970s, Finley joined the Army as a helicopter technician, but when he learned the U.S. Army Band needed a guitarist, he filled that spot and became their bandleader as they toured around Europe. After coming home and busking, Finley was introduced to Dan Auerbach, who helped bring Finley the attention his music deserves. The new album, Sharecropper's Son, will be out May 21 and centers on Finley's life growing up in rural Louisiana.

Beabadoobee, "The Last Day On Earth"


British up-and-comer Beabadoobee gained some serious traction last year with the release of her debut album, Fake It Flowers. She was supposed to go on tour with the 1975, but the pandemic shut that down. Seems like that tour spirit was still alive, because now there's a new song, "The Last Day on Earth," that Beabadoobee recorded with The 1975's Matty Healy and George Daniel.

Jungle, "Keep Moving"


Just in time for summer, the British duo are back with "Keep Moving," a song that starts with cinematic strings and gentle harmonies like a calm wakeup, and then it kicks things up. The disco renaissance continues with a shimmery song to take us outside dancing together again.

Bachelor, "Stay in the Car"


Bachelor is a new project from Jay Som's Melina Duterte andnPalehound's Ellen Kempner. Duterte and Kempner have been friends and fans of each other's work, and while on a touring break, they met up in California to record some music together. Back in February they released "Anything at All" and now there's "Stay in the Car," a '90s rocker with fuzzy guitar distortion that's going to sound great live.

Yusra J, "Testimony"


Minnesota artist Yusra Jara, known by her stage name Yusra J, is making music her own way, as a young Somali-Oromo woman with a scarf on her head and sneakers on her feet. Jara's EPn"Testimony"nwas released in March of 2020. She describes the EP as a series of realizations about her life. Her lead single, also titled "Testimony," captures some of the vulnerabilities she felt at that time. "Everyone can tell you, 'Testimony' is my baby," she said. "It's about who I was at that time. I thought about the people that I was around and the situations that I was putting myself into." –Abdi Mohamed