This week's batch of new music sees the return of Modest Mouse and of Wallflowers. We also get a new one from rising star Dawn Richard, and the latest from Minnesota musician runo plum. Plus, reconnect with Laura Marling's side project, and discover a songwriter — whose music you've definitely heard performed by other artists — but who is now releasing music under their own name.

Modest Mouse, "We Are Between"

The seventh album from Modest Mouse, The Golden Casket, is coming out June 25. Get ready to join the band in "the liminal space between raw punk power and experimental studio science," as they said in the press release for the album. The first song, "We Are Between," sounds BIG. I've been daydreaming about outdoor festivals and this is exactly the sort of big guitars and anthemic chorus sounds that would make for a great festival song.

Dawn Richard, "Boomerang"

Remember Danity Kane? It was a reality-TV band that Puff Daddy put together in the early '00s. Dawn Richard has spent the last two decades putting all that behind her and making her own music. In her sixth solo album, she's gunning for that electro-dance world that Janelle Monáe lives in.

LUMP, "Animal"

British singer-songwriter Laura Marling and Mike Lindsay of the band Tunng first joined together as LUMP in 2018. The more experimental side project from Marling and Lindsay is back with a new album, Animal, out July 30. The title track blooms over the course of three minutes with amazing attention to detail that makes the song feel fully realized.

Wallflowers, "Roots and Wings"

The first album in nearly nine years from Jakob Dylan's Wallflowers project is Exit Wounds. It feels like it picks up right where the band left off. A little dash of bitterness clips the edge of twanging guitars on their new song, "Roots and Wings."

Lawrence Rothman, "Sunny Place for Shady People" feat. Son Little

Lawrence Rothman has written songs for Kim Gordon, Courtney Love, Angel Olsen, Soccer Mommy, and Empress Of. They've toured with Iggy Pop, Melissa Nadler, and Twin Shadow. They've been making music for themselves and others since they were a teen, and if you're just hearing their name now — perfect timing — they've got a new song, "Sunny Place for Shady People."

runo plum, "red lights"

runo plum is a singer-songwriter who is constantly busy writing and recording music in her bedroom in rural Minnesota. As a teenager, she garnered quite a large fanbase by singing six-second covers on Vine (even Billie Eilish harmonized with her). Now, she has been sharing her original music on TikTok. As you can hear on her EP earlier from '20 and assorted SoundCloud singles, runo plum has mastered the art of melancholy indie-pop, comparable to the likes of Phoebe Bridgers and Soccer Mommy. – Sylvia Jennings

Playlist