3 new songs and 3 new albums to check out this weekend

Roan debuted this new song on Saturday Night Live last weekend and NBC has curiously neglected to upload it yet, even though her performance of “Pink Pony Club” has been on YouTube for days now. Roan is probably waiting to drop the official audio, though to what end, we couldn’t possibly speculate. The song itself is a fun country jam about women getting each other off, which is both extremely on-brand for Roan and a clever subversion of the genre.

Swedish indie rockers Girl Scout released their third EP, Headache, this week, fresh off a supporting spot on Alvvays’ most recent tour. “I’m So Sorry” is the album closer, and it’s a raw plea for forgiveness to someone who probably won’t ever hear it. Lead singer Emma Jansson told Northern Transmissions, “Headache is AAAAAAAAH!!!!!! THAT feeling. Straight-up hate and frustration.” “I’m So Sorry” doesn’t offer much in the way of closure, but it is an excellent final song for this EP.

Imogen Heap’s “What Have You Done To Me” remixes the melody of her early hit “Hide And Seek,” turning it into a more maximalist electro-pop groove. “What Have You Done To Me” is the first part of something Heap is calling The Living Song, which is a sort of website/app that empowers listeners to remix her music using AI. Heap’s music has never been conventional or safe, so her open-armed embrace of AI isn’t surprising, but it is a notable deviation from the way many other artists, writers, and actors have strongly denounced the controversial new technology. The song is still well worth checking out, though, if for no other reason than it’s been a minute since we’ve gotten new original music from Heap.

Primal Scream is back after eight years with their 12th album, Come Ahead. The title comes from a Glaswegian term that signifies you’re ready and willing to fight, which at first blush seems an odd fit for an album that veers frequently into funk. But throughout the album, singer Bobby Gillespie (the only original member of the band at this point) brings a confrontational attitude to the lyrics. The lead single, “Love Insurrection,” certainly isn’t subtle, but Primal Scream has never been willing to simply fade into the background.

The Body’s The Crying Out Of Things feels extremely prescient. It’s nine tracks of near-impenetrable noise that “pushes toward the unmistakable sound of oblivion,” according to the album notes. In practice, it feels like the soundtrack to an imminent apocalypse. The songs all fade together, creating an oppressive wall of sound that never relents. The experimental metal band has always been interested in pushing the limits of what kind of aural punishment people can take, but it feels somehow more direct this time, like we might just deserve it.

The Talking Heads’ debut album 77 gets a Super Deluxe Edition re-release. The album has been fully remastered, and there are over three hours of material, including alternate versions of “Psycho Killer” and “Pulled Up.” There’s also a recording of a 1977 show at legendary NYC club CBGB, which might just be worth the price of the whole box set alone. Audiophiles will find a lush Dolby Atmos mix of the album on the included Blu-ray, too.