Mother’s Day weekend brings us a motherlode of new music releases, including anticipated titles from Arcade Fire, Blake Shelton, Andre 3000, Maren Morris, Kali Uchis, Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and Sleep Token, as well as the completion of Counting Crows’ “Butter Miracle” concept (all subject to change)...
Album of the Week: Arcade Fire, “Pink Elephant” (Columbia): The arty Canadian rock troupe recruited fellow New Orleans-based expatriate Daniel Lanois to co-produce its seventh album -- one that comes after a great deal of drama, including sexual misconduct allegations against frontman Win Butler and the 2021 departure of his brother Will. The 10-song set was preceded by the singles “Year of the Snake” and the title track, and it comes on the heels of a galvanizing performance at SNL50: The Homecoming Concert on Valentine’s Day in New York City.