This week, we hear a new single born of the longtime collaboration between The National and Bon Iver. We’ll also listen to the newest tracks from Rex Orange County, Allison Russell, Beth Orton and Minnesota-based artist Raffaella. Plus, discover the laid-back sound of the Ecuadorian-Swiss sibling duo Hermanos Gutierrez.

The National, “Weird Goodbyes” feat. Bon Iver

Bon Iver and The National have a lovely friendship full of music-community building (to wit, the Eaux Claires Music and Art Fest and the collective and label 37d03d) and their recent team-up with Taylor Swift on multiple records. Now, they have their own music to share: a one-off called, "Weird Goodbyes." Aaron Dessner of The National shared that "Matt [Berninger]'s melody and words felt so elegant and moving from the beginning — mourning a loss of innocence and motivation, holding onto memories and feelings that inevitably slip away and the grief we all suffer in weird goodbyes."

Raffaella, “Grown Up”

In a recent profile of local musician Raffaella, Cecilia Johnson said the artist had "created an endlessly repeatable pop album with poetic depth." It's fizzy, poppy, summertime goodness with "Grown Up" off of the recently released LIVE, RAFF, LOVE (Act I).

Rex Orange County, “Threat”

Fresh off the heels of his melodic pop album, Who Cares?, Rex Orange County has a new song, “THREAT,” which runs on a tropical guitar loop and thumping drum beat. It's a meditative, repetitive song that calls back to his roots as a feature artist on Tyler, The Creator's Flower Boy album.

Hermanos Gutierrez, “El Bueno Y El Malo”

Your moment of chill for the week — a nod to Spaghetti Western films from Hermanos Gutierrez. The sibling duo bring their guitars to tangle and meld in beautiful instrumental music that's rooted in Western and Latin American soil. It's spare and intimate music that plays like a conversation between the brothers.

Allison Russell, “You’re Not Alone” feat. Brandi Carlile

The multiple Grammy-nominated Canadian singer-songwriter, Allison Russell, released the critically beloved album Outside Child last year. Her first new song in 2022 is a cover of a song she originally recorded with her collective, Our Native Daughters, back in 2019. This version of "You're Not Alone" brings in backing vocals from Brandi Carlile and a gorgeous string arrangement from Sista Strings.

Beth Orton, “Friday Night”

I read somewhere that between an artist and a performer is understanding. There is a deep understanding behind a Beth Orton performance. Orton gained attention for her "folktronica" sound in the '90s, and from "Friday Night," it sounds like she is leaning a little further into the folk half of the genre. It's an aged voice that greets us with a dreamy nostalgia on the first track from the soon to be released album, Weather Alive.

Playlist