New Music Friday Guide: Sam Smith, Stella Lefty, Weezer, and More

Welcome to our weekly curation of essential releases, guiding listeners through the most compelling records defining this week’s sonic landscape. Following recent standouts from artists like Phoebe Bridgers, Ayra Starr, and Troye Sivan, this week delivers a diverse array of major milestones: Sam Smith unveils a deeply reflective fifth album, breakout star Stella Lefty debuts her full-length project, and Weezer marks a monumental discography chapter with their twentieth studio record.

Sam Smith, Hazel Eyes

On “Constant Companion,” a centerpiece of Smith’s 12-track fifth studio effort, the British vocalist showcases the full scope of their vocal agility. The track opens within a rich, grounded lower register before gracefully ascending into the crystalline upper range that has long defined their sound. Anchored by understated percussion and layered choral textures, the arrangement gently incorporates delicate piano chords and acoustic strums. The track reaches an exquisite emotional crescendo in its final act, where sweeping orchestration provides a dramatic backdrop for Smith’s impassioned refrain: “’cause you, you are my constant companion.”

Stella Lefty, Long Way Home

Following the widespread viral momentum of her breakthrough track “Boston,” rising country-pop singer-songwriter Stella Lefty delivers an assured artistic statement with her debut LP, Long Way Home. The 24-year-old artist holds co-writing credits across all 14 selections, collaborating with producer Joe Reeves to build on the promise of her spring EP. Reeves applies a restrained, organic production palette that allows Lefty’s intimate, unadorned vocal delivery to take center stage, establishing her as an authentic and commanding new storyteller.

Weezer, Weezer (Gold Album)

For their milestone 20th studio record, power-pop veterans Weezer return to their tradition of self-titled releases, christening this chapter the Gold Album. Driven by Rivers Cuomo’s unmistakable melodic sensibility and biting guitar crunch, the project pairs the group with co-producers Klas Åhlund and Kenneth Blume (widely known as Kenny Beats). Blume entered the studio aiming to craft the band’s most aggressive and urgent collection of tracks to date—a vision realized through punchy, high-octane rock anthems that honor their signature aesthetic while dialing up the intensity.

Jorja Smith, What Are The Odds

British songstress Jorja Smith pivots toward driving, club-oriented rhythms on her third studio collection, What Are The Odds. Forefronted by energetic cuts like “What’s Done Is Done” and the pulsing “I Lied, You Lied,” alongside the breezy, Wizkid-assisted “Alive,” the project explores wider rhythmic territory than the understated neo-soul of her 2018 debut, Lost & Found. Even amidst the robust beats, poignant tracks such as “Pretend” and the reflective closing piece “When It Gets Like That” provide ample space for her singular, emotive vocal power.

Brandon Flowers, Thrasher

Marking his first solo endeavor in over a decade, The Killers frontman Brandon Flowers channels the rootsy vintage vinyl from his upbringing into a distinct Americana-infused journey on Thrasher. Throughout his third standalone project, Flowers embraces a dusty Western ethos, mirroring the pugilistic themes of the album’s title and cover art. Rather than relying on bombastic pop production, the LP delivers impact through introspective, narrative-driven lyricism and raw, thematic depth.

Brennan Wedl, Brennan Wedl

As ANTI- Records continues to serve as a premier home for groundbreaking alt-country talent, Brennan Wedl steps forward with an unforgettable eponymous label debut. Wedl’s vocal resonance naturally evokes Lucinda Williams, while her songwriting balances vivid, offbeat vignettes with sharp poetic vulnerability. Produced collaboratively by Waxahatchee’s Katie Crutchfield and longtime cohort Brad Cook, the 13-track collection fuses garage-rock grit with classic country tradition—a distinct sonic intersection Wedl characterizes as “grungetry.”

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