All Songs Considered | The best releases out on Aug. 25

Nigerian singer Burna Boy is one of the biggest pop stars in the world, as well as a global superstar by any metric. His seventh album has a title that promises the victory lap for which he’s long-overdue: It’s called I Told Them… The record continues to expand Burna Boy’s Afro-fusion palette, as he draws inspiration from ’90s hip-hop and R&B — and sounds more assured than ever in the process.

We’ve also got new albums from Sacramento singer-songwriter Victoria Monét, who’s worked with a who’s-who of pop and R&B stars; Brazilian bossa nova singer Bebel Gilberto, who performs an album of covers by her legendary father, João Gilberto; a long-shelved 2004 album by rapper Jemini and producer Danger Mouse; and a collection of jazzy reflections on the Latin-American songbook from alto sax player Miguel Zenón and pianist Luis Perdomo. (There is also a new surprise Zach Bryan self-titled album featuring Kacey Musgraves, The Lumineers and others.) On this week’s New Music Friday, Vocalo Radio 91’s Ayana Contreras, Alt.Latino co-host Felix Contreras and NPR Music’s Sheldon Pearce join guest host Stephen Thompson.

Featured Albums:

1. Burna Boy — I Told Them…
   Featured Songs: “Big 7,” “Sittin On Top of the World (feat. 21 Savage)”
2. Victoria Monét — JAGUAR II
   Featured Songs: “Smoke (feat. Lucky Daye),” “Cadillac (A Pimp’s Anthem),” “Stop (Asking 4 Shyt)”
3. Bebel Gilberto — João
   Featured Songs: “Desafinado,” “Caminhos Cruzados”
4. Danger Mouse & Jemini — Born Again
   Featured Songs: “Locked Up,” “Born Again”
5. Miguel Zenón & Luis Perdomo — El Arte Del Bolero Vol. 2
   Featured Songs: “Paula C”

Lightning Round:

• Betty Davis — Crashin’ From Passion
• Maluma — Don Juan
• Mick Jenkins — The Patience
• Strawberry Runners — Strawberry Runners

Other notable releases for August 25:

• Zach Bryan — Zach Bryan
• A Giant Dog — Bite
• Alice Cooper — Road
• Be Your Own Pet — Mommy
• Becca Mancari — Left Hand
• Buck Meek — Haunted Mountain
• Candlebox — The Long Goodbye
• Charlotte Cardin — 99 Nights
• Cindy Wilson — Realms
• Crooks & Nannies — Real Life
• Fat Tony & Taydex — I Will Make a Baby in This Damn Economy
• Filter — The Algorithm
• Grandaddy — Sumday: Excess Baggage
• Hannah Georgas — I’d Be Lying If I Said I Didn’t Care
• Hiss Golden Messenger — Jump For Joy
• Islands — And That’s Why Dolphins Lost Their Legs
• Mary Jane Dunphe — Stage of Love
• Morgan Wade — Psychopath
• Old Crow Medicine Show — Jubilee
• Ora Cogan — Formless
• Ratboys — The Window
• Spanish Love Songs — No Joy
• Sid Sriram — Sidharth
• Spellling — Spellling & The Mystery School
• Ta-Ku — Songs to Come Home To
• Tim McGraw — Standing Room Only
• Tony Molina — Embarrassing Times
• Turnpike Troubadours — A Cat in the Rain

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