FEATURE:
One for the Record Collection!
IN THIS PHOTO: Peggy Gou
Essential June Releases
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I am looking ahead…
IN THIS PHOTO: Charli XCX/PHOTO CREDIT: Harley Weir
to next month and albums out that you will want to pre-order. I am going to highlight a dozen or so albums that you will want to investigate. Maybe not quite as packed as May when it comes to standout albums, there are still plenty that are worth keeping your eye out for. You can see what else is out via this website. I am going to start with albums from 7th June. It is quite an interesting week for album releases. I will start with Alfie Templeman and his new album, Radiosoul. This is an album that you will want to pre-order. One of our finest young songwriters, this is going to be among the most fascinating and brilliant albums of this year:
“Radiosoul, Alfie Templeman's second studio album, is an ambitious suite of tracks that showcase a bold new acid-pop direction for the Bedfordshire-born polymath. The record features production from Templeman as well as Nile Rodgers, Dan Carey, Karma Kid, Oscar Scheller, Will Bloomfield, Justin Young, Josh Scarbrow and Charlie J Perry. It is an album of self-discovery, one that zips between genres at whim and showcases a newfound incisiveness and acerbic humour to Templeman’s lyricism, whilst retaining the sense of joy that defined his previous releases. It is the work of a prodigiously talented songwriter truly coming into his own”.
Let’s get to one of the most anticipated albums of this year. One of our most popular and influential Pop artists, Charli XCX’s Brat is out on 7th June. Even though the album cover – I am not sure if it is the final one – is awful, the music inside is going to be terrific. It is a very interesting and fertile time for great Pop. Dua Lipa recently released her album, Radical Optimism. It will be interesting to see what Charli XCX offers with Brat. Following the underrated CRASH of 2022, I think that we will get one of Charli XCX’s best albums yet in June. It is going to be exciting to see what she puts out into the world. Go and pre-order the album if you can:
“Charli XCX’s sixth studio album Brat is the eagerly awaited follow up to 2022’s Crash, which reached number 1 on the UK’s official album chart. Brat is an exhilarating club record built around high art references and social commentary. Avant-pop and electronic superstar Charli XCX has become an iconic figure in the arts, having helped expand the landscape of popular music over the last decade by seamlessly traversing the underground and mainstream with her artistic output. Over the course of a trailblazing career, the multi-hyphenate creative has earned critical acclaim for her innovative style and entrepreneurial spirit and seen her forward-thinking approach reshape pop culture in the process”.
I am going to move to an album I am really looking forward to. Goat Girl release Below the Waste on 7th June. I would encourage people to pre-order the album, as it is going to be remarkable. They are an incredible and truly original band that always release the most interesting and engaging music. I am keen to see what comes from Below the Waste. From what has come from the album so far suggests that we are going to witness something amazing. Go and check out songs such as motorway and ride around:
“Goat Girl - Lottie Pendlebury (she/her), Rosy Jones (they/them) and Holly Mullineaux (she/her) release their third album Below The Waste on Rough Trade Records. The album was co–produced by the band and John Spud Murphy (Lankum and black midi).
Pieced together like a collage over an extended period of time, the instrumentation was tracked mostly over a ten-day stint in Ireland at Hellfire Studios, in the shadow of the infamous Hellfire Club itself. They also used Damon Albans, Studio 13. Additional strings (Reuben Kyriakides and Nic Pendlebury), woodwind instruments (Alex McKenzie) and vocals (including a choir made up of family and friends) were added to this framework at a number of locations, from a barn in Essex to Goat Girl’s own studio in South London.
Singer Lottie on lead track: “I was listening to lots of music at the time by Phillip Glass and Deerhoof that plays with the relationship between tension and resolution which definitely influenced this song. I was yearning for honesty and authenticity in relationships I held with people, probably partly because at the time, like everyone, we were so isolated from one another. But it also felt deeper than that, like the conversations I dreamt of stripped away all of the etiquettes we desperately clung onto and went below the surface to where the most interesting parts of ourselves tend to be suppressed”.
An album that might pass some people by but you certainly need to be aware of is from Peggy Gou. I Hear You is an album I am tempted to pre-order. One of the most iconic and important artists and D.J.s today, I Hear You is the debut from the sensational Peggy Gou. Such a phenomenal talent, I think this will bring her work to a wider audience. Someone is who is known more as an underground D.J., producer and artist, this will take her to the mainstream and around the world. If you have not heard of Peggy Gou and are not familiar with her work then do go and check her out:
“Artist, producer, DJ and cultural trailblazer Peggy Gou releases her long-awaited debut album. One of the most hotly-anticipated debut records in recent years, I Hear You is released via XL Recordings. The ten track album is the culmination of years of work for the Korean-born artist, who’s uniquely revered as both an underground icon and global sensation, sticking by her own unwavering vision to become one of the most in-demand electronic music artists and DJs in the world. Featuring previous singles, the 2023 chart-topping global hit “(It Goes Like) Nanana” and her Lenny Kravitz collaboration “I Believe in Love Again”, the LP sees Gou stepping into the next level of her artistry and boldly claiming her voice through the kaleidoscopic lens of ‘90s house music.
Talking about I Hear You, Peggy Gou says:
“I Hear You is more than just my debut album. It embodies countless hours of dedication in my journey to create something timeless, and is a testament to the power of listening, to ourselves and to each other”.
I will wrap up with albums from 7th June by concentrating on The Mysterines’ Afraid of Tomorrows. One of our hottest and brightest bands, go and pre-order this album. I am a fan of the band, so I am really interested to hear Afraid of Tomorrows. It is going to be another tremendous album from the Liverpool quartet:
“The Mysterines are a four piece alternative rock band from Liverpool, England. Formed in 2016, the angst-ridden, grunge-inspired indie quartet are fronted by vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter Lia Metcalfe. Their imposing frontwoman melds together more than her lifetime’s worth of experiences with the kind of deep, impassioned vocal you won’t forget in a hurry. In her songs and stagecraft you’ll see and hear everything from PJ Harvey’s raw and ragged stomp to the crazed carnival energy of Tom Waits and eviscerating poetics of Patti Smith.
The first great British rock band of the post-pandemic era, The Mysterines let us in on Lia’s unfiltered look at life, the universe and everything, complete with serious riffs and an unflinching honesty.
Recorded and produced by Grammy Award winning producer John Congleton (St. Vincent, Angel Olsen) in LA, Afraid of Tomorrows is a deeper and darker foray into The Mysterines’ psyche than its predecessor, and reflects the maturity and growth of the band”.
There are three albums from 14th June that are worth bringing to your attention. I will get to them soon enough. I will finish with the last from 7th June that is of interest. It is Carly Pearce’s Hummingbird. If you have not heard of this album, then this album might be for you. A perfect introduction to an astonishing talent. Go and pre-order Hummingbird:
“Carly Pearce’s highly anticipated fourth studio album hummingbird via Big Machine Records. Produced by Pearce, Shane McAnally, and Josh Osborne, hummingbird marks Pearce’s debut as a co-producer and fully represents her new musical chapter – one of forward motion. Following the success of her last studio album 29: Written In Stone, Pearce fully leans into her authentic country sound encompassed by the symbolism of the hummingbird which represents the album’s themes of growth, humility, understanding, playfulness, and optimism. Discussing her inspirations for the hummingbird album, Pearce says, “I have lived a lot of life in the last few years. Entering a new decade has brought a lot of maturity, growth, heartache, and healing. I am still a work in progress, but these songs represent my honesty, playfulness, and openness to keep growing”.
There are two albums from 14th, 21st and 28th June I will finish off with. Moving on to 14th and I want to illuminate Normani’s Dopamine. You can pre-order/save it here. There is not a lot of information out there as to what to expect from the album. I found this article from back in February, where Rolling Stone reacted to the news that Normani’s long-awaited album would be coming this year. Now that we have a date, there is a lot of anticipation and intrigue:
“Normani’s debut album is finally coming! Fans went into a frenzy on Feb. 21 when the R&B star announced that she’ll be releasing her debut album. It’s called Dopamine. While an exact release date has yet to be announced, the singer teased that fans can expect the new music at some point this year.
“Cryingg typing this rn,” she wrote on Twitter with an image of the album cover. “DOPAMINE THE ALBUM.”
The cover art sees Normani posing atop a large black rocket in a two-piece swimsuit as she looks into the distance. With the album artwork, she also shared a short snippet of her singing a R&B song, showcasing her luscious vocals.
“It’s a representation of my evolution. It’s the version of me that’s been through some things over the course of the last few years,” Normani told Who What Wear.
And while fans are certainly excited at the idea of Normani’s long-awaited solo album finally coming out, they’ve been here before. Since launching her solo career in 2018, around the time that Fifth Harmony disbanded, Normani has built up immense anticipation for her upcoming LP: she’s teased about having an album title ready, dropped numerous A-list collaborations, and has hinted that it was almost done for nearly six years.
Through the years of musical drought — she has 15ish songs out, most of which are collaborations — fans have been asking her (and themselves): “Where is the album?” Well, it looks like it’s finally (almost) here.
“I end up having certain conversations with myself where I’m thinking, ‘Is what everybody is saying true? Did I miss my moment? Did I wait too long? Do they still care?’” Normani told Who What Wear”.
Actually, there is one more from 14th June that I want to mention prior to moving on. The Decemberists’ As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again is an album you’ll want to look out for. Go and pre-order if you can. With a beautiful album cover and some amazing music within, I think that fans of the band and new converts alike will want to grab their new album. I would recommend it to those who have not heard of The Decemberists. A band well worth investing in:
“For over 20 years, The Decemberists have been one of the most original, daring, and thrilling American rock bands. Their distinctive brand of hyperliterate folk-rock set them apart from the start, releasing nine full-length albums that are unbound by genre and highly ambitious. Now the beloved indie band is back with their first new album in six years, As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again - not only the longest Decemberists album to date (and their first intentional, proper double-LP) but also their most empathetic and accessible, its 13 songs like semaphores of mutual recognition for our fraught times and faint hope.
Reuniting with producer Tucker Martine (R.E.M., Neko Case, Sufjan Stevens) who began working with the band on The Crane Wife, the album features R.E.M.’s Mike Mills, The Shins’ James Mercer and Lizzie Ellison on background vocals.This, songwriter Colin Meloy will tell you proudly, is the best Decemberists albums and perhaps the ultimate realization of 22 years of work. In many ways, As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again feels like an aptly titled renewal for The Decemberists. The first full-length release on YABB Records, the band’s own label, after a run of nearly two decades with Capitol. As they were once, here are the Decemberists again, now an independent band empowered by singing stories that sound instantly familiar and convey some bit of hard-won wisdom”.
Two great albums from 21st June that are worth pre-ordering. I want to start with Gracie Abrams‘ The Secret of Us. A stunning young artist who is about to release her second album. It looks like it is going to be a step up and expansion from her remarkable debut album, Good Riddance. I would encourage people to go and pre-order The Secret Life of Us:
“Gracie Abrams returns with her sophomore album, The Secret of Us released via Interscope Records. This is Gracie's most expansive body of work both sonically and narratively. Coming off the heels of her hugely successful debut Good Riddance Gracie shows us how much she has accomplished in one short year. Gracie's growth as a songwriter and vocalist is showcased in her most extroverted album yet, as she continues to work with longtime collaborator Aaron Dessner. A portion of these songs were also written with Gracie's best friend, Audrey Hobert. This album was written with the urgency with which you run home to detail every moment of a night to your friend, with her live experiences over the past year having deeply shaped the identity of this album”.
The tremendous Kate Nash is someone who I have been listening to for years. I am looking forward to 9 Sad Symphonies. It is out on 21st June. It sounds like her new album is going to be a step away from those who remember her early work. There is going to be a mix of emotional depth, elegance and the distinct vocal and lyrical voice of the amazing Kate Nash. Go and pre-order her album here. She is a wonderful artist who always puts out great albums. A very distinct artist:
“Kate Nash's new album 9 Sad Symphonies is her first signed to the legendary Kill Rock Stars label - The album was produced and mixed by Grammy winning Danish producer Frederik Thaae (K Flay, Jada, Crown The Empire) - Marking a new chapter in Kate's illustrious career, the album's lyrical scope is both deeply personal and achingly relatable, whilst its orchestral arrangements and melodies draw from Kate's experience in the world of musical theatre.
Kate Nash is a Brit Award-winning singer-songwriter, musician and actress known for her fearless approach to music and unapologetic storytelling. A platinum selling artist with a career spanning over a decade, she has garnered critical acclaim for her chart-topping hits and electrifying live performances. From her debut album Made of Bricks to her latest releases, Kate's artistry continues to resonate with audiences and has earned her a dedicated fanbase. She also captivated audiences as Rhonda in Netflix's Emmy-nominated GLOW”.
There are two from 28th June I will round up with. The first is Hiatus Kaiyote’s Love Heart Cheat Code. This might be a new name to you, so it is fair enough it may be a harder sell. I would say to go and stream songs by Hiatus Kaiyote. Released through the Brainfeeder label, I would genuinely encourage people to go and order Love Heart Cheat Code. It is going to be a wonderful work that will stay in the mind and memory for a long time:
“Melbourne-based, 3 x Grammy-nominated band Hiatus Kaiyote release Love Heart Cheat Code via Brainfeeder Records / Ninja Tune. Love Heart Cheat Code is a snapshot of four musicians dancing together on the edge, 11 playful, exuberant tracks that shine light. Yet, for a band that made a name for itself with its complexity and received critical praise and multiple Grammy nominations for their embrace of maximalism, one of the most striking things about Love Heart Cheat Code is its simplicity. Recommended if you like… BADBADNOTGOOD, Moonchild, Jordan Rakei, Kamasi Washington, Yussef Dayes”.
I am going to end with another slightly more obscure album. Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats’ South of Here. I am quite new to the band, but I am now compelled to listen back before their new album comes out. I would definitely encourage others to take a listen. Very much worth pre-ordering South of Here. An album that is going to make an impact when you hear it. From what I have heard from the band, they are likely to give the world something truly special on 28th June:
“South of Here, the fourth full-length studio release from Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats, reckons with a lifetime of pain and trauma and transforms it into a stirring and soul- baring rumination on love, loss, hope and resolve. Following And It’s Still Alright, Rateliff’s beloved 2020 solo LP, and The Future, The Night Sweat’s acclaimed 2021 release, the new album blends both sides of his immense talent: emotionally potent, vivid storytelling and the rugged, R&B revivalism that has powered the band to world-wide acclaim over the past decade.
Produced by Brad Cook (Bon Iver, Waxahatchee, Kevin Morby) with principle recording at Sonic Ranch outside of El Paso, TX, South of Here was written by Nathaniel Rateliff and performed by The Night Sweats: Nathaniel Rateliff (vocals, guitar), Luke Mossman (guitar), Joseph Pope III (bass), Mark Shusterman, (Hammond B3, piano), Patrick Meese (drums, piano), Daniel Hardaway (trumpet), Jeff Dazey (tenor sax), and Andreas Wild (baritone sax). Playing with intuitive beauty all in service of the song, the Sweats are in peak form, while Cook’s production captures the group’s soulful fire with immediacy and purpose.
Songs such as “David and Goliath,” “Heartless,” “Get Used to the Night,” and “South of Here” reach across damaged connections with brutal honesty, and others like “Remember I Was a Dancer,” “The Center of Me,” “Everybody Wants Something,” and “Times Makes Fools of Us All,” are cinematic portrayals of self-doubt and innocence lost.
Walking a line between cutting truths and joyful noise, the band delivers 11 original tracks with exquisite warmth and empathy. Bound by the struggle for identity and the search for belonging, South of Here reverberates with the understanding that we’re all in this beautiful mess together”.
Those are albums from next month I think you should pre-order. You might have others you want to check out. Maybe none of the above. The point of this feature is to give a guidance and heads-up as to what has been announced so far. Of course, like every month, we may get some surprise releases for June. Things can change between now and then. There should be enough to get started with if you consider the albums above. I hope that my guide has provided you with…
SOME useful suggestions.