Hello and happy hopefully sunny Friday to you!
Been some quiet release weeks, but today the floodgates opened with new albums from rappers like Headie One, Megan The Stallion, Cupcakke, old farts like The Folk Implosion, Wilco, debut albums from Towa Bird, Scene Queen and a bunch of others!
Wish I could go through all of them today, but think I’ll mainly be watching the Glastonbury Festival coverage on BBC. 🤷
I’m back in the UK (yay?) and enjoying having a couple of days with no Euros / football (it was a bit much, wasn’t it?!). Was in Denmark on Tuesday when Denmark played so watched a bit of that game in a bar, which was quite cute. Also went to Tivoli on Monday and went on some rides, this was my favourite one. Been chilling out because I’ve been absolutely zonked out for the last couple of days, but tomorrow I’m going to see Sam Campbell which is VERY exciting, eh!? I bet you are jealous, and that is a correct feeling.
Headie One
Second album from the North London rapper. Feat. Stormzy, AJ Tracey, Aitch, Sampha etc.
Megan Thee Stallion
Third album from the Texas rapper feat. UGK (RIP Pimp C), GloRilla, Big K.R.T. etc.
Mabe Fratti
Fourth solo album from Mexico City-based experimental cellist (niche!) and member of the Amor Muere avant garde collective.
5/5 Guardian 10/10 The Skinny 8.4 Pitchfork 8/10 Exclaim / The Quietus / Uncut / The Skinny 8/10 The Quietus / Mojo 7/10 The Wire
Omar Apollo
Second album from Grammy nominated, Frank Ocean-vibey, American, second generation Mexican immigrant sad boy singer, that's apparently inspired by Ryuichi Sakamoto.
4/5 NME 8/10 Rolling Stone
Dirty Three
First and eleventh (?) album in a long time from Australian instrumental trio Dirty Three (Warren Ellis, Jim White, Mick Turner) in over a decade.
9/10 PopMatters 8/10 Uncut / The Wire 6/10 Mojo
cupcaKKE
Fifth album from the lewd and fun Chicago rapper. Looking forward to see her live again.
Stephen Pastel / Gavin Thomson
Stephen "The Pastels" and Gavin Thomson’s soundtrack from the brilliant play based on the brilliant book
Loma
The third album from Austin trio Loma features parts of poems written by an AI trained on Laurie Anderson's music. What? OK! I'm in? Maybe!
8/10 Mojo / The Line of Best Fit / Dusted 7.3/10 Paste 7/10 Slant
Scene Queen
Debut album from self coined "bimbocore" New York artist Hannah Collins. Like a mix between Amyl and the Sniffers, Peaches and metalcore and lots of other stuff? Very angry and dirty lyrics. Why not.
9/10 Distorted Sound 8/10 Metal Hammer / Kerrang!
Towa Bird
Debut album from pop singer-songwriter who rose to fame on TikTok during the pandemic. Feat. Mikky Ekko, Luke Niccoli etc.
9/10 Line of Best Fit 8/10 Rolling Stone 3/5 NME 6/10 DIY
Lil Yachty & James Blake
James Blake and Lil Yachty did an album together? Didn't expect this. I do like Lil Yachty, although not really into James Blake.
3/5 Guardian
Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats
Fourth album from the folk / Americana / country Missouri band.
8/10 Mojo / Glide / Uncut 7/10 Classic Rock / Rolling Stone
Hiatus Kaiyote
Fourth album from Australian wacky jazzy band Hiatus Kaiyote feat Adventure Time's BMO on one track, which is good enough for me! I love BMO and Adventure Time. Got BMO tattooed on my back, like a super fan.
8/10 The Skinny 6/10 Exclaim / Mojo / 5/10 Slant
Guided by Voices
41st (!) album from the Ohio lo-fi pioneers / legends. I mean, it's more of the same, but the same usually quite great so that is all good.
8/10 Uncut / Mojo / Northern Transmissions / Far Out 6/10 Exclaim |
Lupe Fiasco
8th album from the Chicago rapper
Camila Cabello
Another Friday, another former Fifth Harmony member releasing a new solo album. This time it's Camila Cabello's turn for her fourth album. Feat Drake (boo!), JT, Lil Nas X, Playboi Carti etc.
7/10 Rolling Stone / Clash 3/5 NME 4/10 Slant 3/5 Guardian
The Folk Implosion
The first album in over 20 years and their fifth from Lou Barlow and John Davis. I was really into their "One Part Lullaby" album from 1999, in 1999.
8/10 Uncut 6/10 Mojo / Classic Rock
Wilco
New EP from the Chicago (so many albums from Chicago artists out today!) Americana rock legends.
8/10 Pitchfork / Spill 7.4/10 Northern Transmissions
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
The latest full-length release from Neil Young with Crazy
Horse features 10 rare and unreleased songs recorded in 1969. Could be fun right? With Neil having of my 5 favourite voices in music.
8/10 Glide / Mojo 7/10 PoMatters / Uncut
Redd Kross
Eight album from Los Angeles power-pop duo who I think black dyed hair women in Camden wearing black leather jackets used to like back in the day (not a slight, just a fact, lots of those women were/are my friends).
8/10 Uncut / Mojo / Classic Rock 7/10 The Wire
M. T. Hadley - Empty (2019)
The year 2019, before COVID hit, feels like a lifetime ago. Albums that came out that year are like something from the 80s or a different universe. Also, in 2019 my best friend took his own life so 2019-2020 memories are pretty blurry! This 2019 album is a nice little lo-fi synth soul gem though and I love putting it on now and then, for some moody vibes.
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Have a lovely weekend and chill out!
Simon