Album Recommendations - June 2023 & Challenge Reflections

SIX MONTHS DOWN, SIX MONTHS TO GO! The end of June marked the halfway point of my year-long resolution to listen to a new album or EP every day of 2023. I feel like I listened to a lot of music before this year, but this challenge prompted me to build out more intentional time to listen to music every day. I’ll usually listen to each album twice, make note of my favorite songs and then listen through those to narrow down my top pick. I really enjoy listening when doing something that doesn’t take up a lot of brain space, like going on a walk or making a friendship bracelet, so I can pay attention to the music. 

So far this year, I’ve listened to 181 albums/EPs. Over half have been recommendations–79 have been direct recommendations, as in people telling me point blank to listen, while 25 were indirect recommendations, meaning someone mentioned offhand that an album was good or worth listening to. A little less than half the albums I listened to were released this decade, with the average length of each album coming out to around 37 minutes. Special thanks to K201 for giving me the knowledge on how to compute these numbers. 

Statistics aside, I have opened myself up to a lot of new music and discovered some new favorites sounds and artists. For example, June was filled with a lot of shoegaze. It’s been exciting jumping from album to album within one genre, but then also throwing in random recommendations from friends and loving them too. This has been a very fun experiment, and I recommend you try this too if you’ve been in a music rut, whether it’s for a whole year or a week! And with that, we’ll move on to my favorite albums that I listened to in July. 

boyscoutmariEP

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boyscoutmariEP 〰️

Album: boyscoutmariEP

Artist: BOYSCOUTMARIE

Release Year: 2023

Length: 21 minutes

Why you should listen: I feel lucky to know of BOYSCOUTMARIE before they inevitably blow up and are catapulted to stardom. Utilizing heavy guitars and transient basslines, the New York trio’s debut EP is constantly in motion, bouncing between moments of contemplative quiet before skittering into headbanging breakdowns. I could write a whole essay on Staci Stout’s incredible vocal range (we’re talking about a Jimmy nominated performer here!), but I was really blown away reading her lyrics. Here’s an especially moving example, on the opener “Lighthouse”– “She held up the lens and called out again for more time / but you got up and pulled the blinds down / don't think you could be her lighthouse.” I can’t wait to spend more time with this so I can continue unpacking the genius of BOYSCOUTMARIE.

Loveless

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Loveless 〰️

Album: Loveless

Artist: my bloody valentine

Release Year: 1991

Length: 49 minutes

Why you should listen: As a newer shoegaze fan, it was only right that I listened to this album. Critically acclaimed and genre defining, Loveless’ dirty, distorted guitars revolutionized how many future musicians approached the instrument. The melodies that poke through are incredible–I found myself in awe of how instantly catchy the opening riffs are of songs like “Only Shallow,” “When You Sleep,” and “I Only Said.” Although largely the product of Kevin Shields, the record features hazy vocals from both him and Bilinda Butcher. This is a must-listen to if you’ve been enjoying any of the recent albums from Wednesday, feeble little horse or waveform*.

Preacher's Daughter

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Preacher's Daughter 〰️

Album: Preacher’s Daughter

Artist: Ethel Cain

Release Year: 2022

Length: 75 minutes

Why you should listen: This album is not for the faint of heart–Ethel Cain’s Preacher’s Daughter is an hour and 15 minute descent into the darkest American realities, weaving in stories of religious trauma, abuse and generational bonds that are impossible to break. Knowing the story behind the album enhanced my appreciation for it, but the music speaks for itself. Cain’s gorgeous voice, coupled with her production skills and range in songwriting (see the contrast between the pop hit “American Teenager” and the heart-pounding torment that is “Ptolemaea”) are enough to justify her cult following. Consider me a Daughter of Cain.

Girl with Fish

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Girl with Fish 〰️

Album: Girl with Fish

Artist: feeble little horse

Release Year: 2023

Length: 26 minutes

Why you should listen: If Loveless was the birth of shoegaze, Girl with Fish is the genre’s latest grandchild. Feeble little horse, a four-piece band from Pittsburgh, moves quickly between songs featuring noisy guitar rift after noisy guitar rift. Lead vocalist Lydia Slocum sings unabashedly about relationships on songs like “Steamroller” (Steamroller, you fuck like you’re eating / Your smile’s like lines in the concrete) and “Pocket” (I know you want me freak / sport star honey, be on my team). There are many cool, unexpected musical elements throughout the project, like pitched, stuttering vocals that feel like they could be from a Ritt Momney song on “Heaven” and glitchy synths on “Slide.” With nods from Pitchfork and alternative/indie rock sweethearts including Jay Som, my bet is you’ll be hearing a lot more about feeble little horse.

Anak Ko

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Anak Ko 〰️

Album: Anak Ko

Artist: Jay Som

Release Year: 2019

Length: 34 minutes

Why you should listen: This album oozes fun–I put it on while walking around my neighborhood and had such a pleasant time. Written and produced entirely by Jay Som, the now 29-year-old L.A. based singer, Anak Ko crafts a dreamy pop landscape with songs about heartbreak. There are so many good moments throughout the songs, like the fuzzy guitar solo over Som’s airy ahhs on “Superbike,” and the swells of feedback that are abruptly replaced by chopped up vocals and an eerie synth on the title track. Fans of Kate Bollinger, Japanese Breakfast and Slow Pulp will like this album.

And those were the albums I listened to in June that I had to recommend! Want to see more of what I listened to? Check out the playlist below (and feel free to send me any suggestions)!