June 2024 Recs

BRAT Summer, Roxy Music, and Azealia Banks

Happy Summer Solstice to all who celebrate🌞

Fav Album That Came Out This Month: “BRAT” by Charli XCX

Shocking absolutely no one, I have joined the collective. Truly, though, I haven’t been as obsessed w a record in a couple years. I listen to this one almost daily, mostly when I work out or feel like I need an energy boost. I generally identify as quite pop averse, but this album is really making me question if that is true or if I am just averse to boring/bad pop. A defining pride month LP and tbh probably my AOTY. Because this choice is so basic though, I also want to give 2 honorable mentions. One to “swanlike (loosies 2020-2023)” by TAGABOW, a compilation of little songs they’ve made over the last few years, which is stellar if you like shoegaze or electronic. The other to “Box for Buddy, Box for Star” by This is Lorelei, Nate Amos’ debut w Double Double Whammy which I recommend if you like indie pop/indie rock and just weird fun tunes.

Reviews for all three here: BRAT, swanlike, Box for Buddy

Fav Album That Didn’t Come Out This Month: “Roxy Music” by Roxy Music

I’ve known about Roxy Music forever and had always felt like the songs I heard were a bit too poppy/theatrical for me, but they were mostly songs from the later albums. A lot of people I really respect love the band, though, so I had reserved my judgement. Being a Brian Eno superfan, I decided this month it was time for me to try Roxy Music’s first two albums, which Eno produced (I think it was bc I read somewhere that Bryan Ferry kicked Brian Eno out of the band when he thought Brian Eno was taking too much of his attention). I was really shaken by this album!!! Didn’t review it on my blog but gave it a 9/10 and was listening to “Ladytron,” “Sea Breezes,” and “If There Is Something” all month. Reminds me a lot of Eno’s earlier stuff like “Here Come the Warm Jets,” which makes sense as the two albums are only a year apart (1972, 1973). Eno is so strange and awesome and while this album is a bit theatrical for me, I just love it. :P

Fav Live Performance I Saw This Month: bottombunk at Bottom of the Hill (SF)

Ok this month I saw three very random concerts. First, I saw Fred Again… at Frost bc I got free tickets from a friend. He is wildly talented and a really good performer. Was pretty fun. Second, I saw(?) Azealia Banks at 1015 Folsom for Pride lmao. “Saw” is questionable as she was on stage for about ten minutes while I was there and ultimately came on at 2:30 (I left around 2). Surprising? Probably not. Still had a good time, though. Then last night, I saw Bella’s band, bottombunk, play at Bottom of the Hill in SF. I try not to write about or review bottombunk since I feel so biased, but this truly was my favorite show of the three. Bottom of the Hill is a great venue, and the band sounded so good — I think even better live than recorded bc they just keep getting better and better. Can’t wait for them to record their second album cuz the new songs are bangers. Check em out if you haven’t already!

Fav Book I Read This Month: Stranger by Emily Hunt (poetry)

Amazing second collection by Emily Hunt, out with Song Cave. The first half of the book specifically, especially the long poems about her time working as a florist, just feel so true and so new. The writing is disaffected but still lush, a combination I didn’t know was possible. Feels so contemporary. Highly recommend.

Monthly Playlist!

A new feature: Here is my playlist of the songs I’ve been listening to this month if you’re interested.

And again still working out the format of these posts, so leave a comment if there’s anything you want in particular!

<3