FEATURE:
One for the Record Collection!
IN THIS PHOT: CMAT/PHOTO CREDIT: Sarah Doyle
Essential August Releases
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I know we are still in July…
IN THIS PHOTO: Jehnny Beth/PHOTO CREDIT: Johnny Hostile
but I am excited by the albums due out next month. I want to recommend the best of them here. Thanks to Metacritic for providing release dates and albums. You can see ones I have omitted for a fuller look at what August has to offer. I am going to start out with one album from 1st August. That is Reneé Rapp’s Bite Me. You can pre-order your copy here. I am very excited to see what comes from the album. I am a recent convert to the brilliance of Reneé Rapp. She is one of the most promising artists coming through. There is not a lot of information out there about Bite Me. Instead, I wanted to bring in part of a fascinating interview from Cosmopolitan from last month. The actor and artist was speaking with Cosmopolitan around the release of her recent single, Leave Me Alone:
“Do you identify as a sensitive person?
In the last 8 to 10 months of my life, I’ve been like, Oh, wait, I don’t have to do everything and I don’t have to be around people that make me feel like shit. I thought it made me tough, that it made me come across as hard, that I could handle anything. But now I think the tougher thing is to tell someone to get the fuck away from you. So sort of a roundabout answer, but I love being sensitive. It’s my superpower.
You have a lot of songs about overthinking in past relationships. Do you still experience that now?
Those times I was overthinking in relationships were because I was with people I didn’t like, but I was trying to make it work because I liked to keep myself miserable. There’s such a big difference when you are with someone who gives you basic human decency. And also, my girlfriend is just really hot. I don’t need to overthink it. She’s gorgeous. You know how you know you’re with the wrong person? When you’re two inches away from their face, and you’re looking at them and you’re really scared and grossed out. I thought that was just me with everyone. No, it turns out that I just didn’t like those people! When you’re with someone who is not making you miserable, what a difference it makes!
I know you’re great friends with Cara Delevingne. In her 2021 Cosmo cover interview, she said, “I don’t feel like I’ve ever left a relationship so fucked up that it’s been like, ‘I never want to speak to that person again.’ I just love all the people I was ever with and want the best for them.” Do you still speak to your exes?
I don’t block anybody or delete anybody. But I have a couple of exes that I just pity. I’m like, “No, I don’t want to be your friend. I don’t really think you’re a good person.” Cara is really good at seeing the best in people, where I’m very good at seeing the truth in someone’s deepest nature.
Would you ever open up your current relationship?
Fuck no. Hell no. Y’all do what you want to do. Not with mine. I’ve done it before. That shit is not for me because now I’m with the person I love and I want to marry9—stay the fuck away!
PHOTO CREDIT: Rona Liana Ahdout
Did you try polyamory in previous relationships because you thought it would bring you closer together?
In one case, I was with a boy and I kept telling him that I was a lesbian. And I was like, “But don’t leave me,” because I wanted to be the center of attention. So we did that. And then the next one, I made some really poor decisions. And I was like, “Wait, you have to go kiss somebody else because I can’t stand this anymore.” Now that’s not to invalidate polyamory because some people are genuinely polyamorous. I was not. I just didn’t like those people, and I was like, Wait, let me try this
We’re in a really scary time for queer people. What advice would you give to young queer readers?
Find your community. Whether that community is online and thousands of miles away from you or two towns over or in someone who really lifts you up beyond a way you could do for yourself. Your community will do the best it can to keep you safe. This extends so much further past gay and trans people.
Really rely on people around you who are maybe more comfortable or less at risk than you are. We kind of have a pact among certain friends of mine that’s like, “I can take a way bigger blow than you can. Let me do that shit.” I’m not going to let my friend who exists in a trans body go out and put themselves at risk because they immediately have a way bigger target on their back. There is such a dire need for protection, and the government is not going to give that to you. No one here is going to give that to you but the people you can trust”.
There are a few albums from 8th August that I want to spotlight. The first is Ethel Cain’s Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You. You can pre-order the album here. Again, not a lot of information about the album – I wish there were websites that had a bit more to say about new releases –, but I will include what I can get from Rough Trade. Ethel Cain is an amazing artist and I would recommend everyone check out her new album. She is one of the most extraordinary musical voices in the world. Someone who is unique and utterly entrancing:
“Florida-born multimedia artist Ethel Cain returns with her sophomore album Willoughby Tucker, I'll Always Love You. A prequel to the critically acclaimed Preacher's Daughter, the new album recounts the story of Ethel's first love, Willoughby Tucker, and their humid, laden romance. Hayden Anhedonia, the creative force behind the entire Ethel Cain project, has spent the past several years assembling the album in her home studios from Coraopolis, PA to Tallahassee, FL, all the while selling out tours and playing festivals worldwide, cementing herself as a singular artistic voice on the rise”.
Actually, there is just one more from 8th August I will recommend, as there are plenty from the three weeks after. Good Charlotte’s Motel Du Cap is out then and is going to be amazing. They are a band who have been around a while but are producing some of their very best music. I think this album will draw in new fans in addition to their diehards. You can pre-order it here:
“Good Charlotte is back and they’re bringing their rawest, most authentic energy yet with their album Motel Du Cap. The rock legends have spent nearly three decades crafting anthems for the underdogs, the dreamers, and the broken. Now, they’re channeling a serendipitous moment into their most genuine and honest work since their early days.
The spark for Motel Du Cap ignited when the band played a private gig at the iconic Hotel du Cap in France for a friend's wedding in 2022. The surreal beauty of the venue, the raw emotion of the occasion, and the freedom of performing without expectations lit a fire under the Madden brothers. “It was this wild, once-in-a-lifetime vibe,” Joel recalls. “We were just there to celebrate, no pressure, and it reminded us why we started this—pure, unfiltered connection”.
This might be a shorter feature than I anticipated, as it is hard to see the albums without too much written about them. Even so, I hope that what is included entices you! On 15th August, Alison Goldfrapp released Flux. Her debut solo album, The Love Invention, was released in 2023 to large acclaim. The lead of the legendary Goldfrapp is a superb solo artist in her own right. Make sure that you pre-order her forthcoming album:
“Alison Goldfrapp, the creative force behind some of the most captivating music of the past two and a half decades, releases her new album Flux, out on her recently launched record label, A.G. Records.
With "Flux", her second album following 2023's critically-adored The Love Invention, Alison stands on a precipice of new experiences in more ways than one. Launched with the joybomb of a single "Find Xanadu," the album showcases some of her most undeniable pop hooks since Goldfrapp's iconic album Supernature as well as her most poignantly vulnerable songwriting to date. Alongside Alison, the album is co-produced by Richard X and Stefan Storm”.
You may know Bret McKenzie as half of the New Zealand comedy duo, Flight of the Conchords (alongside Jermaine Clement). They released a couple of studio albums. Those were very much comedic in tone. Freak Out City is going to offer something different. This is an album that you will definitely want to pre-order:
“Bret McKenzie is a Grammy and Academy Award winning artist most well known for his band Flight of the Conchords and their eponymous television show. McKenzie is internationally renowned for singing and writing funny, strange, and unique songs primarily for film and television. Bret’s songs have been sung by Kermit the Frog, Celine Dion, Lizzo, Benedict Cumberbatch, Brittany Howard, Homer and Lisa Simpson, Fred Armisan, Miss Piggy, Amy Adams, Jason Segal, Ricky Gervais, Benee, Isabela Merced, Spongebob Squarepants, Tony Bennett, Mickey Rooney, and more.
As a young adult Bret was an active part of the Wellington music scene playing in multiple bands across multiple genres. He was a founding member of the popular band The Black Seeds, a reggae funk phenomenon that went on to make multiple gold albums and tour extensively around the world. He also started the Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra, a surprisingly popular ten piece ukulele group, played in Dub Connection, an experimental electronica ensemble, made an indie pop electro record under the alias Video Kid, and performed in various jazz groups from The Shrinks, a band made up of people playing miniature instruments, to corporate function quartet The Canapés. At the same time Bret was heavily involved in the local theatre scene performing regularly in countless devised comedy theatre productions where he developed a friendship with a large community of theatre artists including long time collaborators Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi.
In 2000 he was cast as an extra in the first Lord of the Rings film, The Fellowship of the Ring and was unexpectedly catapulted to fame as a background elf that garnered an abnormal amount of attention from the Tolkien fans. He was coined Figwit - an acronym for “Frodo is great, who is that?”
Around the same time The Flight of the Conchords emerged from this prolific Wellington artistic community and Bret spent several years touring comedy festivals in Australia, Canada and the UK with his bandmate Jemaine. They made a radio show for the BBC followed by a TV show for HBO that became a cult classic and propelled the pair to international fame. They released one EP and three albums with Sub Pop Records winning the Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album in 2008. Bret’s work with Flight of the Conchords established him in the entertainment worlds of both comedy and music and opened the doors to working in the American film industry. He has consistently worked on film and television projects since. In 2012 he won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for his ballad “Man or Muppet” from the Disney film The Muppets. During this time Bret and his wife Hannah Clarke had three children, and Bret started to focus on projects that would allow him to be at home in New Zealand with his family. In 2022 Bret released a solo album called Songs Without Jokes that saw him explore songwriting without punch lines. FarOut Magazine described the songs as “like musical versions of a Kurt Vonnegut novel.” This year he is releasing his second solo record, Freak Out City, made up of songs developed while on the road with his eight-piece band. Freak Out City was recorded in both Los Angeles and New Zealand, and co-produced by Bret and his long time collaborator Mickey Petralia. It was mixed by Michael Harris in Los Angeles at East West Studios. The musicians on the record are a mix of Los Angeles players Leland Sklar, Dean Parks, Drew Erickson, Chis Caswell, Joey Waronker and New Zealand musicians Ben Lemi, Leo Coghini, Jacqui Nyman, Moana Leota, Iris Little, Justin Clarke”.
Before moving to 22nd August and the great albums on offer then, there is one more from 15th you will want to pre-order. This is Marissa Nadler’s New Radiations. Go and pre-order the album. Many people might not know Marissa Nadler’s music. She is a wonderful artist. Someone who should definitely be oin your radar:
“Marissa Nadler has spent the past two decades crafting a singular body of work defned by spectral beauty, haunting lyricism, and a voice that feels both ancient and intimate Since her 2004 debut Ballads of Living and Dying, the Boston-born singer-songwriter has become a revered fgure in the worlds of dream- folk, gothic Americana, and atmospheric rock.
Across acclaimed releases like Little Hells, July, and For My Crimes, Nadler has seamlessly woven tales of longing, mystery, and memory with ethereal instrumentation and poetic depth. With New Radiations, Nadler pares back to a more minimal, drumless sound--letting her voice and fingerpicked guitar take center stage. The album feels intimate and clear- eyed, offering a quiet yet resonant collection of songs that refect an artist ever attuned to the power of subtle transformation”.
There are a load of albums out on 29th August I want to highlight. Some of the most anticipated of the year. Because of that, I will include only one from 22nd August. That is Ciara’s CiCi. This is an album that I can definitely recommend that you pre-order. A phenomenal American artist whose debut album, Goodies, came out in 2004, it seems that CiCi is going to be her most important release yet. August is shaping up to be incredible and busy for albums. Ciara’s is among the very best:
“On the album CiCi, Ciara reclaims her narrative with clarity, confidence, and a full-spectrum sonic experience that marks her most dynamic era yet. The project — which includes standout singles like “Ecstasy,” “How We Roll,” “Wassup,” and “Run It Up” — effortlessly bridges her legacy in R&B and pop with fresh, future-forward production and unapologetic storytelling. The CiCi era isn’t just a return — it’s a reinvention. Across the album, Ciara blends sultry grooves, empowering anthems, and melodic dance records that reflect both her personal evolution and artistic growth. Each track reflects a refined sense of purpose: she knows exactly what she wants to say and how she wants to say it. Whether celebrating freedom, sensuality, or power, CiCi is an album about owning your voice, your joy, and your journey. Over the last two decades, Ciara has consistently pushed culture forward — from setting dance floors ablaze with iconic choreography to defining the sound of modern R&B-pop. With CiCi, she not only reintroduces herself to a new generation, but also strengthens the bond with her core audience, continuing to build an intergenerational community of fans who ride with her every evolution. It’s bold. It’s intimate. It’s CiCi — raw, radiant, and ready to reign”.
Six albums due on 29th August to end on. Let’s start with CMAT’s EURO-COUNTRY. This is going to be among 2025’s best albums. After a successful performance at Glastonbury and her incredible music out in the world, this is a future icon we have in our midst. Go and pre-order EURO-COUNTRY. Here are some details about an album that you really need to own. I cannot wait for it to arrive:
“It’s almost inconceivable that it’s only five years since the arrival of CMAT, as she approaches the release of her third album, Euro-Country. This BRITs / Mercury / Ivors-nominated acronymic star feels like she’s been part of the culture forever - and what has endeared fans to her heart-sore tunes and humour is CMAT's ability to combine contradictory themes and moods: wide-eye drama with self-deprecation.
Country music has always been a lynchpin for CMAT, but this is country in an augmented, reimagined way. Mixed with classic indie and affirmative soul-pop, it resists the music industry’s desire to pigeonhole artists as one genre. Not only is there a palpable tonal shift, Euro-Country also feels like a huge step-up creatively.
There is a sense of determination, of urgency, of ‘gather round and listen up’. From re-evaluating where you come from (geographically, metaphorically) and the impact of economics on a small country, to the attention that comes with increased fame (not all of it good) and being a woman in the music industry”.
The second 29th August-due album is Jehnny Beth’s You Heartbreaker, You. You can pre-order it here. I want to bring in part of a recent interview with NME. We get a bit more insight into the new album and what we can expect. Jehnny Beth is an artist I have loved since the earliest days of Savages. That band are, in my opinion, one of the most important of their generation. Her debut solo album, TO LOVE IS TO LIVE, was released in 2020. If you do not know about this artist and have not heard her music then you really do need to check her out – as she is truly phenomenal:
“Paris, 13th District got so much attention and then Anatomy Of A Fall had pretty phenomenal critical success. How did it feel to be seen by so many in a different light? Did that confidence and new sense of identity bleed into the new album?
“When I go into the studio to write music with [creative partner and longtime collaborator] Johnny Hostile, the world outside disappears. Although it is within me and the sum of all these experiences add up to be part of who you are. However, I was not thinking about my experiences as an actor when I was writing – but there are links between artforms. Acting is an interpretation. What they have in common is that you have to think of what you want to say in the world, where your places is and what your point of view is.
“Singing or acting – they spring from that place of ‘What do I want to say?’ You’re not thinking about the superficiality of it of ‘Where do I place my hands?’ The need comes from within. What I wanted to do with this record was to reconnect with the urge of my time in Savages – maybe adding something more dangerous to it, perhaps a sense of humour as well.
“I think it was the first time I was not overthinking what I was doing. I was just enjoying the process with an unconditional trust and belief. Maybe that’s me watching too much Ted Lasso…”
Is the album basically saying, ‘Everything’s fucked, but we must move’?
“I like that! They’re your words not mine, but yes. The world is better with a good song in it, and music is a way to bring things back together. Nothing really makes sense in the end, but it’s a way to cope. It’s the same for live music: it’s a great thing that we do as a species that we should be proud of. The times are traumatic, there’s a lot of drama and pain in the world. We still consider love with a very prehistoric approach.”
And that’s what inspired the album title, right?
“The artwork of the record is a reference to all the car tags you see when lovers break up and attack their ex’s car by spraying a massive ‘TWAT’ or something like that. Me and Johnny Hostile came across a few in London. One was, ‘You cheating bastard – I’m pregnant with your child’. It’s very violent and aggressive. My friend tagged my car to make the record sleeve. That’s the echo of the world that I receive.
“Yasiin Bey said in a recent TV interview that if your heart’s not broken then your heart’s not working. If you find yourself displaced in a society that’s sick then it probably means you’re sane. One of the lyrics on the record is: ‘Anyone who does anything with their heart knows one day they’ll have it broken’. That was the starting point of the record”.
I am really excited about Nova Twins’ Parasites and Butterflies. They are an exceptional duo who I have been a fan of for a very long time. You can guarantee that their new album is one you will want to add to your collection. You can pre-order the album here. I think that Parasites and Butterflies is going to be their most powerful and honest work yet:
“Nova Twins have risen from the UK's independent scene to become one of its most transformative acts, rewriting the rules of success and redefining alt.rock music's future. Sharing stages with Foo Fighters and Muse, earning two BRIT Award nominations, and making history as the first Black rock band shortlisted for the Mercury Prize, they've cemented their legacy as trailblazers. Praised by legends like Tom Morello and Elton John, their electrifying presence continues to captivate audiences worldwide.
Their latest album, Parasites and Butterflies, is a genre-defying journey through life's chaos and beauty, blending hip-hop, punk, rock, pop and electronic influences. Fearless and unflinching, it explores empowerment, identity, and mental health, balancing turbulence with clarity and vulnerability with strength. "This is the sound of us pushing the boundaries of everything Nova Twins can be," they affirm--an album destined to challenge, inspire, and redefine expectations.
Following the Mercury Prize shortlisted 'Supernova' by Mobo and brit-award nominee alt. Rock duo, Nova Twins, Parasites and Butterflies boasts tracks that'll make you want to cry, laugh, dance; spanning themes of female empowerment, mental health, grief and letting loose - With focus firmly on giving back to the fans with dedicated experiences. Set to make Nova Twins a generational success story, this album demands your attention; Parasites and Butterflies will empower new and existing fans Worldwide - everyone is welcome in this new era”.
Three more albums to round off with. The next I want to include is Sabrina Carpenter’s Man's Best Friend. You can pre-order it here. A lot of people have been discussing its cover. A lot of discussion around it and whether it is anti-feminist or tongue in cheek. I think that there has been far too much overreaction. One of the world’s biggest artists is at the top of her game. I found an interview with Rolling Stone from last month that I want to source from:
“Plenty of stars can craft catchy, clever love songs with glossy hooks. But Carpenter’s sharp-witted lines are on another level. “She’s as intelligent as someone can possibly be, which is why she’s funny,” says her producer, Jack Antonoff. “When she says something incredibly profound and then chucks it away with a joke, it almost hits deeper. You go back, the Beatles would [have] the most beautiful love song on Earth, and then something that sounds like a cartoon that John or Paul made up in their head. Some of the best songs ever, and these really funny things, live hand in hand. It’s something I’ve personally been yearning for, and I think other people have been, too.”
Short n’ Sweet earned Carpenter six Grammy nominations (including nods in the “Big Four” categories), and won her two (Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Pop Solo Performance, for “Espresso”). She appeared as a musical guest on SNL last May and has returned to the show twice more, duetting with Paul Simon on “Homeward Bound” to kick off the 50th-anniversary special earlier this year (“He trusted me a lot with that,” she notes, “because I could’ve fucked that up”) and making a cameo during host Quinta Brunson’s monologue in May.
Along the way, Carpenter got to collaborate with another legend — Dolly Parton, who joined Carpenter on “Please Please Please” from the deluxe version of Short n’ Sweet. “It felt like I was looking in a weird mirror into the future,” Carpenter says of her hero, who is also a five-foot-tall blonde with serious pipes. “Our voices are very similar,” Parton tells me. “I can’t tell sometimes which part’s her and which part’s me. And we look like relatives. She looks like she could be my little sister. We’re little women, doing big things.”
Those things are going to get even bigger this year, when Carpenter releases Man’s Best Friend, the follow-up to Short n’ Sweet. Due August 29, the album includes the new single “Manchild,” a spicy kiss-off to an ex. (Asked which ex it’s about, she replies, “It’s about your dad.”) Like several of the songs on Short n’ Sweet, Carpenter co-wrote it with Antonoff and Amy Allen. “It’s easily my favorite song we’ve ever done together,” says Antonoff. “The things we did on the last album — things that people really loved — were just the start of places we wanted to take it. It’s like, ‘Oh, you like that? Well, just you wait.’”.
The penultimate album out on 29th August you should pre-order is The Beaches’ No Hard Feelings. Go and pre-order it here. They may be new to you. I would say that you definitely need to get their music in your life. The Canadian Rock band follow their astonishing 2023 album, Blame My Ex. There is not a lot in the way of details I can provide for No Hard Feelings. However, this is what Rough Trade have written about an album that I would recommend you grab a copy of:
“The Beaches have spent the past decade building something unstoppable. Their third album No Hard Feelings finds the band blaming themselves (rather than their exes), embracing their partying ways and accepting the occasional semi-self destructive thoughts and actions. The LP includes the last-call anthem “Last Girls At The Party”, fan favorite “Jocelyn” and self-reflective “Takes One to Know One”.
I am finishing with Wolf Alice’s The Clearing. This was another act who had a triumphant time at Glastonbury. Even though they have been in the industry a while, I think they are producing their best music and delivering their greatest live sets. This is a new peak for the band. I want to spotlight some of a recent interview with Rolling Stone UK:
“Produced by pop luminary Greg Kurstin, the melodies are huge and glorious, replete with silken harmonies and woozy, cinematic strings. Lead single ‘Bloom Baby Bloom’ is a magnificent, maximalist showcase of what’s to come, with Rowsell’s vocal range the star of the show (with an exquisitely choreographed and spangly leotarded video to boot). On The Clearing, her voice has transcended itself to become more lilting and powerful than ever. Rowsell’s pen is also engrossingly assured these days, as she sings wryly but tenderly of life decisions big and small. In previous times, she preferred burying her words in the scuzz, but now she says she wants to lean into clarity and let people hear what she’s saying.
After years as one of the most revered British bands of their generation, Wolf Alice are getting back to basics. But this is not in response to conversations about tech and AI — if anything, the band are quite open to TikTok and tech platforms in music (“A knee jerk reaction to anything because of age difference is a trap you can find yourself falling into as you get older,” says Ellis). Instead, they see their approach on The Clearing more as a way of reconnecting with an innate part of the band experience after the density of their last record. “I remember getting the stems back from the songs in Blue Weekend and being like, ‘I love this! But I can’t hear it, because there’s so many ideas,’” recalls Rowsell. “So I thought: ‘Next time, you’ve got to make sure all the ideas are the best ones, and if you can’t hear them, you take stuff out.’”
PHOTO CREDIT: Oscar Lindqvist for Rolling Stone UK
Previously, they had felt the pressure for each album to explore new sonic ground, and to showcase skill by getting as intricate as possible, but this time they recognised the bold potential of simplicity. As Oddie says: “When you’re a group of people and you spend years doing these songs, it’s quite brave to go, ‘Your contribution may be not doing something.’”
“There’s a power in giving less,” agrees Amey. “Obviously, for lots of bands it’s normal to just sit in a room with guitars and write. But for us, that was new and felt exciting […] It’s like in Get Back, how they’re all just looking at each other’s eyes, trying to work out what’s going on. There’s an intimacy.”
It’s an intimacy rooted in that strange, unique relationship that comes with being in a band. They clearly have a lot of affection and respect for each other (“I’m always more nervous emailing these three a demo than I am putting out a song to the rest of the world,” says Amey at one point). They’re aware that it can be an odd dynamic for outsiders to step into — although it quickly becomes clear over my week of interviewing them that the four-piece have cultivated an easy camaraderie with everyone in their circle. Take this rehearsal studio in Wembley, where the band are preparing their live show for upcoming performances including Radio 1’s Big Weekend and Glastonbury but have still found time to decorate the area around the mixing desk for their Front of House sound engineer Johnny Dodkins’ birthday (think bunting and bubbly). They gather round to coo at photos of touring keyboardist Ryan Malcolm’s new niece and, when I arrive, Amey takes me on an adventure through the surreal cavernous warehouse (“Have you ever seen Indiana Jones?” he quips), all in order to offer me a cup of tea”.
I hope that the albums recommended above give you some ideas. It is a very eclectic and interesting month for music. From Wolf Alice and Sabrina Carpenter to Jehnny Beth and Good Charlotte, there truly is a bit for everyone! Some very hot albums out there…
TO bring us out of summer.