Issue 46: Better With Every Listen
The best albums I listened to in September. Plus, a tip for listening to new music.
Welcome back to Band Practice, where I listen to every new release I can cram in my ears, sharing my favorite finds with you. There were so many great albums released in September that it was hard to narrow down my top picks, but I landed on five that are absolutely worth your time. Most fall across the alternative-indie spectrum, joined by (a first) a bluegrass album. (I can now take my final form as a bonafide country music fan.) The reviews are short, so I could fit them all in without this spiraling into a twenty-million-year read time. Just five great albums that will take a little over five minutes of your day to read about. What a deal!
But first, I wanted to preach something I practice when listening to new albums: listen twice before making judgments. Like, two full, dedicated listens. Obviously, if you put an album on and are immediately turned off by it, let it go. But if you come across something that piques your interest but you’re unsure about, give it a second shot. When something is new, we don’t have a context for it, and it can seem disorienting. First listens create a context that makes the second listen more comfortable. The album feels more familiar, so you can notice the details.
You may also find it helpful to allow some space before coming back to an album. When I listened to MJ Lenderman’s latest for the first time, it didn’t do much for me. I was also sick (a poor headspace for music absorption) and couldn’t fully appreciate it. So, I put it on my “revisit” list and picked it back up for a sunny walk when I was feeling better. The second time, the album sparkled. So much so that it’s one of my picks for this issue. It, along with the other albums I wrote about, only got better with each listen. I hope you find an album (or several) on this list that you can give two listens (hopefully more!). If you do, come back and let me know what you think.
With that, let’s get started!
The best albums I listened to in September
If you have been known to keep a hacky sack on you…
MJ Lenderman — Manning Fireworks
Indie Rock/Alt-Country [Released 9/6/24]
You may already know singer-songwriter MJ Lenderman via his two alternate modes of existence: guitarist for alternative band Wednesday (who put out an excellent album last year) or backup singer and guitarist on one of my favorite albums of the year, Waxahatchee’s Tigers Blood. (Longtime readers will know my love for his harmonies on “Right Back To It.”) In his solo album, he brings a mix of indie rock, folk, and alt-country, with some nods to slacker rock. Electric guitars, acoustic guitars, slide guitars—all the guitars!—are present, with Lenderman’s lazy cadence steering the ship in a sea of easy, laid-back vibes. The songs feel like old friends—especially that one who happens to have a guitar with them in all situations. His songwriting is uncomplicated and dotted with clever one-liners. (My favorite: “Is it the quiet hiss of a midnight piss or a river turned to creek?” in “On My Knees.”) There is no better album to transition from sunburnt late summer days into the plaid shirt days of fall.
Tracks on repeat: Wristwatch, She’s Leaving You, On My Knees
Available on Spotify, Apple Music, bandcamp
If you’re not ready for “brat” summer to be over…
The Dare — What’s Wrong With New York?
Dance Punk/Indie Sleaze [Released 9/6/24]
This might be a “love it or hate it” kind of album (I love it). There are two ways to view it: a rip-off of 2000s indie sleaze or a revival.1 I would argue it’s the latter, but if there is a sound to rip off, let it be this one. The Dare (aka Harrison Patrick Smith) seems heavily inspired by artists like LCD Soundsystem but makes it extra sleazy. The lyrics are debaucherous, crude, and hedonistic, but that’s part of the appeal. He kicks off the album by stating the obvious, “It’s just rock and roll, you won’t die.” Quite the opposite. His take on dancey electro-rock is life-giving and fun, with thumping club beats and heavy, soul-cleansing synths. When it comes to steamy, sweat-inducing sounds, Smith has got his hands on the dial.2
Tracks on repeat: Good Time, Elevation, You Can Never Go Home
Available on Spotify, Apple Music
If you’ve been uncovering new layers of yourself…
Nilüfer Yanya — My Method Actor
Indie Rock/Alt-Pop [Released 9/13/24]
I’m convinced Nilüfer Yanya is a witch. When she sings, it puts me in a trance, pulling me into a whole blue-grey mood. In My Method Actor, the British singer-songwriter blends rock with hints of funk, jazz, soul, and pop, marrying them with grungy guitars while maintaining an ethereal softness. It is sophisticated, nimble, and so well-crafted. A few moments that wreck me: the guitar loop in “Binding” that is suspiciously reminiscent of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” (tell me if I’m bananas for this), a swell of strings that follow arpeggiated chords in “Mutations,” and the electric pitter-pattering in “Ready for Sun.” Her lyrics are equally gutting. In “Method Actor,” when she sings the line, “Should've fallen and died in love,” just, oof! K.O.! I will say that it may take a minute to calibrate your ears to her unique vocal quality (another reason why second listens are helpful). Once you’ve adjusted to it, she’ll have you under her spell.
Tracks on repeat: Binding, Mutations, Ready for Sun (touch)
Available on Spotify, Apple Music, bandcamp
If you are no longer apologizing for sticking to your guns…
Nemahsis — Verbathim
Indie pop [Released 9/13/24]
[This one gets two paragraphs because it’s my favorite]
Nemahsis aka Nemah Hasan’s story is one of perseverance or, as she put it, “riding her own wave.”3 Whether it was growing up in a conservative Muslim family and learning to sing and record songs in secret, or being dropped from her label for making posts in support of Palestine on social media (she’s Palestinian Canadian), she didn’t give up on her dream. It makes the bits of joy in her independently released debut even more poignant, considering everything it took her to get here.
This album is the most likely in the bunch to win you over instantly. Each song is constructed with great care and detail—with a unique personality. In “stick of gum,” she is surrounded by slightly out-of-tune toy pianos as she sings about the judgment she has faced as a Palestinian artist (its powerful music video was filmed with family members in Jericho in the West Bank). In “dead giveaway,” a sitar is mixed with a hip-hop beat. But the undeniable favorite is the effervescent “coloured concrete”—the earwormiest of earworms and a fun one to sing along to (if you can hit the high notes). If you get a chance to see Nemahsis live, do it now. She is an unstoppable force sure to have big things ahead of her.
Tracks on repeat: old body, new mind; coloured concrete; stick of gum
Available on Spotify, Apple Music
If your other guitar is a banjo…
Billy Strings — Highway Prayers
Country/Bluegrass [Released 9/27/24]
With all of the lengthy albums that have proved disappointing this year, I wouldn’t recommend a one-hour-plus album without being certain that you would enjoy it all the way through. In his latest album, Billy Strings (born William Apostol) puts on an engaging bluegrass show, talent abounding. I don’t know what he’s better at: singing, songwriting, or strumming (okay, picking, but I wanted points for alliteration). Every element on the album seems to come together effortlessly. Apostol is a consummate storyteller (check out the clever “Catch and Release”), but some of the best moments are instrumental tracks like the whirlwind “Escabana” and the grooving “Malfunction Junction.” The album is frontloaded with gems like the sprawling 1960s folk rock two-parter “Stratosphere Blues / I Believe in You,” with a few tricks saved for the end, such as “MOREBUD4ME’s” percussive bong hits and the revved-up “Leadfoot.” Apostol is revitalizing a genre at only 32, and it is thrilling to join for the ride.
Tracks on repeat: Leaning on a Travelin’ Song, Stratosphere Blues / I Believe in You, My Alice
Available on Spotify, Apple Music
Coming up
Coming up I’m shining a spotlight on my favorite albums from this year in a specific genre. Any guesses on what that might be? I’ll give you a hint: you may have had a taste of it in my fall playlist. Make sure you’re subscribed to find out for certain! (If you missed my fall playlist, you can go back and listen to it here.)
The playlist!
If you’re new to Band Practice, I keep one big running playlist of my favorite songs from every new album I listen to throughout the year (one each). The latest batch contains picks from September’s 42 albums. (You’ll recognize many tracks from my fall playlist.) It starts with, “Heartless” by Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats (scroll to track #216 or search for it within the playlist in Apple Music). Highlights include Doechii’s throwback to 1990s hip-hop “DENIAL IS A RIVER,” and Wishy’s “Sick Sweet” (the strings remind me of Sigur Rós’ “Starálfur”). Happy listening!
Albums of 2024 - Apple Music playlist
Albums of 2024 - Spotify playlist
I love hearing what you have to say! If you have feelings about this issue, questions for me, album recommendations, or any other thoughts, send them my way by leaving a comment or replying to this email.
Brat summer will always live on in our hearts…and Mario’s.
Indie sleaze is a term used to describe some alternative bands from the early 2000s like The Strokes and Yeah Yeah Yeahs who were known for their attitude and grimy rock and roll aesthetic.
To add to my growing conspiracy of musical connections, Smith was the producer behind Charli XCX’s “Guess.”
As told in an interview with Zane Lowe for Apple Music.
I can totally hear Tracy Chapman in that Nilüfer Yanya track! It's like a warped Fast Cars played at a late-night lounge bar but also underwater—if that makes any sense? Fab album! And thank you for the Nemahsis recommendation! Not heard of her before but she's sounding great - going to give the whole album a proper listen!
Another great newsletter! Thank you!