Bat for Lashes, Lost Girls (6 September)
Natasha Khan returns with her first Bat For Lashes record since 2016’s The Bride. In Lost Girls, Khan introduces us to Nikki Pink, who exists in a strange parallel universe “in which gangs of marauding female bikers roam our streets, teenagers make out on car hoods, and a powerful female energy casts spells and leave clues for us to follow.” Originally conceived as a film soundtrack, the album takes its influences from 80s pop and vampire movies.
Post Malone, Hollywood’s Bleeding (6 September)
After what has seemed like a relatively quiet year, the rapper is releasing his follow up to 2018’s chart-topping Beerbongs & Bentleys. The tracklist hasn’t been released at the time of publishing, but Posty has revealed the album’s contributors on social media – including the likes of Ozzy Osbourne, Travis Scott, Meek Mill, Young Thug and SZA. The third single, Circles, reveals a new direction, a straight-up ballad with up-tempo guitars.
Mahalia, Love and Compromise (6 September)
Longlisted on the BBC’s Sound of 2019 poll, Mahalia has built a reputation as being honest and verbally sharp, deftly addressing issues from romantic failures to professional struggles through a R&B and neo-soul filter. Expect to hear more of the type of tales covered in hits like Sober and I Wish I Missed My Ex, especially as the album’s inspiration can be heard on the opening track, Hide Out – a 1982 interview with Eartha Kitt discussing love and compromise.
The Highwomen, The Highwomen (6 September)
The latest country supergroup, made up of Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby, Maren Morris and Amanda Shires, stole the show at this year’s Newport Folk Festival with their official live debut. Their album features guest appearances from Jason Isbell, Sheryl Crow and Yola, and their first two singles Redesigning Women and Crowded Table was released in July. The title song is co-written with songwriting legend Jimmy Webb; it’s a remake of Webb’s song Highwayman, from which Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson’ own supergroup was named.
Iggy Pop, Free (6 September)
Punks’ real wild child is back, and this time he sounds like he’s having fun. If the highly acclaimed Josh Homme-assisted Post Pop Depression in 2016 was serious and studied, Iggy’s eighteenth solo album surprises in all respects. Texan jazz trumpeter Leron Thomas and guitar instrumentalist Noveller have been brought in to create a new sound. The single Sonali comes stuffed with synths, while James Bond is a minimal three-bass-note song, with Iggy’s crooning evoking the campy trash rock of The Cramps.
Miles Davis, Rubberband (6 September)
A previously unheard studio album, originally recorded in 1985, as Davis moved labels from Columbia to Warner Bros Records. The pop-infused album has been resurrected and remixed by original producers Randy Hall and Attala Zane Giles, and Davis’s drummer nephew Vince Wilburn Jr. Lalah Hathaway and Ledisi assume the vocal roles originally intended for Chaka Khan and Al Jarreau. The title track, Rubberband Of Life, was released as a Record Store Day exclusive last year, followed by other songs like Paradise, So Emotional and Give It Up.
Charli XCX, Charli (13 September)
Hard to believe it’s been five years since Sucker, but the new album from Charli comes jam-packed with high-profile guests, including Christine and the Queens, Clairo, Troye Sivan, Haim and Lizzo. The release of Warm makes it five singles already dropped, all filled with the kind of retro 80s/90s aesthetics she has become known for. According to Charli, the new album is “kind of a continuation of pop 2 but also more Charli than ever before. no compromises, my best yet.”
Pixies, Beneath the Eyrie (13 September)
The indie legend’s second coming has now reached its third album. Following 2014’s Indie Cindy and Head Carrier in 2016, comes Beneath the Eyrie– the making of which has been the subject of a 12-episode podcast called, imaginatively enough, It’s a Pixies Podcast. Celebrating the 30th anniversary of their groundbreaking 1988 debut Surfer Rosa clearly has had an influence on the new album. Its strong use of acoustics and scuzzy bass edge recalls the indelible effect the band have had on music, and on Miley Cyrus’ arm.
Liam Gallagher, Why Me? Why Not (20 September)
As with his widely praised debut solo album As You Were, the former Oasis and Beady Eye frontman has teamed up with producers Andrew Wyatt and Greg Kurstin. The single Shockwave shows its intent with its driving guitar and harmonica sound, the album also has Gallagher’s 18-year-old son Gene playing bongos on the track One Of Us. The title is inspired by a familiar source – two paintings by John Lennon. To coincide with the album, the documentary on his post-Oasis life, As It Was, will have a US release.
Kanye West, Jesus is King (27 September)
Not officially confirmed at this time, but if Kim Kardashian West is to be believed, it looks as though a new Kanye album will drop this month… and it’s not the long-awaited Yandhi. Other than the tracklist, there’s little else to go on, though as one song Water featured in Kanye’s 2019 Sunday Service set at Coachella, the thinking is that the album will follow this performance in tone.
Source: BBC>
—
