September is shaping up to be an explosive month for releases. Generational icons are sharing new albums and long-running groups are sharing full-length debuts. Read on for this week’s top picks for New Music Friday from Beyond The Stage, plus see below for a full list of fresh music to run into the weekend with.
The best of New Music Friday:
Olivia Rodrigo – GUTS
It’s been nearly two and a half years since Olivia Rodrigo captivated Gen Z with her debut album Sour and now the household name is full-frontal on GUTS. There’s no holding back from the 20-year-old singer. It’s a record about love, breakups, yearning and everything in between. From the moment lead single “vampire” released in late June, this album was destined to be a record of the year candidate. It seems like everyone is rooting for a Rodrigo victory.
She took to Instagram just after midnight to thank fans and express gratitude. Rodrigo shared a handwritten note saying “Today is the day!! I feel so many feelings. I feel excited, nervous, proud, but mostly I feel so grateful.”
Rodrigo wrote the majority of GUTS on her own, with the exception of “bad idea right?,” “vampire” and “ballad of a homeschooled girl,” which were co-written with producer Dan Nigro, whom she also thanked.
Rodrigo doesn’t just have poppy tracks, she has some elements of noise on “love is embarrasing” and even glides a finger across hip hop on “get him back!,” showing how dynamic she is.
Coach Party – KILLJOY
Coach Party’s debut full-length album has been a longtime coming, scattering several EP releases over the last half-decade. Singer and bassist Jess Eastwood explained she can’t quite pinpoint what this record should be labeled as, if labeled at all. Just listen and enjoy, especially if you like relatable lyrics. Try “July” for a dose of that, or “Micro Aggression” if you like synthy breakdowns and changing paces.
The band even got a nod from BBC 1 Radio with “Be That Girl” debuting as “The Hottest Record in The World” this week.
Coach Party is around for the long run, their catalog is already quite large and adding an LP to their discography cements this crew from the UK’s Isle of Wight prominence in a great scene of bands with passion. They kick off a UK/EU tour this weekend and are excited to play new music for large crowds, something they’re familiar with after gracing the Glastonbury stage earlier this summer.
Alex Warren – “How Could You (Be Ok)”
Another great powerful pop release from Alex Warren arrived Friday morning from Atlantic Records, along with an accompanying music video. Warren has made quite the jump since signing with the label last year. He’s even been adored by fans on TikTok, where his songs garner millions of streams before even being released. Fans are simply into his sound.
On “How Could You (Be Ok),” Warren’s strong voice is complimented by powerful drums in time with his lyrics and a lingering piano underneath to help propel the power of this track.
Warren has quite the story to tell, he was homeless and couch surfing, even living in cars before blowing up with natural talent. His story is one of success anyone can appreciate. His ability to write relatable songs makes him even more valuable as an artist.
New Music Friday top picks:
Alabaster DePlume – Come With Fierce Grace
Angelf Du$t – BRAND NEW SOUL
Courtney Barnett and Stella Mozgawa – End Of The World (music from the film Anonymous Club)
Deeper – Careful
James Blake – Playing Robots Into Heaven
Morgan Saint – “It Hurts To Be Human”
Sparklehorse – Bird Machine
Which of these tracks from New Music Friday will you be adding to your favorite playlists today? Any we missed? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!
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