Noots Letter: May be far away, May be real nearby
May 2025
Because of something remarkable I did in a past life, the universe gifted me with the greatest friend of all time,
, who gifted me her extra Beyoncé ticket this past weekend. Folks, we’re not playing around this time. We’re going into whatever debt we need to in order to see this concert. It was life-altering.As I have never previously been to a Beyoncé concert, I didn’t know I had it in me to freak out about a celebrity so ravenously (other than Dolly P). Alas, Beyoncé was—spoiler—flung into the air and I was like that SNL sketch of Oprah’s Favorite Things where an audience member’s head pops off.
Of course I myself assigned Cowboy Carter AOTY, of course she won AOTY, of course I know who we’re talking about here. But I was still blown away by the tremendous talent, the intentional artistry, the marathon of dancing she was doing, the costume changes, the vision, the vocals, the humility, the hair, the short films, the children, etc. What a glorious lesson in American history / honor to witness American future in that stadium!!!
If you’re seeking the next big pop girlie album of the summer…
Miley Cyrus, Something Beautiful (2025). Guuuuuys she is onto something here! I really have not been hearing enough clamor about this new record, and I totally missed the singles if there were any, but they’re not making them like this anymore! Or maybe they will now because she has gone and done it! Several indications she is not messing around: the songs are longer than most, and some of them just keep going. She’s letting the people dance. The tracks are bleeding into the next (true sign of a Good Album). Naomi Campbell is present. Disco is So Back.
If you like your vacay mixed with a little side of existential dread…
Aminé, 13 Months of Sunshine (2025). I feel like the track “vacay” is deceptively positive, and the rest of the album is kind of like… you good dude? This is such an appropriate album for the present moment in the ways he is very “I just wanna have a good time” and also “I need to pay my bills.”
Another warm weather album that will a little bit make you go ?what the helly?…
rusowsky, DAISY (2025). I’m still not sure what to take away from the debut album from this semi-electronic artist out of Madrid. But with features by Jean Dawson, Ravyn Lenae, and Kevin Abstract, you just have to trust the process.
Here it is, here’s the great big discovery story this time…
Okay SO in 1997, four friends from Nottingham, England, recorded an album in their bedroom entitled D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L. They only made 30 copies of the CD and gave them to friends. Then 20 years later, someone found the CD in a thrift store and posted it to 4chan, where the band then acquired a following. In 2020, a fan found the lead singer on Facebook and let him know, and now they’re middle aged guys who have millions of listeners. Knowing the full context makes their latest album, Ginkgo (2025), even more satisfying.
If you got mommy issues…
Blondshell, If You Asked For A Picture (2025). Indie rock album so good it’ll make you Google her personal life/income bracket! Sorry! Still great music tho!
If you live in NYC where it’s been RAINING ALL MONTH :((((( …
Don’t mind me, my ghostly pallor and I are just wasting away in bed listening to lovesick white boys a.k.a. Various Artists, Chet Baker Re:imagined (2025) and Matt Maltese, Hers (2025).
More for the lovers…
Kali Uchis, Sincerely, (2025)—a brand new mother who has released three stellar albums in the past three years??? Cuco, Ridin’ (2025), also had some sweetie pop tracks that made me happy for him and extra eager for my own personal relationship to stop being long distance. Anyway!
If you live in North Williamsburg…
Not to dox this artist or myself tbh, but Shura talks about Leonard Street and Richardson Street on I Got Too Sad for My Friends (2025). Girl I am walking down ur streets, listening to these songs, manifesting ur appearance…
If you’re really into chess rn…
Ugh so is everyone I know, and even Duolingo is trying to pressure me into learning. When did this become something that people aren’t getting bullied for liking? While he doesn’t sing about chess so much, Cola Boyy, Quit to Play Chess (2025), is delightful for many other audible reasons.
If you have something you need to get off your chest…
Are your big feelings all bottled up inside you, and you have nowhere to place them? Well just as Captain Sully processed his emotions through Evanescence, my version of this is Rico Nasty, LETHAL (2025). This intersection of rap and rock is ideal for a listener who is Going Through It or, like me, is just reluctantly going to work.
If you were made to listen to Enya in elementary school, so now you crave expansive, multi-layered, soothing women’s voices…
This can’t be an original experience, right? Good thing I can find the modern equivalent in Jenny Hval, Iris Silver Mist (2025) and Maria Somerville, Luster (2025), two albums whose titles could not be more accurate.
If you want to know two of my top-ranked albums of this year so far…
Lucius, Lucius (2025). Damn, these two ladies have got the formula. The opening track is one of my favorites in a while. With this, in my opinion, they’re joining the ranks of Brandi Carlile and Sharon Van Etten. Samantha Crain, Gumshoe (2025), has a similar style—her voice sounds somewhere between the ages of 23-45, but honestly I think she’s lived a couple of lifetimes already.
MAY ALBUM COUNT: 31
2025 TOTAL SO FAR: 165