Noots Letter: short/sweet/dumb/poetic
August 2024
I’m not usually one to quote T*yl*r Sw*ft, but August really did slip away into a moment of time!!!! What the heck. I blame the wave of chill, crisp air that took over the Big Apple last week and turned it into a Spiced PUMPKIN. Need I remind you all that summer lasts until 10 whole days after my birthday, and that my birthday is next month? And that I have seasonal depression? Don’t rush me.
Here is a graph I made if you love math and hate reading and have a photographic memory for album covers:
If you’ve ever dated a straight boy in musical theatre…
We all make mistakes! Especially Sabrina Carpenter, who details these male missteps on Short n’ Sweet (2024). It’s funny, it’s searing, it’s hot, and it’s even straight, which is honestly brave these days.
If your DNA was permanently altered the first time you heard Lily Allen’s “Smile” at age 15…
Welcome to this generation’s version: Lola Young, This Wasn't Meant For You Anyway (2024). She’s got an even dirtier mouth and nastier rasp.
Some last minute contenders for your Album of the Summer rotation…
Tinashe, Quantum Baby (2024). Doechii, Alligator Bites Never Heal (2024). Maude Latour, Sugar Water (2024). Sofi Tukker, BREAD (2024). They said we’re not done being in tanktops!
If you only have an EP-length attention span…
Moses Sumney, Sophcore (2024)
Suki Waterhouse, Blackout Drunk (2024) – full album on September 13!
Maren Morris, Intermission (2024)
If you self-identify as a Rhinestone Cowboy…
With Stampede (2024), Orville Peck has not only found an incredible niche in queer dark cowboy music, but he’s also made maybe one of the most extensively collaborative albums of the year.
If you long to be a Rhinestone Cowboy but you’re stuck in the suburbs…
Brigitte Calls Me Baby, The Future Is Our Way Out (2024). Nostalgic euphoria for former teenage fans of Tears for Fears, The Perks of Being A Wallflower soundtrack, The Killers even. Loved this.
If you googled ‘90s weather channel music the other day…
Oops! I did. Check out the totally smooth sounds of Tupperwave, VaporLoops, Vol. 3 (2024).
I always struggle to describe my favorite albums each month, so I’ll just say these were all soooo Noots Core…
Magdalena Bay, Imaginal Disk (2024). Luna Li, When A Thought Grows Wings (2024). Ravyn Lenae, Bird’s Eye (2024). NIKI, Buzz (2024).
If you “just wanna be part of [a] symphony”…
Symphonies are getting a lot of attention right now. Especially for Louis Cole, who just made Nothing (2024) with a 50-something-piece orchestra. Also have to highlight Kishi Bashi because Kantos (2024) is spectacular musically as always.
If you’ve ever wondered what happened to the folks who sang “Pumped Up Kicks”...
Now why’d they get famous off a song about school shootings? Foster The People are back with Paradise State of Mind (2024), thus demonstrating that you can still create cool, relevant music despite being a one-hit-wonder from 10+ years ago. Unlike The Script, Satellites (2024), which I will not be discussing further here.
TWAS A BIG MONTH FOR 🤘RAWK🤘 SO…
If you’re in the Ticketmaster queue for the Oasis reunion…
Then you probably also like Fontaines D.C., Romance (2024). And also maybe Los Campesinos!, All Hell (2024). Am I just drawing these parallels because the United Kingdom is small and male rock sounds the same to me? Yes, idc. Godspeed to those of you waiting, and fingers crossed that they don’t break up again by the time you press purchase.
If you’re more partial toward femme fronted rock bands…
Illuminati Hotties, Power (2024). Charly Bliss, Forever (2024). Quivers, Oyster Cuts (2024). These slay hard.
If you like slow rock…
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Wild God (2024) and hell, I’ll even toss in Ray LaMontagne, Long Way Home (2024) if you want Ultra-Slow. This is music that your older brother-in-law and Brooklyn DILF neighbor listen to!
If you seek absolute chaos…
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Flight b741 (2024). Gizzheads… I’m afraid of you. But I respect you.