First Listen: New Releases for 8 September 2023
Artist : Olivia Rodrigo Album : GUTS Quick Thoughts : Nothing makes me feel like an old creeper quite like my enjoyment of Olivia Rodrigo. The 20-year-old singer-songwriter is back with a poppy follow-up to SOUR and she basically proves with this album that she wasn't just a flash in the pan. Her songwriting is super-confessional, extremely in-the-moment, and has its share of funny parts to balance from the very direct soul-bearing efforts. She's basically what we all thought Avril Lavigne was supposed to be when she first hit the scene, and I'm here for it. Songs of Note : "bad idea right?" "vampire," "ballad of a homeschooled girl," "get him back!" Artist : Allison Russell Album : The Returner Quick Thoughts : Allison Russell's latest is a bit of an evolution from her very rootsy debut, exploring different themes and songwriting while still staying true to what made her first album so appealing. Songs like "Sprin...