The Chronicle’s curated list of notable new music releases this month.
Ama Lou, ‘I Came Home Late’ (Interscope)
London native Ama Lou’s 15-track debut album, out Friday, Sept. 1, is titled after a lyric from her 2019 song “We Tried, We Tried,” and has been a long time coming.
The 25-year-old started writing songs at age 11 and began classical vocal lessons at 13. Her raspy voice over smooth R&B beats has contributed to her unique sound. (The talent seems to run in her family, as her older sister Mahalia is also a recording singer-songwriter and has worked with artists such as Burna Boy and Ella Mai.)
Lou’s debut single, “TBC,” dropped in 2016, sparking controversy for its tribute to the Black Lives Matter movement. The buzz caught the ear of American rapper Drake, who later cited Lou as an inspiration for his 2018 album “Scorpion.” That same year she released her debut EP “DDD,” which she wrote and produced by herself, and was tapped to be British singer-songwriter Jorja Smith’s opening act on her tour.
Olivia Rodrigo, ‘Guts’ (Geffen)
Following her record-breaking debut, “Sour,” the queen of teenage angst is set to release her second studio album on Friday, Sept. 8.
Olivia Rodrigohas already dropped two starkly different singles from the album — “Vampire,” a resentful breakup ballad, and the more playful ’90s-inspired “Bad Idea Right?” Both have music videos directed by Petra Collins, who was behind many of Rodrigo’s “Sour” visuals, and each have been tallying up millions of views.
The 20-year-old Grammy winner has a big reputation to live up to with “Guts,” which continues to have that grunge-rock tinge of her previous music.
James Blake, ‘Playing Robots Into Heaven’ (Republic)
British musician and producerJames Blakeis diving back into his electronic roots with “Playing Robots Into Heaven,” out Friday, Sept. 8. The record was announced in June, complete with dates for a world tour and a music video for the lead single “Big Hammer.” He has since released a second single off the record titled “Loading,” which features the return of his haunting yet angelic voice.
Blake, who has worked with high-profile artists fromFrank Oceanand Bon Iver toBeyoncé, is scheduled to make an Oct. 16 tour stop at the Masonic in San Francisco.
Mitski, ‘The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We’ (Dead Oceans)
The Japanese American singer-songwriter is known for her long, elusive, oddly specific titles. But Mitski’s forthcoming seventh album, out Sept. 15, may be one of the most poetic. The 32-year-old singer first announced the title of “The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We” via voice memo in her newsletter sent to fans in July.
The follow-up to her 2022 album “Laurel Hell,” which reached No. 5 on the Billboard 200 and became her highest-charting album ever, the new record boasts 11 tracks. Its lead single, “Bug Like an Angel,” came out in July with an accompanying music video that featured an interpretive dancer as Mitski sang in the corner surrounded by a choir. Since then, the singer has released two more tracks: “Star” and “Heaven.”
Willie Nelson, ‘Bluegrass’ (Sony)
At 90 years old, country legendWillie Nelsonis scheduled to release his next studio album, “Bluegrass,” on Sept. 15, adding to his growing discography of more than 100 records. The 12-song release is packed with bluegrass reinterpretations of some of his biggest hits, including “On the Road Again” and “Good Hearted Woman,” in addition to some more of his obscure tracks. “You Left Me a Long Time Ago,” originally released in 1964 but reworked here, serves as the lead single and an introduction to the new sound showcased on the project.
纳尔逊乞讨an traveling across the U.S. in June for his seventh annual Outlaw Music Festival, a touring event curated by the musician that features a number of his friends and collaborators, fromthe Avett BrotherstoBobby WeirandMolly Tuttle. The festival, which skips the Bay Area this year, is scheduled to conclude in Alabama on Oct. 15.
Chappell Roan, ‘The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess’ (Amusement/Island)
Missouri-born Kayleigh Rose Amstutz, known professionally as Chappell Roan, is making a splashy debut with “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess,” set for release Sept. 22. The 25-year-old worked on the record with Dan Nigro, who has produced songs for high-profile artists such as Olivia Rodrigo and Caroline Polachek.
Roan, who earned loyal fans on social media with her playful, campy and colorful flair, is releasing a short documentary-style series on her YouTube channel leading up to the release of the 14-track LP, aimed at shedding light on her Midwestern upbringing and its influence on her musical identity.
“This job allows me to do and be whoever I want because there’s no boundaries,” she said in the series’ first episode, titled “Homecoming.” “That was the point of it all: to be anything I wanted.”
Kylie Minogue, ‘Tension’ (BMG)
The “Can’t Get You out of My Head” singer’s latest material, dropping Sept. 22, will be her first project since 2020’s LP “Disco.”
“This album is a blend of personal reflection, club abandon and melancholic highs! I felt so much freedom when I recorded it and hope you love it,” the Grammy-winning Australian artist said on Instagram.
She recently announced a three-month Las Vegas residency at Voltaire Nightclub, scheduled to begin on Nov. 3, following the TikTok success of her 2023 hit “Padam Padam” at the beginning of the summer. The single is one of 11 songs on “Tension.”
Grateful Dead, ‘Wake of the Flood (50th Anniversary Edition)’ (Rhino)
In celebration of the 50th anniversary of 1973’s “Wake of the Flood,” a remastered version of theGrateful Deadrecord is being unveiled Sept. 29, complete with unreleased demos and live versions of beloved tracks. A demo of the legendary Bay Area jam band’s song “Eyes of The World” was shared with fans on July 27 in anticipation of the full album.
The special edition will feature the first ever release of a demo of “Here Comes the Sunshine” as well as six tracks of live music from a 1973 concert at Northwestern University’s McGraw Memorial Hall in Evanston, Ill.
Jorja Smith, ‘Falling or Flying’ (Famm)
The aforementioned vocal powerhouse Jorja Smith is gearing up to drop her long-awaited sophomore album this month.
Her debut, “Lost & Found,” came out in 2018 and was packed with slow R&B and heartfelt neo-soul that complemented her soft but strong vocal range. Five years later, the 26-year-old British singer has teased fans by releasing three singles ahead of “Falling or Flying,” each with its own distinct music video.
She is celebrating the album’s release with a string of U.K. shows that kick off on Sept. 28, the night before the album’s official release.
“I don’t slow down enough,” Smith said in a statement. “This album is like my brain. There’s always so much going on but each song is definitely a standstill moment.”
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