The 10 Albums We’re Most Excited About in September

Music Lists Best Albums
The 10 Albums We’re Most Excited About in September

The first album release date of September is almost here and there’s a boatload of exciting new releases out that day and the rest of the month. Six of Paste’s 10 most anticipated albums of September arrive on that first Friday, including records from St. Paul & The Broken Bones, Seinabo Sey and Beatles legend, Paul McCartney. The whole month of September is full of exciting musical surprises, so here are the 10 albums we’re most excited about this month, along with a list of additional notable releases.

SEPTEMBER 7

Mothers: Render Another Ugly Method
Philadelphia has churned out a great many indie rock and indie punk bands over the last few years, Swearin’, Hop Along and Cayetana among them. Another of those Philly-based groups is Mothers, who’ll release the follow-up to their 2016 debut, When You Walk A Long Distance You Are Tired, this month. On the second single, “PINK,” frontwoman Kristine Leschper, originally from Athens, Ga., melds indie folk singsong with focused punk to create a winding, nearly seven-minute thrasher. The band describes their sophomore LP as “an assemblage of personal vignettes and imagine scenarios that examines consent, escape of the body, power & powerlessness, and the act of making.” —Ellen Johnson

Masego: Lady Lady

We knew there was something in the water with the Jamaican-born, Virginia-raised Masego on last year’s viral video for “Tadow,” his collaboration with French producer FKJ. Slender and imposing, the multi-instrumentalist hopped from a saxophone, to the drums to a beat machine and live-looped his sultry vocals. 48 million views and a tour supporting Leon Bridges later, the steadily exciting Masego readies his debut record, Lady, Lady, a collection of what he’s dubbed “trap house jazz.” This is an undoubtedly unique talent and while the album’s early singles showcase the musical versatility Masego is capable of, there’s still no finer introduction than that first splash with FKJ (which will appear on Lady, Lady.) Check it below. —Adrian Spinelli

Paul McCartney: Egypt Station
When the one and only Sir Paul McCartney writes a song called “Fuh You,” we dutifully listen up. The former Beatle is 76, but he’s no less spry than he was in 1969 when he recorded “I Want You (She’s So Heavy),” which echoes a similar lyrical sentiment to that smirk-worthy new single. Two other singles, the suggestive “Come On To Me” and the mellower “I Don’t Know” preceded “Fuh You,” as did McCartney’s now beloved Carpool Karaoke episode, which is even getting its own special on CBS. Despite his decades, McCartney is still a master musician, and his latest solo effort promises all the grooves, color and rock ’n’ roll he’s delivered throughout his career. —Ellen Johnson

Seinabo Sey: I’m A Dream

Swedish soul-pop singer Seinabo Sey emerged with two considerable hits off of her 2015 LP, Pretend, in “Hard Time” and “Younger.” Both finely-crafted empowerment anthems, the latter got remixed by Kygo, became an enormous global success and deservedly vaulted Sey further into the limelight. But five months ago, when “I Owe You Nothing,” the first single from I’m A Dream dropped, it made it real clear that the songstress wasn’t just back, she was back with a more fierce and pointed message. The subsequent releases of “Breathe” and “Good In You,” show an artist focused on becoming a full-fledged force on her own terms, as a strong and sharp-witted black woman of the world. —Adrian Spinelli

St. Paul & the Broken Bones: Young Sick Camellia
The Alabama-based octet are set to deliver their third full-length record this month, and so far it’s shaping up to be equal parts funk, rock and soul. “Apollo” is the album’s spaced-out, groovy love song, while “GotItBad” is a disco fuse ready to explode at the drop of the bass. Industry ace Jack Splash, who has worked with the likes of Solange, Kendrick Lamar and Alicia Keys, produced the record and likely cultivated its hip-hop influences. Singer/songwriter Paul Janeway and his troupe still recognize their soulful roots, however, clearly on display in the howls and heart of “Convex,” another single. Young Sick Camellia follows 2016’s Sea of Noise, one of our favorite albums of that year. —Ellen Johnson

Gold Star: Uppers & Downers

On his upcoming third LP, Gold Star’s Marlon Rabenreither is rounding into form as one of LA’s most authentic products. You see, a lot of artists can claim L.A. as their home, but Rabenreither grew up an Angeleno and his folk-leaning, vintage-studio rock ’n’ roll is representative of the palm-tree encrusted streets of the city’s East Side. Out on the surging Autumn Tone Records label, tracks like “Half The Time” and “Baby Face” channel equal parts Bob Dylan and Elliott Smith, as Rabenreither scans both sides of Sunset Blvd to realize that he’s never felt more at home. —Adrian Spinelli

More notable Sept. 7 releases: Spiritualized: And Nothing Hurt, Paul Simon: In The Blue Light, Waxahatchee: Great Thunder, Honey Hahs: Dear Someone, Happy Something, Teleman: Family of Aliens, Rudimental: Toast to our Differences

SEPTEMBER 14

The Holydrug Couple: Hyper Super Mega
When it came to writing The Holydrug Couple’s third full-length effort, Hyper Super Mega, the Chilean duo found themselves in a state of cultural, technological and consumerism overload. To cut through the aimlessness and noise that often arises from these factors, the band set out to make a record that would connect with people in a more meaningful, genuine and substantive way. Songs like “Waterfalls” and “I’ll Only Say This” are a transcendent union of modern psych-pop and ’60s pop/rock, as they create beautiful sonic vignettes of a more inhabitable, less distracted planet. This isn’t just a psych record you can trip out to, although I have no doubts that it would be good for that; this colorful canvas of sounds is equally rooted in reality as it masterfully deconstructs cultural, social and technological norms. —Lizzie Manno

Night Shop: In The Break
Singer/songwriter Justin Sullivan, aka Night Shop, may be releasing his debut album, In The Break this month, but he’s far from a starry-eyed newcomer. Sullivan has been a touring drummer for the last 20 years, most recently playing with The Babies, Kevin Morby and Flat Worms. While touring in 2016, Sullivan realized that the taxing life of a touring musician was getting a bit too much and he needed some time off, so he took a year-long break to clear his head. During that period, he wrote solo material in the form of a debut EP and now, his first LP. His first two cuts from the album, “The One I Love” and “My Love,” are rollicking folky rock and roll tunes that require a massive amount of restraint to stop yourself from tapping your foot. Sullivan’s voice may not be cocksure or Elvis Presley-esque, but he sure makes a fine front-porch troubadour via Bob Dylan. In The Break paints tales of deep-rooted romance, old and new pals, life on the road, late night hijinks and just plain ole life under the great big sky. —Lizzie Manno

More notable Sept. 14 releases: Low: Double Negative, Willie Nelson: My Way, Pale Waves: My Mind Makes Noises, The Goon Sax: We’re Not Talking, Dilly Dally: Heaven, Jungle: Forever, Paul Weller: True Meanings

SEPTEMBER 21

Black Honey: Black Honey
Brighton, U.K., quartet Black Honey started releasing demos as early as 2015 and now they’re finally ready to bare their souls in the form of a debut record. The band’s cinematic pop/rock was born for a ballsy Tarantino or Spaghetti Western flick due to frontwoman Izzy Bee Phillips’ glossy, saucy pop vocals and lead guitarist Chris Ostler’s sleazy outlaw riffs. While tracks like “Dig” and “Hello Today” fall into this surreal, dreamy rock sound, the band’s most recent offerings, “Midnight” and “Bad Friends,” depict their venture into disco and hi-fi ’80s pop that wouldn’t sound out of place on Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. Either way, their tantalizing, velvety new record’s entrancing sassiness will kick you down with a shiny silver boot and its inherent pop sweetness will give you a redemptive kiss on the cheek. —Lizzie Manno

More notable Sept. 21 releases: Christine and the Queens: Chris, Joyce Manor: Million Dollars to Kill Me, Macy Gray: Ruby, Mountain Men: Magic Ship, Suede: The Blue Hour, Jess Glynne: Always in Between

SEPTEMBER 28

Lala Lala: The Lamb
Chicago singer/songwriter Lillie West records as Lala Lala and she’s set to release the follow-up to 2016’s Sleepyhead. Her forthcoming Hardly Art LP, The Lamb, is a stark indie-rock record, informed by a difficult time period of West’s life, which consisted of “home invasion, deaths of loved ones and general violence.” As the album hops between lo-fi pop and scuzzy rock, West’s musings are nuanced and naked in their emotional outpouring. People react to early adulthood in vastly different ways and as West found herself intermingling with addiction and toxic people, she sought rejuvenation through sobriety and these new songs. “Destroyer” sees West trying to finally get passed previous hardship and “Water Over Sex” sees West grappling with her newfound more positive lifestyle. She’s a compelling, relatable narrator, someone who’s in her own head, but takes you on a journey through her clever mind and candid, unglamorous life experiences. —Lizzie Manno

More notable Sept. 28 releases: Loretta Lynn: Wouldn’t It Be Great, Mudhoney: Digital Garbage, Miss World: Keeping Up With Miss World, alt-J: Reduxer, The Joy Formidable: AAARTH

Share Tweet Submit Pin