Bringing together music bloggers to discuss music highlights from June
Our assembled cast of music bloggers and broadcasters return to share their thoughts on June 2024 in music.
Joining 5-9 editor, Andrew Belt, to answer the questions are:
Gemma Cockrell is a PR account executive and freelance journalist based in Nottingham. You’re most likely to find her listening to live music in one of Nottingham’s brilliant music venues or speaking about motorsport on her podcast, Down To The Tyre.
Adam Reeve is an editor/writer + other things-er for various places over many years. Currently for Dead Good Music - a music blog that pairs music and oranges together like you wouldn't believe.
Phil Taylor (aka Music Observer) lives in the East Midlands and spends a disproportionate amount of his time listening to music, attending gigs and wearing band T-shirts.
Phil is obsessed with music of all genres, with a leaning towards alt-pop, folk, indie rock and post-punk. He started his blog in 2021 as a way of sharing his feelings about good music; it quickly grew into a fully fledged venture with a focus on new releases as well as live reviews and interviews. He now writes for other publications including LeftLion, The Songbird and Music in Leicester.
Sophie (otherwise known as Purpl Mac) who is a new music fan lover from Belgium.
She likes to support new indie & alternative music bands by featuring them on her show/podcast, playlists and on social media.
She is also a lover of music on vinyl growing her collection of physical copies and digital copies on bandcamp.
Matthew McLister is a freelance writer and music fan based in Glasgow with a degree in History (University of Glasgow). Passionate about new guitar music and indie bands, he writes features for Gigwise and HeadStuff Media. During lockdown he launched the Blinded by the Floodlights indie website and has even produced his own podcast. By day, he works in Corporate Communications.
Andy Peterson is a music writer for Live4ever Media and runs the Voice of Unreason music blog. In his own words, he says: “I’ve been writing about music for various places on the internet since 2007. So many records, so little time.”
5-9: What was your experience of Glastonbury - an omnipresent part of June?
IDLES's set at Glastonbury thrilled many of our panel from the comfort of their sofas (photo credit: Daniel Topete)
Adam: I did a lot of watching it on the TV or on my phone during work, which certainly made time pass nicely! As always, I am very jealous of those who got to go and wish that could be me one year. In terms of the best sets, I think Confidence Man, IDLES and LCD Soundsystem smashed it out of the park. What I would've given to hear 'All My Friends' live.
Sophie: I watched it on TV and enjoyed IDLES and Fontaines D.C. but I must say that I prefer small venues these days.
Andy: Great sets from Fontaines, Confidence Man, Mdou Moctar, Justice, Little Simz and IDLES obviously stole the show. Was a bit annoyed we didn't get to see any Kneecap.
Matthew: I always try to watch as much of BBC’s excellent Glastonbury coverage as I can and this year was no different. Fontaines D.C. played an explosive set on the Park Stage which, you have to say, really should’ve had them headlining the festival itself.
I really enjoyed sets from Declan McKenna, LCD Soundsystem and Dua Lipa, though Sunday night watching The National on The Other Stage was perfection: a gorgeous and emotional set that demonstrated why Matt Berninger and co are one of the most important bands this century.
Gemma: I didn’t attend but I watched on TV. The most memorable moment for me was Dua Lipa’s headline set!
5-9: What was the best album in June?
Gemma and Adam are fully on board with the 'brat summer'
Gemma: I know it’s a basic answer but it’s got to be Brat by Charli XCX. It feels like pop has become fun again recently and I am on board with that!
Adam: It has to Brat by Charli XCX. I still don't really know what a brat summer is or what it takes to be brat, but I am really enjoying the album. Charli's been releasing some excellent records over the years, and it feels like she's finally receiving the praise and excitement to match. In a time where Taylor Swift is seemingly everywhere, it's nice to see a large subsection of music fans become excited for a different artist.
Matthew: A hard one to choose this month. The Mysterines's second album Afraid Of Tomorrows pushed the boat out for them sonically and was a nice slow burner, Orlando Weeks's LOJA was a real intimate effort that, for me, finally took him out the shadow of his former band The Maccabees and South Korean superstar DJ Peggy Gou released her debut I Hear You - a '90s dance flashback joy.
However, special mention to Been Stellar and their debut Scream From New York, NY that had a '00s NYC band influence (think The Strokes, The Walkman and Interpol), while bringing those together for their own, unique post punk sound.
Andy: Best album in June was Kneecap's Fine Art by some distance.
Sophie: Will go with an artist called Magon who is based in Paris and his album Wedding song. It sounds like a classic album.
Phil: There were loads of good albums in June - more than I’d anticipated! Eight Pointed Star by Marina Allen was sublime, as was Away From This Dream by Axel Flóvent (an Icelandic musician who I only just discovered). Afraid Of Tomorrows by The Mysterines was rich and punchy, and I was a big fan of Dua Lipa’s collection of extended versions of the songs on Radical Optimism (a better and more generous approach than just releasing an album version with a few extra songs).
Sorry, you asked for my favourite! I’ll go with Valley Of Abandoned Songs from The Felice Brothers - plaintive, expansive, very honest and, at times, admirably shabby Americana. It’s just so evocative and quite unique in some ways, too.
5-9: What's the best song/s you've heard this month?
'I Have the Answer' by Been Stellar was selected by Matthew as one of the best tracks from June (photo credit: Gabe Long)
Matthew: Been Stellar - 'I Have the Answer', Fontaines D.C. - 'Favourite' and Orlando Weeks - 'Good To See You'.
Sophie: 'Goodbye (So long, Farewell)' by FEET (their album is excellent too). 'The Cheese' by T.G. Shand - an excellent dream pop single. 'Hey boy, Be my girl' by Saint Mary Candy who are a psychedelic rock band from Italy.
Gemma: My first pick is another basic one, as it’s been top of the charts for most of the month, but 'Please Please Please' by Sabrina Carpenter has been on repeat for me. Other than that, I’d pick 'My Room' by Divorce and 'Ur In Love' by JayaHadADream and Zoutr.
Phil: 'Puppet Show' by She’s In Parties, 'The End' by Halsey and 'Death Grips' by Etta Marcus.
And a special mention, if you don’t mind, for a really cool and well matched collab of hard working indie artists - 'Prepopulated Page' by Lossline with sublime additional vocals from Jen Dixon.
Andy: 'What Happened To You, Son' by Belle & Sebastian, 'No Man Is An Island' by Slow Pilot & C Duncan and 'Running' by Fat Dog.
Adam: Cairo Station - 'Menace', Confidence Man - 'I CAN'T LOSE YOU' and better joy - 'Situations'.
We've now collated the monthly song picks into one, easy-to-find playlist, which also includes picks by 5-9 editor, Andrew Belt, and 5-9 Album of the Month hosts, Karl Blakesley and Kiley Larsen. Listen below:
5-9: What's the best gig you've been to this month?
Sophie's view of Belle & Sebastian from June
Sophie: Belle & Sebastian were brilliant, musically but also did a good job at involving the public, inviting people on stage. Almost nothing beats 'Fox in the snow' live.
Matthew: I went to two gigs, and had two very differing experiences. Firstly shoegaze/indie pop band Chastity Belt at ROOM 2 in Glasgow which has now become a running joke between my mate and I as a barometer for a dreadful gig. The lead singer clearly didn’t want to be there and it was almost comical how low energy the performance was. It ended without an encore and I’ve never been at a gig where we all felt like they’d done us a favour by not coming back on stage!
Which then leads to my best gig a few days after, Alvvays at the 02 Academy, probably appreciated more by having a negative experience just before! The Canadian dream/jangle pop band, fronted by Molly Rankin, delivered a blistering set of singalong anthems like ‘Archie Marry Me’ and ‘Dreams Tonite’, jangle pop goodness to move the hips with ‘Adult Diversion’ and the ability to completely silence and stun the audience through ‘Fourth Figure’. An utterly captivating show that was everything Chasity Belt wasn’t.
Phil: Jodie Nicholson at The Lower Third - only the second time I’ve seen her live, and the first with a full band. I don’t think there’s anyone out there currently with such purity of approach both vocally and in terms of her songwriting. It was a great performance.
Gemma: I was away in Greece for a lot of June so unfortunately didn’t attend a gig. I feel almost embarrassed to admit that! Rest assured though, I’ve got plenty lined up. And I did go to a festival, Radfest, which I help to organise. So I guess that was the best gig, if you can count a festival (Editor: we do!)!
5-9: Halfway through the year, what is your favourite album of 2024 so far?
This Could Be Texas by English Teacher is high up in the estimation of Phil and Andy
Phil: Ouch this is really tough! Champagne by Sick Love is still one of the tops, but perhaps This Could Be Texas by English Teacher is now winning out. It’s stood the test of time well, and with repeat plays I’ve found new nuances.
Andy: Kneecap, Ducks Ltd, English Teacher.
Matthew: Oh, tough one narrowing it down! Off the top of my head it’d be either be Yard Act, Real Estate, MGMT, DIIV or Declan McKenna. Too hard to pick, sorry!
Sophie: Hard one but probably NewDad.
Adam: It's pretty close between Brat, Sick Love's Champagne and Porij's Teething, but for fear of recency bias, I'm gonna have to give it to Brat. It's so accessible but challenging throughout, and seemingly has a song for all moods that's contained within this ongoing club night that could go wrong at every turn. It's great.
Gemma: This is such a tough question! But Billie Eilish’s HIT ME HARD AND SOFT is probably the album I’ve listened to the most from start to finish, so I’ll go with that. She curated the album with this in mind, trying to encourage people to consume it in this way, and you can definitely tell - and I really appreciate that about it.
Thanks for taking part in 5-9's June roundtable! Look forward to catching up next month!
To keep up to date with Sophie's shows, podcasts and more follow her on X - @macaronpurpl - or on Instagram - @purplemacpodcast.
For Gemma: @gemcockrell on X.
For Adam: @adamsoundsgood and @deadgoodblog on X.
For Phil: @MusicObserver1 on X and @music_observed on Instagram.
For Matthew: @matthewmclister on X.
For Andy: @ArcticReviews on Twitter and @vormusicblog on Instagram.
For a further deep dive into last month's music, listen to 5-9's Album of the Month podcast episode for June 2024.
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