I’ve spent my whole life chasing the high of flipping through a CD case overstuffed with discs burned from Napster. I’d go on long downloading binges, acquiring a huge collection of albums I hadn’t yet heard, trusting comment board reviewers and hoping I wasn’t loading viruses on to my parents’ computer. Sometimes that file on the Internet wasn’t labeled honestly, and yes malicious software may have gotten involved, but many of those records have stayed with me for life. Once I knew better, I happily spent the money I didn’t have when I was young.
Digital media has a different place in today’s world, and artist payouts are even more fucked. But that possibility — the chance that the next time you push play will change your life — has only grown. Gripe about the streaming age all you’d like, but listeners have never had it better. We’re finding new favorites every day.
With Staff Picks, our writers and editors share the records from this month that turned into our obsessions. As a bonus, it allows us to share our love for stellar albums that we didn’t cover at the time of release, because while nobody can get to everything, Staff Picks allows us to cover just a little more. Here, in alphabetical order, are what we think are the 16 best albums from June 2023.
Wren Graves
Features Editor
Asake – Work of Art
I’ve officially lost count of how many times I’ve let this one play all the way through this week. There’s something hypnotically calming about Work of Art; maybe it’s the string elements and expertly balanced instrumentals, or the way both of those things pair with his warm, inviting vocals. If a literal island escape isn’t possible for you this summer, this album might be the next best thing. — Mary Siroky
ATEEZ – THE WORLD EP2: OUTLAW
This is the highest-charting album for the eight-member K-pop act to date, and it might just be due to the fearlessness the members of ATEEZ possess in their music-making process. This is a group that thrives in the chaos they create — their performance style often veers into sensory overload, an explosive mix of beat drops, terribly charismatic choreography, and industrial production touches. These guys are historically more popular internationally than at home in South Korea, but lead single “BOUNCY” seems to finally be providing a welcome domestic breakthrough in Seoul for ATEEZ, too. — M. Siroky
Bully – Lucky for You
Alicia Bognanno’s journey to her most confident album yet is an interesting one. Lucky for You is her second album since going solo under the Bully moniker, and the first from the project she didn’t have a hand in producing. It’s also not lyrically all that confident — there are tracks called “Hard to Love” and “How Will I Know,” after all. Regardless, the album bristles with the fury of a veteran artist who seems happy to be yelling into the void. Yes, for all the anthemic laments, Bognanno is having fun; the fact that she clearly trusts in both her sound and songwriting is what makes you want to scream along till your voice is as hoarse as hers. — Ben Kaye
Christine and the Queens – Paranoïa, Angels, True Love
We are witnessing Héloïse Letissier, aka Christine and the Queens aka Chris aka Redcar, rediscover himself in real time. And with any sort of change, there are going to be growing pains. Redcar les adorables étoiles (prologue) saw him adopting a new persona with a more operatic sound, and fans’ mileage with the shift was decidedly varied. However, on Paranoïa, Angels, True Love — containing parts two through four of this new creative direction — he’s found a more engaging blend of Chris and Redcar. The sounds are as big as the latter but as catchy as the former. It’s a demanding listen at 20 tracks, to be sure, but watching this artist evolve as he wrestles with loss and identity is its own rewarding journey. — B. Kaye
McKinley Dixon – Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!
Named after Toni Morrison’s trilogy of novels, McKinley Dixon’s new album is yet another tapestry of life from the Chicago-based rapper. He relishes in the power of community and transformation, digging into his past, present, and future with the utmost courage. There’s a lived-in warmth to these songs, especially in their jazz-forward arrangements — showing that once again, McKinley Dixon is on another compelling wavelength of creativity. — P. Ragusa
feeble little horse – Girl with Fish
Girl with Fish sees feeble little horse hone in on the elements that made them word-of-mouth sensations in the Pittsburgh scene. Layered shoegaze tones, catchy melodies, deadpan vocals, and oddball production choices blend together to create a sound that feels experimental and full of life. There’s a tenacity to lyricist Lydia Slocum’s words this time around that feels darker as she tackles themes of isolation, religion, and desire in songs that often switch from upbeat to brooding. Between the fuzzy riffs and textured noise there are gentle moments that allow for Slocum to get intimate in her delivery. In this record, you hear the young group growing into their sound with a confidence that makes you curious for what’s next. —André Heizer
Foo Fighters – But Here We Are
It doesn’t matter if you’re on your first album or your 11th — honesty is rewarding. On But Here We Are, Foo Fighters first album after Taylor Hawkins’ death, Dave Grohl cycles through stages of grief and marvels at the futility of it all. Of course, it’d be difficult to expect Foo Fighters to make this album a sharp left turn, or anything that wouldn’t be stadium sing-along worthy. But Foo Fighters have ended up making an album that reminds their legion of fans why they started listening to them in the first place, and what they can still do in the future. — Paolo Ragusa
Jonny Greenwood, Dudu Tassa – Jarak Qaribak
On Jarak Qaribak, Dudu Tassa and Jonny Greenwood are on a mission of artistic archival. Covering nine Middle Eastern love songs from a variety of different countries and time periods, the record stands as an anachronistic celebration of a style of music all too often overlooked in the West. Whether you are able to understand the lyrics or not, there’s undeniable emotion in Tassa and Greenwood’s instrumentals, and there’s not a vocal performance on the project that doesn’t deserve umpteenth relistens. Don’t let something as silly as a language barrier or traditional Western music theory keep you from taking Jarak Qaribak for a spin. — Jonah Krueger
Home Is Where — the whaler
A concept album about 9/11? In this economy? On their new album the whaler, Florida shredders Home Is Where pull off that unlikely feat by way of homespun, anxiety-ridden emo with a gnarly bite. Vocalist Brandon MacDonald whips out one-liners that’ll stop you in your tracks: “An all-knowing god doesn’t know what it’s like to not know anything at all,” for one, in a snarl that immediately convinces you she’s seen some shit. The record’s overarching theme, however, seems to be the paradoxical collective reaction to mass tragedy in a country where “thoughts and prayers” has the same tinge of ass-backwards condescendence as “bless your heart.” There’s no use fearing the end of the world if, as MacDonald recalls, “everyone went back to work” on September 12th, 2001. The end of the world is already here. — Abby Jones
Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit – Weathervanes
Perhaps the most remarkable thing about Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit’s Weathervanes is its ability to stand out among a discography of standout releases. At this point in the already legendary songwriter’s career, quality records are a given, especially when he’s backed by the wonderful 400 Unit. But, somehow, Weathervanes manages to exceed the already high expectations — and it might just be Isbell’s best work yet. As personal, political, and poignant as ever, Isbell’s writing is sharp and emotional, and with impressive production and impeccable performances backing his musings, the project seems destined to become a fan-favorite for years to come. — J. Krueger
Janelle Monáe – The Age of Pleasure
This album’s arrival felt like it officially signaled the start of summer. The Age of Pleasure is luxurious and sensual and plays so well all the way through — it flows as naturally as the water and other natural elements Monáe sings about. “Float” featuring Seun Kuti and Egypt 80 is such an attention-grabbing opening, and it’s immediately followed by “Champagne Shit” (another banger), but there’s really not a skip to be found here. — M. Siroky
The Japanese House – In the End It Always Does
Amber Bain’s sophomore album as The Japanese House is a remarkable advancement from her previous material. The British indie pop artist, who is also our June 2023 CoSign, deepens her songwriting with explorations on gender, transformation, and isolation. She melds both folk-oriented indie with funky synth pop in an irresistible way, making In the End It Always Does a courageous reintroduction to The Japanese House. — P. Ragusa
