As we somehow approach the halfway point of 2024, June’s initial new releases bring the heat. A generous double length offering from Anaïs Mitchell, Eric D. Johnson, and Josh Kaufman, Bonny Light Horseman’s Keep Me on Your Mind/See You Free captures the warmth of the centuries-old Irish pub in which it was recorded. Packed with playful character, Man Man’s Carrot on Strings is a soul-baring victory lap from bandleader Honus Honus. Multitudes is the full-length debut from 2022’s Tiny Desk Contest winner Alisa Amador; the Massachusetts songwriter is joined by fellow rising stars Quinn Christopherson and Madison Cunningham. South London trio Goat Girl’s third LP, Below the Waste, further expands their eclectic blend of indie rock, folk, and experimental electronics.
EELS TIME!, the 15th album from Mark Oliver Everett’s long-running EELS project, hones the acoustic-rooted rhythms of recent works like Earth to Dora and The Deconstruction. Working with Chicano Batman’s Carlos Arévalo (and singing almost entirely in Spanish for the first time on record), Angélica Garcia’s Gemelo is a bold examination of culture and heritage. Built on a swirling foundation of ambient textures, Strand of Oaks’ Miracle Focus is an album-length ode to meditation from the former Philly mainstay.
Listen for spotlights on new records like these (and more) every week on the XPN Morning Show and Indie Rock Hit Parade.