The New Cue #619 August 21: Denzil Curry, Erykah Badu, Getdown Services, The Womack Sisters, Julia Holter, The Cramps, Westside Cowboy, Fontaines D.C., Wishy, Sorry, Biita Houdei

Good morning,

Don’t call it a comeback unless you really want to, but after a week away with Covid contracted somewhere between Ibiza and East London I am happy to return to the greatest home-working I can imagine: The New Cue, in this instance the Friday Recommender.

He’s a humble, self-effacing sort, but nevertheless I want to pay tribute to my New Cue work wife Niall Doherty who always picks up my slack when I regularly drop it, last week uncomplainingly writing this edition alone and taking care of around four Life & Times interviews in my absence.

All of those to come, plus a load I have scheduled guiltily, but first this week’s Recommender, including some of the stuff I was unable to recommend last week through fever, along with a load of very good gear out today. It qualifies, I think, as a bumper edition.

Enjoy the playlist here on Spotify:

Or in Applevision.

If you are already a paying subscriber, thank you very much. If not, please consider that monthly £5.

Love you,

Ted and Niall

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The fact that I was mildly insane with Covid last week means I was unable to write about three albums I’d earmarked for my Recommender. I’m sure you got onboard with each of them anyway, but just in case you missed any: Getdown Services are the most invigorating, relatable and sing-a-long-able group in the country, and the duo’s second album Massive Champion is 37 minutes of pure joy.

Now feast on the extremely soulful and authentic 60s Philly-style grooves that The Womack Sisters deliver on their self-titled debut album. They’re Sam Cooke’s granddaughters and Bobby Womack’s nieces, but pedigree alone doesn’t guarantee as sophisticated and accomplished a debut as this.

Was going planning to add to the ocean of music journalese committed to print about the third Phoebe Bridgers album, Lost Weekend, which made many knees weak last Friday, before illness mercifully curbed those ambitions. Some lovely songs about death and love here, filled with Elliott Smith-like tunesmithery and surprising sound design. The best of her three albums, a record that will bloom further over the next year as it makes its way from arena to arena for sure.