Music
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15 albums not to miss in March
Featuring new records from Mimi Webb, Sleaford Mods, Lana Del Rey, and Miley Cyrus
As spring starts pushing through the cracks of winter, some of the year’s freshest new sounds are making themselves heard. This March brings a burst of pop, rock, folk, garage, grunge and dance – with Miley Cyrus already dreaming of the summer holidays, Lana Del Rey dreaming of staying inside, and Sleaford Mods dreaming of the next general election.
Here we pick our favourites from the best new records coming out this month.
3 March
Mimi Webb – Amelia
“The world is well-acquainted with the young pop force behind hits such as ‘House On Fire’ and ‘Good Without’ – now, Mimi Webb is looking to introduce her audience to a different side of her. Her debut album takes its title from her full first name and, if its three singles are anything to go by, promises to be packed full of infectious pop hits and huge ballads, powerfully delivered by Webb. Seriously, try getting ‘Red Flags’ out of your head.” Caitlin
Jen Cloher – I Am A River, The River Is Me
“Six years on from the eponymous album that cut a swathe through the Aussie indie scene with punk poetry and suburban shoegaze, Jen Cloher is back with something that sounds completely, utterly different. Still releasing under her own Milk! Records label but no longer working with her co-founder and ex, Courtney Barnett, Cloher’s first new single is a synth-pop ode to oral sex – released right before a brass ballad sang half in Maori. This is what evolution sounds like.” Paul
Hello Mary – Hello Mary
“The 90s alt-rock comeback is still going strong in 2023 – with New York’s Hello Mary shrugging off all the obvious comparisons (Nirvana, Pavement, Pixies, anything that’s come out in the last few years with even a hint of grunge) to fire their crunchy debut straight into the face of dad rock with 21st century spikiness.” Paul
10 March
Sleaford Mods – UK GRIM
“With their 12th album UK GRIM, Nottingham duo Sleaford Mods seem to prescribe the state of the times while perhaps suggesting a name for the space their music finds itself in… abrasively edgy, deliciously dingy and justifiably angry.” John
Miley Cyrus – Endless Summer Vacation
“If its lead single is anything to go by, Miley’s eight studio album is going to be huge. Following the multiple Spotify records broken by ‘Flowers’, the singer gears up to release Endless Summer Vacation on March 10. Described by Cyrus as a “love letter” to LA, the album promises to celebrate her home in much the same way as her 2017 single ‘Malibu’ – this time through the lens of her hard-won strength, maturity and self-appreciation.” Caitlin
Nia Archives – Sunrise Bang Ur Head Against The Wall
“Few debuts feel anticipated this year as that from Bradford-born producer Nia Archives. If you weren’t paying attention, last year she won a MOBO, BBC Music Introducing, NME and DJ Mag award off the back of a string of D’n’B-inspired singles and EPs. But latest singles such as ‘So Tell Me’ and ‘Conveniency’ hint towards a debut full of bangers on another level.” John
Altin Gün – Aşk
“Amsterdam-based Turkish psych-rockers Altin Gün make music visceral and hypnotic enough that either it feels like you understand singer Merve Daşdemir’s lyrics when you don’t, or it simply doesn’t matter. Their forthcoming fifth album sees them step away from the keyboards of 2021’s Yol and return to their roots of warming, 70s Anatolian rock.” John
17 March
The Lost Days – In The Store
“Everything about The Lost Days is steeped in sepia melancholy. The duo of Tony Molina and Sarah Rose Janko formed after meeting at a funeral and spent nights in Sarah’s Oakland warehouse apartment, drinking wine and playing songs, bonding over The Byrds and cult songwriting genius Bill Fox. Their full-length debut together In The Store is built on their mutual loves, resulting in a record that’s low-key, impossibly pretty and brimming with raw emotion.” Mark
M83 – Fantasy
“M83 might make the most “autumn” music ever, but anyone who’s ever seen Anthony Gonzalez dance around a synthesizer at a festival knows how much summer sun is squeezed between all the long shadows – the perfect way to wave off winter. There’s no theme this time around, with Gonzalez writing the album “as a gift to himself”; encouraging the band to jam and experiment.” Paul
24 March
Lana Del Rey – Did You Know There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd
“Which Lana are we getting here? According to second new single ‘A&W’ we’re getting all of them at once – moving through smoky jazz, baroque pop, deadpan pastoral, confessional folk and… a sudden jolt into trap. It makes sense for an album that was originally going to be called Did You Know That with new collaborators now including Jon Batiste, Bleachers, Tommy Genesis, RIOPY and Father John Misty.” Paul
The Reds, Pinks & Purples – The Town That Cursed Your Name
“It’s easy to image a sub-culture of sad, sensitive San Franciscans poring over the melancholic jangle of Glenn Donaldson, much as their 80s Manchester counterparts did with The Smiths. There are two advantages to Donaldson, however: 1) He’s as prolific as he is consistently brilliant, so you can count on at least one new record a year; and 2) you’re highly unlikely to, at some point in the future, end up conflicted over your devotion.” Mark
Lankum – False Lankum
“Ever have a day where you just want something that’s guaranteed to bring on the tears? Lankum’s ‘The Young People’ is my guarantee, a kind of comforting, wistful sadness that cuts right to the quick. It’s only good news that the Dublin quartet is back with their fourth album, continuing to push Irish trad in bold, arresting directions that only accentuate the quivering emotion at its core. Even on record, their music holds you in your place, commanding silence and rapt attention.” Mark
31 March
boygenius – The Record
“Dust off your Doc Martens – the indie rock supergroup are back with their first full length album, and it’s going to be a big one. Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus are none of them known for fumbling a release. Putting them all together on one record should be a recipe for indie perfection, and three very strong singles seem to suggest that it will be. The Record won’t arrive until right at the end of the month, but good things are worth waiting for.” Caitlin
The New Pornographers – Continue As A Guest
“When you’ve been a going concern as long as The New Pornographers have, there must be an overwhelming temptation to put it all in a blender and see what new mixture comes out. Continue As A Guest finds the Canadian supergroup on a new label, finding new avenues to explore and sounding thoroughly reinvigorated. It’s still a miracle to hear how such distinct talents as AC Newman, Dan Bejar (Destroyer) and Neko Case join together so seamlessly.” Mark
The No Ones – My Best Evil Friend
“Since R.E.M. split in 2011, Peter Buck has been almost perpetually busy, usually in the company of kindred spirit and former R.E.M. auxiliary Scott McCaughey. The No Ones, one of their many bands together, release their second album this month, the line-up completed by Arne and Frode of superb Norwegian indie poppers I Was A King. It’s chiming, swirling, hooky indie rock that contains significant portions of its constituent parts and a gigantic dollop of Buck brilliance.” Mark
Tickets are on sale now or soon for many of the names on this month’s list at ticketmaster.co.uk, with a lot of major tours and dates still to be announced this year.
