Fresh Sounds Emerge: New Releases From Olivia Dean, Neko Case & Valerie June Offer a Counterpoint to Pop’s current Landscape
A wave of new music from artists Olivia Dean, Neko Case, and Valerie June is offering a refreshing choice to the pop music currently dominating the charts. These artists, each with a distinct style, explore nuanced themes of romance and vulnerability, presenting a more complicated and realistic portrayal of love than often heard in mainstream music.
British singer-songwriter Olivia Dean, whose talent and popularity have drawn comparisons to adele, delivers R&B and smooth soul-infused tracks in a warm tenor voice. Her single, ”Man I Need,” exemplifies her intimate delivery, sounding as though she’s sharing a personal confidence. The song directly addresses a love interest, urging openness and reciprocal vulnerability.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “MAN I NEED”)
OLIVIA DEAN: (Singing) Looks like we’re making up for lost time. Need you to spell it out for me. Bossa Nova on all night. It’s like a type of alchemy… Talk to me.Talk to me.
Simultaneously occurring, Neko Case acknowledges the potential ”futility” of love songs even as she crafts gorgeous ones. This ambivalence toward romance is a common thread running through the work of dean and fellow artist Valerie June, adding depth and complexity to their commitment to the love song format.
Ken Tucker reviewed the new music from Case, June, and Dean for NPR.
tomorrow on FRESH AIR, former U.S. Attorney Joyce Vance will discuss controversies surrounding the Justice Department, including the prosecution of former FBI Director James Comey and the Epstein files, and also her new book, “Giving Up Is Unforgivable: A Manual For Keeping Democracy.”
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(SOUNDBITE OF REGGIE QUINERLY’S “REFLECTIONS ON THE HUDSON”)
FRESH AIR is produced by Danny Miller, Audrey Bentham, Sam Briger, Phyllis Myers, Ann Marie Baldonado, Lauren Krenzel, Therese Madden, Monique nazareth, Thea Chaloner, Susan nyakundi, and Anna Bauman. Molly Seavy-Nesper is the digital media producer, with Hope Wilson as consulting visual producer. roberta Shorrock directs the show, and Tonya Mosley hosts.
(SOUNDBITE OF REGGIE QUINERLY’S “REFLECTIONS ON THE HUDSON”)
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