Plus: why musicians are turning to space for inspiration
Sleeve Notes | The Guardian
Sleeve Notes
Picks of the week
Janet Jackson was fearless – she could do it all
Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis / Janet Jackson was fearless – she could do it all
The duo started their debut album 36 years ago, but work for the Jackson siblings, Mariah Carey and others got in the way. Now it’s finally complete, R&B’s great studio psychologists look back at an unmatched career
Singer-songwriter Stephen Fretwell returns / I took a leap that cost me my marriage
Witch / The glory and tragedy of Zambia’s psych-rock trailblazers
DJ-producer Sherelle / I feed off people’s unexplained anger
Reviews
Alexis Petridis's album of the week / The Goon Sax: Mirror II – striking, superb songwriting by Aussie indie trio
The Goon Sax: Mirror II – striking, superb songwriting by Aussie indie trio
Manchester international festival 2021 / Arlo Parks – impassioned live show creates heady sense of joy
Folk album of the month / John Francis Flynn: I Would Not Live Always – an extraordinary debut
Album review / Snoh Aalegra: Temporary Highs in the Violet Skies – inventive R&B with retro charm
Spotlight
Why a galaxy of musicians are turning to space for inspiration
Alien invasion / Why a galaxy of musicians are turning to space for inspiration
Influenced by everything from declassified UFO files to Elon Musk, the likes of Grimes, Doja Cat and Demi Lovato are taking off into another realm
Classical
Classical album of the week / Chopin: Complete Nocturnes – powerful period piano is something special
Chopin: Complete Nocturnes – powerful period piano is something special
Obituary / Dutch composer Louis Andriessen
Dutch composer Louis Andriessen
Opera review / Le Comte Ory – anarchic and camp, it’s the perfect tonic
Le Comte Ory – anarchic and camp, it’s the perfect tonic
Opera review / Falstaff – pranks and pathos as Scottish Opera’s Verdi shines
Falstaff – pranks and pathos as Scottish Opera’s Verdi shines
Add to playlist
Ranked / The Velvet Underground’s greatest songs
The Velvet Underground’s greatest songs
Track review / Dave: Clash (feat Stormzy) – unflappable cool from two cultural icons
July’s best album reviews / Laura Mvula, Martha Argerich and more
This week’s new tracks / Shibashi, the Vaccines, Doja Cat
More emails from our Culture team
More emails from our Culture team
Sign up to our weekly catch-ups for literary delights in Bookmarks, the best podcast recommendations in Hear here and an art world round-up with Art Weekly.
You may have missed
I’ve always had to be strong
Alicia Keys / I’ve always had to be strong
Alicia Keys reflects on 20 years of stardom, going makeup free and where she gets her ‘grit energy’
Tkay Maidza / I wasn’t happy with who I was surrounded by – things were starting to fall apart
The tennis ace turned rap upstart’s EP series is a bratty and bold reintroduction after a strange year
Chapter and verse / What makes the perfect lyric?
From Nick Cave to Courtney Love, brilliant songwriters use a host of techniques to make the listener think, feel, and – in the case of Enya – sail away
On my radar / Laurent Garnier’s cultural highlights
The French DJ on the TV series Staged, a post-apocalyptic dance show and group therapy for convicts in California
Get in touch
If you have any questions or comments about any of our newsletters please email newsletters@theguardian.com
Get 12 months for just £75
Get all the sport coverage you want and support our award-winning journalism. And for a limited time only - get 12 months for just £75. Everybody wins.
Manage your emails | Unsubscribe | Trouble viewing?
You are receiving this email because you are a subscriber to Sleeve Notes. Guardian News & Media Limited - a member of Guardian Media Group PLC. Registered Office: Kings Place, 90 York Way, London, N1 9GU. Registered in England No. 908396