Sound On: The Best Albums of July 2019

These records will make the idea of summer ending a little more palatable.

Finger, Wrist, Nail, Pattern, Thumb, Collage, Illustration, Flesh, Painting,
(Image credit: Courtesy)

Chance the Rapper, The Big DaySabrina CarpenterSingular Act IIBanks, IIIWillow, Willow

Welcome to Sound On, where we’ll highlight the albums and songs that you should know about each month—from the hits that landed to the tracks you might have missed. We’ll even tell you which moods each album evokes, so you know just when to turn them on to maximize their effects. Happy listening.

July was pretty quiet on the major music release front, but we witnessed several super anticipated albums finally getting their big day, and were blessed with several albums from young artists coming into their own. If July felt a bit like a summer slump, the LPs that came out were enough to keep us busy all the sweltering month long.

Here are the four albums we were super into this month:

Chance the Rapper, The Big Day

Hand, Finger, Nail, Pattern, Design, Gesture, Wrist, Flesh, Thumb,

(Image credit: Courtesy)

Who?

Chance is Chicago’s unofficial mayor—a rapper, philanthropist, all-around character whose fanbase is nearly competitive in their adoration of him.

What?

Though it might seem wild considering how important Chance is to music, this is technically his debut album: His brilliant 2013 mixtape Acid Rap was just that, a mixtape, even though it feels like a defining opening statement. The fact that it took this long to get his debut is a testament to the quality of the result: The hip-hop tracks here are at times jubilant, reflective, life-affirming, and relatable. Chance is a treasure, and his picks for guest appearances (En Vogue! Death Cab! CocoRosie!) showcase his curiosity for and ability to bridge a sprawling list of genres.

Best Time to Listen:

Whenever you get a little sad about how summer will end.

listen now

Sabrina Carpenter, Singular Act II

Iron, Metal, Fictional character,

(Image credit: Courtesy)

Who?

Former tween actress (remember her from Girl Meets World?) Sabrina Carpenter has turned into a bonafide pop star, and her long-awaited Singular Act II shows why.

What?

Carpenter has an ability to mix together the best things about pop music right this moment—retro synths, Janet Jackson–cribbing beats, sassy lyricism, talk-singing that verges on rapping but never gets cringe-y, genius phrase coinage (“I’m still in my bed about it,” she says, brilliantly, on “In My Bed”). This is an album chock full of bops, be they bright (“Take You Back”), brooding (“I’m Fakin”), or a hypnotic little kiss-off (“I Can’t Stop Me”). Yay pop music!

Best Time to Listen:

When you need some songs to shout-sing with your friends.

listen now

YouTube YouTube
Watch On

Banks, III

Leg, Flesh, Album cover, Photography, Sitting, Fetish model, Cg artwork, Agent provocateur, Fictional character,

(Image credit: Courtesy)

Who?

Banks (a.k.a. Jillian Banks) has always been a hypebeast, complete with sticky beats and deeply of-the-moment production flourishes. For III, her own sound has emerged.

What?

Though I can already hear the remixes that will be on permanent repeat at clubs (“Look What You’re Doing to Me”), the overall vibe of this record is that Banks seems pissed. “Gimme” and “Till Now” are self-empowerment anthems that don’t mask the rage, but whether she’s sad or seething, the deep house beats keep the album rocking steadily in a way that isn't distracting.

Best Time to Listen:

I listened to this album at work over and over and felt it helped me stay on task? Do with that information what you will!

listen now

YouTube YouTube
Watch On

Willow, Willow

Face, Head, Painting, Portrait, Art, Illustration, Self-portrait, Drawing, Visual arts, Acrylic paint,

(Image credit: Courtesy)

Who?

Willow Smith, now going by her mononym, went platinum before she hit 10 with “Whip My Hair,” and was the youngest artist ever signed to Roc Nation. But in the years since, the daughter of Will and Jada has become a hippie-ish, mysterious force of nature.

What?

Her third full-length is eight tracks of mellow, spacey jams that make you want to sway for its full 22-minute runtime. She name-drops Basquiat and swirls her vocals and even invited her even spacier brother Jaden to join her on the track “U KNOW.” It’s a necessary stepping stone on the path to Willow’s final form.

Best Time to Listen:

When you’re lying in the grass looking at the clouds; lying in bed and lucid dreaming.

listen now

YouTube YouTube
Watch On

For more stories like this, including celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Marie Claire newsletter.

subscribe here

RELATED STORIES

Holiday, Drum, Gesture, Graphic design,

(Image credit: Design by Morgan McMullen)

Marie Claire Logo

(Image credit: Marie Claire)

Cady has been a writer and editor in Brooklyn for about 10 years. While her earlier career focused primarily on culture and music, her stories—both those she edited and those she wrote—over the last few years have tended to focus on environmentalism, reproductive rights, and feminist issues. She primarily contributes as a freelancer journalist on these subjects while pursuing her degrees. She held staff positions working in both print and online media, at Rolling Stone and Newsweek, and continued this work as a senior editor, first at Glamour until 2018, and then at Marie Claire magazine. She received her Master's in Environmental Conservation Education at New York University in 2021, and is now working toward her JF and Environmental Law Certificate at Elisabeth Haub School of Law in White Plains.

Latest in Culture
Two men (Ike Barinholtz and Seth Rogen) sit at a conference table with a script in front of them, as two women (Kathryn Hahn and Chase Sui Wonders) stand behind them, in 'The Studio.'
The Cast of 'The Studio': Your Guide
(L to R) Contestants Kyle Wimberley, Lydia Blair, Samantha Hubbard, and Cara Kies sit and stand around a chess table in episode 105 of Million Dollar Secret.
Meet the Cast of 'Million Dollar Secret'
A man (Graham Hornigold) sits in a professional kitchen as a woman in a hat, sunglasses, and fur coat stands behind him, holding a champagne glass with her other hand on his shoulder. Concept art from the Netflix documentary 'Con Mum.'
Where Is Graham Hornigold Now? What We Know About the 'Con Mum' Subject
Owen Cooper as Jamie Miller in Adolescence.
Who Is Owen Cooper, the First-Time Actor Who Plays Jamie in 'Adolescence'?
(L to R) Dan Perrault as Colin Trask, Spencer Garrett as Wally Glick, Ken Marino as Harry Hollinger, Uzo Aduba as Cordelia Cupp, Andrew Friedman as Irv Samuelson, Susan Kelechi Watson as Jasmine Haney in episode 101 of The Residence
Where Was 'The Residence' Filmed? What to Know About the Location Transformed Into The White House
Sydney Cole Alexander as natalie smiling and posing in a lumon office in severance
'Severance' Is a Vintage Furniture Collector’s Fever Dream
Latest in Feature
millie bobby brown in black with blonde hair
Millie Bobby Brown Chopped Her Hair Into a Blonde Bob
four women with bob haircuts
Now Is the Perfect Time to Embrace the Blunt Bob Trend
michelle monaghan in the mood
Michelle Monaghan Feels the Sexiest After an Underrated K-Beauty Ritual and $128 Body Moisturizer
Sydney Cole Alexander as natalie smiling and posing in a lumon office in severance
'Severance' Is a Vintage Furniture Collector’s Fever Dream
Braids
Hands Down, Box Braids Are the Most Versatile Protective Style
actress ashley sutton wears a black blazer and poses with her hand under her chin and two strands of hair in front of her face
Ashley Sutton Is Not Going to Take Things Lying Down