Tag: Starrs

The Chronicle’s curated list of notable new music releases for January.

Ethel Cain, ‘Perverts’ (Daughters of Cain)

Ethel Cain is taking a break from the Ethel Cain lore. 

The singer, known offstage as Hayden Silas Anhedönia, crafted a tale centered on the character with whom she shares a stage name on her 2022 debut, “Preacher’s Daughter.”

Chronicling the kidnapping, forced prostitution and eventual murder of her character, the album is bundled in a fictional context that Cain has assured fans is not relevant to her upcoming follow-up “Perverts.” 

Diverging from the narrative of her debut, her new project is out Wednesday, Jan. 8, and consists of nine tracks. The 90-minute-long project’s lead single, “Punish,” was released in November, maintaining the ambient, slightly eerie sound that she established on her debut. 

Franz Ferdinand, ‘The Human Fear’ (Domino)

After a seven-year hiatus, Franz Ferdinand is reuniting with producer Mark Ralph, who worked on its 2013 record “Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action” for a brand-new project. Titled “The Human Fear,” the Scottish band’s new album is due out Friday, Jan. 10, and is led by the upbeat single “Audacious.” 

In a statement, the band’s lead singer Alex Kapranos explained that the track is about “having an audacious response when you feel the fabric of existence come undone around you. Being bold, contrary.”

Kapranos also explained that the album as a whole tackles the fears and thrills that make up the human experience. 

Ringo Starr, ‘Look Up’ (UM) 

The Beatles alum is returning to his lifelong passion for country music with 11 new songs. Part of his upcoming album “Look Up,” which is scheduled to release on Friday, Jan. 10, the songs were produced and co-written by Grammy-winning producer, guitarist and lyricist T Bone Burnett. Starr recently threw a listening event in London to promote the project, and welcomed guests such as Eric Clapton, Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour and the Rolling Stones’ Ronnie Wood.  

Though he has released a handful of EPs since 2021, Starr told Mojo magazine that his forthcoming album “was an absolute surprise,” recalling the moment in 2022 when he was reunited with Burnett, whom he had met in the 1970s. He asked Burnett if he would write for him in the future, and the two quickly got to writing the record in Los Angeles and Nashville. 

Rebecca Black, ‘Salvation’ (self-released) 

The “Friday” singer has come a long way since she went viral at 13. Despite having the most disliked YouTube video in 2011, Black persisted with making music and has since taken on an evolved and playful hyper-pop sound. Her seven-track sophomore album, “Salvation,” is expected to release Jan. 17, and features the lead singles “Trust!” and “Sugar Water Cyanide.” 

Black is planning to return to the Bay Area on her accompanying tour on March 7. A frequent visitor, she performed at Pier 80’s Portola Festival in September and played a free DJ set as part of the Downtown First Thursdays street party in December. 

Mac Miller, ‘Balloonerism’ (Warner Records)

A lost album from late rapper Mac Miller is set to release on Jan. 17, after a trailer for the project was teased at Tyler, the Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw festival in November. 

According to Miller’s estate, the project was created around the time of his 2014 “Faces” mixtape, and Miller had already commissioned the artwork for it, an image of the rapper painted by artist Alim Smith. Unofficial versions of the album have been floating around the internet for years, and many are speculating that R&B singer SZA has a few features on the album. 

“We believe the project showcases both the breadth of his musical talents and fearlessness as an artist,” Miller’s estate wrote in a statement. “Releasing ‘Balloonerism’ was something that Malcolm frequently expressed being important to him.”

FKA twigs, ‘Eusexua’ (Young)

Returning five years after her last release, “Magdalene,” the British singer-songwriter is highlighting her evolution with a unique, sensual and somewhat eerie project called “Eusexua.” Slated to drop on Jan. 24, it is anchored by its title track and accompanying music video, which feels like an episode of “Succession” if it took place in a science fiction universe. 

“EUSEXUA is a practice / EUSEXUA is a state of being / EUSEXUA is the pinnacle of human experience,” the singer wrote on the social platform X when announcing the album.

She also said, “It is my opus and truly feels like a pin at the centre of the core of my artist.” 

The Weeknd, ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow’ (XO/Republic)

Closing off the dramatic “After Hours” trilogy that he began nearly five years ago, the Weeknd is planning the release of his sixth studio album, “Hurry Up Tomorrow,” on Jan. 24. 

The project features guest appearances from artists like Playboi Carti and Anitta and is set to be accompanied by the psychological horror film of the same name starring the musician alongside “Wednesday” actress Jenna Ortega, “Saltburn” actor Barry Keoghan and more. 

“This album represents the creative apex of the project,” text in the project’s trailer reads, also noting that it was “crafted with existential and self-referential themes.” 

The R&B artist plans to celebrate the release of the album the night after it drops with a special concert at Pasadena’s Rose Bowl Stadium.

Central Cee, ‘Can’t Rush Greatness’ (Columbia)

Central Cee is ready to make his full-length debut after making waves for his rap collaborations and social media drama. The rapper, whose real name is Oakley Neil Caesar-Su, first rose to mainstream fame when his song “Doja” went viral on social media in 2022, though he had been releasing music for a few years prior. 

Expected to release on Jan. 24, Central Cee’s new project, “Can’t Rush Greatness,” is said to feature guest producers and an appearance from fellow British rapper Dave, whom he collaborated with on the single “Sprinter” in 2023. Their collaboration ended up becoming the longest-running No. 1 rap song in the U.K., holding the position for 10 weeks. 

Reach Zara Irshad: zara.irshad@sfchronicle.com