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urgencytobleed) wrote2011-08-11 11:08 am
urgencytobleed) wrote2011-08-11 11:08 am
Entry tags:
Upcoming Releases
I've actually heard a few of these albums since writing this up. Oh well. I guess that's what I get for being lazy about posting.
I wasn't sure if I should include The Cinema on this list, because I'm not sure when the full album is being released or if there will even be a conventional album release at all. So far, the duo, consisting of producer Matt Malpass and Lydia's Leighton Antelman, has released four impeccable electronic pop gems, shimmering, danceable tunes that surprisingly suit Antelman's distinct voice just as well as the moodier, darker-toned sounds of Lydia. Honestly, any of the four would be a strong teaser but I've chosen "The Wolf" because of its immediacy (and because I'm a sucker for those layered vocals at the end). Between this and the announcement of a new Lydia release by (hopefully) year's end, it will end up being quite the year for fans of Antelman's strong songwriting and singular vocal stylings.
"Coming Down" surprised me. I'm familiar with Dum Dum Girls frontwoman, Dee Dee (aka Kristen Gundred), from her previous band, Grand Ole Party, who unfortunately broke up before they could release a second album. When I first listened to Dum Dum Girls, I was disappointed by the lo-fi sound (a trend, I'll admit, I'm not crazy about) and the abandonment of Gundred's powerful pipes in favor of a more monotonous, Vivian Girls-esque drone. But they've really stepped up their game in a very short period of time. "Coming Down" is unexpectedly vast and space-y, with hazy edges reminiscent of Mazzy Star. It also gives Gundred's voice more opportunity to shine than before. If the rest of Only in Dreams is this marked of an improvement, sign me up - I'm ready to buy whatever this band is selling. [Edited later: the rest of the album sounds nothing like this song and I'm not hearing anything quite as instantaneously infectious as the first two tracks on the He Gets Me High EP either but it's definitely good and I've only listened to it a couple times.]
I'm not very familiar with Ladytron's past efforts but I listened to "White Elephant" on a whim and, by the time it ended, was extremely glad I decided to give it a try. The song is hypnotic, layered, oddly unsettling electronica at its finest. The sing-song vocals are both child-like and creepy at once and the background textures are incredibly interesting, adding to the ethereal effect of the vocals without overpowering them. The other songs I've heard from Gravity the Seducer are just as sonically delicious, catchy yet intelligent and complex enough to remain fresh with every listen. Maybe this will be the album that forces me to sit up and pay attention to Ladytron after all this time.
At twenty-one years old, Laura Marling has managed a rather impressive feat: she's nearly got me convinced, only two albums in, that she can do absolutely no wrong. "Sophia" leaves me feeling even more confident in that assumption. Following last year's breathtakingly flawless I Speak Because I Can, A Creature I Don't Know may very possibly become Marling's most impressive achievement so far. "Sophia" starts off folky and slow, Marling's low, smoky vocals and introspective lyrics setting the mood, before gradually widening in scope, ending on a decidedly twangy note. Though Marling is most lauded for her wise-beyond-her-years lyrics, her voice is what stands out here: her phrasing and timing is impeccable and she conveys such richness despite her relative youth.
I have to admit that the first two singles released from Maria Taylor's fourth solo effort haven't got me terribly excited. At best, they can be described as inoffensive, nothing new or unexpected, though I certainly enjoy the poppy "Matador" more than "In a Bad Way" with its faux-rootsy leanings. Still, there's not much to say about the track and it slides past your ears pleasantly but, once it's over, doesn't leave much of an impression. Taylor's voice is just as effortlessly airy and pretty as it's always been but there's only so long one can coast on a lovely voice alone and after the lackluster LadyLuck, I think Taylor may be reaching that point. But perhaps the rest of Overlook will prove to be more engaging. [Edited later: despite a promising opening track, it's really not. :( Maybe it will grow on me but I'm not holding my breath. It's pretty bland.]
I've been waiting a long time for My Brightest Diamond's follow-up to 2008's A Thousand Shark's Teeth, ever since Shara Worden undeniably stole the show on The Decemberists' Hazards of Love a couple years ago. The first taste of Worden's third release, All Things Will Unwind, isn't exactly challenging but it's as beautiful and lush as fans of her work have come to expect. Despite growing more enjoyable with every play, "Reaching Through to the Other Side" doesn't contain much of the darkness that permeated her debut, Bring Me the Workhorse, and made it such a gripping listen. Still, it's hardly a bad song and though it never truly takes off like some of Worden's best pieces, it's certainly far less sleepy than much of Shark's Teeth turned out to be.
I'm not sure what to expect from Land and Sea. The double album is supposedly going to be split into two styles: Land will feature more earthy and conventional tunes while Sea will focus on lusher, more theatrical fare with string accompaniment. The Baroness, Slean's last proper album, was disappointingly bland but still enjoyable and "Set It Free" isn't quite meaty enough to give a real impression of how vastly this new material will differ. It's a short, breezy pop song, slightly cabaret-inspired and most reminiscent of 2004's Day One. It's certainly more memorable than most anything on The Baroness but, still, it's not exactly the next "Lucky Me." It feels a bit like Sarah Slean by numbers but I'm not worried yet; it's only a very small piece of a much larger puzzle.
Annie Clark's last album, 2009's Actor, was quite the achievement, a bombastic, unapologetically weird collection of art-pop songs that manage to be both catchy and experimental at once. At times, however, all of that quirk and cheeky charm begins to wear its welcome, coming across as too calculated and emotionally distant. "Surgeon" doesn't skimp on the embellishments; it's full of noodly guitar and contrasting melodies and ethereal-sounding samples. But it's also surprisingly accessible and much more instantly hummable than the majority of Actor. It sounds like Clark has finally managed to achieve the perfect balance of sweet and edgy and the results are remarkable. Strange Mercy is shaping up to be her most impressive release yet.
Wild Flag consists of two-thirds of Sleater-Kinney, Carrie Brownstein and Janet Weiss, along with two other alt-rock heavyweights, Mary Timony and Rebecca Cole. Many people will probably be happy to hear that, more than anything, "Romance" sounds like a lost Sleater-Kinney tune. Brownstein's unique, off-kilter vocal delivery is front and center and she sounds better and more energetic than ever. The song itself couldn't be catchier; the chorus will instantly worm its way inside your head and refuse to vacate it. "Romance" melds perfectly the more simplistic, straightforward melodies of early Sleater-Kinney and the heavier, darker sounds they so skillfully explored on The Woods. Yet it also offers something refreshing and new. It's certainly a promising sign of what's to come.
"Vessel" contains all of the hallmarks of what, over a handful of releases throughout the past couple of years, has become known as the signature Zola Jesus sound: the dark, sinister atmosphere; classic pop songwriting transformed into a vaguely gothic dance floor dirge; Nika Roza Danilova's big, booming, echo-laden vocals; and the minimalistic yet full-sounding instrumentation. But the song also hints at bigger, richer, perhaps even more epic things to come. Though, for me, it doesn't quite stack up to Zola Jesus' best ("Night," "I Can't Stand," "Poor Animal," etc.), "Vessel" is a tantalizing precursor to Conatus and I can't wait to see what tricks Danilova has up her sleeve with a larger budget and even more room for experimentation and expansion.
Also due to be released:
I wasn't sure if I should include The Cinema on this list, because I'm not sure when the full album is being released or if there will even be a conventional album release at all. So far, the duo, consisting of producer Matt Malpass and Lydia's Leighton Antelman, has released four impeccable electronic pop gems, shimmering, danceable tunes that surprisingly suit Antelman's distinct voice just as well as the moodier, darker-toned sounds of Lydia. Honestly, any of the four would be a strong teaser but I've chosen "The Wolf" because of its immediacy (and because I'm a sucker for those layered vocals at the end). Between this and the announcement of a new Lydia release by (hopefully) year's end, it will end up being quite the year for fans of Antelman's strong songwriting and singular vocal stylings.
"Coming Down" surprised me. I'm familiar with Dum Dum Girls frontwoman, Dee Dee (aka Kristen Gundred), from her previous band, Grand Ole Party, who unfortunately broke up before they could release a second album. When I first listened to Dum Dum Girls, I was disappointed by the lo-fi sound (a trend, I'll admit, I'm not crazy about) and the abandonment of Gundred's powerful pipes in favor of a more monotonous, Vivian Girls-esque drone. But they've really stepped up their game in a very short period of time. "Coming Down" is unexpectedly vast and space-y, with hazy edges reminiscent of Mazzy Star. It also gives Gundred's voice more opportunity to shine than before. If the rest of Only in Dreams is this marked of an improvement, sign me up - I'm ready to buy whatever this band is selling. [Edited later: the rest of the album sounds nothing like this song and I'm not hearing anything quite as instantaneously infectious as the first two tracks on the He Gets Me High EP either but it's definitely good and I've only listened to it a couple times.]
I'm not very familiar with Ladytron's past efforts but I listened to "White Elephant" on a whim and, by the time it ended, was extremely glad I decided to give it a try. The song is hypnotic, layered, oddly unsettling electronica at its finest. The sing-song vocals are both child-like and creepy at once and the background textures are incredibly interesting, adding to the ethereal effect of the vocals without overpowering them. The other songs I've heard from Gravity the Seducer are just as sonically delicious, catchy yet intelligent and complex enough to remain fresh with every listen. Maybe this will be the album that forces me to sit up and pay attention to Ladytron after all this time.
At twenty-one years old, Laura Marling has managed a rather impressive feat: she's nearly got me convinced, only two albums in, that she can do absolutely no wrong. "Sophia" leaves me feeling even more confident in that assumption. Following last year's breathtakingly flawless I Speak Because I Can, A Creature I Don't Know may very possibly become Marling's most impressive achievement so far. "Sophia" starts off folky and slow, Marling's low, smoky vocals and introspective lyrics setting the mood, before gradually widening in scope, ending on a decidedly twangy note. Though Marling is most lauded for her wise-beyond-her-years lyrics, her voice is what stands out here: her phrasing and timing is impeccable and she conveys such richness despite her relative youth.
I have to admit that the first two singles released from Maria Taylor's fourth solo effort haven't got me terribly excited. At best, they can be described as inoffensive, nothing new or unexpected, though I certainly enjoy the poppy "Matador" more than "In a Bad Way" with its faux-rootsy leanings. Still, there's not much to say about the track and it slides past your ears pleasantly but, once it's over, doesn't leave much of an impression. Taylor's voice is just as effortlessly airy and pretty as it's always been but there's only so long one can coast on a lovely voice alone and after the lackluster LadyLuck, I think Taylor may be reaching that point. But perhaps the rest of Overlook will prove to be more engaging. [Edited later: despite a promising opening track, it's really not. :( Maybe it will grow on me but I'm not holding my breath. It's pretty bland.]
I've been waiting a long time for My Brightest Diamond's follow-up to 2008's A Thousand Shark's Teeth, ever since Shara Worden undeniably stole the show on The Decemberists' Hazards of Love a couple years ago. The first taste of Worden's third release, All Things Will Unwind, isn't exactly challenging but it's as beautiful and lush as fans of her work have come to expect. Despite growing more enjoyable with every play, "Reaching Through to the Other Side" doesn't contain much of the darkness that permeated her debut, Bring Me the Workhorse, and made it such a gripping listen. Still, it's hardly a bad song and though it never truly takes off like some of Worden's best pieces, it's certainly far less sleepy than much of Shark's Teeth turned out to be.
I'm not sure what to expect from Land and Sea. The double album is supposedly going to be split into two styles: Land will feature more earthy and conventional tunes while Sea will focus on lusher, more theatrical fare with string accompaniment. The Baroness, Slean's last proper album, was disappointingly bland but still enjoyable and "Set It Free" isn't quite meaty enough to give a real impression of how vastly this new material will differ. It's a short, breezy pop song, slightly cabaret-inspired and most reminiscent of 2004's Day One. It's certainly more memorable than most anything on The Baroness but, still, it's not exactly the next "Lucky Me." It feels a bit like Sarah Slean by numbers but I'm not worried yet; it's only a very small piece of a much larger puzzle.
Annie Clark's last album, 2009's Actor, was quite the achievement, a bombastic, unapologetically weird collection of art-pop songs that manage to be both catchy and experimental at once. At times, however, all of that quirk and cheeky charm begins to wear its welcome, coming across as too calculated and emotionally distant. "Surgeon" doesn't skimp on the embellishments; it's full of noodly guitar and contrasting melodies and ethereal-sounding samples. But it's also surprisingly accessible and much more instantly hummable than the majority of Actor. It sounds like Clark has finally managed to achieve the perfect balance of sweet and edgy and the results are remarkable. Strange Mercy is shaping up to be her most impressive release yet.
Wild Flag consists of two-thirds of Sleater-Kinney, Carrie Brownstein and Janet Weiss, along with two other alt-rock heavyweights, Mary Timony and Rebecca Cole. Many people will probably be happy to hear that, more than anything, "Romance" sounds like a lost Sleater-Kinney tune. Brownstein's unique, off-kilter vocal delivery is front and center and she sounds better and more energetic than ever. The song itself couldn't be catchier; the chorus will instantly worm its way inside your head and refuse to vacate it. "Romance" melds perfectly the more simplistic, straightforward melodies of early Sleater-Kinney and the heavier, darker sounds they so skillfully explored on The Woods. Yet it also offers something refreshing and new. It's certainly a promising sign of what's to come.
"Vessel" contains all of the hallmarks of what, over a handful of releases throughout the past couple of years, has become known as the signature Zola Jesus sound: the dark, sinister atmosphere; classic pop songwriting transformed into a vaguely gothic dance floor dirge; Nika Roza Danilova's big, booming, echo-laden vocals; and the minimalistic yet full-sounding instrumentation. But the song also hints at bigger, richer, perhaps even more epic things to come. Though, for me, it doesn't quite stack up to Zola Jesus' best ("Night," "I Can't Stand," "Poor Animal," etc.), "Vessel" is a tantalizing precursor to Conatus and I can't wait to see what tricks Danilova has up her sleeve with a larger budget and even more room for experimentation and expansion.
Also due to be released:
- CANT - Dreams Come True (9/13)
- Deas Vail - Deas Vail (10/11)
- Feist - Metals (10/4)
- Mates of State - Mountaintops (9/13) [Edited later: have heard this now too. It's nice but seems a bit typical of Mates of State, nothing unexpected or exciting. Re-Arrange Us took awhile to really hit me though so maybe that's the case here too.]
- Mutemath - Odd Soul (10/4)
- Tori Amos - Night of Hunters (9/6)