There are more than 140 albums, EPs and singles being released next week. Mark your calendars and pre-order your favourites — but don’t blame me if things change at the last minute:
TOP ALBUMS
03 Greedo & Mustard
Still Summer in the Projects
You can’t stop 03 Greedo from selling his bars just by putting him behind bars. Shortly before being sentenced 20 years in prison on drug and weapons charges, the rapper reportedly spent a couple of days with DJ Mustard to make this album. And apparently it’s just one of many discs the prolific Greedo cranked out before going to the crowbar hotel. So stay tuned.
Jon Anderson
1000 Hands: Chapter One
OK, not literally. Sometime Yes frontman Jon Anderson didn’t really have 500 helpers on his latest album. But the long-gestating disc — recently finished after being shelved in his garage for decades — does feature a VIP roster that includes Ian Anderson, Chick Corea, Rick Derringer, along with bandmates Steve Howe and Chris Squire. Well, OK then.
https://youtu.be/4JqYFP5UUp8
John Coltrane
Coltrane ’58: The Prestige Recordings
The saxophone legend’s complete 1958 output for the renowned jazz label is being compiled in a new box set. That sounds a lot more imposing than it really is — the eight-disc box features 37 songs, all recorded at Rudy Van Gelder’s home studio. So no need to take out that second mortgage.
Steve Earle & The Dukes
GUY
Last time I talked to Steve Earle was on the day of his late mentor Guy Clark’s memorial in 2016. Not surprisingly, Earle spent some time reminiscing about his pal: “Guy showed me a bunch of things. He didn’t expect me to do them that way; he just thought it would be helpful if I saw how he did it, and he was willing to show me. I had a really old-fashioned, Old World apprenticeship. Not everybody gets that anymore. I was lucky.” Now, we’re the lucky ones — a decade after he paid tribute to old pal Townes Van Zandt on Townes, Earle does the same for Clark.
Billie Eilish
When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
Pop music It Girls are as common as potato chips. And generally prove to be just memorable and long-lasting. Based on some of her singles, it’s vaguely possible the idiosyncratic Billie Eilish might just be the exception to the rule. Or not. Only time will tell. Still, I’ll give her a point for that creepy album cover.
Gang of Four
Happy Now
It’s been almost 40 years since guitarist Andy Gill and his bandmates helped usher in post-punk with the spiky edge and urgent energy of songs like Natural’s Not in It and albums like Entertainment! Based on their recent work — including pre-release single Paper Thin — I expect this ninth album to deliver on that title.
Marvin Gaye
You’re the Man
Soul legend Marvin Gaye would have turned 80 on April 2. That seems like as good an excuse as any to release this long-lost album, which was supposed to be the followup to his 1971 masterpiece What’s Going On, but only the title cut was released at the time. Most of it has dribbled out on various compilations over the decades, but this will be the first time it’s all in one place. And on vinyl.
Frank Zappa
Zappa in New York 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition
There are tons of great Zappa live albums. But for my money, this 1978 release (compiled from four 1976 shows) is close to the top of the pile, thanks to a crack band that includes drummer Terry Bozzio, fantastic performances and a set list dominated by hilarious new material like Titties & Beer, Punky’s Whips, Honey, Don’t You Want a Man Like Me? and The Illinois Enema Bandit. This this five-disc version ups the ante with three hours of unreleased performances. And it comes in a box shaped like a manhole cover. Sold.
THE FULL LIST
03 Greedo & Mustard | Still Summer in the Projects
A Brilliant Lie | Threads: Weaver
Clint Alphin | Straight to Marrow
Aly & AJ | Church
American Pleasure Club | Fucking Bliss
Jon Anderson | 1000 Hands
Anthem | Nucleus
Boosie Badazz | Badazz 3.5
Fredo Bang | Big Ape
Bastarz | I’m a Mess
Beat Machine | Intruder
Black Bombers | Vol. 4
Blue House | Gobstopper
Tim Bluhm | Sorta Surviving
Bobbleheads | Myths & Fables
La Bouquet | Sad People Dancing
Brutus | Nest
Kaydy Cain | Lo Mejor de Lo Peor
Betty Carter | The Music Never Stops
Clean Cut Kid | Painwave
Chris Cohen | Chris Cohen
John Coltrane | Coltrane ’58: The Prestige Recordings
Eric Copeland | Trogg Modal Vol. 2
Coughy | Ocean Hug
Creedence Clearwater Revival | Creedence Clearwater Revival | Bayou Country Half-Speed Masters
Cube | Decoy Street
Kiki Dee | The Rocket Years
Devil & The Almighty Blues | Tre
Dia | TBA
DJ Scratch & Sniff | Disco-Nect
C Duncan | Health
East of the Wall | NP Complete
Steve Earle & The Dukes | GUY
Billie Eilish | When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
Danny Elfman | Dumbo
Emamouse | Eye Cavity
Epic Beard Men | This Was Supposed to Be Fun
Facs | Lifelike
Fennesz | Agora
Sky Ferreira | Downhill Lullaby
Floating Points | Late Night Tales
Ben Folds | Live at Myspace
Gang of Four | Happy Now
Garcia Peoples | Natural Facts
Marvin Gaye | You’re the Man
Beth Gibbons & the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra | Henryk Górecki: Symphony No. 3 (Symphony of Sorrowful Songs)
Good Cop Bad Cop | Good Cop Bad Cop
Laurence Guy | Making Music Is Bad for Your Self-Esteem
Heaven 17 | Play to Win: The Virgin Years
Matthew Hebert Big Band | The State Between Us
Shafiq Husayn | The Loop
Ill Bill | Cannibal Hulk
I Prevail | TRAUMA
Chris Jones & The Night Drivers | The Choosing Road
Just Loud | Just Loud
Kard | Bomb Bomb
K Á R Y Y N | The Quanta Series
Amirtha Kidambi & Elder Ones | From Untruth
Kiwi Jr. | Football Money
L.A. Guns | The Devil You Know
Steven Lambke | Dark Blues
Lang Lang | Piano Book
Jamie Lawson | The Years In Between
Lil Debbie | Bay Chronicles
Lion Babe | Cosmic Wind
Little Villains | Philthy Lies
Love Unlimited Orchestra | The 20th Century Records Albums (1973-1979)
Luthi | Episode One
Magic Circle | Departed Souls
Mahawam | Is An Island
Maine | Are You OK
Yngwie Malmsteen | Blue Lightning
Logan McKillop | Anchorless
Mechanical God Creation | The New Chapter
Mekons | Deserted
Mdou Moctar | Ilana (The Creator)
Modest Mouse | Poison the Well
Moon King | Voice of Lovers
Monstra X | Shout Out
DJ Muggs & Mach-Hommy | Tuez-Les Tues
Musket Hawk | Upside of Sick
Nightmarathons | Missing Parts
Michael Nesmith | Songs
Stevie Nicks | Stand Back 1981-2017
O.A.R. | The Mighty
Obscuring Veil | Fleshvoid To Naught
Ohtis | Curve of Earth
Okey Dokey | Tell All Your Friend
Oshiego | The Book of Wonders
Owel | Paris
Jake Owen | Greetings From … Jake
Stella Parton | Survivor
Phew / Oren Ambarchi / Jim O’Rourke | Patience Soup
Ben Platt | Sing to Me Instead
M. Lockwood Porter | Communion in the Ashes
Suzi Quatro | No Control
Quelle Chris | Guns
Lena Raine | Oneknowing
Randy Randall | Sound Field Volume 1
Rarity | The Longest Lonesome
Reaches | Wherever The Internet Goes, Sorrow Follows
Real Life Buildings | Ohio & West
Joshua Redman Quartet | Come What May
Keith Richards | Talk Is Cheap 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition
Paul Russell | Once in a Dry Season
Thayer Sarrano | The Eternal
Saweetie | Icy
Jo Schornikow | Secret Weapon
Section H8 | Phase One
Ty Segall | Deforming Lobes
Show Me The Body | Dog Whistle
Ian Simmonds | All That’s Left
Simple Creatures | Strange Love
Small Feet | With Psychic Powers
Salvador Sobral | Paris, Lisboa
Son Volt | Union
Laura Stevenson | The Big Freeze
George Strait | Honky Tonk Time Machine
Stray Kids | TBA
Strumbellas | Rattlesnake
Donna Summer | Another Time and Place 30th Anniversary
Sunn O))) | Life Metal
Talltale | A Japanese Fever Dream
Jasmine Thompson | Colour
Devin Townsend | Empath
Ultar | Pantheon MMXIX
Uncle Walt’s Band | Uncle Walt’s Band
Underground Youth | Lust & Fear
UNKLE | The Road: Part II / Lost Highway
Various Artists | The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel: Music From Season Two
Joni Void | Mise En Abyme
Wincent Weiss | Irgendwie Anders
Wharp & Rom | Radical American Hippy Kraut
Whitechapel | The Valley
White Denim | Side Effects
Tom Williams | What Did You Want To Be?
Rita Wilson | Halfway to Home
Erik Wøllo | Sources: Early Works 1986-1992
Xcerts | Wildheart Dreaming
Yelawolf | Trunk Muzik III
Eli Young Band | This Is Eli Young Band: Greatest Hits
Ysengrin | Réincrudation
Frank Zappa | Zappa in New York 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition
