There are more than 150 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:
THE SHORT LIST
Bruce Springsteen
Western Stars
Life, it is said, is about the journey and not the destination. That certainly rings true for Bruce Springsteen — though for him, it also seems to be about the detours that take him away from E Street. Like his recent Broadway stint. Or his autobiography. Or even his latest album Western Stars. READ MY REVIEW
Madonna
Madame X
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Influenced creatively by living in Lisbon, Portugal over the past several years, Madame X is a collection of 15 new songs that celebrate Madonna’s career-long affair with Latin music and culture as well as other global influences. Singing in Portuguese, Spanish and English, highlights on the album include Medellín, which was co-produced by Mirwais and captures the spirit of Maluma’s hometown, the anthemic song I Rise, the Jamaican dancehall vibes of Future featuring Quavo, and co-produced by Diplo, as well as the sonically innovative Mirwais produced Dark Ballet. Recorded over 18 months in Portugal, London, New York and Los Angeles, Madonna collaborated on Madame X with longtime producer Mirwais, as well as with producers Mike Dean and Diplo, among others. “Lisbon is where my record was born,” Madonna says. “I found my tribe there and a magical world of incredible musicians that reinforced my belief that music across the world is truly all connected and is the soul of the universe.”
Lukas Nelson & Promise of The Real
Turn Off the News (Build a Garden)
The overtitled but satisfying fifth album from Willie Nelson‘s singer-guitarist son and his California country-rock jammers (who have been moonlighting as Neil Young’s band for the past few tours and albums) is also their most high-profile release, thanks to Lukas’s work on A Star is Born — and to a guest list that includes Margo Price, Sheryl Crow, Micah Nelson, Kesha, Shooter Jennings, Randy Houser, Lucius, Young and papa Nelson. READ MY REVIEW
Kate Tempest
The Book of Traps and Lessons
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Acclaimed recording artist, poet, novelist and playwright Kate Tempest has announced her highly anticipated new album The Book Of Traps And Lessons. This is the first time Kate and long-time collaborator Dan Carey have worked with the legendary U.S. producer Rick Rubin. What has transpired is an incredible piece of work that takes the listener on a 45:02 minute journey of highs, lows and core bearing emotions. The tracks comprise a narrative thread and are intended to be listened to in one sitting. The first track from the album is entitled Firesmoke. Kate says, “I think of the song like a cleansing moment in the wider context of the record, in the same way that a relationship can be a cleansing moment in the wider context of a life. A kind of a turning point. I wrote it for my woman. Inspired by her and everything that falling in love with her has taught me.”
Chris Robinson Brotherhood
Servants Of The Sun
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Servants of the Sun bursts into the clear blue air with the funky upper atmosphere bubbling of vintage keyboards and driving rhythm. A gateway swings wide open to a universe that the Chris Robinson Brotherhood has been tirelessly constructing for eight years through extraordinary musicianship, endless touring and a roving, seemingly bottomless wizard’s chest of sonic delights. The band’s 8th studio effort since forming in 2011—spread out over six full length albums and two EPs—sets aside the studio explorations of their more recent work and turns inward to the heart of the Brotherhood’s universe. Of the origin concept for Servants, bandleader Chris Robinson explains: “I let my head go to a Saturday night at the Fillmore, and said, what’s the best set we could play?” And in following that guiding principle the CRB bottled their pure essence into 10 new songs, a distillation of their journey so far. In many ways they have come full circle in delivering their most direct, bare bones, rock n’ roll record since debut companion albums Big Moon Ritual and The Magic Door.“
Noel Gallagher and his High Flying Birds
Black Star Dancing EP
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Noel says of Black Star Dancing: “It manages to combine the influences of David Bowie, INXS, U2, Queen, Indeep AND ZZ Top FFS!…I might have been watching too much Top Of The Pops recently…anyway, it’s ‘dope’, not my words, but the words of Nile Rodgers who literally danced in the studio when he heard it! Noel says of the single Rattling Rose: “It manages to combine the influences of Chris Rea, Chris De Burgh, Mike + The Mechanics and Slipknot FFS!!! I may have eaten too many gummy bears recently… Anyway it’s “jolly good” … Not my words but the words of David Cameron who literally did the hokey cokey at Soho Farmhouse when he heard it.” Featuring new kaleidoscopic artwork by Gareth Halliday, the EP also includes Sail On, a 12” mix of Black Star Dancing plus a remix by London-based French DJ/producer Nicolas Laugier, aka The Reflex.”
The Minus 5
Stroke Manor
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Northwest underground stalwart Scotty McCaughey suffered a stroke in November 2017, that nearly killed him and wiped his entire musical catalog, including material from The Minus 5, Young Fresh Fellows, The Baseball Project, R.E.M., and more, from his memory. Less than three days after a doctor predicted he would never play music again, McCaughey began writing his next The Minus 5 album while still in ICU, unable to speak coherently, and with his right side just awakening from paralysis. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, he channeled his positive spirit and began to write down whatever incoherent thoughts crossed his mind. He turned those stream-of-consciousness notebook pages into The Minus 5’s 13th album, Stroke Manor. And, after a couple of weeks in a hospital bed and recovery at his home in Portland, McCaughey recorded the album with significant contributions from Peter Buck, Corin Tucker, Joe Adragna, Jeff Tweedy and more.”
THE LONG LIST
Mike Adams At His Honest Weight | There Is No Feeling Better
Cisco Adler | Hippieland
Agrippa | Dead Wait
All Get Out | Northport Sessions EP
Another Sky | Life Was Coming In Through The Blinds
Ava Luna | Pigments EP
Avett Brothers | May It Last: A Portrait of the Avett Brothers DVD
Angelo Badalamenti | Twin Peaks: Season Two Music and More
Bad Books | III
Bang Bang Romeo | A Heartbreaker’s Guide to the Galaxy
Baroness | Gold & Grey
Bastille | Doom Days
Will Beeley | Highways & Heart Attacks
Beheaded | Only Death Can Save You
Glenna Bell | Let Freedom Ring: Songs for a New Generation
Beshken | Aisle of Palm
Birds of Prey | Vanishing Point
The Black Fever | Unarticulated Wants
Martin Brandlmayr | Vive Les Fantomes
Bread | Baby I’m a-Want You
Burial | Claustro
Butcher | The Bar III
Buzzcocks | A Different Kind Of Tension & Singles Going Steady Reissues
Calexico & Iron & Wine | Years to Burn
Bill Callahan | Shepherd in a Sheepskin Vest
Calliope Musicals | Color/Sweat
The Catenary Wires | Til The Morning
David Champagne | Agnostic Gospel Vol. 2: Bad Choices Make Good Stories
Chaos Magic feat. Caterina Nix | Furyborn
Los Coast | Samsara
Crumb | Jinx
Dad Brains | Dadditude EP
Roger Daltrey | The Who’s Tommy Orchestral
The Dangerous Summer | Mother Nature
The Darling Fire | Dark Celebration
Donskoy | Didn’t I Say So
Dressy Bessy | Fast Faster Disaster
Earnhardt | Earnhardt
Earth Tongue | Floating Being
Danny Elfman | Men in Black: International
Enablers | Zones
Daniel Puente Encina | Sangre y Sal
Joshua Espinoza | Journey Into Night
Clarice Falcão | Tem Conserto
Alle Farben | Sticker on My Suitcase
Renée Fleming | Lieder: Brahms · Schumann · Mahler
Michael Fracasso | Big Top
Front Biz | Lunch Money
Noel Gallagher and his High Flying Birds | Black Star Dancing
Stan Getz | Getz at the Gate: The Stan Getz Quartet Live at the Village Gate, Nov. 26, 1961
Iris Gold | Planet Cool
Ramonda Hammer | I Never Wanted Company
Courtney Hartman | Ready Reckoner
Hate | Auric Gates Of Veles
Isaac Hayes | Shaft – Music from the Soundtrack Deluxe Reissue
Kevin Hearn | Calm and Cents
Hell Bent | Apocalyptic Lamentations
Richard X. Heyman | Pop Circles
Ingested | Call of the Void
Instant Empire | Cathedrals
The Jackets | Queen Of The Pill
Hayden James | Between Us
Susan James | Sea Glass
Jamestown Revival | San Isabel
Keith Jarrett | J.S. Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier Book 1
Jeanines | Jeanines
Caleb Johnson & The Ramblin Saints | Born From Southern Ground
Joy Division | Unknown Pleasures 40th Anniversary Edition
Noah Kahan | Busyhead
Kill The Rooster | And Then What Happened Was…
Carole King | Live at Montreux 1973
Konx-Om-Pax | Ways of Seeing
DJ Joey LaBeija | Tears In My Hennessey.
LaFontaines | Junior
Lay | Honey
Lettuce | Elevate
Pat Lok | Corazón
Loote | lost EP
Marwa Loud | My Life
Madonna | Madame X
Heather Maloney | Soil In The Sky
Bob Marley and the Wailers | Legend Vinyl
Dave Matthews Band | Rhino’s Choice
Mattiel | Satis Factory
The Minus 5 | Stroke Manor
Mr. Merlot | City Sex Vol. 2
MKHL | Da Boat
Keb’ Mo’ | Oklahoma
Much the Same | Survive Vinyl Reissue
Lukas Nelson & Promise of The Real | Turn Off the News (Build a Garden)
New Swears | Night Mirror
Klaus Nomi | Klaus Nomi Vinyl Reissue
Nthng | Microdose
Old Man Luedecke | Easy Money
One Track Brain | Ape EP
Out Of Order | Facing The Ruins
Para Lia | Hawk Hill
Rich Peare | Classic Jazz Guitar
Personal Best | What You At
Pinky Pinky | Turkey Dinner
Pyramid Tropic | Pyramid Tropic
DJ Python | Derretirse EP
Ragdoll Sunday | Migrant EP
Jordan Rakei | Origins
Zoe Reddy | MACHINE EP
R.E.M. | In Time: The Best Of Vinyl
Clay Rendering | California Black Vows
Jordan Reyes | Close
Roadtrip | Dynamite
Chris Robinson Brotherhood | Servants Of The Sun
RVDE | Call it Rude EP
Mitch Ryder | Detroit Breakout!
SadGirl | Water
Julia Shapiro | Perfect Version
Shellac | The End of Radio
Chris Shiflett | Hard Lessons
Sigur Rós | Ágætis byrjun – A Good Beginning 20th Anniversary Edition
Skelator | Cyber Metal
Sky Civilian | Open Door EP
Slomatics | Canyons
Slope Unit | Value System Disorder
Bruce Springsteen | Western Stars
Stonefield | Bent
Suss | Chisholm Trail / Aurora
Sweet Oblivion | Sweet Oblivion
Swimming Girls | Existential Fears
Takimu | Simulation
Tangerine Dream | In Search of Hades: The Virgin Recordings 1973-1979
Tanzwut | Seemansgarn
Kate Tempest | The Book of Traps and Lessons
Thank You Scientist | Terraformer
This Gift Is A Curse | A Throne Of Ash
Katie Toupin | Magnetic Moves
Tritonal | U & Me
Tusks | Avalanche
Two Door Cinema Club | False Alarm
Upsammy | Branches on Ice
Us3r | 1985
Various Artists | Self Discovery For Social Survival
Various Artists | The Unquiet Grave 2019
Verve Jazz Ensemble | Night Mode
Ben Vince | Don’t Give Your Life
Sam Wickens | All I’ve Seen
Hank Williams | The Complete Health & Happiness Shows
Christopher Willits | Sunset
X Ambassadors | Orion
Yawning Man | Macedonian Lines
Will Young | Lexicon
ZZ Top | Goin’ 50
