Last week it was all about Taylor Swift. This week, Lana Del Rey will dominate the action with her album Norman Fucking Rockwell. But unlike T.Swizzy, she’s got some competition. Here are some of the options that interest me:
Sheryl Crow
Threads
THE PRESS RELEASE: “I became inspired to record an album of musical experiences with the legacy artists who inspired me to want to be a great songwriter, musician, and producer. It is a celebration with them, and a tribute to them. Just as importantly, I wanted to work with younger artists on this record, who I believe will pick up the torch and continue to light the way for humanity with their stories and their songs for many years to come. Their music inspires me every day.”
Lana Del Rey
Norman Fucking Rockwell
THE PRESS RELEASE: “The highly anticipated album was mainly produced and co-written with Jack Antonoff and will include Venice Bitch, Mariners Apartment Complex, hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have – but I have it and a cover of Sublime’s Doin’ Time.
Jesse Malin
Sunset Kids
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Sunset Kids first took shape at The Hollywood Bowl, when Jesse accepted Lucinda Williams’ invitation to see her open for what turned out to be Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers’ final concert. During that visit, the idea came about of three-time Grammy-winning Lucinda producing Jesse’s next record. “Lucinda has a great eye for finding the beauty in broken things and a knack for always picking the right take. Once she started dancing in the control room, we knew we had it. … My first album, The Fine Art Of Self-Destruction, was about finding glory in the wreckage,” says Malin of the album. “Sunset Kids is about owning it. The failures, the victories, the moments. And moving up from there.”
Tool
Fear Inoculum
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Here’s part of the press release in case you missed it on the Times Square Digital Billboard, sky-writing and inflatable blimp advertising over most major cities, smoke signals from the College of Cardinals in Rome, select augmented reality glasses, spirit boards and cryptically encoded in agriglyphs scattered over the beautiful English countryside: “Fear Inoculum is the long-awaited new album from Tool, and the band’s first new album in 13 years. The album will be available digitally, and in a special Limited Edition physical package that includes a CD in a tri-fold Soft Pack Video Brochure featuring a 4″ HD rechargeable screen with exclusive video footage, a USB charging cable, a 2 watt speaker and a 36 page insert book and MP3 download card. The 85-minute collection was produced by Tool, with Joe Barresi engineering and mixing the release. Barresi also worked with the band on 10,000 Days.” (NOTE: Even Buddhist monks wearing YOLO tee shirts know that!)”
Frank Zappa
Orchestral Favourites 40th Anniversary Edition
THE PRESS RELEASE: “When Frank Zappa’s Orchestral Favorites was released in 1979 as part of fulfilling his contract with his contentious former label, the album was dumped into the world without the legendary musician’s permission or quality control. It did not include liner notes or credits and wasn’t approved by Zappa who publicly criticized it as not being up to his standards. As a result of not receiving any promotion, it was quickly relegated to the bargain bin. Four decades later, in celebration of the long-beleaguered album’s 40th anniversary, the Zappa Family Trust is righting this wrong and presenting Orchestral Favorites with the audiophile detail and respect it deserves. The 40th anniversary 3CD deluxe edition features brand new proper hi-fi transfers of the original tapes, a newly created cover, and extensive liner notes.”
