Last week was nut-nut. Next week seems like it might be slightly more chill. Then again, what the hell do I know? Well, I know this: There are five albums I’ve got my eye on. Here they are:
Eels
Extreme Witchcraft
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Eels leader Mark Oliver Everett, aka E, co-produced the their fourteenth studio album Extreme Witchcraft with PJ Harvey producer and guitarist John Parish, marking the first time the two have recorded together since 2001’s Souljacker. Eels have had one of the most consistently acclaimed careers in music. The ever-changing project of principal singer/songwriter Everett, Eels have released 13 studio albums since their 1996 debut, Beautiful Freak. In 2008, E published his highly acclaimed book Things the Grandchildren Should Know and starred in the award-winning Parallel Worlds, Parallel Lives documentary about the search to understand his quantum physicist father, Hugh Everett III. 2020’s Earth To Dora album received extensive critical praise.”
Jethro Tull
The Zealot Gene
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “British progressive-rock luminaries Jethro Tull are about to release their first studio album of new material in over 18 years! The Zealot Gene, in many ways, seeks to defy convention during a time when the business of being a touring and recording artist has never faced more uncertainties. Tull bandleader Ian Anderson holds no reservations about the role for which the mythos and themes of Biblical storytelling played in the lyrical content of the new album, saying: “While I have a spot of genuine fondness for the pomp and fairytale story-telling of the Holy Book, I still feel the need to question and draw sometimes unholy parallels from the text. The good, the bad, and the downright ugly rear their heads throughout, but are punctuated with elements of love, respect, and tenderness.”
North Mississippi Allstars
Set Sail
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Nothing runs deeper than family ties. Brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters understand one another at the purest level. When families rally around music, they speak this oft-unspoken bond aloud and into existence. After 25 years, 12 albums, four Grammy nominations, and sold-out shows everywhere, North Mississippi Allstars open up their world once again on their 13th album Set Sail, welcoming other family (by blood and by the road) into the fold. Luther and Cody Dickinson started the band in 1996 as a loose collective of like-minded second-generation musicians who shared a local repertoire and regional style. Over the years, the lineup shifted by design, and each subsequent record offered up a different combination of collaborators. This time around, they mined the talents of Jesse Williams on bass and Lamar Williams, Jr. — son of the Allman Brothers bassist Lamar Williams, Sr. — on vocals.”
St. Paul & The Broken Bones
The Alien Coast
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “A fever dream in sonic form, St. Paul & The Broken Bones new album The Alien Coast represents the most adventurous and original output yet from an ever-evolving musical powerhouse. In a profound shift for the Alabama-bred eight-piece — Paul Janeway (vocals), Jesse Phillips (bass), Browan Lollar (guitar), Kevin Leon (drums), Al Gamble (keyboards), Allen Branstetter (trumpet), Chad Fisher (trombone) and Amari Ansari (saxophone) — the band’s fourth full-length and first for ATO Records strays far from the time-bending soul of past work like their 2014 debut, arriving at a convergence of soul and psychedelia, stoner metal and funk. At turns explosive, elegant, and unhinged, that sound makes for a majestic backdrop to St. Paul & The Broken Bones’ visceral exploration of the strangest dimensions of the human psyche.”
The Temptations
Temptations 60
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The Temptations’ new album consists of nearly all-original songs that are both modern and classic in feel and sound. As well as showcasing tracks produced by members of the ‘Emperors of Soul,’ the album brings their modern-day lineup together with another key producer and collaborator in their unmatched history, Narada Michael Walden. Dr. Otis Williams, the group’s founding member and executive producer of the album, who celebrated his 80th birthday on Oct. 30, says: “Our new album carries with it, our legacy, our love of music and our hope that through our music we can uplift and bring people together. Most of all, we want fans to enjoy it and share it with family and friends around the world. It’s a thank you gift from our hearts to all of our fans, past, present and future.”
