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Saturday, February 11, 2012

Austin's Anticipated Albums of 2012

"does anyone know were I can find a full list of possible 2012 album releases?
-Austin Lovelace"

Disclaimer: This list was made within the first 2 weeks of February so any releases from January or those first two weeks are not included weather I liked them or not. The artists are in no particular order. I'm sure I missed a few albums so give your suggestions in the comments and I'll add a section for them. I will cross them out as they come out (I will cross them out as they come out). I'm not editing seance posting except for suggestions so if any information comes out other than their release than refer to the posting date.

Announced Albums 
1. Garbage - Not Your Kind of People - May 27th
I have been hoping this album would come out ever seance the band's front woman, Shirley Manson, hinted that they might be in the studio back in 2010. I love all of their albums but I haven't heard anything that sounded as new as the samples they've been putting out seance their second, "Garbage 2.0", album. By all indication this album will sound very new, different, and will be a return to form for this great 90s band. Hell I'll just be glad to hear Butch Vig's production again with Shirley's butifly seductive voice again.


"Peddles" a sample from "Not Your Kind of People"


"Not Your Kind of People" Announcement 


2. Fun. - Some Nights - February 21st
Fun. put out an album back in 2010 that I found quite enjoyable. It had a lot of inventive song structures and   catchy hooks. It fetured Nate Ruess' voice that sounds like no one else and can jump from genre to genre and keep a common thread through all of the music. They've dipped their feet into as many forms of folk/indie pop that I can think of but their new single is really exploring pop in it's ABAB formula. I would love to complain about this but the song is so well written that I can't help but love it and if their last album is of any sort of preview for this one, most of the songs won't sound like this.







3. Jack White - Blunderbuss - April 24th
I hope the people who read this blog have figured out that I love blues rock, A LOT, and that should tell you that I absolutely adore "The White Stripes". I was hoping that the first track from this album would fallow his career and be a rocking blues track but it turned out to be more of an acoustic blues rock tune. I don't think I've ever been more happy being disappointed because this song is great. It really shows Jack White's ability to write a beautiful song with any genre of music. This song is so simple but it really reminds me of folk singer classics like Bob Dylan, Lenard Cohen, and Tom Waits. I would even put this song up on the same level as the great songs by those artists. Jack white knows how to make people hyped for a new album and this one I can't wait for.

P.S. Pleas let this have the Jay-Z collaboration on it.



4. The Shins - Port of Morrow - March 20th
I'll admit that I've never been much of a Shins fan. I love their singles like "Phantom Limb", "New Slang", and a lot of the stuff on their first album, but everything else has been hit or miss. I enjoyed the front man's, James Mercer, side projects, like "Broken Bells" more than the band itself. The single that dropped from this album, though, follows the same trend, meaning I like it a lot. It was a nice surprise because it really made a departure from their simple song writing in favor of a really fleshed out indie rock anthem. This song features sqeeling guitars, piano, and really creative bass lines. The vocals are so energetic and they reach  notes during the chorus that I have never heard this band attempt before. The song doesn't stay true to it's name at all and I love it. I really hope I end up liking this album as much as the song but if it turns out to be like all their other albums I may not. Here's to hoping.



5. Slaughterhouse - welcome to: OUR HOUSE - March 27th
I've been looking for something ,non-Eminem related, to come out of shady records but everything accept "Bad Meets Evil" has been a disappointment. I was really let down by Yelawolf's "Radioactive" and Royce Da 5'9" (even though I still liked Royc's "Success is Cretin"). I know Eminem is considered a sell out and I agree because he's getting obsessed with popularity and getting every one in his camp the same attention. Slaughterhouse is one of the most raw rap groups out there and for "Shady Records" to make all of these spitters put out a whack ass album so they can be on his level... That would piss me off big time. The way I see it this can go two ways; they come out of the gate on their first real album on "Shady Records" with a dope ass track and an album to fit or they disappoint and disregard all of their hard core fans.  They only have one shot and they can't miss their chance to make a stupid fucking pun.



6. Death Grips - The Money Store - April 24th
Death Grips is by far one of the most creative MCs that broke out last year with his debut album "Exmilitary". He's not the first MC to make beats with   classic rock samples and samples of just plain noise but he does it in a way that no other MC could possibly match up. His material is extremely inaccessible but once you get into it all of the "shock value" goes away and you have nothing left but pure creativity and lyricism. I didn't mention flow because I don't think he's really shown any technical prowess with it except for a few tracks. His new single though, "Get Got" is the first time I've really seen him show off a real flow on top of a distorted beat that carries on the traditional "Death Grips feel"; it has a catchy ass chorus too!.




7. Big K.R.I.T. - 4evaNaDay March - 5th /Live from the Underground
After the this Mississippi MC put out his first big  album, "K.R.I.T. waz Here", most people were looking for a lot more than the potential that the album thought it had but no one expected the mixtape "Return of 4eva" to be as good as it was. That mixtape was one of the best Hip-Hop albums to come out last year and it made it on to my best albums of 2011 list. That album set such a high bar that I don't expect his next release to match it BUT I do expect his next release to change it. The good news is that he did with his new single "Boobie Miles". I thought it would be a call back to his track "Hometown Hero" because the name of the track references "Friday Night Lights", a show he sampled on the track, but he went a really Jazz direction with it. The track's hook was a little week ,the production sounded a little fuzzy, and his voice was a little too high in the mix but his lyrics and flow are still as good as they've ever been. I will admit that I wasn't impressed with this track as much as I wish I was but I can tell that even if I don't like this tape it will be impressive.



8. The Men - Open Your Heart - March 6th
The Men can bet be described as a post punk, noise rock, punk, protopunk, hardcore punk, and... dance. I'd rather just call them a fast rock band if no one can tell me what else to say. Their second album "Leave Home" was a really refreshing sound that seems to be part of a trend that bands like "Pop 180" and "ICE Age" are leading. I'm hoping they can iron out any of the problems I had with their first album and put out another great album.








9. Guided by Voices - Class Clown Spots a UFO - May
This band has gone through more lineup changes than any band should ever go though but to them I don't think it will ever matter because they have no consistency outside of a 90s sound. Weather or not you care about the lineup most people would still agree that they had a golden age with their original lineup and through ages of rearrangement they finally got back to where they started. I do expect them to start putting together great tracks again like they did on "Let's Go Eat the Factory", their first album seance the lineup came back around. Though that doesn't mean much because I won't like all of the songs on the album because none of them will sound alike. I'm anticipating this album just because I know there will always be tracks that I love on it but original lineup or not, that's always the case.



10. The Killers - Battle Born - Summer
You can call them unoriginal or a guilty pleasure but they've had a special place in my collection ever seance I really started getting involved in music. Like any other fan I was very disappointed when I heard that they were going on a hiatus and I was barley impressed with Brandon's solo album, "Flamingo". None of the songs were bad and I'm glad that he took a real chance with involving country, electronics, and real balladry but I couldn't get into it at all. On the other hand Ronnie's new project "Big Talk" was really enjoyable and it sounded new without completely straying from the Killers at it's roots. If you want some 80s Indy pop I would defiantly check out Ronnie's project. None the less Brandon has said he would rather be working with the Killers and as far as I know beyond the "Big Talk Tour" Ronnie is ready to back with the Killers. They have started playing a new song live and it sounded really good so I'm ready for a new album!



11. Bruce Springsteen - Wrecking Ball - March 6th
I've been an off and on fan of this guy for a while and I'm sure I'm not the only one excited about getting a new album from a classic rock legend. I'm sure we'll get another pop/folk/rock album from this guy but his song writing should be enough to make it worth checking out.




12. Rush - Clockwork Angels - May 
I've always been interested in this bands experimental metal/indy rock ever seance I heard "Moving Pictures" but I'll let you in on a secret I HATE THEIR VOCALS! I'm sure their new album will be a change of pace like all of their others but I'll let you in on another secret. "I WILL COMPLETELY DESPISE THEIR VOCALS"

13. Perfume Genius - Put Your Back N 2 it - Feb 20th
Perfume Genius is a ken to projects like "Bon Iver's" first album and "Iron & Whine". He works on creating really soft and Intement music. He's very famous for using just a piano and vary spacey production to get the feelings of the music across. I can't wait to be moved by a new album.



14. Milo - Milo Takes Baths - Feb 19
Milo put out my favorite album of last year. It was just so anti popular hip-hop but it wasn't overly preachy about it. It sounded weird but not on purpose; it just sounded like Milo made the album he wanted to. I'm sure we can expect the same, lyrical/nerdy, Milo on this album but he has stated that he is using all instrumentals from producer "Baths", which should be cool.









15. Hopsin - Knock Madness - Summer
Hopsin is a young MC who has been putting out tracks that seam to be reminding everyone of mid-90s Eminem. Though I wouldn't put his beats on the same level I would defiantly put his flow higher and his lyrics on the same level. He has stated that he wants to get more personal with this album and if he does at the level of "The Eminem Show" I'm sure I'll love it.













No Official Release Date

1. MGMT - Self Titled
MGMT has found their way into the popular culture through their first album, which I blogged about, and some how or another found their way to critical acclaim. They rose to popularity with songs like "Kids", "Electric Feel", and "Time to Pretend" when they where a singles project but they have always made great music outside of whats popular. Although their fame is all based on catchy singles, they decided to throw that concept away when they wrote "Congratulations". That album was adventitious and their wasn't a single in sight but reportedly their creativity came at a price. Without catchy singles for their major labels to push this album sold less copies and earned "Columbia Records", ass holes :(, less profit. I'm sure MGMT couldn't have cared less about it because they were still making money, on top of their growing stack of green, but their record company couldn't let it go so they decided to putt someone in the studio to watch the group while they right more catchy singles. Long story short "Columbia" decided the only way they could make more money was to reap their artists of their creativity and force them to make BS pop albums. Stories like this make my blood boil but to be honest I liked their first album so I would be content with another one. I just hope the "Indy Crowd" has made enough of a stink about this for the label to let it slide, gain some humanity, and confirm MGMT's denial.        

2. El-P - Cancer for Cure
El-P is one of the most lyrical MCs in the "kinda-mainstream/underground". For hip-hop heads he's a must know about punch line genius. He uses real instrumentation with heavy drums, in his beats, which sets him apart from other MCs. He's usually releases something every 2-3 years but this album has been a long time coming. He announced it sometime in 2009 put out a track via adult swim, "Drones Over BKLYN",  and finally announced that he was done early this year! One more year and this is going on the "Never Gonna Fucking Happen" list.                                                             



4. Black Star - Aretha You Already Knew
Black Star should be known well enough among Hip-Hop fans as the brilliant Duo made up of Talib Kweli and Yasiin Bey, the artist formally known as Mos Def. Together their just full force impressive rhymes and a political power house. They bring a lot of the original, "Classic", Hip-Hop sounds back from Jazz and soul which leads to releases like this. They've decided to bring the old sounds of Aretha Franklin back as a tribute. They are going to rap about the time she lived in over beats taken from her music. They've released one single from the album called "You Already Knew" which is more or less just staying with their classics and pushing forward with the concept of this album. I'll be glad to hear it when it drops (if I can finally stop getting mixed info on weather it's a mixtape or an album).



5. Kendrick Lamar-Good Kid In a Mad City
Kendrick's last album, Section 80., was easily one of the best Hip-Hop albums to come out last year and it made it onto my best albums of 2011 list. It was just a breath of fresh air; he had a message with each song but he wasn't concerned with being overly political or exposing his ignorance. His beat choices made even the weaker tracks stand out and he was'nt afraid of a few "boodie popin" tracks either. I'm not expecting much of a change from him on this new album but I'm sure I'll like it.



6. The Magnetic Fields - Life at the Bottom of the Sea
 The Magnetic fields have always been an off and on interest for me. They always put out interesting work and every album is usually consistent in sound and theme but something always bugs me about them. Their album "Distortion" is a really distorted, duh, psychedelic surf rock album and their following album Realism is more of a folk album based on real problems. For some reason the vocals bug me on those albums. This album looks like it should be some weird combination of their last two, based on the single "Andrew and Drag", and I'll be glad to hear the whole thing weather I like it or not.



7. Nas - Life is Good
Nas is constantly plagued by how good his first album  "illmatic", was. As far as I'm concerned he has always put out good material but he hasn't changed  anything seance that first album. I'm sure he'll stay the cores on this album just like all the others. I'll enjoy the new album's lyrics and beats but I'll probably throw it away after a few listens, sadly.



8. Ceremony - Zoo
Ceremony is part of the new wave of "progressive punk" that includes "The Men" and "ICE Age" so if you can just say that they're another really fast rock band. All of their albums have been the sound of talented fans of punk and new wave just playing and not giving a fuck, which still sounded pretty good, but this album is supposed to be a lot more calculated and written. It would bring them to a new level if they did it right.








9. Spiritualized - Sweet Heart Sweet Light
Spiritualized is an experimental electronic/rock project specializing in ambient and beautiful beats and instrumentation.I think I could call him the "Siger Ros"  of electronic music. He's been changing his style for a long time but he always stays true to the one Idea he's had from the beginning and that's melody. I can't wait to hear the new album.



10. Tyler the, Creator-Wolf
Yeah Yeah Yeah.... I understand that this guy's hype is worth a lot more than he is and that "Goblin" was a complete disaster. I also know that "OFWGKTA" is built up on him Hodgy and Earl. "Bastard" was still a great album though. He's said that he want's to try something new with this album and from what I've heard he's going for a N.E.R.D. feel, which I'm not a fan of, but I'll be interested to see if he can pick his ass up and put out a decent album.


Untitled
1. OFF! - ??? - Spring 
This punk super group has stated that they will release an album in the spring of this year but they have not announced any release date or title. Judging by the compilation they released last year, "First Four EPs", this should be good.







2. Tegan & Sara - ??? - Fall
These two twins have been an indy rock band for years and along with finding mainstream popularity with their singles like "Walking with a Ghost", which "The White Stripes" covered. I've never been a big fan of every song they've done but maybe their newest album will finally click with me.







Maybe, Rumors, & Minor Interests 

Arctic Monkeys-???
Modest Mouse-???
The Strokes-???
Gorillaz-???
Wu-Tang Clan-???
Pearl Jam-???
Animal Collective-???
Siger Ros-???
Black Sabbath-???
A$AP Rocky-???
Vampire Weekend-???
Rostam Batmanglij-???
Trash Talk-???
Grizly Bear-???
Sunn O)))-???
Torche-???
Baroness-???
Ghost-???
Kvelertak-???
Deftones-???
Muse-???
Tool-???
Careebral Ballzy-???
Five Finger Death Punch-???
Foster The People-???
Blur-???
Black Hippy-???
Silversun Pickups-???
Radiohead-???
Tech N9ne-???
SwizZz-???
Kanye West-???
Jay-Z-???
Kanye West & Jay-Z/ The Throne - Watch The Throne Pt.2
Earl Sweatshirt-???
Hodgy Beats-???
OFWGKTA-???
Left Brain-???
Mellowhype-???
BADBADNOTGOOD-???

Never Gonna Fucking Happen!
Dr. Dre- Detox
Outkast-???
Aphex Twin-???
No Doubt-???
Jay Electonica-???
Lynard Skynard-???
The Postal Survice-???
Ghostface Killah & MF Doom-???

Fan Suggestions
Japandroids - Celebration Rock - Suggested by Jacques Thibodeau


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