Ten highly anticipated album releases coming our way in the early part of 2015:
10. Sleater-Kinney: No Cities to Love (Sub Pop Records)
Not long to wait for trio’s reunion album, produced by John Goodmanson, set for release Tuesday, Jan. 20. Stream entire album at NPR: www.npr.org/2015/01/11/376085344/first-listen-sleater-kinney-no-cities-to-love.
9. Chromatics: Dear Tommy (Italians Do It Better)
Follow up to 2012’s Kill for Love is set for release “before Valentine’s Day.” Johnny Jewel’s Soundcloud (https://soundcloud.com/johnnyjewel) is full of rare and unreleased tracks.
8. PJ Harvey: Recording in Progress (Island Records)
Harvey starts recording her new album this week with Artangel. She will spend the next month creating her ninth album with her band and production team behind a one-way-mirrored glass at Somerset House in London. The Recording in Progress project will be staged in a box in a recently opened wing of the venue and has been described as “a mutating, multidimensional sound sculpture.” According to The Guardian: “She will work with producers Flood and long-time collaborator John Parish to make the album in what used to be the Inland Revenue’s staff gymnasium and rifle range. Visitors, who will pay up to £15 for 45-minute slots, will be able to watch the various stages of the process as the band work on ideas for tracks, record new parts or simply discuss how to make progress.” Bjork and PJ Harvey perform “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction” at 1994 BRIT Awards: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kK02kW1mKkk. Somerset House: http://www.somersethouse.org.uk/visual-arts/pj-harvey-recording-in-progress/ Day One: http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/jan/16/pj-harvey-somerset-house-recording-in-progress.
7. Bjork’s new album Vulnicura is coming in MarchIcelandic musician has been working with Alejandro Ghersi (aka Arca) and Bobby Krlic (aka the Haxan Cloak) on her first new music since 2011. On Wednesday, Jan. 14 Arca gave a live performance to soundtrack Hood By Air’s show as special guests at the Pitti Uomo 87 fashion event in Florence, Italy. At the event, Arca performed a musical score titled ‘Sheep’ which featured 11 tracks of original music which is now available as a free download via Arca’s Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/arca1000000/arca-sheep-hood-by-air-fw15-1.
6. Operators
Dan Boeckner’s new band with drummer Sam Brown and Macedonian synth wiz Devojka. “Ecstasy in the House” single due anytime. EP1 out now with full album on the way sometime later this year. Performing two shows at The Fox Cabaret Jan. 30 and 31. Interview in Pulse next week. Check out in-studio performance on KEXP Seattle from Aug. 4, 2014: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byUffEZQs-c.
5. Matana Roberts: Coin Coin Chapter Three: River Run Thee (Constellation Records)
Matana Roberts will release third album in her Coin Coin series on Feb. 3. Roberts performs “Mississippi Moonchile” through the empty streets of Montreal at 5 a.m. in the summer 2010: http://vimeo.com/23003301
4. Earl Sweatshirt
In November Odd Future protege released new track “45” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxxW3DDKYrw) with The Alchemist in advance of full album, apparently finished finished and ready to drop on Tan Cressida/Columbia. No date set: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/06/arts/music/earl-sweatshirt-is-back-from-the-wilderness.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&.
3. Seth Avett and Jessica Lea Mayfield sing Elliott Smith
Out March 17 on Ramseur Records: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyqhAch-B-Q.
2. Viet Cong (Jagjaguwar/Flemish Eye)
Eponymous debut out next Tuesday. Post-punk passion from Calgary band with obvious love for Joy Division and Gang of Four angular sounds. Viet Cong at Le Guess Who?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXaiEcgRxTg.
1. 75th Anniversary Blue Note Vinyl Initiative
Blue Note Records is continuing its massive vinyl release schedule through 2015. Five classic albums from the canon come out each month. Herbie Hancock’s Empyrean Isles, Wayne Shorter’s Adam’s Apple, Art Blakey’s Mosaic, Jason Moran’s Soundtrack To Human Motion and Cecil Taylor’s Unit Structures are set for release in January. Full schedule here: http://www.bluenote.com/vinylreissues.html. Cecil Taylor - Unit Structures: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCYCii1Uk3I&list=PLF799C07FDE31DEBF&index=4. Cecil Taylor à Paris - Les grandes répétitions 1968: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43LMFchkXfI.
