The last time I blogged about upcoming releases, Aqua, Backstreet Boys, Everclear and KISS were on the calendar. It’s safe to assume that this entry will be more, say, relevant to most readers and music fans in general.
There are three release teases this week that have got me all but curious and anxious. Much-loved veteran rap group Three 6 Mafia was supposed to release its latest, Laws of Power, on November 10. Now, some sites are saying that the album will be released Tuesday while others are claiming a mid-March release. Quit playing games with my heart! (Ha, sorry. I promise I’m not hung up on that last entry.)
The other tease involves Jennifer Lopez’s new album, Love?, which was intended to be released this week. Sources are now claiming that we’ll have to wait until mid-April to hear more tracks like this fairly new single. Although, in my opinion, let’s just hope the rest aren’t quite as terrible and reliant on popular designer brands like Christian Louboutin to get them through the day.
Wrapping up the teases is American Idol fourth-place finisher Jason Castro, who was supposed to release his debut self-titled album this week. This, too, is apparently pushed back until mid-April. However, Castro did release The Love Uncompromised EP earlier this month. After listening to a bit of it here on Lala, I have concluded that the upcoming full-length will be sappy, generic and embarrassingly catchy, just as I’d expect any Idol contestant release to be.
Dream-like duo Beach House will release its third album, Teen Dream, this Tuesday. I tend to think Beach House is a bit too cinnamon applesauce for me – that is, mushy and sweet – but I actually enjoyed listening to this album. It’s a bit off the beaten path for them, carrying stronger beat and melody than previous albums. Check it out here on NPR.
I really wouldn’t consider myself a country music fan, but it’s worth noting that Grammy-nominated group Lady Antebellum is another mark on this week’s release calendar. Need You Now, the Lady’s second album, is highly anticipated by fans and critics alike due to the smashing breakout nature of their self-titled debut album, released in 2008.
British soul-pop sweetheart Corinne Bailey Rae continues with her soothing, saccharine balladry on upcoming release The Sea. This is her first album since the tragic 2008 death of her musician husband, the late Jason Rae. The Sea is available for a listen here on NPR. But be warned: The lyrics and general nature of the album refer to her struggle with the loss and ensuing emotions. If you’re in a mood to cry, go for it. If not, I’d hold off until you are.
This week also brings Romance Is Boring, the latest from indie poppers Los Campesinos! Again, I’m not the most avid Los Campesinos! fan, but I’m finding the snippets I’ve heard to be more likable than past songs. Unsurprisingly, the album can be heard in its entirety on YouTube. Have a listen to the title track and anticipated hit here.
Metal veterans Fozzy are finally releasing their first album in a few years, Chasing the Grail, this Tuesday. I have a tough time referring to Fozzy as “metal” after hearing some of the new album. A bit too catchy and mild for most metalheads’ taste, I’m sure, and disappointingly so. Again, YouTube contains just about all of the songs on the album. One of which is riiiight here.
The enchanting Charlotte Gainsbourg is technically releasing her third album, IRM, this week, though it leaked ages ago. A dark, eerie, soft indie album with its fair share of Gainsbourg whispers is lovely, of course, but not altogether surprising. Check it out here on NPR.
Well, that’s all I’ve got for you this week. Enjoy, and be sure to keep an eye out for ACRN album reviews - we’ll definitely be covering some of those releases.
-Courtney Baldasare, Reviews Editor
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