Spring Music Series: Volume One
A spring record preview, simple enough. But, dear God, everyone and their step-mom are putting out a record between now and June. Maybe in the way that terrible Christmas movies get dumped on us in November and December, musicians and their production teams are squeezing out records this spring so that you can blare them from your car once the sun comes out for longer than eight hours.
In a series of heads-ups, we'd like to offer a preview of the tastiest of the spring bounty. And while sometimes it is nice to make a giant lent calendar up to the release of Mariah's new jam, we'll start with immediacy so you know to start saving up. Here's some for February, ranked in order of the amount of ants it puts in our pants.
1. Estelle — Shine: This woman is fierce. This London-bred hip hop songstress' sophomore release from John Legend's Homeschool Records label is going to annihilate. Here's a hint: go to YouTube and watch her video for "Wait A Minute (Just a Touch)." Shine, dropping on 2/12, will feature the production and guests from R&B royalty: Will.I.Am (Wait. “Royalty?” Hmm.), Swizz Beats, Mark Ronson, Cee-lo, Kanye and Wyclef. The last being her future tour partner. This woman's voice is powerful and captivating, and she uses it for good with raps and vocal flights that will command you to bob your head and maybe even get up and dance. Seriously, you'll have no choice.
2. Goldfrapp — Seventh Tree: We've been patient. We deserve this. If Black Cherry, the 2004 release featuring the mega-hits "Train," "Strict Machine" and "Twist," wasn't enough, in 2006 we were given Supernature. Alison Goldfrapp is a woman who loves her synths, neon, and new gave glam, and can you blame her? Anyone drunk enough to be on a dance floor when "Strict Machine" kicks in knows that this combination is damn near genius. Now, Seventh Tree is probably going to be a little bit weird. We'd expect nothing less. She and her bandmate Will Gregory are reporting a more ambient and downbeat vibe this time around, akin to the sexiness that is Air. A trip-hop record from Goldfrapp? Yes, please! (2/26)
3. Hot Chip — Made In The Dark: Alright, honestly, we've listened to it. And it is good. Very good. 2006's The Warning was pure magic, from "And I Was A Boy From School" to "So Glad To See You," it was utterly listenable. But we wouldn't want The Warning V 2.0 in 2008. No we want to see Hot Chip flex their creative muscles; and that they did. Made In The Dark is a bit choppier, a bit more electro-dance, a bit harder and a bit weirder. The first single, "Ready For The Floor," is a good indication of the joy to be reaped from Made in the months to come. (2/5)
4. Vampire Weekend — Vampire Weekend: Looks like we have another buzz-worthy web superstar on our hands here. The full-length debut of these Columbia boys promises to be swept to the rafters of critic lists in the family of Clap Your Hands and Beirut. Naturally, these four white boys are highly inspired by African popular music and specialize in what they call the "Upper West Side Soweto." A tested single has been stamped with approval by Rolling Stone, the infectious "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" was named to their top 100 tracks of 2007. Big things are in store for these New York gents, big things like a massive national tour plus some dates in the UK culminating in a Coachella finale. (1/29)
5. Jason Collett — Here’s To Being Here: And then for the Asthmatic Kitty/Arts & Crafts devotees, we have Jason, a charmer on his guitar and vocal delivery. A sometime member of Broken Social Scene, Collett delivered Idols of Exile in 2005, his third solo effort. It's one of those warmers, it grows on you, and soon you like those four songs more than the first three you liked. "Hangover Days" really charmed the pants off suckers for Canadian indie pop, with the angelic and delightful presence of a one Miss Emily Haines, as did "We All Lose One Another" and "I'll Bring The Sun." Leslie Feist and Amy Milan lend a hand, too, not so shabby. Idols is sun-drenched alt-country with clappers and heart-hurting romantic lyricism. Perfect for a taste of oncoming warmth. (2/5)
Honorable mentions for February: Foxy Brown, Jack Johnson, Lightspeed Champion, Shelby Lynne (2/5), Nada Surf, Michael Jackson re-issue, Lil Wayne (2/12), Bon Iver, Mountain Goats, Crystal Castles (2/19), Beach House, Janet Jackson, plus Los Campesinos! and Nas (2/26).
