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Intro
My name is Daniel Wilcox, a 411 writer for the better part of a decade and first and foremost, a music lover.
5 Essential Albums is a new column designed to promote upcoming releases of talented musicians and artists and to inform the 411 Music readership of potentially great upcoming albums. Each month I will dissect five upcoming studio releases that show great promise with the hope of introducing you all to the promising new sounds of both new and established acts.
In the inaugural edition last month, we highlighted, among others, Royal Blood and its debut self-titled album that was released last week. That record shot to the top of the UK Charts and looks to stay there this week. It’s also the fastest-selling rock album in the UK since Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds topped the charts in 2011. That’s a pretty big deal in the UK. I know the band have some exposure stateside, but America really needs to get on board with Royal Blood in a big way. More importantly than the record’s commercial success, it kicks all kinds of ass so get hold of it if you haven’t already.
Onto the coming month. September usually sees some heavy-hitters beginning to release records in the run-up to Christmas, and this year is no exception. Traditionally, we also see records released that end high-up on many year-end lists. In September 2013, Arctic Monkeys, Chrvches, Haim, Lorde, Alter Bridge, Nine Inch Nails and The 1975 released records that would end up on my personal list. This year, there’s just as much goodness on offer but I’ve narrowed it down to the top five as usual. My top two picks in particular are must-have records for any self-respecting music fan.
On with the show.
5. Gerard Way – Hesitant Alien
Hesitant Alien is the upcoming full-length studio debut from Gerard Way, most known for being the front-man for new-age emo pioneers My Chemical Romance. After leading the genre for the better part of a decade, My Chemical Romance called it quits last year before releasing a greatest hits record a few months back, but Gerard Way branches out on his own with this record. If early signs and live shows are an indication of the record’s sound, Way is embracing his punk routes and paying tribute to some of the Brit-pop artists he admired in his childhood. It’ll be interesting to see how well this record does, as there’s a significant progression from the typical MCR sound to something more personal in Way’s new music. Some of the new songs have taken a little while to get used to, but I’m certainly intrigued to see what the finished product sounds like. Hesitant Alien could be a bust, or one of the sleeper records of the year.
Gerard Way – “Action Cat”
4. Death From Above 1979 – The Physical World
Death From Above 1979 was nearly over before it began. The duo released their debut record a decade ago to much hoopla and critical acclaim. And to be fair, 2004’s You’re A Woman, I’m A Machine did indeed kick all kinds of ass. But in 2006, the band split, and we presumed that was the end. The group was pretty much forgotten about in terms of the public zeitgeist, but reformed in 2011 and now Seb Grainger and Jesse Keeler are about to unleash their second full-length record on the world. The Physical World is due out in just a couple of days, so if you’re the type of person who is inclined to get your hands on records prior to their official release, I’m sure you could find this one somewhere. I’ve heard the record a couple of times now, and although I haven’t had time to digest it fully and decide if it matches or even exceeds its decade-old predecessor, it’s absolutely a record worth your time. If you’re going to wait for the official release, you can indulge in singles “Government Trash” and “Trainwreck 1979,” the former of which is below for your listening pleasure.
Death From Above 1979 – “Government Trash”
3. Aphex Twin – Syro
Here’s a fun fact that even I didn’t realise until I began research for this column. It’s been thirteen years since an album was released under the Aphex Twin moniker. That alone earns this record a place on this list. It was only yesterday that the first original material from this record was released, and as such, it wouldn’t come as a surprise if the record was delayed somewhat but we’ll remain optimistic and assume that Syro, or SYRO if you prefer, will be released in a couple of weeks. Richard D. James can do no wrong in my eyes so it’s a fairly safe bet that his latest output will be of the utmost quality, even if it doesn’t garner the commercial recognition it inevitably deserves. “minipops 67″ dropped yesterday and it’s an exhilarating thrill-ride of a track to say they least, and will only grow on listeners as time goes by. If it’s any indication of the forthcoming record, we are in for a treat. If anything, the fact that Aphex Twin has been something of a 21st century afterthought means that the record will fly under the radar for a while but there is no denying the fact that James’ work deserves its recognition and will likely get it by year’s-end. This is certainly one you need to keep an eye on. Check out “minipops 67″ below. Apologies if the video has been removed before you can read this.
Aphex Twin – “minipops 67″
2. Alt-J – This Is All Yours
My top two choices are among my most anticipated albums of the year, and either one could have taken the top spot for the month of September. This Is All Yours, the sophomore record from Alt-J, is pushed in second solely because we’ve been waiting a lot longer for my number one choice, but there’s no doubt that this record has some serious potential. The band’s ambitious debut record An Awesome Wave saw them scoop a Mercury Prize in 2012, and deservedly so, and the early signs are positive that the follow up could have similar successes. If there is a question mark or two against the record’s inevitable greatness, it’s about avoiding the sophomore slump and adjusting to life without former bassist Gwil Sainsbury, who departed the band in January of this year.
That said, what we’ve heard so far is pretty damn good. Lead single “Hunger of the Pine” manages to subtly sample Miley Cyrus of all people, and it works. The follow up is the controversial “Left Hand Free,” desrcibed as the “least Alt-J song ever” and one that some believe was written as a slap in the face to the record label who asked the band to write for a younger, more conventional audience. The truth is, the track’s catchy as hell, but it’s still quintessentially Alt-J. How much of an indication the track is in regards to the rest of the album remains to be seen. “Every Other Freckle” offers a more familiar vibe and reintroduces the sexual tones of the previous record. It’s the kind of tracks the band’s fans will totally lap up. Below you can check out the video for the awesome “Hunger of the Pine” to whet your appetite for the new album.
Alt-J – “Hunger of the Pine”
1. Jamie T – Carry On the Grudge
The good news is that Jamie T is back. The bad news is we still have to wait until the end of September before we get to hear the crooner’s third studio album Carry On the Grudge, released on September 29th. New Music Express and a few other outlets have heard it, and the general consensus is that the record is pretty fantastic. The slow-burn lead promotional single “Don’t You Find” is a chilled out beast of a track, while the more familiar styles of “Zombie” has hit-potential written all over it. These are all good indications that the record will be yet another triumph for the British singer-songwriter. This should come as no surprise, as Jamie T is one of the more consistent artists to emerge in the 21st century and as such it’s a fairly safe bet that the record is going to be worth the wait.
Jamie T has been in something of an exile since the promotional cycle for 2009’s Kings and Queens ended. That album was a contender for the best record to come out this year, as was 2007 debut Panic Prevention. Carry On the Grudge should be no different. Jamie T has been working on the album for a good long while but has kept most of his progress quiet until very recently. On top of the two tracks we’ve heard and their accompanying videos, Jamie T re-introduced himself to them music world with a breif tour at the end of July and a surprise set at Reading Festival last weekend and now he’s ready to storm the charts once more. We generally get a few real heavy-hitters releasing albums in September, and I’d be pretty shocked if Carry On the Grudge wasn’t around the top of many a year-end list come December. You can watch Jamie and his band turning into the undead in the grotesque but generally hillarious video for “Zombies” below.
Jamie T – “Zombie”
And that’s all for the second edition of 5 Essential Albums. Drop me a line in the comments section to tell me about the albums you’re excited about in the coming month. We’re all music fans, so pass the good stuff around.
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