New and forthcoming album releases

Head First

3/22/2010 12:00:00 AM

'Head First' is the fifth studio album from Goldfrapp and it features 9 new tracks: 'Rocket', 'Believer', 'Alive', 'Dreaming', 'Head First', 'Hunt', 'Shiny And Warm', 'I Wanna Life', 'Voicething'.

Alison and her band are chasing their first ever UK number one having seen their previous two albums 'Seventh Tree' (2008) and 'Supernature' (2005) both peak at number 2.

Head First has received some very positive reviews to date, Spin Magazine and Q Magazine both give it 4/5 and the BBC write "At an economic 38 minutes and free of anything in the slightest bit terrible, you should welcome Head First like the first sun of spring, know it inside out by the time the band are slaying festival crowds mid-summer and possibly buying copies to give to close friends and family at Christmas. The word’s overused, but this album deserves it: amazing."

I Speak Because I Can

3/22/2010 12:00:00 AM

'I Speak Because I Can' is the second studio album from Laura Marling and it is the follow up to her 2008 debut effort 'Alas, I Cannot Swim'.

The album has ten tracks ('Devil's Spoke', 'Made by Maid', 'Rambling Man', 'Blackberry Stone', 'Alpha Shallows', 'Goodbye England', 'Hope in the Air', 'What He Wrote', 'Darkness Descends', 'I Speak Because I Can') which have been produced by Ethan Johns who has previously worked with the likes of Ryan Adams, Rufus Wainwright and Kings of Leon.

Reviews of the album are fairly positive with Mojo and Q Magazine both giving it 4/5, Clash Music say its "A remarkable record" and give it 9/10 and the BBC say "It's clear that there has been a progression as a songwriter, with a previously unfound depth apparent on these ten tracks”

Under Great White Northern Lights

3/15/2010 12:00:00 AM

'Under Great White Northern Lights' is the first live album from American rock duo The White Stripes and it was recorded during the band's tenth anniversary show in Nova Scotia in Canada back in 2007.

The CD/DVD package contains 19 tracks:

'Let's Shake Hands', 'Black Math', 'Little Ghost', 'Blue Orchid', 'The Union Forever', 'Ball and Biscuit', 'Icky Thump', 'I'm Slowly Turning Into You', 'Jolene', '300 MPH Torrential Outpour Blues', 'We Are Going to Be Friends', 'I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself', 'Prickly Thorn', 'But Sweetly Worn', 'Fell in Love with a Girl', 'When I Hear My Name', 'Seven Nation Army'.

The band are chasing their third number one following Elephant in 2003 and Icky Thump in 2007.

Wolves and Thieves

3/15/2010 12:00:00 AM

'Wolves and Thieves' is the debut album from London 6 piece band Goldheart Assembly and it features the tracks: 'King of Rome', 'Anvil', 'Last Decade', 'Hope Hung High', 'So Long St Christopher', 'Engraver's Daughter', 'Jesus Wheel', 'Reminder', 'Under the Waterway', 'Interlude', 'Carnival 4 (The Carrying Song)', 'Boulevards'.

The BBC's Mike Diver give the album a glowing review saying "It’s not overly showy nor ground-breaking, and it will stir thoughts of other, perhaps slightly more accomplished performers. But such is the inherent sweetness of Goldheart Assembly’s debut that the listener can’t fail to be touched by its charms, slight though they are, and all signs here point to a deserved increase in popularity and perhaps a second album to truly celebrate."

Plastic Beach

3/8/2010 12:00:00 AM

'Plastic Beach' is the third studio album from the Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett virtual band Gorillaz featuring 16 new tracks: 'Orchestral Intro', 'Welcome to the World of the Plastic Beach', 'White Flag', 'Rhinestone Eyes', 'Stylo', 'Superfast Jellyfish', 'Empire Ants', 'Glitter Freeze', 'Some Kind of Nature', 'On Melancholy Hill', 'Broken', 'Sweepstakes', 'Plastic Beach', 'To Binge', 'Cloud of Unknowing', 'Pirate Jet' plus there are a further 2 bonus tracks 'Pirate's Progress' and 'Remedy for the sea' on various formats.

Plastic Beach features a host of top names who make special guest appearances including Snoop Dogg, Bobby Womack, Lou Reed, Del La Soul, Gruff Rhys (Super Furry Animals), Mick Jones (The Clash) and Mark E. Smith (The Fall).

Reviews of the album are very positive with Q Magazine and The Daily Telegraph both giving it 5 out of 5 stars, Drowned in Sound give it 8/10, Uncut give it 4/5 and the BBC say "The scope and depth of Plastic Beach is staggering. For anyone frustrated that Blur never quite managed their White Album, look no further."

The Gorillaz's two previous studio albums, their 2001 self-titled and 2005's 'Demon Days' both made into the top 3 with the latter making number one. The albums also delivered and impressive 8 top 40 hits.

Beat The Devil's Tattoo

3/8/2010 12:00:00 AM

'Beat The Devil's Tattoo' is the fifth official studio album from Californian indie rockers Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and it is the follow up to their 2007 effort 'Baby 81'.

The album has 13 new tracks on the standard release and 15 tracks on the limited edition version and the titles are: 'Beat the Devil's Tattoo', 'Conscience Killer', 'Bad Blood', 'War Machine', 'Sweet Feeling', 'Evol', 'Mama Taught Me Better', 'River Styx', 'The Toll', 'Aya', 'Shadow's Keeper', 'Long Way Down', 'Half-State', '1:51', 'Martyr'.

Early reviews of the album are good with Drowned in Sound saying "if there were ever a reason for Black Rebel Motorcycle Club's existence, this would be it, and despite the false dawns of albums past, Beat The Devil's Tattoo can hold its head high as their most compulsive body of work to date."

Valleys of Neptune

3/8/2010 12:00:00 AM

'Valleys of Neptune' is the 11th album to be released after the death of the world's greatest ever guitarists Jimi Hendrix, the album has 12 tracks, 7 of which ('Valleys of Neptune', 'Mr. Bad Luck', 'Sunshine of Your Love', 'Lover Man', 'Ships Passing Through the Night', 'Lullaby for the Summer', 'Crying Blue Rain') were all previously unreleased whilst the other 5 tracks ('Stone Free', 'Bleeding Heart', 'Hear My Train a Comin', 'Red House' and 'Fire') are alternative versions of tracks that appeared on earlier albums.

Hendrix's first and only 3 studio albums all made the top 5 in the UK album charts with the final one 'Electric Ladyland' peaking at number one in September 1968. 4 of his posthumous album have made the top 40 with 1971's 'The Cry of Love' peaking at number 2.

A Curious Thing

3/8/2010 12:00:00 AM

'A Curious Thing' is the second studio album from Scottish singer songwriter Amy Macdonald and it is the follow up to her 2007 million selling debut album 'This Is the Life'.

There are 12 new tracks on the album ('Don't Tell Me That It's Over', 'Spark', 'I Got No Roots', 'Love Love', 'An Ordinary Life', 'Give It All Up', 'My Only One', 'This Pretty Face', 'Troubled Soul', 'Next Big Thing', 'Your Time Will Come', 'What Happiness Means to Me') and there is also a live cover of the Bruce Springsteen classic 'Dancing In the Dark'.

The BBC give the album a very positive review saying "The music here is richer and fuller, the hooks more emphatic, and her voice meets it head-on, with a stridency and vigour reminiscent of Dolores O’Riordan, even Sinead O’Connor. Even a title such as Give It All Up, which could have been drenched in defeat, is resilient, even defiant. A triumphant return."

The Winter of Mixed Drinks

3/1/2010 12:00:00 AM

'The Winter of Mixed Drinks' is the third studio album from Scottish indie rockers Frightened Rabbit and it is the follow up to their 2008 effort 'The Midnight Organ Fight featuring the tracks': 'Things', 'Swim Until You Can't See Land', 'The Loneliness And The Scream', 'The Wrestle', 'Skip The Youth', 'Nothing Like You', 'Man/Bag Of Sand', 'FootShooter', 'Not Miserable', 'Living In Colour', 'Yes, I Would'.

Early reviews of the album are quite positive with This Is Fake DIY claiming "their best effort to date" and Music OMH give it 4-5 and say "Hearing The Winter Of Mixed Drinks is to hear Frightened Rabbit's potential for becoming a bigger entity, sensationalising the States and playing arena venues, at least in tow to another band. Perhaps none of these things will come to pass."

The Movie Songbook

3/1/2010 12:00:00 AM

‘The Movie Songbook’ is the second studio album Scottish singer songwriter and Texas lead singer Sharleen Spiteri. The album has 13 tracks which are all cover version of songs that have appeared in movies.

Opening track ‘Xanadu’ was from the film of the same name and was originally performed by The Electric Light Orchestra and Olivia Newton John. The second track ‘If I Can't Have You’ was is from the classic movie Saturday Night Fever and was written by The Bee Gees and sung by Yvonne Elliman. Other covers include ‘The Sound of Silence’ which was written and performed by Simon and Garfunkel and was from the movie The Graduate and ‘Oh, Pretty Woman’, the Roy Orbison classic which featured in the 1990 movie Pretty Woman starring Richard Gere and Julia Roberts.

The full track list is: ‘Xanadu’, ‘If I Can't Have You’, ‘God Bless The Child’, ‘Between The Bars’, ‘The Sound Of Silence’, ‘What's New Pussycat?’, ‘The Windmills Of Your Mind’, ‘Take Me With You’, ‘Cat People (Putting Out Fire)’, ‘Many Rivers To Cross’, ‘Oh, Pretty Woman’, ‘This One's From The Heart’, ‘Take My Breath Away’.

Lights

3/1/2010 12:00:00 AM

'Lights' is the debut album from UK singer songwriter Ellie Goulding featuring the tracks: 'Guns and Horses', 'Starry Eyed', 'This Love (Will Be Your Downfall)', 'Under The Sheets', 'The Writer', 'Every Time You Go', 'Wish I Stayed', 'Your Biggest Mistake', 'I'll Hold My Breath', 'Salt Skin'.

Ellie is already a household name before the album's release after bagging a Brit for Critics' Choice Award for 2010 as well as topping the BBC's Sound Of poll 2010.

The BBC have justified their Sound Of decision by giving Lights a glowing review saying "if you’d not already guessed, she spectacularly surpasses. 2010’s poll-winners’ party has only just begun, but expect Goulding to be the last one standing".

Black Light

3/1/2010 12:00:00 AM

'Black Light' is the sixth studio from UK dance duo Groove Armada featuring the tracks: Look Me in the Eye Sister, Fall Silent, Just for Tonight, Not Forgotten, I Won't Kneel, Cards to Your Heart, Paper Romance, Warsar, Shameless, Time & Space, History.

Since releasing their debut album Northern Star back in 1998 Groove Armada have enjoyed 3 top 10 albums with 2001's 'Goodbye Country (Hello Nightclub)' peaking at number 5. The band have also has a number of 20 hit singles including 2 top 10 hits in 2007 with 'Get Down' and 'Song 4 Mutya (Out of Control)'.

Early reviews for Back Light are mixed with the BBC's Tom Hocknell writing "some ideas failing to stretch across entire songs." whilst Dan Cairns from the Sunday Times says "It’s a scorcher"

Outbursts

3/1/2010 12:00:00 AM

'Outbursts' is studio album number 5 from UK folk duo Turin Brakes and it is the follow up to 2007’s Dark on Fire. It feature 11 new tracks: 'The Sea Change', 'Mirror', 'Rocket Song', 'Paper Heart', 'The Invitation', 'Will Power', 'Apocolips', 'Embryos', 'The Letting Down', 'Radio Silence' and 'Outbursts'.

Early reviews of the album are positive with Music OHM saying "Outbursts captures and builds upon the intangible beauty of their debut effort. Turin Brakes are, once again, a must-hear."

Classic Fantastic

3/1/2010 12:00:00 AM

'Classic Fantastic' is the sixth studio album from Fun Lovin' Criminals and it features the tracks:

'Mars'
'Classic Fantastic'
'The Originals'
'She Sings At The Sun'
'Keep On Yellin'
'Jimi Choo'
'El Malo'
'Conversations With Our Attorney'
'We, The Three'
'How Low?'
'Mister Sun'
'Rewind'
'Get Your Coat'

The New York trio released their first album 'Come Find Yourself' in the February 1996 which featured the legendary single 'Scooby Snacks' and it peaked at number 7 in the album charts. The band only released another four albums in the following 16 years with '100% Colombian' making number 3 and 2001's 'Loco' peaking at number 5. 2003's 'Welcome to Poppy's' scraped into the top 20 and 2005's 'Livin' In The City' failed to make the top 40.

American VI: Aint No Grave

2/22/2010 12:00:00 AM

'American VI: Aint No Grave' is the sixth and final album from the American Recordings by the late Johnny Cash and it is the follow up to 2006's country chart topping 'American V: A Hundred Highways'. Just the like previous albums, 'Aint No Grave' has been produced by Rick Rubin and it features 10 tracks: 'Ain't No Grave', 'Redemption Day', 'For The Good Times', 'I Corinthians 15:55', 'Can't Help But Wonder Where I'm Bound', 'Satisfied Mind', 'I Don't Hurt Anymore', 'Cool Water', 'Last Night I Had The Strangest Dream' and 'Aloha Oe'.

Despite his legendary status; Cash has never had any real significant impact on the UK with 1969's 'Johnny Cash At San Quentin' peaking at number 2, 'Hello I'm Johnny Cash' (1970), 'A Thing Called Love' (1972) and 'American V - A Hundred Highways' (2006) all made the top 10.