Eric Column 9

UPCOMING RELEASES
April 16, 2008

As we near the halfway mark of 2008, it seems time to look forward to what is on the horizon for music listeners this year. I've put together a list of some of the most intriguing upcoming releases, as well as what I expect from each one. I'm not going to mention rumored albums with no title or other info whatsoever. I've heard about the possibilities of new albums from such rock acts as AC/DC, Metallica, Alice In Chains, and Black Sabbath. Needless to say, any of these would be exciting should they actually materialize, but I will wait until we have further details before I write about any of those in detail.

MUDCRUTCH / Mudcrutch (April 29)
When I first got the email saying that Tom Petty was reuniting with his original, pre-Heartbreakers band, I was immediately excited to hear the results. Tom Petty, for all his past successes, has been a fairly middling artist for awhile now. Last year's 'Highway Companion' is a mediocre set of songs, while the previous album, 'The Last DJ' is my least favorite album by this great songwriter. Going back even further, 1999's 'Echo' managed only a pair of excellent songs in an otherwise average set. Needless to say, it is reasonable to be skeptical of any new music with Petty's name attached. Still, I get the feeling that working with his old band will give him a creative boost. The band itself looks an awful lot like an abridged version of the Heartbreakers, as both keyboardist Benmont Tench and guitarist Mike Campbell are involved. The first single, Scare Easy, shows promise and I'm hoping that this gives Petty's career a much needed jolt of energy.

NARROW STAIRS / Death Cab for Cutie (May 13)
This band has long been a bit of an oddity for me. Sure, they can turn out some good songs, but I don't feel like they really have established their own identity. Still, I am interested to hear how they do now that they are on the big stage. By all accounts, the album is the most ambitious thing they have attempted. For a group of guys that were playing small clubs just a couple years ago, I suspect they will adapt very well to being in the spotlight for this upcoming release.

VIVA LA VIDA / Coldplay (June 17)
Say what you want about Coldplay, but you can't deny that these guys have turned out some remarkably catchy radio hits over the course of their first three years. Their last album, 2005's 'X&Y' continued their trend of releasing consistently catchy radio rock. The band claims that the new album maintains the Top 40 potential of their earlier work but with a unique new touch. I would dismiss this as nothing but hype if it wasn't for the fact that the band has been working closely with producer Brian Eno, who has the tendency to inspire anyone in his presence. I know this album will contain a few hits that will ensure its future multi-platinum status, but the true test is whether or not the band will truly be able to do something new here rather than simply slipping in to a very comfortable, yet repetitive pattern.

THE COSMOS ROCKS / Queen+Paul Rodgers (September 1)
In 2004, when Queen united with former Bad Company/Free frontman Paul Rodgers, I was surprised with how the band's fans seemed to accept the move. This seemed to be just the kind of move that would cause longtime fans to bash the band while failing to find a new audience at the same time. However, the free pass that the band has received since touring with Rodgers will likely expire once the band releases their first album of new material since the 1991 passing of iconic lead singer Freddie Mercury. This album had better be good if the band plans to find success as anything more than a nostalgia act. It is worth noting that the band has sounded terrific at their recent live shows. Brian May still plays very well, and Rodgers' voice remains remarkably intact. However, it's going to take more than musical chops to make this album work. Hopefully, the band can capture a bit of the superb songwriting and drama of their original successes.

CHINESE DEMOCRACY / Guns N' Roses
Will this album actually finally come out this year? Probably not, but all the speculation suggests that maybe, this album is finally taking some steps towards seeing a physical release. I am as anxious as anyone to hear some new music from this band. Once we get past Axl's decision to call an all-new band by the old name, we can see that he has assembled a really interesting group of musicians. I saw the band live in 2006 and they put on an absolutely fantastic show. I really like what Axl has done with the new songs. It's certainly going to be a different sound from what everyone expects, but I am convinced that this album has potential to be one of the great ones.

Comments?
Use the DDD Music Forum or email Eric at:
eric@digitaldreamdoor.com

Past Articles:

April. 1, 2008 Click Here:	R.E.M. And Summer Concerts
Feb. 27, 2008 Click Here:	BEST OF 2007: Albums, Live Shows, Songs
Feb. 10, 2008 Click Here:	50th Annual Grammy Award Winners
Jan. 24, 2008 Click Here:	The Rock Hall, Golden Globes and Academy Awards
Jan. 22, 2008 Click Here:	Nominees for the 80th Annual Academy Awards
Jan. 12, 2008 Click Here:	65th Golden Globe Winners
Dec. 14, 2007 Click Here:	Grammy Awards, Zeppelin reunion, & Christmas Gift Ideas
Dec. 04, 2007 Click Here:	Zeppelin, Petty, Springsteen, Charlie Hunter, & the San Francisco Symphony