With CD sales lagging behind last year by at least 12 per cent, the music industry is hoping a parade of big-name releases will mitigate some of the damage. The fourth quarter is always make-or-break time. Here’s some of what we can expect this month:
Interpol
Interpol
(Out now)
Dark hipster band from New York releases their fourth album and loses bass player Carlos Dengler. No one is saying why.
Stone Sour
Audio Secrecy
(Out now)
Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor reconvenes his original band (he was in Stone Sour for five years before he joined Slipknot) to record a third album. And given that Slipknot’s future is still in doubt after the death of bass player Paul Gray, this may become Corey’s full-time gig.
Bachman & Turner
Bachman & Turner
(Out now)
BTO in everything but name. I saw them perform at the High Voltage Festival in the U.K. back in July. They still got it. Fred Turner’s still got that growl.
Brandon Flowers
Flamingo
(Sept. 14)
While the rest of the Killers are feeling burned out after five years of constant work, their singer seems content to keep on keeping on. Production credits include Brendan O’Brien and Daniel Lanois.
Linkin Park
A Thousand Sun
(Sept. 14)
This is just the band’s fourth proper studio album since 1996 and is once again a co-production between Mike Shinoda and guru Rick Rubin. The last record, Minutes to Midnight, went platinum in 16 countries and gold in seven others. Their label, Warner, has a lot riding on this one.
Weezer
Hurley
(Tuesday): Since their Ratitude album came out last November, Weezer has been touring, releasing special tracks and recording new material. Hurley—yes, it’s named after the Lost character (the cover is a picture of actor Jorge Garcia)—will be the second studio album from Weezer in just 315 days.
Robert Plant
Band of Joy
(Sept. 14)
Plant and drummer John Bonhan were in a group called Band of Joy before they were recruited by Jimmy Page for Led Zeppelin. The name was resurrected with Plant out front from 1977 with only one other original member. This time around, Plant’s the only alumnus.
Miles Davis
The Genius of Miles Davis
(Sept. 14)
A forty-three (!!!) disc box set packaged inside a full-sized trumpet case. It’s so heavy that some airlines won’t allow it as carry-on luggage.
More September releases next week.
The Ongoing History Of New Music can be heard on stations across Canada. Read more at ongoinghistory.com and exploremusic.com
