Tune in to the newest tunes

By Mandy Bee
Collegian Staff
April 16, 2008

While the Internet has become a vastly popular source to download albums for free, there still remains a population of music fans who wait in great anticipation to head to their favorite record store and purchase the latest releases from their favorite artists. For these admirable, loyal music fans, there is no greater joy than popping in a fresh CD and officially owning the new sounds from some of their old favorites. Luckily for these people, the upcoming months are set to deliver the goods in all areas of the music scene. These exciting album releases are sure to entice music fans the world over.

The excitement begins next week, when pop-encyclopedia Elvis Costello releases the highly-anticipated Momofuku. This release will specifically excite true blue fans of the innovative English rocker, as it is released only on vinyl. Look for this to hit the scene on April 22. The very same day also delivers some releases from diverse genres of music. Beloved piano-rock emo boys Jack’s Mannequin are set to release Glass Passenger. This will be the band’s first release since 2005 and since the end of lead singer Andrew McMahon’s battle with leukemia. With an infamously loyal following, the album should be met with great success. Another big name who’s been mute from the music scene since 2005, Ashlee Simpson, is unveiling her latest project on the 22nd. Entitled Bittersweet World, fans of the younger Simpson child will be exposed to her musings on life, lip-syncing and loving Fall Out Boy Pete Wentz

The end of April will be marked with a plethora of long awaited album releases. On April 29, heavy metal all-stars Def Leppard celebrate their 15th album, Songs from the Sparkle Lounge. As some of the hardest-working and longest-lasting boys on the metal scene, this album should gleam with all the glitz and glamour that its title implies.

Also on that day comes an anticipated release from Philly-band The Roots. The Grammy-winning, genre-shattering musicians will follow-up 2006’s Game Theory with their latest, Rising Down. If past work is any indication for success, this release should instantly hit it big. Madonna herself will release an album April 29. Entitled Hard Candy, this album promises to deliver a collaboration between the Queen of Pop and the prince himself, Justin Timberlake. Look for this hot track, and others from the album, to inundate many dance floors nation-wide.

The fair month of May will kick off with a release from college-radio favorites the Dandy Warhol’s. The Oregon-based foursome will release earth to the Dandy Warhols May 5. The next day is filled with releases from 3 Doors Down, the Idol Clay Aiken and Gavin DeGraw. Adoring teenage girls will swoon over albums from these male-fronted projects. Also releasing an album May 6 is hip-hop big name Ja Rule. Somewhat elusive since 2005’s Exodus, there were rumors that he had tragically died, which were clearly false. See just how alive he is with his latest, The Mirror. Another hop-hop extraordinaire, Lil Wayne, is set to release an album in the month of May. See if the New Orleans rapper can live up to the title recently given to him by Blender magazine as Best Rapper of All Time with the release of Tha Carter III on Cash Money Records.

Taking a break from solo efforts, the Chris Walla, Ben Gibbard and the boys of Deathcab For Cutie are also set to release an album May 13. Narrow Stairs, DCFC’s first studio recording since 2004, is sure to deliver some indie gems to their hordes of loyal fans. Alternative country rockers the Old 97s will release their latest album Blame It On Gravity on the very same day. Years since the band has released new material, Rhett Miller and the boys should serve up some great little tracks with a country twang.

One surprising release of late May takes its form in the debut of Scarlett Johansson’s first album, Anywhere I Lay My Head. It will include a variety of tracks from Tom Waits, as well as two from the legendary David Bowie, who the actress cites as one of her musical inspirations. It should be interesting to see how this starlit makes the transformation from the screen to the stereo.

As the summer sun begins to shine in June, the release of many anticipated albums follows suit. June 3 promises releases from Ashanti, who has been quiet in the music scene as of late. Look for her latest, The Declaration on The Inc Records. On the very same day, the highly beloved glam rock group The Cure releases a yet-to-be-titled album. This untitled 13th album is sure to bring the traditional introspective gloom of Robert Smith back to the ears of his fans. June 3 also promises a Best Of Radiohead album, which will include all of the old favorite from this legendary band. June also boasts of releases from such beloved artists as Alanis Morisette, Wolf Parade, Missy Elliot, and N.E.R.D.

June 17 brings the latest release from alt-rock favorites, Weezer. The self-titled album which, following in the color tradition, will be known as the “red” album. Fans of Rivers and the boys hope to recapture some of the old Weezer glory that was somewhat lost in the boys’ 2005 release, Make Believe.

While all of these aforementioned albums are certainly the cause of delight to a variety of music fans, there are tons of others that will be making their appearance in records stores in the up-and-coming months. Let the beauty of the spring and summer inspire you to discover all types of new music from some of your favorite artists.

beea1@lasalle.edu