The beginning of September heralds
many things. One is the beginning of Spring (or Autumn / Fall if
you're in the Northern hemisphere) but it also marks the beginning of
the end for the current year. Everything gets busier and ramps up as
the months slip by and, before you know it, its goddamned Christmas
already. With this in mind I have set about highlighting five albums
that should make this final third of 2012 a more joyous and awesome
(or perhaps bearable) time to be a music fan.
1. Down – Down IV Part 1: The
Purple EP (September)
As a metal fan it is practically
mandatory to be a Pantera fan. Although I can't count the number of
times I have had a raucous party that involved giving The Great
Southern Trendkill a spin they were never my favourite of the
metal pantheon. When I first heard Down in 2002 I fell in love with
their downbeat metallic stylings. Their long awaited new album Down
IV is being released as series of four EPs. These are the first
recording with new bass player Pat Bruders (Crowbar) and promise to
be every bit as captivating and ruthless as the previous records.
Parts two, three, and four will all apparently be released next year
which gives us even more to look forward to.
2. John Frusciante – PBX Funicular
Intaglio Zone (September)
Is it a coincidence that Frusciante's
more conventional solo albums (To Record Only Water For Ten Days,
Will To Death, The Empyrean) came while he was in the thick of
his “day job” with the Chilis? It is time to put that theory to
the test. Since stepping away from you-know-who he has been keeping a
very low profile and keeping his cards close to his chest. Who knows
what it is going to contain other than a particular cryptic quote
about being “progressive synth pop” and the bizarre Letur Lefr
EP released earlier this year . The title PBX Funicular
Intaglio Zone … first off, what the hell? … is apparently
made up of words that Frusciante feels describe his creative process.
Godspeed you strange, strange man.
3. Tame Impala – Lonerism
(October)
Australia's Tame Impala really took me
by surprise with their full length debut Innerspeaker in
2010. All of a sudden Aussie rock was about more than daft
haircuts, spilled lager, and black wifebeaters. This young trio
embraced the might of 70s psychedelic rock and came off like the
golden bastard child of The Beatles and The Flaming Lips. To say I'm
eagerly anticipating Lonerism is a severe understatement.
Hopefully these talented cats can sidestep the dreaded sophomore
album slump but the two songs released from the record so far
('Apocalypse Dreams' and 'Elephant') all seem to be pointing in a
positive direction.
4. Deftones – Koi No Yokan
(November)
The last Deftones album, 2010's Diamond
Eyes, was a triumph and an emphatic return to form in the face of
tragedy. While bass player Chi Cheng's future remains uncertain after
the terrible accident in 2008 the band are forging ahead and striking
while the iron is hot with Koi No Yokan. Vocalist Chino Moreno
has stated in interviews the similarities between this new album and
genre classic White Pony. Since I'm pretty sure he says that
about every album of his before it comes out perhaps the wisest move
is to wait until the November 12 release date and see for ourselves.
5. Soundgarden –
King Animal (November … or whenever)
Forgive a little skepticism on my part
but the release date for this is anyone's guess really. Soundgarden
were also met with skepticism by some when they announced that their
reunion tour was not a nostalgia trip but a full-blown return. I for
one am intrigued at what the veterans will come out with. I maintain
my position on this despite their only new song ('Live To Rise' from
The Avengers soundtrack) being lukewarm at best. If nothing
else they have earned our patience though and I am happy to wait for
as long as it takes.
It has been a great year so far and if these five examples are anything to go by then the good times are nowhere near over yet.
- Professor Ricardo K
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