A Professor's preview of June 2013: Prepare thine self!

While it is very easy to be cynical bastard when reviewing albums (really, really easy at times) the truth of the matter is that, as a music fan, the future always looks bright. Popular trends and tastes might change but when there is as much music out in the great wide world as there is today you can always find something to look forward to. Case in point: June 2013. This month has only just begun but next month is already chock full of fantastic releases. So pull up a comfortable chair, grab a coffee/beer, and join me on this wee venture as I showcase five upcoming records that will make you smile. - Professor Ricardo.

Queens of the Stone Age - …Like Clockwork (June 4th)

It has been six years since Era Vulgaris dropped and us fans have been left wondering “Well, what now?”. Rumours of a new album have been abundant for years and the wait was made even harder by the presence of Them Crooked Vultures and their shit-kicking self-titled record in 2009. Just when you thought it might never happen along comes news of …Like Clockwork and the first song leaked, 'My God is the Sun'. Even more tantalising is the idea that over the album's ten songs you will find contributions from Dave Grohl, Mark Lanegan, Trent Reznor, Alex Turner (Arctic Monkeys), Jake Shears (Scissor Sisters), James Lavelle (UNKLE), and Sir Elton John.

Black Sabbath – 13 (June 10^th)

Black Sabbath has, arguably, not been “Black Sabbath” for a long time now. Most fans agree that their prime ended in about 1976. Since then they have been subjected to a revolving door line up and a squandering of their legacy. On 13 the band are attempting to set the record straight. Original members Ozzy Osbourne, Geezer Butler, and Tony Iommi and joined by drummer Brad Wilk (Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave) and are trying to relive their glory days. In preparation for the recording producer Rick Rubin sat the band down and force-fed them those legendary first three albums. The result? Their old sound tempered by the power and weight of modern production. I was invited to listen to 13 recently and trust me when I say it will tickle your Sabbath fancies just right.

(Try to ignore the radio stings in the video. It's the only one I could find - Prof. Ric)

Janelle Monae – The Electric Lady (June ?)

It is so damned hard not to love Janelle Monae. Her debut album, The ArchAndroid, was the most brilliantly challenging and eclectic pop record since Gorillaz. She swung effortlessly from future shock R&B, to pop fancy, to big band musical score, to psychotropic meditations, to frazzled rockabilly and back again. In short: she fucking rocks. This may have set the bar high for Ms Monae's new album, The Electric Lady, but if anyone can pull it off it's her. Details are scarce but its very existence has launched it into my “Must See” category. Check out the album's first single 'Q.U.E.E.N' (featuring the incomparable Erykah Badu) and try tell me you aren't excited.

Palms – Palms (June 25^th)

Palms is a band who have been taking their sweet time about things. The band was formed in 2011 by Jeff Caxide, Aaron Harris, Bryan Clifford Meyer (all ex-Isis), and Deftones vocalist Chino Moreno. This is an inspired fusion of worlds. For years now Moreno has been working on broadening his musical portfolio with Team Sleep and Crosses projects. Since the disbanding of the metal-gaze titans Isis I have been keeping an eye out for any new music from their extended family of contributors. There are so many unanswered questions in terms of sound and style. Some of these questions have recently been answered with the arrival of their first official song, 'Patagonia'. From this one track alone the potential for this group has been blown wide open. Bring on the June 25!

Bosnian Rainbows – Bosnian Rainbows (June 25^th)

January 2013 brought Mars Volta fans a “Good News-Bad News” scenario: Omar Rodriguez-Lopez had a brand new band (Bosnian Rainbows) but Mars Volta were on indefinite hiatus. Drat. In this new band Omar is joined by one-time Volta drummer Deantoni Parks, Le Butcherettes' Teri Gender Bender, and Nicci Casper. The intention behind this band was to explore completely different territory to the Volta and if their live shows and leaked songs are anything to go by, mission accomplished! The music is a lot more (dare I say) conventional (?) than any of Omar's previous work. That however seems to be the point as Bosnian Rainbows is a proper collaboration between these four musicians rather than an Omar-driven dictatorship.