We're on Week 4 of 2012, and thus far, the year has already been pretty eventful. Millennials showed America what happens if you threaten to take away our ability to amass multi-terabyte music collections, extramarital affair prosecution karma caught up with Newt Gingrich, we lost Etta James to a hard-fought battle with leukemia.
Fortunately, there's a lot of good music on the way before the world ends/ the Mayans got tired of carving dates into stone. What follows is by no means a comprehensive list of every awesome album coming out this year; these just happen to be some of the ones we're most excited about hearing.
At the bottom of the page, you'll find a playlist for your downloading pleasure, but not every label is doling out promo tracks so there isn't a download for every release (See, RIAA? We know when to behave ourselves), but if you follow the artist and label links, you'll find what you're looking for.
January 31
Hospitality: Hospitality [Merge Records]
If you’re searching for the next big thing to come out of Merge’s front door, look no further than Brooklyn-based Hospitality. The band’s 2012, self-titled effort carefully toes the line between lo-fi and minimalistic indie rock; the trio creates breezy, droll, and excessively bright compositions that are effortlessly satisfying. Amber Papini’s delicate, saccharine-infused voice -- complete with faux English accent (she learned to sing by imitating Richard Butler’s performance on Talk Talk Talk) -- perfectly offsets the songs. Hospitality features revamped versions of tracks from the band’s self-released debut, as well as new songs that seamlessly fit into the their distinguishing -- yet comfortably familiar -- vibe. Due to arrive January 31st, Hospitality will no doubt be met with sincere critical praise, and is sure to be a springboard to a successful 2012 for the band. --Mike Sinsheimer
February 14
Earth: Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light II [Southern Lord]
Earth founder/guitarist Dylan Carlson and drummer Adrienne Davies (the band's second-most-consistent member) entered Avast! recording studio in Seattle for two weeks in 2010 with cellist Lori Goldston (Nirvana, David Byrne) and bassist Karl Blau to create the two-part project Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light.
Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light I was released in February 2011 with a vibrant folkloric cover illustrated by Seattle artist Stacy Rozich, seemingly influenced by Native American artwork of the Pacific Northwest. It’s fitting, as Carlson and Goldston paint the rainy mood of the region over the minimalist foundation laid by Davies and Blau. Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light II expands on these themes; albeit with more musical improvisation and a somewhat lighter mood. --Parker Langvardt
February 21
Apparatjik: Square Peg in a Round Hole [Meta Merge Un]
Possibly the world’s least-known supergroup, Apparatjik makes eccentric industrial dance-rock music to soundtrack tales of futuristic robot love stories. So, who are these mysterious sonic architects? Get this: Coldplay bassist Guy Berryman, A-ha keyboardist Magne Furuholmen, Mew vocalist Jonas Bjerre, and Jason Mraz/KT Tunstall producer-songwriter Martin Terefe. Quite a supergroup, indeed! Back in November,
March 6
Andrew Bird: Break It Yourself [Mom + Pop]
It’s been three years since we’ve heard a new set of songs from Chicago’s dreamiest polymath -- and fortunately, Andrew Bird made it out to his barn-cum-studio in Western Illinois last year to commit his thoughts to 8-track tape. According to Bird, the recording process was a good blend of jam sessions and structured songs -- a balance that should emphasize the breadth of his talents. Bird's team has also come up with a rather ingenious way to unite tour sales with album promotion: When you buy tickets for any show on the spring 2012 tour, you’ll receive a digital copy of Break It Yourself, plus digital downloads for two live EPs. Whistling all the way to the bank! Check out a short preview of Break It Yourself here. --Susannah Young
March 6
The Men: Open Your Hearts [Sacred Bones Records]
Brooklyn’s the Men released their first sludgy hardcore demos in 2008, defying the
typical tinny quality of low budget punk recordings. Discord, psych,
and droning elements surfaced on their 2010 full-length Immaculada along with sounds atypical to punk, including sitar and acoustic guitar. Their reverb-heavy second album, 2011’s Leave Home,
is their most polished and melodically experimental recording yet, as
well as their first widely distributed album -- a direct result of getting signed to Sacred Bones Records. Open Your Hearts is sure to be another solid exploration in stretching the boundaries of hardcore punk.
Matador will also release a 7” single by the Men on May 22 as a part of their “Singles Going Home Alone” series. --Parker Langvardt
March 6
White Rabbits: Milk Famous [TBD Records]
These Midwest-natives-turned-Brooklyn-residents are back with their third LP, the followup to White Rabbits' widely acclaimed 2009 album It's Frightening. Hopefully this time around the band reaps just as much praise for their hard work (they spent the better part of 2011 in the studio). The opening track "Heavy Metal" is consistent with their penchant for contrasting dark sounds with a bouncy tempo. Rabbits once again make liberal use of interwoven piano and guitar, keeping you hanging on every word on those falsetto vocals. Bonus: working with Mike McCarthy (long-time Spoon producer) again should make for another great headphone-listening experience. --Jessica Weisensell
March 6
Yellow Ostrich: Strange Land [Barsuk]
Momentum is still building for Yellow Ostrich after a very fruitful 2011. These guys had a killer year: they grew from a solo project to a three-piece, signed with Barsuk, re-released their LP, and toured the U.S. But hey, they’re not stopping. The Brooklyn trio will be releasing their second full-length LP this March, and boy has their sound grown. What started as an outlet for frontman Alex Schaaf's lo-fi home recordings has turned into a raw indie-rock goldmine. On 2011’s The Mistress, drummer Michael Tapper bangs out simple -- yet passionate -- rhythms that perfectly complement Schaaf’s fervent loop-pedal vocals. Add multi-instrumentalist Jon Natchez, who has performed with the likes of Beirut, Okkervil River, and Camera Obscura, and the layers of intrigue are complete. Yellow Ostrich has yet to fully “break out” into the world, but if Strange Land builds upon Mistress' earnest, youthful lyrics and robust minimal sound, only good things can happen. --Bill Ross
March 20
The Shins: Port of Morrow [Aural Apothecary]
Since 2007 we have heard very little from the Shins. Perhaps James Mercer spent the last five years addressing his debilitating insomnia (the driving force behind Wincing the Night Away), or perhaps the band simply needed an extended break. Whatever the reason, the much-anticipated Port of Morrow is now almost upon us. If the first single “Simple Song” is any indication of the album as a whole, longtime Shins fans have a lot to be excited about. The track is prototypical Shins: melodic vocals beautifully layered over vivid guitar, held together by a driving bass line and brisk drumming. Listen even closer to “Simple Song” and you can hear a more forceful, almost insistent tone that suggests that much like their fans, the Shins are excited about their return. --Mike Sinsheimer
March 20
The-Dream: The Love IV: Diary of a Mad Man [Def Jam/Radio Killa]
Terius Nash (AKA The-Dream) is a pop songwriter savant -- the mastermind behind Rihanna’s “Umbrella”, Beyoncé’s “Countdown”, “1+1”, and “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It).” And he happens to save some pretty good songs for himself -- Love King and the unbelievably excellent Love Vs Money are especially great showcases for Nash’s inventive production, witty, outsized sex boasts, and meticulous panty descriptions. Drama between Nash and Def Jam pushed Love IV’s release date from 2011 to 2012, but while we’ve been waiting, we’ve been graced with news of a star-studded lineup (including Lil Wayne, R. Kelly, Kanye West, Drake, Mary J. Blige, Dr. Dre) and heard a sneak preview, the subtly-titled “Body Work/ Fuck My Brains Out”. Wait, is that some kind of innuendo? --Susannah Young
March 27
Miike Snow: Happy To You [Downtown]
The trio that comprise Miike Snow have plenty of side projects to keep them busy. Swedish producers Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg (AKA
Bloodshy & Avant) found major success with pop artists like Britney Spears
and Kylie Minogue. Singer Andrew Wyatt made his way into Mark Ronson’s busy schedule. Thankfully the three have united once again to make a second LP as Miike Snow. First single “Animal” was met with considerable
commercial success, which might prove a challenge to top -- although their two most recently released tracks “Devil’s Work”
and “Paddling Out” are already making waves. The rest of the album seems promising, as does their future success as a musical unit; as Winnberg stated, “Before
this album, we were an idea. This time we were a band.” --Jessica Weisensell
TBA
Dirty Projectors: Untitled Album [TBA]
The
Brooklyn sextet is back on the scene -- but with a new course in mind.
For the album they'll release this spring, Projectors' mastermind David
Longstreth sought after a space with a bit more legroom to compose -- a
quiet home away from the New York City buzz. Inspired by isolation in
rural surroundings, the tracks set a shadowy tone that's drastically
different from the band's previously pop-inspired, orchestral
compilations. Longstreth explained to Spin, "It might just be
that I was up here in the fucking winter when it was light three hours a
day and there's three feet of snow on the ground." Whatever the cause,
the Dirty Projectors' portentous offerings will certainly be worth a listen. --Holley McConnell
TBA
Freddie Gibbs & Madlib: Untitled [Stones Throw]
What happens when one of the most prolific beatmaker in the game hooks up with one of the most exciting rappers? The hip-hop event of 2012, maybe? 2011's brief (but bitchin') Thuggin' EP offered a tantalizing taste of what can happen when Madlib and Freddie Gibbs collaborate -- but their forthcoming long-player is what everyone's been waiting for since they announced their partnership back in November. Okay, so as collaborations go, MadGibbs (or whatever they end up calling it) might not be as high-profile as the much-lauded Watch The Throne love-in -- but this album will be at least as rewarding and infinitely more interesting. We know Madlib's always at his best when in collaboration, but how will Freddie Gibbs' straight-up street talk work with the maestro's twisted psych wig-outs? It won't be long until we find out... --Steve Dewhurst
TBA
The Weeknd: Mixtape Trilogy [TBA]
Despite the fact they're all readily available for free, legal download, any serious music fan will want to own Abel Tesfaye's three excellent mixtapes in physical format. Along with Frank Ocean, Tesfaye (aka the Weeknd) spent 2011 releasing some of the finest modern R&B heard for a long time. Woozy, downbeat and often quite disturbing, the Weeknd's music simultaneously feeds off and rejuvenates the bloated, avaricious corpse of R&B Past as something completely new. Combining late-night dubstep atmosphere with exhausted numbwave vocals, the Weeknd has emerged as a true pioneer of the art form and these three albums -- House Of Balloons, Thursday and Echoes Of Silence -- are destined to become all-time classics in a genre that had been collapsing under its own weight. Thankfully, Tesfaye clambered out of the wreckage and lived to tell the tale. The least you can do is thank him with your money. --Steve Dewhurst
TBA
Why?: Untitled Album [TBA]
Quite possibly one of the hardest bands to Google, Why? (often referred to as "why with a question mark") is a music lover's dream. Their symbolic band name could not be more fitting -- lyrically controversial, instrumentally experimental, and abstract in performance. With those nebulous elements, Why? leaves their music open for interpretation. It's truly a work of melodic modern art. Their signature musical formula often involves harshly-rendered folk-rap paired with undertones of psychedelic flair, though each album thus far has thrown in some disparate elements, making Why? a difficult band to define. With a new female vocalist/pianist added to the formerly two-man band mix, the forthcoming album should throw a few more musical curveballs our way. Though Why? have been under the radar for quite some time (and have yet to announce an album release date), it's hard to imagine their next album not making headway in 2012. --Holley McConnell
