Putting the dark days we now call Musicgeddon 2013 (aka Market Days lineup) behind us, you can look forward to one of the best times of the year to be a music fan: September. Traditionally the best month where the labels really push forward their best and brightest artists in time to promote them for the holiday buying season, September is to music what December is to film: an artistic bonanza. This columnist is certainly excited about a few of my favorite things.
September 3rd
-Nine Inch Nails/Hesitation Marks After a brief "retirement" of the NIN moniker in favor of soundtracking, winning Oscars, and getting married (I'm still not over that), Trent Reznor returns with what could be his best album since his mainstream hit, The Downward Spiral. If his recent preview and two phenomenally great singles are any indication, Trent is back to the industrial dance floor and he means business.
-Tamar Braxton/Love and War With the power of Lady Gaga and her manager/husband Vince behind her, "the other talented Braxton" will certainly pull ahead of her sister Toni with this, her second album in 15 years in the business. So far packing the hit "Love and War" and the Mtume sampling "The One," I'm really eager to hear what other firepower and possible Lady G cameos might come out of this one.
September 10th
-Goldfrapp/Tales of Us Will Gregory and Alison Goldfrapp appear to be heading back into "Felt" territory (chill, ambient) if the lead single is any indication. Probably their best single of their entire career, "Drew," is at one point classic early Frapp, but with an added tension we've not seen. Each song on the new album is a first name, so I'm hoping it's a nod to Cocteau Twins' atmospheric masterpiece, Treasure, on which they named each song a child's name.
-The Clash/Sound System (boxed set) Strummer/Jones finally get the Zeppelin treatment with a comprehensive boxed set of almost their entire career. Over 12 CDs, three of which are rarities, the seminal punk outfit get the love they deserved for years. BTW, Gloria Estefan and Sheryl Crow also have albums this day, but only 1992 cares.
Check the next issue when we preview releases for the second half of September, with albums from Cher, Sting, Timberlake, Drake, Elton John, Placebo, MGMT, Jason Derulo, Chvrches, Birdy, Jessie J. and Kelis!
