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Mark your calendars, music lovers. 2015 is shaping up nicely for you. Here’s a look at what’s coming up:
Country/Folk
The Lone Bellow — “Then Came the Morning”
If the single “Fake Roses” and title track “Then Came the Morning” are any indication, The Lone Bellow’s upcoming album is going to be a stunner. After debuting in early 2013, they have enjoyed a quick rise among fans and acclaim from critics, especially surrounding their live performances. The real question will be about how their sophomore album is recorded. The trio are at their best live, often recording their music videos in a live take. As such, their debut album seemed canned. With The National’s Aaron Dessner producing, the southerners by way of Brooklyn could potentially make a studio album as good as their live stuff.
Look for “Then Came the Morning” out Jan. 27 on Descendant.
Rock
Sleater-Kinney — “No Cities to Love”
No other rock album has been more anticipated in the coming year than that of the recently reunited Sleater-Kinney. Goddesses of punk and vanguards of riot grrrl are back for the first time in half a decade with nothing less than a truly great record. The band’s last gig was in 2006, and since then they’ve been doing their own things. The ladies have been busy, though, during their five-year hiatus. Corin Tucker has been touring on her own, Carrie Brownstein has been writing, producing and starring in the critically acclaimed comedy “Portlandia” and Janet Weiss has been making music with other groups. The music is lyrically matured, but it still sounds like more than thrash-worthy polished garage rock.
The album will be out Jan. 20 on Sub Pop.
Hip-Hop
Kanye West — ???
Since dropping the unexpected Paul McCartney collaboration “Only One” in the early hours of 2015, the Internet has renewed rumors of when Kanye’s follow-up to his 2013 Rick Rubin-produced smash “Yeezus” will finally see the light of day. Fellow musician Theophilus London and actor Seth Rogen claim to have heard various versions of the yet-to-be-titled album, so maybe in 2015 we will get to hear it too.
Pop
Mark Ronson
Wait, wait, wait, since when has London producer Mark Ronson been considered pop? Since “Uptown Funk” unseated chart queen Taylor Swift for number one on Billboard’s Hot 100 last week. Ronson’s cast of featured singers is more slimmed down than it has been on his past three albums, featuring a repeating set of crooners, including Stevie Wonder himself.
“Uptown Special” came out Jan. 13 on Columbia Records.
Indie
Modest Mouse — “Strangers to Ourselves”
The last time Modest Mouse released a full-length studio album we were all still wearing flared jeans. The first single, “Lampshades on Fire,” is textbook Modest Mouse down to the glee club gang vocals and plucky guitar. It’s unclear at this point as to whether it will be a good album, but it will certainly be an interesting one.
“Strangers to Ourselves” is out March 3 on Epic Records.
Electronic/Dance
Madonna — “Rebel Heart”
Madonna’s albums tend to be most successful when she is working in a team — think Justin Timberlake in “4 Minutes” or the Nile Rodgers-produced “Like a Virgin” album — and in this way “Rebel Heart,” due out March 9, is looking good. Fellow artistic geniuses Diplo and Kanye West produce, while Alicia Keys and Nicki Minaj make supporting appearances, but Madge herself is at her best vocally and lyrically. Let’s all cross our fingers for another blowout Madonna-tastic world tour and a stop in Salt Lake.
Rebel Heart is available for pre-order from Interscope now.
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