Looking ahead: January-March 2010

When was the last time I looked ahead to new releases? April? You mean to say I have not previewed upcoming releases in eight months?

I guess I ought to fix that, but the first quarter of any year is going to be slow, and 2010 is so far shaping up to be no exception. There’s not much to report.

Erasure, The Innocents (21st Anniversary Edition), Dec. 8

I’ve been meaning to get this album. Was it ever remastered before? I’m not enough of a fan to get all these extras.

Freedy Johnston, Rain on the City, Jan. 12

I think I’ve outgrown my singer-songwriter phase, although I still have a soft spot for whenever Johnston evokes his 1994 album, This Perfect World.

LOVE PSYCHEDELICO, Abbot Kinney, Jan. 13

LOVE PSYCHEDELICO is one of those rare Japanese bands that don’t succumb to the pressure to release an album every year. In fact, they work on a 3-year cycle, with 2007’s Golden Grapefruit and 2004’s LOVE PSYCHEDELICO III preceding. Not sure if the band’s modernized classic rock sound is going to get that much renovation, if the past is any indication.

Patty Griffin, Downtown Church, Jan. 26

I saw a release date back in August for this album, but obviously, it has been changed. The scuttlebutt on this album indicates it’s going to be a gospel tribute. I like keeping up with Patty Griffin, but I think I have what I need between Flaming Red and 1000 Kisses.

The Magnetic Fields, Realism, Jan. 26

I’m torn. I really liked Distortion because it was incredibly extreme for the Magnetic Fields. Realism is touted as the opposite of Distortion, and the opposite of "like" is "dislike". At the same time, I’m really curious about what goes into making the flip side of Distortion.

BOOM BOOM SATELLITES, 19972007, Jan. 27

Huh. Have I really been covering Japanese music for 10 years? It doesn’t seem so long ago when BOOM BOOM SATELLITES was a new band to me.

Arcadia, So Red the Rose (Special Edition), Feb. 9

The fact this album is getting revamped is exciting enough news for a lapsed Duranie as myself, but … the inclusion of The Making of Arcadia? On DVD? Gasp!

Sade, Soldier of Love, Feb. 9

In early 2008, someone somewhere aped the Sade official site with an announcement of a new album in November. It was false. That’s not to say an album was not in the works. In fact, it arrives on Feb. 9. I hope the wait is worth it. Lovers Rock felt like a real album, instead of a few singles buffered by a few fillers. (I’m looking at you Love Deluxe.) Makes me wonder what Kate Bush is doing with her time.

Natalie Merchant, Leave Your Sleep, March 2

I was never a fan of Natalie Merchant’s solo work. 10,000 Maniacs put some real force behind her music, something her ’90s albums couldn’t capture. But her time away has actually made me miss hearing her sing. I’m hoping her signing to Nonesuch indicates some Emmylou Harris-level of change in her songwriting. We’ll see.

Jónsi, Go, March 23

Sigur Rós lead singer Jónsi steps out on a solo album, and while I do like his work with his band, the Riceboy Sleeps collaboration with his partner Alex felt pretty incidental. I’ll check this out regardless.

Duran Duran, Seven and the Ragged Tiger (Special Edition), March 2010

Duran Duran, Duran Duran (Special Edition), March 2010

If the announcement on the band’s official site is any indication, fans who own the 2004 singles boxed set can safely skip the 2-CD edition of this reissue, and if you have the Greatest DVD (not the CD+DVD), then the music video extras are covered. The DVD edition does, however, include As the Lights Go Down. Am I enough of a Duranie to spend that much cash? I ended up getting Hammersmith ’82! just to get the "Lonely in Your Nightmare" video, so who’s to say?

The special edition of the self-titled debut, on the other hand, looks incredibly promising, with more demos and lots of video. I would really love to see the original Duran Duran video album released on DVD, though.

Also, Notorious? Big Thing? The Wedding Album? How about just remastering those albums? EMI is already going through the trouble of making an Arcadia special edition, and the Power Station was revamped years ago. Please?