After each year-end list has been compiled, it’s time to think about the future. From Ty Segall to MGMT, here is a list of albums to look forward to in 2018.
Ty Segall – “Freedom’s Goblin” (Jan. 26)
A new album from Ty Segall shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise. The California garage- rock artist has released a new solo album almost every year since his self-titled debut in 2008. In 2015, he still managed to drop a live album and an EP. His upcoming album, “Freedom’s Goblin,” is set to release on Jan. 26. A fuzzed-up cover of Hot Chocolate’s 1978 hit “Every 1’s A Winner” sits among the album’s singles, hinting at more of a pop-oriented sound. This could possibly be one of Ty Segall’s most eclectic releases, given the horn solo on the single “My Lady’s On Fire,” and the hectic guitar on the track “Meaning.” No matter what, it’s safe to assume that “Freedom’s Goblin” will be nothing less than a solid addition to Ty Segall’s growing discography.
Belle & Sebastian – “How To Solve Our Human Problems” (Jan. 19, Feb. 16)
Indie-pop outfit Belle & Sebastian may be most well known for their ‘90s output — albums such as “Tigermilk” and “If You’re Feeling Sinister” — yet the band has continued to release music up through the current decade. Belle & Sebastian’s most recent project, “How To Solve Our Human Problems,” is actually not an album but a series of three EPs, the first of which was released on Dec. 8 of last year. The second and third installments, however, are slated to be released on Jan. 19 and Feb. 16 respectively. Two singles have been released in anticipation of “Human Problems, pt. 2,” a disco-influenced track called “The Same Star” and the more subdued “I’ll Be Your Pilot.”
Ought – “Room Inside The World” (Feb. 16)
The Canadian band Ought made a name for itself a few years ago with the brainy post-punk of its first two LPs, “More than Any Other Day” and “Sun Coming Down.” In the past, vocalist Tim Darcy sang frantically over artsy guitar parts, reminiscent of bands such as Sonic Youth and Joy Division. Ought’s latest single, “These 3 Things,” suggests a shift in the band’s sound, as a simple drum machine replaces the complicated beats and dynamic tempos of the first two records. The group is far from the first post-punk band to embrace a more rigid, electronic sound, but this progression should still make for an interesting third album. The LP will be titled “Room Inside The World,” and is set to release Feb. 16.
MGMT – “Little Dark Age” (release date TBA)
Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser, the duo behind the neo-psychedelic sounds of MGMT, haven’t released a full studio LP since their 2013 self-titled release. Towards the end of 2016, the band announced that a follow-up record was in the works, but no further details emerged until mid-2017 when the duo announced that the project will be titled “Little Dark Age.” The record’s first single — titled after the album — was released on Oct. 17 with an accompanying music video, featuring a gothic tinge to the group’s familiar synth-pop aesthetic. Another single, the warbling “When You Die,” was released on Dec. 12 and features some discomforting lyrics about death over the band’s refined psychedelic sound. With these songs, the album will likely be a little darker than previous releases in the band’s discography. “Little Dark Age” does not currently have an official release date, but it is expected during the first quarter of this year.
My Bloody Valentine – [currently untitled] (release date TBA)
Many shoegaze bands have been able to make a welcome comeback recently, thanks to a renewed interest in the genre. In 2017, both Slowdive and Ride released albums — each for the first time in over 20 years. My Bloody Valentine was ahead of the curve when the group released “MBV” in 2013, the band’s first album since its 1991 masterpiece “Loveless.” Guitarist Kevin Shields recently confirmed in an interview that its members were working on a follow-up to “MBV,” set to be released sometime in 2018. No singles for the album have been released yet, and at this time the project remains unnamed. Until more information is announced, fans can indulge in “Only Once Away My Son,” a collaborative track Shields created with ambient artist Brian Eno back in November of last year.
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