In Progress Albums
Albums that we know are currently being recorded, but for which we have not been given a projected completion or release date.
Air France – TBA
There are few albums as engrossing or enchanting as Air France’s second EP No Way Down. The imaginative spirit of the Gothenburg duo remains unmatched, even though two years of music have seemingly spawned from this cult favorite. The group has always been rather coy about their music, and the release of their first full length album has been no different. No release date, no whisper of a tour, almost zero publicity. Trying to prognosticate what the album will sound like is difficult. “It Feels Good to be Around You” was our first look at the new material, however, and although it was a departure from the band’s previously fairytale-esque sound, the track was ultimately playful and sunny, two of the more defining aspects of the band’s work. Nobody is expecting them to top one of the most inspiring and loved releases of the past few years, but a solid effort that builds upon the sort of post-dub vibe of “It Feels Good to be Around You” would be more than welcome.
– Erik Burg
Animal Collective – TBA
So Animal Collective has already started recording tracks for their new album! Now, there are YouTube videos floating around this ol’ internet of ours that show the band playing some of these new songs on tour, but seeing as how the band tends to change up their songs for studio albums and said videos were recorded with the shakiest, lowest- of lo-fi cameras, I don’t really think they give a fair indication of what these tracks might sound like. There is a 46-page (and counting) thread on Collected Animals about the next AC record, and if the diehards’ first impressions are anything to go by, it is going to sound like salsa music and also maybe like the Beatles? Hm, sounds like we’re gonna need to wait for a demo to leak or something. While we speculate, let’s take a moment to enjoy this picture of Avey Tare holding a bottle of wine in front of a Bob Marley car. I really hope the car is his.
– Josh Becker
Bat For Lashes – TBA
Natasha Khan has followed a rather straightforward path with her band Bat For Lashes, even if the music she is creating is anything but ordinary. You start with a good album, (2007’s Fur and Gold), you follow it up with a great album, (2009’s Two Suns), and then you wait for the inevitable backlash. Luckily, there have been no signs so far that her third album will be deserving of this response. Khan is talented enough and showed enough growth between albums that it seems more than likely that this new album will be her best yet. I remain cautiously optimistic so as to not have unreasonable expectations.
– Ricky Schweitzer
Beach House – TBA
After 2010’s stunning Teen Dream and an accompanying tour, Beach House certainly earned themselves some time off. But it seems like they’re getting back into the swing of things. First comes word that Victora Legrand will be appearing on the new Air album, and then came news that the Baltimore-based duo is playing next year’s Primavera Sound Festival. But what of a new Beach House album proper? They’ve never gone longer than two years between albums, and their nostalgic, keyboard-heavy sound remains as relevant as ever, so I don’t think it’s unfair to expect at least some new material in 2012.
– Josh Becker
Best Coast – TBA
Best Coast debuted with their summery album Crazy For You, full of hazy lo-fi pop songs that formed a concept album of sorts on young romance and the blisteringly sunny months. With an album so same-y but undeniably catchy, it would be easy to predict similar material but with clearer production. Whatever it sounds like, you can be sure that fans will be proclaiming their love for cats more than usual in an attempt to be like front woman Bethany Cosentino.
– Aurora Mitchell
Cibo Matto – TBA
Cibo Matto are weird. Or, they were weird a decade or so ago when we last heard from them. The Japanese female duo seemed to have a sisterly connection, which is probably what made it so easy for them to create so many strange songs about food and other off-the-wall topics for pop music. But, it won them plenty of hearts, which were all consequently broken when the band broke up in 2001. Now they’re returning in 2012, and the teaser video for their reunion seems to show that they have lost none of that vibrant affection for each other and the creation of strange music. It also seems like the ideal time for the duo to return; while their debut album Viva! La Woman was very much a 90s album, their second,1999’s Stereo Type A, seemed a little ahead of its time. The trends in music seem to have come back around to a point where Cibo Matto can jump right back in without losing any steam, and we can’t wait for them to do so.
– Rob Hakimian
The Gaslight Anthem – TBA
After touring extensively for 2010’s American Slang, the Gaslight Anthem took a break for most of 2011. This year, frontman Brian Fallon started The Horrible Crowes with guitar tech Ian Perkins and released an album, Elsie, in September. That hasn’t delayed Gaslight, though. According to Fallon, the currently untitled album is complete and is set to be released in July or September of next year.
– Ryan Jordal
Green Day – TBA
It’s make or break time for Green Day now with their forthcoming album. American Idiot was a perfectly-crafted piece of modern rock music, transforming the band into a sort of modern day Who. 21st Century Breakdown, on the other hand, was an over-ambitious and overblown mess, with a hard-to-follow storyline that was meant to be the focal point (and the album’s success, like American Idiot), and far too many songs on the tracklisting. It’s almost as if the band buckled under the pressure. The next album is so crucial for the band, as we’ll see if American Idiot was just a flash-in-the-pan success, or if 21st Century Breakdown was just a minor blip, and Green Day do, in fact, deserve to be mentioned alongside the prestigious names littered throughout rock history.
– Daniel Griffiths
Green Day – “Stray Heart” (live)
Grizzly Bear – TBA
2009 was a big year for Grizzly Bear. Their popularity expanded tenfold thanks to the numerous advertisements that implemented “Two Weeks”; their live performances at major music festivals solidified them as a live-act you have to see to believe; and the critically lauded Veckatimest — one of the premier indie-rock records of the past 10 years — exceeded many, if not all, expectations. It’s no surprise, then, that there’s a general excitement in the air pertaining the band’s forthcoming released, which has been said to be distributed “sometime in 2012.” Details are scarce, and updates are all-too rare, but posts from their facebook account suggest that they’re hard at work.
– Ryan Studer
GZA – Liquid Swords pt. 2
It’s been on the horizon for a couple years now: following (along with half the veterans in rap) in his Clan mate Raekwon’s footsteps, GZA announced plans for a sequel to his greatest classic. Oh, and it’s entirely produced by RZA. Need we say more? Well, we will. The album was originally intended for release in the year just past, only to be briefly tabled in favor of an unnamed album. Now, it seems Return of the Shadowboxer is back from the back burner. Hip hop albums have a tendency to materialize different than their declared, hypothetical form, but if RZA sticks as exec producer, something, it should be noted, not even Rae achieved on Cuban Linx II, something we haven’t seen since the group’s last collective effort in 2007, we could very well have a true followup to one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time on our hands.
– Chase McMullen
The Hold Steady – TBA
Aside from 2007, The Hold Steady have a pattern of releasing a new album each year. They hit pause again in 2011 — an efficient break that has allowed frontman Craig Finn to work on his solo album — which, if their behavior holds true, asserts that the band will be back with another new collection in 2012. The group’s last release, Heaven is Whenever, saw the band completely emerge from the dusty bar band scene they’ve so often been associated with and jump headlong into fabulously produced indie rock. Though the narratives of Hallelujah (er, Holly) and musicianship of Franz Nicolay had evaporated, the band still managed one of their most endearing records to date, setting the table for their sixth album, which promises to be yet another can’t-miss chapter.
– Andrew Bailey
Hot Chip – TBA
If it feels like Hot Chip hasn’t really left, it’s because their albums come out like clockwork every two years. Add in random things like a Robert Wyatt collaborative EP, and avid fans never really have to wait too long for new material. You would think that this kind of predictable timing is a reflection of a forced or inorganic creative process, but it seems that Hot Chip has simply nailed down their artistic rhythm. Each album has been increasingly better; more soulful, catchier, and more fun to listen to. While there’s little information about their latest effort other than a hopeful May release, the Hot Chip machine has yet to truly let their fans down.
– Justin Pansacola
How To Dress Well – TBA
Thomas Krell, from Brooklyn by way of Cologne, Germany, released the lo-fi bedroom pop album of 2010; his Love Remains was (and, yes, remains) a high point in indie’s recent obsession with 90s R&B. And earlier this year, Krell appeared on the Active Child track “Playing House.” According to his website, he promises “new hdtw end of winter <3.” As talented as Krell is, he's in a bit of a tough spot here. Another LP that sounds too similar to Love Remains would seem redundant, but it’s unclear exactly how much he’s willing to spread his artistic wings. But hey, had you told me two years ago that Love Remains would blow up the way it did, I probably wouldn’t have believed you. So I guess we ought to just have faith that he knows what he’s doing — and even if he doesn’t, whatever he releases will probably sound pretty great anyway.
– Josh Becker
Icona Pop – TBA
Icona Pop released one of my favourite EPs of the year with their debut Nights Like This, and they’re currently working on their upcoming full-length album, and if they manage to keep the same consistently high quality as on the EP they could become big – really big. Icona Pop is the project of London-based Swedes Caroline Hjelt and Aino Jawo, and with a sound – and quality – comparable to fellow Swede Robyn’s Body Talk trilogy, they’ve already garnered a lot of critical acclaim in Sweden and the UK, and by all accounts 2012 could very well be their year.
– Johan Alm
Japandroids – TBA
If we’re trying to judge Japandroids’ upcoming album on the basis of several of the live recordings of “Adrenaline Nightshift,” a new song that they debuted at several shows near the end of 2011, we should be anticipating, well, a Japandroids album. This new material, as well as the few singles that saw release in 2010, sound pretty much exactly what we’ve come to expect from the duo, at least based on Post-Nothing and the No Singles compilation. This is still epic, hooky indie rock belted out with reckless abandon. Several of the band’s best songs have seen their release in the time since the debut, so it will certainly be interesting to see how the upcoming album turns out. The sound appears to remain the same, but there’s no doubt that tracks like “Younger Us” indicate an upward trend in their songwriting. We should be in for another set of outstanding songs at some point in the next year.
– Colin Joyce
The Killers – TBA
For such a popular band, The Killers have definitely been taking their time over their fourth LP. Perhaps Brandon Flowers’ solo career put a temporary halt on things for the group, but thankfully it appears that The Killers are now active once again and ready to reward their legions of loyal fans with a new album sometime in 2012. Their sound has always been somewhat eclectic, with Day and Age moving them into new and exciting sonic territory, making it difficult to pinpoint how this new album will sound. It is fair to assume that Flowers will take some inspiration from Flamingo, and that catchy hooks will be the order of the day. The Killers have made a name for themselves by satisfying their fans with memorable songs such as “Mr. Brightside” that listeners of all ages can relate to; this tried-and-tested formula seems unlikely to change on album number four, making its release something to be excited about for fans and newcomers alike.
– Alex Phillimore
The Knife – TBA
Let’s throw this album, expected sometime in 2012, in the ‘fervently anticipated’ column. How badly do fans want a new album by The Knife? I like to imagine them as a pack of rabid dogs in a sealed room full of live chickens. The last we’ve heard from the band was 2010’s Tomorrow In A Year, a genuinely terrifying, nearly unlistenable clusterfuck of an opera loosely based on Charles Darwin. The Knife have always been enigmatic, but it is honestly difficult to measure the success of their opera – it isn’t even clear what their intention was. The one piece of that album that was an unmitigated success was “Colouring of Pigeons,” an epic song that showcased new growth for the band both in scope and in sound. This alone, in combination with the excellent work of side-project Fever Ray, have done nothing but made fans even more demanding for a TRUE follow-up to the 2006 masterpiece Silent Shout. We hope that is what is coming, though to be frank, another hard left turn seems equally likely.
– Ricky Schweitzer
Jens Lekman – TBA
The fact that this writer wasn’t too enthralled by three-fifths of Jens Lekman’s last EP, An Argument With Myself, hasn’t dispelled the excitement he has about the Swedish charmer’s follow-up to the utterly wonderful Night Falls Over Kortedala. When you’re as self-deprecatingly honest like Lekman, there’s always the risk of falling into banality and creating something that, perhaps, should be wittily ironic, but instead is simply forgettable. Nonetheless, a sour moment (or two) on a short EP hardly extinguishes the fire – even Kortedala had its imperfect moments. When Lekman has a great idea, he can make it even greater as evidenced by the stand alone track “The End of the World is Bigger Than Love” from 2010, and there’s plenty of reason to hope we might be served a collection of fine songs like this.
This Christmas past, Lekman posted the transcript of a Skype conversation he had with his 17 year-old self where he builds the anticipation by telling us he’ll soon be recording the final takes for his album, which the 30 year-old version of himself describes as being, “about the time you come out of a relationship and you come to terms with what has happened and how you deal with it.” It may well sound like typical Lekman material, but who would be mad enough to say no to more of that? It’s been over four years since Kortedala and I still get great enjoyment from it – and play it regularly. I would be lying if I said I didn’t want another record that could last as long and remain charming, enthralling and enjoyable throughout all that time.
– Ray Finlayson
Madonna – TBA
Oh boy. Okay, so a few weeks ago, right around the time Madonna was first rumored to be playing the Super Bowl Halftime Show, a song called “Give Me All Your Love” leaked, and it was like we were hearing “Beautiful Stranger” all over again. Since then, a couple other tracks have found their way online, but according to Madonna’s people, these are all very rough demos and not meant to be taken as her official new releases. At any rate, Madge seems to be moving back into more traditional pop territory, a sound she hasn’t toyed with much since 2000’s Music. Contrary to what her publicist might say in response to that, however, this isn’t a bad thing at all; in fact, it’ll be nice to hear her snuggle back into her comfort zone, especially after the rather forced “urban-flavored jams” of her last record, 2008’s Hard Candy. The past few years have seen a veritable explosion of would-be heirs to her Queen of Pop throne, so it’ll be interesting to see how she navigates an unprecedentedly competitive market.
– Josh Becker
Madonna – “Give Me All Your Love”
Janelle Monae – TBA
2010’s The ArchAndroid was a intergalactic sci-fi bop space opera that was just as conceptually realized and reverential in its mechanized fairy tail narrative as it was in its R&B-leaning omni-genre songwriting. I can’t think of anyone in recent memory more ambitious than Janelle Monae. At least, no one that’s able to match wondrously free-ranging ambition with the musical imagination and zeal found on The ArchAndroid. Thankfully, none of that has seemingly been reigned in, as Monae plans to release two records in 2012 hopefully continuing the adventures of her love-struck android alter-ego.
– Will Ryan
The Mountain Goats – TBA
Sure, we are not even a year removed from the excellent All Eternals Deck, and I wouldn’t normally expect a new Mountain Goats LP so soon, but the recent tour announcement makes the possibility of a 2012 full-length from the band seem very real. Noting that bands are often “judicious about playing unreleased new material, because much of it becomes available online immediately, even when the new songs are still in fairly raw form,” Darnielle said that the band plans “tour the new songs before we even record them.” He even let loose that he has ten new tunes written for the next Goats album, “eleven if you count one that’s presently being herded back and forth between its cell & the chopping block.” With said tour ending at the beginning of February, it is hard to imagine a new Mountain Goats record not dropping before the end of the year. Uh, yay!
– Philip Cosores
Mumford & Sons – TBA
Mumford & Sons are either the most rockiest folk band you’ve ever heard, or they’ve stolen Coldplay’s crown for being the softest rock band in the world today. So, where do they go next?
There’s the option of being even more delicate than on Sigh No More, or they could turn the ‘barnstorming’ knob on their amplifiers right up to 11 and be the only band to rock the proverbial socks off you with a mandolin. Early reports, of a mix between “Black Sabbath and Nick Drake,” indicate that it could be both. What’s for sure is it’ll definitely be music to dance to, drink to and/or sit out in a field (festival or otherwise) and take in the music while the sun warms you up then slowly sets as you enjoy bottle after bottle of cider (or whatever your tipple). I’ve done that by the way, and it’s awesome. Now, if only the deluxe edition came with a complementary straw hat.
– Daniel Griffiths
Mumford & Sons – “Home” (live in studio)
Muse – TBA
While The Resistance may have been a disappointment in the eyes of many critics, it in no way dampened the momentum Muse had been building over the last five or so years. So dominant has Muse speculation been that a tentative release date – nearly a year from now – has stirred fans of the Devon group into a frenzied state. When asked about the trio’s next album, Muse manager Anthony Addis reported, “They’ve now gone into the recording studio. The plan is to do it all in London. Hopefully, the album might come out October next year.” There is good news for those unsatisfied with Muse’s recent direction, as singer/guitarist Matthew Bellamy believes the band’s new material has taken on a more subtle tone. “I sense that [the new songs are] going to lead to a writing project that will be more personal, rather than talking about grand political concerns. That itself might lead to material that’s more suitable for smaller venues.” While this somewhat conflicts his earlier claims that the new material was influenced by Electro artists Justice and Does It Offend You, Yeah?, fans will have much to dissect before the next album is released.
– Jason Hirschhorn
PAPA – TBA
After releasing what was, for my money, the best EP of 2011 in A Good Woman Is Hard To Find, we can’t wait to hear where Darren Weiss and Daniel Pressant go next. Already with a strong pedigree from supporting and playing with Girls on their 2011 tours, and with a keen ear for melody and relatable lyrics, PAPA are a band that deserve more attention, and it seems as though it is just around the corner for the band. If their debut full-length can include more home runs like “I Am The Lion King” or “Song For Mike Gigliotti” or, hell, any of the songs from the EP, then it won’t be long before the indie-loving masses catch on and this band becomes the most talked about up-and-comers in all the hip parts of town. Until then, we’re pretty sure A Good Woman Is Hard To Find has an innumerable number of spins left in it.
– Rob Hakimian
Purity Ring – TBA
With a couple killer singles already under their belt (“Ungirthed,” “Belispeak”), it’s kind of hard to believe that we are still awaiting the debut LP from Purity Ring. But, after “winning” CMJ, opening for Neon Indian, and appearing on countless year-end lists, 2012 seems all the richer for having saved Purity Ring for a little longer. Weird enough to satisfy people seeking the latest trends, but accessible enough to imagine widespread appeal, there is little doubt that the Purity Ring LP will feature a few more of these homerun singles. We can’t wait to hear them.
– Philip Cosores
Queens Of The Stone Age – TBA
The last album Queens of the Stone Age released was Era Vulgaris back in 2007. Since then, the band has toured across the globe, had a cameo in Hot Rod and re-issued their first two albums. Frontman Josh Homme has formed his own record label, Rekords Rekords, has been interviewed by Nardwuar twice, written a new theme song for Adult Swim’s Aqua Teen Hunger Force and even appeared alongside Anthony Bourdain on his show No Reservations. Let’s not forget that Homme also teamed up with Dave Grohl and John Paul Jones in Them Crooked Vultures.
On top of all that, Homme announced earlier this summer that the band was in the studio working on their sixth album. He said that the album should be finished by the end of the year and would be released in early 2012. While being interviewed by BBC’s Radio 1 host Zane Lowe, Homme said “We have enough songs. We’re at a weird moment where we really don’t feel like we have anything to prove. We just want to play to the people that are into us and we want to play right at them.”
– Nicholas Preciado
Races – TBA
Of all the Los Angeles bands that we have checked out this year, Races might be the best bet to click with the rest of the country. Singer Wade Ryff reminds of The Walkmen’s Hamilton Leithauser, but musically, the band seeks more sweeping and grand territory. Basically, it’s first listen music. And, with a deal in place to release their debut LP on Frenchkiss in 2012, fans of sharp musicianship, infectious melodies, and energetic live performances will be pleased to have a new band to latch on to. You can even get a taste of what to expect by checking out Races’ Bandcamp. Just be sure to tell them who sent ya.
– Philip Cosores
Races – “Big Broom”
The Tallest Man on Earth – TBA
The third full-length album by The Tallest Man on Earth hasn’t been announced yet, but he’s been writing and recording it, and considering the extremely high quality of everything that he has released so far there is no reason to think LP3 is going to be a let-down. We’ve seen a slow evolution and expansion of his originally very lo-fi folk singer-songwriter sound on his two LPs and EPs, and having occasionally used a full backing band on a couple of his gigs this year we’re expecting his sound to continue to evolve while retaining the quality of his previous works.
– Johan Alm
Vampire Weekend – TBA
With the critical blogosphere ready to tear them apart, Vampire Weekend avoided the “sophomore slump” by providing a collection of songs that bested their debut in nearly every respect. Their willingness to construct a different kind of listening experience — doubted by many; myself included — was exemplified by Rostam Batmanglij’s nimble electronics, a tighter backing by Chris Tomson and Chris Baio, and a greater emphasis on introspective lyrics by lead-singer Ezra Koenig. Thus, Vampire Weekend’s third studio outing has become a much-anticipated event for critics and fans alike, who aren’t so much interested about their “legitimacy” as a band, but more about their on-going experimentation. Recordings are currently underway at Excello studios, and considering the outlandish elements of Contra (autotune vocals, an M.I.A. sample), we can only expect something just as unpredictable.
– Ryan Studer
The Walkmen – TBA
For a band who gets better and really matures with each record, The Walkmen have made an interesting choice in going with producer Phil Ek for their new 2012 record. I’d love to see them go in the way of Ek alumni Built to Spill, who fabricate guitar jams with beautiful melodies and extended songs. It’d fit Hamilton Leithauser’s voice, which would work in a dingy basement bar or a punk garage. It’ll be interesting to see if The Walkmen stick to the poppy upbeat “Angela Surf City” or rather the more reflective “While I Shovel the Snow,” or gloriously balance the two, as they’ve done on their last two records, You & Me and Lisbon.
– Ryan Nichols
WHY? – TBA
After the rapid double-header of Alopecia and Eskimo Snow in 2008 and 2009 respectively, WHY? have taken their time in crafting their fifth album. And rightfully so; while Eskimo Snow was by no means a bad album, it did seem to suffer from a case of being rushed on the back of their most popular album to date. A stripped-down interactive tour (which was largely cancelled) in the fall of this year suggested that the band might be going for a more intimate sound with their next record. That’s all fine with us, as long as Joni Wolf’s sardonic tone and wip-smart lyrics are still intact then colour us excited.
– Rob Hakimian
Wild Nothing – TBA
With the arrival of a new decade, the indie music world saw a healthy love affair with nostalgia in 2010. Wild Nothing, the moniker of Jack Tatum’s solo project, even impressed the most fickle music critics with Gemini. The C86-fied, Smiths-fied, glo-fi pop of Tatum’s debut album had its heyday before he could utter his first word. So it’s not so much about nostalgia but timing. It is also a matter of practicality – making a lo-fi synth pop record as a one-man band in one’s bedroom. Given the chance, Tatum acknowledged that he would take a full advantage of a proper studio which is probably where he is at with his second LP. But judging by his last release, “Golden Haze,” don’t expect big changes. That’s just fine for us who love Wild Nothing’s reincarnated dream pop. Hopefully, Tatum doesn’t fall into the pit The Drums did with Portamento.
– Autumn Andel
The xx – TBA
The xx’s self-titled first release came out of nowhere; garnering critical acclaim, the 2010 Mercury Prize, and the adoration of whoever listened to it. Given that the hype died down some time ago, a new release is very long overdue. With band member Jamie xx stating that the record has been influenced by club music, one wonders what to expect. Hopefully the well crafted yet almost fragile indie pop of the band’s debut is not all gone.
– Liam Demamiel
Yeasayer – TBA
Expected mid-2012
When Yeasayer appeared on the Conan O’Brien show back in May of this year, it was expected that they would be playing a song from their 2010 release, Odd Blood. But they ended up surprising a lot of folks by playing a new song entitled “The Devil and the Deed.” And during live shows, they’ve thrown in new songs such as “Henrietta” and “Demon Road” into their set, thus providing further evidence of a new LP coming out soon. To no surprise, they confirmed rumors of a new album with Spin Magazine. They had around 20+ tracks already recorded, which is pretty normal when creating a new album. You’d expect that they would whittle it down to 10 or so tracks, but that’s not the case. In some form of another, they plan on releasing all those tracks, even possibly releasing two albums: one being the actual album and the other being an internet-only release. Though the album(s) is currently untitled, its release is aimed towards spring or summer. If they pull this off, there’s no doubt that it will be their most ambitious and intriguing effort to date.
– Ace Ubas
