The Summer 2008 Album Preview
By Sean MacKay, Film and Music Editor
Issue date: 4/10/08 Section: Film & Music
Lil' Wayne - Tha Carter III (Release Date: May 13th )
By now, Lil' Wayne must be snapping at Kanye West's heels for the title of Most Popular Rapper Today. In 2007, GQ Magazine named him "man of the year," while an MTV poll voted him the hottest MC in the game. The man is in demand for guest spots as well; in 2007 alone he collaborated with high profile acts like Jay Z, DJ Khaled and Little Brother, to name just a few. The first single, "Lollipop," has already debuted in the Billboard Top Ten. If you need any more evidence that this album will be epic, take a look at the list of producers and collaborators who will appear on Tha Carter III: Kanye West, Swizz Beatz, The Game, will.i.am, Justin Timberlake... the list goes on, and becomes more and more impressive. This will be an album to look forward to.
Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs (Release Date: May 13th)
Chances are that most Death Cab fans have already heard and formed some sort of opinion about the 8-minute lead single, "I Will Possess Your Heart." They still hold a place in my heart as one of my favourite bands in high school, but even I must admit, I was quite disappointed after hearing the song. If the plodding, uninspiring first single is any indication of what's to come then the prospects are looking grim for their sixth studio album. Solo performances by Ben Gibbard of several other new tracks have surfaced online, one of which sounds suspiciously similar to "Different Names For The Same Thing" from 2005's Plans. Hopefully Gibbard and the gang have more to offer fans than poorly executed experiments and obvious attempts at rehashing older material.
Weezer - The Red Album (Release Date: June 17th)
There is a general consensus among die-hard Weezer fans that every album after 1994's brilliant Blue Album and 1996's Pinkerton has consistently been worse than its predecessor. Their last studio effort, Make Believe, saw the group hit rock bottom. However, all is not lost for fans still hoping that Weezer will triumph once again; in 2007, frontman and chief songwriter Rivers Cuomo released a collection of remarkably solid tunes that proved his creativity hadn't dried up completely. When asked what to expect from the band's new material, Cuomo said, "We put a lot of emphasis on blowing our minds with creative freakouts." The first single is tentatively titled "Pork and Beans," so to all disillusioned Weezer fans out there, this might be the album you've been waiting for.
Wolf Parade - Kissing The Beehive (Release Date: June 17th)
The members of Montreal's Wolf Parade have certainly kept themselves busy since the release of 2005's Apologies To The Queen Mary. Side projects, such as Sunset Rubdown and Frog Eyes, have been so successful that they've almost threatened to overshadow Wolf Parade itself. But after a three year break between albums, their sophomore effort, Kissing The Beehive, will finally be released. The album has already caught the attention of the critics, included on Rolling Stone's list of albums that you must hear this summer. It will surely maintain Montreal's reputation as the home of some of the finest indie rock acts in today's music scene.
Kid Sister - Koko B. Ware (Release Date: July TBA)
I had the privilege of catching a Kid Sister performance at the Fool's Gold Tour last November, and was blown away by the energy and confidence she exuded on stage. Her energy is backed up by a great lyrical flow and a witty sense of humour. With her brother Josh (one half of the Chicago DJ duo Flosstradamus) supplying the beats and her boyfriend A-Trak (Kanye West's touring DJ) providing unwavering support, Koko B. Ware could be one of the best debut albums of the summer, so be sure to check this one out, too.
By now, Lil' Wayne must be snapping at Kanye West's heels for the title of Most Popular Rapper Today. In 2007, GQ Magazine named him "man of the year," while an MTV poll voted him the hottest MC in the game. The man is in demand for guest spots as well; in 2007 alone he collaborated with high profile acts like Jay Z, DJ Khaled and Little Brother, to name just a few. The first single, "Lollipop," has already debuted in the Billboard Top Ten. If you need any more evidence that this album will be epic, take a look at the list of producers and collaborators who will appear on Tha Carter III: Kanye West, Swizz Beatz, The Game, will.i.am, Justin Timberlake... the list goes on, and becomes more and more impressive. This will be an album to look forward to.
Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs (Release Date: May 13th)
Chances are that most Death Cab fans have already heard and formed some sort of opinion about the 8-minute lead single, "I Will Possess Your Heart." They still hold a place in my heart as one of my favourite bands in high school, but even I must admit, I was quite disappointed after hearing the song. If the plodding, uninspiring first single is any indication of what's to come then the prospects are looking grim for their sixth studio album. Solo performances by Ben Gibbard of several other new tracks have surfaced online, one of which sounds suspiciously similar to "Different Names For The Same Thing" from 2005's Plans. Hopefully Gibbard and the gang have more to offer fans than poorly executed experiments and obvious attempts at rehashing older material.
Weezer - The Red Album (Release Date: June 17th)
There is a general consensus among die-hard Weezer fans that every album after 1994's brilliant Blue Album and 1996's Pinkerton has consistently been worse than its predecessor. Their last studio effort, Make Believe, saw the group hit rock bottom. However, all is not lost for fans still hoping that Weezer will triumph once again; in 2007, frontman and chief songwriter Rivers Cuomo released a collection of remarkably solid tunes that proved his creativity hadn't dried up completely. When asked what to expect from the band's new material, Cuomo said, "We put a lot of emphasis on blowing our minds with creative freakouts." The first single is tentatively titled "Pork and Beans," so to all disillusioned Weezer fans out there, this might be the album you've been waiting for.
Wolf Parade - Kissing The Beehive (Release Date: June 17th)
The members of Montreal's Wolf Parade have certainly kept themselves busy since the release of 2005's Apologies To The Queen Mary. Side projects, such as Sunset Rubdown and Frog Eyes, have been so successful that they've almost threatened to overshadow Wolf Parade itself. But after a three year break between albums, their sophomore effort, Kissing The Beehive, will finally be released. The album has already caught the attention of the critics, included on Rolling Stone's list of albums that you must hear this summer. It will surely maintain Montreal's reputation as the home of some of the finest indie rock acts in today's music scene.
Kid Sister - Koko B. Ware (Release Date: July TBA)
I had the privilege of catching a Kid Sister performance at the Fool's Gold Tour last November, and was blown away by the energy and confidence she exuded on stage. Her energy is backed up by a great lyrical flow and a witty sense of humour. With her brother Josh (one half of the Chicago DJ duo Flosstradamus) supplying the beats and her boyfriend A-Trak (Kanye West's touring DJ) providing unwavering support, Koko B. Ware could be one of the best debut albums of the summer, so be sure to check this one out, too.
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