2011: A Musical Guide

Second Street Jazz

"Thank god for Kanye West"

by Lukas Clark-Memler

The most anticipated albums of the next 12 months

To look forward we must first look back…back to 2010. Based on the successes and failures, the hype and the underwhelm, we can better understand and predict the coming months ahead. The trends and patterns that dominated 2010 will surely continue into 2011, and will shape the year to come for better or for worse.

All things considered, 2010 was not a standout year for music, but lucky for us, 2011 is shaping up to be huge. With the much anticipated debut from London-wunderkind, James Blake; a collaboration between the kings of hip hop, Kanye West and Jay-Z; expected releases from Coldplay, Dr. Dre and the Foo Fighters; firm rumors from U2, R.E.M., The Beastie Boys and The Cars (what decade is this again?), there truly will be something for audiophiles of every taste. And that’s not to mention the fact that both The Strokes and Radiohead are presumably putting out their 4th and 8th albums, respectively. Yes it’s going to be a huge year.

Can Kanye Do It Again?

 

Thank god for Kanye West. Sure, he is rude and arrogant, but imagine how dull the music scene would be without him. We need over-the-top and exaggerated caricatures to give us an escape from the dull ennui of pre-packaged, consumerist hip-hop. His gestures are so destructive, romantic and grand (like jumping into a swimming pool wearing a tuxedo) that you can’t help but think that self-sabotage is his ultimate pursuit. Regardless, Kanye owned 2010. The herculean juggernaut that was My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy not only garnered West critical acclaim, but also absolved him of his previous sins (sorry Taylor). And in 2011, Kanye’s reign is far from over. His upcoming collaboration with Jay-Z, Watch The Throne, is one of the most anticipated releases of the year, and will surely aid Kanye on his quest for becoming “the greatest artist of all time.”

Indie Heavyweights Will Dominate

 

Indie is dead. Finished. Now that major record labels (iTunes included) are marketing artists as “indie” in an attempt to latch on to the burgeoning movement, the term has become all but meaningless. That said, many so-called indie veterans are releasing albums in 2011 and are eager to lose the now, unfortunately, corporate moniker. With a stronger focus on vocals and lyricism, Death Cab For Cutie’s seventh studio album, Codes And Keys, will be a more mature and vulnerable release. Ben Gibbard has called the record “achingly gorgeous,” and as long as it veers away from the dark self-loathing of 2008’s Narrow Stairs, it will be one of the year’s more important releases.

The Decemberists’ last record was a clumsy, long, and overly ambitious concept album that failed to find an audience. Learning from their mistakes, the Portland 5-piece promises a hook-heavy, Smiths and R.E.M inspired 6th album. The King Is Dead was recorded entirely in a converted farmhouse, which explains the album’s apparent “rustic” sound.

After releasing one of the best albums of 2008, Fleet Foxes essentially dropped off of the musical radar. But expect their return in 2011, where their “less-poppy” yet still much-hyped 2nd album will either fall victim to the ‘sophomore slump’ or overcome and be among the best of the year. The Holy Trinity of Fem-Pop

Love or hate them (or pretend to hate them but actually have a secret drawer dedicated to their memorabilia), nobody can deny the musical and social influence of all three of the following women on contemporary pop culture. Albums from Britney Spears, Beyonce, and Lady Gaga all have 2011 release dates, which means fierce competition between these famed pop divas. Lady Gaga has a slight advantage, with The Fame Monster being the best selling record of 2010 (even though it was actually an EP). And the world will surely go gaga again for 2011’s Born This Way. Gaga is calling her sophomore release "a marriage of electronic music with major, epic, dare I even say, metal or rock 'n' roll, pop, anthemic style melodies with really sledge-hammering dance beats." Wow. Will Gaga rule the pop charts of 2011? Probably. Will the album be of any substance? Probably not. But that hasn’t stopped the superstar from calling Born This Way “the greatest album of this decade.”

Despite a breakdown of Biblical proportions, Britney Spears is back in the studio and working on her seventh album. Having already released the first single, Spears seems back to form (but that’s assuming she can make it through the year without shaving her head).

We have been given very few details regarding the release of Beyonce’s fourth album. All we know is that producer Sean Garrett has called it her “biggest album ever.” Expect great things.

Fat Possums Have Never Looked Better

 

Oh the struggles of being an independent record label in this day and age. With the power and omnipresence of iTunes monopolizing the record industry, it’s damn hard for the little guy to keep up. The Mississippi based, Fat Possum Records, are among many independent labels helping to localize and personalize the contemporary music scene, and more power to them. 2010 was a big year for Fat Possum, with excellent releases by The Walkmen, Wavves, and The Black Keys. But they also suffered the death of garage rock icon Jay Reatard, and were victim to the industry-wide slump in album sales.

But things are looking up. 2011 will see this large rodent revel in success – both critical and commercial. Two January releases will help Fat Possum start the year in top shape. Tennis, following in the tradition of Mates of State and Arcade Fire, is composed of newly weds who’s eight month nautical sojourn, has resulted in an album of charming, tropic and effervescent beach-pop. Evoking the warped nostalgia of long summer days, Cape Dory is one of the year’s most anticipated debuts.

Smith Westerns burst onto the music scene with the subtlety of a foghorn, and their 2009 eponymous debut displayed lo-fi rock at its finest. For their sophomore release, Dye It Blonde, the Chicago quartet are stepping out of the garage and into the studio. With a self-described “poppy and catchy” sound, the album could expand the band’s listenership and solidify their position as first-rate purveyors of noise.

The Rise of the Machines

 

As technology advances, so do the possibilities of musical opportunism. Success is no longer dependent on your guitar or vocal ability. Now, all you need is a laptop and a reclusive lifestyle. By relying so heavily on machines to produce artistic expression, we are inadvertently accelerating the rate of obsolescence – human obsolescence. James Blake, a London-based producer, perfectly captures the digitalized zeitgeist. Last year, he released three EPs, each of which mutates and transforms conventional electronic music in different ways. Originally a dubstep producer, Blake incorporates aspects of dub into his music in a fresh, unprecedented manner. The mystique surrounding this young prodigy almost surpasses the hype for his debut LP. An early album of the year contender? Why not.

Anthony Gonzalez, the French mastermind behind the shoegaze outfit M83, announced that his 6th album is going to be “very, very, very epic.” He had me at the second ‘very.’ Gonzalez creates electronic and ambient sounds that inhabit a strange cosmic sector of the musical stratosphere, and this “darker” release will see him explore new ground.

Games, a collaboration between Daniel Lopatin (Oneohtrix Point Never) and Joel Ford (Tigercity), employs antiquated production techniques to create a surprisingly relevant albeit nostalgic sound. Their foray into the electronica world of pinball machines, TV soundtracks, Atari, and disco is authentic to say the least. Using an extensive arsenal of analog synthesizers, Games are committed to recreating the gaudy yet evocative sounds of the ‘80s. And their yet-to-be-titled debut could be one of the year’s biggest surprises.
           
The Year of The Strokes

What can I say about The Strokes that hasn’t already been said before? The New Yorkers’ debut was awarded the “album of the decade” title by NME, and they have been called the “most important act of our generation.” It’s funny to think it has been 10 years since Is This It, and five years since the band’s last release; yet The Strokes seem as relevant as ever. Hype really does lend itself to longevity. For the last few years, rumors of The Stroke’s fourth album have floated around in the backwaters of the Internet, but now Julian Casablancas confirmed (via Twitter) that the album is finished and will be released this year. The Strokes were one of the most important artists of the past decade, but the questions remains: is there any room for unabashed rock in the music landscape of today? We now have machines instead of instruments; producers in lieu of performers, and the blogosphere taking the place of old fashioned print magazines. So do we have room for The Strokes? I certainly hope so. Long live the kings of modern rock ‘n’ roll.

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