It’s amazing to think that only four months into the year more great albums have been released this year than all of 2006. That trend will continue with so many big-name April releases coming that it’s difficult to single out five individual releases. Of course, my job is to make it easier on all of you, so here are the top five albums that are worth seriously considering next month:
1. Kings of Leon Remember the Times (April 3)
I’m going to warn you right now, Remember the Times sounds nothing like the first two efforts from this family band. While 80’s rock has certainly become the flavor of the month influence-wise, their U2-esque opener "Knocked Up" is the most intimate and personal song that KoL has ever released, and it is absolutely superb for all 7:10 minutes. Between that, the wicked Pixies-gone-dixie piece "Charmer," the single "On Call," and the outstanding and intricate "Ragoo," Remember the Times is sure to impress.
2. Blonde Redhead 23 (April 10)
This appears to be Blonde Redhead’s most focused album yet, not to mention most atmospheric. While there doesn’t appear to be a bad song on the album, the strongest songs are the title track, which seems to be channeling My Bloody Valentine, the churning tracks of "SW" and "Spring and By Summer Fall," and lastly the gorgeous yet melancholy "My Impure Hair." If you’re not familiar with Blonde Redhead yet, be sure to get this album when it comes out.
3. Bright Eyes Cassadega (April 10)
This will probably be the most interesting release of the month, only because I’m interested in just how well Bright Eyes will pull off this country-tinged release. While I still absolutely love the single "Four Winds," I’m not sure how I feel about the overall album yet, but there are some definite gems with songs like "If the Brakeman Turns My Way" and "Make a Plan to Love Me." I do know for sure that those that are already fans of Bright Eyes will love this album, but I just don’t know how much of a new audience Conor Oberst will attract.
4. Nine Inch Nails Year Zero (April 17)
While I certainly liked and enjoyed Trent Reznor’s last effort With Teeth, it seemed to lack the (pardon the pun) bite that earlier albums showed. Also, after waiting for so long for the album to be released, it seemed that Reznor was almost trying too hard. This time around, Reznor and company appear to offer more than just being loud for loud’s sake, with the twitchy "Survivalism" leading the way. Also, "In This Twilight" and "My Violent Heart" are two other very strong tracks, and is arguably better than anything that appeared on With Teeth.
5. The Electric Soft Parade No Need to be Downhearted (April 24)
With My Morning Jacket finally gaining some popularity thanks to their back-to-back breakthrough albums of It Still Moves and Z, it is now time for The Electric Soft Parade to get their due. You’d be hard pressed to find any of their earlier albums here in the states, but thankfully, No Need to be Downhearted will see a US release on April 24. Wonderfully eclectic, this album boasts such great tracks as "Life in the Backseat" and "Misunderstanding." By far the best track on here, which is a carry over from The Human Body EP, is "A Cold World." I can almost guarantee that you’ll be addicted to these guys after one listen, so be sure to pick this album up when it hits the stores.
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