FFWD Weekly
Copyright © 1997. All Rights Reserved.


Spring has sprung, the grass has riz, what's up in the music biz?

The end of 1996 saw the recording industry - an industry many people had thought to be recession proof - licking its wounds after a less than stellar year. Most of the big sellers were hold-overs from '95 (ah, Alanis... who doesn't love a woman with staying power?) and the luke-warm reception for new music, even from such superstars as Pearl Jam, The Artist and Hootie and the Blowfish, was discouraging, too say the least. Whether the product was sub-par, or the music buying public was getting a little more (gasp!) selective, the success of the new Sheryl Crow was the exception rather than the rule.

Not willing to play a wait-and-see game, the major labels came out of the gates a little early this year. We're only three months into the new year and already music buyers have been rewarded and inundated with an uncharacteristically busy first quarter. Major releases from big guns such as U2, Bush X, David Bowie and Aerosmith have already made some headway and should continue to do so for some time.

But, while it's those albums that will take their labels through much of the summer, there are still enough interesting albums on the way to look forward to no matter what your tastes.

Here's a sample of what to watch out for in the upcoming months

POPULAR MUSIC

At home, Canadian record companies continue to search for the new Alanis, Tragically Hip or at the very least another Barenaked Ladies. Virgin music is throwing everything it has behind the latest album from Toronto's Change of Heart. Steel Teeth is released next week and although, for the most part it's a pretty standard post-'90s rock record, it should fit nicely beside the Hips, Our Lady Peaces and Moists that this country seems to love.

There's also a new Headstones album due out at the beginning of next month called Smile and Wave. Supposedly another solid rock 'n' roll record, it shouldn't disappoint the healthy following which the band has built up over their past two albums.

Wide Mouth Mason, the young blues rock trio which has played Calgary more than a handful of times in the past six months, get their first shot at the majors next week. The subject of a bidding war and much hype, we'll get a chance to see if they can deliver the goods. Other Canadian artists who have releases as summer approaches include Paula Cole, Moxy Fruvous and Celtic wonders Great Big Sea. One to definitely watch for is the new Ron Sexsmith tentatively scheduled for the end of May. His critically-acclaimed first album was an underheard gem that somehow managed to catch the ear of Elvis Costello who proclaimed it the best album he'd heard all year.

But perhaps the most anticipated Canuck release in the near future is that from local boys Zuckerbaby who are tentatively scheduled to release their major-label debut on May 6.

On the international side of the pop music spectrum things seem a little duller. While there are no more HUGE releases in the near future, there are enough familiar names that there should be something to seduce that hard-earned cash from your bank account.

George Thorogood releases his first album since 1993's Haircut called Rockin' My Life Away and the Indigo Girls have an album slated for the end of April called Map. As well there's new material on its way from Jon Secada, Boz Scaggs, Chicago, Nanci Griffith, Jeff Wood, Steve Winwood, Lisa Stansfield, Michael Penn, Amy Grant, Yanni, Texas, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Little Texas, Jayhawks and new English pop sensations Alisha's Attic.

There's also a fabulously unusual number and odd assortment of '80s castaways who will be attempting to further their lifespans with new material. Big names still hoping to make the difficult jump that U2 somehow managed are Depeche Mode, Erasure, INXS, Cyndi Lauper and Duran Duran. It will be more than a little interesting to see how they reinvent themselves and who, if any, succeed.

For those who love it loud there's a new Queensryche on its way as well as something new from Dokken, Motley Crüe, everyone's favorite over-the-top pre-verts Gwar and an axeman's wet dream side project called G3 - a trio featuring guitar gods Joe Satriani, Eric Johnson and Steve Vai.

Fans of country music can look forward to a new Tanya Tucker next week called Complicated. And other big names to follow closely behind include Joe Diffie, George Strait, Aaron Tippin, Clay Walker and Sawyer Brown.

Some re-issues of note include David Bowie's Deram Anthology, the entire remastered and extra-tracks-added T. Rex catalogue, as well as the Beach Boys four-disc Pet Sounds collection which has finally disentangled itself from the nasty band legal battles. As well, at the end of March look for four classic re-issues from The Byrds early catalogue (Ballad of Easy Rider, Dr. Byrd and Mr. Hyde, Notorious Byrd Brothers and Sweethearts of the Rodeo).

ALTERNATIVE

While the new Pavement and Morphine albums have already secured themselves a spot on campus-fed year-end Top Tens all over North America, there are still eight more blanks to fill and an impressive array of talent ready to fill them.

On the more palatable and easier side of the alt. rock spectrum, American pop genius Matthew Sweet's latest Blue Sky On Mars, hits stores next week and he won't disappoint anyone with this, his strongest collection of songs since his ground-breaking Girlfriend release. The third full-length Bettie Serveert effort, Dust Bunnies, is another strong pop-flavored album from a Dutch band who should see a tremendous amount of success this year. From the Brit pop pond, the Boo Radley's latest is finally released in Canada during the first week in April after of a delay of over six months, and Ocean Colour Scene release a compilation called B Sides, C Sides and Free Sides.

The heavy-handed (and closed-fisted) alternative camp delivers something new from the Rollins Band, who muscle out another offering of inspirational hymns, and San Diego's sludgy Fluf with their first major-label release called Waikiki. Glueleg and Sub Pop's Supersuckers also get their licks in before the end of March with new albums.

Speaking of heavy-hitting, one whacked-out war of words that should be worth watching is the Malcolm McLaren and John Lydon feud which could be renewed when both of the saggy punk icons release new albums within a month or so of one another. Hopefully the result will be very, very messy and very, very public.

Son Volt - the more country Uncle Tupelo offspring - release their second album and if it's half as good as Wilco's latest, it will be a necessary addition to any record collection.

Other ones to look for are albums from G. Love and Special Sauce.

King Cobb Steelie, That Dog, David Sylvian, Royal Trux, Swervedriver, Treble Charger, Lightning Seeds, Catherine Wheel and Vancouver's Delerium who have a new CD due in April called Karma.

Further down the road, probably into the first part of summer, watch for a new Radiohead, Dinosaur Jr., a Butthole Surfers' double live CD, the third Liz Phair and yet another album - sure to be a classic - from weirdo whiz kids Ween.

DANCE, RAP, HIP HOP AND REGGAE

The experimental dance music market is where a lot of the excitement is coming from these days and the next three months should push the club culture further into the mainstream.

Next week the Chemical Brothers follow the massive success of their cross-over hit single "Setting Sun" with the Block Rockin Beats CD single. That's only a taster though for their long-awaited full-length album Dig Your Own Hole, which is scheduled for release during the first week in April.

Big things are also expected from: Daft Punk, with their first album Homework; the poppier trip hop act Sneaker Pimps who debut with Becoming X; and Fluke. (For a sample of all three check out the forthcoming Saint soundtrack which features a cut from each as well as songs from Bowie, Everything But the Girl, Moby and Underworld.)

There's also a new one from electro ambient pioneer the Orb before the month is out. The latest album is due out next week and it's called Oblivion. Keep an eye out as well for a new Orbital in April, DJ Micros, Barada, a new Massive Attack, the James Taylor Quartet and Emperor's New Clothes.

On the rap / hip hop side of things, the biggest release - pun intended - is the unintentionally posthumous Notorious B.I.G. CD, Life After Death. (Oh irony, thy name is Drive-by....) The very-much-alive Michael Franti, from the Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy, and his latest project Spearhead, release Chocolate Supa Highway after much delay. Look out also for Heavy D, Warren G., Alkaholics and there's a new Wu-Tang Clan due at the end of April (will it show?).

Smoother dance tracks come via releases by Mary J. Blige, Zhané, Nenah Cherry, Crystal Waters, KRS-ONE, a Brand New Heavies live CD and father creepy Michael Jackson releases four new tracks and remixes of songs from HiStory on an album called Blood On the Dancefloor.

On a reggae bent look for CDs by Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers and UB40.

JAZZ AND BLUES

Without much fanfare the new US3 hit the streets and leads the way in a typically slow few months of new jazz releases. Coming soon, Buckshot Lefonque (aka Branford Marsalis) releases Music Evolution and Wynton Marsalis delivers Live At Lincoln Centre. There's also a new Jimmy Witherspoon and Herb Alpert.

There's yet another Miles Davis album available, Gil Evans Highlights from the box set collection, and RCA releases a four-CD Louis Armstrong collection. Look also for Sarah Vaughan's After Hours and The Town Hall Concert, John Coltrane's The Ultimate Blue Note, hot on the heels of his self-titled release, Live at the Village Vanguard Again! and John Coltrane Quartet Plays. Chet Baker nuts can rejoice because his West Coast Live! disc also makes its way onto the shelves. There's also a pair of Sonny Rollins CDs available (On Impulse and Alfie) as well as more music from Frank Sinatra, Nina Simone and Nancy Wilson.

The Impulse label re-issues a couple of McCoy Tyner CDs in April (Plays Duke Ellington and Inception) and the month of May sees the release of McCoy Tyner Trio's What the World Needs Now... The Music of Burt Bacharach.

On the blues front watch for a new Robert Cray album called Sweet Potato Pie and Dinah Washington's Back to the Blues. The Chess Blues label has a series of re-issues and compilations out before the end of the month including, Classics 1947 - 1956 and '57 - '67 which feature recordings by Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf and Etta James.

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