Judging An Album By It's Cover

In hopes of staving off my desire to hunt down and post the new Paula Abdul single, I'm giving you something a little less flashy. New albums from Regina Spektor, Paulo Nutini and Patrick Wolf come out in next month or two, and the cover art is leaking. New music from the Soviet Kitschy one, not so much... Here are the covers and the anticipation levels they create:


Regina Spektor: Far - This cartoony artwork is pretty cool, the blank wall that is seen outside the window stands in contrast to the puffy white clouds on the piano. A metaphor for music as a window to better place? Perhaps. I just wish some quirky new single was leaking soon. I need some fresh Regina in my life, Narnia soundtrack songs and Ben Folds collabos are not enough! The artwork makes me hope for some dreamy soundscapes and lots of piano. Anticipation: four out of five Heinz Bottles.

Paolo Nutini - Sunny Side Up: This cover is also a bit animated, and the Jason Mraz-esque hat and singing ants are cute. I'm just worried that it's a little too cute, I want another torchy "Last Request" just as much as another "New Shoes." Also, I've heard snippets of lead single "Candy" and I'm a bit worried Paolo is going down a 1960s folkie route that I will hate. This cover doesn't bolster my hopes much. Anticipation: two out of five Heinz bottles.


Patrick Wolf: The Bachelor - This scene looks like a Photoshop student's homage to sci-fi pulp novel covers. The font seems at odds with the photo, but all-in-all it reminds me of Bat For Lashes cover for Two Suns. And that disc is burning up my players. I'm digging the outfit Pat is sporting, like he's the lead in a production of Little Lord Fauntleroy set in the year 2999. Future/retro is hot right now... Anticipation: three out of five Heinz bottles.

Patrick Wolf Gets Almost Naked For "Vulture"

Patrick Wolf's The Magic Position was in heavy rotation in my car towards the end of 2007, so I was excited to hear the new stuff from The Bachelor, out in June. The sounds so far are a darker electro clash meets new wave, not the bubbly grit of "Accident/Emergency" nor the vorpal blades snicker-snacking at the beginning of "Magpie." I was not as crazy about lead single "Vulture" (maybe because the promised Tilda Swinton cameo was saved for later recordings) but the video is insane!

It's kinda NSFW, with S&M get up and a lil' bare bum shot. Patrick has a serious Bowie influence here, both sonically and visually. The androgynous look works with the electronic sound, although his throaty vocals are very masculine. Check it out, as long as you're by yourself.

Patrick Wolf - Vulture

Looking Forward: New Albums from Lily, Idols, Marianne Faithfull and Patrick Wolf

I'm getting excited! I may have insinuated that the musical world was in the crapper at the moment a few weeks ago, but it was all in jest. Some really great sounding albums are in the pipeline for the first half of the year. Here are the albums that will get me out of bed early on a Tuesday morning, just to have them on release day before work!

Melinda Doolittle - Coming Back To You (Febuary 3rd on Hi Fi Recordings)
She may have come in third on season 6 of American Idol, behind unexpected pop sensation Jordin Sparks and beatboxing hottie Blake Lewis, but no one can deny the soulful vocals and completely polished and professional presentation of Melinda Doolittle. She releases a throwback pop record, which promises all the retro Motown smoothness of Duffy and the gospel grit of Gladys Knight. Download the title track for free at her website. Lead Single: "It's Your Love" (auto-play link)

Lily Allen - It's Not Me, It's You (Febuary 10th on Parlaphone/Capitol)
She may have ditched the ska-lite sound for a more polished electro sound, but the lyrical bite will never go away. Even after doing a bit of growing up after a miscarriage and a spat with Elton John, Lils still swears like an adorable sailor, snaps at hypocrites (including Bush 43 on the delicately titled "Fuck You") and doesn't know what's right or what's real anymore... What I know is I will be buying whatever she's selling. Lead single: "The Fear" (slightly NSFW language)

Kelly Clarkson - All I Ever Wanted (March 17th on Sony BMG)
The original American Idol returns with her fourth album, more in the power pop tradition of Breakaway than the somber rock of her last disc. You already know I'm obsessed with Kelly and lead single "My Life Would Suck Without You" and I'll be bringing you news as I hear it. Oh, BTW rumor has it the next single will be the Katy Perry-penned "(I Do Not) Hook Up" (link is for the Katy Perry demo version, no Kelly leaks... yet.) ZOMG I LOVE KELLY! Sorry, I couldn't contain it any more. Lead Single: "My Life Would Suck Without You"

Marianne Faithfull - Easy Come, Easy Go (March 17th on Decca)
Have we found a female counterpart to Johnny Cash? She had the drug problems and the sometimes actor/singer career, and now she has the whiskey-soaked vocals covering an astonishing array of songs, from Smokey Robinson to Morrisey to Billie Holiday. From the recently Stereogum premeired Decemberist cover of "The Crane Wife 3" and the glorious version of Neko Case's "Hold On, Hold On" to the disturbing latter-day Dolly Parton song "Down From Dover" Marianne goes there and I am so excited to hear this new sound emerge. Four songs available to preview at the album's official website.

Patrick Wolf - Battle (TBA, on Bloody Chamber Music)
Patrick had Marianne Faithfull duet with him on the haunting "Magpie" from his last disc, the noise-pop inspired The Magic Position. He takes it a step further on Battle, scoring a major get with his doppelganger, the fabulous Tilda Swinton, dropping spoken word bits as "the voice of hope" with an even more deranged backdrop of strings, marching band drums, choirs and electrosynths. It might be too esoteric for me, but I'm defiantly intrigued. Listen to a mega mix of new tracks at Battlestocks.

Also looking forward to the rumored new album by Whitney Houston and not at all looking forward to the new U2 disc.