Eminem - o Relapse
When Eminem took the rap scene by force with The Slim Shady LP, it was under the supervision of Dr. Dre, who had an overt influence on his first couple singles, My Name Is"" and ""Guilty Conscience."" Although he never failed listeners with any of his earlier productions, practice makes perfect, and 10 years later, Eminem is now his own version of a refined hip-hop producer. Or maybe his time in the music industry has blunted the sharp aggression that gave his rhymes an edge? The years between releases presents many questions, but still utilizing the ever-present guidance of Dr. Dre when needed, it seems certain that Eminem has another masterpiece up his sleeve to be released in the spring of 2009.
Dan Deacon - Bromst
Dan Deacon's exquisitely hyperactive 2007 album Spiderman of the Rings was often characterized by its goofier moments, like a leadoff track built on looped Woody Woodpecker laughter, but the record also contained slightly darker (though no less energetic) flights of imagination, such as a 12-minute epic about the fall of human civilization, as described by the surviving woodland creatures. Deacon has hinted that the follow-up, Bromst, due out on March 24, will be more varied than its predecessor, but if the preview track ""Get Older"" is any indication, the new album will still be packed with manic energy to spare.
M. Ward - o Hold Time
2006's Post-War was a very refreshing surprise for M. Ward, featuring raspy folk tunes loosely based on the Iraq war. This was followed up by last year's successful release with actress Zooey Deschanel under the name She & Him, titled Volume One, which featured beautifully simple originals by Deschanel and a couple covers. So after working with Jim James (My Morning Jacket), Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes) and producing for Deschanel, a new release all to his own name is set for Feb. 17, 2009, and if the progressions he has made up until this point are any indication, this release should be one of the highlights of the spring semester.
The Boy Least Likely To - The Rules of the Playground
From the awkward name to the stuffed-animal-based artwork, to the title of their debut, England's The Boy Least Likely To (right) come saddled with enough twee baggage to turn off even the relatively open-minded. This made 2005's The Best Party Ever one of the year's greatest surprises for those who picked up the album and discovered it was full of barbed, smartly funny verses packaged in catchy and often beautiful melodies. The duo's sound is difficult to pigeonhole, skewing as close to folk or country as any garden-variety form of indie rock, but they've built up a sizable following over the past several years who were pleased when it was announced that their second album, The Rules of the Playground, is due out on March 3.
by The Daily Cardinal Staff
