The Night Vibe [#603]

So it’s January 2015 and it’s a very exciting time of year: with the New Year means new music. But with that said, how do you make an informed decision about where to go and what to look out for in terms of new music? Well, I am going to be making it easy for you by giving you a list of the top five albums that I am looking forward to in 2015. From just a quick Google, it’s easy to see what we can expect.
First off, Mr Noel Gallagher is back with his second solo album with his band the High Flying Birds. As the main songwriter for Oasis for many years, it’s pretty easy to see that Noel has a handle on writing a pop song. Having penned ‘Wonderwall’, ‘Don’t Look Back in Anger’ and ‘Cigarettes and Alcohol’, it’s easy to see that this album is going to be nothing short of brilliant.
Yes, Oasis may be one of my all-time favourite bands, and so this making my list of most anticipated albums of 2015 is a little biased, but the set of songs that he released on the debut disc back in 2011 are simple pop rock gems and something that you should get around to if you haven’t already. Having already released the first single, ‘In the Heat of the Moment’, there is speculation from the music community that Chasing Yesterday could very much be better than their previous release. It’s only a matter of weeks until we can get our hands on it – it is released on March 2.
Although they released a standalone single in 2013, ‘Your Body is a Weapon’, The Wombats are no doubt going to be making a return to our shores at some time this year. It’s been four years between albums and talking to Tord leading up to their Falls Festival show 12 months ago, he said it wasn’t very far away. Understandably, The Wombats definitely don’t want to rush things, and if their previous work in anything to go by, this is surely going to be worth the wait.
Having listened to their albums relentlessly since 2008, if they announce an Australian tour or sideshow, I would highly recommend trying to nab tickets. They put on an electric live show and something that is unmissable. Before Glitterbug’s release on April 6, I am sure that we are going to hear some more tunes and that they will be in high contention for when the Hottest 100 2015 rolls around.
Having blasted out your computer speakers in early December, it is only a matter of days until we get the new album from Mark Ronson. Most well known for his album Version, which featured Amy Winehouse singing ‘Valerie’, he is back once again with another group of funky collaborations. ‘Uptown Funk’, featuring Bruno Mars, took him to the top of the charts in the UK for the first – and if that’s anything to go by then it will certainly be able to get you up on the dance floor. Released on January 27, it is possible that Uptown Special may feature on top albums of the year lists in December.
After making a statement in December, Coldplay is set to release their new album, A Head Full of Dreams; seen as like the Harry Potter series, it may be a while before we hear from these lads again. Ghost Stories, their album from 2014, was a little hard to get into, yet it will be interesting to see what direction this new LP takes. Maybe it could be a return to the acoustic shadings of their 2000 debut Parachutes? No album release date on this yet, but a world tour is sure to follow – be sure you don’t miss it.
It’s been a while since we’ve heard from the xx, as they released their second album, Coexist, in 2012, and so with that said it’s about time that we heard something new from the band. They are currently working on it in Texas, so hopefully throughout the year we hear some new music.
There are a lot more albums to discover in 2015, so Happy New Year Forte readers and may all your albums be good ones.
By Tex Miller