This is the final Music Monday column of 2012 and it includes album releases for the remainder of December. Look for weekly Music Monday updates to resume in early January.
This week's new releases
Each title listed below will go on sale beginning Tuesday, December 11 unless otherwise indicated. Click on any LISTEN link to listen to a free, streaming version of the entire album (typically, available only during the week of release); streaming links go to AOL Music unless otherwise indicated. The week's most noteworthy releases are starred.
- Angels & Airwaves Stomping The Phantom Brake Pedal 2xEP
- Double EP available exclusively at band's official site on 18 Dec (and iTunes beginning 8 Jan)
- Steve Aoki It's the End of the World As We Know It EP LISTEN
Big Boi
Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors- While Andre 3000 seems uninterested in spending much time in the recording studio these days, the other half of Atlanta hip-hop duo OutKast returns this week with a follow-up to his acclaimed 2010 solo debut Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty 90. Out Tuesday, Big Boi's new new Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors looks to be an equally eclectic outing, with a roster of collaborators that draws from the world of hip-hop (Ludacris, T.I., Killer Mike, Kid Cudi, A$AP Rocky), pop (Kelly Rowland), indie rock (Phantogram, Wavves), and electronica (Little Dragon). In other words, don't discount this album just because of its December release date.
- Blink-182 dogs eating dogs EP
- Five new songs; available through the band's website [18 Dec]
- Boys Like Girls Crazy World LISTEN
- Chief Keef Finally Rich
- Major-label debut for Chicago rapper includes collaborations with 50 Cent and Wiz Khalifa, Rick Ross, and Young Jeezy [18 Dec]
- Eric Clapton Slowhand 2xCD
- Deluxe 35th anniversary remastered reissue adds a disc containing a 1977 concert [18 Dec]
- The-Dream 1977
- New commercially released version of free album previously released under The-Dream's real name (Terius Nash); includes some new material [18 Dec]
- Emerson Lake & Palmer Live in California 74
- The Game Jesus Piece
- Guests include 2 Chainz, Lil Wayne, Meek Mill, Kendrick Lamar, Wiz Khalifa, Chris Brown, and Jamie Foxx
- Glee cast Vol. 3 – Glee: The Music – Christmas Album
- Green Day ¡Tre!
- Buddy Guy Live at Legends
- [18 Dec]
- Heathered Pearls Loyal
- Matthew Herbert Bodily Functions 2xCD
- Double-disc reissue of 2001 album adds remixes
- Interpol Turn on the Bright Lights 2xCD+DVD
- 10th anniversary reissue includes remastered album, a second disc with B-sides, demos, and rarities (some never before released), and a DVD with videos and concert footage
- Jawbreaker Bivouac
- 20th anniversary remastered reissue includes bonus tracks
- Katherine Jenkins Music From The Movies
- Lifehouse Almeria
- Bruno Mars Unorthodox Jukebox LISTEN (Official site)
- Masta Killa Selling My Soul
- Metallica Quebec Magnetic DVD/Blu-ray
- Concert film shot during World Magnetic tour in 2009
- Buddy Miller and Jim Lauderdale Buddy and Jim
- Peaking Lights Lucifer in Dub LISTEN (3voor12)
- New dub versions of tracks from their 2012 album Lucifer
- Peter Paul & Mary Live In Japan, 1967 2xCD
- First-ever CD release includes a bonus disc with additional songs from the same concert
- Phish Star Lake 98 2xDVD
- Jay Reatard Better Than Something DVD
- Expanded version of documentary Waiting For Something; comes packaged with a book and an LP (in some versions) [18 Dec]
- Rihanna Loud Tour Live at the O2 DVD/Blu-ray
- [18 Dec]
- Rush 2112 CD+DVD/Blu-ray
- Deluxe box set remastered reissue of 1976 album includes 3 live bonus tracks and a 5.1 surround mix [18 Dec]
- Howard Shore The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey OST LISTEN
- T.I. Trouble Man: Heavy Is the Head
- Guests include R. Kelly, Cee Lo Green, Andre 3000, and Pink; expect a sequel album in the near future, too [18 Dec]
- Tiga Non Stop
- [18 Dec]
- Unwound Live Leaves LISTEN (Pitchfork)
- Live album recorded during band's final tour in 2001.
- Various Django Unchained OST
- Includes a mix of new and old music from Rick Ross, Jim Croce, Ennio Morricone, John Legend, and more [18 Dec]
- Various Les Misérables: Highlights from the Motion Picture Soundtrack OST
- [26 Dec]
- Various The Music of Nashville OST
- Songs from the new ABC series Nashville performed by cast members Connie Britton, Hayden Panettiere, Charles Esten, and more
- Various On the Road OST
- Various Quartet OST
- [18 Dec]
- Various This Is 40 OST
- Paul Weller Dragonfly EP
- Contains additional tracks from the Sonik Kicks sessions [UK only: 17 Dec]
More streaming and downloadable new music
- Amor de Días
- TRACK "Jean's Waving" streaming at Soundcloud.
- Beach Fossils
- TRACK "Careless" streaming at Soundcloud.
- John Cale
- TRACK "Hemingway" downloadable from KCRW.
- The Cave Singers
- TRACK "Have to Pretend" streaming at YouTube.
- Ducktails
- TRACK "Letter of Intent," featuring Joel Ford and Daniel Lopatin, streaming at Soundcloud.
- FIDLAR
- TRACK "Gimme Something" streaming at Rolling Stone.
- The Game
- TRACK "Jesus Piece," feat. Kanye West and Common, streaming at Soundcloud.
- Katy B
- ALBUM Danger EP streaming at Stereogum or downloadable at the artist's official site.
- John Legend
- TRACK "Who Did That to You" (from the Django Unchained soundtrack) streaming at Pop & Hiss.
- Johnny Marr
- TRACK "The Right Thing Right" streaming at Rolling Stone.
- Cass McCombs
- TRACK "Empty Promises" streaming at Soundcloud.
- Phosphorescent
- TRACK "Song for Zula," from the upcoming album Muchacho (out 3/19), streaming at YouTube.
- Santigold
- TRACK "Girls" (from the soundtrack to the HBO series) streaming at Soundcloud.
- Snoop Lion
- TRACK "Here Comes The King," feat. Angela Hunte, streaming at Soundcloud.
- STRFKR
- TRACK "While I'm Alive" streaming at Billboard.
On TV this week (new episodes only)
- Monday: Larry Gee (Kimmel), The Hives (Carson Daly), Of Monsters and Men (Leno), Solange (Fallon), Jack White (Conan)
- Tuesday: Awolnation (Letterman), Fidlar (Carson Daly), Sarah Jaffe (Kimmel), Macklemore and Ryan Lewis (Fallon), Graham Parker & The Rumour (Conan)
- Wednesday: Atlas Genius (Kimmel), Florida Georgia Line (Fallon), Grizzly Bear (Letterman), The Heavy (Carson Daly)
- Thursday: Ryan Adams (Conan), Dan Deacon (Kimmel), DIIV (Letterman), The Jezabels (Carson Daly), JD McPherson (Leno), Jeff Tweedy, Mavis Staples, and Sean Lennon (Colbert Report)
- Friday: Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit (Letterman), Pentationix (Leno), Martha Wainwright (Fallon)
- Saturday: Paul McCartney (Saturday Night Live)
Recent artist and industry news
- What are the best albums of 2012? We are compiling music critic top 10 lists on a daily basis; click the link for individual lists plus cumulative overall standings. Later this month, we'll also reveal our official list of the highest-scoring albums of 2012, but we don't want to post the list too early; that My Bloody Valentine album could theoretically come out in a few weeks.
- Speaking of best albums of the past year, the Grammy nominations were announced last week, with fun., Jay-Z, Mumford & Sons, Frank Ocean, and Kanye West earning six nominations apiece. Wikipedia has a complete list of this year's nominees.
- Dave Grohl's directorial debut, the documentary Sound City, will premiere at January's Sundance Film Festival and arrive in theaters on February 1, 2013.
- Now, you, too, can smell like Bonnie "Prince" Billy. - Pitchfork
- Legendary jazz pianist/composer Dave Brubeck died last week at the age of 91. - AP
The latest music videos
M83, "Wait":
YACHT, "Second Summer":
Sigur Rós, "Leaning Towards Solace" [starring Elle Fanning & John Hawkes]:
Eels, "Peach Blossom":
The Killers, "I Feel It In My Bones":
A$AP Rocky feat. Drake, 2 Chainz, Kendrick Lamar, "F**kin' Problems":
Friends, "Va Fan Gör Du":
Django Django, "Life's a Beach":
Earl Sweatshirt, "Chum":
Shout Out Louds, "Blue Ice":
John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, "I Think You Might Like It" [NSFA*]:
In the studio / coming soon
- Thom Yorke's Atoms for Peace project will officially release its debut album Amok on February 26, 2013. (Previous reports suggested a January release date.) - Pitchfork
- Wire have recorded a new album, Change Becomes Us, scheduled for a March 25th release. The LP includes material first written during the band's heyday in 1979-80 but never before recorded.
- It looks like Phoenix will finally release the follow-up to Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix in April. - Spin
- A few new Nine Inch Nails songs will be included in a new greatest hits package due in 2014, with a full album of new NIN material possibly to follow. - Spin
- The latest release date for A$AP Rocky's long-delayed debut album LongLiveA$AP: January 15, 2013. This one looks like it might stick.
- Beach Fossils have a new album, Clash the Truth, due February 19. - Pitchfork
- Lost Sirens, a collection of unreleased New Order tracks recorded during the same sessions that produced 2005's Waiting for the Sirens' Call, is scheduled for a January 22 release. - Pitchfork
- A new Shout Out Louds album, Optica, will arrive on February 26 via Merge.
- Naomi, the fourth LP from the Cave Singers, is set for a March 5 release on Jagjaguwar.
- April 9th brings a new self-titled album from Paramore. - Rolling Stone
Visit Metacritic's Album Release Calendar for a full listing of upcoming release dates, updated daily.
Tours and festivals
- The long-rumored Fleetwood Mac world tour is now official, and will begin in April, with tickets going on sale this Friday. - Rolling Stone
- Muse has added even more 2013 dates to its current world tour. - CoS
- Mexico's Vive Latino festival, coming March 14-17, has landed an impressive lineup that features Underworld, Blur, Morrissey, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Tame Impala, and more.
- Consequence of Sound has new 2013 tour dates for Alabama Shakes.
- Alt-J has a lengthy world tour set for 2013, and there's a convenient Coachella-sized hole in their schedule when they visit the West Coast. - CoS
- Tenacious D launch a short acoustic tour at the end of February. - CoS
- Find dates for the Trey Anastasio Band at Pollstar.
- As they did in New York and Düsseldorf earlier, Kraftwerk will perform each of their albums in their entirety during an eight-day residency in London in February. - RA
