Frazer Harrison / Staff // Gareth Cattermole / Staff // Jason Kempin / Staff
With 2018 fully in the rearview mirror, it’s time to look ahead to the music that will make up our playlists in 2019. Below are a handful of albums that should be exciting listens in the upcoming year.
Toro Y Moi — Outer Peace — Jan. 18
Before the release of his last album, Berkeley resident and the man behind Toro Y Moi was honored on June 27th with Chaz Bundick Day by Mayor Jesse Arreguin. Now had the mayor waited until the release of Boo Boo, hey might have had second thoughts since it wasn’t necessarily Chaz’s best work. Nonetheless it was quite an honor for the chillwave superstar (who legally changed his name to Chaz Bear shortly after) who is set to release Outer Peace on Jan. 18th. From the sound of the first single “Freelance” this album should be sweet redemption for the disappointing Boo Boo.
The 1975 – Notes on a Conditional Form
It seems like it was just a month ago the English pop rock band released their critically acclaimed A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships, oh wait…IT WAS! This is 2019 and shit moves fast, so the band is already plotting their next move with Notes on a Conditional Form set to be released this summer with the first single coming out NEXT MONTH!
Cherry Glazerr – Stuffed and Ready – Feb.1
The L.A. indie-psych band behind one of my favorite songs of all-time is primed for a big breakout year. Cherry Glazerr has always been creative while maintaining an aggressive edge, but based on the new music trickling out off of their upcoming album, they are ready to channel that energy into a sound that should garner them more mass appeal. At the same time guitarist/lead singer Clementine Creevy is delving deeper into her lyrics as evidenced by her scathing take down of sexism in the music industry in the most recent single “Daddi.”
Vampire Weekend — TBA
Fans have been clamoring for almost 6 years now for new music from the New York-based indie band and it looks like a follow up to Vampires in the City might already be done. Lead vocalist and guitarist Ezra Keonning revealed to SPIN this past summer that the album was ready to go, although no release date has been set. This album, tentatively titled Mitsubishi Macchiato will mark the first one without founding member Rostam who left the band in 2017.
SWMRS – Berkeley’s On Fire
The Oakland natives are set to make their major label debut on punk/rock taste maker label Fueled By Ramen who are responsible for bringing Twenty One Pilots, Paramore, Panic! At the Disco, Fall Out Out Boy, and many others to prominence over the past two decades. SWMRS should be in line for a major bump in notoriety in 2019 with the release of Berkeley’s On Fire.
Weezer – The Black Album – March 8
As oxymoronic as it sounds, the alt titans made a triumphant return to relevance in 2018 with a cover of 1982’s “Africa” after previous releases had failed to crack the Top 100 for nearly a decade. But the move proved to be a strategic one considering they followed up “Africa” with the release of their first single “Can’t Knock the Hustle” off of the upcoming Black Album due out on March 8. This year, much like 2018, will presumably be dominated by the band as they are also slated to embark on an arena tour alongside Pixies and TV on the Radio.
Chromatics – Dear Tommy -TBA
What will a 2015 Chromatics album sound like in 2019? We’re bound to find out after their fourth album Dear Tommy was destroyed just before it’s release years ago by producer and bassist Johnny Jewel after a near death experience. According to their manager the album was re-recorded and should be coming out this year…should be.
My Bloody Valentine – sprawling EP’s -TBA
With all things being cyclical in music it makes sense that with the resurgence of shoegaze we’ll see new music from My Bloody Valentine in 2019. Their last album mbv dropped in 2013 and had been their first release in nearly 22 years. Thankfully no one has to wait a couple of decades this time with guitarist Kevin Shields confirming that the band would be releasing two EP’s this upcoming year, although no date has been set.