Your weekend may have been difficult. A regular-season loss. For freshman, the feeling may be one of unfair betrayal, for seniors, chilling familiarity. You may have broken and torched a table after Michigan's final touchdown, or you may have cursed the color maize as you solemnly drove home from the Big House. Today the halls of DeBart will be a little quieter, the North Dining Hall staff a little less friendly, and your work ethic utterly stifled. The fall will seem to have lost all its promise. Yet there is hope, my friends, for a new music season is upon us. Outlined against South Bend sky-grey Observer page, the Fall Music Preview is back again.
"B.O.A.T.S. II: Me Time" - Two Chainz (Sept. 10)
Because Mr. Chainz didn't make enough music this past year and half.
Prediction: Moderately amusing, vaguely annoying.
"MGMT" - MGMT (Sept. 17)
Coming off their slightly disappointing 2010 "Congratulations," "MGMT" is the band's third album. The two singles that have been released from the album have been ... weird, but in the best way possible.
Prediction: Don't expect to be playing any of these songs at that dorm party you're planning to host. They'll be good songs, but trust me on this one. Instead, listen to "Time to Pretend" as you prepare to be rejected by that Farley girl standing in the corner.
"The Bones of What You Believe" - Chvrches (Sept. 23)
This is the highly anticipated first album of the Scottish Indie synth band Chvrches. According to my sources, this album has been leaked online. I definitely haven't listened to it. I definitely don't think it's phenomenal. I definitely don't HIGHLY recommend torrenting it off-campus somewhere.
Prediction: Piracy is not a victimless crime/you wouldn't download a car.
"Nothing Was the Same" - Drake (Sept. 24)
2011's Take Care brought me over to respecting Drake, and his feature on Kendrick Lamar's "Poetic Justice" (before Lamar called him out on "Control") made me borderline like him. "Nothing Was the Same," Drake's third album, will be pivotal if he really values my opinion.
Prediction: The list of potential features alone seems to make this album pretty strong, if not interesting.
"The 20/20 Experience-2 of 2" - Justin Timberlake (Sept. 27)
The second installment of JT's fourth album, "2 of 2" looks to match the critical acclaim of "1 of 1," which featured the fantastic/guilty-pleasure-of-mine single "Mirrors."
Prediction: You'll be hearing some new Justin at The Backer by October.
"Bangerz" - Miley Cyrus (Oct. 4)
After her surreal (seriously, I think America collectively questioned the validity of its own reality) performance at the VMAs, Miley's fourth album is sure to draw attention.
Prediction: I'll use Miley's own words (from a tweet) on this one: "Nothin but #BANGERZ." Yikes.
"Static" - Cults (Oct. 15)
If you haven't yet listened to Cults, do it. They're fun, they're cute, they're great. Following their first eponymous, "Static" looks to continue the band's rise through Indie Pop.
Prediction: YouTube "Go Outside" and you'll be just as excited as me for what promises to be another solid album from this QT core group.
"Reflektor" - Arcade Fire (Oct. 29)
Arcade Fire's previous three albums have been about as close to perfect as music can come, dealing with themes of war, religion, and culture war. The fourth album has been shrouded in mystery so far, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Prediction: At this point it seems Arcade Fire can do no wrong (except writing a song for Twilight, am I right?), so I'm going to go ahead and say this album will be one of the best of the year.
"Artpop" - Lady Gaga (Nov. 11)
Lady Gaga's third album is looking like it is going to be an odd one, not that that is too surprising. Though the promises from Gaga of a "reverse Warholian experience" on the album should push our definition of "odd."
Prediction: I didn't feel like writing a preview for Katy Perry's new album, because I think "Artpop" will be better musically. That being said, "Roar" will probably be the best single between the two albums. I admit - I like it.
Fall Preview Playlist: to familiarize/reacquaint yourself with the upcoming musical season.
Two Chainz - "No Lie ft. Drake" (2012)
MGMT - "Pieces of What" (2007)
Chvrches - "Now is Not the Time" (2013)
Drake - "The Ride ft. The Weeknd" (2011)
Justin Timberlake - "Take Back the Night" (2013)
Miley Cyrus - "Kicking and Screaming" (2009)
Cults - "Go Outside" (2011)
Arcade Fire - "Headlights Look Like Diamonds" (2003)
Lady Gaga - "Monster" (2009)
