Aug. 261. De La Soul, “And The Anonymous Nobody”Sure to be a glorious return to form after four years of absence, “And The Anonymous Nobody” sees the hip-hop trio on the top of its game. This album includes collaborations with some certified legends, including Damon Albarn (better known as the genius behind Gorillaz) and David Byrne of the Talking Heads.
2. Prophets of Rage, “Party’s Over”Can the rage be palpable after all the years? Can the old folks still rage with the best of them? Tom Morello, Chuck D and B Real are poised to prove that they can. (I’m sorry I called B Real and Chuck D old, don’t hurt me.)
3. Glass Animals, “How To Be A Human Being” “Zaba,” the previous album from the Oxford indie outfit, rocked the music world with their seamless blend of psychedelia, synths and a dash of R & B. The new album promises to be all that and more, and if the single “Life Itself” is anything to go on, the addition of some world elements will only add more depth to their sound.
4. Album Leaf, “Between Waves”This San Diego-based ambient/post rock group has been releasing masterpieces on the periphery for almost 20 years. Imagine if Massive Attack and Explosions in the Sky had a baby, that’s the Album Leaf. This will be the best album to wind down the summer with. Approach with an open mind and be ready to experience an aural equivalent of the sun shining through the crack in your sunglasses as you drive up to Andrews Lake for one last summer hurrah.
5. Inquisition, “Bloodshed Across The Empyrean Altar Beyond The Celestial Zenith”Wimps and poseurs need not apply here. Inquisition makes the blackest of black metal, conjured up from the bowels of the anticosmic reaches of the human spirit. And yes, that is the actual album title.
Cooper Stapleton
