As we approach the beginning of May, wild rumors about the "summer blockbusters" start to get everyone's hopes up. Rather than pretending to be excited about some Creed album slated for release in August (merely an example, so cool your jets before you bombard the nearest Tower Records), here is a list of some of the potentially great album releases for this summer. Don't be fooled, though - this list is hardly definitive. Wilco, Sleater-Kinney, the Thermals, Boards of Canada, Spoon, the Polyphonic Spree, Elvis Costello, the Helio Sequence, Interpol and more all have albums due out this summer and fall. Check out these quality upcoming releases.
1. Morrissey, "You Are the Quarry" (May 18)
This doesn't technically come out in the summer, but school will be over so it might as well be. I can't even talk about this release or how supremely awesome it is that Morrissey is putting out new work. Love, like or hate the guy, he's about as seminal as they get, and I'm more pumped about this than the new Prince record.
But don't be afraid to check that out too.
2. Sonic Youth, "Sonic Nurse" (June)
The 19th album from this indie-rock powerhouse. "Murray Street," Sonic Youth's 2002 release, was totally wonderful and up to speed. If Sonic Youth can create anything with the same energy and captivating wonder of "Daydream Nation" again, all faith in this cruel world shall be restored.
3. Beastie Boys, "To the 5 Boroughs" (June 15)
The summer of 1998 had me sitting on my living room floor playing video games, eagerly awaiting the start of eighth grade. The soundtrack was the Beastie Boys' "Hello Nasty" album, and it was straight-up awesome. "To the 5 Boroughs" is supposed to be their most politically charged album, as the Beasties finally tackle Sept. 11 lyrically. Frankly, this is one of those albums where I don't care if it's going to suck; I'm just glad it will exist.
4. Clinic, "Winchester Cathedral" (Aug. 23)
This dense, percussive band apparently has something up its sleeve for the summer, and it's apparently going to be called "Winchester Cathedral." Clinic's last album, "Walking with Thee," wasn't as great as their even earlier album, "Internal Wrangler," but it still featured the feral yelp of frontman Ade Blackburn and the atmospheric addition of an organ and various auxiliary percussion instruments.
