Albums to Watch for in February 2018

With February starting tomorrow, it’s hard to believe that we are already one full month into 2018. Aside from the continued cold weather that’s been chilling everyone to the bone for the last two months, the start of a new month also means a whole new roster of releases to get excited about.

A lot of highly anticipated albums are set to be released in February. Justin Timberlake is reinventing himself yet again for his first album in five years. MGMT will be making their comeback this month, as are Franz Ferdinand and The Gaslight Anthem’s Brian Fallon. Veteran rock band Simple Minds will be putting out their 18^th studio album. Dashboard Confessional will be making their Fueled By Ramen debut. Newcomer Vance Joy is looking to expand on his newfound popularity with the release of his sophomore album. We will also be getting some new hard rock from Saxon, Pop Evil and Senses Fail.

Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s music outlet, has been looking out for the hottest new releases coming out in February. Here are 10 that we think will be worth watching out for in the coming month.

1.       Justin Timberlake, ‘Man of the Woods’: It’s been five years since *NSYNC member-turned-solo artist Justin Timberlake released his last albums, the two part ‘The 20/20 Experience.’ Now he’s back with a brand new album, ‘Man of the Woods,’ which ushers in yet another completely new sound for the singer. Singles like “Filthy” and “Supplies” have a very electronic feel to them, especially “Filthy” which almost sounds robotic. Timberlake as also said that the inspiration for the album came from his family and his background growing up in Tennessee. (2/2)

2.       Simple Minds, ‘Walk Between Worlds’: Simple Minds has been continuously releasing music for nearly four decades. The band returns this month with their 18^th studio album, ‘Walk Between Worlds.’ Early reviews of the album are positive with The Times calling it the band’s best album in decades. (2/2)

3.       Brian Fallon, ‘Sleepwalkers’: The Gaslight Anthem frontman returns with his second solo album, ‘Sleepwalkers,’ this month. While his first album, ‘Painkillers,’ came off as angry and bitter, the singles Fallon has released from ‘Sleepwalkers’ so far feel like he has moved on a bit. However, you still get that pure Americana-punk sound Fallon has become known for with The Gaslight Anthem, so this should be good. (2/9)

4.       Dashboard Confessional, ‘Crooked Shadows’: Dashboard Confessional returns this February with a new album after more than eight years. Known for frontman Chris Carrabba’s incredibly emotional lyrics and equally emotional melodies, ‘Crooked Shadows’ seems to move the band in another direction. Single “We Fight” shows that he’s done crying and ready to fight for himself. With the success that “We Fight” has had on alternative radio, I wouldn’t be surprised if ‘Crooked Shadows’ ended up being Dashboard Confessional’s highest-charting album. (2/9)

5.       Franz Ferdinand, ‘Always Ascending’: Franz Ferdinand will be releasing their fifth studio album this month. The album features a more refined version of their electronic-indie rock sound. Lead single “Always Ascending” finds the band tight as ever, even with new member Julian Corrie on keyboards. “Lazy Boy,” while repetitive, has the same feel as early songs like “Dark of the Matinee” and “Michael.” (2/9)

6.       MGMT, ‘Little Dark Age’: MGMT have been progressively becoming more of a rock band over the last 15 years. While their first two albums were heavily influenced by electronic music, ‘Little Dark Age,’ the band’s first album in five years, is more guitar-heavy. The singles they have released from the album thus far are a bit darker as well, adding to this new vibe. (2/9)

7.       Brandi Carlile, ‘By The Way, I Forgive You’: Singer/songwriter Brandi Carlile will be releasing her sixth studio album, ‘By the Way, I Forgive You,’ this month. The album is already getting high praise from NPR, who is calling lead single “The Joke” her best since “The Story.” The new album is also said to be her most emotional and “risky” yet. (2/16)

8.       Senses Fail, ‘If There Is Light, It Will Find You’: According to a press release, Senses Fail’s upcoming album ‘If There Is Light, It Will Find You’ harkens back to the band’s original sound. Inspired by some dark moments in frontman Buddy Nielsen’s life, this is the first Senses Fail album he wrote completely by himself. Having heard a couple of the singles, it definitely feels like a more personal album with less screaming and more melody. (2/16)

9.       Pop Evil, ‘Pop Evil’: Hard rockers Pop Evil will have a lot to live up to this month when they release their self-titled fifth album. Their last album, 2016’s ‘Up,’ debuted at number one on the Independent Albums chart. Having heard the new album’s singles, the band has nothing to worry about. “Waking Lions” and “Colors Bleed” are among their heaviest and most melodic singles yet. (2/16)

10.   Vance Joy, ‘Nation of Two’: Following the success of his debut album in 2013, Vance Joy returns with ‘Nation of Two’ this month. Described in a press release (quoted by Consequence of Sound), the album “describes a perfectly self-contained couple, their world beginning and ending at the bed they share, the car they ride in or any other place where they’re together…the idea that their love for each other gives them their bearings; a point of reference that makes sense of life.” Joy has another hit on his hands with the single “Lay It On Me,” with acoustic sound and strong imagery. (2/23)

February is gearing up to be a great month for new releases. There are a lot of highly anticipated rock and pop albums coming out in the next month to get excited for. Keep an eye out for these albums and let us know what new releases you can’t wait to get your hands on.

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