Our music columnist gives you his pick of the best albums released recently:
ARCADE FIRE - THE SUBURBS: The Suburbs was an eagerly awaited third studio album from Canada’s leading band Arcade Fire. Released on August 2, 2010, with 16 new tracks including both from the double A-sided single The Suburbs and Month of May, the album is occasionally marred by some banal songs. The fact that it’s one of the rare independent albums to top the American album charts is perhaps a sign Arcade Fire is now firmly cemented status as one of indie music’s biggest bands — and the album does feature enough wonderful pop moments, and an ambition and eclecticism which should further sell the band to a much wider audience.
SHINEDOWN - DIAMOND EYES (BOOM - LAY BOOMLAY BOOM): This single has been keeping a lot of us waiting; especially since the trailer of The Expendables went online! Finally, it was released right before the worldwide premiere of the film. The song is so different for Shinedown, but definitely powerful. While this song has been written and recorded exclusively for the official soundtrack of the film, the band is yet to come out with their next full-length project. Lead vocalist Brent Smith has assured fans that the band is working on its next album, which is due sometime late next year.
THE MAGIC NUMBERS - THE RUNAWAY: The third studio offering from The Magic Numbers, it was released on July 26, 2010, with 12 new tracks. The band’s self-titled debut album gave them a top 20 hit in 2006 and that in addition to spawning four top 30 hit singles with Forever Lost, Love Me Like You, Love’s a Game, I See You and You See Me.
Their second album, Those The Brokes, was released a year later and it peaked at number 11 in the charts but was not well received by critics. By drawing inspiration from the soft, warm, positive sounds of bands like The Beach Boys, Fleetwood Mac and Wings, The Magic Numbers have gained a reputation for making upbeat, intelligent, dreamy retro-pop with lyrics that focus almost entirely on the ups and downs of life and relationships.
BLACK LABEL SOCIETY - ORDER OF THE BLACK: It has been four years since the release of the last Black Label Society album Shot To Hell, a piece of information that stuns the loyal Black Label Society fans who were used to Zakk Wylde releasing an album every year. With a four-year break from Black Label Society’s last album, going sober after a serious health scare and parting ways with Ozzy Osbourne, a lot of has happened in the world of Zakk Wylde. But what has all that resulted in? Well the result is simply one hell of an album. Given that the band is one of those few bands that still carry on the Black Sabbath style of playing metal, there’s not much chance for anything to go wrong! Sure, it’s just a rehash of old BLS stuff, but then, need we complain?