Your soundtrack for the summer awaits
It’s that time again - whether your beach body is ready or not. Here come the greatest weeks of the year: warm weather, endless seasonal activities, the biggest movies, and an onslaught of new music to provide the soundtrack to it all.
DiscoverSD runs down the next few weeks of this summer’s most anticipated releases, including a couple from two of San Diego’s biggest bands.
June 3
Indie rock duo The Kills kick things off with their long-awaited fifth LP, “Ash & Ice.” Tegan and Sara’s “Love You To Death” and Paul Simon’s “Stranger To Stranger” also make appearances. And the jury is out whether it’ll end up being a “Whole Lotta Love’’ or a “Heartbreaker,” but Train treads on sacred ground when they release “Train Does Led Zeppelin II” this week as well.
June 10
It took three tries, but L.A. pop sextet Fitz & the Tantrums are finally releasing a self-titled album. Also this week, Shirley Manson and the rest of Garbage drop their sixth LP, “Strange Little Birds.” And taking a break from TV and movies, Nick Jonas will release his third LP, “Last Year Was Complicated.” June 10 also sees albums from Band of Horses, Diarrhea Planet, and Peter Bjorn and John.
June 17
It’s a cage match of heavy-hitters as the Red Hot Chili Peppers release “The Getaway,” Neil Young releases “Earth,” DJ Shadow releases “The Mountain Will Fall,” and Arcade Fire singer Will Butler returns with “Friday Night,” a live album of performances from Butler’s 2015 Policy tour.
June 24
This week marks the farewell of indie rockers Hot Hot Heat as the Canadian quartet wraps up a 15-year run with a 10-song self-titled album. Iggy Azalea will try to rebound with “Digital Distortion,” and 2016 KAABOO performers The Avett Brothers release “True Sadness.”
July 1
Just in time for the country’s 240th birthday, Maxwell is back with “blackSUMMERS’night,” Bat for Lashes release “The Bride,” and Thee Oh Sees get “Live in San Francisco.” But this weekend should belong to Blink-182. Alongside new guitarist Matt Skiba (Alkaline Trio), the San Diego three-piece is releasing their seventh studio album, “California.” They’ll return home on their official tour of the same name July 21 at Viejas Arena for two nights.
July 8
It’s another local weekend release as hometown rockers Switchfoot drop their 10th(!) studio album, “Where The Light Shines Through,” on July 8. There are plenty of chances to catch the Grammy Award winners playing it locally, whether it’s their June 3 stop at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, the July 5 Hornblower Cruises Record Release Party, or their annual Bro-Am event in Encinitas a few days later. Country superstar Kenny Chesney is set to release his 16th studio album, “Some Town Somewhere.”
And it doesn’t stop there. De La Soul returns in August with “And the Anonymous Nobody,” and rapper Tech N9ne will release “The Storm” in September. While they haven’t committed to a specific date yet, releases from Beck, Bonobo, Christina Aguilera, Empire of the Sun, Frank Ocean, Gorillaz, The Killers, LCD Soundsystem, Major Lazer, M.I.A., Metallica, No Doubt, The Rolling Stones, Spiritualized and The Strokes also are on their way.
Scott McDonald is a writer, on-air personality and consultant with 15 years of experience in the San Diego music scene. He has interviewed hundreds of artists, from the legendary to the underground, for print and television. Follow McDonald and his melodic musings on Twitter @eight24_ or Instagram @scotteight24. Send your music musts to scotteight24@gmail.com.
Source: DiscoverSD