02 March 2010 (Music Profile)

 

Every month, we select our top five new releases for the month ahead, letting you know exactly why we think they're worth a trip to your local record shop. This March comes the release of some of the most highly anticipated albums of the year, as well as some top Irish music. | Words: Jenny Mulligan

 

 

                                                                                Gorillaz - Plastic Beach (5th March)
After five long years Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett's virtual band return with the follow up to 2005's 'Demon Day's. With teasers and titbits leaking onto the internet every other day, it's not surprising that 'Plastic Beach' has become one of the most highly anticipated releases of the year so far. Featuring guest appearances from Snoop Dogg, De La Soul, Lou Reed, Bobby Womack and Mos Def, The Fall's Mark E. Smith and Super Furry Animals' Gruff Rhys, it's a star-studded affair, and though Damo claims it's the "most pop record he has ever made", it is absolutely anything but.

Broken Bells - Broken Bells (5th March)
With no sign of new material from American alt-rockers The Shins, it's nice to see their frontman, James Mercer, team up with super producer and one half Gnarls Barkely, Danger Mouse, adding a new layer of subtle electronica to his characteristically laidback style of songwriting. After meeting at a Danish music festival and discovering that they were mutual fans, the pair secretly began recording in LA, before beginning a mysterious viral campaign ahead of their debut album. Now, with just two singles and a handful of gigs under their belt, it's finally time for its release.

Goldfrapp - Head First (19th March)
Having taken a turn towards psych-folk with their last offering, 2008's 'Seventh Tree', Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory return with an album that is touted as a return to their previous synth-fuelled dance roots. If anything, 'Head First' may be the most pop-friendly album Goldfrapp have made to date, influenced by ABBA and Electric Light Orchestra. Tracks like the 80s influenced single 'Rocket' and the Scissor Sisters-like 'Alive' make sense of Alison's own description of the record as "jubilant", but the main thing is, they're great for dancing to.

Laura Marling - I Speak Because I Can (19th March)
Having just past her 20th birthday, English folk doll Laura Marling releases the follow up to her 2008 debut, 'Alas I Cannot Swim', an elegantly beautiful record that combined Marling's flawless vocals and insightful lyricism with simple folk sensibilities and minimal orchestration. Already known for playing with good friend Marcus Mumford, new single 'Devil's Spoke' sounds like Laura's been hanging out with Mumford & Sons even more, it's darker sound filled out with banjos and low backing vocals. It'll be interesting to see what the rest of 'I Speak Because I Can' sounds like.

The Redneck Manifesto - Friendship (26th March)
It's been six years since The Redneck Manifesto released their last album, 'I Am Brazil', and with the new found success of Richie Egan and his Choice Prize winning 'Ritual' album as Jape, for a time it seemed the Rednecks might never return. Thankfully the band have found a new home with Dublin based Independent label Richter Collective, (home to the likes of Adebisi Shank, BATS, Not Squares, Jogging and more) who will release the band's fourth studio album this month. The band have already offered the track 'Black Apple' as a free download, and by the sounds of things, fans are in for a treat with more catchy instrumental rock characterised by math-rock guitars and understated electronica.

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