This Month's Top Albums: March

Words: John Balfe

Every month here at entertainment.ie/music we cherry-pick through the upcoming releases to try and identify some releases that are worthy of your attention. This month sees the release of a new album from a former icon trying to stay relevant, the fourth album from a much-loved indie band, a change of tack from a legendary New Jersey musician, a third album from a previous X-Factor winner and, er, something from Chris Brown.

Bruce Springsteen – Wrecking Ball – 6th March

The Boss’s 17th studio album sees Springsteen return to some of the harsher and more pertinent themes which were commonplace in his earlier career. The album is set to be an angry diatribe against economic injustice in the world and draws on influences from the likes of loop-based electronic percussion, rock and roll and, in what will be of interest to our readers, Irish folk rhythms. Can’t wait for this one.

Chris Brown – Fortune – 16th March

Chris Brown’s fifth album and accompaniment to last year’s F.A.M.E. sees the rapper embrace, among other things, dubstep. Despite his negative public relations image, Brown’s star is certainly surging in the music world now. In fact, Brown’s producer Damon Thomas hailed him as “this generation’s Michael Jackson”. Frankly, aside from the legal trouble, we just can’t see that.

The Shins – Port of Morrow – 26th March

The Shins’ five year hiatus comes to a close in March with the release of the band’s fourth studio album Port of Morrow. The first single ‘Simple Song’ has already received a hefty amount of airplay on the likes of Jenny Huston’s show on 2FM and, if that song is anything to go by, we’re in for a musical treat at the tail-end of March.

Madonna – MDNA – 26th March

Never one to stray too far from the limelight, Madge’s 12th album MDNA is also set for release towards the end of March. Madonna was eased back into public consciousness recently when she performed at the recent Superbowl halftime show and the first single from the album ‘Give Me All Your Luvin’’ is solid, if unspectacular. At this stage in her career, you know exactly what you’re going to get from a new Madonna album but will it be enough to keep her relevant in this new Gaga/Bieber/Rihanna dominated musical landscape?

Leona Lewis – Glassheart – 26th March

Leona Lewis is one of the true success stories of the X-Factor. The season three winner has gone on to receive actual critical acclaim and has even tuned heads at the Grammys, but an unwanted side-effect of the reality series is that you are continually tarred with the Simon Cowell brush for as long as you’re releasing records. Lewis’s third album should go further to creating space between her past and her future.
 

Story by EI Team | 09:00 | Thursday 23rd February 2012 | Music

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