Two I can think of off the top of my head…
Nick Lowe – almost 10 years since At My Age and seven years since his Xmas album, Quality Street
James McMurtry – a kick in the pants away from six years since Complicated Game (there was supposed to be an album this year so the signs are good)
I had a thread with a very similar sentiment a few years ago, and offered up Doves. Behold a new very fine album this year and tour for 2021. Dreams can come true!
I was underwhelmed with the new Doves album BUT seeing as you rate it so highly @moseleymoles.
I’ve heard a couple of new Doves tracks on 6Music and liked them a lot. Album worth having @moseleymoles?
Too early to pass judgement on the new one…if you are starting with Doves I would go –
1. The Last Broadcast – their ‘big hit’ album.
2. Some Cities – very consistent
3. Lost Souls – epic, epically gloomy.
4. Kingdom of Rust – fabulous textures, not quite as strong on the tunes as the other 3.
@moseleymoles
Ah thanks. Long term fan and have all of the above. Lost touch in more recent times but think I’ll treat myself to the new one for Christmas.
Agreed, I like them a lot and that list is spot on. I’ve got one called Lost Sides which is alternative odd mixes which is great if you know the album.
Yes, and a funny-peculiar cover of Hit The Ground Running.
My fave is the DVD of their set at the Eden project. They’re much better live.
New album is brickwalled to death, even on vinly.
Yes, I was a bit underwhelmed with it at first too but I’ve persevered with it and it’s really taking hold now. I say this as a fan since Lost Souls, which is probably my favourite although Kingdom Of Rust runs it pretty close and it’s epic sounds are perfect for the road from Penrith to Keswick, with the countryside and mountains opening up in front of you…
Yes @nick-l I can picture that.
@freddy-steady the album is poorly sequenced on another listen, the first two tracks are strong on atmosphere but light on yer actual tuneage. From track 3 onwards Broken Eyes it starts to be what you’d hope it would be.
@moseleymoles
Finally got round to listening to the new Doves album. Would agree with your comment re the first two tracks (the drums are too fussy and shuffly) but otherwise all Dovisms seem present. A bit of epicness here, some shonky kinda out of tune singing here. Second play in, I like it. A grower I reck.
But the answer is probably Paddy Macaloon/Prefab Sprout – nothing since Crimson/Red. Surely there’s some gold in the attic Paddy.
Paddy is the most frustrating answer to this question – you know he’s sitting on a big pile of songs, many will be glorious, and we might never hear them. A new album was ‘definitely’ coming in late 2019, and still no sign…
Apparently he had a computer malfunction (he records all his stuff on an old Atari DWS) and they have been trying to retrieve/re-record accordingly.
His problem is that he seems to believe it’s only really a record if it appears on a major label, consequently he has no interest in ‘monetising’ his huge archive of demos, b-sides & unreleased ‘projects’. Extremely frustrating for a fan like myself. One only has to look at The Divine Comedy recent reissues to see how a (probably, in terms of sales anyway) comparable artist has dealt with this sort of thing.
Mary Margaret O’Hara might want to get a move on, as well.
Dexy’s
Guillemots
Paul Simon
Natalie Merchant
Agree re: Mr Simon & Ms Merchant Blackcuntry Boy.
Roddy Frame
The Undertones
Donald Fagen
The Cure (a real album, not a live album)
Gerry Rafferty – what IS he up to these days?
I was just thinking yesterday that it is a long time since we had anything from The Donald – 8 years since Sunken Condos. Never the most prolific, either solo or as Steely Dan but always worth waiting for.
I think we’ve heard enough from ‘The Donald’…period.
He’s refusing to leave the studio and has consulted military chiefs about the possibility of bombing The Eagles.
As part of one of their residencies at the Beacon Theatre in New York, I am pretty sure they performed at least one night of deep cuts and rarities. Now, a polished up performance of that I would like to hear.
I’ve often wondered what exactly Roddy Frame does with his days. An album every three or four years and maybe a dozen gigs a year if we’re lucky. Does he just sit about all day watching telly?
Indeed, me too. Can he live offa Aztec Camera royalties? I wouldn’t have thought so.
If Early Doors had been “syndicated” he might now be getting weekly cheques from constant re-runs..
Somewhere in My Heart was on every 80s compilation…ever. It still gets lots of radio play, so maybe it gives him a Steve Harley-esque pension. Roddy is a tremendous talent.
The Mighty Tull. Ian Anderson answers “I might suggest people listen to the 20+ albums we’ve made first” when asked about new material. Mind you, they did do some new tracks on the last, cut short, tour.
Steven Wilson seems to be getting lazy a bit as well.
New SW album out next month. Don’t think he’s doing as much on the remix front though – the only one I’m aware of is Black Sabbath vol 4, out in Feb.
Otherwise, Roger Waters, Iron Maiden spring to mind.
Only two new SW albums this year – that’s a disgrace! Hasn’t happened since 1989….
If it wasn’t for the ‘Bug, SW would have done a big tour to promote the new one starting in September.
Donald Fagen and Paddy McAloon must have all sorts of great things in their archives. A DF covers album would be a great stop-gap. He could also produce a proper album of the unreleased Steely Dan tracks for completeness.
Omar Rodriguez Lopez only released three this year (a bit rubbish as well). There was a one year period 2016-2017 where he put out 23 solo albums and a couple of collaborations. Maybe half of those 23 are excellent as well although technically some are reworkings of previous efforts. I have considered doing a review of that batch. Wikipedia banned the creation of a page for each of his albums, because they considered him to be only a small step up from someone giving demo tapes to his friends.
@Smiles-Diles very interesting but I have no idea who he is.
Mars Volta/At the Drive In
Counting Crows
Agree, I could use a new CC album.
Never the most prolific band, though, were they?
I have a Counting Crows album. Therefore I have all their albums.
See also: Muse.
Peter Gabriel – its been 18 years (2002) since his last ‘proper’ studio album, Up.
Kate Bush – last album was only 9 years ago, so I guess that’s not really that long in Ms Bush’s world
Well, technically only 4 years ago, but I know what you mean.
those bloody Blue Nilers…….
Del Amitri? I hear absolutely nobody ask… There is a new album coming in April 2021. I know!!
I know Nick Heyward is working on something just not sure when.
It would be lovely to hear something new from Roddy Frame too as Paul mentions up there…
If Rodders doesn’t have a new album in him I’d love to see him team up with his buddy Edwyn Collins who – and how great is it to see – still seems to produce albums fairly regularly..
Throws it into contrast, doesn’t it. Edwyn almost died and has released four times as many albums as Roddy since then.
The Del Amitri news cheered me up big time. While on the topic, their entry on the “Classic Scottish Albums” podcast recently was Waking Hours but I can’t help but feel they chose the wrong album.
Good though WHs is, surely it should have been Change Everything?
Either really, I’ve a love for Can You Do Me Good but it doesnt qualify as a classic. On balance Waking Hours fills the brief…
Yes, I’m with you on Change Everything. At the time, I think Waking Hours was the focus ’cause it was the album that alerted the world to the band, but with distance Change Everything has more depth and more of a feel of a whole album.
CE really is a whole album of potential hit singles and Be My Downfall is one of my all time faves by anyone
It’s been so long since I played CE all the way through maybe it’s time I did again… BMD is one of Curries best lyrics….
The La’s. I’m not holding my breath…
Calexico. Christmas album and collaboration with Iron and Wine don’t count.
Air
Tom Waits. I hate waiting for Waits.
Isn’t Kate Bush due to give us something else? Her last album of new material was about ten years ago now was it not? It was really good as well.
Gaps between (studio) Kate Bush albums.
19 years – birth to The Kick Inside (1978)
9 months – Lionheart (1978)
2 years – Never For Ever (1980)
2 years – The Dreaming (1982)
3 years – The Hounds of Love (1985)
4 years – The Sensual World (1989)
4 years – The Red Shoes (1993)
12 years – Aerial (2005)
5.5 years – Director’s Cut (2011,no new songs)
6 months – 50 Words For Snow (2011)
9 years (and counting) – ?
Stephen Fretwell – last album 2007
Welcome back @mak
I always look out for your annual Stephen Fretwell post.
Cheers Freddy – I remain hopeful
Van Morrison.
Hang on a minute. No, seriously.
I think he means a halfway decent Van Morrison album. Not been one since Healing Game
Three Chords And The Truth is pretty damn good.
There was talk of getting her to visit Abbey Road, but instead of a long visit there was nun.
So that means that Hildegard Von Bingen hasn’t dropped any new tracks since about 1170.
I knew there would be trouble once she started getting into Acid Jazz.
Where is Beatles band ?
😂
The Church of course. Ok, it’s only been a few years since their last one but it wasn’t much cop. Any further news @h-p-saucecraft?
Other wise, The Comsat Angels please.
Re: Nick Lowe – he’s released three EPs in the last three years, so you could combine those tracks and pretend they’re an album!
Tokyo Bay, from 2018, is fab!
You could add the single track he released a few weeks ago to the list as well. Minor point of order in OP, ‘The Old Magic’ was the 2011 release, At My Age was waaay back in 2007.
Anyway…. I’m still waiting for the second Rockpile album!
That reminds me…I’m still waiting for the second Little Village…
…and coincidentally, two more tracks released today. Christmas covers but new recordings none the less.
Radiohead
Grandaddy
Magazine – unlikely but you never know.
Kraftwerk – yeah right!
There are some bands I’d love to have heard new albums by, but it’s been so longs since their last album that if they did release something I’d probably not even realise.
8 January 2021 sees the release of the second album by the celebrated Swedish singer-songwriter Jakob Hellman, 32 years after his debut.
hope for Lee Mavers (see below)
Karl Wallinger / World Party
Jason Lytle / Grandaddy
Lorde
Lorde, definitely, but her latest project is a photojournalistic book about the climate crisis in Antarctica.
What’s Jackson Browne up to these days?
I don’t know what stage of grief y’all are at but I’m pretty sure it’s denial.
@Lodestone needs to get his arse in gear after that confusing thread where actual people thought they were actually voting.
Mark Hollis dé·jà vu in that Thunderclap Newman clip there. Quite uncanny.
2020 marks 30 years since the last album by The Sisters of Mercy. They’ve always been an active band in this time, playing concerts around Europe, but have refused to release anything (long story, partially involving record company contracts. Salwarpe could tell it better than me). It’s also 40 years since the group was formed.
That slacker Tom Rafferty has only released 16 new albums this year.
Could do better.
Brother Gerry, take note!
I wonder what Lee Mavers is doing with his days? I mean, it’s only been 30 years since his one and only record. I was never that taken with the La’s myth, but I wonder why he never released anything else? Even if it were utter dross, new material from him would generate excitement – if only from Noel Gallagher.
Apparently he had planned a comeback world tour this year. What are the chances?
There are quite a few clips on youtube of Mavers playing songs in Camden pubs a few years back. Looks a bit ramshackle though…