Johnny Cash back from the dead, Against Me! singer a new woman

January 21 – Against Me! –
“Transgender Dysphoria Blues”
Styles: Punk rock, alternative
rock, folk rock
Lead singer Laura Jane Grace,
formerly know as Thomas James
Gabel, explores gender dysphoria
in this album based on Grace’s own
experiences as a transgendered
woman. This is the sixth album
from the punk rock band, and the
first since Grace’s transition. The
album promises a provocative
look inside Grace’s mind with song
titles like “True Trans Soul Rebel”
and “Osama bin Laden as the
Crucified Christ.” Rolling Stone
gave the album three and a half out
five stars.
March 25 – Johnny Cash –
“Out Among the Stars”
Style: Country, rock-n-roll,
rockabilly
“Out Among the Stars” is
a posthumous album from the
famed country icon derived from
lost sessions from the 1980s. His
son John Carter Cash discovered
the recordings, which had been
shelved by Cash’s record company,
in 2012. Stereogum has called “Out
Among the Stars” one of the most
anticipated albums of 2014.
TBA – Kanye West
Styles: Hip-hop, rap
Kanye’s back! Not that he
really went anywhere in the first
place. Less than a year after his
controversial album “Yeezus”
dropped, West has promised
another album for mid-2014.
While much isn’t known about
this album, rumors have been
circulating that Jay-Z and Kanye
are reuniting for Watch the
Throne 2.
TBA – Lady Gaga & Tony
Bennett, “Cheek to Cheek”
Styles: Jazz, big band, show
tunes
If you were blown away by
Lady Gaga’s ability to keep up with
jazz legend Tony Bennett on his
“Duets II” album back in 2011, get
ready for a past-meets-present
extravaganza, with the duos
upcoming January release, “Cheek
to Cheek.” “I see in Lady Gaga a
touch of theatrical genius, she is
very creative and very productive,
I think as time goes on she might
be America’s Picasso,” Bennett
said of the avant-garde pop star.
The album was slated to release
at the end of January, but has been
pushed back to March 18.
TBA – Waka Flocka Flame,
“Flockaveli 2”
Styles: Hip-hop, rap
In January of last year Waka
announced the completion of
“Flockaveli 2,” the apparent
addendum to the rapper’s first
album, “Flockaveli.” Waka Flocka
is known for hits such as “Round
of Applause” and “O Let’s Do It,”
and with “Flockaveli 2,” you can
expect more of the same from the
Georgia hip-hop star. He has also
announced guest artists such as
Wyclef Jean and Timbaland will be
featured on the album. Look for its
release at the end of this month.
February 25 – The Fray –
“Helios”
Styles: Alternative rock, pop
rock, piano rock
The first single from “Helios,”
“Love Don’t Die,” gave listeners
a taste of what to expect from the
band’s fourth studio album last
October. The Fray has taken its
original piano rock sound and
infused an electronic feel to its
style, noticeably in songs like
“Hurricane.” Fans of the band can
look forward to the next chapter of
The Fray’s music in late February.
TBA – Chris Brown – “X”
Styles: Hip-hop, pop, R&B
Chris Brown is back in the
headlines, this time for his
upcoming album, “X.” This is the
sixth studio album for Brown
and will be released as a twodisc
set, with 10 songs on each
disc. Brown says he wanted to
stay away from a “Euro beat”
influence and stick to classic R&B
influences such as Stevie Wonder
and Michael Jackson. He also says
this album will be heavy on the
live instruments and light on the
auto-tune. Four tracks have been
released from X, including “Fine
China” and “Love More.”