When a new Taylor Swift album is coming out, should anybody else bother releasing their own? Of course they should — just ask Elton John, Sparks, Living Colour’s Vernon Reid, Colby Acuff, Akron’s Joseph Arthur and Matisyahu, who all have titles coming this week
Album of the Week — Taylor Swift, “The Life of a Showgirl” (Republic): Clear the way for what’s likely to be the sales and streaming behemoth of the year. (It’s the first album ever to pass 5 million pre-saves on Spotify.) Say what you will about her, you’d be hard-pressed to find another artist who’s released as much music in the first half of a decade — five albums of new music and four “Taylor’s Version” re-recordings of older titles and a couple of live sets. Her 12th studio album overall veers away from the more reflective, singer-songwriter tone of its four predecessors and returns to a more upbeat brand of pop with collaborators Max Martin and Shellback — and just one guest feature, by Sabrina Carpenter on the title track. And don’t forget (as if you needed to be reminded), Swift is back in movie theaters this weekend with “Taylor Swift: The Official Release Party of a Showgirl” (amctheatres.com for tickets and locations).
Colby Acuff, “Enjoy the Ride” (Sony Music Nashville): The country singer and songwriter’s seventh studio album is a conceptual piece inspired by conversations with more than three dozen people he met, randomly, on the road during the past year. Acuff wrote five of the 11 songs himself and the rest with collaborators such as Anderson East, Noah Gunderson and others. And don’t forget the cast album for “The Devil Wears Prada” stage musical, either. (All subject to change)…
Joseph Arthur and Peter Buck, “Arthur Buck 2” (Lonely Astronaut): The second album, as the title indicates, by singer-songwriter from Akron and the R.E.M. guitarist follows their first team-up from 2018 and was recorded with members of the Baseball Project, Filthy Friends and the Delta 5.
“The Devil Wears Prada: A New Musical (Original West End Cast Recording)” (EMI): Elton John wrote the music and Giles Martin produced this companion album for the stage musical based on the hit 2006 film. A couple of his demos are included in this set, which features Vanessa Williams as villainous fashion mag editor Miranda Priestly.
Matisyahu, “Ancient Child” (SoundOn): The genre-blending singer and rapper continues to fuse styles on his eighth studio album, with his sons contributing on tracks such as “Son Come Up” and “Rockin’ Tempos.”
PH1Harmony, “EX” (FNC Entertainment): The K-pop sextet’s first English language release, with six songs that also include a Spanish version of the title track.
Steve Porcaro, “The Very Day” (Green Hill Music): The second solo album from the Toto co-founder includes contributions from the Doobie Brothers’ Michael McDonald, Jude Cole and former Chicago member Jason Scheff, among others.
Vernon Reid, “Hoodoo Telemetry” (Artone/The Players Club): The Living Colour guitarist steps out on his own for this 14-track collection. Suffice to say if you’re a fan of guitar virtuosity, you will not be disappointed.
Sparks, “Madder! (Transgressive): The Mael brothers’ “Mad!,” released back in May, remains one of the year’s best albums so far, and now the duo gives us four more tracks to add to the story.
VIMIC, “Open Your Omen” (self-released): This project by the late Joey Jordison’s post-Slipknot band has been in dry-dock since 2016 and finally sees the light of day thanks to the efforts of his sisters and a Kickstarter campaign. His VIMIC bandmates have gone on to work with Bad Wolves, Sinsaenum and Imonolith.
Album Title of the Week: Jack Harris, “What Overthinking Sounds Like” (Columbia).
More new releases for Oct. 3…
Colby Acuff, “Enjoy the Ride” (Sony Music Nashville)
Adam and the Hellcats, “9 Lives” (Catalyst)
Phil Ade, “Philip” (Seenic/UnitedMasters)
Adult Leisure, “The Things You Don’t Know Yet” (self-released)
AFI, “Silver Bleeds the Black Sun…” (Run For Cover)
Agriculture, “The Spiritual Sound” (The Flenser)
Joe Alterman and Mocean Worker, “Keep the Line Open” (self-released)
Amazonica, “Victory” (self-released)
Ann Annie, “El Prado” (Nettwerk)
Ron Anschutz, “Sabbatical” (Heartwork Press)
aron!, “cozy you (and other nice songs)” (Verve)
Arson Charge, “A Dying Light” (Anxious & Angry)
Ash, “Ad Astra” (Fierce Panda)
Author & Punisher, “Nocturnal Birding” (Relapse)
Megan Bee, “Fiction” (self-released)
Eric Bellinger, “It All Makes Sense” (self-released)
The Bloody Beetroots, “Forever Part One” (Out of Line Music)
Blue Lake, “The Animal” (Tonal Union)
Nick Bluhm, “Rancho Deluxe” (Little Sur)
Annie Bosko, “California Cowgirl” (QHG/Stone Country)
Cal In Red, “The Days” (self-released)
Sarah Elizabeth Charles, “Dawn” (Streetch Music/ropeadope)
Mike Clark, “Itai Doshin” (Wide Hive)
Clique, “Death is Not Our Only Option” (Closed Casket Activities)
Alice Cohen, “Archeology” (self-released)
Wes Corbett, “Drift” (Adhyaropa)
Sylvie Courvoisier and Wadada Leo Smith, “Angel Falls” (Intakt)
Deaf Havana “We’re Never Getting Out” (So Recordings)
Dispossessed, “Democide” (Carbonized)
Dissona, “Receptor” (Earache)
dodie, “Not For Lack of Trying” (Decca)
Dolo Tonight, “DVD Rental Store” (Epitaph)
Wes Eisold, “Statue of Heaven” (Heartwork)
Empire of the Sun, “Walking On a Dream (Reimagined)” (EMI Australia)
Essence & Gold Country, “Father’s Daughter” (Blue Elan)
Carter Faith, “Cherry Valley” (MCA)
Feardorian and Osquinn, “Before You Press Play”(self-released)
Whitney Fenimore, “State of Being” (self-released)
Fight From Within, “Talk Is Cheap” (TLGZOID/Virgin Music Group)
Noah Floersch, “Francis Aquarius” (Concord)
Gatlin, “The Eldest Daughter” (Dualtone)
Adekunle Gold, “Fuji” (self-released)
John Gorka, “unentitled” (Red House)
Great Lake Swimmers, “Caught Light” ??
Gridfailure, “Sixth Mass-Extinction Skullduggery III” (Nefarious Industries)
Haerts, “Laguna Road” (self-released)
Jack Harris, “What Overthinking Sounds Like” (Columbia)
The Hello Crows, “The Hello Crows” (Castle)
Hooded Menace, “Lachrymose Monuments of Obscuration” (Season of Mist)
Idlewild, “Idlewild” (V2)
Ink, “Big Buskin’” (Big Loud/Electric Feel)
Jole, “An Open Book” (Nettwerk)
King Kong, “Gorilla Anthems” (TKO)
Lamont Landers, “Introducing…Lamont Landers” (Lucille/MCA)
Ledisi, “For Dinah” (Candid)
Brennen Leigh, “Don’t You Ever Give Up on Love” (Signature Sounds)
Lex Leosis, “i’m a little bit sensitive” (self-released)
Lil Mosey, “Fall City” (Cinq Music)
Till Lindemann, “Zunge 2025” (Out of Line Music)
Long After Midnight, “Rage Toward the Light” (self-released)
Lore, “Prologue” (self-released)
Lovejoy, “One Simple Trick” (Warner)
Kyra Machida, “Blonde” (Factory/Records/RCA)
The Manic Standstill, “Moving” (Double Helix/Wiretap)
Cory Marks, “Sorry For Nothing Volume 2” (Better Noise Music)
Mayday Parade, “Sad” (Miscellaneous)
Michelle, “Kiss/Kill” (Atlantic)
The Midnight, “Syndicate” (Ultra)
Moon Panda, “Dumb Luck” (Moon Panda/Virgin Music Group)
Alice Moore, “The Waiting” (self-released)
James Morrison, “Fight Another Day” (Cooking Vinyl)
Al Nicol, “Only Hoping Out” (self-released)
Trace Nixon, “Hand Me Down Name” (self-released)
Ole 60, “Smokestack Town” (self-released)
Orbit Culture, “Death Above Life” (Century Media)
Orchestra Gold, “Dakan” (self-released)
Pavlov’s Dog, “Wonderlust” (Ruf)
Pecos & the Rooftops, “From Me (Part One)” (Warner)
Peel Dream Magazine, “Taurus” (Topshelf)
The Penske File, “Reprieve” (Stom)
Steve Porcaro, “The Very Day” (Green Hill Productions/Sun)
Prewn, “System” (Exploding in Sound)
Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, “X’s For Eyes” (Better Noise Music)
Ribbon Skirt, “Pensacola” (Mint)
Ripping Remains, “Necrodestiny” (Satanik Royalty)
Emily Ann Roberts, “Memory Lane” (self-released)
Rocket, “R Is For Rocket” (Transgressive/Canvasback)
Kashena Sampson, “Ghost of Me” (Brooklyn Basement)
Sued Nandayapa Bergmann Saunders, “The Valley” (Ropeadope)
Say She She, “Cut & Rewind” (drink sum wtr)
Michael Schenker Group, “Don’t Sell Your Soul” (earMUSIC)
Rosemary Schonfeld, “Sandy and Jean (Love Is Love) — A Rock Opera” (Rosemary)
John Shannon, “A Day in Tarifa” (Jazzbook)
Sir Winston, “Protect the Future” (self-released)
Snooper, “Worldwide” (Third Man)
Social Cinema, “Don’t Get Lost” (Midtopia)
Solence, “Angels Calling” (Better Noise)
Spyro, “The Men, the Boys & Your Guy” (Cinq Music)
Stay Inside, “Lunger” (Tiny Engines)
Supersuckers, “Liquor, Women, Drugs & Killing” (Herdcharger)
Thee Marloes, “What’s On Your Mind” (Big Crown)
Thrice, “Horizons/West” (Epitaph)
Time’s Forgotten, “Songs of Awakening” (Melodic Revolution)
2BYG, “The Yearbook” (Waystar/Def Jam)
Today Is the Day, “Never Give In” (SuperNova)
Upchuck, “I’m Nice Now” (Domino)
Vitamin String Quartet, “VSQ Performs Billie Eilish” (CMH Label Group/Virgin)
Weirs, “Diamond Grove” (Dear Life)
Joe Westerlund, “Curiosities From the Shift” (Psychic Hotline)
Wind Walkers, “I Don’t Belong Here” (Fearless)
Alexandra Whittingham, “Letters From Paris” (Decca)
Wode, “Uncrossing the Keys” (20 Buck Spin)
Bruce Wojick & the Struggle, “The Hard Way” (Segno)
Nobu Woods, “Chimera” (Warner)
Jamie Woon, “3, 10, Why, When” (Also Can)
Alison Wonderland, “Ghost World” (Casablanca/Republic)
Worthitpurchase, “Worthitpurchase” ((self-released)
Rachael Yamagata, “Starlit Alchemy” (Julian)
YFN Lucci, “Already Legend” (Atlantic)
Young Thug, “UY Scuti” (Young Stoner Life/300 Entertainment)
From The Vaults:
American Nightmare, “Year One” (Heartwork Press)
Bad Wolves, “Die About It (Deluxe)” (Better Noise Music)
Joan Baez, “Farewell, Angelina (Vinyl)” (Craft Recordings)
Cathedral, “Society’s Pact With Satan” and “The Garden of Earthly Delights (20th Anniversary Edition)” (Rise Above)
Change, “The Glow of Love” (Omnivore Recordings)
Janet Devilin, “Not My First Emotional Rodeo (Deluxe)” (OK!Good)
Armen Donelian, “Stargazer” (Sunnyside)
Gene Loves Jezebel, “Glad To Be Alive: Live in Nottingham 1986 (The Complete Concert)” (Iconoclassic)
Sophie B. Hawkins, “Whaler Re-Emerging” (Cleopatra)
Jason Isbell, “Something More Than Free (10 Year Anniversary Edition)” (Southeastern)
Waylon Jennings, “Songbird” (Son of Jessi/Thirty Tigers)
Johnnyswim, “When the War Is Over (Deluxe Edition)” (self-released)
Alicia Keys, “Unplugged (20th Anniversary Edition)” (Legacy Recordings)
Kirsty MacColl, “Free World: The Best of Kirsty MacColl 1979-2000” (Edsel/Demon)
Mother Love Bone, “Shine” and “Apple” (Mercury/UMe)
My Morning Jacket, “Z 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition” (ATO)
Oasis, “(What’s The Story) Morning Glory (30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)” (Big Brother Recordings)
Return To Forever, “The Complete Columbia Albums Collection” (Music on CD)
Conrad Schnitzler and Wolf Sequenza, “Consequenz III” (Bureau B)
Jeannie Seely, “An American Classic” (Curb)
Frank Sinatra, “At the Hollywood Bowl 1943-1948” (Sing)
Supergrass, “Road To Rouen (20th Anniversary Edition)” (BMG)
New Holiday Titles:
Chris Blue, “Every Day is Christmas” (Gaither Music Group)
Soundtracks:
“Gypsy: 2024 Broadway Cast Recordings” (Arts Music/Octoverse Media)
“Hotel Costiera — Prime Video Original Series Soundtrack” (Lakeshore)
“Kiss of the Spider Woman (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)” (Lakeshore)
“Landman — Songs From and Inspired by the Paramount+ Original Series (Volume I)” (MCA)
“The Lord of the Ring: The Motion Picture Trilogy Soundtrack” (Rhino)
“Marvel Zombies (Original Soundtrack)” (Hollywood)
“One Battle After Another — Original Motion Picture Soundtrack” (Nonesuch)