Probably the biggest story of the year is the record companies' plight of falling CD sales. Sales are already down from 2002 figures according to industry sources, continuing a three-year decline in total unit sales, which has led to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) to sue file sharers and companies like England Music International (EMI) to up their worldwide copy protection program to include Canada and potentially the U.S.
However, the ills of the music industry may be cured in the space of one month- next month, September 2003, where six major (and one not-so-major but potentially groundbreaking) releases from all over the music map are scheduled for release: Iron Maiden's "Dance With Death", Deric Ruttan's self-titled album, DMX's "Grand Champ", Nickelback's "The Long Road", Limp Bizkit's (so far) self-titled release, John Mayer's "Heavier Things" and T. Raumschmiere's "Radio Blackout". It's the busiest month of major releases (at least in my recollection) this year, and could be pivotal month that either restores confidence in the music industry or adds fuel to the apathy the industry has received so far.
Below are each new album and what I think will be the prospects of each album:
IRON MAIDEN- DANCE WITH DEATH
The Early Word: "Wildest Dreams", the first single, is set for release Sept. 2, one week before the album gets release. I have yet to hear it so I can't comment much on this.
Why It Could Work: Umm...let's see...it's IRON MAIDEN. They're legends. Anyone with Bruce Dickinson's vocals and Adrion Smith's guitarwork could pull anything off. Plus having classics like "The Number Of The Beast" doesn't hurt either.
Why It Might Not Work: They're kind of getting a little long in the tooth...twenty plus years is a long time for a band, even for legends. The Rolling Stones are nowadays perceived as nothing but a joke for simply going past their "expiry" date and the same could happen to any long-timers. Mind you, U2 have been going for twenty plus years, so...
Initial Report: I'm kind of sitting on the fence with this one- on one hand, it's Maiden and that right there means it'll be great. On the other, they've been at it for a while now and could reach their "expiry date" here. We'll see.
Release Date: Sept. 9 (Columbia)
DERIC RUTTAN- (SELF-TITLED) (Lyric Street/Hollywood, Sept. 9 (Canada) Sept. 30 (U.S.))
The Early Word: "When You Come Around", all over country radio- especially in Canada- is one of the year's best country tracks. The Canadian, who wrote the song, displays tons of honest emotion in biting back at a girl who left him despite it "defying all logic". Indications show that he could be Canada's Toby Keith- without the patriotism.
Why It Could Work: Ruttan, as stated before, shows a lot of honesty in his compositions, which is needed when doing material like "When You Come Around", which has arguably been done to death. He's also shown the ability to help pen hits for others, as he shares co-writing responsibilities on Dierks Bentley's lovably aw-shucks hit, "What Was I Thinkin'".
Why It Might Not Work: Well, his other co-written song for Bentley, "Distant Shore", isn't very strong, and one single does not an album make.
Initial Report: Well, I'm looking forward to it. "When You Come Around" is one of country's best singles this year and, if the album's anything like it, Ruttan could find himself with a classic.
Release Date: Sept. 9 (Canada), Sept. 30 (U.S.) (Lyric Street/Hollywood)
JOHN MAYER- HEAVIER THINGS
The Early Word: A new single, "Bigger Than My Body", which is on radio but I haven't heard it yet.
Why It Could Work: Though Mayer's initial territory (the aw-shucks young man) has been poached by upstart Jason Mraz, Mraz proved that it could work. Plus, songs like the vibrant "No Such Thing" showed that Mayer does have it in him to make a good song- it's just a matter of making a whole album's worth, that's all.
Why It Might Not Work: "Room For Squares" was probably 2002's most overrated album. Besides "No Such Thing" and a few other songs, Mayer's work was boring and only touched the surface instead of going deeper. Maybe he'll recover for "Heavier Things" and prove "Room For Squares" was just a fluke, but for now, he's still under the microscope.
Release Date: Sept. 9 (Columbia)
DMX- THE GRAND CHAMP
The Early Word: "Where The Hood At", the first single, is familiar territory lately for DMX (born Earl Simmons)- yet another "I'm better than you" song, but, in true DMX fashion, he means it and nails the song.
Why It Could Work: DMX, for all his failings, puts a lot of heart in what he does, making the most cliched songs (like "Where The Hood At" or "X Gonna Give It To Ya") his own. Plus, he's not that far removed from the anthemic "Ruff Ryders Anthem", so it wouldn't be much of a stretch to expect him to produce another one, and, before he decided to "fight back" literally, he did have the personal "Who We Be" exposing his softer side.
Why It Might Not Work: There's really only so many "I'm so tough" songs that you can do before it gets old (see: Swollen Members). Plus, he still has to find an excuse for making "Party Up".
Initial Report: Well, his "fighting" singles- "Where The Hood At" and "X Gonna Give It To Ya"- have been great, so DMX just may be "The Grand Champ" after all. Though it would nice to hear something different from him other than "I'm so much better than you", especially considering these last singles make "Who We Be" seem like a distant memory.
Release Date: Sept. 16 (Island/Def Jam)
NICKELBACK- THE LONG ROAD
The Early Report: I have yet to hear "Someday", but I've heard from various sources that it seems to be a "departure" for Nickelback- and a rather uneasy one at that.
Why It Could Work: Despite what people may say, Nickelback's simplicity is their calling card. They're just straight-up arena rockers and they know it, not adding any bells and whistles just to "appear" more profound. Plus, there are many who could relate to what Chad Kroeger writes about, which could explain why "How You Remind Me" and "Too Bad" became hits in their own right.
Why It Might Not Work: Simplicity may be Nickelback's calling card, but at some point you do want them to get adventurous. Their earlier works, "Curb" and "The State", showed a band that could take risks if they wanted to, and, while "Silver Side Up" was more focused and cohesive, their earlier work still looms large over the band's head.
Initial Report: Well, I've always been high up on Nickelback, so I'm looking forward to this. Still, the band is everyone's favourite whipping boys, and no doubt they may need something profound to get many to take them seriously. We'll see.
Release Date: Sept. 23 (Roadrunner)
T. RAUMSCMIERE- RADIO BLACKOUT
The Early Word: "Monstertruckdriver", the single already released, is an electronica marvel: full of screwdrivers, alarm clocks and other interesting sounds, T. Raumscmiere (born Marco Haas), has topped The Blue Man Group and created 2003's most original track.
Why It Could Work: "Monstertruckdriver" shows an artist who's capable of taking as many risks as they can just to make an interesting song, and it could make for 2003's landmark triumph. Creativity is badly needed in today's day and age, and Haas may be the one who will provide it.
Why It Might Not Work: Well, songs as inventive as "Monstertruckdriver" don't show up everyday, meaning that Haas has the potential to be a one-trick pony. Considering that electronica is built on inventiveness and innovation, Haas may need a few more tricks to show that he's more than just a novelty.
Initial Report: After hearing "Monstertruckdriver", I was sold on Haas: he just had to have a chance. Artists as inventive as him don't pop up everyday, and, arguably, we need artists like him to inject some life in a pretty bland music industry at the moment.
Release Date: Sept. 23 (Mute)
LIMP BIZKIT- limpbizkit
The Early Word: "Eat You Alive", already on radio, is a dreadful rap-rocker that has Fred Durst doing his best Chino Moreno impression- being a 30-year-old acting like he's twelve. *shudder*
Why It Could Work: Well, "good" and "Limp Bizkit" don't really go well together these days, but I'm open to the idea that Limp Bizkit's new lineup- guitarist Mike Smith in for the departed Wes Borland- could give the band a much needed change in direction. Plus, the band has produced solid songs before like "Nookie", "Re-Arranged" and "Faith", so it's not like they haven't made good songs before.
Why It Might Not Work: Well, this IS Limp Bizkit we're talking about, the band that's responsible for putting out the dreadful "Chocolate Covered Starfish In The Hot Dog Flavoured Water", of which still hangs over the band's head and has made them a laughingstock. "Eat You Alive" doesn't hold out a lot of promise that they've gone back to their old days and just makes Durst and his band look even sillier.
Initial Report: Even though I shudder at the thought of just hearing "Limp Bizkit", Durst's repeated insistence that this album will be "sick" has at least wetted my curiosity enough to give him a chance. That and acts like Ja Rule, Scooter and Powerman 5000 have managed to change my opinion of them for the better, so Limp Bizkit just may manage to do the same. Another wait-and-see situation.
Release Date: Sept. 23 (Interscope)
FINAL REPORT
Well, it's kind of all over the place. Iron Maiden, DMX and Mayer have hit-or-miss projects ahead of them. In Mayer's case, it's proving that "Room For Squares" was just a fluke, in DMX's case, it's showing that he can do more than just "I'm tough" singles, and in Maiden's case proving that they still have lots left after twenty years together. Nickelback may produce another solid work, but the question remains: will it be enough to gain respect? Ruttan shows that he just may be around for a while with the emotional "When You Come Around", but until he has an album out, the jury is still out on that one. Also, while Haas shows that he's got considerable ingenuity with "Monstertruckdriver", he's still got to show that he can do more (though, after hearing that song, the prospects seem great). Finally, there's Limp Bizkit: can they shake this image of being a laughingstock once and for all or will people still cringe at just the thought of Durst and his band? Regardless, the music industry needs a solid showing from these acts, if nothing else: the music buying public needs something to spend their money on, and the industry has to provide it to them. Otherwise, the industry's woes will continue, and, if that's the case, the RIAA have no one to blame but themselves.
-DG