- RADIOHEAD “A Moon Shaped Pool”
After a five-year recording hiatus, the English rock legends Radiohead released their ninth studio album, A Moon Shaped Pool earlier this year. Initially only available via download, it shot straight to number 1 in the UK Album Chart and number 3 in the US Billboard 200. The album contains some tracks that will be familiar to die-hard Radiohead fans with “Identikit” and “Ful Stop” being part of Radiohead’s live sets for years, whilst “True Love Waits” was originally released on their 2001 live EP. For collectors and those vinyl lovers amongst us, September will see the launch of a special edition. The case-bound album – inspired by the 78 rpm shellac records in the library of La Fabrique – features 32 pages of artwork and the 11-track album presented is on two heavyweight 12-inch vinyl records. The special edition also features two compact discs: one with the album and one with two extra tracks plus a piece of half-inch master tape from an actual Radiohead recording session.
- SUM 41 “13 Voices”
After almost losing his life in 2014, the new album by Sum 41 is, for vocalist, guitarist and producer Deryck Whibley, nothing short of a miracle. The feisty album – produced and engineered in his own home – gave Whibley purpose. As he recalls, “Due to neuropathy, muscle atrophy and medication, I was unable to walk and in excruciating pain. I had to learn how to do everything again – my motor skills, learning how to play guitar. It was really difficult, but at the same time, if I didn’t have a record to make, I don’t think I would have recovered as quickly, or even at all.” He pulled the band back together at his home in Los Angeles and began recording what would become the band’s sixth album, a recording that includes original guitarist Dave Brownsound and is something of a return to the band’s high octane skater punk sound.
- Céline Dion “Encore un Soir”
From humble beginnings, Céline Dion has risen to be one of the world’s most popular female recording artists. The release of Encore un Soir in late August is her 26th studio album since the first back in 1981. She has also released seven live albums, 17 compilations, 21 box sets and 153 singles. A global superstar! The title track of her new album was composed by Jean-Jacques Goldman, marking a long-awaited reunion with the star and one sure to please her millions of fans. The track was pre-released as a single earlier in the year and is dedicated to Dion’s late husband, René Angélil, who died in January 2016. Sang in French, it topped the charts in France, Quebec and the French-speaking part of Switzerland and reached the top ten in Luxembourg and Belgium.
