Welcome, audiophiles, to The Indie Blender and my own first blog post of 2015. After taking a few weeks off from writing for you fine folks, it’s good to be back at it. January is a time of looking forward and planning the year ahead, so in order to keep that spirit going I will be writing about a few albums that are scheduled for release in 2015. This is just a handful of albums that I am looking forward to, and there are many more that I haven’t listed. Let the anticipation begin!

Plants and Animals

It has been three years since the release of Plants and Animals’ third LP, The End of That, and I have been eagerly awaiting another effort from a band with three excellent albums in their discography. Their most recent album was a more stripped down version of their sound, turning away from the complex instrumentation of their first two records in order to write songs more conducive to their three-piece band. The result was yet another triumphant change of style for the band, but I did miss the rich colour and texture from their previous albums. Via Facebook, the band has been steadily releasing photos of themselves in the studio, and much to my excitement I saw horns, strings, and synthesizers in the mix. One of these photos did mention that the album would be out in 2015, but there is no release date set and no singles have been released. For now, the current direction of Plants and Animals remains unknown, but I doubt they will disappoint.

Snarky Puppy

Yes, I know I talk about Snarky Puppy a lot. The reason for that is twofold: First, they are absolute jazz fusion giants, and second, because they seem to release something new every two weeks. Last week they announced that 2015 will featured three new releases from this jazz collective. Sylva will be a record featuring The Metropole Orchestra, and it is scheduled for release in April. Next they will record Family Dinner – Volume 2, a follow-up to their previous album of the same name which featured arrangement of various songs from various vocalists, and which spawned their grammy-winning track, “Something”. They hope to release the new Family Dinner in the summer or fall. Finally, they will record a new, pure Snarky Puppy instrumental album in August. It’s going to be yet another busy year for Michael League and co, don’t miss it!

Bosveld

I spoke to Ottawa’s ambient folk duo last August, and discussed their upcoming debut album. Last year they offered up their first release, Catalysts Mixtape, which came across as a strange meandering through pieces of what the debut album may be. That coupled with an intimate and gorgeous live performance leaves me in great anticipation of what is to come. Previously, they were hoping to release the album in November, or early in the new year. I can only imagine what this album might sound like when it does come out, but all signs point to a rather solid album.

Titus Andronicus

This enigmatic indie punk band stays relatively quiet and is therefore difficult to predict, but last year there was talk of a fourth studio album coming. It has not yet been released, so it is quite possible that we see it this year. Their third record, Local Business, deviated from their previous albums by staying away from overarching metaphors and keeping it relatively simple. The limited chatter about their fourth release seems to suggest the opposite. I, for one, am adequately prepared to rage when this thing does come out.

In non-indie news, some much anticipated albums will be coming from the likes of My Morning Jacket, James Blake, Radiohead, Tame Impala, and Fleet Foxes, just to name a few. It looks like 2015 is going to be a good year!

Much Love,

~Dave