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The following article appeared in the New Zealand Weekend Herald, January 20 - 21, 2001.

Please Release Me

Want to know how long to hold on to that record token you received for Christmas?  Graham Reid looks at albums promised for release this year.

Who would be so bold as to predict what unpredicatable musicians would do?

We would, actually. And acting on the information received, we have a habit around this time of giving you an overview of albums due for release in the coming year.

Of course if we look at last year's list there were a few that failed to materialise - nothing as promised from Dimmer, Bic Runga, or the feelers - but mostly it all happened as expected. In the case of King Kapisi's album, just a little later than originally expected.

But, encouraged by the overall accuracy of last years listings, we've made the calls and this is what we have come up with for 2001, all subject to chang, of course.

February sees the release of the obviously E-influenced dance album by Bleachin' called Everyone Loves You and Everythings Free and the return of Rod Stewart with Human.  Expect a Ray Columbus greatest hits and a Stephen Malkmys (of Pavement) solo album.

Neil Finn's album with title as yet unconfirmed is released here in March to coincide with a tour (international release is May). The Manic Street Preachers Know Your Own Enemy. Run DMC's Crown Royale, the Dave Mathews Bands'Everyday and Usher's All About U are all out in March. So are as yet untitled albums by Fun Lovin'Criminal, Divine Comedy, Daft Punk and Destiny's Child.

Also released will be an album Global Warning by Canadian hip-hop act the Rascals, who guested on DLT's album; To Record Only Water For Ten Days from off-and-on Red Hot Chilli Pepper guitarist John Frusciante; Semisonics Chemistry and the Sugarbabes One Touch. Linkin Park (think Limp Bizkit) will have their Hybrid Theory in stores. None of them is likely to be competing for the Eric Clapton market, he's back with Reptile.

Hayley Westenra, a 13 year old child who can apparently out-Charlotte the Church girl apparently has her debut album out in March. In stores alongside that will be the long promised Dimmer album.

In April look for releases from locals Salmonella Dub, Nick Cave, Ash, Sola Rosa, Garbage, Yothu Yindi, the BeeGees and Rammstein (Mutter). Ben Harper releases a double live of one disc accoustic, the other electric. There's also the Nice'n'Urlich 2 compilation.

The same month should see the debut by Godhead, the American metal outfit which is the first signing to Marilyn Manson's label, as well as releases by former Talking Head David Byrne (Look Into The Eyeball), mellow man JJ Cale and his noisy nemesis Ozzy Osbourne. There's a Janet Jackson due then too.

By then those follow ups from Bic Runga and the feelers should be competing for shelf space in the stores.

Around May-June look out for releases by Che-Fu, Shanaia Twain, Sting (a double live on which he does Police and solo career songs), the Afro-Celt Sound System (who tour in February), Iggy Pop, former Janes Addiction / Porno for Pyros frontman Perry Farrell, David Bowie (Toy), Korn, Bones Thugs-N-Harmony, Deep Forest, Travis, Ice Cube and Air.

Boz Scaggs (does anyone remember him) has a new waxing, as they used to call it in his heyday, out in June. So does Sparklehorse.

Radioheads Amnesiac is unofficially due in June (ain't the web wonderful?) and Deep Obsession should have something around then too.

In the second half of the year you could reasonably expect to see new albums by Liz Phair, the Beta Band, and Mr Cheerful himself, Leonard Cohen, who also releases a live album recorded in 79. Cypress Hills are on the books for July.

In the final third of the year the following names are written on the release schedules: Gomez, UB40 (originals, not covers this time), Lenny Kravitz, Beanie Man, Enigma, Macy Gray and Jamiroquai.

Shivaree's follow up to the much acclaimed I Oughtta Give You a Shot in the Head for Making Me Live in this Dump will preumably have a shorter title when it is rleased in August.

Jazz chanteuse Cassandra Wilson and MOR belter Sarah Brightman have albums around September / October, so do Beth Orton and the Pet Shop Boys.

Lauryn Hill's newie should be out by November. So should the long awaitied release from Massive Attack.

And as one record company executive so wittily put it, "and many more."

Indeed.

But there will be no Beatles 2 for Christmas.

By the way, Michael Jackson is threatening an album in April (but he said that last year) and the prolific Pearl Jam, whose dozens of albums from European and American tours are available on order, have a new studio album in September.

Oh, and Lisa Marie Presley has her debut album out in April. Now that could be really interesting.

But probably not.

Graham Reid
20 January, 2001.

The above article was from the New Zealand Herald Weekend edition dated 20 January, 2001, and is copyright to NZ Herald.