Let’s call it: 2015 is the year of the ’90s comeback album
If you were lucky enough to come-of-age in the ’90s, your soundtrack was rich. It was a ground-breaking era for music across genres, and a golden age for raw talent. Enough nostalgia. It’s 2015, and it’s time for some new music—by ’90s musicians. You see, I have a habit of going through Metacritic’s list of upcoming album releases to see which deliciously new music we have to look forward to. It just so happens that this year, there was a bit of a comeback theme. Artists who have flown under the radar or gone completely off the grid are coming back with full-length studio albums. And bonus/hint: all of them are heavy hitters from the ’90s. Shall we examine?
Sleater-Kinney – No Cities To Love
Release date: January 20
Famous riot grrrl band, Sleater-Kinney, is finally back on the map after a 9 year hiatus. Although there was no reason specified for the band’s long hiatus, guitarist/vocalist Carrie Brownstein seemed to be optimistic about the group re-banding back in 2008. She said that Sleater-Kinney would release new music when all of the members “felt like there was more of a story to tell . . .with each other”. They just gave a preview of the album on NPR, and it’s helping us relive some of those old-school feels. Go ahead and preview No Cities To Love yourself, here.
Marilyn Manson – The Pale Emperor
Release date: January 20
You might’ve seen him on this season’s Sons of Anarchy and Once Upon A Time, but Marilyn Manson is finally back to making music. After a three year hiatus, The Pale Emperor is a friendly reminder of the famously eerie Marilyn Manson we grew to know and love back in the mid ’90s. Though the album is due January 20th, you can satisfy your curiosity with the album’s stream, which just went live.
Sisqo – Last Dragon
Release date: February 10
Talk about blast from the past — it seems like FOREVER since we’ve heard the “Thong Song.” Following his 1999 release of Unleash the Dragon and his 2001 sequel, Return of the Dragon, Sisqo decided he still had a enough dragon to make another LP. Aptly named Last Dragon, his third album is intended to complete the dragon-themed trilogy. There’s no word on whether or not it will sound anything like the “Thong Song” Sisqo we loved back in ’99, but we’d certainly welcome that prospect with open arms. We could use some ’90s infused R&B.
The Prodigy – The Day Is My Enemy
Release date: March 30
It’s been almost eighteen years since we’ve feasted our ears on The Prodigy’s “Firestarter” (along with one of the most controversial songs in history), but the electronic group is finally back with their sixth original album. With their last album having been released in 2009, the dudes have been actively (and openly) working on this forthcoming LP. No tracks have officially been leaked, but the group announced a handful of UK tour dates today, which are slated for this May.
