2018 Most Anticipated Albums

2018 Most Anticipated Albums

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Welcome to The Pier’s 2018 Most Anticipated Albums!

If 2018 is any extension of where 2017 ended, then we’re sure to see more strategic releases aimed toward building streaming numbers, which down the road may not include full-length albums. Bands are taking notice to a drop in MP3 downloads among fans who are switching to various streaming services to access their music vs digitally owning it — I’m not saying no ones buying MP3’s anymore, but the writing is kind of smeared on the wall. If the decline in MP3 sales continue then so does a budget for an up and coming artist to be able to record and release 10+ songs for a full length album. We’re told that approximately 15,000 streams equals the equivalent of 1 digital album purchase. Unless you can tour to promote your album, it may quickly get lost in the white-noise of misc new releases.

In some cases this has left groups a little undecided on the next route they’re taking with releasing new material. Times are changing and folks in the industry are taking notice with trying to make the best decision toward adjusting while still staying relevant. During KeithZacharski_Crowdthe Holidays, we spent a lot of time compiling a list of who we anticipate to release new albums in the new year. The bands we were able to gather the most information from were groups who have nearing release dates. Some bands happened to be just a couple weeks away (from this publish) in being able to make any official announcements. Others are in the early stages of writing and they’re not in a position to confirm much of anything other than “writing and recording.”

Those who hinted toward releasing new albums in 2018 were: Stephen Marley, Steel Pulse, Raging Fyah, Inner Circle, Reel Big Fish, Pennywise, Perro Bravo, The Aggrolites, Protoje and Alborosie. Fortunate Youth is discussing another dub album, while exploring a live record. Other groups are writing and recording new material, but whether or not that translates to a new album is still to be determined — Such groups as Less Than Jake, The Hip Abduction, Tribal Seeds, Nattali Rize, LAW, The Expendables and 311.

Regardless of who or what you do or don’t see listed below, The Pier will continue to bring you the most up to date information on any new releases as soon as they’re made available. This spring, The Pier will have a new website and platform that we’re thrilled to unveil. It’s been several years since we’ve upgraded and with over 10 years of content, this has been a big and meticulous transition to what will be The Pier’s new online presence — Stay tuned and enjoy all of the new information on new albums planned for 2018!
-The Pier Fam!

The Pier’s 2018 Most Anticipated Albums:

The Skints : Website

DavidNorrisTheSkintsTheCasbah5-11-15 It’s hard to believe it’s been nearly 3 years since The Skints put out their 3rd full-length album FM. Luckily, the London-based quartet is gearing up for a new album in 2018 that is expected to drop via Easy Star Records. The Skints haven’t revealed too many specifics regarding the upcoming album, but they have shared that they are working on it over the winter, and have taken a down period of touring to facilitate the process.

When we spoke to The Skints’ guitarist and vocalist Josh Waters Rudge last summer, he shared: “We have a bunch of songs written, you know, at kind of a very basic, acoustic level at this point. Whether or not they’ll make the album is even up for debate.” With three talented song writers in Josh, Marcia Richards, and Jamie Kyriakides, we have no doubt The Skints will deliver an exciting follow up to the masterpiece that was 2015’s FM

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Long Beach Dub Allstars : Website

EdgarGaytan_LBDA 2018 marks 17 years since Long Beach Dub Allstars put out their 2nd full length record, Wonders of the World on 9/11/2001. The group released 2 new singles last October with “Holding Out” and “Steady Customer” with plans to drop a 12-14 track record later this summer. There’s scheduled guest appearances, including that of Pipe from the Wailing Souls whom they performed “Pawn Shop” with live during their run of shows this past November.

The Boss DJ, Marshall Goodman, tells The Pier: “This album will be similar to the previous LBDA albums but different, in that we write music based on our experiences and influences–lifelong as well as current. The writing and recording formula will be the same with different topics that will be relevant to our current states of life. It will have that definitive Long Beach Dub Allstars pocket, some tongue & cheek as well as some socially-relevant songs, and some great and influential featured artists. We’re aiming for it to be another work for the annals of the Southern California music scene.”

The New line-up of Long Beach Dub Allstars includes Marshall Goodman on Drums, Ed Kampwirth on bass, Miguel Happoldt on guitar/vocals, Jack Maness on keys/vocalss, Roger Rivas on keys/organ, Tim Wu on Sax/Flute with lead vocals and art by Opie Ortiz. Former Sublime drummer Bud Gaugh, and bassist Eric Wilson are no longer active with the group. Neither is former guitarist/vocalist Ras-1 — I reached out to Marshall to discuss the new songs around a new line-up to which he replied: “The Long Beach Dub Allstars have always had a wide range of writing sources being that we have been a group that features many of our favorite artists and friends. With the current line-up of the band, we are fortunate to have Roger Rivas and Ed Kampwirth who each have contributed their strengths to our new material.”

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The Interrupters : Website

TheInterrupters The Interrupters announced the release of their 3rd full-length album back in September. They are in the studio with Tim Armstrong (Rancid, Hellcat) and Brett Gurewitz (Bad Religion, Epitaph). The band wrapped up a European tour in support of Green Day last summer where they promoted their sophomore release of 2016’s Say It Loud.

The group has come on strong since their 2014 inception and are best described as Rancid with a female singer fronted by Aimee Allen. Shes no newcomer to the scene as she’s recorded solo records in the past that have included a cover of Sublime’s “Santeria,” and was also featured on a Sublime tribute DVD performing “Saw Red” with Unwritten Law. We last saw Aimee guest featuring on Sublime with Rome’s “Safe & Sound” in 2011 before seeing her emerge with The Interrupters who have quickly become one of our favorite groups. With their 3rd studio album set to drop in 2018, we’re salivating to see what they have worked up in the studio alongside some legends in Armstrong and Gurewitz.

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Slightly Stoopid : Website

Photo By Keith Zacharski This June will mark 3 years since Slightly Stoopid released their last studio album, the 14 track Meanwhile… Back At The Lab. Much like they’re known for with previous releases, this new record may include some guest appearances. The group has been working on the record for quite sometime and the indication we got is that they’ve worked with many artists but they’re not sure which ones will make the album cut. We wont have to wait too long to find out as Stoopid plans to release the record this Spring or Summer.

While Stoopid was very tight-lipped regarding the details of their album, when we asked what the title or theme of the record may be, they coyly replied that the “Theme (not title) is Meanwhile…Back in Ocean Beach, CA.” The group recorded the record at their own studio lab in San Diego as they concluded that: “Most recordings are being done by the Stoopid in house team of producers and engineers. There will be some collaborations and surprises.”

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Stick Figure : Website

KeithZacharski_StickFigure_BW We are happy to report that 2018 will include a new record by Stick Figure. The forthcoming seventh studio album from Stick Figure is untitled as of now, but we’re informed that the theme for the new record will be similar to their recent single “Above The Storm” – one of our favorite tracks from 2017 that dropped in October.

The new record will have 10-12 tracks, featuring an undisclosed guest appearance that Stick Figure describes as “one of their favorites!” Scott Woodruff is expected to once again self-produce the album in its entirety, and recording sessions were held at the homegrown Great Stone Studios in Oakland, CA. Each release from Woodruff builds, progresses and grows from the last, and if “Above The Storm” is any indication of what fans are to expect, then we’re all in for quite the treat. Woodruff was able to give a brief teaser directly to The Pier on what to expect from the new batch of music: “It’s that classic Stick Figure sound, but taken to new heights, recorded in our brand new music studio in California.”

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Pepper : Website

DavidNorrisPepperPhotoShootCasbah5-15-16 (5) Mid-summer is when Pepper hopes to drop their new album. No word on how many tracks they’re shooting for and while they don’t have a title for the record, the theme is said to be REGGAE! Production is taking place out of their own Kona Inn Recording studio in Redondo Beach, CA where the group is still on a high from their collaboration with Slightly Stoopid on “Good Thing Going.” No word if that song will make the record, but the group isn’t otherwise known for having many guest features. They hope to work with a few producers like they did on No Shame.

When we reached out to Pepper drummer, Yesod Williams, he told us: “You never really know what’s gonna become of art, it usually takes on a life of its own and starts forging its own path if you let it, especially music in my opinion. That being said, I’m hoping the path continues where we intend on starting it, and that’s toward some good fun, good loving, good feeling backyard BBQ jams!” The album is expected to be released on the groups own Law Records where they released their last record, Ohana, back in 2016.

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Kabaka Pyramid : Website

Kabaka-Pyramid Kabaka Pyramid is set to introduce his debut album Kontraband in early 2018 as a joint release via Ghetto Youths International and Bebble Rock Records. Hailing from Kingston, Jamaica, Kabaka Pyramid has built up some big hype around his upcoming album due to well-deserved praise for his 2013 EP Lead The Way. Kabaka Pyramid teamed up with a star-studded cast for Kontraband, recording tracks alongside Damian Marley, Chronixx, Protoje, Pressure, and Stonebwoy B. Damian Marley also served as the executive producer of the upcoming album.

Kontraband is expected to contain roughly 14 tracks, with potential for a bonus track. Kabaka spent time recording songs for the album in a number of different studios, including Tuff Gong Studio, Uncle D’s Studio, Bebble Rock Studio, Lion’s Den Studio, and Velvet Tone Studio.

Speaking enthusiastically on the upcoming release, Kabaka says, “I’m really excited to drop my debut album because the 1st one is the one all the others will be compared to, and I think ‘Kontraband’ will set a foundation for me for many years to come. My aim is to take conscious lyricism in reggae music to another level and connect with listeners from all walks of life across the globe.”

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Hollie Cook : Website

Hollie Cook_Vessel of Love January 26th is the day Hollie Cook drops her 3rd full length release, a 10 track record titled Vessel of Love. Hollie comes from a deep lineage of music — her father was Paul Cook of the infamous Sex Pistols, her mother was a backup singer for the Culture Club, and she was part of the last lineup of the Slits which was an all-female British punk/reggae band.

Her 2011 debut was engineered and produced by Prince Fatty who later did an all dub version of the record. Although Hollie considers her music to be “tropical pop,” she has one of the most unique and haunting voices in Reggae.

This album will find its home among vinyl collectors and fans of lovers rock. With her sold out UK shows and critical acclaim there, we hope that love spreads across the pond and we find Hollie at a US venue soon.

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Iration : Website

IRATION_Hit_List The groups 5th studio record is due out late spring with a direction of sound that is said to be channeled through their influences. The album will have 15+ songs and include three stylistically different guest vocalists that all apparently smashed their respective parts. The album was produced with David “King David” Manzoor who has been co-writing and collaborating with the group since 2015’s Hotting Up. The first single from the new record is “Hit List” that saw its premiere with San Diego’s 91x radio station at the start of the New Year.

Front-man Micah Pueschel tells The Pier: “We were really striving to get our fans and listeners as much new material as possible with this record, especially considering how much time we’ve been spending in the studio recently… We basically tried to make an album that paid homage to all of our influences. Obviously there are many, from multiple genres of music. Reggae, rock, pop, hip hop, R&B, motown etc. People will be able to listen and try to pick up which of our influences are coming through. It’s going to be very eclectic in that way. We have always said, ‘we don’t really care what genre of music we are making, we just want to make good songs.’ I think this album is a direct result of letting the songs guide us.”

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The Late Ones : Website

DavidNorrisTheLateOnesOneLoveFestphotoshoot2-11-17 (1) The Pier first discovered The Late Ones in February 2015 when we were invited out to Hawai’i by EKM Records for a private listening party. They made an immediate impression and we’ve had our eye on them ever since. As individuals, they’re high energy, all positive and very embracing. The Late Ones released their Debut EP, Revelate, in May of 2015 followed by a slew of singles that continue to show the groups trajectory.

We’ve been anticipating their debut album since we first met them and it looks like 2018 may be the year. They tell us that they’re hoping for a late Summer release with 14-15 tracks as they want to get this material out to make way for new music. The music is being produced with Noah Cronin at Sea Major Seven Studios in Hawaii. Working with Noah, the album is said to be in the direction of “beautiful, powerful, righteous, truth roots reggae and hip hop music.”

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Katchafire : Website

Katchafire_Live New Zealand finest musical export Katchafire will release their 5th studio album in February 2018. The new album, which comes after a year in which the band celebrated their 20th anniversary together, is appropriately titled Legacy. Ahead of the new album, Katchafire has dropped two singles “Addicted” and “Way Beyond,” each paired with a music video. Legacy will release via Zojak World Wide and Universal NZ.

It’s been 7 years since Katchafire put out their last studio album, On The Road Again. But based off the first two singles, the all-Maori reggae band hasn’t missed a step. Speaking on the forthcoming album Legacy, front-man Logan Bell says, “The boys are really excited about this chapter. We have been working hard to bring y’all some new fire… It’s sounding great to our ears and we can’t wait to share with you!”

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Sublime with Rome : Website

KeithZacharski_SwR_2017 Every time Sublime with Rome announces they’re releasing a new record it always shoots up our list of material we anticipate wanting to hear. Their original music continues to receive critical attention with the elephant in the room always being the continued use of the name Sublime with only 1 member of the original band still active. The production on their last 2 albums was fantastic with their first record, 2011’s Yours Truly, having a stronger track list of songs than that of their second album, Sirens. Still, a 3rd record catches the attention of a music community that never hesitates to address the elephant in the room. Eric Wilson is a legendary bassist and to know that we can continue to hear what he’s putting down is something we will always anticipate. They have a new drummer in Carlos Verdugo, formerly of Tribal Seeds, and Rome Ramirez is just as gifted a singer as he is a songwriter, making this a record we can’t wait to explore.

The band is said to be spending January and February in the studio with producer Rob Cavallo out of Sonic Ranch in Texas. Their first 2 records featured a combined list of guest features from Dirty Heads, Aimee Allen, and Wiz Khalifa. My anticipation is that this new record will show them continuing to collaborate and explore more avenues of ska, punk and poppy reggae grooves. This is a pivotal release for the group and is expected to drop on 5 Music. Outside of that, no other details have been released with how many songs, a title or approximate release date.

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Hempress Sativa : Website

HempressSativa_Scientist Out of Kingston, Jamaica comes Hempress Sativa. To start the year of 2017 she released a 13-track record titled Unconquerebel via Conquering Lion Records. She has the roots and rhythm of an Erykah Badu and commands the dancehall like a modern day Lady Saw. She’s versatile with a dynamic voice that can be soothing or sharp, (and at times may even cut), all of which makes her a great listen.

On February 11th, 2018, she will release a 10-track Dub album with Scientist titled Scientist Meets Hempress Sativa in DUB that will be available on platforms from digital to vinyl. Pre-orders begin January 19th and the record is said to feature one guest appearance by that of Ranking Joe.

Here’s what Hempress Sativa told The Pier when we requested what to anticipate: “For the Dub Album with the Great Mix Master Scientist on the console, fans can expect new roots vocals over a nostalgic Dub version which place strong emphasis on drum and bass reminiscent of the 1970-80s era.”

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Mighty Mighty Bosstones : Website

MightyMightyBosstones Boston’s legendary ska rockers, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, will release their 10th studio album sometime early 2018. The record will be titled While We’re At It, featuring 15 previously unreleased songs. This will be their first album since The Magic of Youth, which hit airwaves in late 2011.

The producer behind While We’re At It, Ted Hutt, has produced the band’s last two albums, including Pin Points and Gin Joints in 2009. Hutt is known worldwide for his work with other punk and rock bands including the Dropkick Murphys, Flogging Molly, The Gaslight Anthem, and others.

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The Bennies : Website

Natural-Born-Chillers-Artwork The Bennies, out of Melbourne, Australia, first grabbed our attention with their 2016 thriller Wisdom Machine. This wild, Aussie 4-piece is returning with an 8-track album titled Natural Born Chillers, which is set to drop on February 2nd, 2018 via Pool House Records / Remote Control Records

The unabashed party animals feature a bipolar mix of skanky, laxed-out reggae dub and heart attack punk rock. “Get High Like An Angel,” the first single off the upcoming record, gives a solid dose of what to expect on Natural Born Chillers; weed anthems, psychedelic interludes, and primal screams. Speaking on the single, lead singer Anty Horgan says: “This song deals with my internal debate about whether to behave and be good – or to fuck it all up and go party.” However, it’s not much of a mystery which path The Bennies prefer.

Natural Born Chillers was recorded with Sam Johnson, and promises to be lyrically and sonically the group’s most focused and mature work to date. But don’t let that new found maturity fool you, The Bennies’ unbridled energy and party-or-die-trying mindset is unparalleled, and simply doesn’t come with an off switch.

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The Flying Vipers : Website

FlyingVipers-band-photo1 2018 brings the debut full length release from The Flying Vipers, a dub side project from the Boston Mass band Destroy Babylon. To date, the project has released 3 tapes of grimey and bouncy dub cuts that would sound at home coming out of King Tubby’s very own speakers. The beautiful thing about these previous releases is they were recorded on a Tascam 488, which was an early cassette recorder that tracked to ordinary commercial cassettes.

The LP is due out in the summer and if the first 3 tapes are any indication, this is going to be a fantastic release. This is what Marc Beaudette had to say about the release: “The new material is written and demo’d. We’ll track everything this winter using the same method as the other releases – vintage gear, recorded and mixed live to an 8-track cassette recorder, keeping the spirit of our favorite Jamaican dub records of the 70’s.”

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Ballyhoo! : Website

Ballyhoo_2017 Maryland’s homegrown punk-rock-reggae favorites Ballyoo! will be releasing their 7th full-length album this summer. Front-man Howi Spangler told The Pier it will contain more than their usual number of tracks and includes guest appearances by Eric Rachmany of Rebelution as well as Billy Kottage, Matt Appleton and Johnny Christmas of Reel Big Fish. Spangler told us to be ready for everything we’ve come to love about Ballyhoo!, including catchy melodies, sing-a-long hooks, tongue and cheek humor, and vintage influence. He said to anticipate some trailblazing, including darker songs atypical of the standard Ballyhoo! sound. The band is working with engineer Mike Stebe, who also engineered their 2011 and 2013 releases Daydreams and Pineapple Grenade, respectively. Ballyhoo! is recording much of the album in their home studio in Aberdeen, Maryland, and some in Orlando, Florida. The band will be producing the album themselves.

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Ethan Tucker : Website

EthanTucker It was 3 years ago that Ethan Tucker released his last studio album, Misunderstood, that saw him working with Mario C. of Beastie Boys and Michael Franti. Since then, he was featured on NBC’s The Voice and was a guest vocalist Toko Tasi’s remix of “Rockstar.”

This summer, Ethan is aiming to release a 10-13 track record of songs that fit together in telling the strongest story. He’s worked in production with Jungle Josh, Dru Decaro and Max Watters. Ethan tells The Pier his thoughts toward the records theme, saying: “I have been throwing around a few ideas back and forth the one I keep coming back to is ‘Phoenix’ it is the title of one of the tracks but I like the idea of a bird that continually grows by burning down and then rising from its own ashes.”

In conclusion, Ethan shares: “This record I’ve been experimenting with blending more electronic sounds of drums and synths with my signature blend of acoustic and electric guitar. I think you should be excited about this release because I think there are so many sonic layers that most people have never heard from me before and it’s taking my music to another level.”

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Bad Religion : Website

BadReligion Bad Religion fans have endured five long years since a new release from Greg Graffin and company. And while their discography of 16 studio albums certainly warrants plenty of selections to keep listeners busy, anticipation has been growing rapidly as time has progressed with reports of Bad Religion’s forthcoming new studio album officially in the works.

Dating back to the recording sessions and release of True North in 2013, Bad Religion has played some musical chairs from a lineup perspective – Greg Hetson (guitar and backing vocals) had been with the band from 1984 – 2013, and Brooks Wackerman (drums) played with the band for 14 years and officially departed in 2015 to join Avenged Sevenfold. Since then, they’ve confirmed Jamie Miller to be their new drummer and added Mike Dimkich to play guitar alongside the esteemed Brett Gurewitz and Brian Baker. The new additions are expected to be on the forthcoming as-of-this-moment untitled record from the punk rock heroes.

While Bad Religion also released a Christmas album in October 2013 (the first record since Into The Unknown in 1983 to not feature Hetson), fans are eager to hear news of the new album. We reached out to the Bad Religion camp with Epitaph Records, and details were slim – however multiple reports have surfaced that the new album is scheduled for release in “mid-2018” and that a tour alongside The Offspring is very possible. Gurewitz has gone on record that the band is writing their new album, and Graffin backed that in a follow-up interview stating that significant attention would be presented to writing and recording following the release of his third solo record Millport last year.

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The Movement : Website

The Movement 2017 brought us a new track from The Movement entitled “Siren” featuring Stick Figure, and reminded fans why the South Carolina reggae ensemble is always at the top of the list of bands that never fail to deliver – 2018 should be no different as The Movement will be releasing their next record aimed for the Spring.

The Movement’s own Joshua Swain was able to give us the details on their forthcoming release. The album is slated to have 14-16 tracks and will thematically revolve around the meaning of life, including the frustrations, love, consciousness and beauty that comes along with it. The album is being recorded out of White Star Studios in Louisa, VA, and Johnny Cosmic of Stick Figure will be at the helm producing and engineering the record.

As for the direction and what fans can expect for the record, Joshua gave us some insight: “I think the mark of a great band is keeping every record fresh and original. We want to take the themes, instrumentation, lyrics, and production of ‘Golden,’ and build upon it, hopefully creating something that is unique and indicative to this time in our lives.”

Josh continues on by sharing: “As we grow as humans and musicians, the music changes. Our perceptions change and the way that we express that change is ultimately different with each new song. I hope our fans are as excited as we are with the anticipation of this release. We hope to deliver an experience. We want our fans to feel something, whether it is what WE are feeling, or whether it is the emotions that are revealed through their interpretation of the music. Above all, we want them to be excited at the prospect of a life filled with love, wisdom, freedom, and wholeness.”

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Rebelution : Website

Rebelution Speculation and anticipation has been mounting since their release of the Grammy nominated record, Falling Into Place from June 2016. The album has helped the Isla Vista quartet gain even more notoriety the past couple of years, from sold out headlining performances at Red Rocks to lighting up the stage on sold-out tours. Fans who have kept close tabs on the band’s activity over the past few months were pleased to learn that we will see a new album from Rebelution in 2018!

While reports back from Rebelution were meager, we do have confirmation that an album will be released with new single(s) expected early this year. Lead vocalist and guitarist Eric Rachmany tweeted just a few weeks ago that he “Can’t wait for everyone to hear our new album. Look for new music to be released early 2018.” It was also confirmed that mixing for the currently untitled album was completed on December 14th, 2017.

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Krooked Treez : Website

KROOKED-TREES4196ses This summer, Los Angeles, CA based Reggae-Hip Hop group Krooked Treez will release their sophomore record Born Calizeans. The album includes guest appearances by Sen Dog of Cypress Hill, Sid Wilson of Slipknot, Karim Israel of Arise Roots, and Moi of Tomorrows Bad Seeds, among many more.

The record will be about 12 tracks working with producers Brian Vasquez at BNV Studios & 17 Hertz Studio in North Hollywood along with Josh of Stoney Eye Studios.

Here’s what vocalist O. Brown told The Pier about the follow up to their debut 2013 release of Higher Place: “Lyrically we all took a step up on this album. We took this album back to our roots shooting 4 music videos in Belize directed by Concrete. We shot amazing footage in The Mayan Ruins, Jungles, fresh water Blue hole, Belize City, and more.” The group has already released singles “Militant Soliders,” “Dr. Kevorkian and “Rise.”

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KBong : Website

KBong_Press_GuitarFORWEBSITE We can’t wait for this one! You most likely know Kevin “KBong” Bong as the always-uplifting and exuberant keyboardist for Stick Figure – however if you aren’t aware KBong also released his debut record entitled Hopes and Dreams in 2014. The album is a worthy addition to your collection and featured guest collaborations with Alific, HIRIE as well as Stick Figure on the hit single “Livin’ Easy.” It has now been confirmed that we’ll see KBong’s new album entitled Easy To Love You in April 2018.

We connected with KBong and he served up plenty of details for his sophomore release, confirming that Easy To Love You will have 12 tracks, featuring guest vocals on four of the tracks including Raging Fyah, The Movement, Johnny Cosmic and Stick Figure. The album was recorded entirely on the road while on tour with Johnny Cosmic who’d been producing for over 16 years.

KBong shares details on the record: “The overall theme is about love. It’s about the things in this life that inspire us to give or receive love… What I love about this record is that naturally, it feels and sounds like a follow up to ‘Hopes and Dreams.’ The production, song writing, lyrics have all been from my personal experience over the last 3 years since ‘Hopes and Dreams.’ I feel like the approach and sound has been taken to that next level with new experiences you can hear in the music. And working with Johnny really added a new dynamic to the record.”

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Roots of Creation : Website

ROC Grateful Dub Roots of Creation, based out of New Hampshire, are releasing one of the more unique records of 2018. On March 9th, the group will drop Grateful Dub: a Reggae Inspired Tribute to the Grateful Dead. The tribute record will include 12 new tracks and 1 bonus remix.

The album will feature guest vocals by Stephen Marley, Marlon Asher, Dan Kelly of Fortunate Youth, Jesse Wagner of The Aggrolites, Hayley Jane with additional contributions from G. Love on harmonica, Melvin Seals of Jerry Garcia Band on Organ along with Andy AG Geib of Slightly Stoopid on trumpet, Billy Kottage of Reel Big Fish on trombone and Alex Brander of Big D & The Kids Table on percussion.

The group is working with Grammy Award winning producer, engineer, mixer, producer, Errol Brown. The vast majority of the album was tracked and mixed at Studio.Metronome in the groups hometown of Brookline, NH. Special guests tracked their parts in Los Angeles, CA.

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Tunnel Vision : Website

TunnelVision It’s been 3 years since San Clemente, CA’s Tunnel Vision released their debut self-titled record. We’ve been fans ever since and were hoping they’d have it in mind to release a new record in 2018. Reaching out, the guys confirmed that they plan to release their sophomore release this March. The title of the new record is Days Away and will include 14 total tracks (with a secret track secretly planned for physical copies).

The Reel Big Fish horn-section of Billy Kottage on trombone, Matt Appleton on sax, and Johnny “Christmas” Christianson on trumpet all make a guest appearance blaring the horn sections on the new record. The album itself was recorded at Pot of Gold studios with David Irish.

Tunnel Vision describes it as the perfect sequel to their first record with more upbeat, aggressive tunes along with some irie reggae tunes. The group tells The Pier: “This album means a lot to us. The last album was sort of a San Clemente Lifestyle themed record about all the things we loved to do growing up in San Clemente, CA. All of the songs on this record were written after we started touring for a couple of years and really facing the life as real musicians. Along with the good, the bad, and the frustrating times of living in a van traveling across the country surfing, skating, and playing music.”

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