Happy second week of November, Her Campus! The leaves are falling, it’s getting relatively chilly, and midterms are mostly over, so right now is the perfect time to check out the most anticipated album releases of this week.
Pop
Reputation / Taylor Swift
To the surprise of absolutely no one, Taylor Swift’s latest album Reputation is on this list. This record features uncharacteristically dark hit singles “LWYMMD” and “…Ready for It?,” but is not a complete departure from her past work. “Gorgeous” (above) has relatable lyrical content and features Swift’s signature soft, confessional vocal style along with lush, 1989-esque production. She may not be able to come to the phone right now, but fans of “the old Taylor” will be glad to know that she’s not dead yet.
Jupiter Calling / The Corrs
The Corrs are a quartet of siblings from Ireland that have been on the music scene since 1990, and Jupiter Calling is their seventh album. “SOS – Song of Syria” (above) features the group’s signature blend of modern pop sounds with Celtic influences in what they admitted to Raidió Teilifís Éireann is their most “politically outspoken and evocative” song to date. It also feels like a breath of fresh air in today’s pop landscape: a socially aware, entirely unique sound that you’ll want to put on repeat.
Country
Set the Record Straight / Billy Ray Cyrus
The one-hit wonder known best for being Hannah Montana’s dad, Billy Ray Cyrus, is celebrating the 25th anniversary of his song “Achy Breaky Heart” with a new album. Set the Record Straight includes collaborations with such rock icons as Joe Perry (Aerosmith), Bryan Adams, and Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple); pop-crossover stars Shelby Lynne, Jencarlos Canela, and daughter Miley Cyrus; and country legends George Jones and Loretta Lynn. It also inexplicably contains two re-recordings of “Achy Breaky,” the Muscle Shoals Mix of which I have provided above for your listening pleasure.
Rock
Synthesis / Evanescence
Amy Lee is back with more heart-wrenching music for the emo that lives inside all of us. Synthesis is mostly orchestral rearrangements of the band’s previous work: imagine “Bring Me to Life” sans-”Wake me up!” However, one of the few new songs on Synthesis, “Imperfection” (above), beautifully showcases the evolution of Lee’s songwriting over the years as her mournful, powerful vocals soar over the stringed instruments in the background.
Jazz
Standards / Seal
Who here remembers the immortal line “Baby, I compare you to a kiss from a rose on the gray”? Seal, who wrote and sang “Kiss from a Rose,” has taken on the world of jazz music with Standards, an album of…you guessed it, standards. I told my mother about it and she said, “[Seal] has a nice voice, I’m excited to hear it singing something else.” Listen to “Luck Be a Lady” (above) and judge for yourself!
Indie
Phases / Angel Olsen
Phases is genre-defying songstress Angel Olsen’s album of deep cuts and rarities. The single “Special” (above) was originally recorded for Olsen’s amazing 2016 album My Woman, but didn’t make the final cut. However, we now get to enjoy the psychedelic-folk-pop track along with other unreleased songs from this wickedly talented artist! You won’t regret checking it out.
What If Nothing / Walk the Moon
Walk the Moon, known for their 2014 hit “Shut Up and Dance,” are releasing their latest album What If Nothing on November 10, giving radio stations a chance to play literally anything other than “Shut Up and Dance.” Perhaps this spot will be filled by “One Foot” (above), a catchy 80s-esque groove that makes listeners want to (shut up and) dance along.
Go forth and discover!
P.S. Here are all these songs as a Spotify playlist, in case you’re on the go and don’t have time for music videos: https://open.spotify.com/user/17limeboto/playlist/5TwVYSQg86AL1JG4h0WOvT