2011 Q1 shopping list

2010 saw me spending a lot of money. Paired with that, while going through album purchases at the end of the year to make a year-end list, I came across many things that I had bought but listened to maybe once or twice - not necessarily because I didn't like it, more because there was so much to take in - and, in a few cases, things I had totally forgotten I purchased. So I decided to take the month of January off from purchasing new music - partially to pay the bills, partially to further explore some forgotten 2010 releases, partially to go through those massive fan-made Blur deluxe editions. (I cheated a little. I have some credit at the iTunes store so I bought the Anna Calvi single after reading about it - the blatant PJ Harvey-isms are a bit distracting, but at the same time she apparently isn't interested in making an album like that any more so it's good someone is - and then there's the use-it-or-lose-it credit on eMusic, but no new money has been spent so far.) Anyways, it wasn't that difficult as not much has come out this month that was really all that interesting - there was the Klaxons deluxe edition this week but there's only two tracks on it I don't already have so waiting isn't that difficult, next week is the Fujiya & Miyagi album but I'd like to wait to hear some more of it before I commit, and the Anna Calvi album came out but I really can't decide - so it appears to have been a good month to do that. However, the calendar is quickly filling up for February and March with lots and lots of really, really good stuff. Let's take a look.

02/02:
Gruff Rhys - Hotel Shampoo - Japanese CD with 2 bonus tracks (from the UK 12"/DL singles that aren't available in the US - grrr)

02/07:
PJ Harvey - The Words That Maketh Murder - 7" (Already available as a download in the UK sans b-side - the US got "Written On The Forehead" for some reason, despite it already being available as a free download from Polly herself. Fuckers.)
The Boxer Rebellion - Step Out Of The Car - 7" (Exclusive b-side not on any of the myriad of formats of the album.)
The Boxer Rebellion - The Cold Still - UK CD release (Recordstore is offering signed copies to the first 100 orders while HMV has an exclusive 4-track bonus CD.)
02/08:
The Boxer Rebellion - The Cold Still - US iTunes download with 3 bonus tracks, none of which overlap with the HMV bonus disc, which is both nice and obnoxious. (Is there a physical version planned for the US? I can't seem to find one.)
Gruff Rhys - Hotel Shampoo - US CD for those who don't want to go the Japanese route.

02/14:
Mirrors - Into The Heart - 7" (No word on b-side yet, but Richard X produced single version!)
02/15:
Mirrors - Into The Heart - US download (I'm assuming, though no one actually has it listed yet.)
PJ Harvey - Let England Shake - CD/LP (Second US vinyl release in a row for PJ - hooray! Also, the iTunes pre-order bonus track is the b-side from the 7" so no need to go that route.)

02/21:
nothing of interest
02/22:
Designer Drugs - Hardcore/Softcore - CD (Good remixers don't always equal good album artists, but this is worth investigating.)

02/28:
Elbow - Neat Little Rows - 7" (Finally, new Elbow!)
03/01:
nah

03/07:
Elbow - Build A Rocket Boys! - CD (And, I'm assuming, LP. No word on a US release yet.)
03/08:
R.E.M. - Collapse Into Now - CD (Could be iffy but worth checking out.)

Also somewhere in there will be the physical release of Duran Duran's 'All You Need Is Now' with extra tracks - please don't fuck it up, it's pretty perfect as it is - and the single release of the title track from last year's Manic Street Preachers album. Also possible is the first single from The Whip's second LP due in the Spring, long-awaited new material from Battles, a dub version of Steve Mason's 'Boys Outside' LP called 'Ghosts Outside' and a single from the Kills record that is out on April 4/5. Active Child is in the studio working on new material though no release has been set, Hunx & His Punx have a proper full-length in the works, Florrie as a second EP and Annie collab in the works (which may or may not be the same thing) and Björk may or may not deliever LP7 in the first half of the year - and which point I may or may not care, she's burned through A LOT of good will over the past five years or so. Also, in the "I'll believe it when I see it" category, that stupid Sound of Arrows album is supposed to be out in the Spring but it may have been delayed - again - the Fall. So I'll see you in 2015 to discuss that one.

All in all, 2011 is shaping up quite nicely. Anything I missed?