What I Hope 2012 Sounds Like, by Ian Camfield

Xfm DJ and friend of Rock Sound Ian Camfield takes a look ahead at the year's most exciting musical offerings.

Posted Monday, 13 February 2012 by Rock Sound in

Blog

It seems strange to be writing about the 2012 albums I’m looking forward to now we’re two months into the year. But it does mean we can consider how high the bar has already been set. We have been treated to new Lamb Of God, Enter Shikari and Young Guns, all before most of us have given up on our New Year’s Resolutions. And I thought January is meant to be boring!

So what’s next? Well last week I saw Don Broco supporting Four Year Strong. Their singles have featured heavily on my show, but I predict what is in store on their next album will include some of the hookiest songs of the year. They played a couple in their set last Wednesday and they’re still stuck in my head a week later. The crossover potential is huge. At a time when the music from our world is barely bothering the mainstream charts, it’s great to have a relatively new UK act, which could be in with a shot of re-addressing the balance.

If 2012 is Don Broco’s time to establish themselves, I think the next Lostprophets album will either keep them ‘on the map,’ or mean they’re off the radar. The Prophets have become one of those bands some like to knock, but I’ve always admired their work ethic. It’s not been an easy ride, in many cases due to industry elements that had nothing to do with the songs the band were releasing. The Betrayed was solid, if largely unremarkable. But have you heard the first proper single from Weapons? It’s storming. This bodes well.

Will there be a Beady Eye / Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds type of situation with Pure Love and Gallows? Possibly. Not that there’s bad blood within the Carter family. But Frank’s departure made some fans angry and could lead to taking sides. Gallows’ EP with Wade has paved the way for a good full album and it will be interesting to hear what Frank’s new band sound like when they play live this week. I feel the Gallows and Pure Love albums will be very different listening experiences, unlike Noel and Liam’s new, some may say, sub par versions of Oasis. So perhaps the Carters’ parting of ways will be for the greater good.

And then there are forthcoming releases from some of my favourite older bands. In these cases one hopes they will live up to the legend already in place by those outfits’ catalogues. I have an upfront copy of 2012 by Killing Joke. Do you like Jaz Coleman & co? If so you’ll love it. I really want The Cult’s first new album in five years to be as strong – fingers crossed, the song Lucifer is awesome. And then theres’s Van Halen. If ever a band set themselves up for a fall it would surely have been to re-group with David Lee Roth, to initially tour, and then embark on their first new release together since 1984. But, oh how they’ve achieved what many (myself included) considered impossible. A Different Kind Of Truth is a triumph. If only we could get them to play here.

The Rock Show, with Ian Camfield is on Xfm every damn week! For more follow @iancamfield and click here to listen back to the latest show.