Sturgis native David Hersrud brings his years in the music industry and lifelong interest in discovering new music to this episode of Fresh Tracks.
It's still winter in South Dakota, and it's a great time to relax, experiment, and find some new music. What better place than public radio to discover albums you might not bump into anywhere else?
David Hersrud says the vinyl production supply chain has compelled some artists to bump their album release dates back as much as six months. (We're not blaming Adele, but the struggle lingers.)
Here are a few featured gems scheduled for 2023 release:
Margo Price: Strays (release date: January 13, 2023)
New music from the "Unstoppable, Unsinkable, Uninhibited" Margo Price. In creating what might be her biggest album yet, the alt-country singer decamped from her suburban home, packed her guitar and psychedelics, and went searching for new sounds.
Price has navigated the pandemic, penned a memoir, and launched her fourth album Strays into the wild. Here is an artist with "something to say and nothing to prove."
John Cale: Mercy (release date: January 20, 2023)
This is Cale's 17th album as the artist celebrates his 81st birthday. Mercy includes collaborations from Animal Collective, Sylvan Esso, Weyes Blood, and Fat White Family. Cale is known for his musical innovation; his songs don't always go where you think they are headed.
An industry pushing towards novel releases might help an artist like Cale find new audiences. But since David Bowie already called him one of the most underrated musicians in rock history, it seems John Cale can be content in pushing music's frontiers for 50 years and counting.
Black Belt Eagle Scout: The Land, The Water, The Sky (February 10, 2023)
This is the third album from multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter Katherine Paul. Her previous album At The Party With My Brown Friends found a home on multiple annual "Best Of" lists. The upcoming tour draws as near as Denver (April 4) and Minneapolis (April 7).
Paul's albums can defy definition. The 12 songs here reflect upon her journey back to her homelands around the Skaget River in Washington during the pandemic time of collective trauma.
Ladytron: Time's Arrow (release date: January 20, 2023)
Ladytron is an English electric pop band worth taking a chance on. Time's Arrow is the band's 7th release; they formed in Liverpool in 1999. When not fully engaged in Ladytron, band members launch into solo DJ projects in clubs and venues around the world. The constant contact with audiences serves them well.
"Where we are from, it is always Halloween," band members say. Take a listen to Ladytron and see how an open mind might suit your ears.
