Idolator

In just a few weeks, the Shins release their third effort, Wincing The Night Away. But in music-blog land—a weird, Logan's Run-like region where no album is allowed to live longer than 30 days—it came out back in October, when it first leaked onto the Web. And so, instead of writing up some speculative and show-offy 2007 preview, we instead present the five records that have already reached the masses (or are just about to reach them). After the click-through, the albums we enjoy so much, we've already ruined them for ourselves:

1) LCD Soundsystem, Sound Of Silver
RELEASE DATE: March 20
WHY WE'RE ALREADY SICK OF IT: The follow-up to 2005's LCD Soundsystem has the sort of long-form head-nodders ("Get Innocuous") and maudlin comedowns ("Someone Great") that bartenders love to play non-stop. Expect the same amount of downtown ubiquity as Moby's Play (which we also loved at first listen).
WHEN YOU'LL GET SICK OF IT: At a June 13th birthday party, as some drunk guy sings along with "New York I Love You".

2) Fountains Of Wayne, Traffic & Weather
RELEASE DATE: April 3
WHY WE'RE ALREADY SICK OF IT: It's a Fountains Of Wayne record, and accordingly, we have played it non-stop for days. These guys aren't exactly lacking in hooks, you know.
WHEN YOU'LL GET SICK OF IT: In mid-September, when opening track "Someone To Love" is used in the trailer for some terrible Drew Barrymore movie.

3) Bloc Party, A Weekend In The City
RELEASE DATE: Feb. 6
WHY WE'RE ALREADY SICK OF IT: This album's low- quality leak was almost immediately followed by a bunch of nerds engaging in a race to dismiss it first—honestly, City has seen more hype-and-bust waves than records that have been out since last February. A shame, because it's actually a spikier improvement on the band's last album. (Note: Your Idolators do not actually agree on this last point.)
WHEN YOU'LL GET SICK OF IT: At 1:30 a.m. on Feb. 9, thanks to an excitable sibling who is "oh my god you guys SO EXCITED to have this CD."

4) Grinderman, Grinderman
RELEASE DATE: April 10
WHY WE'RE ALREADY SICK OF IT: We've said it before, but we'll say it again: when Nick Cave goes into full-on grunting-through-the-grime mode, we can't help but listen again and again.
WHEN YOU'LL GET SICK OF IT: Sometime in mid-July, thanks to an ill-fated iTunes shuffle on a really nice day.

5) Ted Leo, Living With The Living
RELEASE DATE: March 20
WHY WE'RE ALREADY SICK OF IT: Ted sounds closer than ever to his Chisel roots. He also sounds Irish.
WHEN YOU'LL GET SICK OF IT: Next month, when it's played between sets at the Plug Awards.

And four albums we look forward to being sick of soon:
1) Kelly Clarkson, Operation Y.'.A.L.L. (tentative title)
2) Amerie, Because I Love It
3) Lil' Wayne (untitled)
4) Tracey Thorn, Out Of The Woods