Category → New Releases of Note
New Releases of Note 4/13
In the first few months of 2012 we’ve seen a rash of insanely good new releases… here are a few of the latest and greatest to whet your musical appetite!
M. Ward – “A Wasteland Companion”, April 10
M. Ward’s carefully placed voice and interlocking use of language is pristine on this record, his eighth solo offering. His lyrics always fascinate, unencumbered by fuzzy guitar or overridden drums here, laid out like a storybook. The bits of found sound like a clinking piano, creaking door or the punchy jangle of percussion lend a bit of real life to this smoothly produced album. As always, he borrows little snippets, as if from a skipping radio dial, of music from decades before; southern blues, lo-fi rock, lilting pop. Peppered with better-than-usual Zooey Deschanel chorus coos, “A Wasteland Companion” is a surprisingly breezy and satisfying record, nodding fiercely to American dirt rock, smooth 60s R&B and jaunty indie.
M. Ward with Lee Ranaldo Band (of Sonic Youth) at Higher Ground tickets here.
The Black Seeds – “Dust and Dirt”, April 10
This eight member dub afrobeat outfit has been around since 1998 but hasn’t put out a proper album since 2008′s “Solid Ground”. With their newest album just out on Easy Star, they have taken chill to a whole other level. The base of their sound is essentially reggae, which has been morphed/harangued and all around brutalized in the past by less-than-reverent utilizers, but sounds fresh and pleasantly infectious here. Intricate and interlacing keyboards and precise percussion provide the backdrop for samples of jazz, trip-hop and downtempo amid the groovin’ dub background.
Get tickets to their Boulder, CO show here.
Schoolboy Q – “Habits and Contradictions”, January 14
Schoolboy Q has had an interesting life… born in Germany, grew up in LA, joined gangs and sold a LOT of Oxycontin. He’s been AROUND. And while “Habits and Contradictions” is a filthy-mouthed rap album and gritty as all get-out, the beat is oh so salacious. Seductive saxophones make a surprising appearance (very Morphine-esque) in “There He Go” and new fave A$AP Rocky steps in on the supremely catchy “Hands On The Wheel”. This album is moody and dark, laced with the intense and emotional flow of Schoolboy Q, fettered only by the electro-introduced interlude skits so prevalent in hip hop. His rhymes are quick-witted and tempo-pushing, strange at times but irresistibly compelling.
Catch Schoolboy Q at Higher Ground May 4th and at the Fox Theatre May 12th.
Scope other recent new releases sure to tickle your ear-fancy…
- Alabama Shakes- “Boys & Girls” ———-> Tickets
- Bassnectar- “Vava Voom” ———-> Tickets
- Bear in Heaven- “I Love You, It’s Cool” ———-> Tickets
- Hoodie Allen- “All American”
- Miike Snow- “Happy to You”
- Of Monsters and Men- “My Head is an Animal”
- Rusko- “Songs”
- Sucre- “A Minor Bird” ———-> Tickets
- The Shins- “Port of Morrow”
New Releases of Note 8/25
With all of our showgoing and ticket wranglin’ sometimes we forget to take a moment to note the new albums that are being released every Tuesday. We miss A LOT of great releases (well, there are just so many!), but that’s about to change. From now on we promise to take a looksy at some recent album releases and pass them on to you, here, in our “New Releases of Note” feature.
(this is by no means a comprehensive list or releases)
Active Child – “You Are All I See”, Aug. 23
I became slightly addicted to Active Child’s previous release, the “Curtis Lane” EP. It was full to the brim with big sound while simultaneously feeling empty, coupling drama-building soaring vocals with throbbing deep electro beats. This new release, from my introductory listens, represents more of his harpist side, trilling layered falsetto vocals set at a more at-ease pace. “You Are All I See” is just as beautiful, and possibly even more enthralling.
I Break Horses – “Hearts”, Aug. 22
“Hearts” has it’s own distinct sound, don’t get me wrong, but the correlation between their music and the likes of bands such as M83 and Slowdive are hard to ignore. They’re all about gauzy shoegaze, heart-swelly buildups and buzzing synths, the sort of sounds that really present best if they’re administered through a big fuzzy pair of headphones.
CSS – “La Liberacion”, Aug. 23
Everyone’s favorite party-starters CSS are back with their followup to 2008′s “Donkey”. They’re still lighthearted electro-zapped dancey new wave and they’re still catchy. If you liked CSS before “Donkey” (which, let’s be honest, was kind of a downer), “La Liberacion” will likely not disappoint. It’s freewheeling and quirky Brazilian fun, ya’ll.
Zee Avi – “Ghostbird”, Aug. 23
Borneo-born, Kuala Lumpur-raised and London-educated singer and guitar player Zee Avi got her start via some well-deserved You Tube buzz and has blossomed into an earnest, sweet gem of an artist. Her sound, reminscent of a hipper Norah Jones, is so wistful and gentle, and just downright refreshing.
Sonic Youth – “Hits are for Squares”, Aug. 23
“Hits are for Squares” might be my ideal Sonic Youth album. There are a few of their releases that are killer, start to finish, but others not so much. And while I’m not usually a greatest hits album kind of person, the stunning collection of their best tracks to date on this record makes it a fantastic and lengthy listen. Mega bonus points for including the Carpenter’s cover “Superstar”.
Ganglians – “Still Living”, Aug. 23
Sun-dappled top-down drives, jangly garage bands seen on the fly, drippy sno-cones leaking all over your flip flops… this is the essence of Ganglians new release. They’re a brighter, less-strange version of noise pop faves like Wavves and Woods, blissed-out and built on a heavy dose of psychedelia. “Still Living” is a highly enjoyable end-of-summer soundtrack.
Anna Aaron – “Dogs in Spirit”, Aug. 19
Anna Aaron’s husky voice chants the beginning of this album in, punctuating it by chilling chorus girl melodies and then destroying it all (in a very good way) with unexpected buzzing feedback interludes. She has an easy, yet angry, style about her… think Tori Amos + PJ Harvey + Shannon Wright.
And… some more:
Dead Black Hearts – “The Southern Front”
Oh, the Good Life – “Talking with Turtles”
Patti Smith – “Outside Society”
Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks – “Mirror Traffic”
The Stepkids – “Legend In My Own Mind”
Stephen Merritt – “Obscurities”
Trevor Hall – “Everything, Everytime, Everywhere”
What’s tickling YOUR musical fancy as of late?
