Friday Freebie: Lucius - Lucius Get Noisey

Currently over at Noisetrade is a short EP of live songs from blog favorite Lucius titled Lucius Get Noisey. The live version of "Turn it Around" is great as well as the song they did for the Radiolab podcast.

Check it out!

First Listen: New Releases for September 24

A pretty busy new release week, all things considered. Lots of interesting stuff, so let's dive in.

Future Sound of London - Environment Five: A common theme with the reviews this week will be the expectations that a lot of the artists provide. For example, with FSOL, I've come to expect some pretty good electronic stuff, often understated but uniquely FSOL (and especially with their Environment series). This album slots right in with what I was hoping to hear, and works for me on a whole. Significant fans might quibble with some of it or still wish it was closer to a lot of what they were doing two decades ago, but I really enjoyed this and those who like electronic music and need a break from the new Aphex Twin would be wise to check this out.

Mr Twin Sister - Mr Twin Sister: Formerly simply Twin Sister, I expected something a lot different than the dreamy indie pop we got from this. It's an interesting listen, but I'm still on the fence as to whether it's a good one. Perhaps more time with leaving my expectations at the door could help, but this failed to grab me on first listen.

Marketa Irglova - Muna: Marketa Irglova, the girl from Once and one half of The Swell Season, has had a rocky solo track record for me. I've never quite felt that she's achieved what I hoped to hear given her work on Once, but Muna is a pleasant surprise as it sounds like she's finally hit what I wanted to hear. A truly gorgeous folk-style record with a lot of sweeping musical choices along the way, this is a really high quality album that I hope doesn't fall through the cracks in what's been a pretty good year so far. Highly, highly recommended.

Lights - Little Machines: Lights keeps getting better. Her first album was solid, but her second, Siberia, was really solid. A lot of those songs still get stuck in my head years later. Little Machines is the latest release and continues her trajectory into a more pop-oriented electronic sound with songs like "Up We Go" just lodging themselves into my ear and not getting back out. A really great album for fans of the electro-pop genre, really something I loved.

Perfume Genius - Too Bright: Perfume Genius is one of those indie buzz artists that I never 100% seem to get into. This is a star-studded, sparse affair with some beautiful stuff happening, but none of it is really grabbing me on first listen. It's going to need a few more listens for me, but, like the Mr Twin Sister record, this isn't what I was necessarily expecting.

Aphex Twin - Syro: Release of the week for me is Aphex Twin's first release (well, first as Aphex Twin) in 13 years, Syro. Stereogum offered a track from it last week, and I recall comparing it to a warm blanket of sorts, a weird analogy for an artist that seems to exist to circumvent expectation and prefer a difficult listening experience. No, Syro, like pretty much anything since I Care Because You Do, is not straightforward in almost any way shape or form, and that means that it will inevitably turn off most listeners. Those, however, who find his type of music appealing will be very happy with this latest release. It feels out of time in a sense, as it sounds unlike anything coming out right now as well as unlike anything that came out in 2001 when we got Druqks. I personally love the album as an Aphex Twin fan, so take that as you will. It's my favorite release of the week, and is worth a few minutes at least.

Leonard Cohen - Popular Problems: One of two people in their 80s featured on the blog this week, Leonard Cohen's Popular Problems is a hard album to review or describe, as it's got some spoken word bits, got some sung bits, and is...well, it's an interesting listen. It's nice to know he still has it, but I still have the nagging feeling that I like Cohen more as a songwriter than a performer, and that might shade things a bit. It's worth listening because, hey, it's Leonard Cohen, but temper your expectations.

Imelda May - Tribal: It was roughly 15 seconds into the awesome opening song, "Tribal," that I realized that I thought Imelda May was someone else entirely. I still don't know who I've confused her with, but I'm glad I did because I wouldn't have discovered this retro-sounding songstress otherwise. The album is a throwback in all the good ways, moving at a brisk pace from start to finish and sounding like an old rockabilly record in the process. Definitely worth a listen if you're someone reading this blog.

Julian Casablancas and The Voidz - Tyranny: Julian Casablancas of The Strokes with a different band making a truly strange album that defies description and is completely out of left field in every way simply doesn't work at all. This is very avant-garde in some respects, and I really didn't like it at all. Highly recommend skipping this one.

Tweedy - Sukirae: Tweedy, the project of Wilco's Jeff Tweedy and his son Spencer, well, it's okay. It doesn't feel like a Wilco record (and I haven't really enjoyed Wilco in some time), and it does feel like a pretty standard folk rock album, but it feels almost like dad rock in a sense, and I don't really know. It's an album that a lot of people will like, and fans of Wilco or Jeff Tweedy would love, but it's not working for me on first listen at all.

Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga - Cheek to Cheek: Tony Bennett is 88 years old, and you'd never know it. Lady Gaga is in her 20s and has left her out-there pretenses at the door for an album of jazzy vocal standards that really works for what it is. The two clearly work well together, Bennett still has a great voice at his age, and the only negative about this is the truly scary photo they use on the album cover. There's always going to be a time where you'll need an album like this, and this is a good one to throw into that rotation, really. Pretty well done.

The Red-Headed Indian - Honey: The final release this week is from newcomer The Red-Headed Indian, who offers something sort of soul, sort of folk, but otherwise completely brilliant from start to finish. It caught me by complete surprise, as these debut EPs can often be lacking in the production or songwriting area, but this just brings it. There's not a bad song on the EP, and the only downside is that it's only 6 songs long. This gives me the same feeling that Lady Lamb the Beekeeper's album from last year did, and I can't wait to see what we're going to get next. Highly, highly recommended.




Also out this week:

* Laetitia Sadier - Something Shines
* Gary Clark Jr. - Gary Clark Jr. Live

The Dead Milkmen - "Make It Witchy"

The Dead Milkmen have released a 2nd song of their forthcoming (and fantastic) album Pretty Music For Pretty People. "Make It Witchy" is a synth-heavy punk song that leans very heavily on Rodney Anonymous' trademark snarl. It sounds like a lost song from the Bucky Fellini sessions. You can listen to it below, and while you're at it you can preorder Pretty Music For Pretty People at Amazon, and check out the Dead Milkmen's official website.

First Listen: New Releases for September 16

A bit of stuff came out in pre-release this week, surprisingly. Here's some highlights!

U2 - Songs of Innocence: One comment I read said that this U2 album is the best they've done in years. Another, in a comment about Apple putting out a program allowing users to remove the album from iTunes, said that Songs of Innocence is "so terrible it should be considered malware." As someone who legitimately thinks U2's best album is All That You Can't Leave Behind, this album is... somewhere in the middle. It's a solid album from a band that's been around longer than I have, but I'm not sure if it's really anything world-shattering outside of the distribution method that got it into the hands of possibly hundreds of millions. Kudos to U2 for the marketing ploy, not so much sold on the end result, though. As someone who isn't a U2 guy, though, I may not be the best judge.

Megan Washington - There There: At some point in the last few weeks, some music blog put up "My Heart is a Wheel" from this album and I really liked it. It's sort of an off-center pop song, and it doesn't always take much for me to enjoy that. When this album popped up on Spotify early, I was excited, and it largely met my needs. It's got some great moments, a number of solid songs, and a somewhat retro feel in many regards. It does suffer from the current pop mindset where the album needs to be about 10-15 minutes shorter, but beyond that flaw, it's definitely worth a listen.

Alt-J - This Is All Yours: An Awesome Wave was my favorite album of 2012 by a longshot, and I'e been eagerly awaiting this follow-up since it was announced. It's a very different album than the debut, with a lot more reliance on instrumental bits than fully-formed songs, but this means that it's more of a mood piece than anything else. Yes, "Every Other Freckle" and "Hunger of the Pine" are great, awesome songs, but if you're expecting a darkish singalong like the debut album, you might be disappointed. For me? I really loved this on first listen, and I'm looking forward to spending a lot more time with it.

The Asteroids Galaxy Tour - Out of Frequency: Most only know Asteroids Galaxy Tour from their Apple commercial seven or so years ago. They're actually a pretty great band, all things considered, and while the latest album lacks that song like "Around the Bend" or "Heart Attack" that grabs you immediately, there are still a lot of solid moments throughout. We'll see if this has staying power, but I fear it's not going to be the breakout effort I was hoping for as well.

This Will Destroy You - Another Language: Upon realizing that I'm not actually against instrumental rock music after really enjoying Mogwai's latest, I decided to give this a shot. It's enjoyable enough, more a soundscape than anything else (and a loud one at that), and fans of more instrumental, harder rock music will find plenty to enjoy here on a whole, I think.

James - La Petite Mort: Karoake mainstays James released a new album in the US this week. Honestly, it has some catchy moments, but feels woefully overproduced and terribly dated, which might be expected from a band that hasn't charted in the States in close to 20 years. A tough one, and I don't know what I expected, to be honest.

My Brightest Diamond - This Is My Hand: I've tried mightily to get into My Brightest Diamond ever since the lead singer teamed with The Decemberists back whenever, and it's never really clicked with me until this album. I can't tell you for sure whether this is actually much different than their other fare, but it's a really great indie rock record with some interesting parts to it. The album feels more straightforward than I remember, so perhaps longtime listeners will expect something different, but for me, this is working so far. Definitely worth a listen if you're looking to branch out a bit.

Mike Doughty - Stellar Motel: If the question "what if Mike Doughty of Soul Coughing did a hip hop album" ever crossed your mind, Stellar Motel will be your answer. This is a really fascinating album on a number of fronts, although I did spend a lot of time saying "man, what?" to myself with some of the songs. This might be a grower, so I'm going to have to give this some more time before throwing in the towel, but this one is absolutely a must hear.

Dead Man's Town: A Tribute to Springsteen's Born in the U.S.A.: A lot of Ken and I's favorite roots/alt-country artists do their own takes of tracks from Bruce Springsteen's Born in the USA. I'm not a Springsteen guy, being too young and not being from New Jersey, and so there's not a lot of context here I'm getting. The songs I know have interesting versions, the songs I don't seem pleasant enough, but I can't say this did a ton for me outside of that. Springsteen fans might find more to it.

Allah-Lahs - Worship the Sun: Allah-Lah's, so I read, are four surfer guys who used to or still work at the famed Amoeba Records in California. It is the most retro album that ever retroed in a lot of respects, and if you're into that sort of psych rock that seems to always be on the cusp of a comeback, this album is going to be your new favorite. As for me, I enjoyed the Temples album from earlier this year more, so your mileage may ultimately vary.

The Dead Milkmen - "Pretty Music For Pretty People"

Next month there's a new album from the Dead Milkmen coming out, and they just released the first song from it, the title track "Pretty Music For Pretty People." It's a typical rambling happy sounding upbeat punk song with angry, evil lyrics. In other words, it's the best type of Dead Milkmen song. It's a diatribe against the fluffy, meaningless popular music that means absolutely nothing that wins awards. The type of music that is more about how pretty the musician is than anything meaningful, and is meant to be enjoyed for being... well, pretty. It's more bitter and angry than almost anything so-called punks in their 20s have come out with for years.

Pretty Music For Pretty People is due to come out on 10/7. You can pre-order it now on Amazon. You can also check out their website for more info and tour dates. I'm sure we'll be all over any Dead Milkmen news as soon as it becomes available.

Monday Mix: The Two Man Gentlemen Band

After months of waiting, the latest offering from The Two Man Gentlemen Band landed on Spotify recently. With their show in Cambridge coming up, and the band being a longtime blog favorite, I figured this week would be a good place to do a quick introductory piece.

First Listen: New Releases for September 9

I hope you like indie rock, because there's a lot of indie rock out this week.

Karen O - Crush Songs: Karen O essentially branches out solo to share what sound like basement tapes of song fragments. While "Singalong" is close to a complete piece, this is really not an interesting record unless you're really into Karen O and/or The Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

Interpol - El Pintor: Interpol fell off my radar somewhere around a decade ago. Nothing significantly against them, it's more that they didn't feel like anything new or fresh was coming, and, frankly, I thought Editors started doing Interpol better. So El Pintor is being described by some as a return to form, and, well, I can at least say that I'm enjoying this particular Interpol record more than the previous ones I've listened to. It feels dark and mysterious in ways their first couple albums did, but, at least on first listen, it lacks that killer track like "Obstacle 1" or "Evil." It's worth a listen, and I'll give it another shot for sure.

Ryan Adams - Ryan Adams: The often-prolific Ryan Adams has a new album out weeks after releasing an EP of sorts, and I will preface this by saying that I really liked my first exposure to this album. Ryan Adams has really grown as a performer and songwriter, and it shows here. If there's a downside, it's almost as if Ryan Adams is morphing into a sort of combination Mark Knopfler/Tom Petty as he gets older, and it's just a little jarring to hear from time to time. This album, though, has a lot of potential to have some staying power, so it's worth a listen to see where he's taking his roots-tinged rock this go 'round.

Avi Buffalo - At Best Cuckold: Avi Buffalo made a bit of a splash with their debut album 4 years ago, although "What's It In For" was really the standout track with a lot of extras. With the lead singer/songwriter being only 19, it explains a lot about the tone and content of the album on a whole, and thus the progression into this album, which is a giant step ahead for the band. The songs feel more complete, the album more cohesive, and while I liked it quite a bit, I know 23 year old Jeff would have loved this. A solid indie rock album from start to finish, even with flaws.

Tennis - Ritual in Repeat: One of my favorite releases for this week, Tennis has stepped up their game considerably since Cape Dory. I realized, upon looking up the information for this release, that I apparently missed their second album or it left no impression, but I really loved this one. The production value is up, the songwriting quality has been raised, and there's a ton to love here. If you enjoy somewhat-retro sounding indie pop, this is an album you must check out this week.

Sloan - Commonwealth: Imagine my surprise upon learning that Sloan has been at this for 23 years. Commonwealth, their eleventh album, is less power pop and more comfortable pop rock, but it still brings some quality throughout. I can't say there's anything immediately memorable (outside of the super-long final track), but, at the same time, you'll be hard-pressed to find much else negative to say about this album. Sloan is still pretty great, and that's what matters.

Banks - Goddess: Arguably the most anticipated release of the week, Banks has a debut album that falls well in line with Lana Del Ray, Lorde, and the like - the sort of understated, hazy pop music that keeps the singer at a distance while still the focus of attention. I enjoyed the new Lana Del Ray album, but I might be persuaded to argue that this is better. There are more musical and production chances taken here, and when it works well, it really works. Whether this has the musical staying power of Del Ray's latest remains to be seen, but consider me pleasantly surprised so far.

Death From Above 1979 - The Physical World: Ken and I disagree on this one. He warned me that it was boring, but, for me, it felt exactly like I hoped the new DFA1979 album would sound. Even though the sort of sound they peddle stopped being cool about 8 years ago, there's a sense of urgency and emotion present in the album that I was afraid wouldn't be there, and the standout tracks had me dancing in my seat a bit. It's not as good as their first album, but that wasn't ever going to happen. This is absolutely worth your time, and is a standout release for the week.

The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger - Long Gone: Sean Lennon's project dropped a surprise EP this week that includes a cover of a Syd Barrett tune and some odds and sods from the Midnight Sun sessions. It's just okay, but there might be some highlights or so in here if you're really into this project.

Justin Townes Earle - Single Mothers: I've never been able to get into Justin Townes Earle at all, but his fifth album finally had something click for me. This is a great, rootsy folk record with a lot of catchy hooks and worthwhile songs throughout, to the point where I really feel like I'll be going back to hear more soon. Definitely a highlight of the week, and I can't believe we're both older than him here - he sounds like a throwback of the best kind.

Hiss golden Messenger - Lateness of Dancers: Speaking of artists that I haven't been able to get into, Hiss Golden Messenger's Merge debut is another solid album along the same veins. Perhaps more folky than the JTE album, with lots of Bob Dylan channeling, it's still one that hooked me in rather quickly in ways I didn't expect. A solid release this week, and one you shouldn't miss.

Loudon Wainwright III - Haven't Got the Blues (Yet): I always feel like I'm copping out with this, but it's always nice when you get a new album from a long-established act and it's what you expect. Wainwright doesn't try to be anything he isn't here, and the songs are equally catchy and quirky throughout (with "I'll Be Killing You (This Christmas)" surely becoming a new staple in my holiday mixes), so there aren't any surprises. Another quality outing.

Better Than Ezra - All Together Now: Better Than Ezra is back with their first album in 5 years, and the early 1990s alt-rock stalwarts have really put together a surprisingly fun album. There's a lot here that sounds radio-ready, and yeah, it has some eye-rolly moments as well, but BTE is certainly trying to prove they're not a nostalgia act just yet, and you can tell it works from the opening song. If you had an affinity for their first couple albums, this is absolutely worth a listen. At the very least, you'll come out with a few earworms.

Ballet School - The Dew Lasts an Hour: This group has been making the music blog rounds for some time now, and I was really anticipating this album. It's...a strange one. I really like it even though it seems to have some purposeful choices that I don't love. It feels indie in a lot of ways, which is a benefit, but much of the album sounds alike, which is a drawback. There's enough here to feel optimistic about what's coming down the pike for this duo, but for now, it's worth a listen at least, especially if you like indie electro stuff.




Also out this week:

* Robert Plant - Lullaby and the Ceaseless Roar
* Chris Thile and Edgar Meyer - Bass & Mandolin

Kingsley Flood Have a Unique PledgeMusic Campaign

Boston's Kingsley Flood are holding a PledgeMusic campaign, which may just be the first of its kind. Typically, a band will start a crowdsource campaign for a particular project, like an album or tour. Kingsley Flood are asking fans to support them for a year. It will help them do everything a band does: writing, recording, releasing, touring, etc.

Of course, a crowdsourced campaign doesn't count unless there are rewards. They start the very basic $10, which gets you access to videos, private updates, and a digital download of their most recent album, "Live at the Armory." For $30 you get the extra content plus your choice of t-shirt and signed cd (which really is a bargain, even without extra content). If you're a fan of the band, these smaller donations are no brainers since they get you albums and other merch you want anyway for a reasonable price. There are also more unique options, such as a private house concert for $1500 or watching wrestling with Travis, the drummer, for $100.

For more information, check out Kingsley Flood's PledgeMusic page. You can also find out more about the band on their website.

Monday Mix: Spoon Favorites

Spoon's latest album, They Want My Soul, has been in constant, persistent rotation for some time now, and after taking the holiday weekend off from mix-making, I figured a good way to usher us back in would be to offer some of the best songs that Spoon has released.

Longtime fans will almost certainly disagree with how recent-heavy this mix is, but I've found the band to be much more cohesive as they've aged than perhaps the hardcore fans might. I'd love to hear a mix of songs people think I've missed out on, however, so if you have one, please share. In the meantime, enjoy!

First Listen: New Releases for September 2

A pretty light week for the holiday weekend.

Laura Jean - Laura Jean: I can't say I know the first thing about Laura Jean except that the album cover was fairly striking enough for me to see what it sounded like. The good news is that it's got a very folky vibe to it, but also feels lighter and more fun than perhaps some of the stuff highlighted as of late. "Don't Marry the One You Love" in particular is an early standout track. Definitely worth some of your time this week.

Blonde Redhead - Barragán: I was about halfway through the album when I realized that I was not listening to Concrete Blonde, and then wondering how I've missed Blonde Redhead all these years. This is a quiet, contemplative affair that I fully enjoyed from start to finish, and what it lacks in true standout tracks it makes up for with a really cohesive sound throughout. I have no clue how longtime fans might react to this album, but I'm really liking it and I hope that it ends up having a significant life in my rotation.




Also out this week:

* God Help the Girl soundtrack.