If It's Too Loud...

This is a ridiculously busy new release week, so let's just go through what we can today, and we'll get to the rest tomorrow. The Ballroom Thieves - The Wolf in the Doorway : Ken sent this over to me saying he felt it was too Lumineers for his taste, but I can't really agree. Yes, it's got hints of the sort of strident folk/rock hybrids that have been so pervasive in the music culture as of late, but the only real negative thing I can say about this debut is that they don't do enough to set themselves apart. They come across a lot like The Wind and the Wave without being so aggressive, or perhaps a less interesting Civil Wars, and, while being good is fine and all, it misses the mark in possibly being great on first listen. Definitely take a flyer on this, though, it may have a lot of growth potential. They Might Be Giants - Glean : I'm perfectly within the wheelhouse of who should be a fan of TMBG. Still, maybe I'm just a little too young to have re...

Chicago has a legendary blues and jazz scene. One of the newest artists to come out of it recently has been Lili K. You might recognize the name from appearing on Chance the Rapper's " Hey Ma " and " Pusha Man ," but that track barely captures Lili K's talents. "I Don't Want You No More" comes across like a more youthful and fun Lake Street Dive fronted by a 50s teenage R&B singer, with just the slightest hint of indie rock thrown in. Where most jazz has a stodgy, formal feel, this track is an absolute blast . Even the video is fun, looking like both Sonic Youth's videos for Goo  and mid-90s films starring Parker Posey.  Lili K's debut album, RUBY , is due out April 21 on Freshly Baked Records. For more information, you can find her on Facebook , Twitter , and her own official website .