3/6 new arrivals

Indeed, it is finally Arcade Fire Day, but the long tail is big effect, with new albums from Amon Tobin, Barenaked Ladies, RJD2 and many others.

Arcade Fire: No use offering an opinion on this until I really listen hard to it, although I think Joe might chime in later with a differing take than the eMusic review.

Amon Tobin: I haven’t heard anything about this record, but he has yet to make a bad one.

Amps for Christ: From Mark Richardson’s AMG review: “Popping The Oak in the Ashes into the CD player is like rummaging through an old steamer trunk that hasn’t been opened in 50 years: each song is a dusty treasure from another world… Highly recommended.” Aside his antiquated language — CDwuh? — dude is right on.

Barenaked Ladies, “Michael Brennan”: This is the track that came about from the 100 millionth download contest — person who downloads the 100 millionth track gets a song written about them by BNL — and it’s appropriately un-serious and goofy. One thing I want to say is that the dude the song is about, Mr. Brennan, is an absolute treat. Joe and I both had the pleasure of talking to him, and he is incredibly smart and insightful and very, very kind. He’s also a poet, whether he knows it or not. He referred to spending time with a particularly flighty friend as “like dancing with smoke.” There are masterpieces written with less. Later this week maybe we’ll post the list of questions we asked him — it was an inordinate list that I made in hopes that a simple page (or two) of queries could help define a man. This was before I admitted to myself that this was all for a novelty song, but Michael really went out of his way to endure all of our poking and prodding. A great dude, and we will always wish him well.

Okkervil River: Black Sheep Boy, a record everyone seemed to love but me, gets a digital reissue with an entire extra disc of material.

The Greencards: Newgrass/folk fusion stuff; once toured with Dylan; played in the eMusic offices one day a year or two back and wowed us all.

The Cinematics: Think Franz Ferdinand and that ilk. Better than solid, approaching very good.

31 Knots: Awesome noise-rock/emo/post-hardcore/f*ck-em-up muzik. Polyvinyl might make their billions with Of Montreal, but it’s this sort of record that defines them.

Black Milk: Really nice A-side single here, even if he’s biting Jay-Z’s breathless delivery pretty hard.

Sentridoh: When Lou Barlow advertises a record as “wasted pieces” it’s tough to tell whether this is just Lou-being-Lou or truth-in-advertising.

The Mountain Goats: A couple early titles.

Antibalas: Collaboration-heavy new album from the Brooklyn Afrobeat troupe.

Wolf & Cub: There’s been a bit of internal debate in the office about this one: some find it too pedestrian, without much originality to show. Others, like me, could care less about the originality factor and just like how heavy it can be and want to see them live. Who’s right and who’s wrong? This is music; there is no right or wrong! (But seriously I’m right.)

Dump: Solo project from Yo La Tengo’s James McNew.

Health: Straight up ’90s indie rock, a bit of Elliot Smith, Pavement and Sebadoh. Kinda hot.

MC Serch: From That Dude Who Popped the Weasel to That Dude on That VH1 Show, MC Serch has had quite the career, converting his pale skin to a mini empire of Caucasian-ness. Yet despite it all, the man is very much A Real MC, though I’m unsure whether this new collection showcases it.

The Innocence Mission: Imagine that Corrine Bailey Rae “Just Like a Star” song (which I like) turned into a full album.

Ginuwine: Before there was Justin Timberlake and Aaliyah and Nelly Furtado and so many others, Ginuwine was Timbaland’s favorite voice; in the ’90s, Ginuwine had a string of absolutely killer R&B singles, most now forgotten and overlooked. The point is, the dude has talent and a genuine (pardon) R&B pedigree. Haven’t listened to this record yet, but I’m excited to.

RJD2: Let’s hope he can laugh about this one ten years from now, because a lot of folks are already.