na: spoon, tmbg, bad religion

It’s the biggest release date of the summer, with new ones from Spoon, They Might Be Giants, Bad Religion, M. Ward (sorta), Architecture in Helsinki and others.

Spoon, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga: I’m a bit Spoon’d out at the moment for obvious reasons, but Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga has grown on me quite a bit. I still think — and Joe agrees — that the first half of the record (everything up to “The Underdog”) is light years better than the rest. Joe’s chat with Britt about the record (read it here) covers the best tracks, and is unquestionably the most illuminating thing I have read about the record. Joe will chime in with more on that later today.

Also, here’s the newly released video for “The Underdog.” Methinks we might be seeing Spoon on MTV very soon:

They Might Be Giants, The Else: New one from They Might Be Giants. I am very much not a fan, so it’s hard for me to weigh in on this record, but the early word is somewhat mixed. The weird thing is that the Dust Brothers produced this one.

Bad Religion, New Maps of Hell: Had no idea this was even coming out today. I’ve been reading nothing but good things about it. Have yet to listen.

M. Ward, Duet For Guitars #2: A very early record from M. Ward recorded in 1998. Amanda Petrusich’s eMusic review does a good job of letting you know what you are in for.

Architecture in Helsinki, Heart It Races: I’ve never been able to get behind Architecture in Helsinki — a little too self-consciously silly for my disposition — but the remixes and covers on this EP sound very good to these ears. The DJ Rupture remix/cover is actually some pretty solid dancehall, the YACHT version is deliciously odd and, finally, the Dr. Dog cover is fantastic, one of my favorite songs ever by them.

Gogol Bordello, Super Taranta: Gonna just quote Michaelangelo Matos’ excellent review in full:

In a way, it’s a little unfair to simply listen to Gogol Bordello. If any current group cries out to be seen as well as heard, it’s this New York gypsy-punk troupe, whose rambunctious live show is one of the most entertaining around: crazed acrobatics, lopsided dancing, nonstop action top to bottom. So the good news is that Super Taranta!, the octet’s fourth album (not counting collaborations and EPs), is damn near as unrelenting as its concerts. Yet it isn’t exhausting: frontman and lead conceptualist Eugene Hutz knows how to pace as well as to pile it on, so that the string arrangements atop gypsy violin of “Dub the Frequencies of Love” works climactically, mid-song, between cool-out passages that live up to the song’s title. And as he has in his earlier work, Hutz’s lyrics sting and wink at the same time: “There were never any good old days/They are today, they are tomorrow/It’s a stupid thing we say/Cursing tomorrow as sorrow,” he declares near the beginning of Taranta!’s leadoff cut, “Ultimate,” and on the album’s peak, “Your Country,” he sings “Your country raised you/Your country fed you/And just like any other country it will break you… it will fuck you, up you.” So will this album, in the best possible way.

Quintron, Jamskate EP: Very excited to finally get some Quintron, an incredible New Orleans performer who kind of sounds like Beat Happening playing ? and the Mysterions. I wouldn’t say this new EP is great — they’ve done better — but if you are new to them, it’s worth the five downloads.

A great Quintron live clip:

Bedhead, The Dark Ages & 4song19:10CDEP: Two mid-period EPs from one of the greatest slowcore bands ever. The Dark Ages is a must for anyone who is into the sad stuff.

The For Carnation, Promised Works: This combines two EPs from the For Carnation, the post-Slint band of Brian McMahan. I used to love both of these EPs back in the day, and I’m thrilled to listen to them again today — in particular I remember “Get and Stay March” being fantastic.

Culture, Two Sevens Clash: The 30th Anniversary Edition: Five additional tracks added on to the roots classic.

The Gourds, Noble Creatures: New album from country-rock band.

Great Lakes Myth Society, Compass Rose Bouquet: Power-pop band from Ann Arbor’s new one.

The Icarus Line, Black Lives at the Golden Coast: LA eyeliner hardcore.

Caribou, Melody Day: Lead-off single from new Caribou (formerly Manitoba) record due in August. Unfortunately there’s a problem with the tracks right now — I haven’t been able to get them to download. Working on it.

Danny Gatton, Live in 1977: The Humbler Stakes His Claim: Ironically known for being one of the great unknown guitar players, Gatton came from D.C., playing in the ’70s and ’80s, his best work being with the incredible rockabilly/blues singer Robert Gordon (who I saw play a pretty depressing set in Cape Cod two years ago). Gatton’s guitar-work really is stunning, but this isn’t the best place to hear it. He deserves the namecheck, though.