We didn’t get new releases by the boatload today, but there are gems as always that deserve highlighting. Let’s dive in, shall we?
First and foremost, we got Broadcast today! Almost the whole catalogue, in fact, including the new one, bearing the hilariously convoluted name Broadcast And The Focus Group Investigate Witch Cults Of The Radio Age. The pick hit from the catalogue seems to be The Noise Made By People, but you are honestly talking to the wrong guy in the editorial dept.; I have not listened to Broadcast before three days ago. Anyone wanna fill this knowledge/taste void with their fervent opinions?
The Avett Brothers, I And Love And You – The Avett Brothers are back! This one sounds as rootsy and plainspoken as ever, maybe gentler. Here’s Amanda Petrusich:
If the name didn’t give it up, I And Love And You is a don’t-hold-back heartbreak record; its title track (”Load the car and write the note, grab your bag and grab your coat / Tell the ones who need to know…Brooklyn, Brooklyn, take me in,” they implore) is a piano-led ode to new beginnings, which seems fitting, given the band’s glossed-up — but no less affecting — new sound. And while I and Love and You is a little more likely to appear on an episode of “Gray’s Anatomy” than at your local hootenanny, the Brothers’ earnest, impeccably harmonized vocals are transfixing, and their down-and-out ballads (”The Perfect Space,” “Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise”) linger and linger and linger.
Loney Dear, Citadel — This is a collection of this wide-eyed Swedish twee-pop balladeer’s early stuff, before he got signed to Sub Pop. It sounds tender and irrepressible as usual, if a little lower-key and less ambitious than the pocket pop symphonies he would go on to make.
Weird Al Yankovic, The Essential Weird Al Yankovic – As Sean said this morning, “This man is a national treasure.” From “Another One Rides the Bus” to “Yoda,” the best “Lola” parody literally imaginable (the chorus rhymes with “looks just like Abe Vigoda”), to the originals — “One More Minute”’s Elvis parody, the fucking PERFECT Devo rip “Dare To Be Stupid” — to “White And Nerdy,” a takeoff on Chamillionaire’s “Ridin Dirty” that proves he’s somehow STILL hilarious, this compilation has the hits.
Darkstar, Aidy’s Girl Is A Computer – New Hyperdub! This label is pretty much a guaranteed seal of quality for dudes like me, who dabble into this area about once every month. Check it out.
2562, Unbalance – 2562 return with more glitchy, whirring IDM boosted by a hard, menacing dubstep thump. “Like A Dream” sounds particularly hammering, queasy and evil. Great stuff.
Horse Feathers, Cascades 7″ New 7″ from Horse Feathers, whose House With No Home was one of Joe’s 2008 faves, if I recall.
Mannie Fresh, Return of the Ballin – I don’t honestly know what this is — fake compilation, new mixtape, whatever? But it sounds like exactly know what kind of jam that you can expect from superproducer Mannie Fresh, New Orleans’ answer to the question: “What if we could magically assemble some sort of MegaProducer who was as genuinely hilarious and weirdly soulful as DJ Quik, had an ear for digital detail like Timbaland, was a preposterous-slang generator on par with E-40, and could make trunks rattle like Dre?” That’d be Mannie, you scandalous scallywags.
Kurupt, Tha Streetz Iz A Mutha – Hard-as-nails late-90s solo record from Kurupt. Classic menacing slow-creep West Coast gangsta rap. “Calling Out Names” goes at DMX! In 1999! He was like mid-80s Mike Tyson then! That’s serious!
Pimp C, Pimp C Presents 17 Certified Pimp C returns from the grave and invites us to “eat [his] entire dick and nuts” if we don’t play UGK. We miss you, Pimp C.
Dolly Parton, Dolly -Dolly Parton boxed set! I don’t think I need to say anything further on this.
Beat The Radar, From the City To the SeaMerge Indie! Windswept guitars, upbeat, bouncy songs, late-Beatles melodies, and a couple of resounding jams — “Telephone Conversation” sticks right out at me.
Chairmen of the Board,
A Little More Time – The Very Best OF Chairmen Of The Board Smooth, plush ’70s Detroit soul at its finest. Even without checking the album cover, you can hear the white suits.
AG Cubano, Feet To The Street– Passable tough-guy street rap from the Bay Area with some solid guest verses. Scowlcore rap to blast out of open windows.
Diamond District, In the Ruff – As far as straight-faced NY boom-bap goes, this sounds both harder and nimblre to me than the lead-footed Marco Polo and Torae record.
And I pass it off to you, 17dotsers…..
I’d like to add:
Gilles Peterson presents Havana Cultura
http://www.emusic.com/album/Gilles-Peterson-Gilles-Peterson-Presents-Havana-Cultura-MP3-Download/11669088.html
Cesaria Evora
http://www.emusic.com/album/Césaria-Evora-Nha-sentimento-MP3-Download/11674660.html
Pink Martini
http://www.emusic.com/album/Pink-Martini-Splendor-in-the-Grass-MP3-Download/11663306.html
Hem
http://www.emusic.com/album/Hem-Twelfth-Night-MP3-Download/11636888.html
Yo,
Pyramids with Nadja
The Sight Below EP
Junk Culture
Strange Breaks & Funk Comp
Jay Bolotin
Sounds good, I don’t know anything about him other than he’s pretty prolific. I think this was his debut.
Re: Broadcast, I’m partial to the latter work, where they sound less like an off-kilter Stereolab and more like another sort of beast entirely.
Any idea why we go the latest Avett Brothers album? I thought Sony was only releasing back catalogs.
For more dubstep, check out this new iTAL tEK EP.
Sonny & the Sunsets for some nice loose porch-rock stuff
http://www.emusic.com/album/Sonny-The-Sunsets-Tomorrow-is-Alright-MP3-Download/11660319.html
Also the new xx single has their cover of the Kyla’s UK funky hit “Do You Mind”:
http://www.emusic.com/album/The-xx-Islands-MP3-Download/11627783.html
Makes so much sense for them.
Matthew Ryan’s email announcement said that his new one, “Dear Lover,” would be out today on emusic but it’s not there yet. Any idea when it’s going to show?
I’m with ruadork. I left work today excited about the Matthew Ryan album Dear Lover only to find it not here. What’s up? Is it on the way? I was happily surprised to see the Avett’s however. I wasn’t expecting that.
Diamond District uses the NYC boom-bap aesthetic, but its members all hail from the DMV (District, Maryland, Virginia). Should be noted. I’ve been rocking In the Ruff for a bit now and it’s extremely satisfying for those of us who enjoy that aesthetic. Oddisee, XO, and YU are good foils for each other’s flows and the beats are perfect to nod your head to at home or roll with in the car.
The new Lindstrom & Christabelle single — Baby Can’t Stop — arrived today:
http://www.emusic.com/album/Lindstrom-and-Christabelle-Baby-Can-t-Stop-MP3-Download/11679512.html
Any and all Lindstrom is very good.
The true masterwork on the Weird Al comp is the final track, “Trapped in the Drive-Thru,” which is the rarest thing in the world: R. Kelly mockery that’s actually funny.
Not Mentioned yet (and not really my bag, but still notable) A whole Ass Load of Skinny Puppy
Are we getting the entire box-set from Thompkins Square, called Fire In My Bones: Raw, Rare & Otherworldly African-American Gospel (1944-2007). The teaser that just appeared sounds fantastic:
http://www.emusic.com/album/Various-Artists-Tompkins-Square-Selections-from-Fire-in-My-Bones-Raw-Rare-Ot-MP3-Download/11676783.html
Are the Boris “Japanese Heavy Rock Hits” series going to be available in UK eventually?
(The 2nd is available for those who can get it…)
Not any time soon, Daniel.
No worries, Joe. It took a long time, but finally Thompkins Square’s prior box-set, People Take Warning! Murder Ballads & Disaster Songs 1913-1938, finally made it here (after a three or four song teaser arrived close to the box-set’s release date).
Anyway, I’m hopeful the new box-set will arrive here down the road.
WAIT WHAT IS THIS?!?!?! PUSCIFER!!!! The Ultimate awesome Side Project of Tool’s Maynard James Keenan. http://www.emusic.com/artist/Puscifer-MP3-Download/11852420.html
Including Cuntry Boner (http://www.emusic.com/album/Puscifer-Cuntry-Boner-MP3-Download/11683476.html)