non subpop new arrivals

(photo by PigMonkey)

So the big news yesterday, obviously, was the arrival of SubPop – but here’s a quick post of other noteworthy new arrivals worth your time, attention and credits! As you read this, Sean, Laura and I are on our way to Austin for SXSW, so keep checking back here, as well as the eMusic Twitter for updates.

The CD Presents label: I know very little about this label, but the titles they’re carrying — man oh man. I am always skeptical of under-the-radar live recordings that show up here, as the sound quality tends to be less-than-excellent, but that doesn’t seem to be the case here. Classic live sets from Black Flag, Bad Brains, Flipper, Circle Jerks, Avengers — this is a punk and hardcore treasure trove, and one I am looking forward to fully exploring.

Clipse, Til the Casket Drops: Third record from celebrated Virginia hip-hop group the Clipse finds them adorning their sound with a few more bells and whistles. eMusic’s Nate Patrin says:

Most of [Casket's] intrigue comes from Clipse’s self-conscious restlessness, a need to duck the old kilo-moving kingpin typecasting while still staying recognizably themselves. Opener “Freedom” states it as clear as any, both with its production — epic-scale arena guitar rock concocted by Hitmen alumnus Sean C & LV — and its defiant, critic-baiting statement of frustrated introspection. That theme carries on throughout the album, the pull between a clear conscience and a comfortable lifestyle, giving Pusha T and Malice’s punchlines a more personal humanity than the casual menace that fueled their previous work.

Dillinger Escape Plan, Option Paralysis: One of my personal most anticipated albums of ’10, Dillinger are one of the most inventive, creative and chaotic acts in metal. This album finds them just as spazzed-out and furious as ever, raising the bar for all of their peers. A stunner.

Drive-By Truckers, The Big To-Do: Latest from the DBTs. eMusic’s Andy Beta says:

Despite the soaring guitar lines, opener “Daddy Learned to Fly” has Hood keening and seeing through a child’s eyes after the suicide of his father: “Fun we used to have/ And the way we used to laugh/ It’s all gone away since they cut my world in half.” From there, the Truckers couch their hard-luck characters in a crackling three-guitar attack, the titles of “The Fourth Night of My Drinking” and “This Fucking Job” proof aplenty that for To Do, the Truckers have gotten back to that hard-driving melodic rock, a sound not fully embraced since the second half of Southern Rock Opera.

Etran Finatawa, Tarkat Tajje/Let’s Go: Renowned desert blues band return with another set of hypnotic soon-to-be-classics. eMusic’s Richard Gehr writes:

This desert-blues septet, representing Niger’s nomadic Tuareg and Wodaabe tribes, settles in for a long night of music making on Tarka Tajje/Let’s Go! With seven of its 10 tracks clocking in at more than six minutes, Tarka Tajje sandboards atop a trancelike wave built on hand drums, calabash, shaken metal rings, handclaps, call-and-response vocals and guitarist/songwriter Alhousseini Mohamed Anivolla’s circular bluesy insouciance.

Ludicra, The Tenant: The new Ludicra record has been met with the best reviews of the group’s career. They still whip up a black metal fury, with Christy Cather’s unfuckwithable demonic vocals lighting the whole thing ablaze. Can’t wait to spend more time with this.

Graham Parker, Imaginary Television: Latest from longtime wiseacre Graham Parker finds him again brandishing his trademark wit and setting it against barbed singer/songwriter melodies. His voice has gotten craggier as he’s gotten older, and he sounds almost Dylanesque on a few of these.

Standard Fare, The Noyelle Beat: Bright, charming, winning indiepop sure to bring the grins. Recommended.

White Fence, White Fence: Deep, droney, hypnotic, phased-out and fantastic — fans of shamble-core, this one’s for you.

The Whigs, In the Dark: More bruising rock from the Whigs, thunderous riffs with gutsy vocals.

Singles
Summer Cats, “Your Timetable”: More bright, unbeatable twee from the Slumberland label!

Ty Segall, “Ceaser”: Great, trashy garage from the unbeatable folks at Goner — as bratty as you want it to be.

Woods, “I Was Gone”: New Woods single as small and winning as ever. I love this band.