na: wild nothings, beach fossils and more

Relatively light day for big-name new arrivals, which allows us to focus more on the Under the Radar gems! Here we go:

Beach Fossils, Beach Fossils: Recommended. Debut full length from Beach Fossils! Just when I think music cannot possibly get any more retro, a new band comes along to prove me wrong. This week, it’s Beach Fossils, with a spare and shimmery sound that recalls the Wake (among others). eMusic’s Douglas Wolk says:

The band’s self-titled debut album is 11 songs that stake out a very specific patch of territory: the sort of rock music that’s played sitting down, hazy and navel-gazy, defiantly homemade (and often slightly out of tune), drenching Payseur’s voice in so much reverb it seems to be descending from a plume of smoke. What keeps the album rolling, though, is Payseur’s knack for tiny, interlocking hooks, strung like twinkling Christmas lights across his mantralike two- and three-chord progressions.

Apollo Brown, The Reset: I’ve been lamenting a dearth of interesting hip-hop in 2010 — outside of Nikki Minaj and Freddie Gibbs, I haven’t found much that excites me — but this sounds promising. Granted, it also sounds like it came out in the mid ’90s, but you should know by now that shit like that is catnip for me. Brown has a relaxed flow, and the beats are classic soul sample hip-hop. Looking forward to a close listen. Boasts guests shots from Diamond District, MED, Finale, John Robinson and more.

Flying Lotus, Los Angeles: Breakthrough full-length from electronic innovator Flying Lotus manages to be spooky and soulful at the same time. Lotus is getting all kinds of props for his newest, Cosmogramma, and you can hear the seeds for that sound on its just-as-good predecessor. Songs like “Roberta Flack” even feature aching R&B vocals. Recommended

Karen Elson, The Ghost Who Walks: Mrs. Jack White on this moody, earthy pop set that serves mostly as a showcase for her quivering voice.

Damien Jurado, Saint Bartlett: Damien Jurado teams with Richard Swift to expand his sound on this ’60s-pop tour de force. Jurado has been toiling in folk music for a while, so it’s exciting to hear him branch out a bit. Laura says:

Saint Bartlett was produced by Richard Swift, and he and Jurado take on every instrument throughout the set, rather than his regular collaborators, Eric Fisher and Jenna Conrad, the latter of whom sang on much of 2008′s Caught In The Trees. “Arkansas” is driven by a girl group-influenced ’60s piano line supported by strings; “Wallingford” is washed with reverby electric guitar riffs; “The Falling Snow” uses a tinny organ and layered vocals. It’s in many ways a departure from past efforts, but even with fewer musicians on board than the last time, Jurado’s sound is the biggest it’s ever been.

Wild Nothing, Gemini: Love this band! Full-length appears to deliver on the promise of early single, with high-pitched vocals, jangly guitars and a serious C86 jones. Try “Summer Holiday” to see if this is for you: gorgeous melodies swaddled in clouds. Recommended.

Energy!, First Album: This is today’s “WHO IS THIS BAND?” Ramroddy punk rock guitars, totally scuzzed out, quick tempos and dour Peter Murphy style vocals. Serious coffin rock.

Karaocake, Rows & Stitches: This is today’s other “WHO IS THIS BAND?” and props to Jayson for finding it. Edgy female-fronted post-punk, nervous guitars, plinking keyboards and plainspoken vocals make for an unbelievably winning combination. Highly recommended.

Bettye LaVette, Interpretations: The British Rock Songbook: LaVette applies her ragged voice to British rock classics. eMusic’s Melissa Maerz says:

Bettye LaVette doesn’t just cover other people’s songs — she tears them apart. With a powerfully raw voice that reveals every one of her 64 years, this R&B belter transforms any British rock classic into a wrenching soul anthem. She pours the sad-and-loneliness back into easy-listening chestnuts like the Moody Blues’ “Nights in White Satin.” She strips the Who’s “Love Rein O’er Me” down to its core, revealing its rhythm and blues roots. When she rasps her way through an emotional rendition of Ringo Starr’s “It Don’t Come Easy,” you believe what she’s singing.

Coltrane Motion, Hello Ambition: Really into this band: hazy guitars, slightly-off-key vocals make for slacked-out indie rock. What makes this work for me is how scuzzy the guitars sound, fuzzed out and quivering, like old school Yo La Tengo.

Girls Names, You Should Know By Now: Lapsed Goths, take note! Been loving Girls Names for a while, and this debut delivers on the promise of early singles. Serious sad-eyed in-the-cellar vocals with chiaroscuro guitars swirling around ‘em. Recommended

Jeremy Jay, Splash: Jeremy Jay is a beloved California musician who draws on ’60s folk as well as contemporary indie rock to make sleek, sedate little songs that are both arch and tuneful.

Kurt Vile, Square Shells: Dreeeeaaammmy new EP from Vile, could give the Cocteau Twins a run for their money on more-ethereals-per- minute. Very good, if a bit of a departure for Vile.

The Chap, Well Done Europe: Wry, chugging, tiny indie rock — occasional blips of synth and guitars that are tight and taut as fishing wire. The vocals are mopey and British, and the songs sound tuneful enough to hold attention. I never much cared for past Chap outings, but this one sounds intriguing.

Emeralds, Does It Look Like I’m Here?: Psych-electro, if you can imagine such a thing — most of the instrumentation here is synthetic, like if ’80s OMD suddenly went avant-garde.

Madlib, Madlib Medicine Show 5: Madlib cannot be stopped. More sci-fi comic book beats from the master of the form. I want to see what would happen if you locked Madlib, Bob Pollard and Ryan Adams in a room together.

Bare Jr., Boo-Tay: Rugged 1998 album from alt-country/country-rock act fronted by Bobby Bare Jr. This sounds very promising in a real late ’90s alt-rock-radio kind of way.

Silversun Pickups, Carnavas: Debut full-length from Silversun Pickups, now on eMusic.

Leela James, My Soul: Contemporary R&B undeniably informed by ’60s soul: James has got a great, aching voice, and the instrumentation belies a serious Stax influence while being undeniably of-the-moment. Worth a sample!

Trap Them, Filth Rations: New EP from grind masters Trap Them — angry, snarling and mile-a-minute; should satisfy until a new full length arrives.

Singles
Tender Trap, “Do You Want a Boyfriend” Amelia from Heavenly returns on a single that recalls Heavenly without sounding like a retread. Great, quirky lyrics — could almost be a sequel to “C is the Heavenly Option.” Fans will not be disappointed!

Ducktails, “Mirror Image”: So into Ducktails and the way all of the dude’s songs sound like they were recorded on a Fisher-Price tape recorder. A pair of instrumentals with super-tinny drum-machine percussion and hazy bands of guitar. Great!

For Ex-Lovers Only: New single from For Ex-Lovers Only: more scuzzy anti-fi pop music with droney vocals and gurgling guitars.

Soft Healer, “Gentle One”: Sounds like a bunch of people playing and singing from the bottom of a 500 foot well. Which, trust me, makes it awesome.