Kicking off this week’s new album releases on Groundhog’s Day, we have Toro Y Moi’s Causers of This, which is a very worthy debut amongst the ever-growing amount of bands coming down the pipe of similar ilk.
Also garnering a lot of buzz is Midlake’s The Courage of Others, the follow-up to to 2006’s The Trials of Van Occupanther. I’ve yet to hear this one myself, but I did enjoy their previous album to some extent, so I’m definitely looking forward to checking it out soon.
The Soft Pack (formerly The Muslims) and The Album Leaf round out the rest of the recommended releases, with the surprise of the week coming in the form of The Brunettes and their latest titled Paper Dolls. I only say this because I had no idea they were even working on a new record, let alone having it come out this week. If you enjoy listening to some very sweet, sweet pop songs, than I’m sure you’ll find some enjoyment out of it.
Looking at these releases, you pretty much have a nice sampling of a wide arrange of different genres of music. From post-rock to indiepop, it’s all here to be discovered.
The Album Leaf
A Chorus of Storytellers
full album stream
MP3: “Falling From the Sun”
Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba
I Speak Fula
MP3: “Musow”
The Brunettes
Paper Dolls
MP3: “Red Rollerskates”
The Heligoats
Goodness Gracious
MP3: “Fish Sticks”
King of Prussia
The Time Of Great Forgetting
MP3: “Waitin for Somethin’”
Midlake
The Courage of Others
MP3: “Acts of Man”
Mount Eerie
Black Wooden
MP3: “Black Wooden”
Salvador Santana
Keyboard City
MP3: “Keyboard City (Dan Deacon remix) feat. GZA”
The Soft Pack
The Soft Pack
MP3: “Answer To Yourself”
Toro Y Moi
Causers of This
MP3: “Blessa”
U.S. Girls
Go Grey
MP3: “Red Ford Radio”
Related posts:The Soft Pack :: “Call It A Day (Acoustic)”
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When I posted about the blown-out gospel-noise of U.S. Girls a couple Septembers ago, I referred to it as the "Chicago/Portland project of Megan Remy." Now it's the Philadelphia project of Megan Remy. And it's even better. Her excellent second Siltbreeze full-length Go Grey, which yokes hiss and dark pop hooks into a claustrophobically expansive 28-minute blast, is out today. The first bit of feedback to emerge from is the sing-song "Red For Radio." It's actually not my favorite song on the collection (see, instead "I Don't Have a Mind of My Own," "The Mountain's High," "Summer Of The Yellow Dress"), but it's a good one and the appropriate entryway, for sure. It arrives with this impressive video co-directed by Jacqueline Castel and the animator Preston Spurlock. Castel told us the clip was "created on the flatbed of a b + w photocopier," i.e. "none of it was digitally created/manipulated. Every frame was hand collaged, photocopied, scanned, and then edited together." Totally in the spirit of Remy's hand-manipulated universe.Continue reading New U.S. Girls Video - "Red Ford Radio"...
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Who: MidlakeTitle: The Courage of OthersLabel: Bella UnionRIYL: Grizzly Bear, Dr. Dog, Department of EaglesThoughts: If you loved The Trials of Van Occupanther you will undoubtedly herald Midlake's follow-up efforts as one of the best releases of the year when the time comes for those shennanigans. If you're anything like me you enjoyed "Roscoe" and could barely keep your eyes open through the rest of the record. This is as much the generic indie rock sound as humanly possible and lends creedance to the whole "indie is dead" debate that has been raging on the web all week long. We'd suggest doing yourself a favor and skipping this one, but we know popular public opinion is not on our side this time around. Oh well, don't say we didn't warn you.Listen: Midlake - "Acts of Man"Stream It Here! Who: Lil' WayneTitle: RebirthLabel: Young MoneyRIYL: Jay-Z & Linkin Park, rappers who don't know their limitsThoughts: Simply put the new record from Lil' Wayne is the recorded output of someone who hasn't been told the word "no" in a long, long time. This is an indulgent record of Wayne attempting to channel his inner Hendrix but pulling up like many lame axe wielding maniacs who never made it passed their first few lessons. To make matters worse this is lyrically the worst record Lil' Wayne has ever conceived and probably should have been aborted ages ago. Unfortunately Lil' Wayne is so popular that people will probably push this record to the top of the charts and further encourage horrible behavior like this in the future. I pray for humanity in this hour of despair and desperation more than I ever have before. God help us all!Listen: Lil' Wayne (feat. Shanell) - "Prom Queen" Who: The Brunettes Title: Paper DollsLabel: Lil' ChiefRIYL: Tilly and the Wall, Saturday Looks Good To Me, watered down Camera ObscuraThoughts: It's been brutal so far listening to this week's offerings and The Brunettes are not making things better. It's not all that surprising considering the bland offerings they've given us in the past, but this is pushing it. The only thing the new record has going for it is how apt the title of this record is. Paper Dolls not only serves as it's title but also as the entire basis behind the sound - namely its 2-dimensional, flimsy, throw away after a single use, sound. This is a weak, weak record.Listen: The Brunettes - "Red Rollerskates" Who: The Album LeafTitle: A Chorus of StorytellersLabel: Sub PopRIYL: Explosions In the Sky, Sigur Rós, post-rock instrumentalThoughts: I have admitted my reluctance for instrumental rock in the past and honestly this doesn't do much to enhance my perception of the sort of dynamics needed to keep my ADD addled brain focused for very long. But it is an excellent sounding record when I manage to maintain focus. The musicianship is positively amazing at times, owing perhaps to the fact that this is the first record from the band to be recorded by the actual band. Before this Jimmy LaVelle did all the heavy lifting himself, but he finally opened his arms to his fellow rockers and it actually adds a little bit more of dynamic play than anything else I've heard from these guys. You can of course take that all with a grain of salt because as I said I can't really sit through this kind of music for very long.Listen: The Album Leaf - "Falling From The Sun"Stream It Here! Who: Mount EerieTitle: Black WoodenLabel: P.W. Elverum & SunRIYL: The Microphones, Karl Blau, Woods (maybe?)Thoughts: It has gotten to the point where it is really difficult to keep track of Phil Elverum and all his recorded output. He has become obscenely prolific, cranking out records, EP's, and 12"s faster than we thought possible for such intricate music. It seems as if there's something new every six months and at this point it's all starting to blend together as we simply cannot distinguish which project or collaboration he's working on from one release to the next. Not that it's not worth hearing, it all is truly remarkable music, but it can be daunting and it does take time to dissect. The only problem is Elverum really isn't giving fans the time to do so.Listen: Mount Eerie - "Black Wooden" Who: The Soft PackTitle: The Soft PackLabel: Kemado RecordsRIYL: The Drums, Bear Hands, Free EnergyThoughts: Since changing their name from The Muslims to The Soft Pack we have waited patiently for the band to come through with a release that matched all the buzz and the energy of their live show. As their self-titled debut kicks off it seems that they have it, cranking out "C'Mon" and "Down On Loving" with the same sort of furious energy that made them the toast of the blogger world. Sadly, once those two tracks wrap up it is all downhill from there as the record slowly dissolves into track-after-track of songs that sound identical to the one that preceeded it. It's a sad state of affairs that may prove The Soft Pack no more than a one-trick pony that shot its wad far too soon.Listen: The Soft Pack - "C'Mon"Stream It Here! Who: Toro Y MoiTitle: Causers of ThisLabel: Carpark RecordsRIYL: Washed Out, Real Estate, Small Black, chillwaveThoughts: It is absolutely ridiculous to think that a subgenre would die in just a few short months, but the obscene constraints found within the chillwave sound sort of seemed to portend a very quick death. Alas, the sound is still alive and continues to thrive as more and more kids latch on to the sound. Toro Y Moi is the latest to mine this genre for gold and for the most part he attains it with a solid offering of very chill music. The problem is this sound as a whole gets to sound so similar to its counterparts that it borders on maddening at times. The record is really good, but so are the records by Real Estate and Washed Out and Memory Tapes and Neon Indian and Small Black and on and on and on. I think you get the point.Listen: Toro Y Moi - "Talamak"Stream It Here! Who: U.S. GirlsTitle: Go GreyLabel: SiltbreezeRIYL: Wet Hair, Sic Alps, PocahauntedThoughts: There truly isn't a more perfect home for U.S. Girls' hazy lo-fi than Siltbreeze. The label seems to breed these sorts of sonic collages from within, cranking them out one after the other and blurring the line between noise and music ever further with each one. This record is best described as an aural version of LSD. It is built in mystery and noise, with all sorts of effects shrouding every shred of music on the record. That is not a bad thing to some and I happen to be one of those people that can get lost in noise like this for a long, long time. That said, the record is certainly not for the faint of heart and generally if you're the type of person that love my recommendation of Wakey! Wakey! today you should probably steer clear of this sort of racket. Everyone else, knock yourselves out!Listen: U.S. Girls - "Red Ford Radio" <script type="text/javascript">
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In an unprecedented move I have changed last week’s “pick of the week” from Beach House’s Teen Dream to Los Campesinos!’s Romance Is Boring. I’ve had an opportunity to really listen to Romance Is Boring the last week and I think it is a tremendous album. Also, what’s it gonna take to get these kids some “Best New Music?” P4k needs to get a clue!
As for this week the new Midlake album,The Courage of Others, will dominate every possible musical output device I have. I’ve been waiting patiently for this album since 2006, and I now feel comfortable assuring you the wait was worth it.
The only other album I’ve had the opportunity to hear so far is the Soft Pack’s (formerly The Muslims) new self titled album. I haven’t has a lot of time to spend with it, but I can assure you it will demand a few more post-Midlake hysteria listens
Check out the new releases and vote for your most anticipated album after the jump…
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.
The Album Leaf | A Chorus of Storytellers
MP3: The Album Leaf – “Summer Fog”
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A Chorus Of Storytellers – The…
The Brunettes | Paper Dolls
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Paper Dolls – The Brunettes
Glossary | Feral Fire
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Feral Fire – Glossary
Husky Rescue | Ship of Light
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Ship Of Light – Husky Rescue
Lil Wayne | Rebirth
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Rebirth – Lil Wayne
Midlake | The Courage of Others
MP3: Midlake – “Acts of Man”
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The Courage Of Others – Midlak…
The Soft Pack | The Soft Pack
MP3: The Soft Pack – “C’mon”
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The Soft Pack – The Soft Pack
U.S. Girls | Go Grey
MP3: U.S. Girls – “Red Ford Radio”
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Go Grey – U.S. Girls
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