Otem Rellik

Add Date: August 31

Artist: Otem Rellik

Album: Elephant Graveyard

Label: Circle Into Square/Fake Four Inc.

Genre: Hip hop

Comments: The promoter says: "Holed up in various basements across Fort Collins, Colorado, Otem Rellik (Toby Hendricks) has made the best of badly-lit recorded spaces with dusty floors and creaking ceilings. With a never-ending list of influences, Otem's music, though rooted in hip hop, resonates with a wide spectrum of musical appetites. Whether harmonizing a powerful chorus or spilling out rough, sometimes guttural raps, Rellik's regard for poetic lyricism is underscored by humbling and translucent honesty. Otem stands mastermind on stage behind a hollowed-out suitcase full of mostly-homemade electronic gizmos, involuntarily forced through a series of pedals and mixers."

Recommended tracks on the album promo sticker.

The Intelligence

Add Date: August 31

Artist: The Intelligence

Album: Males

Label: In the Red

Genre: Rock, post-punk

Comments: From the promoter: "Males is the sixth full-length release from Seattle's The Intelligence and is their most potent album thus far. For this record, Intelligence main-brain Lars Finberg decided to ditch his usual method of recording all the instruments himself, and had his current touring band play on it... Marrying buzzsaw punk, DIY post-punk, ramshackle garage (as in played by The Fall), and pop hooks a plenty, Males is The Intelligence's finest statement to date."

Start with "Sailor Itch" or "Bong Life."

Les Vinyl

Add Date: August 31

Artist: Les Vinyl

Album: Bright Gray

Label: Self-released

Genre: Rock

Comments: This is the debut album from Staten Island's Les Vinyl. The promoter says: "Tracks like 'Pix' and 'Sunset' are straightforward and poppy, whereas others explore world music influences. The hand claps and guitar chords in 'Graveyard' give the song a Latin feel. 'Espiritu Santos', on the other hand, has a dubby reggae rhythm. If Stephen Malkmus, They Might Be Giants and Vampire Weekend made an album together, it might sound a bit like Bright Gray."

Screaming Females

Add Date: August 31

Artist: Screaming Females

Album: Castle Talk

Label: Don Giovanni

Genre: Rock

Comments: From the promoter: "After touring with Ted Leo and releasing a solo album, Marissa Paternoster returned to lead her New Jersey outfit, Screaming Females, through the recording of Castle Talk. From start to finish, Castle Talk is a great rock-n-roll record, with pounding drums and miles of amazing guitar solos... Those who practice air guitar to songs by Sleater-Kinney, Dinosaur Jr. and Ted Leo will love Castle Talk!"

They'll be back on tour with Mr. Leo and his Pharmacists this fall, including an October 16 date at The Southern in Charlottesville. Try "Boss," "Sheep" and "Laura & Marty."

The Meligrove Band

Add Date: August 31

Artist: The Meligrove Band

Album: Shimmering Lights

Label: Last Gang

Genre: Rock

Comments: Shimmering Lights is the third LP from Toronto's The Meligrove Band, and their first for Last Gang (Ten Kens, Metric). Though they've been around for over a decade, this is the first I've heard of the Toronto act, which incorporates horns, strings, organ and more alongside its pedal-friendly guitar-driven sound. The new album is all over the place, from the Broken Social Scene-style bombastic pop of opener "Ghosts at My Back," to the percussion-driven post-punk of "Halflight," to the Built to Spill-leaning "This Work," to the explosive closing track "Eagles." The Meligrove Band dabbles in many different forms, but they perform them all at least adequately--and many of them quite well. Very enjoyable.

Jenny and Johnny

Add Date: August 31

Artist: Jenny and Johnny

Album: I'm Having Fun Now

Label: Warner Bros.

Genre: Rock, pop

Comments: Longtime collaborators--and current "item," if that's still common parlance--Jenny Lewis and Johnathan Rice team up for 11 tracks of breezy pop that draws from '70s touchstones like Fleetwood Mac as well as early '90s alternative. (Tell me "Animal" doesn't sound like an R.E.M. tune, less Michael Stipe.) I'm Having Fun Now is a change of pace from the two artists' past work--not quite as folksy as their solo stuff, and not quite venturing into the rock stylings of the band that propelled Lewis to indie stardom, Rilo Kiley.

Though the LP is a solid effort, fans of Lewis may be a little disappointed. Most of the better tracks have Rice taking the lead, in particular the opener and lead single "Scissor Runner," the countryesque closing number "Committed" and the aforementioned "Animal." The best Lewis-fronted song--really, the only standout on the album in which she sings lead vocals--is the retro pop tune "Straight Edge of the Blade."

Paul Turner

Add Date: August 31

Artist: Paul Turner

Album: Another World

Label: Turtle Productions

Genre: Folk

Comments: A very well-constructed singer/songwriter effort from New Zealand native Paul Turner, whose music reminds me of Denison Witmer or Iron & Wine, though with an adult-alternative leaning. Try the title track or "Heaven and Earth."

The Black Pacific

Add Date: August 31

Artist: The Black Pacific

Album: The Black Pacific

Label: SideOneDummy

Genre: Rock, punk

Comments: This is the new project of longtime Pennywise frontman Jim Lindberg. So says the promoter: "Almost immediately after leaving the band, Lindberg--who also wrote much of the music for Pennywise--recruited drummer Alan Vega and teamed up with Far guitarist and producer Shaun Lopez (Deftones, Giant Drag) to flush out a batch of songs that see Lindberg moving in a more sonically varied and experimental direction without abandoning any of the aggression and energy of his previous act."

Recommended tracks on the album promo sticker.

Film School

Add Date: August 31

Artist: Film School

Album: Fission

Label: Hi-Speed Soul

Genre: Rock, shoegaze pop

Comments: The San Francisco band Film School has undergone a big transformation over the last few years. Their self-titled 2006 record, issued on Beggars Banquet, was a terrific collection of brooding, psychedelic post-punk that landed on my Top 10 albums list for the year. In 2007, the band followed up with Hideout, which didn't quite live up to the excellence of Film School--though stylistically, it was much the same.

Now, Film School is back with a juggled lineup, and a new outlook. Bassist Lorelei Plotczyk, who I don't believe was part of the project back in 2006, is the lead vocalist on more than half of the tracks on Fission, and her sweetly reserved delivery helps to take this band into the realm of shoegaze pop. Though it's a change of pace from Film School's previous stuff, I think it works. Fans of My Bloody Valentine, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart and School of Seven Bells will enjoy this LP.

Check out "Sunny Day," "Heart Full of Pentagons" and "Waited."

The Two Man Gentlemen Band

Add Date: August 31

Artist: The Two Man Gentlemen Band

Album: Dos Amigos Una Fiesta

Label: Serious Business

Genre: Folk, swing

Comments: From the onesheet: "The Two Man Gentlemen Band's brand of hot, raucous, retro swing is fast becoming an underground sensation... Their style--musically and visually--incorporates elements of hot jazz, rhythm and blues, Tin Pan Alley, and western swing. And their 'keen vocal harmonies' (The New Yorker) recall '20s and '30s groups like the Mills Brothers. But their pithy, irreverent original tunes are full of lyrics 'so off the beaten path as to be virtually cliche free' (Bluegrass Journal)."

Outside of the modern production values, Dos Amigos Una Fiesta sounds like it could have been recorded decades ago. Andy Bean's guitar and Fuller Condon's upright bass create jazzy acoustic backdrops for their songs about forgotten 19th-century presidents, chocolate milk, partying and relationships. The nearest modern band I can think of to compare them to would be Squirrel Nut Zippers, but it doesn't seem to be a stretch to say that fans of acts like Old Crow Medicine Show would find something to enjoy here.

Start with "Chocolate Milk," "Franklin Pierce" and "Put It in My Ear (When You Make That Music)."

Roman Funerals

Add Date: August 31

Artist: Roman Funerals

Album: Six of Us (EP)

Label: Self-released

Genre: Folk, rock

Comments: This is the new project of brothers Matt and Evan Ferro, formerly of the band Bright Light Fever. The promoter says: "With two acoustic guitars and a computer, the band's debut EP, Six of Us, highlights a stripped-down approach to their music, with beautiful harmonies and intriguing song structures mixed with classic songwriting. Recommended if you like such bands as Dawes, Delta Spirit, and Here We Go Magic."

Start with "Lineage."

The National Rifle

Add Date: August 31

Artist: The National Rifle

Album: Vanity Press (EP)

Label: Self-released

Genre: Rock

Comments: Philadelphia's The National Rifle make rock music that draws heavily from post-punk, but ventures into Peter Gabriel and Talking Heads territory on "Too Much T.V.," the closer--and best track--on this 5-song EP.

The Rebel Set

Add Date: August 31

Artist: The Rebel Set

Album: Poison Arrow

Label: Silver Hornet

Genre: Rock, garage rock

Comments: Here's what the promoter has to say about this 3-piece from Phoenix: "The Rebel Set combined their love of the reverb-drenched guitars sound of the early '60s with early punk and '90s lo-fi garage rock... RIYD: Hornet Leg, Strange Boys, King Khan."

Check out "Heartbreak Waiting" or "Birds and Bees."

Andreya Triana

Add Date: August 31

Artist: Andreya Triana

Album: Lost Where I Belong

Label: Ninja Tune

Genre: Soul

Comments: From the promoter: "Andreya Triana has proved that her sultry, slightly raspy vocal style is meant to be up there with the greats... Jazz, bossa nova, '70s funk and soul all provide the perfect background for Triana's stunning vocal talent... From the marimba-led longing of 'Draw the Stars' ... through the epic build of the title track, the odd fairground wooziness of 'Daydreamers,' the relaxed funk of 'Up in Fire' or the stillness of torch song 'X,' Lost Where I Belong showcases a great voice, fantastic songwriting and superb production" by Simon Green (Bonobo).

Bess Rogers

Add Date: August 31

Artist: Bess Rogers

Album: Bess Rogers Presents Bess Rogers (EP)

Label: Self-released

Genre: Rock, folk pop

Comments: Bess Rogers' MySpace page proudly boasts that she's been touring and recording with Ingrid Michaelson's band, and a quick listen to this 5-song EP reveals a lot of similarities between the two songwriters. Michaelson, however, is known more for piano pop; Rogers seems equally at home with a Rilo Kiley-esque rock number ("Favorite Day") or on a quiet folk tune ("What We Want").

She's currently on her own headline tour, and will be playing at The Southern in Charlottesville on Sept. 12.

Dead Heart Bloom

Add Date: August 31

Artist: Dead Heart Bloom

Album: Strange Waves

Label: Self-released

Genre: Rock, folk rock

Comments: In a series of three 2008 EPs, Dead Heart Bloom ventured from singer/songwriter folk into reverb-drenched guitar rock; Strange Waves sees these two styles converge into an enjoyable, classic-sounding blend. Frontman Boris Skalsky has taken a melting pot of influences--Rubber Soul-era Beatles, blues and early psych folk all wade in and out of the LP--and developed a sound that should appeal to fans of The Mamas & the Papas, Jeff Buckley and Elvis Perkins. Try the dream-pop opener "Someday Will Not Come Again" or "Fall."

Best New Music - August 24

Amazing week:

Ra Ra Riot
Buke and Gass
!!!
Sonny & the Sunsets
Dead Confederate

And a whole lot more: Camu Tao, S. Carey, Les Savy Fav, Ferraby Lionheart, Magic Kids, Twin Shadow, The Walkmen

Ra Ra Riot

Add Date: August 24

Artist: Ra Ra Riot

Album: The Orchard

Label: Barsuk

Genre: Rock, indie pop

Comments: With all of the good music that's come out so far in 2010, the second full-length from Ra Ra Riot has been one of the year's most anticipated records. Combine a spectacular debut (2008's The Rhumb Line) with over a year of touring--including time opening for indie rock royalty like Death Cab for Cutie and Andrew Bird--lots of love from tastemakers like Pitchfork and NPR and their association with that other New York indie pop band, and The Orchard couldn't come out quickly enough.

And as expected, it's another magnificent record--not necessarily a big leap forward, but another diverse album that allows the band to do a lot of different things: build the anticipation on the title selection, a nifty chamber pop tune that opens the LP; bounce along with indie pop gems like "Too Dramatic," "Boy" and "Shadowcasting;" and slow down into a sweetly melancholy folk number as cellist Alexandra Lawn takes the lead on "You and I Know." With some help from Death Cab's Chris Walla, who mixed most of the tracks, and from Vampire Weekend's Rostam Batmanglij, who co-wrote "Do You Remember," Ra Ra Riot has again provided one of the year's best indie pop releases.

!!!

Add Date: August 24

Artist: !!!

Album: Strange Weather, Isn't It?

Label: Warp

Genre: Electronica, dance rock

Comments: From the promoter: "Following in the footsteps of artists like David Bowie, Iggy Pop and Depeche Mode, who have flocked to Berlin in order to mainline the city's legendary dark energy, !!! traveled to the historic German capital to produce a record that is simultaneously brooding and somehow their poppiest, most immediate record yet... [T]he minimal techno the band heard every night when they went out dancing focused the songs, distilling the music to the funkiest, catchiest hooks. It was something they learned from a previous Berlin hit-maker, Brian Eno."

The synths, guitars, bass, drums and occasional saxophone flowing throughout Strange Weather, Isn't It? make this a very intriguing album. As mentioned above, it's certainly darker than Myth Takes, but I'd agree that, paradoxical as it sounds, it's also more accessible. And it's probably, in the long run, more memorable--I still recall "All My Heroes Are Weirdos" from that 2007 album, but the rest of that LP has faded from my mind.

Check out "The Most Certain Sure," "Jump Back" and the dancefloor-destined closer "The Hammer." And by the way, if you're new to the band, their name is pronounced "Chk-chk-chk."

The Walkmen

Add Date: August 24

Artist: The Walkmen

Album: Lisbon

Label: Fat Possum

Genre: Rock

Comments: Following up on their brilliant LP You & Me, The Walkmen return with their fifth studio record. Lisbon doesn't quite measure up to the previous album, which certain folks thought was one of the best records of 2008, but it certainly has its moments, in particular the punchy lead single "Angela Surf City," the horn-driven "Stranded" and the foot-tapping album opener "Juveniles." There was a perceivable gap in quality with the records released between their 2004 standout Bows + Arrows and the return to form of You & Me; Lisbon proves that the band can live up to expectations without causing any jaws to drop.

Bear in Heaven

Add Date: August 24

Artist: Bear in Heaven

Album: Beast Rest Forth Mouth Remixed

Label: Hometapes

Genre: Electronica, rock

Comments: This disc has remixes of all 10 tracks from this NYC band's 2009 LP Beast Rest Forth Mouth, including work by The Field, High Places and Twin Shadow (whose record Forget also adds this week). I'm not particularly familiar with Bear in Heaven--in fact, I don't believe we received the original record at the station--but AllMusic.com compares them to Yeasayer, The Dodos and Hometapes labelmates Megafaun.

Camu Tao

Add Date: August 24

Artist: Camu Tao

Album: King of Hearts

Label: Definitive Jux/Fat Possum

Genre: Hip hop

Comments: From the onesheet: "Camu Tao, the legendary MC, producer, and singer, whose life was tragically cut short [in May 2008] after a protracted battle with lung cancer, will have his debut solo album and final statement, King of Hearts, posthumously released as a collaborative release between Fat Possum Record and Definitive Jux... Pieced together from the demos and home recordings he left behind, the new release offers a privileged view of a magnum opus in the making by a blossoming visionary who was denied the opportunity to bring his unique masterpiece to fulfillment. The record marks a departure from his former works, most notably as it finds Camu favoring a distinctively playful, semi-soul croon as well as the off-kilter and wild rapping that earned him a reputation among peers and fans as an innovative genius."

King of Hearts has already been lauded by Kid Cudi, who said: "These songs are so before their time, it's ridiculous," while El-P describes the record as "raw, exciting, and unlike anything anyone has heard." For fans of OutKast, RJD2, Prince and Janelle Monae. Try "Bird Flu," "Get At You" or "Plot a Little."

The Sword

Add Date: August 24

Artist: The Sword

Album: Warp Riders

Label: Kemado

Genre: Rock, metal

Comments: From the promoter: "One of the foundations of the metal revival of the past 10 years, Austin's The Sword have released two flawless slabs of vintage heaviness on Kemado Records, toured the world with Metallica, and were one of the first bands to lock into a whole new legion of fans through Guitar Hero. This summer, the band casts its gaze to the stars for Warp Riders, their third full-length and their most ambitious effort to date... [Producer Matt] Bayles picks up the torch on Warp Riders and delivers the band's most full-sounding, nuanced recording yet, bringing the music to a new level of face-shredding ferocity... RIYL: Mastodon, Baroness, Saviours, Witch."

Recommended tracks on the album sticker.

Dead Confederate

Add Date: August 24

Artist: Dead Confederate

Album: Sugar

Label: Old Flame

Genre: Rock

Comments: Dead Confederate combine psychedelic rock, post-grunge, and a little bit of Southern rock--they are from Georgia, after all--into their own blend, coming up with a style that sounds way too advanced for this to be just their second LP. In fact, Sugar is a great leap forward from their 2008 debut Wrecking Ball; it's a complete record that should propel them up the ladder. (For publicity's sake, it'll surely help that J Mascis, who has been known to pick up a guitar on occasion, drops by on "Giving It All Away.") For fans of The Black Angels, The Whigs and Sonic Youth.

Start with "Run from the Gun," "Mob Scene" and "In the Dark."

New Idea Society

Add Date: August 24

Artist: New Idea Society

Album: Somehow Disappearing

Label: Shiny Shoes

Genre: Rock

Comments: The Brooklyn band New Idea Society makes music that lands somewhere between the big-sounding pop of Keane or Starsailor and the upbeat indie rock of Tokyo Police Club. Frontman Mike Law sounds a good deal like Nate Ruess of Fun. and The Format. Start with "Summer Lion" and "Autumn You."

Les Savy Fav

Add Date: August 24

Artist: Les Savy Fav

Album: Root for Ruin

Label: Frenchkiss

Genre: Rock, punk, post-punk

Comments: With their fifth studio album--and the first since their 2007 masterpiece Let's Stay Friends--Les Savy Fav continue to cement their reputation as one of the best rock bands around. I hesitate to use the term "punk rock," so I'll say this: LSF is a punk band in the same sense that Ted Leo & the Pharmacists are, combining the energy and uptempo, guitar-driven rock associated with the genre. However, their musical influences are more in line with indie rock stalwarts such as Built to Spill or the Pixies and post-punk masters like Television, giving Root for Ruin a much wider appeal.

Check out "Calm Down," "Let's Get Out of Here" and "Dear Crutches."

Kyle Andrews

Add Date: August 24

Artist: Kyle Andrews

Album: KANGAROO E.P.

Label: Elephant Lady

Genre: Rock, pop

Comments: Even if you missed Kyle Andrews' 2008 release Real Blasty, you're probably familiar with at least one of his songs: "You Always Make Me Smile," the lead track from this 6-song set, is featured in a current line of commercials for Holiday Inn Express. It's easy to see why an ad producer would choose Andrews' music; the word "infectious" comes to mind, but even that doesn't really do it justice. Sometimes folksy, sometimes bouncing along with the help of synthesizers, the KANGAROO E.P. is for fans of Jeffrey Lewis and Ben Kweller. In addition to "You Always Make Me Smile," try "Lov3r."

S. Carey

Add Date: August 24

Artist: S. Carey

Album: All We Grow

Label: Jagjaguwar

Genre: Folk, chamber pop, classical

Comments: It would seem that choosing a drummer for Bon Iver was a pretty easy decision for Justin Vernon: when you have a classically trained percussionist with a penchant for jazz drumming, you probably don't think twice. Now, after touring alongside Vernon, Sean Carey makes his solo debut, which draws its inspirations from Steve Reich, Talk Talk and jazz legend Bill Evans. The result, All We Grow, is a stunningly gorgeous collection of quiet folk/classical compositions that bring to mind Clogs, Sigur Ros and Sam Amidon.

The LP is terrific from start to finish, but highlights include "We Fell," "Mothers" and "In the Dirt."

Ferraby Lionheart

Add Date: August 24

Artist: Ferraby Lionheart

Album: The Jack of Hearts

Label: Thirty Tigers

Genre: Folk pop

Comments: A Nashville native and L.A. resident, Ferraby Lionheart is a musical descendant of Rufus Wainwright, making catchy folk rock tunes that would fit into a playlist including Pelle Carlberg, Sondre Lerche and Badly Drawn Boy. Lionheart doesn't really do anything different than the many folk pop artists out there--he just does things better than most. The Jack of Hearts is one of the more enjoyable records you'll hear this summer. Try "Pocketknife," "Holdin' Me Back" and "Sweet Tanzini."

Twin Shadow

Add Date: August 24

Artist: Twin Shadow

Album: Forget

Label: Terrible

Genre: Rock, synth pop

Comments: Twin Shadow is the project of musician George Lewis Jr., recently signed to the Terrible Records imprint of Grizzly Bear's Chris Taylor, who co-produced Forget. Taking a page from Joy Division, Brian Eno and the best of New Wave, Lewis' Morrissey-like delivery leaps out in front of melodies powered by synths, guitar, bass and drum machines. This record will easily appeal to fans of Phoenix, The Drums and Junior Boys.

Check out "Shooting Holes," "At My Heels" and "Tyrant Destroyed."

Buke and Gass

Add Date: August 24

Artist: Buke and Gass

Album: Riposte

Label: Brassland

Genre: Rock, experimental

Comments: I've been excited for this record since I had the great fortune to see Buke and Gass at the Big Ears festival in Knoxville back in March. First, the moniker is pronounced "BYOOK and GAYSE"; they're named for the primary instruments that they play: a baritone ukulele and a guitar-bass hybrid. I say primary because you'll hear a lot of different sounds on Riposte, from percussion--usually played by the feet of Arone Dyer and Aron Sanchez during their live shows and, apparently, in the studio as well--as well as woodwinds, bells, and so forth. The result is a wonderfully disjointed mix of noisy pop that exists somewhere between The Fiery Furnaces and Deerhoof.

Riposte is being released by Brassland, the label run by the Dessner brothers from The National (and that band's original home). Check out "Sleep Gets Your Ghost," "Outt!" and "Medulla Oblongata."

Magic Kids

Add Date: August 24

Artist: Magic Kids

Album: Memphis

Label: True Panther

Genre: Rock, indie pop

Comments: Memphis is certainly a great city for music, but it's not traditionally known for the type of indie pop that this hometown 5-piece plays. Maybe there's a little Big Star swirling through their debut LP, but Magic Kids' influences seem to be more along the lines of Belle & Sebastian and Brian Wilson. With the energy of twee and the orchestration of chamber pop, the band is a must-hear for fans of Pas/Cal, Jens Lekman and I'm From Barcelona. Start with "Phone" and "Candy."

The Qemists

Add Date: August 24

Artist: The Qemists

Album: Spirit in the System

Label: Ninja Tune

Genre: Electronica, drum & bass, hip hop

Comments: Here's what the promoter has to say about the second album from this Brighton trio: "Following years spent experimenting in search of the perfect hybrid of drum & bass, rock, dubstep, techno, dancehall and everything else The Qemists loved, the group exploded onto the scene in 2006 with an acclaimed remix of Coldcut's 'Everything Is Under Control' ... Following the ground-rupturing, genre-fusing success of their debut full-length, 2009's Join the Q, The Qemists... return with their brilliant second album, Spirit in the System, a bolder and more sophisticated beast... Live rock musicians who are cutting-edge electronic producers, The Qemists are equally at home in the rehearsal room, on the stage, or working their wizardry in the studio."

Recommended tracks on the album promo sticker.

Sonny & the Sunsets

Add Date: August 24

Artist: Sonny & the Sunsets

Album: Tomorrow Is Alright

Label: Fat Possum

Genre: Rock, pop

Comments: Sonny & the Sunsets make slightly psychedelic, slightly folksy pop songs that could, in truth, only come from California. And indeed, Sonny Smith is a San Francisco native; though he's spent time in Denver and Costa Rica, his time in the Golden State shines through on Tomorrow Is Alright. With the help of a talented supporting cast, including Sub Pop recording artist Kelley Stoltz, Tim Cohen and Shayde Sartin of The Fresh & Onlys, and Tahlia Harbour of Citay, Smith has crafted a retro-sounding rock record that claims The Raincoats and Modern Lovers among its inspirations.

Start with "Too Young to Burn," the Velvet Underground-leaning closer "Lovin' on an Older Gal" and "Chapters."

Arthur Nasson

Add Date: August 24

Artist: Arthur Nasson

Album: Echo Garden

Label: Philistine

Genre: Rock, pop, experimental

Comments: Arthur Nasson's Echo Garden LP is divided into three movements; Parts I and III are filled with hook-laden rock that pulls from a lot of '60s influences, from the Beach Boys to Syd Barrett to Motown; Part II is an exploration of psychedelic soundscapes that, frankly, seems out of place. Still, there are some good pop songs before and after, particularly "Bounce" and "You Wouldn't Understand."

Filligar

Add Date: August 24

Artist: Filligar

Album: The Nerve

Label: Self-released

Genre: Rock

Comments: This Chicago quartet makes jangly, classic-leaning rock that should draw in fans of everyone from The Black Crowes to Dr. Dog. Start with "Health" or "Robbery (Shocking Love)."

Best New Music - August 17

Our top adds:

Land of Talk
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin
Murdocks
TS & the Past Haunts
Blue Sky Black Death

These are really worth your time, too: Matthew Dear, Grass Widow and Four Tet remixes.

Land of Talk

Add Date: August 17

Artist: Land of Talk

Album: Cloak and Cipher

Label: Saddle Creek

Genre: Rock

Comments: I feel like a proud parent when Land of Talk comes up. After all, I've been unabashedly touting this band since Elizabeth Powell and co. debuted on the scene with their 2006 mini-album Applause Cheer Boo Hiss, a bold collection of post-punk tunes that, while slightly unpolished, showed a tremendous amount of promise. The band's proper debut LP, 2008's Some Are Lakes, started to fulfill this potential--it did as much as one album can do in that regard--and while on tour with Broken Social Scene, Powell took over that powerhouse's female vocals, to much acclaim. And now Cloak and Cipher continues Land of Talk's upward progression. Those darned kids grow up so fast...

This new record isn't a repeat of Some Are Lakes. At times, it would be difficult to recognize the band from four years ago--if not for Powell's beautiful and distinctive vocals. The Land of Talk of 2010 is significantly more mature, more focused on musicianship, songwriting, and the like, and ultimately more accessible. Powell obviously has some pull in the Canadian indie rock community these days, and she recruited the likes of Patrick Watson, Arcade Fire drummer Jeremy Gara et al to help put the LP together. The result is a richly orchestrated rock record, starting with the basic guitar/bass/drums formula and expanding to include piano, horns, and the occasional strings.

Cloak and Cipher will appeal to fans of BSS, Wye Oak and PJ Harvey. "Swift Coin" has been floating around the web for a while--it's the best, punchiest song on the record, so thus a fitting lead single--and also try the title selection, "Hamburg, Noon" and "Quarry Hymns."

Four Tet

Add Date: August 17

Artist: Four Tet

Album: Angel Echoes + Remixes

Label: Domino

Genre: Electronica

Comments: A nice collection of remixes and alternate versions of three songs from Four Tet's terrific January release There Is Love in You. We have Caribou and Jon Hopkins (formerly and currently Four Tet's labelmates on Domino) remixing "Angel Echoes," great work on "Love Cry" by Joy Orbison, and three extremely different takes on "Sing," highlighted by Mosca's dancefloor-ready mix.

This disc also includes a radio edit of "Love Cry" (the album version was 9 minutes long), and an extended cut of "Sing" (7 minutes on the LP, nearly 11 minutes here). So, as if the original LP weren't enough, there's plenty more Four Tet to go around.

Matthew Dear

Add Date: August 17

Artist: Matthew Dear

Album: Black City

Label: Ghostly International

Genre: Electronica

Comments: From the promoter: "Black City is Matthew Dear's third album on Ghostly International [School of Seven Bells, Dabrye], and it's his darkest and most engrossing work to date... From the first notes of album opener 'Honey', it's clear that the love-obsessed Matthew Dear of 2007's Asa Breed has given way to a more existentially paranoid entity, as creeping tempos dominate, cavernous atmospherics envelop the listener, and strange distortions crackle on the horizon.

"Black City could be a metaphor for the dark city Dear now calls home, New York, but it could also be a place he escapes to craft his pop-rooted electro tales that deal in love and desperate cases. Either way, Black City is proof positive of Matthew Dear growing as a songwriter and a musician, as his most eclectic album to date blows through signs of Krautrock, Brian Ferry, and the golden '80s."

Start with "Monkey," "Slowdance" and the 9-minute lead single "Little People (Black City)."

Gov't Mule

Add Date: August 17

Artist: Gov't Mule

Album: Mulennium

Label: Evil Teen

Genre: Jam bands, rock

Comments: Mulennium is a triple live album from Gov't Mule, recorded at the Roxy in Atlanta on Dec. 31, 1999, and it's the first new release to feature the band's original lineup since bassist Allen Woody passed away in August 2000. The promoter says: "Gov't Mule's annual New Year's Eve shows have always been something special for Mule fans. Recording live on the eve of the new millennium, Mulennium saw the band play an incredible set that featured guest appearances by legendary blues guitarist Little Milton, as well as longtime friend and collaborator Audley Freed. As the world prepared for impending post-Y2K chaos, Gov't Mule put on a live show that now spans three discs and is filled with songs that are sure to please fans of Warren Haynes and company."

Grass Widow

Add Date: August 17

Artist: Grass Widow

Album: Past Time

Label: Kill Rock Stars

Genre: Rock, post-punk

Comments: Grass Widow is the latest in a long line of innovative post-punk bands that have highlighted the Kill Rock Stars roster throughout the years, falling in behind the likes of Bikini Kill, Sleater-Kinney and Erase Errata. Musically, this San Francisco trio is probably closest to their L.A. counterparts in the latter band; as the promoter says: "Past Time... sounds like a hybrid of Mountain Man's rurally raw three-part vocal harmonies and Erase Errata's inventive drumming, complex arrangements and angular guitar melodies."

The promoter's recommendations (found on the album sticker) are all good; I also liked "Fried Egg" and "Uncertain Memory."

Lake Heartbeat

Add Date: August 17

Artist: Lake Heartbeat

Album: Trust in Numbers

Label: Service

Genre: Electropop

Comments: From the promoter: "The latest in a line of cutting-edge pop acts bursting from Sweden's burgeoning music scene, and from the label behind Jens Lekman, Studio, The Tough Alliance, The Embassy, Kleerup and Whitest Boy Alive, Service brings you: Lake Heartbeat... It carries the torch of tightly-produced tropical-fused dream pop one would define as Balearic, but Trust in Numbers takes it a step further. Electronic instrumentation and lush vocals elevate the album up and away from where Air France left off a few years back..."

Check out "Golden Chain," "Pipedream" and "Solid Mass."

Random Task Collective

Add Date: August 17

Artist: Random Task Collective

Album: Classified Matter

Label: Self-released

Genre: Rock

Comments: The Calgary foursome Random Task Collective makes self-described "inspired nerd funk" that borrows from the likes of Weezer and OK Go. Recommendations on the promo sticker.

Murdocks

Add Date: August 17

Artist: Murdocks

Album: Distortionist

Label: Self-released

Genre: Rock, power pop, garage rock

Comments: Austin's Murdocks make grungy pop-rock songs that borrow from many different influences--in a review of their 2005 debut Surrenderender on AllMusic.com, they're likened to the laundry list of Green Day, Weezer, The Strokes and Pete Yorn--all without stepping on anyone's toes. It's taken over five years for the band to release a followup to that LP, with only a 6-song EP (2008's Roar!) in between, but it turns out that it's been worth the wait. Surrenderender was a good record that showed a lot of promise, which the band fulfills with Distortionist. This is a really good mix of garage rock brashness and power-pop energy, which comes to the fore on tracks like "OMG," "Maiden in the Mirror" and "Die Together."

Blue Sky Black Death

Add Date: August 17

Artist: Blue Sky Black Death

Album: Third Party

Label: Fake Four Inc.

Genre: Electropop

Comments: From the promoter: "Blue Sky Black Death, the production team of Kingston and Young God, return with their 10th album in four years. Having worked with hip-hop mainstays Del the Funky Homosapien, Jean Grae and Guru, this time the duo collaborates with Alexander Chen (Boy in Static) for a record both lush and luxuriant... Drawing from everything from '80s pop melodies to modern indie rock experimentation like Stars, the creeping synth lines and crisp, soaring sounds form a soft bed for Chen's lyrical exploration of disenchantment and glowing instrumentals. Yet, fans of M83 and The Postal Service will also find a warm home inside Third Party."

Recommendations on the album promo sticker.

John Legend & the Roots

Add Date: August 17

Artist: John Legend & the Roots feat. Common & Melanie Fiona

Album: "Wake Up Everybody" (single)

Label: Columbia

Genre: Soul, hip hop

Comments: Here's the star-studded lead single from the new collaboration between R&B stalwart John Legend and hip-hop superstars The Roots, with special guests Common and Melanie Fiona (who, by the way, might have an even better voice than Legend). Of the full-length Wake Up!, due out in September, Legend says: "It's a blend of soul, hip-hop, funk, gospel and reggae which draws inspiration from a previous era of socially-relevant music--the soul songs of the 1960s and '70s... I've wanted to work with [The Roots] since I went to college in Philly, and I knew that ?uestlove would understand the album I was trying to make and help me get there."

TS & the Past Haunts

Add Date: August 17

Artist: TS & the Past Haunts

Album: TS & the Past Haunts

Label: Self-released

Genre: Rock

Comments: TS & the Past Haunts is the new collaboration of Piebald frontman Travis Shettel and the London band The Duke Spirit; this self-titled, self-released 8-song set borrows from both bands' styles, winding up with accessible, if slightly haunting, rock that pulls from post-punk, '90s alternative and blues rock. The standout track, "Get Mind," brings to mind Built to Spill; also check out "Caveman Rock" and "Know What I Know."

If you're a fan of packaging, check this out: we were fortunate enough to receive one of just 120 physical copies of TS & the Past Haunts, all of which were handmade by Shettel. Needless to say, that's a very nice touch.

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin

Add Date: August 17

Artist: Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin

Album: Let It Sway

Label: Polyvinyl

Genre: Rock, indie pop

Comments: Talk about pulling you in early: if you're not hooked immediately by Let It Sway, the third LP from Missouri indie pop darlings Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, then I'd recommend checking your pulse. The first two tracks on the record--the sing-along "Back in the Saddle" and the guitar-pop gem "Sink/Let It Sway"--are two of the finest pop songs you'll hear all year. Though the album doesn't quite maintain that level throughout, there's plenty of good stuff here, as SSLYBY combines its prevalent Elephant 6 influences with the production work of Death Cab for Cutie's Chris Walla.

In addition to those opening numbers, check out "My Terrible Personality," "Everlyn" and "Phantomwise."

Best New Music - August 10

Act now:

Arcade Fire
Cotton Jones
Chief
Blue Giant
The Limousines

But wait, there's more: Frontier Ruckus, Dan Mangan, Esperanza Spalding, Ten Kens, a Jenny & Johnny EP and an of Montreal single

Arcade Fire

Add Date: August 10

Artist: Arcade Fire

Album: The Suburbs

Label: Merge

Genre: Rock

Comments: Chapel Hill outfit Merge Records has been one of the best and most influential record labels in the country for over two decades now--see The Magnetic Fields, Neutral Milk Hotel, Spoon, She & Him, et al--but never before have they had a band of this magnitude: one that can draw well-deserved praise from critics high and low, all while streaming their Madison Square Garden concert live on YouTube and taking over the top spot on the Billboard 200. (The list of bands/artists who are that good and that big is certainly quite short.)

Of course, that's hardly news. Arcade Fire's debut Funeral was rightfully billed as one of the best albums of the previous decade, and their 2007 followup Neon Bible made it to No. 2 on the Billboard chart. But it's worth repeating here, because while their popularity continues to grow almost exponentially, The Suburbs is the latest, perhaps most ambitious and arguably the best chapter in the Montreal 7-piece's bright young career.

I say ambitious because, in an era of download-ready singles, mini-albums and the like, the LP clocks in at 16 tracks and 64 minutes long. For almost any other band, that would be too much. But because of the richness and diversity of Arcade Fire's music, it works here--even with repeated listens, at no point have I been inclined to skip ahead; that's really saying something, because my favorite song on the album, the Regine Chassagne-fronted synth pop number "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)" is the penultimate track.

The myriad styles that Arcade Fire has long employed again appear in full force on the album: chamber pop, New Wave, orchestral folk rock, post-punk, all mixed into their own trademark sound. From the piano-pop opening of the title track, to the urgent rock of "Ready to Start" and "Empty Room," to the sparse charge of "City With No Children," on to the ballad "Suburban War," into the energetic, almost punk-rock feel of "Month of May," through the buildup of "We Used to Wait" and then into "Sprawl II," The Suburbs is the latest opus from one of the truly great bands out there today.

Reporter

Add Date: August 10

Artist: Reporter

Album: Time Incredible

Label: Holocene Music

Genre: Electronica, dance pop

Comments: Time Incredible is a dancefloor-ready record from the Portland trio Reporter, who draw influences from French house and Italian disco of years past, all while writing pop songs that very much belong in the 21st century. For fans of Nite Jewel and Glass Candy. Check out "Click Shaw," "One Night" and the title track.

Brad

Add Date: August 10

Artist: Brad

Album: Best Friends?

Label: Monkeywrench

Genre: Rock

Comments: From the promoter: "Marking the band's first studio release in eight years, Best Friends? is the fourth record from the iconic collaboration of Pearl Jam guitarist Stone Gossard, vocalist/pianist Shawn Smith, drummer Regan Hagar, and bassist Mike Berg... [A]ll the elements the band favors (piano; catchy choruses; melodic guitar chords; reflective lyrics) factor in... RIYL: Stone Gossard, Ben Harper, Satchel, Afghan Whigs."

Recommendations on the album sticker.

Ten Kens

Add Date: August 10

Artist: Ten Kens

Album: For Posterity

Label: Last Gang

Genre: Rock

Comments: This is just the second album from Toronto's Ten Kens, but their sound might fool you into thinking that they're a veteran band. (To be fair, three of the four members have been playing together since 2003.) Incorporating elements of post-hardcore, psychedelia, garage and angular indie rock, their music is for fans of The Black Heart Procession, No Age and Liars. Based on their MySpace page, it looks as if they're appearing at every rock festival in their native land over the next couple of months; the depth and energy of For Posterity should propel them to greater heights south of the border as well.

Try "Summer Camp," "Back to Benign" and "Hard Sell."

Frontier Ruckus

Add Date: August 10

Artist: Frontier Ruckus

Album: Deadmalls and Nightfalls

Label: Ramseur

Genre: Folk

Comments: Another great album coming from the North Carolina label Ramseur Records. Frontier Ruckus is a stripped-down folk band that does the genre right. Each song is raw and genuine, to the point where you may feel as if you know every secret of the five members in this folk group.

Rolling Stone had this to say about the band: "They may hail from up north--Michigan, to be specific--but Frontier Ruckus sing the sound of the South: delicate, finger-picked banjos, aching, oaky violin and the haunting voice of frontman Matthew Milia, who conjures what might happen had Neutral Milk Hotel's Jeff Mangum been raised in a log cabin. Their songs are full of rich, rural details: frozen lakes, swaying trees, highway lights glowing in the deep night. Add to the mix baleful brass and trembling percussion, and you've got the perfect recipe for Gothic Americana."

I like this classification of "Gothic Americana"--Frontier Ruckus certainly fits this apt description. Start with 2, 4, 1 and 10.

Blue Giant

Add Date: August 10

Artist: Blue Giant

Album: Blue Giant

Label: Vanguard

Genre: Rock, folk

Comments: Blue Giant has released a top-shelf pop record that explores corners of country, folk, and classic rock 'n roll. Some of the tracks are dark, others light; some heavily rhythmic, others simple and less-layered folk tunes. But all of these songs will grab you the same way cotton candy does a child at a baseball game--by the collar, leaving you screaming for more.

Much of the melodies and choruses are unabashedly backed by guitar riffs that often near guitar solo status. Pianos, lap steel guitars, and other bells and whistles keep things interesting and full throughout the album. Lead singer Kevin Robinson has an ultra-clear, somewhat deep voice that demands attention. Anita Robinson chimes in vocally just enough to drive me to want to hear her more, a great secret weapon for the band.

Blue Giant has been described as a Portland, Oregon supergroup. Members of Viva Voce (Kevin and Anita Robinson), The Decemberists (Chris Funk), and Sleater-Kinney (Corin Tucker) all joined creative minds to produce this album. Check out 1, 2, 4, and 10.

Chief

Add Date: August 10

Artist: Chief

Album: Modern Rituals

Label: Domino

Genre: Rock

Comments: Simple, simple, simple. Chief is clearly steeped in the '70s rock tradition, with some cosmic country and '60s pop-rock seeping in. The instrumentation is generally pretty basic: guitars, bass, keyboard and drums, with the occasional strings highlighting the mix. Harmony vocals dominate. Even the band's name is all of five letters long--and it doesn't invoke wolves, crystals or ghosts.

But damn, does it work. There's a reason that this Santa Monica-via-NYU quartet has joined the ranks of innovators like Dirty Projectors, Animal Collective and Four Tet and British rock juggernauts Arctic Monkeys and Franz Ferdinand on Domino Recording Co. Modern Rituals may not break ground like, say, Bitte Orca, but it's still an astonishing debut that will appeal to fans of The Morning Benders, Grizzly Bear and Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros.

The album is great from start to finish, but in particular try "The Minute I Saw It," "Breaking Walls," "Night & Day" and "Stealing."

Gabriel Mintz

Add Date: August 10

Artist: Gabriel Mintz

Album: Volume One

Label: Self-released

Genre: Folk

Comments: Volume One is, as you might expect, the debut record from Gabriel Mintz, whose music is ready-made for fans of Damien Jurado, Josh Ritter and Sun Kil Moon. Mintz is based in Seattle, though from some of the numbers on this record, I would've guessed the Southwest--in particular, check out the Texas folk of "Sofa Bed" or "Miles High." Also try the quieter, darker sound of "Desert Sky."

Le Vice

Add Date: August 10

Artist: Le Vice

Album: Le Vice

Label: Self-released

Genre: Hip hop, R&B, electronica

Comments: The promoter says: "Le Vice is an indie hip-hop and R&B band whose determination is to bring a little fun and personality to their live shows and recordings. Their large sound includes cosmic and ambient synthesizers, moving bass lines, hard-nose drumming and angular guitar licks. This is topped off with frontwoman Alex Lee's hip-hop swagger and soulful singing. The result is part throwback and part future; but something that is nonetheless catchy."

Check out "Hard 2 Be Ill" or "Why Fight."

Dan Mangan

Add Date: August 10

Artist: Dan Mangan

Album: Nice, Nice, Very Nice

Label: Arts & Crafts

Genre: Folk, rock

Comments: This is a great pop album. From Exclaim!: "With backup from some of Canada's finest roots musicians and a nod from NME as one of Canada's most promising artists, Mangan's career is clearly on the rise." Right off the bat, I would compare Mangan's sound to that of Mumford & Sons. However, not being a huge M&S's fan, I do believe there is more depth and more dynamics spread throughout Mangan's songs than those of that English folk pop band.

Nice, Nice, Very Nice will at one moment grab you with its catchy melodies, best seen in the song "Robots," and the next moment pull you into a slow sentimental folk tune, such as the track "The Indie Queens are Waiting." This is folk pop done well. Check out 2, 4, and 3.

Esperanza Spalding

Add Date: August 10

Artist: Esperanza Spalding

Album: Chamber Music Society

Label: Heads Up

Genre: Jazz

Comments: From the onesheet: "Spalding's journey as a solo artist began with the May 2008 release of Esperanza, her debut... which went on to become the best-selling album by a new jazz artist internationally in 2008. The New York Times raved: 'Esperanza has got a lot: accomplished jazz improvisation, funk, scat singing, Brazilian vernacular rhythm and vocals in English, Portuguese and Spanish. At its center is a female bassist, singer and bandleader, one whose talent is beyond question.'

"If Esperanza marked a brilliant beginning for this gifted young artist, then Spalding's August 2010 release, Chamber Music Society, sets her on an upward trajectory to prominence. Inspired by the classical training of her younger years, Spalding has created a modern chamber music group that combines the spontaneity and intrigue of improvisation with sweet and angular string trio arrangements. The result is a sound that weaves the innovative elements of jazz, folk and world music into the enduring foundations of classical chamber music traditions. Co-produced by Esperanza and Gil Goldstein (with string arrangements provided by both), Chamber Music Society finds Esperanza with a diverse assembly of musicians: pianist Leo Genovese, drummer Terri Lyne Carrington, percussionist Quintino Cinalli, guitarist Ricardo Vogt, and vocalists Gretchen Parlato and the legendary Milton Nascimento. The string trio is comprised of violinist Entcho Todorov, violist Lois Martin and cellist David Eggar."

Highlights include "Really Very Small," "Knowledge of Good and Evil" and "Wild Is the Wind."

of Montreal

Add Date: August 10

Artist: of Montreal

Album: "Coquet Coquette" (single)

Label: Polyvinyl

Genre: Rock, indie pop

Comments: Here's the first single from of Montreal's new, Jon Brion-produced LP False Priest, due out on Polyvinyl on Sept. 7. A little heavier on the bass than much of the past work from Kevin Barnes and co., it's a great teaser for what is sure to be another interesting (and, presumably, really good) LP from these veterans of the indie pop establishment.

Jenny and Johnny

Add Date: August 10

Artist: Jenny and Johnny

Album: I'm Having Fun Now (EP)

Label: Warner Bros.

Genre: Rock, folk pop

Comments: The August 31 release date of I'm Having Fun Now is just three weeks away, but we can all be tided over with this 4-song EP of the same name from Jenny and Johnny, the new project of model and former MTV host Jenny McCarthy and Sex Pistols frontman Johnny Rotten. No? How about Jennifer Lopez and Johnny Depp? Weight-loss maven Jenny Craig and Detroit Tigers outfielder Johnny Damon?

OK, I'll stop. Jenny is, of course, Jenny Lewis, who has spun her work with Rilo Kiley into a very successful solo career; Johnny would be Johnathan Rice, a successful singer/songwriter who has worked on both of Lewis' records. (The two happen to be dating.) The four songs on this sampler are folksier than Rilo Kiley, while conveying more '70s pop than either musician's solo work--Fleetwood Mac often comes to mind. Lead track "Scissor Runner" has been on our playlist in single form for a few weeks; also check out "Animal."

Cotton Jones

Add Date: August 10

Artist: Cotton Jones

Album: Tall Hours in the Glowstream

Label: Suicide Squeeze

Genre: Rock, folk, psych rock

Comments: If you enjoyed Cotton Jones' first album, Paranoid Cocoon, you will undoubtedly find the duo's sophomore release a pure pleasure. Compared to the group's previous record, Tall Hours in the Glowstream is less folky and more psychedelic--that's not to say the folk influence doesn't play a large role in these songs, just less so than the last go-round.

For those who are new to Cotton Jones, get ready for songs that are refreshingly unique in today's over-saturated indie-folk scene. These songs are chock full of sounds that walk the line between new and old. Cotton Jones songs are typically coated in warm layers of reverb that perfectly blend the unique string and percussion instruments used throughout this album. Lead singer Michael Nau's voice is genuine and strong, and it seamlessly melds with the lofty percussion that often drives these songs forward. Nau often sings of what surrounds him, describing through beautiful imagery mountains, light and water. The other permanent member, Whitney McGraw, offers beautiful harmonies and adds that extra dynamic that makes these songs feel as large as they do. Tall Hours in the Glowstream is both heartwarming and trance-inducing (and what's better than a heartwarming trance?).

From the promoter: "The record doesn't always sound clean and the tempo isn't exact... It's not like the band's inattentive, but they're not hiding the fact that they are musicians who play with feeling rather than technical faculty. The resulting sounds are both rich and delightfully lo-fi, with vivid and gorgeous vocal harmony, mixed from start to finish and produced by Cotton Jones."

This is a great album worth playing on your show. Start with 2, 3, 1, 4, and 9.

Samantha Gibb & the Cartel

Add Date: August 10

Artist: Samantha Gibb & the Cartel

Album: Wrong Side (EP)

Label: Self-released

Genre: Rock, folk

Comments: From the onesheet: "From the sultry, tango-inflected 'My Spell,' to the driving riffs and worldly-wise message of 'Take It Easy,' the dramatic, Roy Orbison-esque acoustic balladry of 'I'll Stay,' and the chugging rock riffs and pop-perfection harmonies of the title track, Wrong Side is the product of three powerful, distinct musical personalities."

Darker My Love

Add Date: August 10

Artist: Darker My Love

Album: Alive As You Are

Label: Dangerbird

Genre: Rock

Comments: Known over their first two records for psychedelic rock descended from The Velvet Underground and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, L.A.'s Darker My Love now have another strong connection to BRMC: veering away from their bread-and-butter into the realm of folksy rock. Alive As You Are is a decent effort in that regard, falling closer to Blitzen Trapper or Akron/Family than previous DML stuff, but it begs this question: What prompted the stylistic change, when what you had done before was working so well?

Check out "New America" or "Split Minute."

The Limousines

Add Date: August 10

Artist: The Limousines

Album: Get Sharp

Label: Orchard City Books and Noise

Genre: Rock, synth pop

Comments: The Bay Area band The Limousines make synth-driven indie pop that aspires to match the danceability of Passion Pit and the trashy goodness/badness of Jaguar Love, all while hearkening back to early New Wave ("Internet Killed the Video Star" isn't exactly difficult to decipher) and even '60s pop (see the Supremes lyric lifted into "Triangle Circle Square"). While they don't quite get there, Get Sharp certainly has its moments--many of which, unfortunately, aren't playable during daytime hours on the radio. Nevertheless, try the two aforementioned songs, as well as "Wildfires."

Best New Music - August 3

Records you can't refudiate:

Versus
Samantha Crain
Common Grackle
Best Coast
El-P

And also: The Bodies Obtained, Bombay Bicycle Club, ceo, Jesca Hoop

Common Grackle

Add Date: August 3

Artist: Common Grackle

Album: The Great Depression

Label: Fake Four Inc.

Genre: Alt-pop, hip hop

Comments: Common Grackle, named after a type of bird, is the project of Canadian indie-pop songwriter Gregory Pepper and alt hip-hop producer Factor. The result is a frankly awesome collaboration, where pop songs meld with hip-hop sensibilities in an impressive manner. Like a second cousin to Yoni Wolf/Why?, harmonies and beats take inventive turns through the myriad of tracks, sadly most of which are DNP. However, check out the opener and track 8 for some playable goodness.

The Bodies Obtained

Add Date: August 3

Artist: The Bodies Obtained

Album: I Cry When You Cry

Label: Finding You Attractive

Genre: Pop, ambient electronica

Comments: From the promoter: "This heavily synth-pop influenced record experiments with the sounds of a dark side of electronica guided by starry sounding riff lines and spoken word vocals. Each track is laced with heavy lyrics and a contagious nature that is sure to keep listeners swaying in tandem, but keep thinking of Devo and post-punk. Yet, the light harmonies and rash tempo changes really help to set this record apart from others of its kind." Overall, it's a somewhat dense, almost dissonant-sounding album that shies away from the melodic and instead focuses on almost eerie experimentation. Try tracks 2 and 4.

Thieving Irons

Add Date: August 3

Artist: Thieving Irons

Album: This Midnight Hum

Label: Seabird Recording Co.

Genre: Rock, alt-pop

Comments: Nate Martinez’s first solo project after years with the band Pela takes the name Thieving Irons, and his debut album This Midnight Hum is a full-bodied pop album. Instruments range from horns and trumpets to your traditional percussion and guitar, and the sound is heavy and layered and looping, partly obscuring the vocals and giving the record a dense yet expansive sound. For fans of bands that utilize orchestral instruments.

The Ivy Walls

Add Date: August 3

Artist: The Ivy Walls

Album: The Elegant Universe

Label: Self-released

Genre: Alt-rock

Comments: Detailed, carefully arranged pop tunes dominate the Ivy Walls' The Elegant Universe, a lush alt-rock album. Apparently the group's first album and single were featured on MTV's "The Real World," which is probably a better way to describe their sound than anything I can write.

Adam Web

Add Date: August 3

Artist: Adam Web

Album: Once We Were Stars

Label: Self-released

Genre: Pop

Comments: Easy, simple pop songs with hints of soul and funk. Web's unique vocals are the ties to the album; the backing keyboard, bass and percussion let Web dictate the tone of the song, which more often than not is upbeat and upfront.

Versus

Add Date: August 3

Artist: Versus

Album: On the Ones and Threes

Label: Merge

Genre: Rock

Comments: The '90s indie rockers Versus are back after a 10-year hiatus. From the onesheet: "In the decade since the release of Hurrah [in 2000], many newer bands have emerged from NYC to achieve mega-success. Hard to believe that Versus were once among the most talked-about bands in the city, courted by majors during the post-Nirvana feeding frenzy, releasing two records on Caroline in the late '90s and touring relentlessly. But even though they may have slipped your minds, they're still one of the best bands out there--gritty yet melodic, beautiful yet explosive, balanced on the brink in a way that has become somewhat of a lost art."

Named after a Mission of Burma album, Versus combine the energy of punk, the driving edge of grunge and the songwriting of indie rock into a near-perfect blend with On the Ones and Threes. While Merge Records never puts out anything sub-par, this one is especially worth your time, especially if you're a fan of Sleater-Kinney, Pretty Girls Make Graves or Low. Check out "Pink Valhalla," the title track and "Invincible Hero."

ceo

Add Date: August 3

Artist: ceo

Album: White Magic

Label: Modular

Genre: Electronica, pop

Comments: ceo (that's pronounced "see-oh") is the new solo project of Eric Berglund, who could safely be considered indie/Balearic pop royalty--he's one-half of The Tough Alliance, as well as co-owner of the Swedish pop powerhouse Sincerely Yours (jj, Air France). White Magic is a brilliant little pop record that fits right in with jj no 2, A New Chance or Delorean's Subiza. Check out "Illuminata," "Come With Me" and "No Mercy."

Jesca Hoop

Add Date: August 3

Artist: Jesca Hoop

Album: Hunting My Dress

Label: Vanguard

Genre: Folk, rock

Comments: Northern California musician Jesca Hoop caught her big break by working as the nanny for Tom Waits' children, but it's hard to imagine that her talent would otherwise have gone undiscovered. Hunting My Dress, her second LP, welds the influences of musical touchstones like Paul Simon and Kate Bush to traditional folk and blues, and the end result is very intriguing. Though there are a lot of different sounds and styles on the record, more often than not, Nina Nastasia's music is brought to mind; indeed, Hoop is at her best when playing quiet, yet intricate folk songs.

Start with "The Kingdom," the title track and "Four Dreams."

Jeffrey Clark

Add Date: August 3

Artist: Jeffrey Clark

Album: If Is

Label: Hexagram

Genre: Folk, experimental

Comments: From the promoter: "In the cynical-hip, flavor-of-the-month atmosphere that is contemporary show-biz USA, Jeffrey Clark has managed something odd: staying out from under the parade of ever-shifting trends while walking a singular musical path, creating a small but coherent and prismatic body of work."

In other words, this is a kind of out-there record with layers of atmospheric melodies and other sonic qualities that are near impossible to put into words. One review calls the album "a psychedelically tinged, folky, punky, lyrical, spooky musical brew." Give it a listen, and see if you can explain it better! (More a challenge than a threat.) Start with 2, 3 and 1

Shannon Stephens

Add Date: August 3

Artist: Shannon Stephens

Album: Shannon Stephens

Label: Asthmatic Kitty

Genre: Folk

Comments: This is a reissue of an album that Shannon Stephens released in 2000. After releasing this record, she took a break from music until 2009, when she decided to start playing again. This is where the reissue comes in. She is championed by Sufjan Stevens, who calls her album "… a joyful, heartful collection of quiet, gorgeous songs about family, friends, work, love, and the beauty of the world at large." Sufjan enjoyed these tunes enough to release the album on the label he co-founded and helps operate, Asthmatic Kitty.

Shannon Stephens has an ultra-clear voice and isn't afraid to blend accessible with experimental. This self-titled release is certainly better than your average singer/songwriter album. Start with 1, 2, 4.

Wild Beasts

Add Date: August 3

Artist: Wild Beasts

Album: We Still Got the Taste Dancin' on Our Tongues (EP)

Label: Domino

Genre: Rock, pop

Comments: A 4-song EP from the UK art-rock band Wild Beasts, centered around one of the standout tracks from their excellent 2009 full-length Two Dancers. In addition to "We Still Got the Taste Dancin' on Our Tongues," try their Domino labelmate Jon Hopkins' terrific remix of "Two Dancers (ii)" and an acoustic version of "The Devil's Crayon."

El-P

Add Date: August 3

Artist: El-P

Album: Weareallgoingtoburninhellmegamixxx3

Label: Gold Dust Media

Genre: Electronica, hip hop

Comments: From the onesheet: "Few artists can combine uncomfortable with catchy; paranoiac with head-nodding; morbid with springy... But rapper, producer, and [Definitive Jux] founder El-P knows how to get to parts of the brain others can't... Weareallgoingtoburninhellmegamixxx3... sounds both similar to and nothing like anything you've heard before... Comprised of original instrumentals, as well as remix instrumentals, this album represents songs that were meticulously crafted yet never found a home on a proper release. And, as the album title implies, with this album El-P has created a dark, dystopian sonic universe filled with ominous basslines and thumping, punishing drums."

Best Coast

Add Date: August 3

Artist: Best Coast

Album: Crazy For You

Label: Mexican Summer

Genre: Rock, lo-fi

Comments: Praise has been pouring in for quite some time for the California duo Best Coast; Pitchfork, which has already BNMed (that's Best-New-Musicked) Crazy For You, says it's "[h]ead-and-shoulders above most fuzzed-out records;" the New York Times calls it "[s]hort and pungent, full of dreamy no-fi pop with tremendous melodies and emotions;" and Fader describes Bethany Cosentino as the "reigning princess of modern-day wistful melodies."

Now, we finally have a full-length from Cosentino and Bobb Bruno, which label Mexican Summer (Real Estate, Marissa Nadler) describes as "a 12-track, 29-minute collection of genuinely romantic sandy jams. Hazy, dreamy and genre-defining, Crazy For You proves that the impressive amount of press hype for Best Coast is more than warranted..."

For fans of Vivian Girls, Dum Dum Girls and Wavves. Try "Boyfriend," "Summer Mood" and the title selection, and also check out "When I'm With You," a bonus track from one of Best Coast's many previous singles and EPs.

Samantha Crain

Add Date: August 3

Artist: Samantha Crain

Album: You (Understood)

Label: Ramseur

Genre: Folk, folk rock

Comments: From the promoter: "Crain's distinct voice presents each song with an unfeigned fervor as it rises and falls over the panorama painted by the Midnight Shivers [the backing musicians] and their roots-infused, fertile arrangements. As this album unfolds, the listener can rest easy knowing they are not experiencing illusions—and this band can be comforted with the reassurance they have been genuine. "

Samantha Crain's sophomore effort smooths out the wrinkles and sprinkles a dash of pop tunes onto what fans would expect from her first album, 2009's Songs in the Night. This is a folk album that wonders between pop songs, soft acoustic songs, heavier rock songs, and experimental sounds. Crain is a female vocalist with a strange/twangy but still accessible and comforting voice. She released this album on the North Carolina independent label, Ramseur Records, which is the label the Avett Brothers essentially created with the help of some family friends. She is definitely one of my favorite artists, and this album certainly shows growth from her previous release. There is plenty of variety among these songs, but go ahead and start with 2, 4, 1 and 5.

Plastiq Passion

Add Date: August 3

Artist: Plastiq Passion

Album: To Be a Blade of Grass in Cracked Cement

Label: Self-released

Genre: Rock

Comments: The NYC quartet Plastiq Passion makes tunes inspired by post-punk and New Wave, claiming touchstones like Joy Division and The Cure among their influences--alongside the likes of PJ Harvey and The Pretenders. Try "I.D.K." and "Tragic (Just Like Me)."

Elsewhere

Add Date: August 3

Artist: Elsewhere

Album: 1981 (EP)

Label: Self-released

Genre: Rock

Comments: The Boston trio Elsewhere claims on its web site that it "combines the energy and raw angst of punk with the ambition and creativity of progressive rock," and the band members list influences that include Rush, U2, Sting/The Police and Genesis. Given that information, what emerges on the 4-song EP 1981 is about what you might expect: pretty good rock with a '70s/'80s slant. Try the title track and "Before the Stars Align."

The Avery Set

Add Date: August 3

Artist: The Avery Set

Album: Returning to Steam

Label: Self-released

Genre: Folk, alt-country

Comments: Returning to Steam is a solid alt-country effort from Nashville's The Avery Set. For fans of These United States and Old 97's. Check out "Wandering Shoes" or "Blown Away."

Debutaunts

Add Date: August 3

Artist: Debutaunts

Album: Why Can't We Have Fun

Label: Self-released

Genre: Rock

Comments: The unsigned Atlanta band Debutaunts' debut mixes influences from '60s pop, New Wave and pop-punk into a very catchy blend. Check out "She Missed the Party" or "This Is Yours."