Best New Music - November 23

Turkey, mashed potatoes and stuffing:

Royksopp

Velella Velella

The Parting Gifts

The Naked and Famous

Steve Wynn & the Miracle 3

And pumpkin pie: Robyn, Gary Ruley & Mule Train live, a Girls EP, and LCD Soundsystem in London

LCD Soundsystem

Add Date: November 23 

Artist: LCD Soundsystem 

Album: The London Sessions 

Label: DFA/Virgin 

Genre: Electropop 

Comments: Just six months after dazzling us with another brilliant LP, This Is Happening, James Murphy and LCD Soundsystem are back with The London Sessions, laid down in the English capital back in June. This album, available exclusively on iTunes, was done in the style of the Peel Sessions, with the band recreating its live show in a studio setting.

The 9-song record includes four selections from their May full-length, three from 2007's Sound of Silver and two from their eponymous 2005 release, including the song that made us all LCD Soundsystem fans, "Daft Punk Is Playing at My House." Also try "All My Friends," "Get Innocuous" and "Drunk Girls."

Girls

Add Date: November 23 

Artist: Girls 

Album: Broken Dreams Club EP 

Label: True Panther 

Genre: Rock, pop 

Comments: A fine 30-minute EP from San Francisco's Girls, Broken Dreams Club is the followup to last year's well-received debut Album. It's also much more accessible, at least in my mind, than their 2009 record, and most critics seem to agree. Writing on AllMusic.com, Jason Lymangrover described the EP as "surprisingly conventional-sounding... dreamy Southern ballads done in a '50s-style. If this is a sign of things to come, expect them to sound like Beirut or Grizzly Bear by their next full-length."

Check out "Heartbreaker," "The Oh So Protective One" and "Substance."

The Parting Gifts

Add Date: November 23 

Artist: The Parting Gifts 

Album: Strychnine Dandelion 

Label: In the Red 

Genre: Rock 

Comments: Garage rock mainstay Greg "Oblivion" Cartwright and The Ettes' Lindsay "CoCo" Hames have teamed up to form The Parting Gifts, and here's their debut on In the Red (Vivian Girls, The King Khan & BBQ Show). Strychnine Dandelion is by no means a cut-and-dried garage rock record, though, as the band--joined at times by Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys and Patrick Keeler of The Greenhornes and The Raconteurs--delves into blues rock, '50s and '60s pop and even some outlaw country.

Lots of fun. Start with "Keep Walkin'," "Shine," "My Baby Tonight" and "Bound to Let Me Down."

Complaints Choir

Add Date: November 23 

Artist: Various Artists 

Album: Complaints Choir 

Label: Smog Veil 

Genre: Compilations/soundtracks 

Comments: From the promoter: "Complaints Choir is both an award-winning documentary and the title of a global art project. Five years ago, a choir in the UK sang verses about their individual complaints. Following that, other choirs started moaning throughout Europe, the U.S., Asia, Africa, Canada, the Middle East and Australia, all voicing their community's respective gripes and woes in each country's native tongue. The recording quality of each song here is different, as is each choir's approach to songwriting. Several instrumental tracks used in the film, which is also included here, help fill up this sprawling and extremely entertaining four disc package!"

Niki Becker

Add Date: November 23 

Artist: Niki Becker 

Album: Good 

Label: Self-released 

Genre: Folk

Comments: Minnesota's Niki Becker crafts simple melodies into poppy singer/songwriter tunes on Good. Becker's guitar and vocals are complemented by drums, and, occasionally, the ukulele, piano or pump organ. Check out "Cast a Spell."

Maryanna Sokol

Add Date: November 23 

Artist: Maryanna Sokol 

Album: Landfill 

Label: Self-released 

Genre: Rock, folk pop 

Comments: The Texas-born, NYC-based artist Maryanna Sokol has crafted a delightful debut LP of poppy folk-rock songs. Sokol cites Regina Spektor, Leonard Bernstein and The Beatles among her influences, and I think it would safe to throw Jenny Lewis, Ingrid Michaelson and Kimya Dawson in there as well. There's nothing life-changing about Landfill, but it's a really enjoyable listen--and it's an album that stands out from the glut of female singer/songwriter types crowding the musical landscape these days.

Start with "Pentameter," "Little Song" and "Two."

Velella Velella

Add Date: November 23 

Artist: Velella Velella 

Album: Atlantic Massif 

Label: Self-released 

Genre: Rock, funk, soul, pop

Comments: From the promoter: "There are a million places to start. In just the first few minutes [of Atlantis Massif], you think 'Avalanches! Dam Funk! Stax! Stereolab! Chromeo! Prince!' but none quite gets at the heart of what Velella Velella is doing. Rather than merely imitating its influences, the band has managed to carve out its own place where funk meets the future, without a lick of heavy-handed schmaltz or saccharine grooviness; Atlantis Massif runs the road from singalong bangers, to head-bobber-butt-shakers, to (yes!) couples-skate slow jams. Recorded with a laundry list of instruments including vibraphone, vintage synthesizers, flutes, organs, guitars, all manner of shakers, tambourines and other percussion on top of meticulously programmed beats..."

I don't know if this LP is as groundbreaking as that blurb would have you believe, but it's certainly really good and really fun. My favorites include "Black Stripe," "Rainbow Sox" and "Splinters and Smoke."

Gary Ruley & Mule Train

Add Date: November 23 

Artist: Gary Ruley & Mule Train 

Album: The Southern Inn and Out: Live 

Label: Self-released 

Genre: Bluegrass 

Comments: This live album from local musician Gary Ruley has two things going for it: one, it's a fine collection of bluegrass from Ruley and the supremely talented pickers performing with him; two, it's one of the last documented events at The Southern Inn, recorded just a few months before the original restaurant burned this summer. (There are some terrific photographs of the downtown Lexington institution that serve as the album artwork.)

For this November 2009 performance, Mule Train included Larry Keel (guitar/vocals), Will Lee (banjo/vocals), the Knicely brothers Danny (mandolin/vocals) and David (bass), and fiddlers Shannon Wheeler and Nate Leath. The Southern Inn and Out: Live features bluegrass staples like "Little Maggie" and Bill Monroe's "Uncle Pen," traditional songs like "Durham's Bull" and even pop tunes like The Beatles' "Hard Day's Night" and The Rolling Stones' "No Expectations." But the clear highlight of the album is their 6-minute rendition of John Hartford's "Steam Powered Airplane," which provides a perfect showcase for each picker's ability--particularly, though by no means exclusively, Danny Knicely's expert work on the mandolin.

Also try "Pike County Breakdown" (another Monroe tune) and "Matterhorn" (made famous by The Country Gentlemen).

Royksopp

Add Date: November 23 

Artist: Royksopp 

Album: Senior 

Label: MB3 

Genre: Electronica, ambient house 

Comments: Senior is the so-called "companion" album to Junior, the danceable 2009 LP from the Norwegian duo Royksopp. Whereas Junior boasted pop songs, with guest vocals from the likes of Robyn, Lykke Li and The Knife/Fever Ray's Karin Dreijer Andersson, Senior is almost exclusively instrumental.

Here's what the band has to say: "The two albums have a kinship, in that they represent Royksopp's two very different artistic expressions. Junior--with emphasis on vocals, accessible melodies and harmonies--has the energy, the inquisitive temper and confident 'hey-ho, let's go!' attitude of youth, whereas Senior is the introverted, dwelling and sometimes graceful counterpart--brimful with dark secrets and distorted memories..."

That's actually a pretty good description of the two LPs. On Senior, try "Tricky Two" and "The Drug."

Robyn

Add Date: November 23 

Artist: Robyn 

Album: Body Talk 

Label: Konichiwa/Interscope 

Genre: Electropop, dance 

Comments: The final installment in Robyn's Body Talk series is a full LP, collecting five of the best tunes from the first two mini-albums and adding in five new tracks. It's somewhat difficult for me to judge this as a proper LP, since I've already heard two-thirds of the songs, but there's certainly plenty of great pop music here. The previously-released material is highlighted by "Dancing on My Own," "Dancehall Queen" and the Royksopp-featuring "None of Dem" from Pt. 1, as well as "Hang With Me" and "In My Eyes" from Pt. 2; top new songs include "Indestructible" and "Time Machine."

Laura Marling

Add Date: November 23 

Artist: Laura Marling 

Album: "Blues Run the Game" (single) 

Label: Third Man 

Genre: Folk 

Comments: Two covers from the emergent British songstress Laura Marling: "Blues Run the Game," from the forgotten '60s folk singer Jackson C. Frank--if you remember the Headless Heroes' 2008 covers LP The Silence of Love, you've heard Alela Diane do the same song--as well as Neil Young's "The Needle and the Damage Done." Both tunes suit Ms. Marling very well.

P.S. Jack White is indeed taking over the world; this is yet another release from his Third Man outfit.

127 Hours soundtrack

Add Date: November 23 

Artist: Various Artists 

Album: Music From the Motion Picture 127 Hours 

Label: Interscope 

Genre: Compilations/soundtracks 

Comments: Here's the soundtrack to 127 Hours, Danny Boyle's latest film, which is based on the true story of the mountain climber Aron Ralston, who was trapped for five days while on an expedition in Utah. (The movie stars James Franco as Ralston.) The wonderful score by A.R. Rahman comprises most of this release, but the album also features tunes by Sigur Ros, Bill Withers, Esther Phillips and Plastic Bertrand.

Nitzer Ebb

Add Date: November 23 

Artist: Nitzer Ebb 

Album: Industrial Complex 

Label: Artists' Addiction 

Genre: Electronica, industrial 

Comments: Says AllMusic.com: "Before the majority of industrial acts added guitars and became the heavy metal of the 1990s, Nitzer Ebb produced hard-hitting electronic music with the Teutonic bent and abrasive edge of early industrial music, plus the vocal chanting and beat-heavy flavor of the late-'80s alternative and Balearic dance scene."

Now, some 15 years after releasing their last studio record, the Essex trio is back with the aptly-titled Industrial Complex. I'm not a good judge of this type of music, but I think the above description should point you in the right direction. The promoter recommends the first three tracks.

Steve Wynn

Add Date: November 23 

Artist: Steve Wynn & the Miracle 3 

Album: Northern Aggression 

Label: Yep Roc 

Genre: Rock 

Comments: Steve Wynn may not have the name recognition of, say, R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe or Peter Buck, or Paul Westerberg, or Robyn Hitchcock, but he's right up there as one of the best and most consistent artists in modern rock over the past three decades. From his tenure leading The Dream Syndicate, to his solo career, to recent work in The Baseball Project (alongside Buck and another prolific musician, Scott McCaughey), Wynn has been making fine guitar-driven rock since the early '80s, and Northern Aggression is another very solid record. As is most of Wynn's work, it's heavily influenced by Big Star--no complaints there--and like the late Alex Chilton, Wynn adorns his alt-rock with traces of country, blues and pop.

Check out "Resolution," "The Other Side" and "Colored Lights."

The Naked and Famous

Add Date: November 23 

Artist: The Naked and Famous 

Album: Passive Me, Aggressive You 

Label: Somewhat Damaged 

Genre: Electropop, dance rock 

Comments: New Zealand's The Naked and Famous churn out big-sounding synth pop anthems, with hints of New Young Pony Club-style dance rock, Yeah Yeah Yeahs-leaning indie rock, Oracular Spectacular-reminiscent electro psych pop, and even some M83esque shoegaze. Passive Me, Aggressive You, the latest LP from the 5-piece band--featuring the male/female vocals of Thom Powers and Alisa Xayalith--is a very enjoyable listen, highlighted by "Young Blood" and "Punching in a Dream."

South Cry

Add Date: November 16 

Artist: South Cry 

Album: Blue Moon 

Label: Self-released 

Genre: Rock 

Comments: South Cry hail from the town of Cordeiro, Brazil, but their AAA-friendly pop songs make them sound like any run-of-the-mill '90s American rock band that once featured on Top 40 radio. Inoffensive to the ear, to be sure. Try "Mayfly" or "Icarus."

Best New Music - November 16

Standing ovation for:

The Greenhornes

Kisses

Bruce Springsteen

Orange Juice

John Lennon & Yoko Ono

And please welcome: Tabi Bonney, a Radio Dept. EP, a Decemberists single and a sampler from Kanine Records

Bruce Springsteen

Add Date: November 16 

Artist: Bruce Springsteen 

Album: The Promise 

Label: Columbia

Genre: Rock

Comments: From NPR: "The Promise, subtitled The Lost Sessions: Darkness on the Edge of Town, is not the usual odds-and-ends reissue package. In 1975, after Born to Run made him a megastar, Bruce Springsteen found himself in a lawsuit with his then-manager, which blocked the singer from making a follow-up for nearly two years until the suit was settled. While lawyers bickered, Springsteen toured and wrote prolifically. And the album that began taking shape in the months after Born to Run ultimately became--some 70+ songs later--a very different album: 1978's fierce Darkness on the Edge of Town. As Springsteen himself reflected, 'It's a reckoning with the adult world... with a life of limitations and compromises.'"

I am used to reviewing indie pop and folk records. As such, I am intimidated to even begin offering my two cents on album released by The Boss. Maybe that's why I started off with a huge quote from NPR... Anyway, you will love this album. I mean "you" in the universal, all-encompassing way. Bruce is a legend for a reason, and these songs are products of his youth (I cannot say his prime, because his entire life fits this description), following his release of Born to Run.

Start with: CD 1: 1, 3, 6, 7, 10 and CD 2: 1, 2, 3, 7.

Key to the Midway

Add Date: November 16 

Artist: Key to the Midway 

Album: Keep It to Yourself (EP)

Label: Self-released 

Genre: Rock, pop-punk 

Comments: Calculated, sugary, pop-punk. Enough said.

Pete Pidgeon & Arcoda

Add Date: November 16 

Artist: Pete Pidgeon & Arcoda 

Album: Growing Pains (EP) 

Label: Self-released 

Genre: Rock, folk 

Comments: Nothing too too special here, but certainly a fine attempt at mixing folk, pop, and ambient rock. Pete Pidgeon's vocals are often drawn out and seem to find similar melodies in similar ranges throughout the album. Nonetheless, I like the second song on this EP, and the third one is fine too.

Greg Lyon

Add Date: November 16 

Artist: Greg Lyon 

Album: Nowhere Near Poughkeepsie 

Label: Midriff 

Genre: Rock, folk rock 

Comments: Greg Lyon's ReverbNation page has this to say about his debut LP: "Grabbing influences ranging from '60s pop, to alt-country, to indie rock, Nowhere Near Poughkeepsie cannot be pigeonholed to one specific genre. Simple song structures with lo-fi production and warm organ tones are spread throughout..."

This is an interesting and fairly diverse LP, which starts out with some fuzzy folk tunes, highlighted by the title selection, and then veers into everything from lo-fi, '90s-inspired indie rock to folk pop. Also try "Papal Bull" or "Lying to Myself."

Tradi-Mods vs. Rockers

Add Date: November 16 

Artist: Various Artists 

Album: Tradi-Mods vs. Rockers: Alternative Takes on Congotronics 

Label: Crammed Discs 

Genre: Compilations/soundtracks 

Comments: From the promoter: "The Congotronics series has spawned a fervent following in the world of indie and electronic music... and now that world answers back... Tradi-Mods vs. Rockers includes covers, reworks and original compositions inspired by the electrifying sounds of Konono No. 1, Kasai Allstars and other bands who play electrified traditional music (also known as 'tradi-modern')... Much like its source material, this music is by turns serene, invigoratingly noisy or aimed squarely at open-minded dancefloors...

"Featured artists include Animal Collective, Deerhoof, Andrew Bird, Megafaun, Oneida, Portland's AU, New York's Skeletons and Chicago's Alla, unique personalities such as Juana Molina, Jolie Holland and Glenn Kotche (of Wilco), London's mutant pop sensation Micachu & the Shapes, innovative electronic music producers such as Shackleton, Optimo and Bass Clef from the UK, and Germany's Burnt Friedman and Mark Ernestus (of Basic Channel and Maurizio fame), a rare appearance by the label's seminal band Aksak Maboul and many more."

Most of my favorites are on disc 2 of this 26-song compilation: in particular, check out the invasion of the banjo on Megafaun vs. Kisanzi Kongo's "Conjugal Mirage," AU vs. Masanka Sankayi's "Two Labors" and Hoquets vs. Konono No. 1 on "Likembes."

The Decemberists

Add Date: November 16 

Artist: The Decemberists 

Album: Down by the Water (single) 

Label: Capitol

Genre: Alt-country, rock 

Comments: It's a single by The Decemberists, and it's awesome. With Gillian Welch on backing vocals, there's a nice scope to the track, which is a slightly folky, Americana-tinged, mostly country-rock ditty, with enough harmonica and vocal harmonies to please. Anticipation for the new album awaits.

Soft Circle

Add Date: November 16 

Artist: Soft Circle 

Album: Shore Obsessed 

Label: Post Present Medium 

Genre: Defies classification, experimental 

Comments: From the promoter: "Soft Circle started as the solo project of Hisham Bharoocha, and where to start about him? Bharoocha is a half-Japanese, half-Indian visual artist as well as a musician. After brief stints as a member of outfits like Lightning Bolt and Black Dice, Bharoocha also played in Pixeltan and organized the 77-drummer event Boredoms had in 2007. For his second album as Soft Circle, entitled Shore Obsessed, Hisham Bharoocha enlisted the aid of guitarist Bemjamin Vida, fleshing out his sound and adding pop elements... Soft Circle now sounds like Buddha fronting Battles, with gorgeous chanting vocals riding stuttering and looped dance rhythms."

There's a trancy, experimental, repeating and looping quality that keeps this record in the experimental zone, but enough pop sensabilities to sway nervous listeners over to his side.

... Featuring Norah Jones

Add Date: November 16 

Artist: Various Artists/Norah Jones

Album: ... Featuring Norah Jones 

Label: Blue Note

Genre: Compilations/soundtracks, rock, folk, pop

Comments: ... Featuring Norah Jones is, you guessed it, a compilation of artists featuring Norah Jones. The tracks span her entire career, with styles ranging from jazz to country to hip hop, and collaborating artists ranging from Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, OutKast, M. Ward, etc. In short, there should be a track for everyone, and Norah's voice is, as always, lovely.

Orange Juice

Add Date: November 16 

Artist: Orange Juice 

Album: Coals to Newcastle sampler 

Label: Domino 

Genre: Rock, Brit pop 

Comments: Domino has recently acquired the rights to the music of the '80s Scottish pop band Orange Juice, and the comprehensive Coals to Newcastle boxset spans six CDs and a DVD. For college radio, the label has created this 18-song sampler, which essentially serves as a best-of/introduction to one of the most important, if least heralded, British bands of the '80s. Orange Juice's music, incorporating funk and even some disco into their post-punk tunes, sounds like a weird hybrid of Gang of Four and Talking Heads, and it's a precursor to many of the great Scottish and English bands--everyone from The Smiths to Belle and Sebastian to Franz Ferdinand--that have emerged in the 25 years since Orange Juice broke up.

For starters, try "Rip It Up"--the band's only semblance of a hit, which cracked the UK's Top 10 singles chart--along with "Blue Boy," "Blokes on 45," "Flesh of My Flesh" and "Felicity."

Tabi Bonney

Add Date: November 16 

Artist: Tabi Bonney 

Album: Fresh 

Label: iHipHop 

Genre: Hip hop 

Comments: Born in Togo, transcontinental moving around the globe, son of Afro-funk legend Itadi Bonney, holder of multiple degrees (a BA and masters from Florida A&M), and finally part of the D.C. hip-hop scene and the indie hip-hop collective Organized Rhyme, Tabi Bonney certainly has enough experience to create an interesting record. And Fresh is just that--there's a precise, almost outer-space/robotic nature to the beats and backing vocals on a good number of the tracks; some dub, rock, and synth influences; some appearances (Pusha T from Clipse on the first track, Wale on track 13, among others); and consistent style with Bonney's vocals. I'm sure those more well-versed in hip-hop than I could judge this more accurately, but in my book, it's a must-play for sure.

The White Buffalo

Add Date: November 16 

Artist: The White Buffalo 

Album: Prepare for Black & Blue (EP) 

Label: Ruff Shod

Genre: Folk, acoustic 

Comments: In short, Prepare for Black & Blue, the latest EP from The White Buffalo, could easily have been on the Into the Wild soundtrack, right alongside Eddie Vedder. The forceful, almost growly vocals draw a slight comparison, sound-wise, and the stripped down instrumentation on this EP--acoustic, with an expansive, desolate feel--are a near-perfect match for tone. It's an appealing EP, to be sure--start with tracks 1 and 2.

Dedicated to John Heartfield

Add Date: November 16 

Artist: Various Artists 

Album: Dedicated to John Heartfield: Metal Postcard 2005-2010 

Label: Metal Postcard

Genre: Compilations/soundtracks, rock

Comments: An incredibly eclectic compilation from Metal Postcard Records, dedicated to John Heartfield (German photomontage artist--Wikipedia tells me one of his works was the inspiration behind Siouxsie and the Banshees' "Metal Postcard (Mittageisen)", which leads right back to the album and record label name...). Everything from a cover of a '60s Cambodian hit (track 3), to the web-famous mashup of John Lennon's "Imagine" as "read" by George Bush by Australian mashup artist Wax Audio (track 1), to "underground digital punk" by Brooklyn group Never Heard of Brooklyn--this album is literally a juxtaposition of a whole bunch of obscure groups and genres. Read the album's inside cover, where each track and band gets a sentence or two (but watch for the DNPs--1, 4, 11, 14).

Tyvek

Add Date: November 16 

Artist: Tyvek 

Album: Nothing Fits 

Label: In The Red 

Genre: Garage Rock 

Comments: Dense, jangly, fuzzy garage rock from Tyvek on their album Nothing Fits. Heavy bass, fast-paced guitar and frantic vocals (albeit vocals not always concerned with pitch or tone--which actually gives them some old-school attitude) provide the record with a high degree of energy, which in turns kicks their garage sound up a bit. Start with track 8, "Underwater 2", which Terrorbird names "one of the raddest tracks of the year".

The Open Feel

Add Date: November 16 

Artist: The Open Feel 

Album: EP 

Label: Fluid Music Entertainment 

Genre: Alt-rock 

Comments: Only four tracks on the Open Feel's debut EP, but they definitely give you a sense of where this duo is headed. Slightly downtempo, alternative pop-rock, with a focus on floaty female vocals. DNP track 3.

The Greenhornes

Add Date: November 16 

Artist: The Greenhornes 

Album: **** 

Label: Third Man/Warner Bros.

Genre: Rock 

Comments: The Greenhornes are part of the bigger Midwestern music scene that produced The White Stripes; two of the three members of the band, Jack Lawrence and Patrick Keeler, join Jack White in The Raconteurs, and Lawrence is also part of The Dead Weather. The Greenhornes' music is straight-up revivalist rock, pulling heavily from '60s rock and R&B, often bringing to mind The Kinks and The Yardbirds. Though the band has put out some EPs and singles over the past few years, **** is their first proper full-length since 2002's Dual Mono. It's not an album that will blow you away, and it's not designed to--this is, as the promoter says, "good, old-fashioned rock 'n roll, plain and simple."

Check out "Saying Goodbye," "Song 13" and "Underestimator."

Hellogoodbye

Add Date: November 16 

Artist: Hellogoodbye 

Album: Would It Kill You? 

Label: Rocket Science Ventures 

Genre: Indie, pop 

Comments: From the promoter: "Over the past years Hellogoodbye have parted with their old record label, retooled their lineup, released a handful of EPs and performed everywhere from the Philippines to living rooms. All of these experiences play into the band's new album, a collection of perfect pop gems that proves they've sharpened their musical edge over the past few years".

I'm not sure if I would call them "perfect," but they're at least catchy and fun to listen to. They're more summery than anything, think Vampire Weekend meets Noah and the Whale on a beach in California, and there you have it. I liked "Getting Old", "When We First Met", and "Betrayed by Bones".

DVAS

Add Date: November 16 

Artist: DVAS 

Album: Society 

Label: Upper Class Recordings 

Genre: Electro-pop, dance 

Comments: First full-length album from the Canadian group DVAS, mostly known for their mixtapes, remixes and compilations. What we have here is, according to the promoter, a "beat driven album, mixing disco, funk and soul with a refreshing upbeat energy that will keep the dance floor moving all night along". For fans of the genre, this is definitely worth a listen. Try tracks 1 and 4.

Kisses

Add Date: November 16 

Artist: Kisses 

Album: The Heart of the Nightlife 

Label: This Is Music 

Genre: Pop, Dance 

Comments: Kisses is L.A. duo Jesse Kivel and his girlfriend Zinzi Edmundson, and The Heart of the Nightlife is, surprisingly, their debut album. From the promoter: "Recorded in his garage over the course of a month, Heart of the Nightlife, like all the great albums, manages to sound happy and sad at the same time. To these ears, its fusion of disco, New Wave guitars and balearic beats is as evocative of West Coast ennui as peak period Prince". Throw in Kivel's Jens Lekman-ian voice and you get a charmingly fresh sound that still somehow manages to take you to the faraway times when disco balls were the name of the game. Give tracks 3, 2 and 7 a listen.

Roll Out the Guns

Add Date: November 16 

Artist: Roll Out the Guns 

Album: Roll Out the Guns (EP) 

Label: Light It on Fire 

Genre: Rock 

Comments: Hailing from St. Augustine, Fla., the 4-piece Roll Out the Guns make guitar-rock tunes with a punk flair and just a hint of Southern rock. Try "Enjoy the Ride."

Tyler Jakes

Add Date: November 16 

Artist: Tyler Jakes 

Album: Burning Down the Underground 

Label: Self-released 

Genre: Folk, rock, blues 

Comments: The promoter describes Tyler Jakes as "the foremost purveyor of western-gothic cowpunk garage rock exotica," and that just about sums up the amount of stuff that Jakes tries to cram into Burning Down the Underground. Try two of the simpler, less cluttered tracks: the folk gem "South of Northern California Girl" and the blues-rock stomp "The Dregs."

Danielle Barbe

Add Date: November 16 

Artist: Danielle Barbe 

Album: Danielle Barbe 

Label: Self-released 

Genre: Rock, pop 

Comments: The Pennsylvania artist Danielle Barbe's energetic, guitar-driven pop-rock songs land her somewhere between Ida Maria and Michelle Branch. Check out "Ghost Town" or, for some '90s rock nostalgia, her acoustic cover of Spacehog's megahit "In the Meantime."

The Radio Dept.

Add Date: November 16 

Artist: The Radio Dept. 

Album: Never Follow Suit (EP) 

Label: Labrador 

Genre: Pop 

Comments: On the heels of their excellent April release Clinging to a Scheme, Sweden's The Radio Dept. return with a 6-track EP centering on one of the gems from the album, "Never Follow Suit." The first four tracks are almost like a suite built around the single, and then there's a remix and a radio edit of the title track. In other words, the EP plays like a 24-minute extended version of the original song--nice to listen to all at once, but tough to break up into separate songs for radio play. So, I'd suggest sticking to the original, or trying one of the alternate versions at the end.

Rogue Valley

Add Date: November 16

Artist: Rogue Valley

Album: The Bookseller's House

Label: Self-released

Genre: Indie Rock

Comments: I think there's a line between drawing inspiration from anther musician and being a knock-off; and, to be truthful, I think to escape the label of knock-off you have to be better, or at least on par, with the original. Rogue Valley's The Bookseller's House in all respects has the makings of being an original group, specifically by setting out to accomplish the unheard of--recording four albums in one year. To be blunt, though, I would rather listen to one great album in a year than four mediocre ones. The Bookseller's House moves from a cheaper version of Ryan Adams in "Rose Festival" to a Shins copy in "Crystal Springs" to even more non-specific sounds. Yes, Rogue Valley is good at everything they attempt to imitate, and they master the indie-rock art of flitting between the rock, country, and folk genres just enough to create a completely generic album.

John Lennon & Yoko Ono

Add Date: November 16

Artist: John Lennon & Yoko Ono

Album: Double Fantasy/Stripped Down

Label: Capitol

Genre: Rock, pop

Comments: Please, hold your fire (and judgment) when I say that I've never been a huge Beatles fan. I appreciate their revolutionary style (for the time) and the impact they made and continue to make on the world and music business, but I don't exactly consider myself a fan, especially in comparison to the leagues of live-and-breathe-I-built-an-altar-to-Lennon and McCartney fans. I, as well as any other potential fans of the Beatles or any individual member thereof, should be extremely thankful that Yoko Ono decided to release a double-album of Double Fantasy, including the original version and the Stripped Down version. Being aptly named, Stripped Down takes a majority of the background noise and doubling off Lennon's voice to produce tracks focused on Lennon's and Ono's talents. The clarity, while giving a welcome and surprisingly enjoyable addition to the original, also brings an intimacy with it. Stripped Down transforms the album from a proclamation of love to the world to an extremely personal set of love songs that Lennon and Ono have graciously let us listen in on.

Method of Defiance

Add Date: November 16 

Artist: Method of Defiance 

Album: Jahbulon 

Label: M.O.D. Technologies 

Genre: Reggae, hip hop 

Comments: From the promoter: "Grammy-winning electric bassist, producer, and re-mixer Bill Laswell has worked with many of music's biggest names on the planet, including Herbie Hancock, Laurie Anderson, George Clinton, Brian Eno, Tony Williams, Mick Jagger... and John Zorn. Laswell has built a reputation on consistently working with a diverse array of artists, and rejecting the restrictions of genre, tradition and commerce in favor or taking risks and uniting seemingly disparate voices. It is with this ethos that he has formed the record label M.O.D. Technologies."

Kanine Records sampler

Add Date: November 16 

Artist: Various Artists 

Album: Kanine Records Radio Sampler 

Label: Kanine

Genre: Compilations/soundtracks, rock, electronic, surf, garage, psychedelic 

Comments: This fantastic sampler from Kanine Records shows off how much fun the artists on this label both have and will make you have while you listen to these songs. Surfer Blood kicks off the sampler with the song, "Take it Easy," which is a rollercoaster of excitement, masked with a healthy serving of reverb and catchy melodies alike.

Tracks 2 and 3 are by the Eternal Summers, a band right out of Roanoke, Va. Being from the Star City, I happen to know the two folks who make up this group. Nonetheless, I feel that I can objectively say that the two songs by the Eternal Summers on this sampler are fantastic psychedelic punk tunes.

Track 4, by Pepper Rabbit, is the most accessible track on the album (save track 1 maybe). I could keep describing the sampler track-by-track, but I'll leave some surprises for you. Check out 1, 2, 3, 4.

Best New Music - November 9

Top 5 for the week:

The Concretes

The Fresh & Onlys

Sarah Kirkland Snider with Shara Worden

AfroCubism

The Russian Futurists

And don't miss: Elvis Costello, Maserati, N*E*R*D, Cyndi Lauper singing the blues (really!), a Loretta Lynn tribute, and noteworthy EPs from The Duke Spirit, Hurricane Bells, Villagers and Voltaire Twins

Fops

Add Date: November 9 

Artist: Fops 

Album: Yeth Yeth Yeth 

Label: Monotreme

Genre: Rock, post-punk

Comments: From the promoter: "San Francisco duo Fops is the new collaboration between members of Anticon group Thee More Shallows and a band named Ral Partha Vogelbacher. The opening song of Yeth Yeth Yeth, entitled "Yellow Jacket Corpse," is one of the strongest moments on the albums, with Nintendo blips, snarling guitar and distance vocals adding up to one strong song. Elsewhere, "Ghost Town Hall" is like a 6-minute Cluster jam, with vocals leaving as quickly as they appear, rising and falling beneath the surface of a pulsing beat."

Julie the Band

Add Date: November 9 

Artist: Julie the Band 

Album: Wild as the Sky (EP)

Label: Baby Bird 

Genre: Rock, pop, folk 

Comments: From the band's MySpace page: "Blending elements of rock, soul, and Americana, Julie the Band’s new EP, Wild As the Sky, takes the listener on a heartfelt road trip rich in textures and lyrical pictures inspired by the band’s recent tours and time on the road. With influences of great American songwriters like John Prine, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty and Ryan Adams, the band’s sophomore release is a testament to their continued willingness to evolve and their depth across vast musical territory."

Highly polished, clean pop tunes. Reminds me of '90s pop music, maybe along the lines of Semisonic. Start with 1, 3 and 2.

Sarah Kirkland Snider with Shara Worden

Add Date: November 9 

Artist: Sarah Kirkland Snider with Shara Worden & Signal 

Album: Penelope 

Label: New Amsterdam 

Genre: Folk, classical 

Comments: From the onesheet: "Penelope is a song cycle by composer Sarah Kirkland Snider, with lyrics by playwright Ellen McLaughlin, featuring vocalist Shara Worden of My Brightest Diamond and the chamber orchestra Signal, conducted by Brad Lubman. Inspired by Homer's epic poem, the Odyssey, Penelope is a meditation on memory, identity, and what it means to come home.

"Suspended somewhere between, art song, indie rock, and chamber folk, the music of Penelope moves organically from moments of elegiac strings-and-harp reflection to dusky post-rock textures with drums, guitars and electronics, all directed by a strong sense of melody and a craftsman's approach to songwriting."

This is absolutely terrific--Worden has classical training, and her voice is perfectly suited for this genre. (After all, My Brightest Diamond's music incorporates many elements of classical and neoclassical music.) As a song cycle, Penelope is best when listened to from start to finish, but highlights include "This Is What You're Like," "The Lotus Eaters" and the opening ("The Stranger With the Face of a Man I Loved") and closing ("As He Looks Out to Sea") numbers.

Masonic

Add Date: November 9 

Artist: Masonic 

Album: Live Like A Millionaire 

Label: Self-released 

Genre: Noise Pop 

Comments: Masonic's Live Like A Millionaire is a noise-pop record which blends "danceable rhythms, heavy guitar riffs, and catchy keyboard melodies" into a cohesive sound. Restrained, controlled and sometimes airy vocals let the catchy rhythms and guitars steal the show. Overall, a melodic, upbeat and pretty catchy release. Try tracks 1, 2 and 7.

7 Walkers

Add Date: November 9 

Artist: 7 Walkers 

Album: 7 Walkers 

Label: Response

Genre: Blues, "Swamp-jam" 

Comments: A "self-proclaimed 'open love letter' to New Orleans", 7 Walkers' debut self-titled LP is a bluesy, swamp-jam style record. The band is made up of Grateful Dead co-founder and drummer Bill Kreutzmann, Papa Mali ("voodoo guitar master"), "legendary New Orleans bass man George Porter Jr and multi-instrumentalist Matt Hubbard." (Willie Nelson also makes an appearance on "King Cotton Blues.") Harmonica touches, exemplary instrumentation, and a swamp-voodoo style come together to create a cohesive, creative record. Try track 2; track 3 is sadly DNP.

Voltaire Twins

Add Date: November 9 

Artist: Voltaire Twins 

Album: Voltaire Twins (EP) 

Label: Self-released 

Genre: Synth pop, dance rock 

Comments: The Perth duo Voltaire Twins make angular synth pop that should appeal to fans of New Young Pony Club, The Rapture or Ladytron. This is a pretty impressive 5-song EP--in particular, check out "Cabin Fever" and "D.I.L."

Cyndi Lauper

Add Date: November 9 

Artist: Cyndi Lauper 

Album: Memphis Blues 

Label: Mercer Street

Genre: CYNDI LAUPER, blues

Comments: Memphis Blues is Cyndi Lauper's collection of blues covers, with appearances by B.B. King, Jonny Lang, Ann Peebles, Charlie Musselwhite, and Allen Toussaint. "Cyndi Lauper!! Singing blues!? With B.B. King and Allen Toussaint?!" is basically the only thing you can say about the record, and the only real way to explain it. Start with "Early in the Morning" (track 3).

The Duke Spirit

Add Date: November 9 

Artist: The Duke Spirit 

Album: Kusama EP 

Label: Shangri-La Music 

Genre: Rock 

Comments: UK band The Duke Spirit--fronted by whom my friend Kate refers to as "Queen Leila", Leila Moss--makes grungy, alternative rock, sometimes tinged with psychedelia and garage, other times with a heavy, dive-bar feel. (If you like any of Josh Homme's bands, The Duke Spirit's sound should be equally appealing.) The Kusama EP is sadly only four tracks long, but it has a nice, blues-meets-hard rock vibe. Try tracks 1 and 3.

Loretta Lynn & Friends

Add Date: November 9 

Artist: Loretta Lynn & Friends 

Album: Coal Miner's Daughter: A Tribute to Loretta Lynn 

Label: Columbia Nashville 

Genre: Country 

Comments: 2010 is the 50th (!) anniversary of "I'm a Honky Tonk Girl," the debut single from Loretta Lynn, and to celebrate, she's selected a roster of musicians for this tribute record. Appearing are country music superstars like Reba McEntire, Faith Hill, Alan Jackson, Martina McBride, Carrie Underwood and Lee Ann Womack; alt-country heroes Lucinda Williams, Steve Earle and Allison Moorer; and a few surprises, such as The White Stripes--perhaps not really that shocking, as Jack White produced Lynn's last studio record, 2004's Van Lear Rose--and, for reasons still unclear, Paramore. (Maybe Loretta's trying to reach that key 14-year-old demographic?) A closer look at the credits turns up even more big names among the musicians, including Vince Gill, Patty Griffin and Buddy Miller--in other words, this is truly an all-star collaboration. The album concludes with Lynn working alongside Miranda Lambert and Sheryl Crow on the title track, far and away her most memorable hit.

Pretty much without exception, the 12 selections on Coal Miner's Daughter stay true to the original Lynn tunes, and it's actually quite nice to hear pop-country stars fronting traditional songs. Whether it's Williams belting out the tragic ballad "Somebody Somewhere (Don't Know What He's Missin' Tonight)" or Reba with the Time Jumpers--an ensemble cast of session players, including Gill--on "If You're Not Gone Too Long," or Womack doing that half-century-old single, you can't really go wrong here. (Well, except for the Kid Rock song. He is truly, genuinely awful.)

Paul Avion

Add Date: November 9 

Artist: Paul Avion 

Album: R U With Me 

Label: Self-released 

Genre: Rock, indie pop 

Comments: Paul Avion's upbeat pop music draws upon indie touchstones like Jarvis Cocker and Stuart Murdoch, as well as '60s pop. Try "Slow and Steady Road to My Heart."

Deluka

Add Date: November 9 

Artist: Deluka 

Album: You Are the Night 

Label: Vel 

Genre: Rock, dance rock 

Comments: The UK band Deluka combines the danceable indie and female vocals of Metric or the Yeah Yeah Yeahs with British rock in the vein of Franz Ferdinand or the Kaiser Chiefs. Chances are, if you like any of those bands, you'll find something to enjoy on You Are the Night. Start with "Cascade" or "Come Back to Me."

Coastwest Unrest

Add Date: November 9 

Artist: Coastwest Unrest 

Album: Old Weird America 

Label: Reclaim

Genre: Folk-punk 

Comments: Folk-punk is nicely nostalgic for me--Ghost Mice, This Bike Is a Pipe Bomb (still one of the greatest names possible, in my opinion) and Defiance, Ohio all still occupy a post-high school soft spot in my musical taste schema. And while Coastwest Unrest don't define themselves as such, their description as "a Las Vegas trio whose music focuses on place... Acoustic guitars and fiddles give Old Weird America an Appalachian folk feel, yet the impassioned vocals of lead singer Noah Dickie sound like Celtic punk at its finest" basically puts them in the genre. The instrumentation is traditional, and the vocals and rhythms give the record some edge. Try tracks 1, 6 and 9.

Joy Formidable

Add Date: November 9 

Artist: Joy Formidable 

Album: "I Don't Want To See You Like This" (single) 

Label: Canvasback/Atlantic 

Genre: Rock 

Comments: Two takes and a bonus on Joy Formidable's lead single "I Don't Want to See You Like This" from their upcoming full-length debut, The Big Roar. One version is standard--epic pop with some touches of post-punk, the second is the electro take (the Grouplove remix, to be exact), and the final track, "Popinjay" is a jaunty, area-sized rock (with a dash of goth) track, the live version. In general, a nice preview to the upcoming debut.

PS I Love You

Add Date: November 9 

Artist: PS I Love You 

Album: Meet Me At The Muster Station 

Label: Paper Bag

Genre: Noise Pop 

Comments: Noise pop with a garage feel on PS I Love You's debut, Meet Me At The Muster Station. The guitar is most appropriately described as old-school epic--there's a good amount of grunge flair and shredding, all nicely complementing the frantic vocals. Also note the "squaling Marshall feedback, searing solos, soaring melodies and rock-steady beats". All in all, an impressive debut to be sure--high in energy and well-executed. Start with tracks 1, 5, and 8 (and note the DNPs: 2, 3, 6 and 7).

Home Video

Add Date: November 9 

Artist: Home Video 

Album: The Automatic Process 

Label: Defend Music 

Genre: Indie pop, electro 

Comments: Poppy, electro-tinged alt-indie hails supreme on Home Video's The Automatic Process. Beat-driven and rhythmic, the music is the scene-setting type--the airy vocals lending ambiance to the constant background instrumentation, blips, and rhythms. "Business Transaction" is a slightly dreamy, toned-down Radiohead-esque number--weary in tone, but perpetually moving in the background (especially with the appropriate piano).

The Russian Futurists

Add Date: November 9 

Artist: The Russian Futurists 

Album: The Weight's on the Wheels 

Label: Upper Class 

Genre: Rock, synth pop 

Comments: To be honest, I had thought that Toronto musician Matthew Adam Hart had abandoned his Russian Futurists project; though Hart has been doing some remixes and touring in the intervening time, he hadn't released a studio record since 2005's Our Thickness. But now here comes The Weight's on the Wheels, another fine collection of bedroom indie-psych-synth pop numbers, which float in the ether somewhere between The Magnetic Fields and The Flaming Lips. Highly recommended--check out tracks like "Golden Years" and "Hoeing Weeds Sowing Seeds."

N*E*R*D

Add Date: November 9 

Artist: N*E*R*D 

Album: Nothing 

Label: Interscope 

Genre: R&B, funk 

Comments: As hardly a fan of R&B/other concoctions that have to do with this particular genre, I enjoyed this quite a bit. It makes me want to get up and dance. Funky beats all around, some pretty raunchy lyrics at times, and a catchy album altogether, it's definitely worth a listen. Especially for those of you who'd been waiting for them to come out with a new album, I don't think you'll be disappointed--just my humble opinion. Favorites: "Victory," "Hot-n-Fun," "Hypnotize U" (DNP, but there's a radio-edit single in the case).

J.C. Satan

Add Date: November 9 

Artist: J.C. Satan 

Album: Sick of Love 

Label: Slovenly Recordings 

Genre: Garage rock, psychedelic 

Comments: You'd think I would've learned by now not to judge a band by its title. Nor by the cover of its album, for that matter. What would you expect if you saw the number 666 written in blood on some woman's naked chest, all on a smoke-filled background? I'll tell you what you might not expect: a pretty unique band that reminds me of the darker days of The Raveonettes, sprinkled with abstract lyrics that you can't quite make sense of unless you read the lyrics and some good old catchy garage rock influences. Definitely worth a listen. Also, they're a pretty worldly group, too: two members are from France, two from Italy and one from the U.S. Talk about a successful multicultural communication. Favorites: "Your Place," "I'll Be There" and "Adventure Boat."

Maserati

Add Date: November 9 

Artist: Maserati 

Album: Pyramid of the Sun

Label: Temporary Residence Ltd. 

Genre: Post-rock, psychedelic 

Comments: Maserati has been doing instrumental music with post-rock and psychedelic influences for about a decade now. Last year, their drummer, Jerry Fuchs, died unexpectedly in one of those freak elevator accidents you only see in movies. This LP is the first album the band has released since his death, and they wanted it to be a tribute to and a celebration of their friend's talent. Powerful drums and repeating sequences of sounds and synths are basically what characterize this album. Perfect music to study to, if you ask me. Favorite tracks: "Pyramid of the Sun," "Bye M'Friend" and "Goodbye."

AfroCubism

Add Date: November 9 

Artist: AfroCubism 

Album: AfroCubism 

Label: Nonesuch 

Genre: International 

Comments: About 14 years ago, World Circuit producer Nick Gold came up with the idea to bring together Cuban and Malian musicians to see what would come out of their collaboration. He never got to find out, because the African musicians encountered travel difficulties and never showed up. Gold had to adjust to the new situation, and the Buena Vista Social Club came to life. But he hasn't given up on his idea entirely. So this time, 14 years later, he decided to actually make the collaboration happen. AfroCubism is the brilliant result of the work of some immensely talented musicians from Cuba and Mali. Though the Cuban influences are much easier to spot, you will recognize the distinct African sound, especially in those songs that are not instrumental.

End note from the promoter: "The title 'AfroCubism' is advised. This is an album that throws the elements of Cuban and African music in the air and lets them fall in entrancing new patterns". Couldn't agree more. Favorite tracks: "La Culebra," "A La Luna Yo Me Voy" and "Mariama."

Elvis Costello

Add Date: November 9 

Artist: Elvis Costello 

Album: National Ransom 

Label: Hear Music

Genre: Rock, folk rock

Comments: Elvis Costello has released over 30 studio albums and a handful of live records; he is equally ubiquitous and respected as an exceptional musician of the last few decades. From Wikipedia: "His music has drawn on many diverse genres; the young American critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine describes him as a 'pop encyclopedia,' able to 'reinvent the past in his own image.'"

From PopMatters.com: "Having mastered nearly every genre of popular music save for hip-hop, Costello has been mindful about approaching each project with a specific genre in mind. National Ransom, however, marks perhaps the first time where the man has fearlessly dabbled in different genres under the same umbrella." 

National Ransom is a fine portrayal of Costello's exceptional musical and songwriting abilities. There is plenty to delve through with this 16-song album. If you're intent on listening to it all the way through, you'll have to search for moments to come up for a breath; you'll likely be surprised by various dynamics and sounds present throughout the album. Start with 1, 4 and 7.

The Autumn Defense

Add Date: November 9 

Artist: The Autumn Defense 

Album: Once Around 

Label: Yep Roc

Genre: Rock, folk 

Comments: The Autumn Defense, despite their ultra-full-bodied sound, has only two members, John Stirratt (of Wilco) and Pat Sansone. Hailing from Chicago, the group has created a fantasticly clear and accessible pop record with the release of Once Around. After listening to the album, I was not at all surprised to read that one of the members also plays in Wilco. The Autumn Defense could also be compared to The Jayhawks and, at times, Ryan Adams.

From The (Louisville) Courier-Journal: "Despite a name that calls to mind crisp temperatures and leaves the color of still-burning embers, much of the duo's latest is the musical equivalent of a blossoming spring garden shaded with gorgeous sighs of violin and delicate acoustic picking."

Start with 1, 2 and 9.

The Fresh & Onlys

Add Date: November 9 

Artist: The Fresh & Onlys 

Album: Play It Strange 

Label: In the Red 

Genre: Rock, psychedelic, garage-surf 

Comments: This is a great psychedelic rock album. From the promoter: "The Fresh & Onlys' third album... is cleaner than their previous output, but don't let that dissuade you from diving in headfirst. The cleaned up guitars twang like the sharp end of a cowboy boot, and shimmer like a silver jetliner soaring overhead. These songs chug along at a fever pitch, all day spent in the surf and all night gathered around the bonfire."

You can expect lots of heavy, reverbed guitar and equally spacey-sounding vocals. The energy spills from this record at a relentless pace. The overall tone serves as a time-machine to the '60s garage-surf days. Start with 3, 1 and 7.

Circle

Add Date: November 9 

Artist: Circle 

Album: Molasses Sandwiches 

Label: Monday 

Genre: Rock, indie pop 

Comments: An enjoyable indie pop record from this Sydney quartet. There's no secret as to what crowd Circle is targeting--see the title of the album opener, "Better Than Magnetic Fields"--but there's also the presence of synths that steer them in another direction on Molasses Sandwiches. Check out "Into the Sun" or "Mardi Gras Parade."

The Set

Add Date: November 9 

Artist: The Set 

Album: The Set (EP) 

Label: Self-released 

Genre: Rock 

Comments: The promoter says that the Twin Cities band The Set draws "influences from '90s alternative bands like Oasis, Blind Melon and Better Than Ezra." Sounds about right. Try "The Safety."

Villagers

Add Date: November 9 

Artist: Villagers 

Album: The Pact (I'll Be Your Fever) (EP) 

Label: Domino 

Genre: Rock, folk 

Comments: Most of you DJs probably missed Becoming a Jackal, the excellent debut LP from Conor J. O'Brien's Villagers project, which landed on our playlist right at the end of May. That's an unfortunate bit of timing for a college radio station, but here's a chance for you to catch up on one of the most promising new acts to emerge in 2010. This 6-song EP centers around the studio version of "The Pact (I'll Be Your Fever)," one of the standouts from the record; it also features four live acoustic tracks from a performance at Santa Monica's KCRW--including two other album tracks and a Bob Dylan cover--as well as the B-side "On a Sunlit Stage."

In my review of Becoming a Jackal, I wrote that "less is truly more" for Villagers, whose sparse-but-not-spartan arrangements build off of acoustic guitar and piano, with the occasional strings and horns mixing in. That's even more true on this EP; the acoustic tracks feature just O'Brien and his guitar or piano--or, in the case of the first 90 seconds of "Cecilia & Her Selfhood," his a cappella vocals. Villagers may have arrived this summer, but O'Brien's music is no flash in the pan.

The Wallburds

Add Date: November 9 

Artist: The Wallburds 

Album: With a U (EP) 

Label: Self-released 

Genre: Rock

Comments: L.A.'s The Wallburds make post-punk rock tunes that try a little too hard to sound like The Strokes or Jet. (Why you'd actually try to sound like Jet, I don't know, but that's a story for another day.) Still, "Tears" and "Moments Before Midnight," two of the Strokesier tunes, are decent.

Marshmellow Overcoat

Add Date: November 9 

Artist: Marshmellow Overcoat 

Album: On Safari 

Label: Self-released 

Genre: Folk rock 

Comments: There's a nice '70s folk-rock vibe floating throughout most of On Safari, the new LP from the Pennsylvania trio Marshmellow Overcoat. At times I think that lead singer Tyler Calkins is trying to pull off a Tom Waits/Bob Dylan gruff sound (which he isn't good at), as opposed to simply singing (which he does quite well). I'll direct you to standout tracks like "She's a Winner" and "Another Way to Hide," which brings to mind Your Blues-era Destroyer.

The Last Royals

Add Date: November 9 

Artist: The Last Royals 

Album: The Last Royals (EP) 

Label: Ooh La La 

Genre: Rock 

Comments: Two bubbly indie pop songs from the New York duo The Last Royals; their label describes them as "electro-pop," but their sound is a lot more organic and rock-leaning than that tag might suggest. I'm partial to the first of the two songs here, "Crystal Vases."

The Misers

Add Date: November 9 

Artist: The Misers 

Album: Amplified Life Stories 

Label: Sonny Jim 

Genre: Alt-country, folk rock 

Comments: The Misers hail from Herefordshire in the West Midlands, but you'd be excused if you thought they might have popped up in Atlanta or Memphis. Combining the country-leaning rock of classic acts like CCR or The Band with the modern alt-country sound of Whiskeytown or Lucero, Amplified Life Stories makes for an enjoyable listen. Start with "Lord, Shuffle My Feet" or "Don't Let Go (Song for Lee)."

Peter Buzzelle

Add Date: November 9 

Artist: Peter Buzzelle 

Album: To Telescope 

Label: Self-released 

Genre: Rock 

Comments: Upbeat pop-rock from the Boston-based musician Peter Buzzelle, who claims Morrissey and Depeche Mode among his influences. Check out "Summer Home" and "The Devil Took Our Souls."

The Parlotones

Add Date: November 9

Artist: The Parlotones

Album: Stardust Galaxies

Label: Sovereign Entertainment

Genre: Rock

Comments: OK, so The Parlotones get credit for being a band featured at the 2010 FIFA World Cup performing amongst the likes of John Legend and Alicia Keys. Stardust Galaxies definitely highlights why this band has gained a strong following, namely due to clearly sung lyrics and interesting instrumentals ranging beyond the usual guitar-bass-drums, but at the same time it illuminates striking deficiencies. While these South Africaners proclaim rock as their genre, their sound could easily be placed in an overly inspirational Broadway musical. The Parlotones are good at creating better-than-average imported rock, but they won't be placed forever next to your U2 or Cream albums.

Idlewild

Add Date: November 9

Artist: Idlewild

Album: Post Electric Blues

Label: Cooking Vinyl

Genre: Rock

Comments: Save the sometimes-piercing electric guitar, the "blues" part of this album title seems misused. That being said, Idlewild's seventh studio album, Post Electric Blues, stays true to their well-established genre of not associating with any one genre. The band takes influences from indie rock, folk and pop, creating extremely melodic and methodical tracks. This isn't the most interesting album, but it is definitely listenable.

The Concretes

Add Date: November 9

Artist: The Concretes

Album: WYWH

Label: Friendly Fire Recordings

Genre: Rock, disco, pop

Comments: For years, The Concretes have been defined as the definition of Swedish indie pop, with sweeping, ethereal vocals, pulsing beats, and electronic orchestration. With three years between recordings, The Concretes come back stronger than their other albums would foreshadow. WYWH proves different not only in a new lead singer, Lisa Milberg, but evokes a darker, more introspective feeling. The group has definitely matured, and this album was well worth the wait.

Hurricane Bells

Add Date: November 9

Artist: Hurricane Bells

Album: Down Comes The Rain (EP)

Label: Invisible Brigades

Genre: Alternative, indie rock

Comments: Hurricane Bells' Down Comes The Rain explores the realm of haunting, soft indie rock in a purely formulaic fashion. This sound works to create a reasonably strong album (listen to "Into The Ocean" and "The Waiting Song"), but I wish the group waited to release it at full-length, thereby giving more time to create some more memorable songs and a truly definitive voice.

Best New Music - November 2

Top adds of the week:

Jonquil

Matt and Kim

Violens

Bikini

Brian Eno

And be sure to check out: Zach Hill, Stornoway and an Elliott Smith compilation

Eleanor Murray

Add Date: November 2 

Artist: Eleanor Murray 

Album: Oh Thunder 

Label: Bicycle

Genre: Folk, rock 

Comments: From the promoter: "Olympia, Washington warble-songbird Eleanor Murray weaves songs from ferns and yarn. Music that is like looking into a glitter glass terrarium; each track is a miniature world of fog and trees. An album of country-folk dreams to make you swoon for a forest."

Eleanor Murray has certainly produced one of the better albums released through Bicycle Records recently. Murray plays a unique sound that could by classified under the category of baroque folk. Despite many of the songs being comprised of minor chords and sad melodies, something she does creates an optimistic feeling that is common throughout the album.

Murray is a specialist of using empty space to her advantage. Her songs are angelic in their own right. For fans of Iron & Wine, Cat Power, Melaena Cadiz, and others alike. Start with 2, 3, 8.

Justin Kline

Add Date: November 2 

Artist: Justin Kline 

Album: Triangle/Six Songs 

Label: Self-released 

Genre: Rock, pop punk

Comments: From the promoter: "Justin Kline is an independent psych pop/power pop artist from the Nashville, TN area. Being a multi-instrumentalist, Justin has recorded and released two solo EPs, Six Songs (2008) and Triangle (2010), which have come to receive a great response from pop fans and music blogs/zines..."

Justin Kline has a crystal-clear voice to go along with his crystal-clear pop songs. He may be seen as the male counterpart to Tegan & Sara... He does a better job of writing and producing pop music than Chris Walla (often considered the true male counterpart to T&S) has ever been able to accomplish.

If you like candy, you'll probably like at least one of the songs on this album. My only qualm with Kline's sound is that it is almost too watered down. Although it's super sweet and catchy, some of it presses the envolope of sounding like a pop-punk band (think Good Charlotte or Taking Back Sunday). Kline seems to alternate between basing his songs on the piano and on the guitar. The piano-based songs often ring similar to the sounds of Ben Folds.

Start with 1, 3, 4.

Kings of Leon

Add Date: November 2 

Artist: Kings of Leon 

Album: Come Around Sundown 

Label: RCA

Genre: Rock 

Comments: Kings of Leon was once a respectable punk band. However, their past few releases have revealed a different side of this 4-piece group, a side that is best characterized as a lackluster attempt to produce lowest-common-denominator pop music. For a band that prides itself for producing unique sounds, very little of this new album is unique, especially when considering all of Kings of Leon's recent work: the guitar riffs are the same, the vocal melodies are the same, the singing is as mediocre as it always is, and the production, as usual, seems to be an afterthought. Any one of the songs on Come Around Sundown could be found on their past record, Only By Night. There is no suggesting that Kings of Leon tried anything new or exciting when they sat down to write this new album.

If you're a fan of Only By Night, you may find something to enjoy on Come Around Sundown. However, I don't see this newest album consisting of any "singles" or particular songs that stand out more than any of the others on the record. All in all, I have no hesitation in saying that this type of record does not deserve a lot of attention from WLUR.

Brian Eno

Add Date: November 2 

Artist: Brian Eno 

Album: Small Craft On A Milk Sea 

Label: Warp 

Genre: Defies classification

Comments: How do you even attempt to review Brian Eno?! Essentially one of the master innovators of, if not THE master innovator of ambient music, Eno is a living legend. In past projects, he has combined technology, visual arts, and his sonic explorations to create individualized experiences; his creativity is undeniable and constantly unexpected. His most recent release, Small Craft On A Milk Sea (his first on Warp), is both what you'd expect and unlike anything else--textural, somewhat dark and gloomy, expansive and otherworldly. As the promoter so succinctly puts it, "This man is the reason some of us listen to music; to others, his work as an artist, producer, visionary, etc. could be the reason you listen to music--and you don't even know it". Ignore that you normally don't listen to ambient, and delve in. Start with tracks 4, 5, and 8.

Bikini

Add Date: November 2 

Artist: Bikini 

Album: RIPJDS (EP)

Label: Lefse

Genre: Electropop 

Comments: With a style described as "Salinger on MDMA" (surprisingly accurate--and hey, look at the EP title), Bikini is making super textural electropop, grounded in samples and melodies. Incredibly floaty and ambient, incredibly awesome. Sadly only an EP, but check out tracks 1, 4, and 6.

June Madrona

Add Date: November 2 

Artist: June Madrona 

Album: Lions of Cascadia 

Label: Bicycle

Genre: Folk 

Comments: Unusual vocals--which occassionally move into a choral and round-based realm--set the band June Madrona's Lions of Cascadia apart from other recent folk records. It's a pastoral, quirky, hand-spun brand of folk, and when the vocals combine with the flute, there's a very rustic sound--offset from being too Medieval fair-ish by the traditional cello, guitar, and banjo, not to mention earnest, personal lysics. Not conventional, but certainly interesting. Try tracks 7 and (in particular) 8.

Wolf & Cub

Add Date: November 2 

Artist: Wolf & Cub 

Album: Science and Sorcery 

Label: Last Gang 

Genre: Rock, experimental, psych rock

Comments: Dance rock meets psychedelia on Wolf & Cub's sophomore album Science and Sorcery. Groovy bass, stylized vocals, beats and funk elements give the otherwise standard psych-rock formula a nice, adventurous element. Incredibly catchy and upbeat; try tracks 1 and 6 (which has a Flaming Lips-esque vibe).

Weekend

Add Date: November 2 

Artist: Weekend 

Album: Sports 

Label: Slumberland 

Genre: Rock, noise rock

Comments: Noise rock outfit Weekend's debut release, Sports, is a blistering, fast-paced and fuzzy record, full of post-punk percussion and art-rock influences. The muffled, indistinct vocals highlight the entire record, and the mostly-heavy feedback of the guitars is another constant. There's a slightly creepy, angry atmosphere about Sports, and it works--try tracks 1, 2 and 8.

Violens

Add Date: November 2 

Artist: Violens 

Album: Amoral 

Label: Friendly Fire

Genre: Rock 

Comments: The debut album from Violens is finally here! Their self-titled EP was intriguing enough that I had to review Amoral for myself--and I'm not disappointed. The layering of synths and textural guitar, fused with some '80s New Wave, psychedelic tendencies and dreamy pop melodies, combine to create a complex but accessible brand of rock--it's large in scope, the type of music where you're happy for the level of production that went into the record. And variety in the tracks keeps it interesting--opener "The Dawn of Your Happiness is Rising" is bright and upbeat, while "Acid Reign" (sadly DNP) is described as "goth-tropical". Highly recommended--start with tracks 4, 7 and 11.

Carl Hauck

Add Date: November 2 

Artist: Carl Hauck 

Album: Windjammer 

Label: Self-released 

Genre: Folk, acoustic

Comments: Carl Hauck's fourth album, Windjammer, is a collection of delicate acoustic folk songs. The finger-picking of the guitar is complemented by the subtle use of percussion and horns. Subtle and quite pretty; start with tracks 1, 2 and 7.

Swedish House Mafia

Add Date: November 2 

Artist: Swedish House Mafia 

Album: Until One 

Label: Virgin

Genre: Electronica, house 

Comments: I never know how to judge this kind of music--all songs sadly sound very much alike to me--so I'm going to let people who really appreciate this genre to do the judging for me.

From the promoter: "The Swedish House Mafia consists of Axwell, Sebastian Ingrosso and Steve Angello. Three people, three producers and three pairs of eyes and ears perfectly aligned together, each with their own acclaimed independent record labels and world-renowned for their production prowess and roof-raising live shows. Until One compiles highlights of each Mafia member's solo work to date".

Songs that electro/house lovers would enjoy: "I Found U", "Nothing But Love", "Valodja".

Elliott Smith

Add Date: November 2 

Artist: Elliott Smith 

Album: An Introduction To... 

Label: Kill Rock Stars 

Genre: Folk, rock 

Comments: I'm not quite sure what prompted the wave of recent releases of Elliott Smith's music, which started with the reissue of Roman Candle and From a Basement on the Hill last December. Now we have the closest thing to a "best of" compilation from the late singer/songwriter extraordinaire, and it covers pretty much his entire career, from the early '90s through his untimely death in 2003. An Introduction To... is just that--at 14 songs, it's hardly an anthology, but there are some fine selections here. My favorites include "Ballad of Big Nothing," "Pretty (Ugly Before)" and "Needle in the Hay," but this whole collection is worth your time, especially if you're a newcomer to Smith's music.

Jonquil

Add Date: November 2 

Artist: Jonquil 

Album: One Hundred Suns 

Label: Dovecote

Genre: Indie rock 

Comments: From the promoter: "Jonquil's self-proclaimed 'Paul Simon's take on The Smiths' tag nails them well; however, the six-piece also encompasses a level of intricacy not unlike a more subtle Dirty Projectors without the R&B. There's also an inclusion of majestic summer flourishes of romantic indie-pop very much in the modern tradition--similar to Beach House, Vampire Weekend or Wolf Parade".

What more could you want from these Oxford guys and their lovely British accents? My personal favorites: "Pillow Quest", "It Never Rains", "Lions" and "Compound".

False Positive

Add Date: November 2

Artist: False Positive

Album: False Positive

Label: One Mad Son

Genre: Alternative

Comments: Honestly? Have we really just regressed into the '60s, but without all the drugs and Mary Poppins? Justin Mikulka seems to think so. The frontman of False Positive uses this self-titled album as "criticism of current wars being fought and the religious rhetoric used to justify them." You don't even have to listen to the whole album to get this meaning; just read the track names. My personal favorites (and by favorites, I mean laughing from ridiculousness) are "Please Don't Shoot Me" and "Wishing For Reason." All initial shock aside, False Positive does mix lo-fi with psych-rock to make some eerie pop songs, which, to be truthful, would be so much better if politics weren't the driving force behind the music.

Matt and Kim

Add Date: November 2

Artist: Matt and Kim

Album: Sidewalks

Label: Fader

Genre: Alternative, pop

Comments: Don't get me wrong, I still love wearing all black and sitting in a corner while listening to the minor chords of Death Cab for Cutie and Elliott Smith. Some artists, though, have the rare gift of provoking me to meet the sun and embrace my apparent youth. Matt and Kim make the list, though I hate to admit I joined the bandwagon late only after I heard "Daylight" behind some generic liquor commercial. The effect, though, is no less.

Matt and Kim's third album stays true to their tried and tested dynamics of alt-pop, leading to another solid album complementary to the first two. The singular keyboard and drums intertwine to bring a full range of songs, starting with the party anthem "Block After Block" and moving to the slower, more melodious "Northeast," all the while incorporating Matt Johnson's protuberant voice. While this album does not branch away or progress the group's methods, fans will not be disappointed with this addition.

Stornoway

Add Date: November 2

Artist: Stornoway

Album: Beachcomber's Windowsill

Label: 4AD

Genre: Alternative, folk

Comments: The first studio album by London's Stornoway. Smooth music, and a refreshing acoustic tone. At times the style comes together somewhere between Fleet Foxes and surf rock. The lyrics are beautiful, accompanied by a choir of harmonizing "oh's" and "ah's" from behind that lend the music true folk substance. You'll hear everything from banjo to trumpet to cello. Well composed and mixed, every track is layered carefully to produce a warm blanket of sound. A solid album that delicately balances catchy melodies with dense emotion. A good find if you're looking for indie rock with a soft folk vibe.

Zach Hill

Add Date: November 2

Artist: Zach Hill

Album: Face Tat

Label: Sargent House

Genre: Experimental, electronica

Comments: The second solo album of talented drummer Zach Hill, who has played with everyone under the (California) sun. This album has a unique sound, something akin to an underwater orchestra of old-school synths and wailing guitars. The rhythms are relentless, progressive, and highly intuitive. As the album goes on, the music flows in and out of carefully organized chaos. You've never heard static used in so many ways. Hill's drumming is displayed in all its intelligent madness, but no matter the musical context he finds a way to groove. This album is the falsetto laugh of a madman. Give it a listen if you're looking for the breaking of new musical ground.