Week two of new releases in February, 2014! Info and links for the ones you want to know about most below, plus some other ones you may not have heard of (but should know), with audio & video for your listening and viewing pleasure. Click here to check out releases that dropped over the past few months.
Aesthetic Perfection, 'Til Death (Metropolis Records)
Band of Horses, Acoustic at the Ryman (Brown Records)
Big Gigantic, The Night Is Young (Big Gigantic Records)
Blondfire, Young Heart (Tender Tender Rush)
Breton, War Room Stories (Believe)
One of the reasons I like putting this together, even though it's so time-consuming, is finding out (after not knowing) that a band I like is releasing a new album. This is the UK electro rock band's sophomore LP. I hope it doesn't suck. Not sure how I feel about the new track, it's a little more grooving and easy-yachting than I expected, but perhaps it'll grow on me. Listen after the jump, along with finding out about the rest of this week's new releases.
The Casket Girls, True Love Kills the Fairy Tale (Graveface)
Gina Chavez, up.rooted (self-release)
Cheatahs, Cheatahs (Wichita)
This London band sounds like they're ripped straight from the'90s grunge era, if first single "Get Tight" off their new debut is any indication. Listen below.
Cibo Matto, Hotel Valentine (Chimera Music)
Actual release date Valentine's Day (February 14). This is the first release from the duo since 1999, self-produced over a two-year period by founders and co-conspirators Miho Hatori and Yuka C. Honda. Described as "kaleidoscopic, post-regional grooves and funky blasts of pure danceability"; the album also features guitarist Nels Cline, drummer Glenn Kotsche, and many others. Video for a track featuring some Reggie Watts beat-boxing, "MFN," below.
Robert Ellis, The Lights From the Chemical Plant (New West)
Fanfarlo, Let’s Go Extinct (Blue Horizon Ventures)
Neil Finn, Dizzy Heights (Lester Records)
The Crowded House frontman presents a solo LP
The Glitch Mob, Love Death Immortality (Glass Air)
Helms Alee, Sleepwalking Sailors (Sargent House)
Hollow & Akimbo, Hollow & Akimbo (Quite Scientific Records)
Hurray for the Riff Raff, Small Town Heroes (ATO)
This band's been getting alot of press lately from the likes of Rolling Stone, Spin, American Songwriter, mostly because of frontwoman Alynda Lee Segarra's rich and soulful vocal quality and command of the Southern roots aesthetic she seems to reside in. Check out "" below and decide for yourself if she's worth a full-length listen. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say yes. Full album streaming at NPR.
Illum Sphere, Ghosts of Then And Now (Ninja Tune)
Jamestown Revival, Utah (Wild Bunch)
Douglas Keith, Pony (The Village Label)
Kalle Mattson, Someday, The Moon Will Be Gold (Parliament Of Trees)
So far what I've heard from 22-year-old folk rock singer-songwriter Kalle Mattson, I've liked. He has a higher-toned tenor that takes on a very sweet yearning timbre in songs like "Water Falls" (video below). This is, surprisingly, his third album. Kinda reminiscent of Grecian Urns.
Maggie McClure, Time Moves On (self-release)
Mozes and the Firstborn, Mozes and the Firstborn (Burger Records)
There's some '60s psychedelia influenence happening on the first outing from London-based Mozes and the Firstborn, and I say that in the best way possible. The Lennon-esque vocals and garage-doo-wop shuffle of "Skinny Girl" is particularly appealing. Video below.
Nostalgia 77, A Journey Too Far (Tru Thoughts)
The London-based producer, guitarist, songwriter and bandleader re-unites with German singer Josa Peit for another album of slinky, Latin flavored jazz with pulled straight from a '70s European film. The trailer below should intrigue you...
Doug Paisley, Strong Feelings (No Quarter)
Solvent, New Ways: Music From the Documentary I Dream of Wires (Suction Records)
Speedy Ortiz, Real Hair EP (Carpark Records)
Sun Kil Moon, Benji (Caldo Verde)
Temples, Sun Structures (Fat Possum)
This band sounds an awful lot like Tame Impala with their indie psychedelic rock. But, still, they are great, and this album proves to be a quality debut from a new UK band. Read/listen to more here.
Tinariwen, Emmaar (Anti-)
Total Slacker, Slip Away (Black Bell)
Various Artists, From Another World: A Tribute to Bob Dylan (Buda Musique)
A comp featuring covers of Bob Dylan tracks by artists from Cuba, Egypt, Iran, Taiwan, and Burma.
Various Artists, Girls: Volume 2: All Adventurous Women Do… Music From the HBO Original Series (Atlantic)
The second release of songs from the popular HBO series features original (soundtrack exclusive) songs by Jenny Lewis, Miguel, Zero DeZire, Cat Power, and Michel Penn as well as new tracks from Beck, Lily Allen, and Christina Perri. Allen's "L8 CMMR" below.
††† (Crosses), ††† (Sumerian)