 Hooray for Earth - Racy Hooray for Earth first caught my ear with their 2011 debut album, True Loves. They had a experimental style reminiscent of Yeasayer, but sounding even loftier. Three years later, they are releasing the follow-up to that amazing record with the help of a few new band members and less experimental sound. Watch: "Keys" Listen: "Racy" |
 Jenny Lewis - The Voyager While Jenny Lewis has performed as a solo artist for nearly a decade, she is only now releasing her second true solo record. Her first, Rabbit Fur Coat, was recorded with The Watson Twins and she released a collaborative record with her boyfriend, Johnathon Rice, in 2010. That's not to say that she doesn't enlist some help for her solo work. She has a strong backing band, and still gets backing vocals from her early twin collaborators, and Ryan Adams produced this record! Watch: "Just One of the Guys" Watch: "She's Not Me" |
 Azealia Banks - "Heavy Metal and Reflective" Azealia Banks has had some well-publicized issues with getting her record label, Interscope, and especially on getting her debut album released (still no word on that, by the way). Recently, she was able to get released from her record deal. She supposedly has the rights to her music, so we may soon see the long-delayed album and mixtape. Before then, though, she is putting out a new single and accompanying video! Watch: "Heavy Metal and Reflective" |
 Beck's Song Reader Beck released Song Reader as sheet music in late 2012. Since then, its songs have been performed and recorded by a number of orchestras, bands, and other musicians of all ilk. Now, he is releasing a collection of recordings of the book's songs; with contributions from Laura Marling, Tweedy, Jack White, and Beck himself. Listen: fun. - "Please Leave a Light on When You Go" Listen: Jason Isbell - "Now That Your Dollar Bills Have Sprouted Wings" |
 Eric Clapton & Friends - The Breeze (An Appreciation of JJ Cale) JJ Cale may have passed away about a year ago, but his friend and frequent collaborator Eric Clapton will not forget him. To celebrate his life, and coincide with the year anniversary of his passing, Clapton has brought together a group of musicians to record some songs which Cale had made famous during his career. Listen: Eric Clapton - "Cajun Moon" Listen: Willie Nelson - "Songbird" |
 Future - "Coupe" Future lends his voice to the eighth track in Adult Swim's 2014 Singles Series. The track also comes with a music video, featuring a variety of animated dancers in the back of a coupe. Watch: "Coupe" |
 Joe Goddard - Endless Love EP Joe Goddard, of The 2 Bears and Hot Chip fame, has put out a number of EPs for the Greco-Roman label. Endless Love is his third contribution; the title track features guest vocals from Betsy. Watch: "Endless Love" |
 Rush Midnight - Fix Me Up EP Rush Midnight released his eponymous debut album earlier this year. He is released one of the record's tracks as a single, and getting the remix treatment from The Treasury, Will Buck, and Floria. Watch: "Fix Me Up" Watch: "Fix Me Up" (The Treasury Remix) |
 Beck - Morning Phase It's been awhile since we've gotten a full-length album directly from Beck. In late 2012, he released original sheet music, Song Reader, and put out a series of singles last year. Morning Phase is his first album in six years. The sound of the album is promised to be more akin to 2002's Sea Change than to his last album, Modern Guilt. Listen: "Blue Moon" Listen: "Waking Light" |
 Damaged Bug - Hubba Bubba Thee Oh Sees officially disbanded late last year (though they still have an album coming out in April of this year). John Dwyer is already moving onto his next project, though. The sound should differ from that of his most-known band, with a style Dwyer has described as "hand-made electronics." Listen: "Photograph" Listen: "Eggs at Night" |
 SchoolBoy Q - Oxymoron SchoolBoy Q started his career as the hype-man for fellow rapper and label-mate Kendrick Lamar. He released his first album, Setbacks, in 2011. This is his third album and first on major label Interscope. He caught my ear with the Lamar-assisted "Collard Greens," but I've enjoyed the other tracks I've heard from the album, as well! Watch: "Collard Greens" (featuring Kendrick Lamar) Watch: "Man of the Year" |
 St. Vincent - St. Vincent It may be early in the year, but this was one of my own personal most anticipated releases for 2014. St. Vincent has truly been one of my favorites for several years and I love each of her albums. She expands her sound even more on this self-titled release. On certain tracks, you can really hear the influence from her 2012 collaborative album with David Byrne. Watch: "Digital Witness" Listen: "Birth in Reverse" |
 Eternal Lips - Eternal Lips EP Tell me you're working with one of my favorite artists and you'll definitely get me in the door! I'm wasn't familiar at all with Eternal Lips, but I heard that they recorded a song with the incredible Sharon van Etten. I gave the song a listen and even liked the parts that weren't her! Watch: "Dream Hesitate" (featuring Sharon van Etten) Listen: "Voice" (featuring Kyp Malone) |
 Fadeaway Records 10: Friends Fadeaway Records has been on hiatus for about ten years. The founders parted ways to pursue other projects, but regrouped this year. Friends is the first new release from the label, including both covers of songs from artists who were signed to the label as well as some new tracks! Listen: Kevin Devine - "Kings Crossing" Listen: Andy Hull - "Back of Your Old Church" |
 The Field - Cupid's Head Remixe II The Field released Cupid's Head in October of last year. As has become standard, songs from the record are getting their own remix treatment. This remix EP features contributions from John Tejada, Tim Hecker and TM404. Listen: "No. No..." (John Tejada Mix) |
 FKA Twigs & inc. - "FKA x inc." FKA Twigs has risen to prominent recently for her peculiar brand of pop and R&B (and a voice that reminds me of Grimes'). She is partnering up with the band inc. for a new single! Watch: "FKA x inc." |
 Jon Hopkins - Collider Remixes Jon Hopkins released his latest album, Immunity, in June of last year, which featured the track "Collider." That track is being released along with some remixes of the song, including Karenn, Pangaea and Objekt. Watch: "Collider" Listen: "Collider" (Karenn Remix) |
 Making Patterns Rhyme Making Patterns Rhyme is a new tribute album from Duran Duran. It features covers of their songs by artists such as Liars, Crocodiles and Moby. Proceeds from sales of the album will go to benefit Amnesty International. More info: Duran Duran website |
 Morrissey - Your Arsenal Reissue Your Arsenal was Morrissey's third album, originally released in 1992. This latest reissue comes remastered and includes a DVD of Morrissey's 1991 concert in Mountain View, California. Listen: "I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday" Listen: "You're Gonna Need Someone on Your Side" |
 bEEdEEgEE - SUM/ONE Brian DeGraw is a founding member of the experimental electronic group Gang Gang Dance. He is releasing his first solo album under the phonetic spelling of his initials (get it? B.D.G.). The sound takes on a more straightforward electronic sound than the work he does with his band. Watch: "Flowers" (featuring Lovefoxx) Listen: "Bricks" |
 Magic Trick - River of Souls Magic Trick is the side project of garage rock band The Fresh & Onlys' Tim Cohen. This is the third album from this project, which injects some psychedelia into the garage sound. Listen: "Come Inside" Listen: "The Store" |
 Beck - "Gimme" Beck continues his run of 2013 single releases with "Gimme," the last of the year. He's set to release a new studio album, Morning Phase, in February! Listen: "Gimme" |
 Charli XCX - "SuperLove" Charli may have just released her debut, True Romance, in April of this year, but she's already at work on a follow-up (excited to get more adult ideas out there). "SuperLove" will likely be a single from that album. Watch: "SuperLove" Watch: "SuperLove" (Yeasayer Remix) |
 Daft Punk - Random Access Memories Box Set Daft Punk released their highly-regarded fourth album in May. The box set version of the album is now out (for a mere $275) and features artwork, extended tracks and film. Watch: "Instant Crush" (featuring Julian Casablancas) Listen: "Get Lucky" (Daft Punk Remix) |
 The Flaming Lips - Peace Sword EP The entirety of the Peace Sword EP was written for the film Ender's Game, which was released in early November. The producer's only took the EP's title track, but featured it in the credits of the film. Listen: "Peace Sword (Open Your Heart)" Listen: "Think Like a Machine, Not a Boy" |
 Franz Ferdinand - Right Action Remixes Franz Ferdinand released their highly-anticipated (by me, at least) fourth album just in time for my birthday in August. The title track is getting the remix treatment with contributions from Liv Spencer, Matias Aguayo, Zero Set and Golden Teacher. Watch: "Right Action" Listen: "Right Action" (Liv Spencer Remix) |
 Glen Hansard - Drive All Night EP Glen Hansard become known for the Swell Season and the film Once. He released his debut solo album, Rhythm & Repose, last year and is following it up with a short set of songs. Listen: "Drive All Night" Listen: "Pennies in the Fountain" |
 Inside Llewyn Davis: Original Soundtrack Recording The latest film from The Coen Brothers tells the story of a down-on-his-luck folk musician in the 1960s. The soundtrack follows suit to the style of the time. It features tracks from the film's star, Oscar Isaac, as well as Justin Timberlake and Marcus Mumford. Listen: Oscar Isaac & Marcus Mumford - "Fare Thee Well" Listen: Justin Timberlake & Carey Mullian - "Five Hundred Miles" |
 Josh Tillman - The History of Caves Josh Tillman (aka Father John Misty) has a wife, Emma, who is a film-maker. She recently released a film, trailer and information here, and enlisted her man to do the film's score and soundtrack. Listen: "Finish Those Cigarettes & Go to Bed" Listen: "Of Course I Live with Them" |
 Kate Nash - Have Faith with Kate Nash This Christmas EP British singer Kate Nash invites us to spend Christmas with her. Her EP features new songs along with holiday classics. Watch: "I Hate You This Christmas" Listen: "Auld Lang Syne" |
 Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - Live from KCRW Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds released an incredible album earlier this year. In promoting the album, they recorded a session with KCRW in April. It features a few song from that album, as well as earlier work. Listen: "Higgs Boson Blues" (live) Listen: "Wide Lovely Eyes" (live) |
 ONXRT: Live from the Archives, Vol. 15 Chicago-based radio station WXRT has been releasing highlights from in-studio sessions for 20 years. The latest collection features Jim James, The National and Passion Pit, among others. Listen: The Postal Service - "Such Great Heights" Listen: The National - "Don't Swallow the Cap" |
 She & Him - The Capitol Studios Session Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward released their third album as She & Him, earlier this year. They visited Capitol Studios to record new versions of four tracks off of that album. Listen: "I Could Have Been Your Girl" Listen: "Shadow of Love" |
 The Velvet Underground - White Light/White Heat Reissue The Velvet Underground released this iconic album more than 45 years ago. This reissue is coming along with mono, instrumental and live versions of many of the album's tracks. Listen: "Sister Ray" Listen: "I'm Not a Young Man Anymore" (Live in New York City/1967) |
The Velvet Underground - White Light/White Heat Tribute Album To go along with the above reissue is a covers album. Featured artists here include Natural Child, Gap Dream and many others! Listen: Gap Dream - "Sister Ray" Listen: Natural Child - "White Light/White Heat" |
Hebronix - Unreal I was heartbroken to hear that Daniel Blumberg quit as the lead singer of Yuck. The band had been one of the better to come out of the 90s-style indie rock revival a couple of years ago. My fears were salved, somewhat, upon discovering that both sides would be continuing on. The band would continue under the same name and Daniel under the name of Hebronix. The project takes a slightly different direction than that of his former band, but it's still apparent that this is a Blumberg project. Listen: "Unreal" |
 Jay-Z - Magna Carta Holy Grail Jay-Z took a very different approach to the release of this album. Samsung purchased one million copies of the record at $5 a pop and released it for free to subscribers. It was a boon to Jay-Z, he had a platinum record before it was even out. It didn't work as well for Samsung, though. The app crashed and there were numerous privacy concerns. It's a fairly new approach, so Samsung will live and learn. Although, it is disconcerting to think of the corporate influence involved. Listen: "Holy Grail" (featuring Justin Timberlake) |
 Robert Pollard - Honey Locust Honky Tonk Holy crap, this dude is prolific! He is the lead singer of Guided By Voices, who released three albums last year and already have an album and EP out this year. As a solo artist, he's put out two albums every year since 2006. I guess that he has a lot to say (or nothing else to do). Listen: "Airs" |
 Sweet Valley - SV Nathan Williams, of Wavves, started this side project with his brother Kynan last year. They released three albums for free that year, but this is their first release this year. They released the albums in a fairly short time frame last year, so expect more from them soon! Listen: "Kingdom of Heaven" |
 Beck - "I Won't Be Long" Beck will be releasing a new acoustic album later this year (the exact date hasn't yet been announced). In the meantime, he is releasing a series of singles that are definitely not acoustic, so I'm guessing these won't be on the album. This is the second this year, following "Defriended." Listen: "I Won't Be Long" |
 Moderat - "Bad Kingdom" Moderat (the combination of Modeselektor and Apparat) are releasing an album later this year, creatively title Moderat II. "Bad Kingdom" is the first single released from that album. I haven't been very familiar with either artists' work, or their work together. But, if this is the sound they have, I'm pretty psyched for the album! Listen/Watch: "Bad Kingdom" |
 Regina Spektor - "You've Got Time" It's only been a little over a year since Regina released her most recent album, What We Saw from the Cheap Seats. This single does not come from that album however. I'm not sure if this heralds a new album later this year, but I like this sound from her, it's a bit like early Yeah Yeah Yeahs! Listen: "You've Got Time" |
 Thriftstore Masterpiece: Trouble Is a Lonesome Town Thriftstore Masterpiece is a music project dedicated to honoring lesser-known records from the past. This edition is dedicated to Lee Hazlewood's 1963 debut album, Trouble is a Lonesome Town. The album features covers from Black Francis (of the Pixies), Art Brut and Isaac Brock (of Modest Mouse), among others. Listen: Isaac Brock - "Railroad" |
 Woods - "Be All Be Easy"/"God's Children" The latest single from Woods features a re-recorded version of a song from their second most recent album, Sun and Shade. The B-side of the single features a cover of a song by The Kinks. Listen: "Be All Be Easy" |
