New Music Friday - July 31, 2015

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Essential Full-Length Releases

Albert Hammond Jr. - Momentary Masters When The Strokes got back together in 2009; I wasn't nearly as excited for it as teenage Joy would have been. During the years that they had been on break, several of the members released solo or side projects that were just incredible; including Albert Hammond Jr., who released a solo debut, Yours to Keep, in 2006. The albums that followed The Strokes' return were far from my favorites, so I am excited to see the members back in the solo game! Watch: "Losing Touch" Watch: "Born Slippy"

Lianne La Havas - Blood Lianne La Havas is a British folk and R&B singer of Jamaican and Greek heritage who released her first album, Is Your Love Big Enough?, three years ago. She became a critical and commercial darling following its release and found other artists like Alt-J and Prince among her fans (she appears on both of their albums last year). Compared to her first album, her follow-up is more soulful and upbeat. Watch: "What You Won’t Do" Watch: "Unstoppable"

Titus Andronicus - The Most Lamentable Tragedy Titus Andronicus have never been a band to shy away from conceptual albums. They've already made albums inspired by Seinfeld and the American Civil War, but this album may be their most ambitious yet. The Most Lamentable Tragedy is a "rock opera" following "Our Hero" over five acts; it's a statement on manic depression. They remain one of the few acts who make concept albums palatable and they've done it again! Watch: "Fatal Flaw" Watch: "Dimed Out"

Other Full-Length Releases

Adult Mom - Momentary Lapse of Happily Listen: "Survival" Listen: "Laying on My Floor"

Gunplay - Living Legend Watch: "Wuzhanindoe" Watch: "John Gotti Freestyle"

Singles, EPs, Soundtracks, etc.

BEAK - BEAK KAEB Watch: "The Broken Window" Watch: "There's No One"

Chet Faker - "1998" Listen: "1998" (featuring BANKS)

Ibeyi - "Exhibit Diaz" Watch: "Exhibit Diaz"

The Jesus and Mary Chain - Live at Barrowlands Listen: "Reverence"

Led Zeppelin - Coda Reissue Listen: "Sugar Mama" (Mix) Listen: "Darlene" (Remastered)

Led Zeppelin - In Through the Out Door Reissue Listen: "In the Evening" (Remastered) Listen: "Fool in the Rain"

Led Zeppelin - Presence Reissue Listen: "Achilles Last Stand" Listen: "Hots on for Nowhere" (Reference Mix)

Les Mouches - You’re Worth More to Me Than 1000 Christians Reissue Listen: "Cities Become Less Important" Listen: "Carload of Whatever"

Noel Gallagher’s High-Flying Birds - High-Flying Birds in 3D Listen: "The Right Stuff" (3D Remix - Version 1)

The Prophet: Music from the Motion Picture Watch: Damien Rice - "Hypnosis" Listen: Damien Rice - "On Children"

Thou - "Eyehatethou" Listen: "Eyehatethou"

My Favorite Albums of 2014

20. Spoon - They Want My Soul
19. Lykke Li - I Never Learn
18. The New Pornographers - Brill Bruisers
17. Jessie Ware - Tough Love
16. Tennis - Ritual in Repeat
15. D'Angelo & The Vanguard - The Black Messiah
14. tUnE-yArDs - Nikki Nack
13. Peter Matthew Bauer - Liberation!
12. Sharon Van Etten - Are We There
11. Afghan Whigs - Do to the Beast

10. Chet Faker - Built on Glass

I wish I had become acquainted with this Australian artist with the release of his first EP, Thinking in Textures, and his incredible cover of Blackstreet's "No Diggity." I came in earlier this year, though, just before the release of this debut album. I listened to, and watched the video for "Talk Is Cheap;" I was immediately reminded of Jamie Lidell at his best (around 2005's Multiply). Faker does a similarly masterful job of blending electronica, trip hop, and R&B. Watch: "Talk Is Cheap" Watch: "1998" Watch: "Gold"

9. Mac DeMarco - Salad Days

Prior to this year, I had dismissed Mac DeMarco as little more than a goofball with a guitar. However, after seeing how much praise his previous album, 2, received on 2012 year-end lists, as well as the praise heaped on this record when it was released, I decided I would be wise to check him out. While I have found a silly, irreverent attitude (and sometimes just gross) in many of his interviews, and especially in his music videos, I've also found laid-back, well-written work. I certainly regret underestimating this guy in the past, he's proof that a goofy persona doesn't equate to goofy music. Watch: "Chamber of Reflection" Watch: "Passing Out Pieces"

8. FKA twigs - LP1

This young lady has had quite the year. Some interesting things have happened in her personal life, but her music has been supremely impressive. She often gets pigeon-holed with the label of R&B (perhaps because of her race), but her music incorporates elements of trip hop, experimental, electronic, even choral music. All of that combines to make slow-burning, ethereal, and sensual songs. Her music didn't quite strike me on first listen; it's subtle, but over time I was able to parse out her influences and intricacies and ultimately come to love the release. Watch: "Two Weeks" Watch: "Video Girl"

7. Lia Ices - Ices

I loved Lia Ices' previous album, 2011's Grown Unknown, and found this to be a worthy follow-up, perhaps even more loved than that record. She took what she's done so well in the past and built upon it, while displaying more levity and a bit of international flair. This one of the few albums this year that, after listening through, I would allow to start back over at the beginning and listen through again. Watch: "Thousand Eyes" Watch: "Higher"

6. Adult Jazz - Gist Is

Adult Jazz is one of my absolute favorite new finds of the year. This Leeds band shows that the British do experimental rock just about the best. There are elements of so many things that I love here; vocals sometimes reminiscent of Yellow Ostrich, other times of Wild Beasts, and the occasional jangly guitar that reminds me of WU LYF. Oh, and trombones (if you know anything about me, you know that was my instrument of choice in high school and college). However, this also sounds like almost nothing else I've heard before. There was perhaps no other album this year that I was so excited to share with other people. Watch: "Springful" Watch: "Am Gone"

5. Sylvan Esso - Sylvan Esso

I'm sometimes a bit wary when musicians make a major shift from the genre in which they started. In Mountain Man, Amelia Meath created harmonious folk music. Her work here, with Megafaun's Nick Sanborn, is very different. The sound is a electronic-tinged indie pop. The backgrounds of the two musicians keep the output interesting and artsy, while Amelia's smoky vocals completely seal the deal. The album's opener "Hey Mami" was my own personal song of the summer. Watch: "Coffee" Watch: "Play It Right" Watch: "Dreamy Bruises"

4. Future Islands - Singles

It's not usually a live television performance that interests me in a band, but after hearing so much about Future Islands' Letterman appearance (and after an interesting NPR interview), I had to check this band out. I was not disappointed; the band looks so unassuming in pictures and, at first glance, their music seems to be the same way. But then, much as lead Samuel Herring busts into an odd dance move, he lets out a metal-style growl. The music is great, but it's those surprising touches that make it just a little more memorable. Watch: "Seasons (Waiting on You)" Watch: "A Dream of You and Me"

3. Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels 2

So many of today's hip hop talent is so young, with many artists having been born in the 1990s, but these two (El-P and Killer Mike are both pushing 40) set out to prove that it's not just a young man's game. They succeed, easily showing just about everyone else up. No album this year has made me feel so many emotions; anger, joy, sadness. Just for good measure, the duo also throws in a good amount of humor and sexuality. This could easily be my favorite hip hop album ever and another record that I would let repeat and listen to multiple times in a row. Watch: "Blockbuster Night Part 1" Watch: "Oh My Darling (Don't Cry)"

2. Hamilton Leithauser - Black Hours

At first, the announcement that The Walkmen were talking an "extreme hiatus" was terrifying news to me. No sooner than that news was released, though, several members had already announced their own solo records. They're all great, but frontman Hamilton Leithauser's stood out the most for me. His album could have come across as bare, lacking the band's other members, but he gets help from a number of other great musicians, and some of his bandmates are featured, as well. I still miss The Walkmen, but the solo albums are great to have in their absence. Watch: "11 O'Clock Friday Night" Watch: "I Don't Need Anyone" Watch: "Alexandra"

1. St. Vincent - St. Vincent

My number one favorite album for last year was a pretty easy choice to make. I've loved St. Vincent for a number of years and she hasn't has a misstep of an album yet. Her latest is probably her best yet. She's spent her career as the quintessential cool indie girl, but transformed herself in 2014; starting with an unexpected hair bleaching. She's become an almost superhuman figure, with music and a live persona to match. Albums released towards the beginning of the year tend to get forgotten once December rolls around,  this one was released in February, but I kept returning to this one all year long. Watch: "Birth in Reverse" Watch: "Digital Witness"

Honorable Mentions:
Alvvays - Alvvays
Azealia Banks - Broke with Expensive Taste
Cloud Nothings - Here and Nowhere Else
Marissa Nadler - July
Timber Timbre - Hot Dreams

New Music Tuesday - 04/15/2014

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

New Full-Length Releases

Afghan Whigs - Do the Beast Afghan Whigs was the first major musical project from Greg Dulli, which he formed in 1986 with John Curley and Rick McCollum. The group performed together for 15 years before disbanding in 2001. Though Dulli often claimed the band would not be getting back together, they began touring in 2012 and, this year, are putting out their first record since 1998's 1965. McCollum is not rejoining here, but there are a host of other musicians brought in, including Mark McGuire. Watch: "Algiers" Listen: "The Lottery"

Amps for Christ - Canyon Cars and Crows I first became familiar with Amps for Christ when they released a split LP with Woods (a favorite of mine) in 2012. The band takes on an experimental sound, somewhat similar to that of their once album-mates, but with fewer vocals. Canyons Cars and Crows is the 11th album from them. Listen: "Everyone Drives" Listen: "Barely Breathe"

The Both - The Both The Both is a collaboration between rockers Aimee Mann and Ted Leo. Both are long-established in the indie rock world (32 and 25 years, respectively). Mann was introduced to Leo's music in 2001, when Game Theory frontman Scott Miller gave her one of Leo's albums. They didn't begin working together, though, until a 2012 joint tour which culminated in some shared songwriting and, now, an album. Watch: "Milwaukee" Listen: "Volunteers of America"

Chet Faker - Built on Glass Chet Faker is the stage name of Australian musician Nick Murphy. He modeled his name, fairly obviously, from jazz legend Chet Baker, though his music is inspired more by R&B and soul (and his style is more reminiscent of Jamie Lidell or Jamie Woon). He first rose to prominence with his cover of Blackstreet's "No Diggity." This is his first full-length album. Watch: "Talk Is Cheap" Watch: "1998"

The Crookes - Soapbox I first heard of The Crookes with the release of the incredible "Bloodshot Days" single in 2010. It's still, by far, my favorite output from the Sheffield band, with the Dreams of Another Day EP being a close second. This is the third album from the band and, while their albums have been perhaps their weakest area, I'm always hopeful for a return to their early days! Watch: "Holy Innocents" Watch: "Play Dumb"

Ingrid Michaelson - Lights Out I never thought that an artist I first heard in an Old Navy commercial in 2007 would remain such a beloved musician for me. Generally, hers isn't a style of music that I seek out or love, but she has a certain sweetness and approach that, sometimes, is exactly what I need to listen to. Watch: "Girls Chase Boys" Watch: "Wonderful Unknown"

Jessica Lea Mayfield - Make My Head Sing... Kent, Ohio-native Jessica Lea Mayfield got her first big career boost from fellow Ohioan Dan Auerbach (of The Black Keys), who produced her sophomore album, Tell Me. Her style pulls from country and rock, with a darkness that tells you that the young singer has already been through a lot. This latest album brings in a lot more rock than on her previous two, providing an interesting counterpoint to her low vocals. Watch: "I Wanna Love You"

John Frusciante - Enclosure John Frusciante has been incredibly prolific as a solo artist since leaving the Red Hot Chili Peppers, for whom his guitar style developed a distinct sound, in 2009. This is his third album since then, though he's also released a number of EPs. His solo work tends toward the experimental, but the quality of his output varies greatly. This latest record may be one of his most listenable. Listen: "Scratch" Listen: "Stage"

The Secret Sisters - Put Your Needle Down The Secret Sisters are truly sisters, Laura and Lydia Rogers. They perform traditional country music with a focus on harmonies that have garnered comparisons to The Everly Brothers. This is their second studio album following 2010's self-titled debut. Watch: "Lonely Island"

Smoke Fairies - Smoke Fairies Another female singing duo, though these are not siblings and perform a much more modern type of music. Though they infuse from folk elements into their sound, the music is dream pop at it's most basic. They came to prominence as one of the first acts to be signed to Jack White's Third Man Records. That's some high praise from one of rock music's new statesmen and the music is certainly great. Watch: "Eclipse Them All" Watch: "We've Seen Birds"

Woods - With Light and with Love I'm not sure if it's a coincidence or intentional the Woods are releasing a new album on the same day as former album-mates Amps for Christ. The band and its members stay very active, they have released an album almost every year since their 2006 debut, Kevin Morby has released solo records and collaborations with Cassie Ramone of Vivian Girls, Jeremy Earl runs the Woodsist label. Everything they've put out has been incredible and I'm excited for this latest release! Listen: "Leaves Like Glass" Listen: "Moving to the Left"

Other New Releases

Danny Brown - Hot Soup Reissue Rapper Danny Brown burst onto the scene in 2011 with his critically-acclaimed third album, XXX. He followed it up last year with the equally regarded Old. He's reaching back to his beginnings, though, with a re-release of his 2008 mixtape, Hot Soup. Listen: "Let's Go" Listen: "What Up Doe"

Killer Mike - The Boonies The Boondocks was a popular cartoon that ran Comedy Central from 2005 to 2008. It's returning to the network this year and being heralded with a mixtape curated by rapper Killer Mike. Listen: Killer Mike - "The Boonies" Listen: Lil Herb - "Whatchu Get"

I Break Horses - Remix EP I Break Horses released their sophomore album, Chisroscuro, earlier this year. I wasn't familiar with them until I heard a remix of one of the album's track by The Field. The track appears on this remix EP, along with remixes from other musicians. Listen: The Field - "Faith"