New Music Friday - February 3, 2017

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Essential Full-Length Releases

Big Sean - I Decided Apart from his guest spots, Big Sean's early work didn't really impress me much. That started to change with the release of his last album, 2015's Dark Sky Paradise. That album introduced us to a more mature and introspective Big Sean, and this follow-up continues on those themes. He considers the record to be a concept album, centering on the idea of rebirth. Watch: "Moves" Watch: "Bounce Back"

MUNA - About U MUNA is a pop trio who met in 2013 when the members were attending the University of Southern California. They released their debut EP, More Perfect, on Bandcamp in 2014, catching the ear of RCA Records. They continued to pick up attention and accolades with the release of multiple singles and an additional EP, Loudspeaker, in 2016. They craft a solid dark pop sound with their debut album, and address topics of gender and sexual identify. Watch: "Loudspeaker" Watch: "I Know a Place"

Sampha - Process Throughout his eight year career, Sampha has become known as a reliable guest star, featuring on tracks from artists like Jessie Ware, SBTRKT, and Drake. His own creative output has been limited to a number of singles and a couple of EPs. Finally, he's released his own debut album and it's well worth the wait. It's a personal and beautifully-written record, and one that's already earned the love of fans and critics alike. Watch: "(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano" Watch: "Blood on Me"

Surfer Blood - Snowdonia Surfer Blood lost Thomas Fekete, their original guitarist who had been with the since their beginning in 2009, last year. Prior to that, longtime bassist Kevin Williams left to begin a new career. They come into their fourth album with two new members, including an old friend, Lindsey Mills, on bass. The changes in the line-up have also allowed for the band to retune their sound. Snowdonia seems more focused than their previous two records, though I don't know if they'll ever make another Astro Coast. Watch: "Matter of Time" Watch: "Frozen"

Syd - Fin Syd is a member of the Odd Future group, and frontwoman of one of it's sub-projects, The Internet. She's putting out her solo debut just a week after one of her bandmates, Matt Martians, does the same. The album is influenced by 90s-era R&B/pop artists like Usher and Brandy, and also includes some trap elements. It's another record that has earned its artists early critical praise (it's a good week for debuts!). Watch: "All About Me" Listen: "Body"

Other Full-Length Releases

Communions - Blue Watch: "Come On, I’m Waiting" Listen: "Today"

Hideout - So Many Hoops, So Little Time Watch: "I Got Your Message" Listen: "Doctor"

Homeshake - Fresh Air Listen: "Call Me Up" Listen: "Every Single Thing"

Louise Burns - Young Mopes Watch: "Storms" Listen: "Who’s the Madman"

Mega Bog - Happy Together Watch: "192014" Watch: "London"

Porcelain Raft - Microclimate Listen: "Big Sur" Listen: "Distant Shore"

Red Love - Red Love Listen: "Gone Tomorrow"

Singles, EPs, Soundtracks, etc.

Live Through Magic

Trainspotting #2: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Listen: Young Fathers - "Only God Knows"

R.I.P. Thomas Fekete

Today, it was reported that Thomas Fekete, former guitarist for Surfer Blood, passed away.

Fekete helped to found the band in 2009 along with vocalist John Paul Pitts and drummer Tyler Schwarz. He was with them for each of their three albums and six years. Last year, he was diagnosed with Sarcoma, a form of cancer, and was forced to sit out touring and promotion for their latest album, 1000 Palms.

Fekete's wife started a GoFundMe for his cancer treatment and the band raised money while on tour, some of which ended up stolen along with their equipment. He did not spend his time off-tour idle, releasing a cassette-only album, Burner, at the end of last year.

Today, at the age of 27, he succumbed to his cancer. His wife posted a beautiful message on the GoFundMe page, and fans, musicians, and his bandmates have posted touching tributes to him on social media.

I love you Thom. Thank you for being part of my life. I'll never meet anyone like you again & I'll miss you everyday pic.twitter.com/LUHQAU1MvO

— Surfer Blood (@surferblood) May 31, 2016

Goodbye, Thomas, you will be missed.

Now, check out his sweet guitar skills!

New Music Tuesday - May 12, 2015

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

This week, I will begin to try out a new format for these posts. Writing up an increasing number of releases weekly has become a time-consuming and often unrewarding (for me) process. Starting this week, I will select a number of "essential releases" for each week and provide more detailed write-ups on those, then present the remaining albums and other releases without commentary. My aim is threefold; first, I would like to re-energize myself and my blog. The second goal is to make it clearer which artists and albums I feel are a little more worth your time. Finally, I just want to get caught up.

Essential Full-Length Releases

Crocodiles - Boys Crocodiles is a lo-fi and new wave band out of San Diego, California. The band's last album, Crimes of Passion, was released in 2013, but since then, frontman Brandon Welchez released a collaborative album with Dee Dee Penny of the Dum Dum Girls (his wife) as Haunted Hearts. Now the band is back with their fifth album. Watch: "Foolin’ Around" Watch: "Crybaby Demon"

Pfarmers - Gunnera Members of The National haven't been especially active in side projects, with the exception of Bryce Dessner, who has become known as a composer. Now, drummer Bryan Devendorf is branching out on his own as well. His new projects partners him with members of Menomena, and the backing bands for St. Vincent and Sufjan Stevens. Listen: "The Ol’ River Gang" Listen: "You Shall Know the Spirit"

Roísín Murphy - Hairless Toys Roísín Murphy took a long break after her last album, 2007's Overpowered. Though she began work on a new album seven years ago, and recorded many tracks, it wasn't until last year that fans got any new music from her, in the form of her 2014 EP Mi Senti. Watch: "Exploitation" Listen: "Evil Eyes"

Surfer Blood - 1000 Palms 2015 has been a bit of a tough year for Surfer Blood. While he helped on the recording of this latest album, guitarist Thomas Fekete was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. The band went forward with a supporting tour, and collected money for his treatment on the road. Some of that money, as well as equipment, was stolen while they were near Chicago. Despite these setbacks, the band continues to make great music. Watch: "I Can’t Explain" Listen: "Grand Inquisitor"

The Tallest Man on Earth - Dark Bird Is Home The Tallest Man on Earth is the stage name of Kristian Matsson, a Swedish musician of average height. I loved his sophomore album, The Wild Hunt, when it was released in 2010 and he's already released one incredible follow-up to that record. His fourth record promises to be just as amazing. Listen: "Sagres" Listen: "Dark Bird Is Home"

Other Full-Length Releases

Blanck Mass - Dumb Flesh Watch: "Dead Format" Listen: "Detritus"

Novella - Land Watch: "Land Gone" Listen: "Sentences"

Prurient - Frozen Niagara Falls Listen: "Dragonflies to Sew You Up" Listen: "Greenpoint"

Spirit Club - Spirit Club Watch: "Duster" Watch: "Still Life"

Tyondai Braxton - HIVE1 Listen: "Scout1" Listen: "Gracka"

Urban Cone - Polaroid Memories Watch: "Sadness Disease" Watch: "Come Back to Me" (featuring Tove Lo)

Singles, EPs, Soundtracks, etc.

The 2 Bears - Bears in Space Listen: "(Space) Money Man" (featuring Stylo G) Listen: "The Night Is Slow"

Bishop Nehru - The Nehruvian EP Watch: "User$" Listen: "Bishy in Japan 16 (Knowing Nothing)"

Holy Ghost! - Work for Hire Listen: Hanni El Khatib - "Two Brothers" (Holy Ghost! Remix)

Jordan Bratton - YOUTH EP Watch: "Danger" (featuring Fabolous) Listen: "Bound"

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Quarters EP Listen: "God Is in the Rhythm" Listen: "The River"

Leonard Cohen - Can’t Forget: A Souvenir of the Grand Tour Live Listen: "Never Gave Nobody Trouble" Listen: "Choices"

Lil Silva - Drumatic Listen: "Drumatic"

Mates of State - Greats Listen: "Palomino" Listen: "For the Actor"

Nicolas Jaar - Nymphs II Listen: "No One Is Looking at U"

Noel Gallagher's High-Flying Birds - "Riverman" Watch: "Riverman"

Sylvan Esso - H.S.K.T. Remix EP Watch: "H.S.K.T." Listen: "H.S.K.T." (Hercules & Love Affair Remix)

New Music Tuesday - 06/11/2013

New Full-Length Releases

Andrew Stockdale - Keep Moving I guess 2013 is the year for Andrew Stockdale to move himself away from the Wolfmother name and establish his own; he released an EP of the same name  earlier this year. Performing as himself seems to have revitalized his sound, it's good that he lost the guise of still being Wolfmother. Listen/Watch: "Long Way to Go"

CSS - Planta For a band that first captured my attention with a song featured in an Apple commercial ("Music Is My  Hot, Hot Sex"), they've done a great job of keeping me interested. On their fourth album, you can tell that the band is still having a lot of fun making music. That translates into music that's also fun to listen to, and that is no different here! Listen/Watch: "Hangover"

Disclosure - Settle Right now, it seems like the best electronic music of this year is coming out of Great Britain. This brother duo has been garnering a lot of attention in the past few months and were already considered to be greats before a debut album was even released! Well, that album has been dropped and the proof is finally here (and it is good). The album features a number of other great British musicians like Jamie Woon, AlunaGeorge and Jessie Ware. Listen/Watch: "When a Fire Starts to Burn"

Jimmy Eat World - Damage It seems like Jimmy Eat World has been around forever. They first came into prominence in 2001 with Bleed American, which was one of my favorite records in high school. Sometimes, though, it's easy to forget that they're still around, since they've never quite replicated the success of singles like "The Middle" and "Sweetness." Every few years, they remind us with a another great album! Listen/Watch: "I Will Steal You Back"

Surfer Blood - Pythons For some reason, I almost think of Surfer Blood as a more modern Jimmy Eat World. It's not that their music is similar (though there are some related punk undertones), but that the lead singers look somewhat alike. OK... so that might not be most salient of comparisons, but I loved Surfer Blood in college the way I loved Jimmy Eat World just a few years earlier. The wait for this second album seems to have been forever, so I'm pretty excited for this release! Listen/Watch: "Demon Dance"

Other New Releases

Scott Walker - Scott Walker: The Collection 1967-1970 Scott Walker has become a legend among certain circles. The musician has been around for more than 50 years and has been performing solo since '67. This box set brings together his first five albums. Though he just recently released his 14th solo album, the beginning of his career is perhaps the most impressive. Listen/Watch: "Jackie"