Upcoming Album of the Week (Ending October 10)

While Metacritic, Consequence of Sound, or even Pitchfork can give you a fuller list of announced albums, click on over to my Upcoming Releases page to see the records that I'm keeping my eye on!

This week's hotly-anticipated released comes as quite a surprise as this band released a new record not even two month ago. Beach House announced their short order follow-up to August's Depression Cherry, titled Thank Your Lucky Stars.

Rumors of a new record began surfacing over the past week or so when the band's Depression Cherry lyrics website redirected to a site referencing both albums' names. The site contained lyrics for songs not on that August record and left a plethora of easter eggs for fans to find.

The band confirmed the new record on Wednesday and promised that it was neither a companion nor b-sides to Depression Cherry. The new album will be released next Friday!

We are very excited, it's an album being released the way we want. It's not a companion to depression cherry or a surprise or b-sides

— Beach House (@BeaccchHoussse) October 7, 2015

Also announced this week:

Amy (October 30)
Bjork - Vulnicura Strings (Vulnicura: The Acoustic Version (November 6)
Brian Fallon - Painkillers (early 2016)
Cage the Elephant - Tell Me I’m Pretty (December 18)
Courtney Barnett - “Boxing Day Blues Revisited” (October 16)
Flying Lotus - You’re Dead! Deluxe (out now)
The Game - The Documentary 2.5 (October 16)
Jonny Greenwood - Junun (November 13)
Rick Ross - Black Market (December)
Roger Waters - Roger Waters The Wall (November 20)
A Sunny Day in Glasgow/Mis Ojo Discos - Planning Weed Like It’s Acid/Life Is Loss (November 13)
Talib Kweli & 9th Wonder - Indie 500 (November 6)
Ten Commandos - Staring Down the Dust (November)

Alt-J in Cincinnati

When: September 21, 2015
Where: PNC Pavilion at Riverbend in Cincinnati, OH

The Show:
Alt-J came to Cincinnati late last month and I knew it was a show that I could not miss. The concert was one of my relatively few group outings for live music. A friend of mine had gotten tickets for herself, her boyfriend, me, and Adrian, my boyfriend. The experience was definitely enhanced by being there with companions.

Brooklyn-based baroque-inspired band San Fermin has been touring with the band. Adrian and I got to the venue about halfway through the opening act's set. We weren't sure what to expect from them, but were impressed by their high energy show. I, for one, am also always a big fan of bands who use brass and woodwind instruments and this band used them extremely well (though I'm still a bit disappointed in their lack of trombone). Safe to say, that band won some new fans that night, though we were still anticipating the main act.

Our friends arrived towards the end of the first set. We patiently waited, while listening to tUnE-yArDs played through overblown speakers, for the headlining act to begin. Alt-J came out with an impressive set that seemed to reflect the success that they've gained over past couple of years. Their unique mix of rock, choral chants, and electronica was punctuated by an impressive light show behind them consisting of a couple dozen TVs. They played primarily from their first album, An Awesome Wave, though sprinkled in a few of the better tracks from the follow-up, This Is All Yours.

On a Monday, two strong bands and some great friends made for a great beginning to the week!

Mini setlist:
San Fermin - "Jackrabbit"
Alt-J - "Tessellate"
Alt-J - "Left Hand Free"

New Music Friday - August 21, 2015

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Essential Full-Length Releases

Deradoorian - The Expanding Flower Planet Angel Deradoorian spent her formative years in the music industry as a member of The Dirty Projectors. Though she first went solo in 2009 with the EP Mind Raft, it wasn't until three years ago that she left the band to focus on other projects. She joined Avey Tare's Slasher Flicks, contributed vocals to Flying Lotus' You're Dead!, and is now releasing her first full-length. Listen: "A Beautiful Woman" Listen: "The Eye"

The Fratellis - Eyes Wide, Tongue Tied The Fratellis burst onto the scene in 2006 with Costello Music, probably the most fun album of the British indie rock resurgence. They seemed to struggle a bit with a follow-up. Albums released in 2008 and 2013 both failed to chart as well as their debut. This latest is charting pretty well in their home country of the UK, time will tell if they can get back that magic elsewhere. Watch: "Baby Don’t You Lie to Me!" Listen: "Me and the Devil"

Paul Smith and The Intimations - Contradictions Paul Smith is best known as the frontman for Maxïmo Park, but has been focusing on solo projects over the past couple of years. He released his first solo record, Margins, in 2010 and followed it up last year with a collaborative album with Peter Brewis, Frozen By Sight. His latest sees him giving his backing band a more formal name. Watch: "Break Me Down" Watch: "Coney Island (4th of July)"

Other Full-Length Releases

Briana Marela - All Around Us Watch: "Surrender" Listen: "Take Care of Me"

DRINKS - Hermits on Holiday Watch: "Hermits on Holiday" Watch: "Laying Down Rock"

El Ten Eleven - Fast Forward Listen: "Peter and Jack" Listen: "Point Breeze"

Gardens & Villa - Music for Dogs Watch: "Fixations" Watch: "Everybody"

Method Man - The Meth Lab Watch: "The Meth Lab" (featuring Hanz On & Streetlife) Watch: "Straight Gutta" (featuring Redman, Hanz On & Streetlife)

Myrkur - M Watch: "Onde Børn" Listen: "Skøgen Skulle Dø"

Pleasure Leftists - The Woods of Heaven Listen: "You You" Listen: "Protection"

Singles, EPs, Soundtracks, etc.

Circe: Music Composed for The Show of Shows Watch: Circe - "Lila"

Danger Doom - The Mouse and the Mask Reissue Listen: "El Chupa Nibre" Listen: "Sofa King"

Linda Ronstadt - Just One Look: The Very Best of Linda Ronstadt Listen: "Different Drum" Listen: "Love Has No Pride"

Makeout Videotape - Ying Yang Reissue Watch: "Exercising with My Demons" Listen: "Future Boy"

Panda Bear - Crosswords EP Listen: "No Man’s Land" Listen: "Crosswords"

Parquet Courts/Joey Pizza Slice Split Single Listen: Parquet Courts - "Pretty Girls"

PINS - "Dazed By You"/"Live and Let Go" Listen: "Dazed By You" Listen: "Live and Let Go"

Public Image Ltd. - "Double Trouble" 10” Listen: "Double Trouble"

Ryan Adams - Willow Lane 7” Listen: "Willow Lane" Listen: "Yes or Run"

Sinkane x Peaking Lights - Mean Dub Listen: "Yacha" (Peaking Lights Dub Mix) Listen: "How We Be" (Peaking Lights Dub Mix)

Tom Furse - Child of a Shooting Star Listen: "Trans-Universal Express" Listen: "The Ocean Is Teacher"

Upcoming Album of the Week (Ending October 3)

Please recall that I painstakingly maintain a list of albums coming out from artists that I like, your preferences be damned! Anyways, I'll be really hurt if you don't look at it, so go on over to my Upcoming Releases page to check that out!

So I need to be honest about this week, there wasn't really anything announced this week that got me really hyped up, at least not to the point of doing my usual write-up on anything. So, I will just present you with the list of what was announced.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Announced this week:

Bill Wells - Nursery Rhymes (November 20)
GOGGS - “She Got Harder” (November)
Kylie Minogue - Kylie Christmas (November 13)
Lawrence Rothman - TBA (2016)
Peter Buck - Warzone Earth (October 16)
Sam Smith - In the Lonely Hour: The Drowning Shadows Edition (November 6)
Sunn O))) - Kannon (December 4)
The Velvet Underground: The Complete Matrix Tapes (November 20)

New Music Friday - August 14, 2015

Be sure to view a list of upcoming releases here!

Essential Full-Length Releases

The Good Life - Everybody’s Coming Down Tim Kasher is known for his work in Cursive, an emo band who released their first album in 1997. Slightly more recently, he has been involved in The Good Life, whose first album was released just three years later. That project has been hiatus for eight years, but is back this year with a new album. It's the first from the band that was recorded as a more collective effort, lending it a broader range of styles and ideas than previous efforts. Watch: "The Troubadour’s Green Room" Listen: "Everybody"

Talib Kweli - Fuck the Money Talib Kweli is all about the surprise releases in the back half of this year. A few weeks ago, he released a first volume of b-sides and rare tracks with very little warning. This release comes with the same amount of forewarning, none. The album, with featured appearances from Miguel, Patrick Stump (of Fallout Boy), and Ab-Soul, seeks to warn of the evils of money. It is, as would only be appropriate, available as a free download here. Watch: "Fuck the Money" (featuring Casper Nyowest) Listen: "Nice Things"

Other Full-Length Releases

Teen Daze - Morning World Watch: "Morning World" Listen: "Along"

Singles, EPs, Soundtracks, etc.

2 Chainz - Trapavelli Tre Watch: "Everything I Know" Listen: "Watch Out"

Chance The Rapper + Lil B - Free Listen: "We Rare" Listen: "What’s Next"

Jamie Woon - "Sharpness" Listen: "Sharpness"

jj - Death Listen: "Fuck It" Listen: "Truce"

FKA twigs - M3LL155X EP Listen: "Figure 8"

Lana Del Rey - "High By the Beach" Watch: "High By the Beach"

Lemonade - "Dancer on the Shore" Listen: "Dancer on the Shore" (featuring Dee Dee)

Pavement - The Secret History, Vol. 1 Listen: "Summer Babe" Listen: "Here"

Wondaland Presents: THE EEPHUS Watch: Janelle Monáe - "Yoga" Watch: Jidenna - "Classic Man"

Upcoming Album of the Week (Ending September 26)

If you're interested in seeing a fuller list of upcoming albums, EPs, soundtracks, singles and more, head on over to my Upcoming Releases page!

This week's anticipated release comes from one of at least four British men named Jamie or James who expertly mix R&B and electronic sounds, Jamie Woon (the others are Jamie Lidell, Jamie xx and James Blake, though I'm sure there are many others).

Woon, whose sound leans less experimental than the others', released his first album, Mirrorwriting, way back in 2011. While he got less attention from the blogosphere than contemporaries like The xx and James Blake, it was an excellent record and one of my favorites that year.

Unfortunately, Woon seemed to drop off the face of the earth following the album's release. Aside from news that he had cancelled several shows in 2012, there was next to no news about him or new music from him. It was easy to assume that he simply chosen to leave the music industry. He disproved that assumption in March with a collaboration with Portico. He released the first bit of new solo work in August, and on Monday announced Making Time for release on November 6.



Also announced this week:

Adele - 25 (November 20)
Arcade Fire - The Reflektor Tapes (October 16)
Bob Dylan - The Cutting Edge 1965-1966: The Bootleg Series Vol. 12 (November 6)
Drake & Future - What a Time to Be Alive (out now)
The Duke Spirit - “Blue and Yellow Light” (October 23)
The Flaming Lips - Heady Nuggs 20 Years After Clouds Taste Metallic (November 27)
Jenny Lewis with The Watson Twins - Rabbit Fur Coat Reissue (January 29)
Hurricane #1 - Find What You Love and Let It Kill You (November 20)
Kurt Cobain - “And I Love Her”/“Sappy” (November 20)
Tindersticks - The Waiting Room (January 22)
A Tribe Called Quest - People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm Reissue (November 13)
Le Volume Courbe - I Wish Dee Dee Ramone Was Here with Me (October 30)
YG, Blanco, & DB Tha General - California Livin (out now)
Weezer - “Thank God for Girls” (October 27)

Upcoming Album of the Week (Ending September 19)

Be sure to click over to my Upcoming Releases page to see a more comprehensive list of albums and such coming up in the ensuing months.

This was a fairly quiet week for new album announcements; perhaps getting towards the end of year and the massive number of releases set in the coming weeks has slowed down any mention of planned new music. There is one that stands out, due to both the artist's talent and the novelty of what he is doing. Ryan Adams officially announced the release of his full album cover of Taylor Swift's 1989.

stereogum.com

Adams announced his intention to record and release this covers album in early August and has shared a few snippets from the studio in the time since. Still, it didn't feel like something that would actually happen. Sure, covers are nothing new; there are even artists who have released entire albums of covers dedicated to a single artist (see: the bird and the bee's Interpreting the Masters). It seems new for one prominent artist to dedicate themselves to covering the entire album of another prominent artist.

It seems the perfect topper for Adams' prolific run over the past couple of years (though I'm sure he'll keep going), and validation for Swift's songwriting, considering Adams himself has long been regarded as an excellent songwriter.

Ryan Adams' 1989 will be released on Monday!

Also announced this week:

A-Trak - “We All Fall Down” (October 2)
Arcade Fire - “Get Right”/“Crucified Again” (September 25)
Jessica Care Moore - Black Tea: The Legend of Jesse James (October 2)
Johnny Marr - Adrenaline Baby (October 9)
Norman Westberg - 13 (November 13)
Zomby - Let’s Jam EP1 (October 9)
Zomby - Let’s Jam EP2 (October 9)