Showing posts with label top ten new releases. Show all posts
Showing posts with label top ten new releases. Show all posts
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Top Ten June Album Releases


10. Beach Day - Trip Track Attack
Florida-natives Beach Day will release their debut record Trip Track Attack on 6/18 via Kanine Records. The 60s girl-group inspired trio are appropriately releasing their record in the throws of summer, and on the track “Little Red Shoes” its all too easy to see this record on repeat for some time during the ensuing months. Listen below:


9. Young Fathers - TAPE TWO
Young Fathers will follow-up their excellent TAPE ONE EP released earlier this year with TAPE TWO set for official release on 6/11. You can hear the ambitious 9-track EP in-full now over at Dazed Digital’s Soundcloud.




8. Spectrals - Sob Story
Spectrals are back with their sophomore record Sob Story, which was released yesterday via Wichita Recordings. The Record was produced by Girls' JR White and can be slightly likened to the recently disbanded duo with sprawling slide guitar and catchy classic rock melodies. Listen to the title track below:
7. Camera Obscura - Desire Lines
On the Glasgow quintet’s latest single off the forthcoming record Desire Lines (out today via 4AD) “Do It Again” lead singer Tracyanne Campbell is straightforward: “Turn down the lights now / let’s do it again.” The upbeat little number doesn’t seem to stray far from the band’s previous releases in 2006’s Let’s Get Out Of this Country and 2009’s My Maudlin Career, but no one’s complaining. Camera Obscura have made a career out of crafting their perfectly twee-lilted indie pop, but they’ve done it consistently. Listen to “Do It Again” below:


 6. Smith Westerns - Soft Will
Smith Westerns impressed a lot of people with their debut self-titled record and 2011’s Dye It Blonde, and with their latest singles “3am Spiritual” and “Varsity” the group looks to complete their glam-rock trifecta with Soft Will, which is out June 25 via Mom+Pop. Check out the video for “Varsity” below:


 5. Portugal. The Man - Evil Friends
The first track and video, “Atomic Man,” released from Portugal. The Man’s eighth studio album, has a white-washed sound that Censored Colors and American Ghetto songs don’t. Produced by Danger Mouse, it has a witty likeness to fellow Danger Mouse artists, but the synthetic-beats and metallic quality of John Baldwin Gourley’s vocals lack the rawness they’re known for. The album is streaming now, and will be an excellent alternative to less stimulating pop-rock tracks that can clog the radiowaves of the season. 


 4. Sigur Ros - Kveikor
Sigur Ros’ seventh studio album, Kveikur (put out by XL Records), returns the Icelandic band to a sound more reminiscent of their native landscape: beautiful, barren, and rocky. The first single and video released, “Isjaki,” retains some of the watery electronics prevalent on Valtari, their 2012 release, but harkens back to the chimes, post-rock guitar, and traditional beats on Takk and ( ). As usual, this album will be released to excited praise; because there’s always someone who will love it more than the last, and probably more than anything else. That’s one of the greatest qualities of Sigur Ros’ music: it never fails to touch a heart. Check out the lyric video to "Isjaki" below:

3. Eleanor Friedberger - Personal Record

Eleanor Friedberger, who’s playing at The Ninth Ward at Babeville tonight, released her sophomore LP Personal Record today on Merge. Anyone who likes the Fiery Furnaces will like this release, it’s full of quirky rhythms and sun-drenched folk-pop sincerity. Watch the video for "Stare At The Sun" below:


2. Disclosure - Settle

UK dance-pop duo Disclosure are brothers Howard and Guy Lawrence. At just 18 and 21, the brothers are crafting some supremely excellent music on their latest record Settle which was released yesterday on PMR. “Latch” is a palpable and airy track featuring Sam Smith that drips with boiling texture, flaunting itself this way and that via bubbling percussion and synth lines. Listen to “Latch” below:


 1. Boards of Canada - Tomorrow's Harvest

Tomorrow’s Harvest, Boards of Canada’s first studio album in eight years, streamed over YouTube yesterday, and was reviewed with a special kind of dystopian-fervor reserved for musicians who have stood the test of time—and come back from its brink. Like Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Boards of Canada have managed to meld their former sound into something cuter and oddly current-sounding. The single and video, “Reach for the Dead,” is rhythmic, simplistic, and aerial in a way that might at first strike you as surface, but could actually be deeply beautiful.

Tom Dennis
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Top Ten April Album Releases


April always represents a coming-out party of sorts for the independent music industry. The winter months are being phased out, and as the days get longer and warmer, the need for new and invigorating music only grows stronger. With the renewal of Spring comes its accompanying melodies to motivate and captivate us, to get us out of the house and out into the parks and onto the patios, to inspire us, so that we too can get the creative juices flowing and start anew. It's a beautiful thing, folks. This month, even before reckoning with the extensive catalog of stellar Record Store Day releases (April 20!), it's a pretty overwhelming list. After finding about 30 candidates that qualified for the top ten most anticipated April releases, it was difficult to deny mentioning some of these albums that are also worth your time, so I've set aside a few honorable mentions before getting into the main inventory. Hold on to your hats.

Honorable Mention 
Iggy and the Stooges - Ready to Die [Fat Possum] 4/30

10. Iron & Wine - Ghost on Ghost
Ive heard a lot from the Iron & Wine naysayers as of late. Sure, I was among those thinking they hit their stride in the mid to late '00s, that is, until I saw Sam Beam and his ten-piece ensemble perform at Town Ballroom back in the spring of 2011 in support of their excellent fourth studio record Kiss Each Other Clean. The album went largely understated, even as Beam expanded his instrumental output, taking stylistic risks, but meeting every expectation I had, and then some. Concerning the new album, Beam says that he’s gotten rid of some of the “anxious tension” in his songwriting and that the new record “felt like a reward to myself after the way I went about making the last few.” The first cut from the record “Lovers’ Revolution” certainly sounds like nothing we’ve heard from the songwriter before, as it relies heavily on a broader range of jazz-tinged instruments. This is something that could really come to life in a live setting. Listen to the track below.

9. Young Galaxy - Ultramarine
Synths are getting old...again. We've heard our fair share of mediocre synth-pop bands in the past five years or so, and the last thing we need is another drop in the bucket, right? And yet, somehow Canadian synth-rockers Young Galaxy have their own unique stylings to add to the pool. Their third single off the forthcoming Ultramarine record, "New Sumer," offers withering synth textures, and while it employs a pretty simple melody, there is a certain directness that becomes widely appealing about the song; it's truly a summer anthem that grows catchier and warmer with each new listen. Check out "New Summer" below and look for Ultramarine to hit stores on April 23. 


8. IO Echo - Ministry of Love
Coming off a robust string of shows at SXSW, and after having released their self-titled debut EP last year, LA shoegazers IO Echo will release their debut LP Ministry of Love today via IAMSOUND. If you stream the record over at the Pitchfork Advance platform, you’ll notice the album has a lot of weight to it with lead singer Ioanna Gika dishing out some powerful vocals over feathery synth and percussion splashes. Listen to "When The Lilies Die" below.


7. Rilo Kiley - rkives
The video for Rilo Kiley's latest track "Let Me Back In" off their new compilation of rarities rkives, is a special ode to LA. The video is soaked in nostalgia and strikingly pleasant, featuring old road footage from past shows. No, this isn't technically new material, but for those die-hard Rilo Kiley fans out there this is the first unheard music from the band in six years, and that's something to be excited about, especially when the first cut off the record sounds like it does. rkives is out today. Watch the video for "Let Me Back In" below.

6. Merchandise - Totale Nite LP
Tampa DIY indie-rockers Merchandise have slowly been boiling out of obscurity since they formed in 2008, and recently just broke ground with their well-received LP Children of Desire released by the modest Katorga Works label back in July. Announcing their forthcoming album Totale Night (out April 8) earlier this year, the group dropped a pretty excellent single with “Anxiety’s Door,” a upbeat post-punk anthem. Listen to the track below.


5. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Mosquito
When I first saw the album artwork for Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ new album Mosquito, it was a classic case of judging a book by its cover. Holy shit is that artwork bad. I ignorantly decided for an instant that Yeah Yeah Yeahs were no more, until I heard the wonderful first track off the record “Sacrilege.” Karen O’s vocals are soulful and build with an unfurling choir of singers and as she repeats the title over and over. As the track bustled in its sonic irony, I forgot all about how terrible the artwork is. The album comes out April 16. As for me, I’ll be picking up the record via iTunes, ‘cause there’s no way I’ll be able to physically take that record off my shelf and expose it to my delicate pupils. Listen to "Sacrilege" below.


4. The Flaming Lips - The Terror
I had the opportunity to see The Flaming Lips a few weeks ago play a packed show at SXSW, but I have to admit, it was not at all the amazing performance that I was expecting. When frontman Wayne Coyne first came out on stage decked-out in a strange outfit that featured tubes of light and a baby doll strapped to his chest, I was pretty stoked, until he mentioned to the thousand’s attending the show at Austin’s Auditorium Shores that he would be playing all new songs from the forthcoming record The Terror. I don’t know what it is about shows where a band plays only material nobody has heard yet, but they tend to be pretty underwhelming in my experience, especially when they’re of the experimental, hard-to-translate-live, brand of music that The Flaming Lips have been going for lately. While the show wasn’t exactly stellar, it was mostly interesting for its weirdness, and for the fact that it seems that Coyne’s songwriting is only getting trippier, which is good, right? The Terror is out on April 16 in the US via Warner Bros. Records.

3. James Blake - Overgrown
James Blake captivated us back in 2011 with his excellent debut self-titled LP, and with his forthcoming record Overgrown set for release on April 9, it’s hard to know what to expect for the UK musician. And while 2011’s Enough Thunder EP provided some highlights with a collaborative track with Bon Iver entitled “Fall Creek Boys” and a truly gorgeous cover of Joni Mitchell’s perennial “A Case of You”, other tracks proved to be more unimpressive with a closer focus on a more downtempo, minimalist approach. However, Blake’s latest single, the soulful “Retrograde”, shines brightly though the clouds, and provides enough hope that his sophomore full-length will be worth our while. Watch the video for "Retrograde" below.

2. The Knife - Shaking the Habitual
Point-blank, The Knife is making some of the most interesting and evocative music of the year so far. With choice cuts "A Tooth For An Eye" and "Full of Fire" breaking some serious ground with their lyrical and textural variations, there's no telling how awesome The Knife's forthcoming album Shaking The Habitual will be in full. Wait, yes there is, because you can stream the album right now over at Pitchfork Advance and decide for yourself. What are you waiting for? Go have a listen! And watch the video for "A Tooth For An Eye" below.

1. Kurt Vile - Wakin on a Pretty Daze
Time and time again Kurt Vile has shown off his damned good songwriting abilities, and judging by the sound of the lead title track off his forthcoming record Wakin on a Pretty Daze, it looks like we have another record by the Philly folk-rocker to run out and buy. As always, Vile’s gentle sough moves effortlessly among floaty, blissed-out guitar licks, and while his approach hasn’t changed much, there’s a fullness to this track in particular that seems to liberate all the potential energy that Vile has been accumulating over his past several releases. If you’re still unsure how you feel about the first cut, get a first listen of the record via NPR, who is streaming the record in-full on their website right now. Listen to "Walkin on a Pretty Day" below and watch a short mini-documentary on the making of the album artwork for the LP.

Tom Dennis
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Top Ten March Album Releases

We've got some impressive releases leading us into the mists this March. Break out the St. Patrick's Day attire and watch the snow melt away while you spin some of these great new records.
10. Suuns - Images Du Futur
Montreal quartet Suuns (who were just featured in our first installment of the Festival Bands, Man! series) came together in 2006 when frontman Ben Shemie got together with bassisst Joe Yarmush, to record some beats, which eventually worked their way into songs. Grabbing two new members Liam O’Neill and Max Henry, the group expanded and released their debut record Zeroes QC in 2010. On March 5, Suuns will unveil their anticipated sophomore record Images Du Fur via Secretly Canadian. The first single off the new record “Edie’s Dream” further exhibits the group’s ability at carefully-crafted psychedelic tunes. Listen to “Edie’s Dream” below:


9. Julian Lynch - Lines
Madison, WI PhD candidate and musician Julian Lynch will release his follow-up to last year’s Terra with the LP Lines, due out March 26 via Underwater Peoples. The first single off the record “Carios kelleyi I” follows in Lynch's signature strand of textured, chromatic folk, with cheerful acoustic riffs coated with Lynch's warm hum. Listen to “Carios kelleyi I” below:


8. Chvrches - Recover EP
The title track off Chvrches' new EP wastes no time as lead singer Lauren Mayberry's vocals deliver a shot of adrenaline with a instantly catchy verse leading into an even more enthralling chorus. The Scottish trio will release the EP via Goodbye Records on March 25. Listen to "Recover" below:


 7. Marnie Stern - The Chronicles of Marnia
Marnie Stern has been in the news quite a bit in the past few months. First, the New York indie-rocker has aparently started a real contest to win a date with her, and more importantly has shared a few tracks from her forthcoming record The Chronicles of Marnia which is due out March 19. The latest single "Nothing Is Easy" doesn't dissapoint with Stern's catchy whine, and convoluted guitar licks and percussion. Listen to the track here.

6. David Bowie - The Next Day
For the past decade or so, David Bowie has been pretty silent. One minute you're reading a story about how he will never put out another album ever again, then suddenly The Next Day is announced. As confusing as that last sentence is, and as bad as some of Bowie's '00-era records are, it's always exciting when a pop legend decides to come out of an apparent retirement and deliver a new collection of songs. Especially when the legend in question is 66 years old. The Next Day is officially out on March 12 in the US, but it is currently streaming on iTunes. Watch the video for "Where Are We Now?" below:

5. Phosphorescent - Muchacho
Phosphorescent, aka Matt Houck, will release his sixth studio record Muchacho, on March 19 via Dead Oceans. The first cut off the record is called "Song for Zula," a languid, floaty track with spiraling strings complete with an echoed drum loop. The New York via Alabama musician traveled to Mexico early last year after a brief "freak out" in order to find inspiration.  When he came back to New York with a clear head, songs for Muchacho poured out. Listen to "Song for Zula" below:


4. Waxahatchee - Cerulean Salt
Waxahatchee is Birmingham native Katie Crutchfield. Still riding off the energy of her debut full-length American Weekend, Crutchfield will release her follow-up Cerulean Salt tomorrow via Don Giovanni Records. Crutchfield thrives on her unique lo-fi stylings, thought-provoking lyricism, and heart-on-sleeve approach to songwriting that goes unrivaled in today's immense DIY folk scene. Listen to the single “Peace and Quiet” off the record below and stream Cerulean Salt in its entirety over at NPR. 

3. Rhye - Woman
Rhye’s first single “The Fall,” which came out late last year, was a crisp, androgynous track released by an anonymous group that had the attention of the indie blogosphere pretty fast. The sexy, yet minimal, track was intriguing everyone, and finally Toronto-born Mike Milosh came forward as the lead singer behind the duo. As they release their debut record Woman today, Rhye is entering an exciting time; they're only going to get more popular. Watch the entrancing video for “The Fall” below:

2. The Men - New Moon
The Men have decided to stay the prolific course and will release their fourth record in three years with New Moon on March 5. The record is streaming over at Pitchfork right now and upon first listen it immediately sounds a lot more varied and expansive, still exuding a punk influence, but with country and pop underpinnings. The group has maintained all the songwriting perks of last year’s Open Your Heart, with an array of new instrumentals including mandolin, harmonica, piano, and lap guitar. The record is being released by Sacred Bones. Listen to the single “Electric” below:


1. Youth Lagoon - Wondrous Bughouse
Youth Lagoon aka Trevor Powers’ record The Year of Hibernation was arguably the best debut of 2011, as it scaled a mountainous terrain of lo-fi dream-pop, and perfected the art of the build with tracks like “Montana” and “July” starting with calm synth textures and peaking with Powers’ ethereal croon. While the The Year of Hibernation was recorded in a friend’s garage in a few days, his sophomore album was done in a proper studio with the help of producer Ben H. Allen (Animal Collective, Deerhunter). And while there is a definite improvment in production and style, Powers is still blowing our minds, this time via a diversity of layered instrumentals and reeling psychadelic imagery. Each track takes on it’s own varied form, with emphasis on tempo changes and whimsical lyrical imagery. The album is out tomorrow via Fat Possum, but you can stream the album now over at NPR. Also, be sure to check out our detailed Songbook Report on the album here.

Tom Dennis
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Top Ten February Album Releases


As you've been hibernating the past few weeks, staying cozy inside while windchill levels approached sub-zero, the music world has kept warm too, grilling up an entire month's worth of awesome new releases. Check out what February has in store for your ears!
10. Frightened Rabbit - Pedestrian Verse
When Scottish indie rock outfit Frightened Rabbit released their track and subsequent video for "State Hospital" last year I was pretty blown away. The song has the stamina and intensity of a stadium rock anthem, but wields weighty lyricism that cuts to images of suffering and hope. Overall, their EP release last year wasn't great, but just good enough to stir up a longing for their fourth studio full-length which is out today.
9. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Push the Sky Away 
The legendary Nick Cave has stayed prolific as ever in the past few years with his Grinderman efforts and reissues with his band, and will be releasing his fifteenth studio record with The Bad Seeds on 2/18 via the band’s own label, Bad Seed Ltd. The debut single off the new record is called “Jubilee Street”. Check it out below:
8. Pissed Jeans - Honeys
Pissed Jeans are back with more of their corrosive, ear-punishing punk on their third full-length, Honeys. As Sub Pop points out: “Honeys stews on the kind of mundane, niggling things that keep you up late at night. It’s an ode to the misery and shackles of being a responsible adult, and the shame of one’s own narcissism.” That description, along with the buzzing guitar riffs of album cut “Cathouse” already have me sold. 


7. Unknown Mortal Orchestra - II 
Unknown Mortal Orchestra had a pretty fast climb to prominence as their debut self-titled LP found itself at the center of a critical love fest two years ago. Reaping instant acclaim, the Portland-via-New Zealand transplants toured their asses off, and the relentlessness of that experience has been the slow-burning fuel for their latest record, II, which is out today via Jagjaguwar. With frontman Ruban Nielson’s unique lyricism and seamless guitar-playing to boot, it is interesting to see where this next record will take us, as it is almost always the case that a sophomore LP will up the ante on production value. Listen to “So Good At Being In Trouble” below:


6. Autre Ne Veut - Anxiety 
Known by friends as Arthur Ashin, this Brooklynite is fresh on the scene with his latest album Anxiety due out 2/26 via Mexican Summer. The newest single off the record is “Play By Play” and highlight’s Ashin’s dynamic renewal of 80s pop and R&B that raises eyebrows with its spellbinding percussion and Prince-like vocals. Listen below:

5. Doldrums - Lesser Evil
Canadian beat-smith Doldrums aka Airick Woodhead will release his debut record Lesser Evil on 2/25 via Arbutus. The Toronto DIY-er has released a few small EPs in the past and relies heavily on brief loops of samples and tortuous percussion. Woodhead’s high pitched hum is unmistakable, as his vocal tracks are often cut and warped to match the psychadelic vibe of his music. Listen to "Egypt" below:


4. Beach Fossils - Clash The Truth
Back with their follow-up to 2010’s underrated surf-rock self-titled effort, Beach Fossils will release Clash The Truth on 2/19 via Captured Tracks. While the band has expanded with various members coming and going, it all started with mastermind Dustin Payseur, who recorded everything on the first record by himself, playing every instrument. As the musician received continued acclaim in the indie community, Captured Tracks took notice and brought Payseur on to record a sophomore LP. Payseur brought on some core band members for recording in a proper studio, including a feature from Blonde Redhead’s Kazu Makino on their track “In Vertigo”. Listen to their latest track "Generational Synthetic" below:
3. My Bloody Valentine -mbv
Remember My Blood Valentine? I don’t. Because I was two years old when their last studio record was released back in 1991. it’s been a long time coming, but in the last 22 years, after many rumors of a new material, lead singer Kevin Shields going crazy, and countless throw-outs, My Blood Valentine has finally released their follow-up to Loveless with mbv, which was released on February 2, subsequently crashing the online server that was facilitating the release. So far the album has gotten favorable reviews with The Guardian giving it a perfect 5/5 rating. Listen to the opening track below and stream the rest via YouTube.

2. Iceage - You're Nothing
Strait-up, Iceage is putting out some awesome music right now. Still riding off the coattails of 2011’s 24-minute hell-raiser, New Brigade, they’ve just released the video for the new single “Ecstacy” about a week ago. Picking up where they left off, the Danish teens let out a surge of dark energy on the track with chunky guitar riffs coating hair-raising shouts of “Pressure!” While it seems the trend has been for many current indie-punk bands to shift toward more refined, poppier territory, Iceage have committed themselves to louder and gnarlier thread of punk, one that requires cheap beer and trashed speakers. You’re Nothing is out 2/19 via Matador.

1. Atoms for Peace - Amok - 2/25
Perhaps the most anticipated album of 2013, Atoms For Peace’s Amok, is something like four years in the making. The supergroup was first concieved when Thom Yorke called Flea (bassist for Red Hot Chili Peppers), Joey Waronker (drummer for R.E.M.), Mauro Refosco, and Nigel Godrich (Radiohead producer) together to play the entirety of Yorke’s solo record The Eraser in LA in 2009. Playing at Coachella in 2010 they were simply known as “??????” Since, they've slowly come into form, officially giving the band its name, releasing their first official single “Default” last year, and another “Judge, Jury, and Executioner” last month while detailing the release of their debut album. The tracks sound quite reminiscent of Yorke’s solo record Eraser, but there is definitely a stronger reliance on drum and vocal loops giving way to nuanced and textured sound that we’ve really yet to fully experience from Yorke. Amok is out 2/26 in the US. Listen to "Judge, Jury, and Executioner" below:

Tom Dennis

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Top Ten January Album Releases


What up 2013?! Last year was assuredly righteous, but just by the sight of what’s coming out in January, it’s hard to argue that we could be in for an even more abundant year of new releases. Here are our top ten new releases for this month.

10. Spectral Park - Spectral Park
While Spectral Park aka Luke Donovan will be releasing his debut LP on the 29th of this month, you shouldn’t expect any greater production level than the blotchy, coarse 60s rock they offered on his two-track demo from 2011, Gratis. The first cut from the self-titled record, “L’appel du Vide” is equally as dusty, and could even come off as a demo, but its corrosive energy carries the group as it does lo-fi artists Ty Segall or Ariel Pink. It might also help to know that Donovan’s recordings are, as Mexican Summer puts it, “Borne from the trash, literally sourced from a box of records the Southampton multi-instrumentalist found on a walk by a council block’s curbside garbage.” But seriously, he did that. By chopping-up clips in a sampler and adding vocal tracks Donovan has set out to reconstruct a cacophonous ghost of pop-music past.

9. Ra Ra Riot - Beta Love
Formed in Syracuse, NY, Ra Ra Riot are Upstate’s native sons of indie rock. They recently played a stellar show at Mohawk Place, touring behind songs off their new album, Beta Love. The record is currently streaming in full and sample tracks at the groups website, and upon first listen it seems that the band has stayed in line with their signature upbeat, pop style. Beta Love is out 1/22 via Barsuk.

8. Parquet Courts - Light Up Gold
Parquet Courts are a four-piece punk band from Texas that relocated to NYC and well, wanted to record a record, so they did and released it last August on Dull Tools. Right. So why are they releasing it again via What’s Your Rupture? on January 15, you say? Well, mostly because every major music source fell asleep on the excellent punk record last year, so...yeah. The awkwardness will fizzle out once you listen to "Stoned and Starving" below:
 
7. The Revival Hour - Scorpio Little Devil 
As I mentioned back in November when they released their debut EP Clusterchord, Sufjan Stevens collaborator DM Stith and John-Mark Lapham of The Earlies have teamed up to form a great new band called The Revival Hour and they will be dropping their debut record Scorpio Little Devil on 1/21. While its being called a pop record in theory, The Revival Hour’s debut is more of a fusion of 60s soul, doo-wop, and folk as Stith lends his hallucinatory vocal melodies and loops while Lapham offers a layered stew of instrumentation and catchy rhythms. Listen to “Hold Back” below:


6. Yo La Tengo - Fade
Indie rock juggernauts Yo La Tengo will go ahead and release their thirteenth album of their nearly 30 year career on 1/15 via Matador. The album is called Fade and was produced by John McEntire (The Sea and Cake) instead of Roger Montenout, who has produced every album since 1993’s Matador debut, Painful. In an interview from 2009 Kaplan had this to say about the band’s relentless creativity: “You may think that you know everything that we do...we’ve thought of a few new things over the past couple of years.” Listen to the excellent new single off the new album in “Ohm” below:

5. Foxygen - We Are 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace and Magic
Foxygen are another great new act that’s were signed by the folks at Jagjaguwar by way of handing their demo to producer Richard Swift after a show one night in NYC. Luckily, he got them in the studio for their debut album last year because they will already be releasing their follow-up We Are 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace and Magic on 1/22. They’ve cleverly been described as “the raw, de-Wes Andersonization of The Rolling Stones, Kinks, Velvets, Bowie, etc. that a whole mess of young people desperately need.” I probably can’t top that. Check out the Richard Swift directed video for “Shuggie” below:

4. Ducktails - The Flower Lane
After releasing the excellent sophomore record, Days, and hitting the road for almost a year as a part of his main gig playing lead guitar for Real Estate, Matthew Mondanile has been hard at work this summer on his third album under his drowsy, lo-fi moniker Ducktails. The Flower Lane is out 1/29, and while the recently released title track retains the groggy vibe that we’re familiar with from his prior two LPs, there is an undeniably stronger production quality to the track, as Mondanile has expanded his bedroom studio into a basement practice space, adding four band members. The Flower Lane is being released on Domino Records.


3. Christopher Owens - Lysandre
When Girls broke up back in July I was pretty saddened by the news. In three years, they had put out three incredible releases, and seemed to be only getting better and more prolific; the SF duo of Christopher Owens and JR White had created something that became one of my favorite bands of the last five years. Since the split, it was hard to know how quickly either would get back into making music, or if they would at all. White got back into producing pretty fast, and a few months later Owens announced the exciting (and speedy) news of a forthcoming solo record and shared a new track called “Here We Go.” The track takes on a similar soft rock guise, but a lot of the punk and gospel stylings of work as Girls are absent, and instead we’re left with an anchored, folkier song that still bleeds out every drop of emotion we’re used to experiencing with Owens. Listen to “Here We Go” below:


2. Local Natives - Hummingbird
Three years ago a charming five-piece LA band calling themselves Local Natives released a killer debut album called Gorilla Manner that they recorded in their SoCal house, and then toured the shit out of it. Since they’ve garnered comparisons to big names like Grizzly Bear and Arcade Fire, there’s been a hum as to where they wound go next. In a way it’s not surprising that their first single off the forthcoming record, “Breakers,” feels so energetically stadium-ready. Co-produced by The National’s Aaron Dessner, the band has said that Hummingbird is a progressive change: “I definitely think the album represents a lot of growth for us as musicians we pushed ourselves a lot to try new thing, experiment. On a lyrical emotion level I feel we dug a whole lot deeper laid a lot more things bare and tried to be more honest.” Listen to “Breakers” below and decide for yourself:


1. Toro Y Moi - Anything In Return
As we mentioned back in October, Toro Y Moi aka Chaz Bundick has a crisp LP primed called Anything In Return due out 1/22 via Carpark. As he has modestly shifted his scope from late ’00 chillwaver to house, funk-hop beatsmith we’ve been following the prolific musician the entire way. First cuts off the record “So Many Details” and “Say That” both offer Bundick’s varied approach to intelligently danceable music that puts him in a chasm betwixt producer and songwriter. There’s little doubt that this is Bundick’s most anticipated record yet. Watch the video for “Say That” below:


 Tom Dennis
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