It's a short list of new releases this week, as all eyes and ears are on the SXSW festival, but there are a few key releases you'll want to pick up in stores today. First and foremost, the latest from David Bowie, whose first album in ten years is not only a surprise to all David Bowie listeners and fans alike but is destined to become one of his more memorable ones. In fact, our Music Director, Don Yates says that it "hearkens back to some his classic ‘70s and early ‘80s recordings, and while it’s doesn’t quite reach the heights of Heroes, Ziggy Stardust or Scary Monsters, there are plenty of great songs that echo those works, ranging from an abundance of edgy rockers to some poignant, grandiose ballads." Of course it's hard to match the heights of Bowie's best, but any great Bowie album is heads above anyone else's. Seattle band Pickwick have finally released their debut, Can't Talk Medicine, and it's "a first-rate blend of melodic indie-pop, bluesy rock and ‘70s-influenced soul, featuring a full, beautifully produced sound combining keyboards and guitars with pounding rhythms and Galen Disston’s powerful, wailing vocals."
Other albums you'll want to pick up this week come from Scottish trio Golden Grrrls, debut with "a charming album of summery, lo-fi indie-pop with jangly guitars, energetic, ramshackle rhythms, criss-crossing male/female vocals and sugary pop melodies"; Swedish band The Mary Onettes, whose third album "is their most polished set yet of ‘80s-inspired synth-pop, with a lush, breezy sound featuring shimmering synths, balearic rhythms, Philip Ekstrom’s gloomy vocals reminiscent of The Cure’s Robert Smith, melancholy lyrics and an abundance of sparkling pop hooks"; and the soundtrack to the Dave Grohl directed documentary Sound City - Real to Reel, featuring Grohl and a bunch guests including Taylor Hawkins, Josh Homme, Krist Novoselic, Rick Springfield, Pat Smear and many others.
There's a lot more besides, including the eighth album by Devendra Banhart, the latest from Ellen Allien, a retro mix of Adrian Younge Presents the Delfonics and others. Be sure to sample the selections below before heading out to your local record shop:
Ellen Allien - LISm medley
Devendra Banhart - Mi Negrita
It should be no surprise that several of the artists topping this week's list of new releases were making appearances at SXSW last week, but two of them were also previewing their new songs live on KEXP during our broadcast from Mellow Johnny's Bike Shop. Billy Bragg and Palma Violets both gave mem…
Two Seattle bands top this week's list of new releases. Since 2011's full-length No Witch, The Cave Singers added Blood Brothers/Past Lives/Fleet Foxes (among others) member Morgan Henderson to their lineup and teamed up with Fleet Foxes producer Phil Ek for their fourth LP Naomi out on Jagjaguwar.…
