Florida band Surfer Blood couldn't wait until summer to release their anticipated sophomore album of poppy, surf-influenced indie rock, but that's just as well, as Pythons takes a relatively darker turn. Our Music Director, Don Yates, praises the new album for its "more polished and streamlined sound" and its "cleaner, more straightforward guitar lines, less complicated rhythms and simpler melodies." It's clear that the band has more in mind than just sun drenched good times, but you'll still find a few of those there besides. Also, turning a bit from the sun is Scottish brother duo Boards of Canada, whose first album in eight years, Don Yates calls "a dark, densely layered and sonically impressive set of ambient electronic grooves fleshed out with chilly synths, hip hop and dubstep-influenced beats, mysterious vocal fragments and eerie dream-world melodies." Brightening things up is British producer Gold Panda, whose second album "is a transportive set of diverse electronic grooves reflecting his travels around the world with a warm, sample-driven sound combining exotic samples, glitchy textures, skittering beats and hypnotic melodies." And KEXP favorite Joseph Arthur returns with his 10th studio album, featuring "a well-crafted blend of folk-rock, psych-pop and soul, with a full, ‘70s-influenced sound featuring guitars, piano, organ, horns and more."
Other new releases you'll want to check out this week come from former Drive-By Trucker Jason Isbell, whose latest, and most personal to date, is "a stark, intimate, well-crafted and often-powerful set of roots-rock with deeply personal lyrics dealing with love and addiction"; John Vanderslice, another KEXP favorite, whose new LP of "mostly low-key set of psych-tinged folk-pop" was crafted after a lengthy breakup; former Bad Seed Mick Harvey, whose new solo album "is a contemplation on romantic love, featuring a mostly dark, brooding sound on a mix of striking covers and evocative originals"; Bay Area group Sonny & The Sunsets, whose latest is "a concept album about aliens and death, featuring a suitably dark, post punk-influenced sound with eerie synths, atmospheric guitars and quirky lyrics"; Houston-based Nigerian-American rapper Fat Tony, who offers "a diverse set of quality hip hop ranging from bbq bangers to socially conscious critiques of same-sex marriage opponents and gentrification"; and multinational Edinburgh-based trio Young Fathers, whose aptly titled second release, Tape Two, is "another adventurous EP/mini-album of expansive hip hop with a dense, busy sound, fierce raps and smooth singing".
There's more to be found new on record store shelves today, including the latest from Seattle's Case Studies, Brazilian dance punks CSS, NYC-based songwriter Emily Wells, and the comedic SNL-bred group The Lonely Island, featuring Akiva Schaffer, Jorma Taccone, and Andy Samberg. Be sure to sample some of this week's interesting new releases below before heading out to your favorite record shop today.
Joseph Arthur - Black Flowers
K-vicker? No, K-vaker! Today's release of Sigur Rós' 2013 album, Kveikur, may seem like a speedy turn-around on the heels of their 2012 LP, Valtari, but the ground-shaking sound on the new LP is what the Icelandic band has been building toward over the past few years. While the relatively placid Va…
On their dreamy fifth album, Scottish band Camera Obscura adds a local flavor by recording with Portland based producer (and former Seattleite) Tucker Martine. Our Music Director, Don Yates, calls Desire Lines "a beautifully crafted set of bittersweet, soul-tinged indie-pop, featuring a warm, lush …
