Out This Week 6/9

It's finally here: the long-awaited sophomore release from KEXP's Iceland discovery Of Monsters & Men! The album was co-produced by the band and Los Angeles-based producer Rich Costey who's worked with artists such as Sigur Rós, Death Cab for Cutie, and The Shins, just to name a very few. (And tune in to The Afternoon Show on KEXP today at 3:00 PM PT to hear LIVE versions of the new songs from Of Monsters & Men's exclusive KEXP session for our New Home!)

Also out this week is FFS, the collaboration between Franz Ferdinand and Sparks. KEXP blogger Gerrit Feenstra says "the resulting album from this entirely unique group six men strong is an absolute delight. Here, we see Alex Kapranos at his most melodramatic levels since “Michael” and the Mael brothers at their punchiest in several decades. FFS is a record that, very naturally, seems to find the best points at which to link the strengths of each band and create a ferocious new beast with a knack for storytelling."

Montreal band No Joy share their third full-length, which KEXP Music Director Don Yates describes as "a strong set of adventurous, densely textured dream pop with often shape-shifting songs featuring fuzzy, shoegazerish guitars and ethereal harmonies." Ryan Adams' latest "was recorded live over two nights at NYC’s Carnegie Hall in late 2014. It’s a beautifully recorded solo set, featuring Adams accompanying himself on acoustic guitar and piano, with the material ranging throughout his solo career." (Don't forget, No Joy will be LIVE on KEXP tomorrow, June 10, at 1PM.)

On their sophomore release, UK band PINS share "a more confident take on the band’s driving post-punk, with a bit more polished sound, tighter harmonies and an abundance of catchy song hooks." (PINS will be LIVE on KEXP next week!) And Sharon Van Etten returns with a new EP, a five-song set featuring guest appearances by members of The War on Drugs, Megafaun, and Ben Folds Five.

• Ash – “Cocoon”
• from Kablammo! on Earmusic
• British Sea Power – “Apologies to Insect Life”
• from The Decline of British Sea Power 10th Anniversary Edition 2XCD on Rough Trade
• Dale Watson – “Call Me Insane”
• from Call Me Insane on Red House Records
• Damaged Bug – “The Mirror”
• from Cold Hot Plumbs on New West
• The Deslondes – “The Real Deal”
• from The Deslondes on New West
• The Fall – “First One Today”
• from Sub-Lingual Tablet on Cherry Red
• FFS – “The Domino Effect”
• from FFS on Domino
• High Wolf – “Wild At Heart”
• from Growing Wild on LEAVING Records
• Hints – “Pillow Case”
• from No Regrets in Old English on self-released
• honeyhoney – “You And I”
• from 3 on Rounder
• Jack + Eliza – “Diamonds”
• from Gentle Warnings on Yebo
• J Fernandez – “Read My Mind”
• from Many Levels of Laughter on Joyful Noise
• Jenny Hval – “That Battle Is Over”
• from Apocalpyse, girl on Sacred Bones
• Kölsch – “Talbot”
• from 1983 on Kompakt
• Muse – “Reapers”
• from Drones on Warner Bros.
• Nicolay – “The Brightest Star / Afterglow”
• from City Lights, Vol. 3: Soweto on Foreign Exchange Music
• No Joy – “Hollywood Teeth”
• from More Faithful on Mexican Summer
• Of Monsters and Men – “Crystals”
• from Beneath The Skin on Island
• PINS – “Too Little Too Late”
• from Wild Nights on Bella Union
• Round Eye – “City Livin'”
• from Round Eye on Ripping
• Ryan Adams – “How Much Light”
• from Ten Songs From Live At Carnegie Hall on Blue Note
• Sandwitches – “Miggy”
• from Our Toast on Empty Cellar
• Sharon Van Etten – “I Don't Want To Let You Down”
• from I Don't Want to Let You Down on Jagjaguwar
• Teen Men – “Los Angeles”
• from Teen Men on Bar/None Records