No, no — it's not Tuesday. In case you're confused, the music industry has officially moved "New Release Day" to Fridays. The global initiative has been spearheaded by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) who hope it will reduce piracy (since albums are often released earlier in the U.S.), and "re-ignite excitement and a sense of occasion around the release of new music." KEXP will now share our "Out This Week" round-up on Mondays.
So, was your excitement re-ignited for this week's new releases? KEXP Music Director Don Yates cites the new Veruca Salt album as a highlight, stating "this veteran Chicago-bred band sounds revitalized on the first album to feature their original lineup since 1997. It’s a consistently strong set of crunchy power-pop with a dynamic sound combining razor-sharp guitar riffs, punchy rhythms, sugary harmonies, often-biting lyrics and sparkling pop hooks."
Brooklyn trio EZTV share their Captured Tracks debut, "a consistently strong set of jangly guitar-pop with a warm, summery sound, melancholy lyrics, glowing harmonies and wistful melodies." LA electronic artist Gossamer releases his debut, "a fine set of dreamy ambient grooves with atmospheric synths, gentle guitars, fractured beats and evocative ambient textures often derived from field recordings." Walter TV — who may look familiar as Mac DeMarco's backing band — avoid the sophomore slump with their excellent new full-length Blessed.
Physical copies of the new Four Tet album are now in stores: the band's mastermind Kieran Hebden released a digital version on the summer solstice. A statement on the album reads, "This music was created on a laptop computer using the Ableton Live software to control and mix VST synthesizers and manipulations of found audio recordings." And Guillermo Scott Herren, aka Prefuse 73, releases the Every Color of Darkness EP, the finale to a trilogy which also includes Forsyth Gardens and Rivington Não Rio.
(Various) Lauryn Hill – “Feeling Good”
from Nina Revisited: A Tribute to Nina Simone on RCA
Alchemist – “Holy Taberrnacle”
from Retarded Alligator Beats on ALC
Anderson East – “Satisfy Me”
from Delilah on Elektra
Anneli Drecker
from Rocks & Straws on Rune Grammofon
Aye Nako – “White Noise”
from The Blackest Eye on Don Giovanni
Best Friends – “Cold Shapes”
from Hot. Reckless. Totally Insane. on FatCat Records
Between the Buried and Me – “Famine Wolf”
from Coma Ecliptic on Metal Blade
Cradle of Filth – “Right Wing Of The Garden Triptych”
from Hammer of the Witches on Nuclear Blast
Datura4 – “Demon Blues”
from Demon Blues on Alive Records
The-Dream – “Prime”
from Crown Jewel on Contra Paris/Capitol
Duke Ellington & His Orchestra – “Afrique (Take 3 Vocal)”
from The Conny Plank Session on Groenland
Envy – “Blue Moonlight”
from Atheist's Cornea on Temporary Residence
Eric Copeland – “Cheap Treat (Panda Bear version)”
from The Remixes EP on DFA
EZTV – “The Light”
from Calling Out on Captured Tracks
Four Tet – “Morning Side”
from Morning/Evening on Text
Ghostface Killah & Adrian Younge – “Return Of The Savage (feat Raekwon And RZA)”
from Twelve Reasons to Die II on Linear Labs
Gossamer – “Off World”
from Automaton on Innovative Leisure
Heather Woods Broderick – “Wyoming”
from Glider on Western Vinyl
Lee Bannon – “Disneµ Girls”
from Pattern of Excel on Ninja Tune
Little Boots – “Get Things Done”
from Working Girl on On Repeat/Dim Mak
Matrixxman – “Augmented”
from Homesick on Ghostly International
Nap Eyes – “Dark Creedence”
from Whine of the Mystic on Paradise of Bachelors / You've Changed Records
Negative Scanner – “Ambitious People”
from Negative Scanner on Trouble In Mind
Prefuse 73 – “Search The Sky”
from Every Color of Darkness EP on Temporary Residence
Renny Wilson – “Escaping Alive”
from Punk Explosion/Extension on Mint
Richard Buckner – “Reuben Pantier”
from The Hill reissue on Merge
Sea of Bees – “Dad”
from Build a Boat to the Sun on 3 Loop Music
Sleaford Mods – “No Ones Bothered”
from Key Markets on Harbinger Sound
Slim Thug – “All I Know (feat. Propain)”
from Hogg Life, Vol. 2: Still Surviving on Hogg Life
The biggest surprise of the summer is the latest from veteran Chicago band Wilco, who snuck out their ninth full-length late last week. KEXP Music Director Don Yates describes the album as "a smartly crafted blend of stomping glam-rock, buzzing motorik post-punk, atmospheric space-rock jams, plaint…
With Independence Day right around the corner, it's great to see so many new releases out this week on independent labels! Highlights include the debut album from former Late Of The Pier frontman Sam Dust (aka LA Priest). KEXP Music Director Don Yates describes it as "a fine set of eccentric, psych…