DATALOG, HAARP EP (Terrorbird) Electronic artist DATALOG née Conor Heffernan has completed his newest EP, an elegant gem inspired by techno, avant-garde and jazz genres. Using analog instrumentation and esoteric sample material, Heffernan creates a deep, layered sonic palette and a warped, arty vibe that’s distinctly his own.
Eureka the Butcher, Music for Mothers (Rodriguez Lopez Productions/Sargent House)
John Fogerty, Wrote a Song for Everyone (Vanguard) Fogerty re-imagined a dozen songs of his own classics and deep cuts, both solo material and from his days with Creedence Clearwater Revival, with some of today’s biggest artists in the country, pop and rock realms, and also delivers two brand new solo songs. Rolling Stone's David Fricke gave it five stars, calling it "some of the best new music Fogerty has made since, well, Creedence. His singing is strong and engaged, even scalding when he goes up against Kid Rock in ‘Born on the Bayou,’ and the current state of Fogerty’s guitar playing is summed up in his shootout with country picker Brad Paisley in ‘Hot Rod Heart.’" He also recorded in "Proud Mary" in New Orleans with Allen Toussaint and the Rebirth Brass Band, and “Fortunate Son” with Foo Fighters at their 606 studio. Video about recording the title track with Miranda Lambert below.
Kingdom, Vertical XL (Fade to Mind) Kingdom's fifth EP charts a wide emotional terrain reflecting his first years living in LA, connecting recent developments in Kingdom's production with darker influences. Drawing its stories from moonlit rural isolation and dissonant moments in club vortexes, Vertical XL is a definitive insight into Kingdom's journey as an artist, steeped in elements of grime, jungle, and R&B.
Kool Keith & Big Sche Eastwood,Magnetic Pimp Force Field (Junkadelic) The release date on this was actually May 25; listen to "Thunder Cats" below.
Kylesa, Ultraviolet (Season of Mist) One of the most anticipated hard rock releases of the year and the follow-up to their critically-acclaimed album Spiral Shadow. "Whereas Spiral Shadow was a warm album suggesting concepts of hope, Ultraviolet is a bit colder and darker," explained songwriter/guitar player Laura Pleasants.
Mount Kimbie, Cold Spring Fault Less Youth (Warp) Mount Kimbie moves out of the bedroom and into a professional studio for sophomore LP Cold Spring Fault Less Youth, though their electronic sensibilities are still intact. Dom and Kai have introduced more organic instrumentation to broaden their sound, including drums, horns and vocal experiments.The resulting album is looser, richer and more enveloping than the duo’s past work, yet still retains that Mount Kimbie sound. Click here for full album stream; listen to "You Took Your Time" featuring King Krule below.
Old Money, Fire In The Dark (Dutty Artz/A.L.I.E.N.)
Skinny Puppy, Weapon (Metropolis) The vets of electro-industrial music comment on the current glorification of the gun culture and simultaneous horror at the devastation guns can cause with their latest, Weapon tackling the difficult topic with lyrics "that reflect our mass homogenization of an instrument of death into an entertainment centerpiece."
TEEN,Carolina EP (Carpark) About the title track, Stereogum wrote "... bandleader and former Here We Go Magic keyboardist Teeny Lieberson lets her voice float above the group's vaguely krautrocky churn, and its an exceedingly pleasant head-trip." The psych pop outfit's new set of songs is a follow-up to their well-recieved 2012 debut. Listen to "Carolina" below.
Various Artists, True Blood: Music From The HBO Original Series, Volume 4 (ATO) The soundtrack to the fourth volume in the series of soundtracks for the HBO series is once again produced by the show’s music supervisor Gary Calamar, who unites legendary Rock n' Roll Hall of Famers with indie darlings such (Iggy Pop and Bethany Cosentino, Eric Burdon with Jenny Lewis) and offers other never-before-released tracks by the likes of Alabama Shakes, My Morning Jacket, Deap Vally and Los Lobos, as well as a rare, out-of-print song by The Flaming Lips, among others.
Yellowbirds, Songs From the Vanished Frontier (Royal Potato Family) A sweeping new release from psych folk artist Sam Cohen and his band of musicians. Check out the video for "The Ceiling" below; it was created by filmmakers Caitlin and Josh Drake, gorgeous underwater scenery culled from old Jacques Cousteau footage found in the refuse bins at Emerson College.
And ... because I was out last week, I was unable to bring you news about releases that came out on May 21; so here's a quick update on the noteworthy ones.
Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats, Mind Control (Rise Above Records) There's no band more revered in the underground metal scene at present than Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats, which sold out their first official shows months in advance and has risen through word of mouth alone. Following highly-touted 2011 release, Blood Lust, Mind Control sees a leap forward in songwriting, from straight forward 60’s/70’s-drenched rock, to a more progressive and psychedelic approach, making songs like “Valley of the Dolls” all the more sinister. With such a cult following, it seems fitting that the new album sounds like the soundtrack to the Manson family murders. —Matthew
The last week of May brings some much-anticipated releases. Info and links for the ones you want to know about most below, plus some other ones you may not have heard of (but should know) and a quick note on releases that came out on May 21, with audio & video for your listening and viewing pleasure. Click here to check out releases that dropped over the past few months.
Aceyalone, Leanin’ On Slick (Decon) The legendary emcee and founding member of seminal rap groups like Freestyle Fellowship, Haiku D'Etat and Project Blowed delivers a follow-up to 2009's Aceyalone & The Lonely Ones, moving from the doo-wop tones of the last album to the soulful, funky beats backing his tight rhymes and bouncing-ball flow on this one. Leanin’ On Slick features appearances by frequent collaborator BIONIK, as well as Daniel Merriweather, Treasure Davis and perhaps most notably, singer Cee Lo Green. Title track video below.
Bennett & Brubeck, The White House Sessions, Live 1962 (RPM/Columbia/Legacy) The Tony Bennett-Dave Brubeck White House Seminar performance came about when the artists — each already on the bill with his own ensemble — seized the moment with an impromptu set. While the Bennett-Brubeck recording of "That Old Black Magic" has surfaced on the occasional compilation, the recording of the rest of the Bennett and Brubeck set (an hour's worth of music) were thought lost until being rediscovered in the Sony Music Entertainment vaults last December, very coincidentally just weeks after Brubeck's passing on December 5, 2012.
Crystal Fighters, Cave Rave (Atlantic) The UK/Basque outfit Crystal Fighters capture the carefree SoCal spirit perfectly in newest single “LA Calling,” off their latest, which effortlessly combines an eclectic international appeal with a feel-good beat to create a track bathed in sunlight that will make you feel on top of the world. Listen after the jump, and find out what else came out this week, and the noteworthy albums that dropped last week, too...
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