We’re coming to the tail end of new releases in July; one more week and holy shit! We’ll be in August. Info and links for this week’s releases – the ones you want to know about most below, plus some other ones you may not have heard of (but should know) – with audio & video for your listening and viewing pleasure. Click here to see releases from the past several weeks…
5 Seconds of Summer, 5 Seconds Of Summer (Capitol)
Alvvays, Alvvays (Polyvinyl)
Toronto's Alvvays are the latest indie garage pop band that doses their sound healthily in sun-drenched nostalgia and layers sweetly cooing female vocals over top. Video for "Adult Diversion" below.
The Amazing Snakeheads, Amphetamine Ballads (Domino Records)
Anberlin, Lowborn (Tooth & Nail)
The seventh and last album from Florida's own Christian alt rock band. A final tour is expected to follow with a stop in St. Petersburg this weekend with Warped Tour and a final headlining gig in Orlando on November 26.
The Black Angels, Clear Lake Forest (Blue Horizon)
The Brand New Heavies, Allaboutthefunk (Shanachie)
Colony House, When I Was Younger (Descendant)
Common, Nobody Smiling (Def Jam)
Crown The Empire, The Resistance: Rise Of The Runaways (Rise)
Dana Buoy, Preacher EP (Middle West)
The poignantly singing songwriter and Akron/Family former presents an EP and follow-up to his 2012 full-length debut. What I hear so far is intriguing. Take a listen to "Futures Part" after the jump along with the rest of this week's new releases ...
Fozzy, Do You Wanna Start A War (Century Media)
Freeman, Freeman (Partisan)
I am inclined to hate everything that the artist formerly known as Gene Ween produces, because I blame him for the band's demise. Ween, that is. I'm on team Deaner. However, I have, against my better judgement, listened to a few of his tracks as 'Freeman.' And I will admit, it's not bad, if a little cheesy at times. In fact, I'll go out on a limb and say I actually like "(For A While) I Couldn't Play My Guitar Like A Man" — Aaron has a nice rasp going to his voice, and the guitar parts are good. But, sounds kinda like a Ween song. Might be why I dig it. Listen below.
Got A Girl, I Love You But I Must Drive Off This Cliff Now (Bulk Recordings)
Of course anything coming from Dan the Automator is guaranteed to be high quality, and his latest project with Mary Elizabeth Winstead (an actress with abundant film credits who has a velvety sweet vocal quality) is no exception. They combined their shared love of 1960s French pop, girl group soul, slinky lounge music and a nice sense of cinematic drama to get to a rich and luscious sound. Check out the video for "Did We Live Too Fast" below.
GURRUMUL, GURRUMUL (Skinnyfish Records)
The Hawks, What Team Am I On? (Texas Is Funny Records)
Joyce Manor, Never Hungover Again (Epitaph)
Kodomo, Patterns & Light (self-release)
La Roux, Trouble In Paradise (Interscope)
Jesse McCartney, In Technicolor (Ingrooves)
Mutilation Rites, Harbinger (Prosthetic)
Mustered Courage, Powerlines (Travianna)
Overkill, White Devil Armory (eOne)
The Phantom Band, Strange Friend (Chemikal Underground)
[US release]
PS I Love You, For Those Who Stay (Paper Bag Records)
A two-piece rock’n’roll act from Canada that purveys raucous sounds layered in lots of guitars. Check the video for "Saskatoon" and find out more about the band below.
The Raveonettes, Pe'ahi (self-release)
Soft as Snow, Glass Body EP (Houndstooth)
White Fence, To The Recently Found Innocent (Drag City)
Yes, Heaven & Earth (Frontiers/Universal)
