CDs:
August Alsina – Downtown: Life Under The Gun CD (Def Jam)
August is a 20-year-old R&B singer from New Orleans that has been groomed by Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter The Dream. His form of edgy, melodic music will turn heads and open ears. Eager to follow in the footsteps of the NOLA music legends that paved his way, look for August to make 2013 his official coming out party.
AMSG – Anti Cosmic Tyranny CD (Profound Lore)
AMSG’s debut full-length is a testament of the real essence of black metal—the sonic interpretation of a Satanic ritual replete with layered whispers, chants and other subliminal sounds that honor the endless dark Aeon and the chaotic black light.
A$AP Ferg – Trap Lord CD (RCA)
A$AP Ferg may hail from a block in Harlem notoriously known as ”Hungry Ham” (Hamilton Heights), but that never completely defined him. Whether it be launching clothing and jewelry lines or attending art school, he constantly bobbed and weaved past expectations. As a rapper, unpredictability remains his only calling card. The next member of the A$AP Mob collective to have a solo project, he can slip from gruff, gritty rhymes to soaring singing, and he does so seamlessly. Vinyl version due September 10.
Bob Baldwin – Twenty CD (City Sketches)
Twenty celebrates a humble milestone in the career of New York native/arranger/producer/entrepreneur Bob Baldwin and represents 20 discs in 25 years, which has been a great journey for Baldwin, also radio host of NewUrbanJazz Lounge, now over 453,000 listeners weekly.
Julianna Barwick – Nepenthe CD/LP (Dead Oceans)
Julianna Barwick’s art is equal parts force and beauty. Her music finds its motor in significant events in her own life, but they are abstracted into a sense of sonic wonderment, a radiance that you could say is her signature sound. That radiance has been taken to new zeniths with Nepenthe, her third full-length album, which was recorded in Reykjavík, Iceland, in the dark cold days of February.
Andrew Belle – Black Bear CD (Elm City)
Andrew Belle is a Chicago based singer/songwriter. His last album, The Ladder (2010), sold over 25,000 completely independently. Black Bear is his highly anticipated follow-up. Produced by Chad Copelin (Ivan & Alyosha) Black Bear highlights nuanced melodies and thoughtful, contemplative lyrics. Andrew’s music has previously been used on Grey’s Anatomy, Pretty Little Liars, Castle, and Vampire Diaries.
blessthefall – Hollow Bodies CD (Fearless)
Fourth album from the Phoenix, AZ metalcore band.
Blue October – Sway CD/LP (Up/Down)
New album from the San Marcos, TX-based band known for shimmering rock songs and haunting lyrics. With lush, atmospheric songs such as “Bleed Out,” “Angels In Everything,” and “Fear,” and the edgy rocker “Put It In,” the Texas four piece comes back strong with a revitalized energy and a positive outlook.
Born Of Osiris – Tomorrow We Die Alive CD/LP (Sumerian)
Third full-length album by the American deathcore band.
Braids – Flourish // Perish CD (Arbutus)
“Hailing from Calgary Canada, Braids band broke the music scene with their lighter, shoe-gaze debut, Native Speaker in 2011, scoring points and finding devoted fans almost instantly. Having logged well-earned touring hours of over 18 months and even recovered from the departure of a fellow band member, the now three-piece holed up for an entire year to write, heal and record their follow up. Flourish // Perish offers a soul-reaching contrast through its complex rhythms and structured melodies, affirming the trios collective strength. Finding a harmonic balance between structure and delicacy, it encompasses much-loved older-material roots with raw electro exploration” – Gigwise. Vinyl version due September 17.
Kurt Braunohler – How Do I Land? CD (Kill Rock Stars)
Kurt Braunohler is an “adult” male comedian, who enjoys skywriting jokes in the sky and altering greeting cards. Kurt was recently named one of Variety’s “Top 10 Comics To Watch” as well as Time Out NY’s “50 Funniest New Yorkers.” He was even named another “Comic To Watch” by Comedy Central and the New York Comedy Festival.
Buffalo Killers – Ohio Grass CD/LP (Alive)
“This collection of atmospheric psychedelia is laced with the swamp blues of the Killers’ first three outings, coupled with a mature, melodic folk nuance sure to have you reaching for your lava lamp. (…) Brilliantly sequenced, organically produced, and genuinely executed, Dig. Sow. Love. Grow. cements Buffalo Killers’ reputation for ’70s-infused tunes in a postmodern package and plants the seeds for growth on new musical horizons.” – John Castino/Innocent Words
Jimmy Buffett – Songs From St. Somewhere CD (Mailboat)
Featuring 15 brand new recordings plus a bonus track, Songs From St. Somewhere was recorded this spring in various locals including Key West, Nashville, Austin, Miami, and St. Barts.
The first single “Too Drunk to Karaoke” is a duet with Toby Keith.
Carousel – Jeweler’s Daughter CD/LP (Tee Pee)
Carousel’s music incorporates many elements, most notably the harmonized guitar lines of Thin Lizzy, the bombast of Mountain and the rhythmic propulsion of Diamond Head, Motörhead and other bands whose names include the word “head.”
Chicago Jazz Orchestra With Cyrille Aimée – Burstin’ Out CD (Origin)
Now entering its 35th year, the Chicago Jazz Orchestra has built a resume that ranks it among the greatest artistic institutions in the city, if not the United States. For their latest recording, director Jeff Lindberg teams the CJO with the quickly emerging vocalist Cyrille Aimée for a diverse album of great jazz classics.
Crocodiles – Crimes Of Passion CD/LP (Frenchkiss)
Crimes Of Passion is bursting with sounds inspired by the likes of The Soft Boys, Street Hassle-era Lou Reed, the Notorious Byrd Brothers, the Jackson 5 and even Glenn Branca.
Destruction Unit – Deep Trip CD (Sacred Bones)
Destruction Unit is an American band formed in the Sonoran desert of Arizona. Formed by Ryan Rousseau, D. Unit was initially a synth-heavy three piece whose other members were Jay Reatard and Alicja Trout (Lost Sounds); likewise Rousseau was also in the Reatards before Jay went solo. Morphine boogie for the 21st century noise addict. Aggressive psychedelic sprawl at its finest. Vinyl version due September 3.
Lee DeWyze – Frames CD/2xCD/LP (Vanguard)
Available in Regular and Deluxe editions. Deluxe adds a disc of acoustic versions. DeWyze played guitar, piano, mandolin, banjo and drums during the recording sessions, during which he collaborated with renowned producer/songwriters Toby Gad, Drew Pearson, Matthew Wilder and Phil Allen, as well as mixer extraordinaire Jim Scott.
Diana – Perpetual Surrender CD/LP (Jagjaguwar)
Comparisons traverse eras and genres; from the soft-focus soft rock and pop of Roxy Music to the dreamy production of jj and Chromatics, topped off with the Balearic disco swirl of Studio.
