Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues CD/2xLP+MP3 (Sub Pop)
Drawing inspiration from folk and rock from about ’65 to ’73, and Van Morrison’s Astral Weeks in particular, Fleet Foxes heighten and extend themselves, adding instrumentation (clarinet, music box, pedal steel guitar, lap steel guitar, Tibetan singing bowls, vibraphone, etc., along with more traditional instrumentation), with a focus on clear, direct lyrics, and an emphasis on group vocal harmonies. ENTER TO WIN a super limited-edition copy of the new album on white vinyl, and get this nifty old school Dover “break-out-your-color-markers” lithograph, free with purchase of CD or LP.

Beastie Boys – Hot Sauce Committee Part Two CD (Capitol)
Long awaited eighth album — Hot Sauce Committee Part Two was produced by Beastie Boys and mixed by Philippe Zdar. This album marks Mike “Mike D” Diamond, Adam “Ad Rock” Horovitz and Adam “MCA” Yauch’s first full-length effort since 2007’s Grammy-winning all-instrumental The Mix-Up. Vinyl version due June 21.

Kate & Anna McGarrigle – Tell My Sister 3xCD (Nonesuch)
Triple CD set comprising remastered versions of Kate & Anna McGarrigle’s beloved 1976 self-titled debut, its equally praised 1977 follow-up, Dancer With Bruised Knees; and a collection of previously unreleased songs, including solo and duo demos.

Lou Reed – Walk On The Wild Side: Recorded Live! New York 1972 CD (IMV Blueline)
This may well be Lou Reed’s best live solo album, recorded December 26, 1972 for a New York Radio show. It showcases titles from his time with Velvet Underground as well as his later solo hits, but above all, it presents tracks from his most successful album, Transformer.

Stevie Nicks – In Your Dreams CD (Reprise)
In Your Dreams is Nicks’ first CD of new material since the release of her Grammy nominated Trouble In Shangri-La ten years ago.

James Pants – James Pants CD/2xLP (Stones Throw)
“One of the most weirdly engaging new wave/dance/experimental records to come out this year, James Pants’ third album features cheap-sounding keyboards, muffled falsetto vocals, buried –but driving — dance-punk beats, ‘70s boogie rock, plucky guitar rhythms and more oddball sound-effects than a Dr. Who episode, and sounds like it was recorded in a shag-carpeted, wood-paneled basement with old analog tape.” — L.A. Times Music Blog

Dave Depper – The Ram Project CD/LP (Jackpot)
Multi-instrumentalist Dave Depper re-imagined Paul McCartney’s Ram, part by part, at home, all by himself, in 30 days. The result is a gorgeous document that both pays homage to the colorfully cinematic McCartney classic and is uniquely Depper’s.

Mick Harvey – Sketches From The Book Of The Dead CD (Mute)
Renowned for his career with The Birthday Party and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Nick Harvey returns with his first fully self-penned album.

[Read more…] about New Releases for May 3, 2011