New Releases for May 13, 2016
CDs + Vinyl:
3OH!3 – Night Sports CD (Atlantic)
Night Sports sees 3OH!3’s Sean Foreman and Nathaniel Motte embracing cutting edge production while retaining their trademark raw humor. Tracks like “Mad At You” layer propulsive beats, soaring pop choruses, and spitfire hip-hop energy.
9Bach – Anian CD/LP (Real World)
“The Welsh-language band return with a set dominated by the exquisite vocals of Lisa Jên, who also adds piano and wrote many of the lyrics and melodies. At times, it sounds like a solo album. ‘Ifan,’ a gently pained song of parting, starts as a piano-backed solo and adds a wash of harp and other instruments, while ‘Heno’ is constructed around layers of vocal tracks – a technique repeated on the traditional ‘Sri Hwi Hwi,’ with the effective addition of bass and percussion.” – The Guardian
Anti-Nowhere League – The Cage CD/LP (Cleopatra)
Brand new studio album from the UK punk rock veterans.
Arbor Labor Union – I Hear You CD/2xLP+MP3/Cassette (Sub Pop)
Arbor Labor Union was born from a peach tree in Georgia in the American south. They play psychedelic, repetitious, and joyful rock and roll music. In 2014 they released the album Sings For You Now under the name Pinecones. In 2016 they decided to change their name, and have now released new album, I Hear You. Vice had this to say about their recently released single “Radiant Mountain Road”: “‘Radiant Mountain Road’ is a chugging, ballsy rock squall, with a pinch of psych and a smidge of QOTSA, that’ll stomp its way straight into your heart. The bass and drums at the top may make you want to break stuff. This can be a good thing. Elsewhere singer Bo Orr’s tone is simultaneously powerful and sexily insouciant.” Meanwhile, the band had this to say about the song (via haiku) — “Your mind is poisoned / Take joy for the antidote / And you will be cured.”
Astronautalis – Cut The Body Loose CD/LP (SideOneDummy)
Astronautalis is a Minneapolis indie hip-hop artist, often centering his music on original ideas, vivid lyricism and juxtaposing between indie rock and rap. Cut The Body Loose is his first album in five years, and was executive produced by Justin Vernon. “Tying together his own ‘bipolar Southern insanity’ with a torrent of dominant hip-hop hallmarks, Cut The Body Loose infuses Astronautalis’ jagged persona into every musical note and story-based anthem. On the surface, the album centres around themes of loss, disappointment, and struggles, delving deep into the pitfalls of life, but in the end, it’s an album the ultimately searches for redemption, aiming for triumph and facing off against all the sadness in the world. Although this may be Astronautalis’ most aggressive album, to call it angry, or even pessimistic, would be to miss the point. It’s an album about liberation carried upon waves of gritty, atmospheric, glitch-filled cuts like ‘Kurt Cobain’, ‘1515 Washington’, and ‘In The Tall Grass’, soaring dualities in ‘You Know What It Is’, and ethereal anthems like ‘Kudzu’ An album founded in reality and brought to life through vivid design, limitless diversity, and an unshakeable passion, Cut The Body Loose is both a mission statement and a triumphant arrival.” – Anthem Review
Avatar – Feathers & Flesh CD/2xLP (E1)
New album from the Swedish metal band. “Avatar crafts a near perfect sixth studio album, with many changes and musical improvements from their previous work.” – Sputnik Music
