Best Coast – Crazy for You CD/LP (Mexican Summer)
12-track, 29-minute collection of genuinely romantic, sandy jams. Hazy and dreamy pop perfect for summer.

Seu Jorge – Seu Jorge And Almaz CD/2xLP (Now Again)
New album from Brazilian singer/actor Seu Jorge (City Of God, The Life Aquatic) with members of Nacao Zumbi.

Mark Olson – Many Colored Kite CD/LP+MP3 (Rykodisc)
New album from The Jayhawks co-founder. Many Colored Kite greets the listener with its earthy, neo-folk feel that encompasses classic and ’60’s British folk as well as the “desert country” that he has been associated with in the past.

Madlib/Yesterday’s New Quintet – Medicine Show 7: High Jazz CD (Madlib Medicine Show)
Madlib follows Brain Wreck Show with the seventh installment in his Madlib Medicine Show series, a jazz album with his Yesterdays New Quintet ensemble.

Major Lazer – Lazers Never Die CDEP (Interscope)
New EP from producers Switch and Diplo. “On this concise and surprisingly fresh sounding EP, Major Lazer retain the sweat-soaked club feel that’s curried them so much favor but also appeals to their perennial accessibility.” [7.8] — Pitchfork

Menomena – Mines CD/2xLP+MP3 (Barsuk)
In the wake of brutal disagreements, unrelenting grudges and failed marriages (not to mention a world full of modern terrorism, natural disasters and economic collapse) Menomena is still standing, and has made an album that many are already saying defines the state of intelligent pop music one decade into the millennium.

Jesca Hoop – Hunting My Dress CD (Vanguard)
Hoop’s music is a genre-bending, time-period-blurring mix of off-kilter pop, stark ballads and classic folk. Includes a bonus five-track EP. “Hunting My Dress sounds like the sprouting of a wondrous new talent. Four stars.” — The Guardian

Jaill – That’s How We Burn CD/LP (Sub Pop)
A somewhat sneaky, rarely sleazy group of guys from Milwaukee who play with undeniable guts. Recalling the glory of ’90s lo-fi pop, these songs possess a sinewy tension honed from years of basement shows, and a palpable, gritty rock sense born of enduring cold Midwest winters.

Tom Jones – Praise & Blame CD (Mercury Nashville)
This is Tom Jones going back to his roots on an album of gospel, blues, traditional and country songs, wearing his heart on his sleeve, emotionally raw. Guest artists include steel guitarist BJ Cole, keyboardist Booker T Jones, organist Chris Holland and background vocalists Gillian Welch, Alison Pierce, Dave Rawlings and Orin Waters.
[Read more…] about New Releases for July 27, 2010…

Zero 7 – Record CD (Atlantic/WEA)
Retrospective featuring tracks and remixes from Zero 7’s previous four albums and a track from their very first EP that was originally released on limited vinyl.

Frazey Ford – Obadiah CD (Nettwerk)
Debut album from The Be Good Tanyas’ Frazey Ford. Obadiah is a collection of songs hand-carved by the hardships and exaltations of life, and stained with the rich colors of soul and folk music that fueled artists like Joni Mitchell, Ann Peebles, Neil Young, and Donny Hathaway. Vinyl version due August 24.

Early Man – Death Potion CD (The End)
When it comes to Early Man, the formula is simple: riffs that detonate on impact, a rhythm section on fire and vocals that soar to Mt. Olympus.

Endless Boogie – Full House Head CD/2xLP (No Quarter)
Anchored by deep, heady grooves and epic guitar playing, Endless Boogie delivers seven fully realized studio tracks and one monumental rehearsal jam — sounding comfortable and focused, not weighed down by any pretension.

The Books – The Way Out CD/2xLP (Temporary Residence)
Over the course of three albums in nearly a decade’s time, The Books have grown to become one of modern music’s most genuine innovators. Creatively complex and truly unclassifiable, The Way Out continues their tradition of meticulous, existential songcraft, infusing the playfully surreal elements of previous albums with a humorous, childlike excitement.

Various Artists – Welcome Home/Diggin’ The Universe LP (Woodsist)
Songs by: Woods, Run DMT, White Fence, Fresh & Onlys, Mantles, Skygreen Leopards, Alex Bleeker, Moon Duo, City Center, Cause Co-Motion, Art Museums, Nodzzz and Ducktails. “The ’60s, ’70s, ’80s, ’90s and ’00s are all there, bound together by shitty tape machines, reverb and easy chord changes, but melody is back and so is the joy of jamming a perfectly mangled pop song.” — Glenn Donaldson

Shellac – Terraform [Reissue] LP+MP3 (Touch & Go)
Vinyl reissue of Shellac’s now-classic 1998 album.

Sleigh Bells – Treats LP (Mom+Pop)
Recently released on CD — now available on picture disc vinyl.
[Read more…] about New Releases for July 20, 2010…

New Releases for July 13, 2010

M.I.A. – /\/\ /\Y/\ CD/Deluxe CD/LP (XL)
New album featuring singles “Born Free” and “XXXO.” Deluxe version adds bonus tracks and lanticular cover.

Various Artists – Local Customs: Lone Star Lowlands CD/LP (Numero)
The second in Numero’s series of peeks into the world of regional studios hones in on Mickey Rouse’s Lowland operation out of Beaumont, TX. The songs themselves run the gamut; Southern boogie rock, CSNY clones, British blues thunder, garage psych hangovers, Morricone-esque supper club instrumentals, yacht rock, and what can only be described as Bobby McPherin fronting the Velvet Underground.

Danger Mouse And Sparklehorse – Present: Dark Night Of The Soul CD/2xLP+MP3/2xLP+2xCD (Capitol/EMI)
This will stand as a tribute to Sparklehorse’s Mark Linkous, who recently passed away. Featuring contributions by Flaming Lips, Julian Casablancas, Black Francis, Iggy Pop, David Lynch, James Mercer, and more. Also available: Regular and Deluxe Edition vinyl versions. Deluxe Edition includes an additional instrumental CD, 48-page book, lobby cards and a poster. Free lithograph with purchase — while supplies last!

Panda Bear – Tomboy 7” (Paw Tracks)
Paw Tracks is excited to present the first in a series of limited edition 7” singles by Animal Collective’s Panda Bear. There will be several limited singles total (on different labels), and each one will bring us closer and closer to the much anticipated release of the Tomboy full length.

Sun Kil Moon – Admiral Fell Promises CD (Caldo Verde)
An all-acoustic album, Admiral Fell Promises is played entirely by Mark Kozelek (Red House Painters) on nylon string guitar.

The Love Language – Libraries CD (Merge)
Among the moments captured on Libraries are Spector-esque walls of reckless sound, cavernous drums, middle-school percussion, and moody swells of stringed instruments, all decorated hastily with stray leads that bleed beautifully over it all.

School Of Seven Bells – Disconnect From Desire CD/2xLP (Vagrant)
The dream-pop trio returns with their highly anticipated sophomore album.

R.E.M. – Fables Of The Reconstruction [25th Anniversary Edition] 2xCD/LP (Capitol)
Lavishly expanded reissue of the band’s 1985 classic includes a bonus disc of previously unreleased demos (including three non-album tracks), packaged in a lift top box with postcards.

Sting – Symphonicities CD/LP (Deutsche Grammophon)
The companion CD to accompany Sting’s highly anticipated world tour, which is underway and features the Royal Philharmonic
[Read more…] about New Releases: July 13th