Another week, another set of new albums. But firstly, this week saw the official release of a new live album from a musical genius that some people consider one of the forerunners of indie rock – the prolific Peter Gabriel. This week, Gabriel released New Blood, an album recorded live in London with an orchestra, no guitars and no drums – playing alternative versions of many of his best-known songs, and of course Gabriel on piano.Â
“Red Rain” (Instrumental) – Peter Gabriel from New Blood
This week’s Best New Releases offers a diversity of music styles, artists and subjects.There is a good number of truly ‘indie’ and DIY bands – such as Color Radio, Casiokids, High Places, Future Islands – and more well-known artists, like Andrew Bird, Ben Lee and John Wesley Harding.
But first, we want to introduce you to a band that you may have not heard of before, but it would not be for a lack of press and accolades. Enation is an anthemic indie rock band from Washington state fronted by Jonathan Jackson. Their music has appeared on film and television soundtracks, including One Tree Hill and Stephen King‘s Riding the Bullet. Enation broke into the Top 10 on iTunes‘ Rock Charts. CDBaby picked the band as a Notable Artist and The New Music Seminar nominated Enation to the prestigious “Top 100 Artists on the Verge” for 2011In fact, CDBaby praised the band enthusiastically, stating that “Enation is fast becoming recognized as one of the best epic rock bands around.” Judge for yourself. Here are two tracks the band set to us to share with you from their new album out this week,
“Prodigal” – Enation from My Ancient Rebellion
“The Rushing Wind” – Enation from My Ancient Rebellion
Enation have previously opened for artists like Angels & Airwaves, Kate Voegele, Everly, Dustin Ruth, and House of Heroes, and list among their influences Coldplay, U2, Bob Dylan, Radiohead, Snow Patrol, and Switchfoot.
Another band that sent us tracks directly is the newly formed eclectic Baltimore band, Drunk Monk. Infusing a combination of rock, “surf doom” (their words), psychedelic and jazz, Drunk Monk describe themselves like so: “Guitar, bass, drums. Very few words. We like to record live. We don’t know how to surf…overwhelmingly positive response at every show.”
“Woefully Intentional” – Drunk Monk from Drunk Monk
“Dorothy vs. The Shadow People” – Drunk Monk from Drunk Monk
We’ve also included nearly two dozen MP3s of new singles from new releases by bands and artists like High Places, Sun Hotel, T.W. Walsh, Yukon Blonde, Extra Arms, Casey Shea, Rocket from the Tombs, Crooked Fingers, Savaging Spires, The Morning Clouds, Rachael Yamagata, Gill Landry, Library Voices, and Hess Is More.
“Balance” – Future Islands from On the Water
“Golden Years” – Casiokids from Aabenbaringen Over Aaskammen
“Quiet House” – Color Radio from Architects
“Year Off” – High Places from Original Colors
“Fire” – Yukon Blonde from Fire/Water EP
“Creation Keeps the Devil Away” – Hess is More from Creation Keeps the Devil Away
“Sing Your Own Song” – John Wesley Harding from The Sound of His Own Voice
“Typhoon” – Crooked Fingers from Breaks in the Armor
“Annie” – Gill Landry from Piety & Desire
“Traveller’s Digest” – Library Voices from Summer of Lust
“The Wrong Things” – The Morning Clouds from Wasted Youth Blues EP
“Little Eyes” – Radio Moscow from The Great Escape of Leslie Magnafuzz
“Bending the Rules of Time” – Savaging Spires from Savaging Spires
“Starlight” – Rachael Yamagata from Chesapeake
“Alchemy” – Sun Hotel from Gifts (self-released)
“Make It Rhyme” – T.W. Walsh from Songs of Pain and Leisure
“Race to Sleep” – Extra Arms from In Parallel
“Best Disguise Is No Disguise” – Extra Arms from In Parallel
“Jennifer” – Casey Shea from In Your Head
“Sundowner (featuring Jason Collett)” – Danielle Duval from Of the Valley
“I Sell Soul” – Rocket from the Tombs from Barfly