Much like last week’s stellar list of new releases, this is yet another blockbuster week for new albums, including highly anticipated releases from heavy-hitters like The Raveonettes, The xx, St. Vincent & David Byrne, and other popular artists such as Thee Oh Sees, Turbo Fruits, Seapony, Calexico, Amanda Palmer and The Grand Theft Orchestra. This is volume one of a two-part series. Volume Two provides at least a dozen more hand-picked singles from new albums by artist like Firewater, Field Report, Neal Halstead, Sea Wolf, Avett Brothers, Hello Echo, Solos, and Helvetia.
Denmark‘s celebrated indie rock duo, The Raveonettes, has made a name for themselves with a dark, fuzzy guitar-driven sound, that continues on their newest album release, Observator. But their new single, “She Owns The Streets,” is one of the duo’s most upbeat, pop-centric singles to date. The song has a feel-good, summertime pop essence, featuring layers of glistening guitars intertwined with soft vocals that echo bands like Galaxie 500 and The Cure. You can listen to Observator‘s first single the duo released in June, “Observations.”
“She Owns the Streets” – The Raveonettes from Observator on Vice Records
The xx Release The Long-Awaited New Album, Coexist
There was a tremendous amount of buzz leading up to this week’s official release of The xx’s new album, Coexist. After a whirlwind of worldwide success on the charts and on tour, The xx are back with new music, such as the stunning lead single, “Angels.” Most impressive is Romy Madley-Croft’s gorgeous vocals that are front and center, and which carry the song from start to finish.
“Angels” – The xx from Coexist
“Islands” – The xx (via Soundcloud)
Also, check out The xx video for “Chained” on the Best Music Videos page.
The Pairing of David Byrne and St. Vincent Produces Ace New Single and LP
The new single from David Byrne and St. Vincent has an addictive beat with the pair exchanging turns taking the lead and coming together in perfect unison for the chorus. The song, “Who,” has been on repeat for the past week here in the cafe. Even in his later years, the frontman of the iconic Talking Heads, Byrne’s uniquely identifiable voice still sounds great. The video for “Who” is also a must-see for fans of Byrne and St. Vincent.
“Who” – David Byrne & St. Vincent from Love This Giant on 4AD/Todo Mundo
Notable New Singles from Indie Bands Seapony, Thee Oh Sees and Turbo Fruits
Seattle band Seapony offer up more dreamy, lo-fi beach pop melodies and hazy vocals backed by guitar surf rock on their sophomore album. San Francisco psychedelic rockers, Thee Oh Sees, drop Putrifiers II, this week, featuring an array of styles from the spacey psych-pop to hard-hitting garage rock as the single, “Flood’s New Light” clearly demonstrates. From Nashville, a band that broke out during the excellent year for indie rock, 2009, Turbo Fruits released their junior album this week, featuring a comparatively diverse album as Thee Oh Sees, with a set of songs that range from psych-pop with a 60’s flair and plenty of hooks to grove on, to crunchy garage rock that sounds awesome via a good set of speakers.
“Prove to Me” – Seapony from Falling on Hardly Art
“Flood’s New Light” – Thee Oh Sees from Putrifiers II on In The Red Records
“Sweet Thang” – Turbo Fruits from Butter on Serpents & Snakes
The Helio Sequence Drop Anticipated New LP, Negotiations
Two weeks ago, IRC featured The Helio Sequence’s new single, “Hall of Mirrors” in the latest Fresh Tracks Mix. Based on the number of streams and downloads from the post, and the numbers on Hypem and other aggregators, listeners really liked the song. Now, with the official release of the new album, Negotiations, another new single from the album, “October,” is out. This is one of the best tracks of the week and will definitely be included in a special playlist we’re putting together called Songs From The Calendar, which will highlight excellent songs about months, specific dates and days of the week. Keep an eye out for it. Check out the official promo video for Negotiations.
“October” – The Helio Sequence from Negotiations on Sub Pop
Calexico Returns with Dark Sound and Amanda Palmer Pairs with The Grand Theft Orchestra
As long-time Calexico fans, it took a few spins to connect with the band’s new single, “Para.” The song evokes a dark, haunting aura, with melancholic vocals and lyrics, a reverberating, spooky guitar, a Mexican funeral-like horn injection and a slow, deep percussion. “Para” sounds like a track that could have been on a Kill Bill soundtrack. Another song that is just in time for Halloween is the collaborative single, “The Killing Type,” from Amanda Palmer and The Grand Theft Orchestra. It’s more intense than “Para,” which is a stark contrast while also being alike in the sense that both songs are anything but upbeat and cheerful.
“Para” – Calexico from Algiers on Anti-
There is also a deluxe edition via Amazon
“The Killing Type” – Amanda Palmer & The Grand Theft Orchestra from Theater Is Evil on 8ft. Records
Another single out this week that would be fitting on a Halloween mixtape is the song “The Dogs Howl, The Caravan Moves On” from the self-released album by singer/songwriter Ethan Daniel Davidson .
“The Dogs Howl, The Caravan Moves On” – Ethan Daniel Davidson from Silvertooth (self-released)
Check back later for Part II of this week’s Best New Releases
Get MP3, CD and Vinyl Releases Out This Week From Amazon
Ben Arthur – If You Look for My Heart | CD MP3 Book eBook
The Avett Brothers – The Carpenter | CD Vinyl MP3
Marco Benevento – TigerFace | CD Vinyl MP3
Billy Talent – Dead Silence | CD MP3
Blaqk Audio – Bright Black Heaven | CD Vinyl
Boyfrndz – All Day Pass | MP3
David Byrne & St. Vincent – Love This Giant | CD Vinyl MP3
Calexico – Algiers | CD Vinyl MP3 Deluxe MP3
The Cutler – The Best Things in Life Aren’t Things | CD MP3
Daddy Yankee – Prestige | CD MP3
The Dandelion War – We Were Always Loyal to Lost Causes | MP3
DMX – Undisputed | CD Deluxe CD/DVD MP3
Bob Dylan – Tempest | CD Deluxe CD Vinyl/CD MP3
Field Report – Field Report | CD MP3
Firewater – International Orange | CD Vinyl MP3
Steve Forbert – Over With You | CD MP3
Guy Forsyth – The Freedom to Fail | CD MP3
John Galgano – Real Life is Meeting | CD MP3
Neil Halstead – Palindrome Hunches | CD Deluxe CD Vinyl MP3
Sean Hayes – Before We Turn to Dust | CD
The Helio Sequence – Negotiations | CD Vinyl MP3
Helvetia – Nothing in Rambling | CD Vinyl MP3
Brendan Hines – Small Mistakes [EP] | MP3
Hoobastank – Fight or Flight | CD MP3
Patterson Hood – Heat Lightning Rumbles in the Distance | CD Vinyl MP3
Hopewell – Another Music [EP] | CD MP3
Jack Beats – Careless [EP] | MP3
Will Johnson – Scorpion | CD Vinyl MP3
Chris Knight – Little Victories | CD MP3
Loscil – Sketches from New Brighton | CD Vinyl MP3
Sophie Madeleine – The Rhythm You Started | CD MP3
Kathy Mattea – Calling Me Home | CD MP3
Dave Matthews Band – Away From the World | CD Deluxe CD Super Deluxe CD/DVD Vinyl MP3 Deluxe MP3
Miggs – 15th & Hope | CD MP3
Mint Condition – Music @ the Speed of Life | CD MP3
Miss Shevaughn & Yuma Wray – We’re From Here | CD
Mister Loveless – Grow Up | MP3
NOFX – Self Entitled | CD Vinyl MP3
Amanda Palmer & The Grand Left Orchestra – Theatre Is Evil | CD Vinyl MP3
Paper Route – The Peace of Wild Things | CD MP3
Pet Shop Boys – Elysium | CD Vinyl MP3
The Pineapple Thief – All the Wars | CD Vinyl MP3
The Presets – Pacifica | CD Vinyl MP3
The Raveonettes – Observator | CD Vinyl MP3
Chris Robinson Brotherhood – The Magic Door | CD Vinyl MP3
Rumer – Boys Don’t Cry | CD MP3 Deluxe MP3
Sea Wolf – Old World Romance | CD Vinyl MP3
Seapony – Falling | CD Vinyl MP3
She Does Is Magic – My Height In Heels | CD Vinyl MP3
Snowblink – Inner Classic | CD Vinyl MP3
Joanne Shaw Taylor – Almost Always Never | CD MP3
Thee Oh Sees – Putrifiers II | CD Vinyl MP3
Those Poor Bastards – Behold the Abyss | CD Vinyl MP3
The Time Jumpers – The Time Jumpers | CD Vinyl MP3
Tom Tom Club – Downtown Rockers [EP] | Vinyl MP3
Turbo Fruits – Butter | CD Vinyl MP3
Stephen Wade – Banjo Diary: Lessons From Tradition | CD MP3
The xx – Coexist | CD Vinyl Deluxe Vinyl MP3
ZZ Top – La Futura | CD Vinyl MP3