# Best New Music Releases, Week of April 2nd – Generationals, The Black Angels, Mudhoney, Hookworms, Cold War Kids

- Link: https://indierockcafe.com/2013/04/best-new-music-releases-week-of-april-2nd-generationals-the-black-angels-mudhoney-hookworms-cold-war-kids-telekinesis-alkaline-trio-kinski-bleached/
- Published: 2013-04-07T04:03:43-04:00
- Author: Max Hammer

[[This past week’s batch of the best new albums, and the lead singles from those albums, added more great music to 2013’s already impressive, and diverse, collection of alternative and indie music. Last week’s [top indie songs playlist](https://indierockcafe.com/2013/03/best-new-releases-week-of-march-26-wavves-the-strokes-depeche-mode-wire-lapland-milk-carton-kids-tartufi-twinstar-wax-idols/) of new 
releases, like many so far this year, features an amazing diversity of excellent
songs, from **Wavves** to **Depeche Mode** and **Little Green Cars** to **Twinstar**.

We streamed all 17 tracks, from start to finish, at least seven to nine times in
the cafe because it’s just that good. We’ll soon be publishing the popular singles
on IRC during the month of March via the weekly Top 10 Songs playlists that highlight
the most streamed and downloaded tracks from the Best New Music Releases posts, 
as well as recent [DIY posts](https://indierockcafe.com/category/diy-bands-to-watch/),
[Artist of the Week](https://indierockcafe.com/category/artist-of-the-week), and
many others, which are all accessible from the [March 2013 posts](https://indierockcafe.com/2013/03/)
page.

The first week of April 2013 has been yet another great week for rock and roll, 
as demonstrated by the lead singles from new alt. and indie rock drops released 
by popular, talented bands like **Generationals, The Black Angels, Mudhoney** (a
double-dose from the punk rock legends), Alkaline Trio, among others. Plus, there
are plenty of amazing, new-to-us bands with even more new albums out this week, 
most notably a fresh 2013 band to watch called **Hookworms**, whose first single,“
Form and Function,” is a blistering, infectious guitar rock blazer from their debut
LP, _Pearl Mystics_ – one of the best debut albums of 2013, so far, and one of many
albums dropped in the past week that we recommend purchasing for your permanent 
collection, especially if you’re a rocker at your core.

“Put A Light On”* – **Generationals** from _Heza_ on Polyvinyl Records
 (_Please
see the note at the end of this post about the album cover art for Heza_).

“Don’t Play With Guns”* – **The Black Angels** from _Indigo Meadow_ (CD) on Blue
Horizon (Read J. Hubner’s album review)

[⌊hookworms-bart-pettman⌉⌊hookworms-bart-pettman⌉[

Leeds, U.K. spacey psych-rock band Hookworms - Photo by Bart Pettman

“Form and Function”*** – ****Hookworms **from _Pearl Mystic_ on Gringo

[“I Like It Small”](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/12964.mp3) – **
Mudhoney** from _Vanishing Point_ on Sub Pop
 **Double-shot:** [“The Only Son of the Widow of Nain”](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/12962.mp3)–**
Mudhoney** from _Vanishing Point_ on Sub Pop

[⌊charles-bradley⌉⌊charles-bradley⌉[

#### Spring Is Crazy Busy for New Releases and Music Festival Announcements

Because there were so many releases worth highlighting this week that we didn’t 
have time to get to, some will appear in the next edition of the popular [Recent Releases We Almost Missed](https://indierockcafe.com/category/new-releases/recent-releases-we-almost-missed/)
playlist series. Spring is traditionally the busiest time of the year in the cafe
because there is a flood of new releases that emerge from the post-winter thaw, 
in addition to **SXSW**, and coverage of other music festival line-up announcements(
and accompanying playlists), preparation for **Record Store Day**, emerging new 
bands to watch, and rushing streams of summer and fall album releases. For this 
installment of Best New Music Releases, you’ll notice asteriks next to some song
titles, which indicates those songs’ music videos will be added to the Best New 
Videos page. But first, fire up this playlist to stream all the way through by clicking
on the first song. Unlike Spotify – which often does not have new album releases
available right away – IRC’s playlists of new music stream commercial free all the
way through, and allow you to right click to save MP3s to whatever device you choose
to create your own favorites song of 2013 playlists. Here’s the new single from 
the Velvet Funkmaster himself, **Charles Bradley**, who is the subject of a separate
post that will be published in the next few hours.

Related Post:  Best New Music Releases, Week of May 28th - Animal Collective, King
Tuff, Alex Bleeker and the Freaks, Paperhaus, Baths, Brazos

“Strictly Reserved For You” – **Charles Bradley** from _Victim of Love_ on Dunham/
Daptone Records on Dunham/Daptone Records

[[

#### More Rock: Milk Music, Kinski and Bleached; Rebuttal to ‘Rock Is Dead’ Critics

Another new-to-us outfit is **Washington** state band **Milk Music**, who blaze **
Husker Du**-style on the fuzzy, distorted guitar rock of “I’ve Got Wild.” And the
guitar rock continues with **Kinski**‘s latest single, “Conflict Free Diamonds,”
from the album, _Cosy Moments_. “Conflict Free Diamonds” is a fired up rocker, marked
by power chord guitar riffs, a catchy beat and a transfixing groove, haunting synths
and soaring, reverb-heavy vocals. Next, **Bleached**‘s track, “Next Stop” is a female
vocal garage rocker mixed with elements of punk pop from the band’s new album, _Ride
Your Heart_.

“I’ve Got a Wild Feeling” **– ****Milk Music **from _Cruise Your Illusion_ on Fat
Possum

“Conflict Free Diamonds”** – ****Kinski **from _Cosy Moments_ on Kill Rock Stars

“Next Stop” – **Bleached** from _Ride Your Heart_ on Dead Oceans

To the rock naysayers: If you’ve been following our weekly new releases playlists
this year, the refrain that ‘rock is dead’ is simply bogus; you just need to know
where to find it (i.e., on IRC). This point is also reaffirmed by the huge positive
responses to recent profile posts like 5 Bands That Rock and 5 DIY Bands to Watch.
If anything, at least in the alternative music scene, rock is enjoying an unquestionable
revival. And as this playlist charges forward, with one fantastic track after another,
there are three common stylistic themes going on that we’ve organized into consecutive
sets, consisting of rock, synth-heavy music, and dreamy, even melancholic grooves
and instrumentals.

Related Post:  Sonny & The Sunsets Change Course Again on New LP; Release New Tracks
and Tour Dates

[⌊telekinesis-dormarion⌉⌊telekinesis-dormarion⌉[

#### Fresh Tracks from Popular Bands Telekinesis, Cold War Kids, Alkaline Trio

The list of notable, and diverse, releases dropped in the past week keeps growing
with singles from new albums by **Telekinesis, Cold War Kids, British Sea Power,
Alkaline Trio**, and the last record from the now defunct **Rilo Kiley**. Each of
these tracks, and the albums which they appear on, speak for themselves.

“Ghosts and Creatures” – **Telekinesis** from _Dormarion_ on Merge

“Miracle Mile” – **Cold War Kids** from _Dear Miss Lonelyhearts_ on Downtown Records

“Machineries of Joy” – **British Sea Power** from _Machineries of Joy_ on Rough 
Trade

[⌊alkalinetrio⌉⌊alkalinetrio⌉[

“I Wanna Be A Warhol” – **Alkaline Trio** from _My Shame Is True_

“Let Me Back In” – **Rilo Kiley** from _Rkives_ on Little Record Company

[⌊Caveman⌉⌊Caveman⌉[

#### Synth-fully Delicious: Caveman, Dutch Uncles, Pick A Piper

**Brooklyn** band **Caveman** released their sophomore album earlier this week, 
featuring the synth-rich, atmospherically melancholic (which is a commendable accomplishment
in itself) song, “Over My Head,” followed by a more upbeat, higher octane synth 
track, “Bellio,” from **Dutch Uncles**‘ album, _Out of Touch in the Wild_. Sticking
with the synth and electro sounds, check out **Pick A Piper**‘s “All Her Colours,”
featuring **John Schmersal**.

“Over My Head” – **Caveman** from _Caveman_ on Fat Possum

“Ice Dime” – **Gems** from _Tall Mountain_ on Don’t Be a Lout Music

[[

#### Ambient, Mellow and Melancholic Singles from Bonobo, Olafur Arnalds, Hem and Others

The ambient electro band **Bonobo**, produced a bizarre, but interesting video, 
for the lead single, “Cirrus,” off their new album. Other softer singles representing
new album releases this week include **Olafur Arnalds**‘ mesmerizing instrumental,“
Only The Wind”; **Port St. Willow**‘s majestic “Soft Light Rush”; **Hem**‘s “Tourniquet”;**
The Besnard Lakes**‘ gently hazy, “People of the Sticks”; **Hiss Golden Messenger**‘
s folksy “I’ve Got A Name For The Newborn Child”; **Melbourne** band**Lower Plenty**‘
s “Nullarbor,” among others. By clicking the album titles, you can quickly and easily
purchase either the MP3, CD (where applicable) and vinyl (where applicable) editions
of any album in this playlist.

Related Post:  Top Debut Albums of 2013 - Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown

“Cirrus”* – **Bonobo** from _The North Borders_ on Ninja Tune

“Only The Winds” – **Ólafur Arnalds** from _For Now I Am Winter_ on Mercury Classics

“Tourniquet” – **Hem** from _Departure And Farewell_ on Waveland Records

“People of the Sticks” – **The Besnard Lakes** from _Until In Excess, Imperceptible
UFO_ on Jagjaguwar

“Bellio” – **Dutch Uncles** from _Out of Touch in the Wild_ on Memphis Industries

“Nullarbor”** – ****Lower Plenty **from _Hard Rubbish_ on Fire Records

“Macro” – **RxGibbs** from _Contact on Cascine_

[“I’ve Got A Name for the Newborn Child”](https://indierockcafe.com/2013/04/best-new-music-releases-week-of-april-2nd-generationals-the-black-angels-mudhoney-hookworms-cold-war-kids-telekinesis-alkaline-trio-kinski-bleached/www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSD0fiFCImM)–**
Hiss Golden Messenger** from _Haw_ on Paradise of Bachelors

**Did Not Get To**: The following artists released new LPs, EPs and singles this
week, but we simply didn’t have time to review them all: Artists such as **Bassekou
Kouyate & Ngoni Ba, Bombino, Bring Me the Horizon, EmptyMansions ** (the side project
of Interpol drummer **Sam Forgarino**), **Heavy Hawaii, The Band, The Mongoloids,
Transit, Tyler, the Creator** and **Wolf Willy Moon** also released new LPs, EPs
and singles this week.

_Note: We would have used the [Generationals’ new album cover](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/generationals-heza.html)
as the main photo of this post except that it’s so damn ugly we’re not showing it
at all. Somehow, the interested parties, decided to do whatever they could to discourage
people from buying the album at face value. Now it will exist for eternity. Our 
reaction: “Are you joking? Like, seriously?” It’s insulting to fans. A photo of 
an elephant’s ass would have been more acceptable. Worst album cover so far in 2013.
We’d like to propose a challenge: Create your own alternative cover art for Heza
and then Tweet a link to it @IndieRockCafe and include the hashtag #hezacoverart_