Category: 2015 Best New Releases

A few years ago, veteran Montreal musician, photographer and filmmaker Toby Andris was sifting through boxes at a Budapest flea market when he came across quite a find. It was a box of quarter-inch tapes together with a notebook filled with numbers and names scribbled on the thin blue lines of the ledger paper inside.

As the story goes, references inscribed to the 4625 kHz frequency lead Andris on a months-long investigation during which he was able to trace the tapes to “the now well-known, though poorly documented, ‘buzzer’ number station transmissions, used to transmit covert messages to spies during the Cold War.”

The tapes contain recordings of short wave radio station scans from the KGB’s Cold War era. Andris believes the tapes are from the late 60s or early 70s. On some tapes, as he discovered, there are sections where the scanning pauses long enough to capture an unknown piece of music “obscured by hiss and dirt and the tape’s natural demagnetization and decay.”

Hauntingly affected by this mysterious music, Andris set out to replicate, interpret and expand on the the dusty, bygone era recordings in order to create all new sounds, styles and other audio and musical influences. To take his vision to the next level, he needed help.

Andris set out to create a band, simply named Thin Blue Line, that featured himself on guitar, synth, and sampling, and veteran indie and alt rock musicians Greg Paquet (The Stills, Peter Peter), Mathieu Dumontier (Kiss Me Deadly, Le Husky), and Michel Aubinais (Hey Hey My My, FareWell Poetry, SAF).

“Matt and Michel I’d played with in my previous band, Statue Park, and they’re incredibly talented and inventive musicians,” he said. “I also knew they’d be open to trying something different like this.”

Much of the EP is of course music composed by Andris. In fact, the tapes serve mainly as an inspiration for the songs the band recorded for the EP. And yet it’s a rare musical project that actually incorporates snippets from actual Soviet spay transmissions.

“The tapes mainly contain what sounds like someone scanning the radio airwaves, probably listening to intercept other spy transmissions,” he says “But the operator [of the Budapest station allegedly] was also transmitting secrets via the airwaves. In his case, it sounded like an intermittent buzzer for an intercom, and every once in a while that was interrupted by lists of names and numbers.”

In April, after months of recording, mixing and mastering, the band dropped it’s self-titled EP, Thin Blue Line.

The collection of mixed genres and styles – instrumental, post rock, post punk/C86, and krautrock – like the glistening and dreamy, “Tungsten Fields,” and the fragmented, radio intercepts of “Telegraph 3am,” are unique and original, especially when you consider how amazing it is that the tracks are inspired by, and featuring, excerpts of rare Cold War-era KGB radio transmissions.

“Tungsten Fields“ – Thin Blue Line from Thin Blue Line EP

“We still have a lot of tapes to sift through,” Andris added, “so it wouldn’t be surprising if future installments of our recordings should eventually surface.”

This past summer, Andris moved to Paris, which he plans to use as a home base while “scouring the former eastern bloc for more tapes.”

“Telegraph 3am“ – Thin Blue Line from Thin Blue Line EP

Thin Blue Line on Facebook

This Friday, August 28th, Nirvana’s self-titled, double platinum-selling, seven-time platinum-selling posthumous collection titled simply, Nirvana, makes its debut on 45RPM double LP, pressed on 200-gram heavy weight vinyl and packaged in a furnace black gatefold sleeve with liner notes and a digital download card for 96kHz 24-bit HD audio. There will also be a 33rpm single LP 150-gram standard weight vinyl edition with a download card for 320kbps MP4 audio. Nirvana will also be released as a Blu-Ray Pure Audio in high resolution 96kHz 24-bit and is available in three stereo audio formats: PCM, DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby TrueHD stereo.

Originally released in 2002, Nirvana features the rare and previously unreleased studio version of “You Know You’re Right,” the last song the band ever recorded, available exclusively on this compilation. Also among the 14 classics on Nirvana: 1991’s breakthrough “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” and fellow Nevermind singles “Come As You Are,” and “In Bloom,” In Utero singles “Heart-Shaped Box” and “Pennyroyal Tea,” as well as deep cuts including “About A Girl” from the band’s first album Bleach, “Been A Son” from the Blew EP, the non-LP single “Sliver,” and live acoustic versions of “All Apologies” and David Bowie’s “The Man Who Sold The World” from the GRAMMY-winning MTV Unplugged In New York.

Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014, Nirvana is one of the most influential rock bands in history. Selling over 43 million albums worldwide and returning unaffected rock’n roll integrity and passion to the top of the charts, Nirvana would prove a singular inspiration to fans and musicians alike over the last two decades – and will undoubtedly do so for generations to come.

Basically the songs below where the anthems of the early 90s (and forever)

Nirvana: Official Track Listing:

01. You Know You re Right (previously unreleased)
02. About A Girl
03. Been A Son
04. Sliver
05. Smells Like Teen Spirit
06. Come As You Are
07. Lithium
08. In Bloom
09. Heart-Shaped Box
10. Pennyroyal Tea
11. Rape Me
12. Dumb
13. All Apologies
14. The Man Who Sold The World

March releases from popular, signed, and on-the-radar artists and bands have been combed through carefully to present only the best. In case you have missed any of the top singles from new releases dropped this month, we’ve assembled the first half of the month (the second half coming soon) in detail for you below, featuring streaming (with built-in player) and download MP3s for singles from Purity Ring, Gateway Drugs, Jon Hopkins, Beech Creeps, Fences, Lady Lamb, Moon Duo, Tigercats, Echo Lake, The Stones, Destruction Unit, Lotic, Coastal, Darren Hanlon, Swervedriver, and many others.

If you haven’t listened to past playlists of the Best New Album Releases of 2015, you might want to check them out because there are a bunch of great new albums and singles from them, including ones from Guster, Panda Bear, The Districts, The Do, and many others. Also, the Best New DIY Music of 2015 series is a great spot to find great singles and new bands to watch. And the six part series for the Best DIY Songs and Albums of 2014, receiving over 1,500 Likes in all, are also accessible, featuring over 150 songs.

You can stream the songs individually by clicking on the titles, stream all of the songs on this page continuously without interruption using the small Flash player below.

Purity Ring Continues To Amaze Fans with Release of Another Eternity

In the world of electronic psych pop, few bands have made as big of a splash in the past few years as Edmonton, Canada’s Purity Ring, helmed by the talented girl/guy duo Megan James and Corin Roddick. Their new album, Another Eternity, and latest single, “Begin Again,” speak for themselves. The album cover art, from illustrator Tallulah Fontaine, is captivating.

“Begin Again”– Purity Ring from Another Eternity on 4AD

Moon Duo and Beech Creeps Strike Hard with Riveting Noise Rock

Buzzing guitar riffs rifle along with manic keyboard jams, a steady, one-two punch drum beat, spooky vocals and distant howls comprise the latest single, “Animal,” from Wooden Shjips‘ guitarist Ripley Johnson and keyboardist Sanae Yamada, aka,Moon Duo, on their third album, Shadow of the Sun.

“Animal” – Moon Duo from Shadow of the Sun on Sacred Bones

Next, the noise rock continutes with the rattly, punk rock-infused single, “Times Be Short,” from the self-titled debut album by Brooklyn‘s garage rockers, Beech Creeps. These boys can rip it up.

“Times Be Short” – Beech Creeps from Beech Creeps on Monofonus Press

Lady Lamb Drops Debut Album, After, on Mom and Pop Records

Brunswick, Maine pop girl Lady Lamb (who recently dropped “The Beekeeper” from her moniker) gets the blood running with the incredibly infectious, uptempo single, “Billions of Eyes,” featuring endearing, high pitched vocals and choruses, tropical, melodic guitar riffs, and hip-shaking pop rhythms. The single is from the debut album, After, released appropriately by Mom + Pop Records.

“Billions of Eyes” – Lady Lamb from After on Mom + Pop

Chill Session with Jon Hopkins and Retro Prog with Steven Wilson

Appropriately titled, Late Night Tales, is the new album from Jon Hopkins featuring mellow ambient instrumentals like the lead single, “I Remember.” If you’re stressed out like most people, kicking back and melting into this sweet track is medicine. Stunningly calm and rejuvenating.

“I Remember” – Jon Hopkins from Late Night Tales on LateNightTales

So while we’re already into the whole Zen-“Be Calm”-chill mode, it’s not a bad place to insert the very different, but almost as calming track, “First Regret/3 Years Older,” from Steven Wilson. But the calm is shattered between minute seven and minute 10 of the 12-plus minute modern prog rock opera. Wait, is this a flashback? It’s like 1973 again when the original prog rock fad was burning up vinyl sales and filling arenas from New Jersey to San Francisco. Eat your heart out Rick Wakeman.

“First Regret/3 Years Older” – Steven Wilson from Hand.Cannot.Erase. on Kscope

Of Montreal Drops 13th Album; Coastal Gets Melancholy on New Single

Athens, Georgia native band, Of Montreal, continue to establish themselves as one of the most quirky, non-cookie cutter experimental indie bands of the past decade-plus. The band reaffirms their deserved status in the world of underground music with their latest single – the punky-funky, disco-influenced genre-bender blender, “Bassem Sabry,” from their latest LP, Aureate Gloom.

“Bassem Sabry” – Of Montreal from Aureate Gloom on Polyvinyl

LA Band to Watch Gateway Drugs Drop Debut; Swervedriver Release New LP

The breakout Los Angeles band, Gateway Drugs, who just killed it at SXSW last week, consist of siblings Gab, Noa and Liv Niles, the offspring of bassist Prescott Niles of The Knack – the 80’s band responsible for mega hits like “My Sharona.” Blues Williams rounds out the quartet on bass.

Papa bear Niles not only executive produced their debut album, Magick Spells, dropped on March 3rd, but he also reserved the studio time in Dave Grohl’s tripped-out Studio 606. Gateway Drugs follow-up single, “Fridays Are For Suckers,” is streaming below. They are on tour right now with shoe gaze veterans Swervediver, who also released a new LP, I Wasn’t Born To Lose, on the same day, featuring the single, “Setting Sun.”

“Friday’s Are For Suckers” – Gateway Drugs from Magick Spells on Cobraside

“Setting Sun” – Swervedriver from I Wasn’t Born to Lose You on Cobraside

Roots of Lo-Fi Psych Rock Trace Back To Re-Drop From NZ’s Flying Nun

It probably was never a good idea, especially 35 years ago, to call your new band The Stones. Afterall, it’s an unspoken truth today, and perhaps even more so in the late 70’s and early 80’s, that a reference to ‘The Stones’ was simply how a fan referred to rock legends The Rolling Stones. But New Zealand rockers, The Stones, made no bones about the fact that they named themselves after their inspiration – The Rolling Stones – out of respect, not because the short-lived trio weren’t original.

Quite contrary, it should be noted; these Stones made some music history of their own by contributing a few awesome songs to the famous Flying Nun Records‘ 1982 lo-fi compilation, Dunedin Double EP, a seminal release in New Zealand’s alternative rock history. Other bands on the two-disc, 13-track EP included The Chills, Sneaky Feelings, and The Verlaines. The Stones’ reissue of Three Blind Mice includes the standout track, “See Red,” and reaffirms the band’s contribution to the so-called Dunedin Sound, which contributed to the resurgence of psych rock and lo-fi in recent years.

“See Red” – The Stones from Three Blind Mice reissue on Flying Nun

Liked that? Get a much better, longer-lasting fix with Flying Nun’s classic 20-song compilation Time To Go – The Southern Psychedelic Moment: 1981-86 via YouTube

Noel Gag-laher? 15 Minutes+++?

What can anyone say these days about the aging Noel Gallagher that hasn’t already been said over the past two decades? – filthy rich, loud mouth, boozer, ex-cokehead, brilliant, overrated, ballsy, rebel rouser, talented, opinionated, immature, goof-ball, prankster, and on and on.

Well, bollocks, the blabbermouth is back again with his High Flying Birds and a new LP. Yawn. Does he keep turning it out? But isn’t there something inescapably annoying, and repugnant, about a bratty millionaire-one-hundred-plus-times-over who has had way, way more than his 15 minutes of fame? That said, Noel fans check out the High Flying Birds new video single, “Ballad of The Mighty,” from the album, Chasing Yesterday.

New Singles from Artists Coastal and Darren Hanlon

If you’re a sucker for melancholy songs, Coastal’s single, “We Drink To Remember,” provides the necessary elements – slow, quiet notes; sad, whispery vocals, and lots of dead space where somber thoughts are able to linger. The band’s new album, Beneath the Snow and Streetlights, dropped on March 3rd.

“We Drink To Remember” – Coastal from Beneath the Snow and Streetlights on Words On Music

Picking things up a bit, the woody, stringy rhythm, occasional flare of the snare and Darren Hanlon’s nasally, emotive vocals give this song an uptempo, yet organic, feel.

“When You Go” – Darren Hanlon from Where Did You Come From? on Flippin Yeah Industries

Echo Lake’s New Single Celebrates Spring while Destruction Unit Crashes the Picnic

Just Imagine: It’s the first of April and you’re chilling on a park bench in the afternoon – leaf buds are popping out of tree branches, flowers and grass blades are erecting upwards from the ground, the warm sun is shining on your face, and then it happens – an explosion of hazy surf rock pumps into your ears. It’s the new single, “Waves,” from the band Echo Lake . The song gradually builds up into a cacophony of reverb-soaked guitars, keys and percussion – it’s all confirming that spring has finally arrived.

“Waves” – Echo Lake from Era on No Pain in Pop

Thrashing, blazing guitars, reverb, feedback, barely audible vocals, crashing cymbals and stomping drums mix with the musical anarchy of punk meets psych garage rock on the nearly seven-minute ear blistering track, “Bumpy Road,” from Destruction Unit‘s Live in San Francisco release. Nothing remains but the destructed remnants of a happy little picnic.

“Bumpy Road” – Destruction Unit from Live in San Francisco on Castle Face

Jeff Rosenstock Drops New LP and Beer Single; Lotic Go Totally ‘Heterocetra’

Hard acoustic guitar strumming, tambourine rattling, electric guitar notes flying, and big, flourishing choruses are the components of the single, “Beers Again Alone,” from Jeff Rosenstock‘s new album, We Cool?. This track is quickly one of the top new beer drinking songs of 2015. Gulp.

“Beers Again Alone” – Jeff Rosenstock from We Cool? on Side One Dummy

Imagine being encircled by a swarm of mechanical, metallic insects from the future world, trying to swat down as many as you can with a copper coil while thousands of glo worms of many florescent colors crawl on the floors and walls. That’s what Lotic‘s single, “Heterocetera,” sounds like to us (even without shrooms).

“Heterocetera” – Lotic from Heterocetera on Tri Angle

Third Man Records Drops Live Album from Parquet Courts

Make no bones about it: any rock band that gets signed to Jack White‘s record label, Third Man Records, has to have something really special. That’s just the case with New York City rockers Parquet Courts. The label just dropped the band’s first live album, Live at Third Man Records. Is it a mindless grab for easy green or giving PC fans what they want? Who the fuck said rock is dead?

“Sunbathing Animal” – Parquet Courts from Live at Third Man Records on Third Man Records

Lead Singles from Best New Albums Dropped Week of March 10th

Arranging a sweet, irresistible pop melody with a steady, but soft, back beat, jangling, shimmering guitars that interplay with synth keys, and sexy, charming vocals and harmonic choruses, the indie pop band Tigercats crafted one of the most memorable tracks of the month with the single, “Sleeping In The Backseat,” from the album Mysteries.

“Sleeping In The Backseat” – Tigercats from Mysteries on Fortuna Pop

Fucked Up guitarist Been Cook blends big hooks and Prince funkadelics with electro pop and jangle pop on his new album. Recently, Cook shortened his Young Governor moniker to simply Young Guv.

“Wrong Crowd” (Featuring Jef Barbara) – Young Gov from Ripe 4 Luv on Sumberland

Fences Drops Lesser Oceans and Lieutenant Release Long-Titled Album

With a foot-tapping, uptempo beat, power pop guitars bouncing along, melodic keys twinkling and soaring, harmonic choruses, the inde performer Fences fire us up for the warmth and sunlight of the coming summer season on the single, “Sunburns,” from the new album, Lesser Oceans.

Sticking to the same upbeat mood set by “Sunburns,” the shimmering power pop, Big Star-like track, “Belle Epoque,” from Lieutenant, marks the drop of the long, and unusually, titled LP, If I Kill This Thing We’re All Going To Eat For A Week. ‘Belle Epoque,’ or ‘Beautiful Era,’ was a period of optimism, peace and high cultural and scientific development in Europe between 1871 and the beginning of World War I in 1914. In America, it was referred to as “The Gilded Age.”

“Sunburns” – Fences from Lesser Oceans on Elektra

“Belle Epoque” – Lieutenant from If I Kill This Thing We’re All Going To Eat For A Week on Dine Alone Records

Another Butler Enters the Music Fray and BLSH Do Retro Disco Mixed with Glam and Synth Infusions

Will Butler, the younger brother of Arcade Fire frontman Win Butler, is cutting his teeth with his debut release, Policy. The lead track, “Anna,” sounds like a kick-back to the 80s, complete with a new wave back beat, emotive, smoky vocals, jazzy/bluesy horn infusions and hard-hitting piano key notes. Next, with a disco-like beat, ringing and angular guitars, warped and swooshing synth keys, and soaring choruses, Bright Light Social Hour add a little glam to their pop on the single, “Infinite Cities,” from the new album Space Is Still the Place.

“Anna” – Will Butler from Policy

“Infinite Cities” – Bright Light Social Hour from Space Is Still the Place on Frenchkiss Records

Singles from LPs by Fawn Spots, Black Yaya and Sarah Bethe Nelson

Amped up noise rock on the verge of metal mixed with some hard core punk influences and moments of de-escalation, are some of the main elements that comprise the new single, “New Sense,” from the fresh album release by York, England trio Fawn Spots. With a groovy rock and roll beat and screeching guitars, fuzzy synths, echoey vocals and rocket blast off sound effects, Black Yaya‘s single, “Flying A Rocket,” is the lead track off of their self-titled debut LP.

“New Sense” – Fawn Spots from From Safer Place on Critical Heights

“Flying A Rocket” – Black Yaya from Black Yaya on City Slang

“Paying” – Sarah Bethe Nelson from Fast Moving Clouds on Burger Records

The last two weeks of February album drops features former Libertines’ frontman, Carl Barat, and his band, The Jackals, and their debut album, Let It Reign, that borrows lovingly from The Clash and throws in a couple of sweet ballads to boot. Emile Haynie teams up with a number of other artists on the album,We Fall which includes the single “A Kiss Goodbye,” with Charlotee Gainsbourg, Devonte Hynes and Sampha.

View and listen to the top singles from the Best New Album Releases for February, Vol. One.

Swedish musician Jose Gonzalez, with his third solo album of folk pop tracks dipped in West African blues and layered vocals. On the latest from Brooklyn’s A Place To Bury Strangers, the band cranks out more oozing shoegaze mixed with psych rock, post punk and goth.

Also, don’t miss new singles from fresh albums by The Amazing, Dan Deacon, Keath Mead, The Black Ryder, Gang of Four with Alison Mosshart, Cheatahs, Sonny and The Sunsets, Steve Gunn and the Black Twig Pickers, and many others. Disclaimer: All songs are made available for review and property of the artists and labels. Purchase any of the albums via Amazon simply by clicking on the album title. Don’t miss the Top 10 Songs charts for February and January. The other Top 10 charts for February – based on this playlist – will be posted in the coming week.

“Glory Days” – Carl Barât and The Jackals from Let It Reign on Grand Jury/Cooking Vinyl

“A Kiss Goodbye” – Emile Haynie featuring Charlotte Gainsbourg, Devonté Hynes and Sampha from We Fall on Interscope

“Every Age” – Jose Gonzalez from Vestiges & Claws on Mute

“EarthEE” – THEESatisfaction from EarthEE on Sub Pop

“Straight” – A Place to Bury Strangers from Transfixation on Dead Oceans

“Polite Refusal” – Keath Mead from Sunday Dinner on Company Records

“Wax Chance” – Six Organs of Admittance from Hexadic on Drag City

“Santaria” – The Black Ryder from The Door Behind the Door on The Anti-Machine Machine

“Feel The Lightning” – Dan Deacon from Gliss Riffer on Domino

“Picture You” – The Amazing from Picture You on Partisan

“Broken Talk” – Gang of Four feat. Alison Mosshart from What Happens Next on Metropolis/Membran

“Cheap Extensions” – Sonny & the Sunsets from Talent Night at the Ashram on Polyvinyl

“Rosie” – The Lowest Pair from Sacred Heart Sessions on Team Love

“Trailways Ramble” – Steve Gunn/Black Twig Pickers from Seasonal Hire on Thrill Jockey

“Sunne” – Cheatahs from Sunne EP on Wichita

“House Shoes feat. Nina K” – Nadastrom from Nadastrom on Friends of Friends

“Chains” – The Airborne Toxic Event from Dope Machines on Epic

“Weather Vane” – Sam Prekop from Republic on Thrill Jockey

“Alone Again” – The King Khan & BBQ Show from Bad News Boys on In the Red Records

“Refugio” – Anthony Naples from Body Pill on Text

Miscellaneous Releases from Axis: Sova, Leviathan, Little Tornados and Rev. Peyton

A bad-ass combined assault of guitar jams, ferocious bass runs and frenzied drumming on Axis: Sova‘s seven-minute, instrumental track, “Fractal Ancestry,” qualifies it as a notable single from the album Early Surf.

“Fractal Ancestry” – Axis: Sova from Early Surf on God?/Drag City

We rarely featured what we call ‘monster rock’ aka ‘death metal,’ but there was such a strong response from music lovers to Leviathan’s new single, “All Tongues Toward,” that we decided to include it. The album art from the band’s Scar Sighted album is sick. We’ll see when the Top 10 comes out if they made it in. If you haven’t seen the Top 10 playlists for the first half of February check them out.

“All Tongues Toward” – Leviathan from Scar Sighted on Profound Lore

Have A Balloon – Little Tornados from We Are Divine on Rio Bogota Records

Unicorn Little Tornados from We Are Divine on Rio Bogota Records

And there was this very odd, but entertaining, music video from Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band.

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The Best New Album Releases for the first two weeks of February 2015 include new material from artists old and new, from folk and rock to pop and psych. The latest releases for this past week are reviewed and available below, followed by the first week of releases (Feb. 3-9) for the month, which include new singles and albums from Ólafur Arnalds, The Church, John Carpenter, Two Gallants, Dylan and many others.

Father John Misty, The Districts, The Do, Thurston Moore, Peace

Father John Misty has ordained the single, “Chateau Lobby #4,” from the well-received new album, I Love You, Honeybear, as the album’s first single. Next, one of the best new rock singles of 2015 is The District‘s track, “Peaches,” from their new album, A Flourish and a Spoil. Raucous guitar riffs and spatial percussions dominate the new title track from Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth) and John Moloney‘s new album, Full Bleed. Plus, listen to lead tracks from new LPs by The Do, Peace, Rone and Crushed Beaks.

If you missed any of the recent blockbuster DIY and indie posts and playlists, check out Best New Releases for January, the blockbuster Best New DIY Releases of 2015 and the on-going series featuring the Top DIY Songs and Albums of 2014.

“Chateau Lobby #4” – Father John Misty from I Love You, Honeybear on Sub Pop

“Peaches”– The Districts from A Flourish and a Spoil on Fat Possum

“Full Bleed” – Thurston Moore and John Moloney from Full Bleed on Northern Spy Records

Trustful Hands” – The Dø from Shake Shook Shaken on Get Down!

“World Pleasure” – Peace from Happy People (Deluxe Edition) on Columbia

“OUIJA” – Rone from Creatures on InFiné

“Overgrown” – Crushed Beaks from Scatter on Matilda Records/Moshi Moshi Records

Swedish artist Magnus Larsson, aka Pet Politics, released a compilation, titled simply, 2005-2008, of his solo music released on different labels during those years. The single we chose from the compilation is “The Ghost Mary and Her Friends.” The DIY band, Max and The Moon, self-released a new EP, MATM, featuring the single, “Modern Love.” You can purchase albums via Amazon by clicking the album title.

“The Ghost Mary and Her Friends” – Pet Politics from 2005-2008 on Novoton Records

Bonus: Taken Away By Aliens – Pet Politics from 2005-2008 on Novoton Records

“Modern Love” – Max and The Moon from MATM EP (self-released)

Top Releases for Feb. 3rd – 9th: Olafur Arnalds, Two Gallants, Title Fight, Dylan

The prolific multi-instrumentalist and Arcade Fire collaborator, Olafur Arnalds‘ score for the soundtrack of Broadchurch: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is out now, featuring the track, “Beth’s Theme.” Filmmaker John Carpenter releases his first non-soundtrack album, with the dark, cinematic orchestrations and pending doom rhythms. San Francisco duo Two Gallants dropped another roots blues rock and folk album We Are Undone, followed by Pennsylvania’s Title Fight and the new track – “Chlorine” – from the band’s decidedly more shoegaze-oriented album, Hyperview.

Beth’s Theme – Ólafur Arnalds from Broadchurch: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack on Mercury Classics

“Vortex” – John Carpenter from Lost Themes on Sacred Bones

“We Are Undone” – Two Gallants from We Are Undone on ATO

“Chlorine” – Title Fight from Hyperview on Anti

Bob Dylan, The Aging Master, Drops LP of Sinatra Covers

Even though Bob Dylan would scoff (and always has) at the suggestion that he is a musical genius, at the ripe old age of 73, Dylan (whose birth name was Robert Zimmerman) simply is just that – a musical genius. And yet he hates that. Just last week he said in an interview that if he had to do it all over again, he would have been a school teacher. Hmmm…the world would have surely been different today if he had become a school teacher, and perhaps not have benefited quite as much.

Dylan is a historic figure who not only had tremendous impact on music, but also the world. He has been a powerful, yet modest, warrior against the forces of evil in the world. Millions of people took his words in the 60’s and turned them into positive change across the globe – from the equal right movement to protests against war and violence. Now, Dylan, always evolving, has recorded an album of Frank Sinatra songs – and it’s, of course, brilliant.

“Stay With Me” – Bob Dylan from Shadows in the Night (No. 6 on Amazon) on Columbia

Singles from New LPs by The Church, Butch Walker, All We Are and Michna

Next up is the dreamy psych pop of “Pride Before A Fall” from The Church‘s 21st! album, Further/Deeper, a release that is a textured mix of majestic power pop and psych rock, atmospheric guitars. Butch Walker doesn’t fade away; he keeps coming back every year with more solid music. Such is the case with his newest LP, Afraid of Ghosts, featuring the mysteriously ominous, yet gorgeous, single, “Bed of Fire.” Plus, listen to singles from new albums by All We Are and Michna, Breakfast in Fur and The Staves, and a split single from Kind of Like Spitting and Warren Franklin & the Founding Fathers.

“Pride Before A Fall” – The Church from Further/Deeper on Unorthodox

“Bed of Fire” – Butch Walker from Afraid of Ghosts on Dangerbird Records

“Stone” – All We Are from All We Are on Domino/Double Six

“Portrait” – Breakfast in Fur from Flyaway Garden on Bar/None Records

“She Exists In My Mind” – Michna from Thousand Thursday on Ghostly International

“Stress Cadet” – Kind of Like Spitting/Warren Franklin & the Founding Fathers from It’s Always Nice to See You on Top Shelf Records

“Steady” – The Staves from If I Was on Atlantic

All the albums featured in this post are available for fast checkout on Amazon simply by clicking the album title.