The Albums You Need to Know About Every Week
Holy release day! No, like, literally this is a divine release day fabricated by the music gods. Below are fifteen records being released this week that we are seriously thrilled about. Beginning with the rookies, we’ve got Portland’s Pure Bathing Culture with their mega-dreamy, full-length debut, which is fantastic since we’ve been wearing out last year’s EP for some time now. Moon Tides is bound for “best of” lists everywhere, so do not sleep on this dazzling record. Not short on experience, but making his major label (Columbia) debut this week is Odd Future member Earl Sweatshirt, whose wit and skill are undeniable on Doris. Then, there’s Diana, who make their debut with Jagjaguwar this week, heavy on the dance pop vibes. And finally, the excessively cool Montreal band, How Sad, drop their debut EP this week full of intensely sweet, synth-laden pop hooks.
Our notable sophomore releases go first to Braids, whose art-pop digs a bit deeper into cerebral territory with their gorgeous new record. We just adore them. Not as much cerebral in terms of style, but just straight up brilliant, Julianna Barwick releases her second full-length this week which is lush and ambient and genius. Still Life Still is finally following up their 2009 party rock record with a more moody, yet ever eccentric and sexy new one. Auckland darlings, Surf City, mash up a bunch of our favorite genres including psych-rock and, obviously, surf rock in their reverb-drenched sophomore release. Atlanta’s (holla!) O’Brother serves up a heavily melodic progressive metal record with their second, and, last but most definitely not least even at all, Porcelain Raft is back with a “more organic” electronic record that will no doubt blow your damn mind to pieces with its beauty and brilliance. We are fans.
Two incredible bands/musicians that are releasing their third records this week are progressive jazz savant, Julia Holter, who centered this new record on the musical film, Gigi, and Denmark’s The Kissaway Trail, who hail from the other end of the musical spectrum, bringing noisy rock/pop bliss with their third.
Let’s talk veterans. Both Cali noise-pop band, Crocodiles, and noise-rock band, No Age, return with a fourth record — the former with grungy and druggy, the latter with artful and eccentric. Then there’s Ty Segall, who is a breed unto himself. Seeing this album title, Sleeper, I had to laugh since this is one musician who never rests. The San Fran garage rock god presents us with a sobering, mostly-acoustic record this time around inspired by the death of his father. It’s trippy because it’s Segall, but it’s obviously also poignant. Last are indie rock icons, Superchunk, dropping their tenth full-length! I Hate Music screams experience and energy with their forever amazingly charismatic punk pop sound. We bow down, Superchunk. We are not worthy.
