Exitmusic, Young Man, El-p [week's Top Releases]

This week’s list of exciting releases includes two debuts, Young Man’s newest record, and the stellar return of one of New York’s most exciting hip hop artists. I’ll also be spending some time with the releases in our seldom seen Honorable Mentions section — there are way too many guilty pleasures in there not to pay attention.

Exitmusic – Passage // Buy

The hotly anticipated debut album from Brooklyn hipsters Exitmusic (@weareexitmusic) serves as a welcome antidote to the more cheery releases from similar boy-girl pop duos. Passage seems mellow and one-note on first listen, but Devon Church and Aleka Palladino’s tendency to dramatically shift emotions and tempos mid-song creates an intriguing dynamic that demands multiple listens.

The title of Young Man’s (@youngmanmusic) latest release is a bit misleading since Vol. 1 is actually the second installment in Colin Caulfield’s three-part album cycle. It is, however, Caulfield’s first venture into recording with a full band. He asserts that his biggest musical influences on Vol. 1 include his lifelong love of prog rock and a newfound appreciation for pop music by artists like Drake and Kelly Rowland. Interesting combination…

EL-P – The Full Retard // Buy

New York indie rapper/producer EL-P (@therealelp) is back with his first solo album in five years. A rager of a release, Cancer 4 Cure benefits from his limited use of featured performers, giving the record a focused cohesiveness befitting of the hip hop veteran. That being said, guest appearances by Danny Brown and Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire may just be the best rap verses you hear all year.

Vows may be Kimbra’s (@kimbramusic) debut album, but almost everyone has already heard her voice before — she’s the chick on the inescapable track “Somebody That I Used To Know” by fellow antipodean artist Gotye. The pop record Vows has a much shinier disposition than the jilted lover theme of the song that made her so recognizable in the states, and it’s already been at the top of the charts in the songstress’s native New Zealand for about a year now.

Gossip – A Joyful Noise
John Mayer – Born And Raised
Garbage – Not Your Kind Of People (90s revival FTW)
Tedeschi Trucks Band – Everybody’s Talkin’ (This couple does the blues better than most.)
Slash – Apocalyptic Love (Just because…)