Justice, Surfer Blood, Brian Wilson [week's Top Releases]

This week, the world finally gets to hear the long awaited second album from Justice and what it would sound like if The Beach Boys/Brian Wilson (@brianwilsonlive) soundtracked our favorite Disney movies. Deer Tick (@deertickmusic) gives us a glimpse into what they sound like during their live show and Surfer Blood (@surferbloods) drops a little treat of an EP before leaving Kanine Records for a major label sophomore release.

Canon – Justice

French electronic duo Justice finally released their follow-up to sensational debut album †. Audio, Video, Disco may not live up to the originality of Cross, but the failure stems primarily from the sheer revolutionary vision of the debut – one of the first albums to merge electronic dance music with arena rock sensibilities. The album does, however, still manage to bring something new to the table. Gaspard Auge and Xavier de Rosnay played all the instruments on the album themselves, and they admit to it sounding much more “band-y” than their debut. They won’t be picking up guitars or banging actual drum heads for live performances anytime soon, though. Both say they’re not good enough for that yet.

Heigh Ho/Whistle While You Work – Brian Wilson

Brian Wilson can pretty much do whatever he wants, and his latest project is to release an album full of Disney covers. Totally makes sense, right? Not surprisingly, The Beach Boys aesthetic pairs pretty well with the clever songwriting of Disney classics like “I Just Can’t Wait To Be King” from The Lion King or “Kiss The Girl” from The Little Mermaid. Nevermind that Brian Wilson fans are nowhere near the age of Disney’s biggest demographic, they will purchase Songs In The Key Of Disney in droves. Plus, the material may turn today’s kids into a bunch of new Wilson diehards.

Miss K – Deer Tick

One of the better bands to have the overused “deer” in their name, Deer Tick released their fourth full-length album today. Divine Providence sets out to capture the intense thrill of Deer Tick’s live shows, which have recently gained even more notoriety since the band has started performing as “Deervana,” an all Nirvana cover band. It’s a solid record that boasts no studio magic and reaffirms Deer Tick as a band that will be around for a long while. You can get a free download of “Main Street” here.

Miranda – Surfer Blood

Surfer Blood just followed-up their 2010 debut album Astro Coast with a smaller release that pushes the band towards a more mainstream appeal. The Tarot Classics EP is lighter in sound (less bass) but much deeper in content. The boys get a bit more introspective here, but they still maintain the surfer vibe and unique melodies that made their debut so successful. This will be the band’s last release on indie label Kanine Records. Instead, they’ll release their sophomore full-length on Warner Bros. Records.