Sharon Van Etten, of Montreal, Dr. Dog [week's Top Releases]

This is certainly a big week with some incredibly exciting new releases. Sharon Van Etten drops an introspective follow-up to 2010’s Epic and A Place To Bury Strangers puts out a small shoegaze-y EP before heading out on tour. The rest of the releases, from Of Montreal, Dr. Dog, and Royal Baths, all share a similar psychedelic background, but still manage to stand alone as unique projects.

Serpents – Sharon Van Etten // Buy

Sharon Van Etten’s (@sharonvanetten) latest album was highly anticipated given the strength of her 2010 breakthrough Epic. Though Tramp possesses the same self-confessional vibe that Van Etten has always exuded, the album also seems more thoroughly thought-out and cohesive. This could be attributed to the help Van Etten received from The National’s Aaron Dessner who produced the album. Other recognizable collaborators making an appearance are Wye Oak’s Julie Wasner, Julianna Barwick and Beirut’s Zach Condon. Van Etten has said that the process of making music is a type of self-therapy for her and that she uses it to heal emotional scars. Largely personal, Tramp is definitely a step in that direction.

Of Montreal (@xxofmontrealxx) has always had a very distinct sound, and their new album is no exception to that rule. There are certainly familiar Of Montreal resonances here, but Paralytic Stalks is also it’s own original animal. It’s a work full of auditory experiments that result in a lush, psychedelic wall of sound. Kevin Barnes has said that he was highly inspired by twentieth-century modern classical music, and that influence is heavily noticeable in the orchestral touches that dominate the record’s landscape. More of an experience than a collection of songs, Paralytic Stalks may be Of Montreal’s most ambitious album to date.

Dr. Dog (@drdogmusic) has been releasing consistently solid records for about a decade now, but they always seem to fly just below the radar. While earlier efforts from the Philadelphia band were loaded with experimentation into different genres and sounds, Be The Void sees the guys returning to what they do best: 1960s-inspired psychedelic rock and roll. It’s the first record with new drummer Eric Slick and multi-instrumentalist Dmitri Manos, and guitarist/vocalist Scott McMicken calls the it “reckless and bold”. Be The Void might just have the potential to catapult Dr. Dog out of the “criminally underrated” category.

So Far Away – A Place to Bury Strangers // Buy

Brooklyn shoegazers A Place To Bury Strangers (@aptbs) released their latest EP today. Onwards To The Wall doesn’t see APTBS exploring any new territory, but it is another great example of what the band does well. Noisy and abrasive, the EP is a nice little treat of new material before the band embarks on a lucrative 2012 tour with dates in both North America and Europe.

Darling Divine – Royal Baths // Buy

Psych-rock band Royal Baths (@theroyalbaths) have a dark disposition that they’ve further explored with their sophomore disc. Heavy on reverb, feedback, and spastic guitars, Better Luck Next Life radiates a gloomy, shadowy theme that the San Francisco duo has perfected since making the move to New York City.