A big ol' batch of new albums hits this first week of May. Curated list below, with info, lots of media, and links for the ones you want to know about most or those you may not have heard of (but should know). Click here to see releases from the past several weeks…And So I Watch You from Afar, Heirs (Sargent House)
Best Coast, California Nights (Harvest)
Actual release date May 4.
Mikal Cronin, MCIII (Merge)
An associate of Ty Segall (he plays bass in Segall's band and collabed on some recordings with him, too), Cronin is developing quite the rep in his own right.
Django Django, Born Under Saturn (Ribbon Music)
The UK Beta Band-inspired outfit (which features drummer/producer David Maclean, brother to former Beta John Maclean) has diverged from their sound a bit and gotten more electro-oriented. Haven't decided if their sophomore LP is a creeper yet or not, but definitely not as immediately likeable as their debut. "Beginning to Fade" is nice enough, though. Video below.
Downtown Boys, A Wave of History (Don Giovanni)
EMEFE, EMEFE (self-release)
The Afro-funk, jangle rock ensemble from NYC that's led by Antibalas drummer Miles Arntzen laid down another stellar set in Tampa Bay at last weekend's Tropical Heatwave. Now, EMEFE presents a PledgeMusic-funded sophomore LP. So far, what I've heard reminds me of Talking Heads in the best way, while managing to sound rather distinctive all on its own, with a funkier groove and bombastic horns. Check out the video for "Same Thing" below.
Jacco Gardner, Hypnophobia (Polyvinyl)
The Dutch multi-instrumentalist of lush, retro-evocative psychedelia employs Wurlitzer electric piano, mellotrons, harpsichords, an Optigan, and an antique Steinway upright piano in his latest LP, his vocals ethereal droning harmonies that are as lovely and mesmerizing as his music. Video for trippy grooving "Find Yourself" below.
Hiatus Kaiyote, Choose Your Weapon (Flying Buddha/Sony Music Masterworks)
Hop Along, Painted Shut (Saddle Creek)
Ivan & Alyosha, It’s All Just Pretend (Dualtone)
Lyrics Born, Real People (Mobile Home)
Mac McCaughan, Non-Believers (Merge)
[Of Superchunk]
Metz, II (Sub Pop)
Mumford & Sons, Wilder Mind (Glassnote)
My Morning Jacket, The Waterfall (ATO/Capitol)
Technically, this album came out yesterday (May 4), but for the sake of this post, I'm throwing it in here because i know you want to know about this much-anticipated release from Jim James and his merry crew of Kentucky rockers.
Nosaj Thing, Fated (Innovative Leisure)
The moody, downtempo third album from the LA producer otherwise known as Jason Chung. Check out the slow jam of " Cold Stares" featuring Chance The Rapper and The O'My's below.
Pale Honey, Pale Honey (Instant Records)
Pree, Rima (Paper Garden Records)
Michael Rault, Living Daylight (Burger Records)
Todd Rundgren, Lindstrøm & Emil Nikolaisen, Runddans (Smalltown Supersound)
From the release: "Runddans is result of the collaboration between Todd Rundgren, Hans-Peter Lindstrøm and Emil Nikolaisen (Serena-Maneesh). It’s a spiritual magnus-opus, that stands alongside Rundgren's most worshipped trippy albums of the seventies, fusing his blue-eyed soul with Lindstrom’s disco epics and Emil Nikolaisen’s studio trickery into a cosmic mix of soul, synth, pop and disco." I must admit to being intrigued. Interview with Rundgren below along with samples from the album
STS x RJD2, STS x RJD2 (RJ's Electrical Connections)
As far as I'm concerned, anything RJD2 produces is gold. This collab with STS (who's behind Ciara's ''Oh'', The Roots ''How I Got Over'' LP among others) is a full-length described as "beautiful, soulful, poetic, and fluid music that is both timeless, and like nothing else in rap today ... Heavily melodic and still able to rattle a trunk, this debut album takes nods from the Impressions to Ludacris to Wu-Tang, all the while holding originality, razor sharp lyricism, and a deep pocket in the highest regard." Check "Hold On Here It Go" below.
Torres, Sprinter (Partisan)
Hell yeah. It's like, Muse meets Hole, but, not like either. That is all.
Twinsmith, Alligator Years (Saddle Creek)
Paul van Dyk, The Politics Of Dancing 3 (Ultra)
Warm Soda, Symbolic Dream (Castle Face)
The Word, Soul Food (Vanguard)
Fourteen years after collabing on a self-titled album, The Word — a supergroup of rockers made up of MMW keyboardist John Medeski, pedal steel guitarist Robert Randolph, and the three members of the North Mississippi Allstars, guitarist Luther Dickinson, drummer Cody Dickinson and bassist Chris Chew — present a sophomore release.
ALSO OUT THIS WEEK
All People, Learn Forget Repeat
Coliseum, Anxiety's Kiss
Gacha, Send Two Sunsets
Led To Sea, The Beautiful Humming of Ms. Fortune
Hannah Miller, Hannah Miller
Oddisee, The Good Fight
Other Lives, Rituals
Palma Violets, Danger In The Club
Six Feet Under, Crypt Of The Devil
Rose Windows, Rose Windows
Chris Stapleton, Traveller
Tasseomancy, Palm Wine Revisited
Andreya Triana, Giants
Turnover, Peripheral Vision
Van Hunt, The Fun Rises, The Fun Sets
Walls, Urals