New Releases: July 29, 2008

Kind of slow week in rock n' roll land...

MARGOT AND THE NUCLEAR SO AND SO'S: The Daytrotter Sessions EP
Makes you wonder why more bands don't package up those sessions as an official release.

PETER SALETT: In the Ocean of the Stars
A solo disc of tunes from the guy that wrote the tunes in movies like Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Who would've thunk it...

BOWERY BOY BLUE: Stalk That Myth
Lo-fi Americana from yes, you guessed it, New York.

JOHNNY FLYNN: A Larum
Country artist from London signed to Lost Highway. I'd like to hear more.

New Releases: July 22, 2008

BRENDAN CANNING – Something for All of Us...
The latest installment from the “Broken Social Scene Presents…” series. Expect hipness.

DR. DOG - Fate
Collectors will love that these Philly guys have released their new album in a whole lot of formats and special packages.

BLACK KIDS - Partie Traumatic
Hoping that this full-length lives up to the much-hyped singles.

BODIES OF WATER - A Certain Feeling
Husband/wife team (with band) still finding company with the Arcade Fire types. Big, atmospheric, call and response vocals.

U2 - Boy, October, War Deluxe Reissues
Some of their best work, no doubt, but do we really need to throw more money at these guys?

WINDMILL - Puddle City Racing Lights
The brainchild of the UK's Matthew Thomas Dillon gets a US release for his first disc. Comparisons range from Mercury Rev to shoe-gaze.

FALCON - Falcon {EP}
A truly unique backstory that is certainly worth a listen. They play songs written by an institutionalized middle-schooler.

BENJI HUGHES - A Love Extreme
You don't see too many debut double albums, do you? He jams in multiple genres across 25 songs.

LOW vs DIAMOND - Low vs Diamond
Five piece rock from LA. Comparisons to U2 and The Strokes. Brought to you by Epic Records.

The Hold Steady - Stay Positive

The Hold Steady's fourth album has deservedly earned them an awful lot of "buzz." The band has been on an upward trend, both commercially and artistically, for the last four – five years. Whether premeditated or not, the tunes have become more, well… melodic, the venues larger, and the earnings (presumably) higher. With all this comes critical and fanatic expectations that must be met. In this regard, Stay Positive does not disappoint.

The album opens with "Constructive Summer," a tune that could be the soundtrack to anyone's summer at some point in their life… if not every summer of their life. It's filled with great lyrics like the imperative, "Get hammered!" and the oh-so-true, "Raise a toast to Saint Joe Strummer… I think he might have been our only decent teacher." The first single, "Sequestered in Memphis," follows and from there you're hooked in. Suddenly the car windows are down and the Hold Steady are your favorite band.

But hold on for a moment, for the album departs from stadium-sized hooks for a couple tracks before returning with the classic rock ballad, "Lord, I’m Discouraged." It's in part a break-up song that anyone can relate to. Who hasn’t been on the other side of the hookup who, "ain't come out dancing for some time." It also talks about the fact that some new guy is using her as a speed bag during his brief visits. Oh, and Tad Kubler plays a killer guitar solo, too.

The previous Hold Steady discs have had fairly overt themes and recurring characters: Hoodrats, Charlemagne, and boys and girls, for example. Stay Positive's themes are a bit further under the surface; nevertheless, images of physical abuse, domestic and otherwise, show their teeth on a few occasions. Given the title of the disc, the album is fairly dark, especially when compared against Boys & Girls. Despite the darker imagery, the hooks don't relent. You might find yourself singing along with lines like, "magazines and daddy issues… I hope you let me kiss you," before realizing just how depressing they are.

In all, this is a formidable follow-up to Boys & Girls and a logical step forward for a band on the rise.

Don't forget that the physical release of the disc includes three "bonus" songs that are combined into one untitled track closing out the disc. Not surprisingly, each song is completely worthy of being a proper track on the disc, but I guess you've gotta create some demand for the CD any way you can.

New Releases: July 15, 2008

With the holiday behind there are a bunch of new discs this week.

NATALIE PORTMAN'S SHAVED HEAD: Glistening Pleasure
OK, we took the "ridiculous band name" bait and mentioned them.

SAM CHAMPION: Heavenly Bender
It's a band from NY, not a dude. Indie pop rock. Pavement fans? Sounds good.

SWALLOWS: Songs For Strippers (And Other Professions)
Boy/girl duo from Portland. People like to call their stuff experimental indie pop.

WILD SWEET ORANGE: We Have Cause To Be Uneasy
Rock from down South, but not necessarily Southern Rock.

THE HOLD STEADY: Stay Positive
The physical release of their 4th disc adds three tracks not available digitally.

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