You may not have heard much of them yet, but Choc Quib Town are creating a stir worldwide. Already nominated for a Latin Grammy for Best New Artist, the Colombian trio creates a funky mix of hip-hop, native folk, and Afro-Colombian rhythms that’s now infecting the airwaves in the U.S. Their American debut, Oro, out today, is actually a collection of hits from their two previous albums, released only in Columbia, and has landed top shelf in KEXP’s rotation and hopefully right in your shopping basket as well. Also out today is the latest from These New Puritans, a complexly cinematic post-punk affair involving a 13-piece orchestra (particularly featuring a bassoon), electronic beats, and dark rhythms composed to seem both triumphant and adversarial -- and it’s definitely a winning hand as far as the critics are concerned. New Zealand’s The Ruby Suns also return this week with their third LP of sun-kissed psychedelic pop. If there were any logical space between TNP and The Ruby Suns, then Athens, GA, band Twin Tigers would find it. Their long-awaited Gray Waves is an affecting album emotive pop lyrics and psyched-out guitars.
Clash, trash, and lo-fi/no-fi goodness can be found on the latest out by Portland’s Jaguar Love and two Brooklyn bands, Golden Triangle and Japanther. And if you didn’t get enough psych-pop already, WHY? drummer Josiah Wolf has released his first solo album, which will surely appeal to fans of Animal Collective, El Guincho, and other experimental songmakers. But if roots and blues are more your game, check out the new Alligator Records releases by The Holmes Brothers and Guitar Shorty.
There’s a lot more to choose from this week, including the album from Peter Gabriel, his first in eight years, a covers collection of completely drum- and guitar-less renditions of newer and older favorites from the likes of David Bowie, Paul Simon, Arcade Fire, Elbow, and others. Check out Largehearted Boy’s list for more reasons to cash your paycheck early.
A Weather - Giant Stairs (MP3)
from Everyday Balloons on Team Love Records
Athlete - Black Swan Song
from Black Swan on Original Signal
Borknagar - Havoc
from Universal on Indie Recordings
Boy Eats Drum Machine - Hoop + Wire (MP3)
from Hoop + Wire on Tender Loving Empire
Bradley - Your Money (MP3)
from MountainTigerWolf on Drip Audio
Bridges and Blinking Lights - Undercover (MP3)
from Heroes, Guns & Snakes on Team Clermont
Choc Quib Town - De Donde Vengo Yo (MP3)
from Oro on Nacional
Citizen Cope - Healing Hands
from The Rainwater LP on R.E.D. Distribution
Clogs - On the Edge (MP3)
from The Creatures in the Garden of Lady Walton on Brassland Records
Jamie Cullum - I’m All Over It
from The Pursuit on Verve
Peter Gabriel - Heroes (for Haiti)
from Scratch My Back on Real World
Golden Triangle - Neon Noose (MP3)
from Double Jointer on Hardly Art
Groove Armada - I Won’t Kneel
from Black Light on OM Records
Guitar Shorty - Too Late (MP3)
from Bare Knuckle on Alligator Records
John Hiatt - The Open Road (MP3)
from The Open Road on New West Records
The Holmes Brothers - Living Well is the Best Revenge (MP3)
from Feed My Soul on Alligator Records
Jaguar Love - Up All Night
from Hologram Jams on Fat Possum
Japanther - Spread So Thin (MP3)
from Rock N Roll Ice Cream on Menlo Park Recordings
Kiki Pau - An Old Song (MP3)
from The White Mountain on Johanna Kustannus
Krishna Das - Narayana/For Your Love (MP3)
from Heart As Wide As The World on Nutone/Nettwerk
The Library Is On Fire - Vanessas Theatre of Peace (MP3)
from Magic Windows, Magic Nights on R.E.D. Distribution
Little Boots - Remedy
from Hands on Elektra Records
Marrow - Use Me (MP3)
from Sunshine Enema (self-released)
Overnight Lows - City of Rotten Eyes (MP3)
from City of Rotten Eyes on Goner Records
Peasant - Well Alright (MP3)
from Shady Retreat on Paper Garden Records
Emma Pollock - Hug the Harbour (MP3)
from The Law Of Large Numbers on Chemikal Underground
Portugal. The Man - Dead Dog (MP3)
from American Ghetto on Equal Vision Records
Rogue Wave - Good Morning (MP3)
from Permalight on Brushfire Records
The Ruby Suns - Cranberry (MP3)
from Fight Softly on Sub Pop
Strange Boys - Be Brave
from Be Brave from In the Red Records
Tenlons Fort - You Won’t Be With Me (MP3)
from Shelters (self-released)
These New Puritans - Orion Hidden (MP3)
from Hidden on Domino
Twin Tigers - Sexless Love (MP3)
from Gray Waves on Old Flame Records
Typhoon - Starting Over (MP3)
from Hunger + Thirst on Tender Loving Empire
Josiah Wolf - Master Cleanse (California) (MP3)
from Jet Lag on Anticon
One Comment
Hola a todos!
Quiero decir que ChocQuibTown es tremendo!
En Colombia, junto con Superlitio, son los más! Además creo que colaboraron juntos en el último disco de SL, Calidosound.
Bueno, el hecho es que debemos apoyar a nuestra artistas...
Hace poco escuché que Superlitio están preparando una gira por Estados Unidos en marzo. Si no estoy mal, van a tocar en Washington el 12, en NYC el 13, dos showcases en el SXSW Festival en Austin, Texas, el 18 y 19, y el 20 de marzo en Miami.
Desafortunadamente yo no podré ir a verlos, pero si alguno de ustedes está en alguna de esas ciudades, les recomiendo que vayan a verlos!
Saludos!
o