While you’re putting together your mid-summer soundtrack, you might want to consider a selection of the releases hitting store shelves this week. Sure, it’s now the calm before the storm that is next Tuesday’s release of the next Arcade Fire album, but that shouldn’t keep you from going to a record store today to pick up what many consider to be the best album yet from Portland’s Menomena, who will be LIVE ON KEXP tomorrow at noon to celebrate the album’s release.
Best Coast are always good for sunny, summery songs good for those hot days on the beach, and Cut Chemist‘s pan-African samples on his latest album are blazin’. Miami Beach electronic duo Afrobeta will get you dancing through the night with their electroclash meets Super Mario Bros. sound. More hot tunes can be found on the new albums by Jesca Hoop, psych-pop combo Jaill, the twangy Futurebirds, and a reinvented Tom Jones, whose latest is a set of stripped-down, blues/gospel covers (ladies, throwing panties on this tour would be very inappropriate). Then cool down with the breezy sounds of Seu Jorge and Almaz and the downright icy new album from Young Galaxy. There’re plenty more scorchers to be found on Largehearted Boy’s list. Check out these samples below and head over to your favorite record store:
Afrobeta - Two Different Worlds (MP3)
from Do You Party on Do IT Entertainment
Best Coast - When I’m With You
from Crazy for You on Mexican Summer
Busses - Stationary (MP3)
from Busses (self-released)
William Brittelle - Sheena Easton (MP3)
from Television Landscape on New Amsterdam
Cut Chemist - Adidas to Addis (MP3)
from Sound Of The Police on A Stable Sound
Dean & Britta - DVD trailer
from 13 Most Beautiful... Songs for Andy Warhol’s Screen Tests on Double Feature
Futurebirds - Johnny Utah (MP3)
from Hampton’s Lullaby on Autumn Tone
The Golden Dogs - Permanent Record (MP3)
from Coat of Arms on Nevado Records
Jesca Hoop - one track (MP3)
from Hunting My Dress on Vanguard Records
Jaill - The Stroller (MP3)
from That’s How We Burn on Sub Pop
Seu Jorge and Almaz - Everybody Loves The Sunshine (MP3)
from Seu Jorge And Almaz on Now Again
Tom Jones - Strange Things
from Praise & Blame on Mercury Nashville
The Knocks - Make It Better (MP3)
from Make It Better on Neon Gold
LACHI - We Can Fly (MP3)
from LACHI on Fanatic Records
Menomena - Five Little Rooms (MP3)
from Mines on Barsuk Records
Miniature Tigers - Gold Skull
from Fortress on Modern Art Recordings
My Other Friend - Collectors (MP3)
from Burning Bright Tonight on Musebox Records
Mark Olson - Little Bird of Freedom (MP3)
from Many Colored Kite on Rykodisc
The Shimmies - Judas (MP3)
from To All Beloved Enemies (self-released)
Sky Sailing - Brielle
from An Airplane Carried Me to Bed on Republic
Social Studies - Dante & Corey War (MP3)
from Wind Up Wooden Heart on Antenna Farm
Christopher Willits - Sun Body (MP3)
from Tiger Flower Circle Sun on Ghostly International
Young Galaxy - Queen Drum (MP3)
from Invisible Republic on Paper Bag Records
VA - The Builder (soundtrack)
Sam Amidon - Cabin in the Corner (MP3)
on Jagjaguwar
One Comment
I’m listening to the ‘Strange Things’ track by Tom Jones as I write this comment.
What a brilliant album from the best male voice ever! It’s a treat to hear some quality music that has been recorded more or less ‘as it comes’ without excessive compression or multi-tracking. But let’s face it, TJ doesn’t need much help to belt out these soulful numbers.
Keep on rocking Sir Tom, you are the best there is!