There’s probably a lot on your mind during this Midterm Election Day today, and Elvis Costello isn’t about to let you forget. In effort to steer the tide on this potentially climate changing day, Costello is making a lot of noise about National Ransom, his not quite Phil Ochs-ian yet politically charged new release. With the title song blasting the handling of the financial industry collapse and bail out, it’s an album likely to be on your mind as you head to the voting booth today.
While you’re on your way to the voting booths and ballot drop-off boxes, don’t forget to also drop by your local record store and pick up the rest of this week’s latest and greatest. (If you’re like me, your favorite shop might even be just a couple blocks from where you vote!) Other releases on the shelves come from some other old timers, including Keith Richards, who on the heels of his new autobiography, Life, continues to dig up his colorful past with a compilation of songs by his side project The X-Pensive Winos; sound-crafting icon Brian Eno returns with Small Craft on a Milk Sea; and Huey Lewis & The News ditch the yacht rock and strike land with their homage to the Stax legacy, Soulsville.
Other worthwhile new releases include the awaited full-length from Bear Hands; the debut of Daniel Lanois’ project Black Dub; the third album from The Autumn Defense, consisting of Wilco’s John Stirrat and Pat Sansone; the latest from Chicago’s The 1900′s; and yet another long-awaited debut from NYC’s Violens. All that, and a retrospective of Elliott Smith from Kill Rock Stars!
So don’t forget to vote... with your ballot and your dollars... and be sure to use our “new release voters guide” below and over at Largehearted Boy’s list:
The 1900s - Babies (MP3)
from Return of the Century on Parasol Records
AfroCubism - Nima Diyala
from AfroCubism on Nonesuch Records
The Autumn Defense - Back of My Mind (MP3)
from Once Around on Yep Roc Records
Barn Owl - Light from the Mesa (MP3)
from Ancestral Star on Thrill Jockey Records
Bear Hands - What A Drag (MP3)
from Burning Bush Supper Club on Cantora Records
Amy Bezunartea - All The Things We Were Supposed to Be (MP3)
from Restaurants & Bars on Kiam Records
Black Dub - I Believe In You
from Black Dub on Jive Records
Bleu - I’m In Love With My Lover
from Four on Mad Tea Party
Lelia Broussard - Satellite (MP3)
from Masquerade (self-released)
Elvis Costello - EPK
from National Ransom on Concord Records
Depth & Current - Don’t Go Away (MP3)
from Don’t Go Away / Calm To The Sea 7″ on Nice People
The High Dials - Chinese Boxes (MP3)
from Anthems for Doomed Youth on Rainbow Quartz
The Flower Machine - Falling in Love
from Lavender Lane on Rainbow Quartz
Josephine Foster & The Victor Herrero Band - Anda Jaleo (MP3)
from Anda Jaleo on Fire Records
Koen Holtkamp - Bees (MP3)
from Gravity/Bees on Thrill Jockey
Impossible Hair - You Can Own (MP3)
from Toast a Dozen (On The Outside) (self-released)
Sharon Kraus - Evergreen Sisters (MP3)
from The Woody Nightshade on Strange Attractors
Huey Lewis & The News - EPK
from Soulsville on Stax Records
Matt and Kim - Cameras
from Sidewalks on Fader Label
One Hundred Flowers - Rat Trap (MP3)
from Mechanical Bride on Stem and Leaf Records
Elliott Smith - Twilight (MP3)
From An Introduction to Elliott Smith on Kill Rock Stars
Bjørn Torske - Versjon Wolfenstein (MP3)
from Kokning on Smalltown Supersound
Violens - Violent Sensation Descends (MP3)
from Amoral on Friendly Fire Recordings
Weezer - Auto Pilot (MP3)
from Death To False Metal on David Geffen Company
