Out This Week 5/17

One of our many guests performing this Friday at the Sunset Tavern in Ballard during our annual Hood to Hood broadcast, Point Juncture, WA (actually from Portland) has a stunning new album out this week on local label Mt. Fuji Records. Our Music Director, Don Yates, says that the band’s “visceral take on their atmospheric indie-pop sound” on Handsome Orders makes for “their strongest set of songs to date.” You can buy the album now and come see them for free on Friday at 11AM at the Sunset.

Also out this week, longtime KEXP favorite Moby returns with something like his 10th studio album, Destroyed, paired with a book of photos, and composed during late night bouts with insomnia. The moody, woes-of-travel themed album is perfect for the rainy midnight hours here in the Northwest. Toronto band Austra picks up the tempo a bit with their slightly more danceable brand of synth-pop that’s yet still moody and even a little gothy. Thanks to ringing vocals by Katie Stelmanis, the band’s debut, Feel It Break, comes through like a cross between Florence + the Machine and The Knife. And Atlanta band Gold-Bears combine twee pop melodies with noisy, punky distortion on their debut LP, Are You Falling In Love?.

Other new releases come illustrator, animator and songwriter Chad VanGaalen; LA-based rocker Ben Harper; Bay Area experimental garage-rockersThee Oh Sees; and a unique paring of Grammy winning producer Danger Mouse and Italian film composer Daniele Luppi, who together create an epic movieless soundtrack while enlisting Jack White and Norah Jones to guest on vocals.

In stores today, you’ll also find new releases by more artists teaming up with others or striking out on their own. 13 & God, the collaboration between The Notwist and Themselves (plus Dax and Antonionian from Subtle), return with their first album in six years. Former Rilo Kiley guitarist Blake Sennett has restarted his project The Elected, with assistance from a few friends including Bright Eyes’ Mike Mogis. Their third album comes out today. And The Clientele’s Alasdair MacLean joins Lupe Núñez-Fernández of Pipas and enlists a handful of other friends to record the romantic chamber pop debut of Amor de Días. Appropriately enough, they’ll be touring with dream-pop duo Damon & Naomi, who also have a new record out this week.

You can find all these and more, including a 4-disc “Bootleg Collection” if Iggy Pop recordings, on Larghearted Boy’s list. But first, take your time and sample all of the new releases collected here. You’re bound to find some new discoveries for your pre-summer playlist!