It’s fitting that as KEXP broadcasts for the first time internationally from the KEX Hostel in Reykjavik, Iceland, that the most well-known singer from that country, Björk, would be putting out a new album and topping this week’s list of new releases. In what she’s described as “a multi-media project encompassing music, apps, internet, installations and live shows,” Biophilia returns the elven queen of alternative music to a more experimental phase, as she uses a collection of custom made instruments to turn her dynamic sounds from spare and stark to rich and occasionally explosive. Also releasing a new album this week is the ever-prolific Ryan Adams, who turns in his most stripped down album since Heartbreaker. The new one, Ashes and Fire, may be de-amplified due to his ongoing bout with Ménière’s disease, but the low voltage allows him to really showcase his songwriting talents.
Other new releases you should pick up when you do your record shopping this week include the latest from Casiokids, whose Aabenbaringen over aaskammen, finds the Danish band experimenting a bit more with their sound and style, and just having fun! Former (current?) Archers of Loaf frontman Eric Bachmann returns as Crooked Fingers with his sixth album, Breaks in the Armor, which our Music Director, Don Yates, calls “another well-crafted set of mostly dark folk-rock, with understated arrangements and finely chiseled lyrics detailing some of his strongest Crooked Fingers songs to date.”
Plenty more worthwhile new albums await this week from artists including High Places, Future Islands, Jeffrey Lewis, Still Corners, Joe Henry, and others. Check out Largehearted Boy’s list for a full lineup and sample these tracks before making your way out the door:
Ryan Adams - Lucky Now
from Ashes & Fire on PaxAm
Björk - Moon
from Biophilia on Nonesuch
Casiokids - Golden Years (MP3)
from Aabenbaringen over aaskammen on Polyvinyl Records
Color Radio - Quiet House (MP3)
from Architects on Mapless Records
Crooked Fingers - Typhoon (MP3)
from Breaks in the Armor on Merge
Danielle Duval - Sundowner (featuring Jason Collett) (MP3)
from Of the Valley (self-released)
Extra Arms - Race to Sleep (MP3)
from In Parallel on Bibliotec Recordings
Future Islands - Balance (MP3)
from On the Water on Thrill Jockey
John Wesley Harding - Sing Your Own Song (MP3)
from The Sound of His Own Voice on Yep Roc Records
Hess is More - Creation Keeps the Devil Away (MP3)
from Creation Keeps the Devil Away on Nublu Records
Joe Henry - album promo
from Reverie on Anti- Records
High Places - Year Off (MP3)
from Original Colors on Thrill Jockey
Gill Landry - Annie (MP3)
from Piety & Desire on Nettwerk
Jeffrey Lewis - Cult Boyfriend (MP3)
from A Turn in the Dream-Songs on Rough Trade
Library Voices - Traveller’s Digest (MP3)
from Summer of Lust on Dine Alone Records
The Morning Clouds - The Wrong Things (MP3)
from Wasted Youth Blues EP on Lefse Records
Radio Moscow - Little Eyes (MP3)
from The Great Escape of Leslie Magnafuzz on Alive Records
Rocket from the Tombs - I Sell Soul (MP3)
from Barfly on Fire Records
Savaging Spires - Bending the Rules of Time (MP3)
from Savaging Spires on Critical Heights
Still Corners - Cuckoo (MP3)
from Creatures of an Hour on Sub Pop
Sun Hotel - Alchemy (http://bantermm.com/tracks/SunHotel-Alchemy.mp3)
from Gifts (self-released)
T.W. Walsh - Make It Rhyme (MP3)
from Songs of Pain and Leisure on Graveface Records
Rachael Yamagata - Starlight (MP3)
from Chesapeake on Frankenfish Records
Yukon Blonde - Fire (MP3)
from Fire/Water EP on Dine Alone Records
One Comment
Great album from the crooked fingers! Looking forward to listening also to the rest! I think you are doing a great job! Stay indie