It's a release as big as his mouth -- the latest from trouble-making troubadour Jack White is titled Lazaretto. KEXP Music Director Don Yates describes the album as, "a typically masterful set of rootsy rock ranging from high-stepping blues-rock and brooding, spaghetti western-influenced rock to plaintive country and folk-tinged ballads."
The new release from Swedish sister duo First Aid Kit is a "more musically sophisticated and lyrically personal take on their poignant folk-pop, featuring a variety of majestic, beautifully crafted songs with lush arrangements combining strings, acoustic guitars, piano and a variety of other instrumentation with the sisters’ soaring harmonies and intimate lyrics of heartache, doubt and homesickness."
The sophomore release from Seattle/Northern California band Craft Spells "features more intricate and sophisticated songs than their promising 2011 debut, along with a more polished and fleshed-out sound, incorporating piano, strings, wind instruments, mellotron and more." San Francisco band The Fresh & Onlys share "another solid set of jangly psych-pop inflected with ‘80s dream-pop, surf, spaghetti western and other styles, featuring a variety of well-crafted songs ranging from propulsive rockers to atmospheric ballads." And everyone's been asking about the latest from London artist Tom Vek, which Yates describes as "another solid set of New Waveish electro-rock with jagged guitars, fuzzy synths, propulsive rhythms, monotone vocals and often-sardonic lyrics."
Swedish project Lust For Youth has evolved from the solo project of producer Hannes Norrvide to a trio, "recasting their sound from droning lo-fi to a more fully produced and melodic kind of ‘80s-steeped electro-pop with warm synths, atmospheric guitars, occasional tropical textures and sturdy song hooks." After 35 years, Pretenders frontwoman Chrissie Hynde releases her solo debut, collaborating with Björn Yttling of Peter Bjorn & John. And after almost 30 years, Cherry Red Records is reissuing the classic C86 compilation, originally released as a cassette in 1986 by NME Magazine. The infamous collection included then-unknowns like Primal Scream, The Pastels, Shop Assistants and The Wedding Present. The deluxe reissue has been expanded to a 3-CD set, featuring never-before-released tracks exclusive to this release.
Brooklyn band The Antlers release their fifth album, Familiars, today, and KEXP Music Director Don Yates calls it, "a gorgeous, deeply felt set of dreamy ambient-pop tinged with elements of elegiac jazz and southern soul on lengthy, slowly swelling songs featuring muted guitars, mournful trumpets, …
What a great way to kick off June! Just look at this list of new releases. A clear highlight for KEXP has been the latest from indie rock veteran Bob Mould. KEXP Music Director Don Yates describes the latest from the former Husker Du/Sugar frontman as, "in the same vein as 2012’s excellent Silver A…
