Can you believe it’s already been two months since the last Robert Pollard-related release? I know, right?! It felt almost like three months! I mean, single-celled organisms have gone through at least a couple of life cycles, and the loaf of bread you bought back then might be a little moldy now. But Bob Pollard is not mold spore… no, he’s more productive, having this month topped his previous ‘09 outings — Cosmos’ Jar Of Jam Ton Of Bricks, Circus Devils’ Gringo, Boston Spaceships’ The Planets Are Blasted, and The Crawling Distance — with 22 two-minute tracks on his latest solo effort, Elephant Jokes, an album some critics are calling a return to mid-90’s form.

Other worthwhile releases come from Black Mold, an experimental side-project of Chad Vangaalen; Patrick Wolf, who was supposedly giving up showbiz amid the buzz generated by his last album; The Bottle Rockets, who are going over 15 years strong; and Malcolm Middleton, the other half of Arab Strap, whose fifth solo release may very well be his last (so he’s alluded). One you don’t want to miss: the remixed version of Balmorhea’s excellent 2008 album All Is Wild, All Is Silent. Check out the highlights below and get the full list from Largehearted Boy — and head out to your local record shop quickly, before Robert Pollard puts out another one!

Jim Bennett

You might have noticed since we’ve returned from Austin after SXSW, that we’ve been posting many videos with interviews and acoustic performances from bands like Andrew Bird, Army Navy, Say Hi, Longview, Deer Tick, The Features, and many others. While it’s difficult to choose favorites from among the sessions, there are certainly a few that stood out as being truly unique. Among them was the six-piece Austin-based ensemble Balmorhea, whose dynamic song structure, orchestral instrumentation, and folk influences simultaneously recall Mogwai as much as Ennio Morricone. For KEXP, Balmorhea performed three highly emotive songs: “Night In The Draw” and “Remembrance,” both of which you can watch here, and “Coahuila,” which you can download by subscribing to our Video of the Week podcast.

Hilary Harris

One of the must-haves from this week’s list of new releases (courtesy of our friend Largehearted Boy) is the latest from Elvis Perkins, who just performed songs from the new album, Elvis Perkins in Dearland, live in-studio yesterday at KEXP>. Also on the list, you’ll find a lot of bands heading down to SXSW next week: Bishop Allen, BLK JKS, Balmorhea, Casiotone For The Painfully Alone, Cursive, among others. Seattle bands and Northwest labels represent this week:Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band with a strong debut, a great new EP from Sleepy Eyes Of Death, plus the anticipated new releases from Handsome Furs (Sub Pop) and Mirah (K Records). One time Seattle resident Chris Cornell is putting out his Timbaland produced solo effort Scream. Also worth checking out are the latest from Extra Golden, Arboretum, Tim Heckner, Julie Doiron, Chin Chin, Madeline, Buddy and Julie Miller, Razorlight ,Madeleine Peyroux and the first release in nearly ten years from Los Fabulosos Cadillacs. Also, Merge is making available three out-of-print albums from KEXP regular Richard Buckner. There’s plenty to choose from, so get out there and support your local record shops!

Megan Carney

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Today’s featured selection, chosen by Morning Show host John Richards, is “Remembrance” by Balmorhea from their 2009 album All is Wild All is Silent on Western Vinyl.

Balmorhea: a small town in Western Texas (population 527) or a really mellow band from Austin; take your pick. Pronounced “Bal-more-ay,” the band is actually Rob Lowe and Michael Muller, along with a host of other musicians enlisted to play the various other orchestral instruments for the band. Another group taking a non-traditional approach, Balmorhea uses violins, banjos, upright bass, and cello’s to create their unique mix of orchestral, folk, and classical styles. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them banging on some boxes if they thought it would sound good. Their delivery isn’t exactly rushed, so songs take some time to develop and give you a chance to explore as a listener. The acoustic nature of their music means there isn’t room for a lot of vocals, but the band did enlist vocal help from local Tiny Vipers‘ Jesy Fortino for some of the more haunting lyrics, which should help give you an idea of the overall vibe of the new album. Today’s Song of the Day, “Remembrance,” is a great example of their work and while it starts off slow and “folky” at the beginning, it builds to an ecstatic swell and reminds you that sometimes good music can surprise you too.

Balmorhea just finished four shows in the Pacific Northwest and will be at SXSW before heading to Europe for 25-30 in April and May. Their new album All is Wild All is Silent will be released on March 10th (that’s today!). The band has their own Flickr page and you can listen to more of their music on their MySpace page. For now, here’s a recent performance of the “Remembrance,” performed on Jan 29th at Reed College, where they’re backed by Peter Broderick and Heather Broderick: