New music Tuesday | New Music |Jill Andrews — The Mirror (Liam Records)|Ida Maria — Katla (Island Def Jam) | Atari Teenage Riot — Is This Hyperreal? (Dim Mak Inc.)
Three cheers for New Music Tuesday, my lovelies, because we've got some really fantastic albums out this week and I'm quite certain there's something for pretty much everyone's musical appetite.
The top spot this week goes to a band I've only just heard of in the last couple of days. I'm a big fan of this Louisiana quartet's feel-good indie-pop sound. In Light is a fitting title for music that has some serious jam band elements making me feel like doing some crazy hippie dancing as if I were at Bonnarroo. For Vampire Weekend fans, you'll be elated; but in my opinion, Givers is even better. Singer Tiffany Lamson has a bit of gravel to her voice, reminiscent of Heartless Bastards frontwoman Erika Wennerstrom, and I can't get enough (especially since the male vocals seem to come in more frequently). I'm expecting huge things from these kids.
Iceland has given us some really incredible music acts, from Bjork and the Sugarcubes, Sigur Ros to Gus Gus. We can add FM Belfast to the list of electro indie acts whose pixie-lilted voices make my heart go pitter patter.
One of the greatest things about ATR is their ability to seamlessly blend electronic dance music with punk screams/chanting. It's Industrial, but it's also so much more and makes me want to pump my fist while shaking my chimichangas in my office chair. This is their first album together in years and it's a massive hit for me. Don't forget to grab the free download off of this record that I posted with their Women to Listen rec from a few weeks ago.
The Rosebuds — Loud Planes Fly Low (Merge Records)
This is the first album from the duo as divorced individuals. That's right, they were a band, got married, had success and then went their separate ways. Somehow, they were able to channel their emotions into making a gorgeous indie-rock record together as band mates. In all honesty, I am in awe of this since I can't even seem to stay friends with any of my exes or feel the need to be friends with them on Facebook. Kelly Crisp and Ivan Howard not only have my ears, they've also got my admiration.
You may remember Ida from her song, "I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked," which is a pretty fun jam to strangers on public transportation. Well the Norwegian rocker is back with another album and it's packed with similar punk-pop hits and some softer ballads like the album opener, "Quite Nice People."
I've been showering love upon the first album from this NYC based male/female duo since hearing the single "Abducted" a few months ago. They combine a dreamy California surf-pop sound with some Detroit garage rock. This album was made for the summer. You can stream it in its entirety over at Spinner.
Arch Enemy — Khaos Legions (Century Media Records)
The band has had a rotating cast of players in its 15 years but has remained dark, loud and raucous — perfect for death metal. Lead singer Angela Gossow screams out her lyrics like something is attacking her guts and she's trying to get her intestines to make like a boa constrictor to squash them. It's like Mortal Kombat for the soul.
On the other side of the musical spectrum from Arch Enemy is Jill Andrews. She's definitely more poppy and singer/songwriter-y than country but there's no mistaking her Southernness. Her voice is peaceful, her instruments graceful and lyrics sadly beautiful.
