This week is pretty huge. With new releases from Pearl Jam, Times New Viking and The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart falling on the cutting room floor for this post, I was still only able to keep it down to four records that I couldn't help but make recommendations for. Hope you've been saving your dimes and pennies, it's one hell of a day at the record store.
There's a toxicity to the music of Long Island's Brand New that sets them apart from the rest of the "emo" set. This was especially true on the walls of distorted feedback and screams of irrepressible angst and rage that comprised 2006's The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me. After a cursory listen to the new Daisy, it seems to follow the line of its predecessor, indulging in the scalding qualities of a well-f--ked-with amp and the kind of viciously cathartic soul searching most of the band's peers would balk at for fear it wouldn't sell. I for one am still buying.
With a line-up that includes such heavyweights as My Morning Jackets' Jim James, Connor Oberst, M. Ward and Mike Mogis, it'd be nearly impossible to ignore the supergroup Monsters of Folk. Expect a lot of crooning from the excellently mellow M. Ward, a little more of the Prince-style vibrato from the well-piped James, acidic barks from Oberst and fantastic songwriting from all. If these four very large personalities can manages to keep from stepping all over each other's toes, this could be pretty fun. Once again, whole album's up to check out at the band's MySpace.
There ain't a thing wrong at all with a big-ass pop song, and the U.K.'s The Big Pink understand this well. With tidal waves of synths, varying and and always catchy beats and hooks so large they might not even fit inside the room you're listening to them in, the duo makes a splendidly larger-than-life confection that just screams to be let loose in an arena. But to be honest with you, the couple songs I've check out so far were so good, I was pretty much elated just dancing like a fool in my apartment. Good thing my roommate isn't home.
Following "Chillin," a single that uses a sample from "Good Bye" (you know, Na-Na-Na-Hey-Hey-sports "Good Bye") and a guest spot form none other than Lady Gaga to transform Wale's steely hard verse into pop magic and Back To The Feature, probably the best tape to come out this summer, how could I not recommend this one? The stars being properly aligned, Wale's jump from mixtape maven to mainstream sensation seems close at hand. Get ready to take the ride.
That's all I've got for this week. Go out, get some tunes and have a good time.
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