Gorillaz
Plastic Beach
(Virgin)
SOUNDS LIKE: The super group's long-awaited follow up to Demon Days is solid but not a revelation, guests like Snoop, Mos, and Lou Reed help out
FREE ASSOCIATION: Nobody does singing hip hop cartoons quite like they do
FOR FANS OF: Handsome Boy Modeling School, Dr. Octogon, Blur
Broken Bells
Broken Bells
(Columbia)
SOUNDS LIKE: Shins man James Mercer and Danger Doom make a stylized Shins record with a bit more variety, atypical rhythms and instrumentation
FREE ASSOCIATION: Not sure leaving your boys in Portland was such a good idea, James
FOR FANS OF: Shins, Harlem Shakes, druggy AC Newman
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
The Brutalist Bricks
(Matador)
SOUNDS LIKE: The D.C. mod punk's first on Matador is a high-energy romp through his unique ramped up approach to alternative folk rock
FREE ASSOCIATION: You don't need to have studied his deep catalogue to enjoy this gem
FOR FANS OF: Sloan, The Hold Steady, Dismemberment Plan
Dillinger Escape Plan
Option Paralysis
(Party Smasher/Season of Mist)
SOUNDS LIKE: Avant garde mathcore metal with a decidedly punk-infused progressive rock sound from Jersey
FREE ASSOCIATION: There are no breaks here; the thrash and the screaming is constant
FOR FANS OF: Mars Volta, Anthrax, Tool, Melvins, Neurosis
Matt Pond PA
The Dark Leaves
(Altitude Records)
SOUNDS LIKE: Smart, sensitive and elegant chamber rock that left Philly for Brooklyn but kept the PA and kept making solid records
FREE ASSOCIATION: Same ole, same ole, solidly built and listenable indie rock
FOR FANS OF: Pedro the Lion, Rogue Wave, Superchunk
Joanna Newsom
Have One On Me
(Drag City)
SOUNDS LIKE: Three-disc opus of brilliant restrained vocal acrobatics couched in heavenly, billowing harp, guitar, light percussion and smarts
FREE ASSOCIATION: It does this lady no service to peg her as a version of another folk diva
FOR FANS OF: Kate Bush, Joni Mitchell, St. Vincent
Xiu Xiu
Dear God, I Hate Myself
(Kill Rock Stars)
SOUNDS LIKE: Jamie Stewart and Co. make moody, complex and electronic experimental rock with clever self-deprecation
FREE ASSOCIATION: Self-loathing to the extreme has yielded a beautifully twisted record
FOR FANS OF: Deerhoof meets Cure times Joy Division
Sade
Soldier of Love
(Sony)
SOUNDS LIKE: The Queen of Adult R&B's first in eight years is a funky, almost hip hop-flavored slow dance record for making love with one's self
FREE ASSOCIATION: The title track is one of the best things we've heard in a long time
FOR FANS OF: Diana, Dionne, Whitney, Toni, Erykah, Grace, Mary
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