Out This Week 4 3

Can you be believe the wait is finally over? We’ve been playing the Icelandic release of My Head Is an Animal, the debut from Of Monsters and Men, since we last visited them in October, but today the U.S. release hits record store shelves across the country. And while you may think you’ve already heard every song on the album, think again: the domestic release features two new songs and new album art. Well, what are you waiting for? We’ll be here when you get back…

but hold on… there’s much more awaiting for you in record stores today…

Denver trio The Lumineers, our guests live on KEXP this morning, are also releasing a hotly anticipated album. Their self-titled debut our Music Director, Don Yates, calls “an infectious set of campfire folk-pop that’s strongly reminiscent of The Head and The Heart, featuring an acoustic-oriented sound enlivened with lots of handclaps, foot stomps and shouted interjections, providing some rhythmic punch to the band’s rustic blend of strummed acoustic guitars, mournful cello, occasional piano, warm harmonies, wistful pop melodies, heart-on-sleeve lyrics and anthemic sing-a-long choruses.” You can read more about the heartbreaking but ultimately uplifting story of the band’s origins from when we featured their infectious single, “Ho Hey,” recently as a Song of the Day podcast.

We also recently featured NYC band Bear in Heaven for a Song of the Day (here), and though their electronic sound is about as far away from the folky sing-alongs of the OMAM and The Lumineers, their psych-tinged dance pop on their atmospheric third album is equally engaging. Those of you still riding high on the bluesy rock of The Black Keys’ late 2011 release should also check out the Dan Auerbach produced new album by Dr. John. Though Mac Rebennack should really need no introduction, Auerbach seeks to break the New Orleans legend to a new audience by assembling a cast of younger musicians to back him. As a result, Dr. John’s Locked Down breaks free of any potential stale traditionalism and sound fresh and new.

Other new albums out this week come from local songwriter Rocky Votolato, whose fourth album is “a fine set of intimate folk-pop with gentle electric guitars and strummed acoustics, occasional harmonica mexico Soccer Jersey, warm harmonies, lightly sandpapered lead vocals and introspective lyrics;” local duo Lux, whose fuzzy rock debut channels Velvet Underground, Black Tambourine and Jesus & Mary Chain; NYC group Ravens & Chimes‘s second album “is another fine set of dramatic indie-pop, with a variety of poignant, beautifully arranged songs driven by stately piano lines and thundering drums”; new arty electronic/pop/rock London group Breton (if you’re a fan of Bloc Party, Foals and others, check them out!); and Brazilian singer-songwriter Céu, whose latest album “is her most adventurous recording to date, combining an eclectic variety of Latin styles with rock, funk, ska, rocksteady, ambient-pop and more on moody, atmospheric songs featuring electric guitars, keyboards, occasional horns and woodwinds, edgy rhythms and sultry, breathy vocals.” Plus, Black Mountain composed the soundtrack to the apocalyptic surf movie Year Zero — what could be better than that?

There’s a lot more available today, including Elvis Costello The Return Of The Spectacular Spinning Songbook and a collection of music from the reunited 90′s band fIREHOSE (in town this weekend!) So head out to your favorite record store and start flexing those basket-carrying biceps ’cause not only is this a great week for new music, but Record Store Day will soon be upon us!

AU – Solid Gold (MP3)
from Both Lights on Hometapes

Bear in Heaven – Reflection of You (MP3)
from I Love You, It’s Cool on Dead Oceans

Black Mountain – Mary Lou (MP3)
from Year Zero soundtrack on Jagjaguwar

Bola – Abayetidu Ma (MP3)
from Volume 7 on Awesome Tapes From Africa

Breton – Interference
from Other People’s Problems on FatCat Records

Caltrop – Blessed (MP3)
from Ten Million Years and Eight Minutes on Holidays For Quince Records

Céu – Retrovisor
from Caravana Sereia Bloom on Six Degrees

Elvis Costello & the Impostors – DVD trailer
from The Return Of The Spectacular Spinning Songbook on Universal

Dr. John – Locked Down
from Locked Down on Nonesuch

Simon Felice – New York Times (MP3)
from Simon Felice on Team-Love

fIREHOSE – Down With The Bass
from lowFLOWs: The Columbia Anthology (’91-’93) on Columbia/Legacy

Great Lake Swimmers – New Wild Everywhere
from New Wild Everywhere on Nettwerk

Hollis Brown – Spoonful (feat. John McCauley) (MP3)
from Nothing & The Famous No One EP (self-released)

The Jezabels – Rosebud
from Prisoner on Mom + Pop

Les Momies de Palerme – Medee (MP3)
from Brulez ce Coeur on Constellation Records

The Lumineers – Ho Hey (MP3)
from The Lumineers on Dualtone Records

Lux – Coroner’s Office (MP3)
from We Are Not the Same (self-released)

Of Monsters and Men – Little Talks
from My Head Is an Animal on Universal Republic

Ryan Power – I Don’t Want to Die (MP3)
from I Don’t Want To Die on NNA Tapes

Ravens & Chimes – Night (MP3)
from Holiday Life on Better Looking Records

Rocky Votolato – Little Spring
from Television of Saints (self-released)

Whitejacket – The Modern (MP3)
from Hollows and Rounds (self-released)

World Blanket – And Here We Are (Again Maybe) (MP3)
from 2012 on No Applause

Zammuto – Idiom Wind
from Zammuto on Temporary Residence Limited