Now Downloading: New Releases 08.05.08

It's been a few busy weeks away from the new release racket, and lying sick in bed a couple days ago, I pondered whether it was worth even continuing on with this regular post, since it's so very time consuming. This week, due to my illness (thanks for bringing that home from school, Eli!) I'm compromising with a much abridged look at one or two releases, and not listing as many 'on the radar.' This week sees the first from Conor Oberst under his own name, the latest releases from Oxford Collapse, The Faint, Clinic, The Airborne Toxic Event, Plastilina Mosh, Brazilian Girls, Apollo Sunshine, Ida and David Vandervelde.

Playlist: New Releases 08.05.08

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Oxford Collapse - Bits
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

Bits begins with a car starting up, setting the tone for the album -- the foot is going on the gas. Minutemen's legendary Double Nickels on the Dime starts in similar fashion, reinforcing the Brooklyn's connection with late 80's underground rock. But while "D's Car Jam/Axious Mo-Fo" did it's job in 80 seconds, Bits opener "Electric Art" puts the pedal to the metal, taking us on an equally thrilling ride for 2:42 seconds. This is the fourth album from the band (2nd on Sub Pop) like the previous albums, is admirably unpolished and shows positive growth from the band. The first four songs highlight all the styles that Oxford Collapse excel at, with "Young Love Delivers" being the highlight of the album. Repeated listens, though, appear to be yielding new highlights each time through.

Free album stream from AOL

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Conor Oberst - Conor Oberst
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

On it's face, Conor Oberst is a far looser, more upbeat version of Bright Eyes, which perhaps is why Conor Oberst chose to use his own name for this one, as it's easier to put your pessimism on display using a nom de' plume (I should know). Songs like "Sausalito" and "Souled Out!!!" would seem odd under the Bright Eyes brand name, owing more to Tom Petty (the former) and The Replacements (the latter) than Oberst's increasingl Townes Van Zandt vibe (of which, there's thankfully also plenty here.) Of course, just when you think he's stopped navel gazing as much, he ends the album ("Milk Thistle") with a line like "if I go to heaven I'll be bored as hell, like a crying baby at the bottom of a well."

Free album stream from AOL
Download: "Danny Callahan" [mp3]

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More on the radar this week:
The Faint - Fasciinatiion
Bob Dylan - "Dreamin' Of You" (single - previously unreleased from Time Out of Mind sessions
Clinic - Funf
The Airborne Toxic Event - The Airborne Toxic Event / "Sometime Around Midnight" [mp3]
Brazilian Girls - New York City
Plastilina Mosh - All U Need Is Mosh / Free album stream from AOL
Ida - My Fair, My Dark EP
Apollo Sunshine - Shall Noise Upon / "666: The Coming Of The New World Government" [mp3]
David Vandervelde - Waiting for the Sunrise / "I Will Be Fine" [mp3]
Oneida - Preteen Weaponry
The Lord Dog Bird - The Lord Dog Bird / "The Gift of Song in the Lion's Den" [mp3]
Randy Newman - Hopes and Angels / Free album stream from AOL
Darker My Love - 2
Correcto - Correcto
Helms Alee - Night Terror
The Interiors - The Interiors
Shannon McArdle - Summer of the Whore
That Handsome Devil - A City Dressed In Dynamite
Pineapple Express Motion Picture Soundtrack
Reissues
Elvis Presley - Complete '68 Comeback Special: 40th Anniversary Edition / Free album stream from AOL
Verbena - Souls for Sale

tags: music, album review, the hold steady, indie rock, new releases, rhapsody