Now Downloading: New Releases 03.10.09

It's not as deep a week as in the past, which is just fine with me, as there's at least the latest from Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band and Handsome Furs to gawk at. Other noteworthy releases are the dually disappointing ones from Bishop Allen and Cursive, along with new ones from Anni Rossi, Julie Doiron, Propagandhi and Elvis Perkins.

Playlist: New Releases 03.10.09

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Handsome Furs - Face Control
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

If Wolf Parade, Handsome Fur (Dan Boeckner's day job,) is influenced heavily by Bowie-era Brian Eno, then Handsome Fur's svengali is the late Martin Hannett, whose work with Joy Division inspires a lot of the sound of Face Control. This second album is a far more enjoyable experience than Plague Park, and shows that perhaps Boeckner has enough songs to fuel both his half of WP and his side/love project HF, but the band still feels like a work in progress. I'm looking forward to the next advancement, but for now, it's nice distraction while we await the next Wolf Parade release.

Free AOL Album Stream
Download: "I'm Confused" [mp3]


Handsome Furs "I'm Confused" from Sarah Marcus on Vimeo.

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Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band - Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

Already a sensation before even playing the first show, the self-titled debut release from Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band proves that the band is definitely for real. (Naturally, with hype, there's already some backlash.) The angular guitars and controlled chaos from the local five-piece takes unexpected twists but always returns to a hummable chorus. It's noise rock with a classic rock approach, and that just might be my favorite approach to indie rock. The winner in the 'I-get-to-record-the-next-big-thing' sweepstakes here is Scott Colburn (Animal Collective, Arcade Fire,) and he does his best to get out of the way and let the band's song work their magic. It's a great debut, but you might not want to take my word for it, as they've seemed to have just recorded the music I want to hear, ruining my objectivity entirely.

Free AOL Album Stream
"Anchors Dropped" [mp3]

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Beads - No One Knows
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

Another local product, Beads is the solo project of The Blakes' Snow Keim, and the debut, No One Knows finds him sounding especially vintage, pulling a quieter Beatlesque sound. The album seems to have been recorded (with help with brother and fellow Blake Garnet) as cathartic release for some serious sh*t that Keim went through in the past year or so, and as far as tough times go, it has to sound better than it felt.

"Evil" [mp3]

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More on the radar (and in the mp3 player) this week:
Bishop Allen / Grrr...
Anni Rossi - Rockwell / "Wheelpusher" [mp3]
Cursive - Mama, I'm Swollen / "From the Hips" [mp3]
Julie Doiron - I Can Wonder What You Did With Your Day / "Consolation Prize" [mp3]
Propagandhi - Supporting Caste / Free AOL Album Stream
Elvis Perkins - Elvis Perkins in Dearland / "Shampoo" [mp3]
Kelly Clarkson - All I Ever Wanted / Free AOL Album Stream
Riverboat Gamblers - Underneath the Owl / Free AOL Album Stream
John Wesley Harding - Who Was Changed and Who Was Dead / Free AOL Album Stream
Red Fang - Red Fang
Madeleine Peyroux - Bare Bones / Free AOL Album Stream
Luka Bloom - Eleven Songs
Los Fabulosos Cadillacs - La Luz Del Ritmo
Julien-K - Death to Analog
My Cat Is An Alien - The Cosmological Eye Trilogy
the number twelve looks like you - Worse Than Alone
Punk Goes Pop Vol. 2
REISSUES
Beth Orton - Trailer Park (Remastered)
BoDeans - Love & Hope & Sex & Dreams
Neva Dinova - Neva Dinova
Fela Kuti - Music is the Weapon

tags: music, album review, handsome furs, mshvb, indie rock, new releases, rhapsody