Now Downloading: New Releases 07.21.09

A few more releases this week that I'd been looking forward to, including the latest from The Fiery Furnaces and the sophomore release from Baltimore's Wye Oak. Also some interesting new releases from Portugal.The Man, Megafaun, Magnolia Electric Co., Florence & The Machine, Wheat, Blue Roses, Bad Veins and the seventies sequel to Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs covers collaboration.

Playlist: New Releases 07.21.09

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The Fiery Furnaces - I'm Going Away
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

Matthew and Eleanor Friedberger's team up with Sebadoh's Jason Loewenstein is the most straightforward release the band has had since EP. While I'm sure the cult following are missing the crazy concepts and prog-rock noodling solos from Matthew, the Furnaces have always been better when they work off a simpler blueprint, like they do here. Songs like the title track, "Charmaine Champagne" and "Even in the Rain," beg to be hummed immediately/hours/days/weeks later ("Charmaine" so much, the song even reprises itself with "Cups & Punches" - "she could sing you the squarest thing on the jukebox").

Free AOL Album Stream
"The End Is Near" [mp3]

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Wye Oak - The Knot
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

Wye Oak's debut was a pop album at heart but deliciously heavy on the My Bloody Valentine, but you wouldn't know it from their second release. Nearly all MBV references have been scrubbed, and in their place is an Alt country foundation. There's still some sweet feedback and the first two songs are have some of the bands' best moments on record. The album, unfortunately, kind of falls flat after that, and I'm left wishing for some of the sweet 90's sound they pulled out for their debut.

"Take It In" [mp3]

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More on the radar (and in the mp3 player) this week:
Portugal.The Man - ...And The Ever Expanding Universe / Free AOL Album Stream / "People Say" [mp3]
Megafaun - On the Sleeve / "Kaufman's Ballad" [mp3] / "The Fade" [mp3]
Magnolia Electric Co. - Josephine
Florence & The Machine - Lungs
Wheat - White Ink, Black Ink / Free AOL Album Stream / "H.O.T.T." [mp3]
Bad Veins - Bad Veins / Free AOL Album Stream
Blue Roses - Blue Roses / Free AOL Album Stream
Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs - Under the Covers, Vol. 2 / Free AOL Album Stream
Ty Segall - Ty Segall
Josh Mease - Wilderness / Free AOL Album Stream
Riceboy Sleeps - Riceboy Sleeps / Free AOL Album Stream
Spindrift - The Legend Of God's Gun / "The Legend Of God's Gun" [mp3]
The Skygreen Leopards - Gorgeous Johnny / "Dixie Cups in the Dead Grass" [mp3]

REISSUES
Bert Jansch - L.A. Turnaround (Remastered + Bonus Tracks)
Bert Jansch - Santa Barbara Honeymoon (Remastered + Bonus Tracks)
Bert Jansch - A Rare Conundrum (Remastered + Bonus Tracks)

tags: music, album review, fiery furnaces, wye oak, indie rock, new releases, rhapsody