Now Downloading: New Releases 11.23.10

It's Black Friday week, so the new releases are minimum, but a bomb has been dropped by a certain Kanye West. Also worth mentioning are an EP from S.F.'s Girls, the latest from Giant Sand, Hafdis Huld, the soundtrack to 127 Hours from A.R. Rhahman and greatest hits compilation from Scotland's Orange Juice.

Playlist: New Releases 11.23.10

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Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

It's rare this late in the year to be forced to tear up your year-end best of list and start again, but I'm betting My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy has pretty much just done that for more than a few lists. The dude is as talented as he is impetuous, but it's that direct line between his brain and his art that make much of his work so immediate. West moves from pain to exhileration in a heartbeat, producing goosebumps in the process. First single "Power," with the inspired King Crimson's "21st Century Schizoid Man" sample, cements West as the best producer in hip-hop, and the rap ain't bad either. "Runaway," "All of the Lights," "Devil in a New Dress"... all burgeoning classics, connecting together to make what might be the best hip-hop album of all time. And West might be the most amply prepared artist for the backlash that comes with such hubris.

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More on the radar (and in the mp3 player) this week:
Orange Juice - Coals to Newcastle
Girls - Broken Dreams Club EP / "Heartbreaker" [mp3]
Regina Spektor - Live in London
Robyn - Body Talk
Hafdis Huld - Synchronised Swimmers
Giant Sand - Blurry Blue Mountain / "Fields of Green" [mp3]
A.R. Rahman - 127 Hours: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Omar Rodriguez Lopez - Tychozorente
Smashing Pumpkins - Teargarden By Kaleidyscope Vol. II / Free AOL Album Stream
Ke$ha - Cannibal / Free AOL Album Stream

tags: music, album review, orange juice, kanye west, indie rock, new releases, rhapsody