Now Downloading: New Releases 08.30.11

School is back for much of the country as of this week (my kids have to wait one more week), and in conjunction, we can expect the trickle of releases to start to swell to a steady stream for the next two and half months or so. Hitting the shelves ahead of this rush is the sophomore release from Drake fave Male Bonding. Elsewhere, new ones of note come from both Beirut and Cymbals Eat Guitars. Then it's a slew of veterans coming back with releases, most notably the last from Glen Campbell (who was recently diagnosed with Alzheimers). There's also the return of Hella, Tommy Keene, Tommy Stinson, John Doe, Lenny Kravitz, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Mike Doughty, Tom Morello (Nightwatchman) and Butch Walker (& the Black Widows).

Playlist: New Releases 08.30.11

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Male Bonding - Endless Now
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

When Male Bonding came on the scene, with their tape hiss-y early singles, they were understandably lumped as part of a Dalston, UK lo-fi movement going on at the time. With Male Bonding's sophomore release, Endless Now, it's clear that the band's early lo-fi aesthetics were more a practicality than a desired end. The tape hiss of the early singles disappeared with their Sub Pop debut (Nothing Hurts), and now even the haze of the debut is cleaned up, thanks to veteran producer John Agnello (Dinosaur Jr, Sonic Youth, The Hold Steady, Kurt Vile and this week's Cymbals Eat Guitars release). The only other change from their melodic-punk debut is the deliciously crazed fills from drummer Robin Silas Christian have been scrubbed in place of a more within-the-song aesthetic. It's to be expected as the band cleans up their sound a bit, and while that edge is missed, the songwriting from John Arthur Webb is strong enough to make up for the rounded corners. Endless Now is filled with singles, and while much of the attraction here might be a late-80s-to-early 90s appreciation (hello Husker Du and Teenage Fanclub), it's hard to deny songs like "Tame the Sun," "Can't Dream," "Dig You Out" and the nearly six minutes of bliss that is "Bones."

Free Full Album Stream (Sub Pop / YouTube)
Free Download: "Tame the Sun" [mp3]
Free Download: "Bones" [mp3]

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Beirut - The Rip Tide
Stream / Purchase [mp3]

Since his impressive debut, the Balkan folk-inspired Gulag Orkestar (2006), Zach Condon (aka Beirut) jumped countries in theme. Bouncing from France (The Flying Club Cup - 2007), Mexico (March of the Zapotec 2008) and his music getting commandeered by musicians in Brazil for "Beirutando" in 2009, it can be safely said that Condon is now a musician of the world. What the newly released The Rip Tide does is have Condon writing more straightforward pop songs while synthesizing all his music's travels into the sound, making it both the most accessible and potenntially unique sounding album that Beirut has come up with yet. While the bounce of "Sante Fe" suggests that Condon has a sunnier disposition, this is a ballad-heavy release, relying much on Condon's worthy pipes (and the subtle backing of Sharon Van Etten on "A Candle's Fire" and "Payne's Bay").

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More on the radar (and in the mp3 player) this week:
Glen Campbell - Ghost on the Canvas
Cymbals Eat Guitars - Lenses Alien / Free AOL Album Stream / "Rifle Eyesight" [mp3]
Tommy Keene - Behind the Parade
John Doe - Keeper
Butch Walker and the Black Widows - The Spade> / Free AOL Album Stream
Tommy Stinson - One Man Mutiny / Free AOL Album Stream
Mike Doughty - Yes and Also Yes
Hella - Tripper / Free AOL Album Stream
Blood Orange - Coastal Grooves
Dirty Beaches - Badlands
Tom Morello: The NightwachmanWorld Wide Rebel Songs / Free AOL Album Stream
Lenny Kravitz - Black and White America
Ray Bonnerville - Bad Man's Blood
Jacuzzi Boys - Glazin' / "Cool Vapors" [mp3]
Red Hot Chili Peppers - I'm With You
Doug Benson - Potty Mouth / "Cool Vapors" [mp3]
Cobra Starship - Night Shades
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus - Am I The Enemy
COMPILATION
The Brian Jonestown Massacre - The Singles Collection (1992-2011)

tags: music, album review, male bonding, beirut, indie rock, new releases