I'm back as promised, and Good Lord, it's only Tuesday. Here are some new tunes to help you get through your week. The best releases have some added blurbage and samples for your viewing pleasure.
Action Bronson, Mr. Wonderful (Atlantic Records/Vice Records)
Praised for his clever and hilarious lyricism, the chef-turned-rapper Action Bronson debuts his second full-length, Mr. Wonderful, on a major label. Feast on"Easy Rider" below.
Broken Water, Wrought (Night-People Records)
This grungy, shoegaze-y three-piece is a fuzzy byproduct of their foggy hometown of Olympia, Wash. If you listen closely through the distortion, it's really quite beautiful. Stream the album's intro song, "High - Lo" below.
Chastity Belt, Time to Go Home (Hardly Art)
"Chastity Belt is a real band" informs visitors of its Bandcamp website, partly because of the hilarious '90s-era family photo, partly because of the burlesque name. But the femme four-piece's ethereal garage-rock sound is no joke.
"In between pelvic-thrusting sexual innuendo and self-mockery, Chastity Belt filter feminist theory, cultural commentary and general intellectual bad-assery," said a review from CMJ.
Courtney Barnett, Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit (Mom and Pop Music)
The Australian-based singer-songwriter has been gaining a lot of attention lately in the States and the UK. Her debut album, Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit, features her quirky, off-beat lyricism and heavy, poetic imagery. Watch the mesmerizing "Depreston" music video below.
Etiquette, Reminisce (Hand Drawn Dracula)
Perhaps better known for their work with various other projects (Great Lake Swimmers, Viet Cong, Alvvays), the members of this Canadian quintet seek to make a name for themselves with the debut release of Reminisce. Drawing from the band's long exposure to folk and punk over the years, Etiquette taps into that minimalism but expands into electronic ambiance. Give "Outside In" a listen below.
Happyness, Weird Little Birthday (Bar None)
Jeff the Brotherhood, Wasted on the Dream (Infinity Cat Recordings)
After more than a decade of crafting their psych-meets-pop-rock sound, the Orall brothers have finally released their eighth full-length album in the wake of being dropped from Warner Bros. Records. They likened the label giant to a "demented vulture" and seem happy to have found a new home for their album. "Black Cherry Pie" below. Hit play and find yourself asking, "Why the hell haven't I heard of this band before?"
(Spoiler alert: Bad ass flute solo by Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull)
Jimmy Whispers, Summer In Pain (Moniker Records)
LoneLady, Hinterland (Warp Records)
LoneLady (aka Julie Ann Campbell) is a post-punk virtuoso. All the cello, guitar, vocal, drum and keyboard tracks were written, composed and produced by Campbell. Hinterland, LoneLady's second full-length, gives a haunting look at UK's post-industrial landscapes, specifically a World War II-era bunker in the aptly named single, "Bunkerpop." Explore it below.
The Cribs, All My Sisters (Arts & Crafts)
