New Music Tuesday
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Harlem Shakes emerged from Brooklyn's rich indie rock scene with their 2007 EP Burning Birthdays and were quickly labeled a local favorite by New York Magazine and the Village Voice. In the time since, they've shared the stage with Vampire Weekend, Beirut, The Walkmen, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, and Tokyo Police Club, among others. After a long wait, their debut LP is here; Technicolor Health is a perky, optimistic, and triumphant album complete with Latin grooves, contrapuntal horns, and charming lyrics. Grab a free download of "Nothing But Change Part II" and get the album for only $7 (or less if you're quick)!
For fans of: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah + Vampire Weekend + The Walkmen
Condo Fucks is Yo La Tengo... sort of. In 1990, Yo La Tengo released Fakebook, a covers album of their favorite tunes. This time, the three members are back as Condo Fucks, and though Fuckbook is another set of covers, it has none of the summer-evening softness that Yo La Tengo bring to their sweetest tracks. Instead, the Condo Fucks tear apart songs by the Small Faces, the Kinks, the Troggs, and even the Beach Boys like they're drunk in a cheap studio with broken equipment. Who knows what the point is? They're having a blast and these are great songs.
For fans of: Yo La Tengo + Times New Viking + The Stooges
The solo work of Deerhunter guitarist Lockett Pundt has a lot in common with his main band's dreamy shoegaze, but it's the little peculiarities of his debut album that make it exciting. Tambourine jangles and sleigh bells hint at his debt to Phil Spector's '50s-'60s pop songs, and help offset the narcotic effect of his gorgeous production, while electronic drums and synths remind you in spurts that it's 2009. Pitchfork writes that the album, like its cover art, evokes "the indistinctness of memory [and] the dazzlement of bright lights"; be prepared to lose focus on anything else you're doing when you listen to this.
For fans of: Deerhunter + Atlas Sound + Panda Bear
Life In The Air is the shimmering debut from Shreveport, LA six-piece The Peekers. The group's sound is characterized by a combination of heartfelt love songs and playful, cartoonish arrangements of co-ed harmonies, electric guitar, organ, piano, and brass. The album's cheery aesthetic evokes a feeling throughout that Daytrotter compares to "bonus hugs" and "sneaked kisses."
For fans of: Dr. Dog + Pepi Ginsberg + The Teeth
After releasing their critically-acclaimed debut album Cookies, the band 1990s (formed in Glasgow in 2005) built a significant fan base touring with Babyshambles and their Glasgow brethren Franz Ferdinand. With their second album, the band kicks out twelve tracks of stylish, catchy indie rock that has Rolling Stone convinced "1990s have earned the right to stick around."
For fans of: The Strokes + Franz Ferdinand + The Clash
Mikix the Cat came out of the breakdance scene in the Paris suburbs to join Trouble & Bass, an international DJ collective that throws parties of ghettotech and Baltimore club music. His second EP, Movin' Around, combines sounds of heavy bass, funky house, rave and Afrobeat to get you restless on the dancefloor; be sure to listen to "Zulu King" for a taste of his unique sound.
For fans of: Diplo + Drop The Lime + Boy 8-Bit
Toronto's Enter The Haggis are back with their signature Celtic rock on their seventh album, Gutter Anthems. This time around they've incorporated distorted fiddles, tin whistles, African drum beats, and odd time signatures into their worldly, eclectic sound. Just as old fans would expect, the band still knows how to bring all these elements together for an epic collection of carefully constructed pop tunes and rousing drinking songs. Sláinte!
For fans of: Flogging Molly + Dropkick Murphys + The Clumsy Lovers
Greek-Armenian fusion keyboardist Derek Sherinian is one of the great musicians in progressive metal, influenced heavily by the shredding school of rock guitarists. He's played with both Dream Theater and Alice Cooper, who famously called him "the Caligula of keyboards." On Molecular Heinosity, his sixth solo album, Sherinian trades blistering riffs with Ozzy Osbourne's guitarist Zakk Wylde, making for a technically impressive and melodically sprawling collection of songs.
For fans of: Dream Theater + Joe Satriani + Queensrÿche
Aidan Moffat is best known for as the mumbling lead singer of the "sadcore" Scottish duo Arab Strap. On How to Get to Heaven from Scotland, Moffat sings bittersweet love songs in his signature gloomy, somber tone over lush but subtle arrangements incorporating everything from vocal percussion to strings to programmed drum beats. Throughout the album are unpredictable twists and turns evoking a manic-depressive that embraces the high and low points of romance with The Guardian saying "his gruff tones toss aside scepticism to celebrate love, sidestepping gauche sentimentality for romance of the warts and all kind."
For fans of: Arab Strap + Belle & Sebastian + Tindersticks
