New This Week: Brought to you by the excitement of KXSC Fest

16 MORE DAYS UNTIL KXSC FEST.  Are you ready to have the only existence-affirming day of your entire life? Are you prepared to eat so many different delicious things that will be so much better than anything else you have ever eaten before, for the first time in your entire life? Are you ready to see what 900 people in one room looks like, for the first time in your entire life? 

I AM*

(*Note, all of the things listed above only hold any actual validity when applied to myself, as I have not had a very exciting life, but that is all going to change on March 30th).

Rhye - Woman: So everyone here is a big fan of sexy, minimal R&B, right? I'm of the mind that this release from local duo Rhye is the cream of the crop from the past few months, just a smidge ahead of those How to Dress Well and xx records. Yeah, Mike Milosh's voice has a velvety and almost feminine smoothness, and the production is the equivalent of a whispered sweet nothing - but the unconventional arrangements are what truly set Rhye apart from others of the ilk. Strings and horns constantly flourish and accent without distracting from the intimacy, kinetic basslines draw heavily from the heyday of disco, and...is that a steel drum riff that doesn't sound shoehorned in on "Verse"? In fact, nothing on this album is forced (save for that weirdass sax solo on "One of Those Summer Days"), which is especially remarkable when an artist deals so exclusively in that LUV thing. Recommended listening if you've ever had some weird and/or irrational feelings.  ZN
Recommended Tracks: "Open", "The Fall", "Hunger"

Fol Chen - The False Alarms: Somewhere in the depths of space lies a planet abundant with reverb, populated by carbon-based lifeforms with robot voices. Recently, scientists have been able to intercept some of the transmissions from the homeworld and market them under the name “Fol Chen” (obviously an alien name). All sci-fi aside, this release is certainly a hybrid between organic and electronic. The often unintelligible, banshee-like vocals are reminiscent of earth’s own Grimes or Bjork, and the echoing arrangements and arena rock snares recall Cults’ old-fashioned pop. Occasionally tracks break into spoken word tangents and are filtered to further enhance the android styled found vocals across the record (Alice Glass would be proud). A piece of music inspired by both classic pop and modern dance, it breaks the fist-pumping mould with most songs on the record landing well below 100 bpm. Fol Chen’s record is really something out of this world.  NA
Recommended Tracks: "200 Words", "Doubles", "IOU"

Adrian Younge - Adrian Younge Presents The Delfonics: You may recognize Adrian Younge's name from his work on the Black Dynamite soundtrack - I got a chance to see his band play a raucous opening set for Flying Lotus back in October. And you may recognize the Delfonics' name because...well, they're THE DELFONICS. The name of this record is a little misleading, however: Younge only worked with William Hart, a founding member and leader of the Delfonics. The pair co-wrote every song on this record, which features a significant hip-hop influence and jagged guitar lines that lean more toward the psychedelic end of the spectrum rather than the standard soul sound. The arrangements stop and start on a dime, with chord progressions and instrumentation that keeping you guessing throughout the album's runtime. A healthy potpourri of Dilla, Patti LaBelle, and Ennio Morricone.  ZN
Recommended Tracks: "I Can't Cry No More", "Lost Without You", "Love's Melody"

The Replacements - Songs for Slim: Released to raise money for former Replacements guitarist Slim Dunlap, who suffered from a stroke last February, this EP packs 5 covers that have the same soul as the older Replacements albums, but with a more positive and energetic theme. The album has already raised a large sum of money for Slim!  Besides the album being a virtuous move to save an old friend, the music is upbeat, raw and still as powerful just as ever, but a bit more sobered-up from the band’s “drunken louts of 1985.”  JH
Recommended Tracks: "I'm Not Sayin'", "Busted Up", "Everything's Coming Up Roses"

Kavinsky - OutRun: VRRRRRROOOOOOOOM!!! Kavinsky makes a speedy entrance on his debut album, “Outrun.” Following his work on the critically-acclaimed soundtrack for the “Drive” motion picture, Kavinsky has crafted more than a dozen tracks that bank off of Daft Punk & Justice’s larger-than-life midi rock. If Def Leppard were 4 guys with keytars and a one-armed drum machine, this would be their record. Vocoders and Casio keyboards run amok like a bad 80s flashback, but with the clarity and class of a 21st century composition. Look, I don’t know all too much about this kind of music and there are only so many acceptable puns I can make about cars. If you saw Drive and liked what you heard, chances are that you will enjoy this just as much.  NA
Recommended Tracks: "Protovision", "Odd Look", "Nightcall"

New This Week: Untogether Images of the New, Moving Bughouse

Youth Lagoon - Wondrous Bughouse: I was pretty ambivalent about this one before listening; did we actually need to hear anything more from Trevor Powers after The Year of Hibernation's claustrophobic bedroom pop? I wasn't sure if the Youth Lagoon aesthetic could translate to a larger studio setting without losing its tenderness and intimacy, and to some extent I was right. But inWondrous Bughouse we see songwriting that has evolved in both composition and scope; the sound is bigger in service of providing an emotional wallop that was only hinted at previously. Powers toys with unnerving sound collages and noise throughout the record (see opener "Through Mind and Back" that wouldn't feel out of place on a Grimmrobe Incantations or Monstrous Wickedness playlist), pairing it with his unerring melodic sense. Check out that epic guitar line on the back half of "Mute": with just a handful of notes, Powers conveys that sense of earnestness and longing that is central to Youth Lagoon. The fact that it's done on such a grand scale indicates a remarkable artistic advancement - check this one out even if you weren't so fond of The Year of Hibernation.  ZN 
Recommended Tracks: "Mute", "Pelican Man", "Raspberry Cane"

The Men - New Moon: The Men’s New Moon’s album finds itself nestled in pop-punk, folk, and a classic rock sound.  New Moon’s warm sound is country-infused with a little bit of the blues.  The Men’s latest release something that provides a different with it’s country rock style songs.  It’s raw sound, and country-rock style gives justice to how good a guitar, drum, and bass can sound without electronic layering.  New Moon carries an energy that translates the group’s homage style rock.  JH  
Recommended Tracks: "Open the Door", "The Seeds", "High and Lonesome"

Chelsea Light Moving - Chelsea Light Moving: At age 54, Thurston Moore is still angsty. And right now he is taking it out on Chelsea... Chelsea Light Moving, that is; his latest project alongside three fellow New York rabble rousers (significantly younger ones, might I add). Perhaps this new lineup’s youthful energy has reinvigorated Thurston, as their self-titled eight song set boasts some of the fiercest and most anxious riffs he’s crafted in recent memory. Followers of Moore’s solo career (and “other projects”) will recognize the familiar chiming guitars, hypnotic drones, and all-around frenetic songwriting he’s become known for. Even though Sonic Youth might be dead in the water (but to quote the great poet Bieber, “never say never!”), it has become increasingly apparent throughout Thurston’s career that he truly was the hands and heart of the band that pioneered underground and indie rock. So, in conclusion: it’s not Sonic Youth... BUT IT’S GOOD ENOUGH! (and what more can you ask for?)  NA
PS: Catch CLM at the Echoplex this spring break (3/19) with Waxahatchee!
Recommended Tracks: "Empires of Time", "Alighted", "Frank O'Hara Hit"

Blue Hawaii - Untogether: Nestled somewhere between the singsongy pop of Grimes, the pulsating grooves of The Knife, and the ethereal vocal layering of Julianna Barwick lies Blue Hawaii, a promising Montreal duo that will be playing several SXSW showcases. Although Untogether is the pair's debut album, they already display a remarkable ability to craft tunes fit for headphones and the dancefloor alike. My favorite cut from the record, "In Two", begins with rich and dreamy harmonies from Raphaelle Standell-Preston (of Braids) before settling into a skittering house groove as Raphaelle's voice is manipulated beyond recognition. The track becomes "In Two II" (a separate track on the CD) at 3:25, transitioning into driving techno heavy on atmospherics, punctuated by a beautiful vocal hook from Raphaelle that closes out one of my favorite songs of the year so far. You'll be hearing a lot more about Blue Hawaii in the next few months, so get on this early.  ZN
Recommended Tracks: "In Two", "Yours to Keep", "Follow"

Suuns - Images du Futur: Suuns' second full-length release is crafted with hard, structural and muddy sounds.  Fuzzy noise induced and pedal heavy backgrounds are undrlayed to pitchy melodies that makes for an interesting sound.  The album is equal parts electronic with in its repetitive, hypnotic structures, this is added to equal parts indie rock with its heavy, yet mellow guitars and energetic drums.  Images Du Futur’s sound is a familiar one, Suun’s heavy layering of sounds and effects gives for a new approach to indie.  JH
Recommended Tracks: "Powers of Ten", "2020", "Bambi"

New This Week: Thom Yorke is the Master of Interpretive Dance

Atoms for Peace - Amok: I confess up front that I become a...less than impartial listener when it comes to output from Thom Yorke, the savior of the human race. And, considering that, I'm quite proud to admit that this record ISN'T a generation-defining tour de force that encapsulates the breadth of human experience in the 21st century. In fact, I'm still having trouble getting into a few of these songs even after 15-20 listens. But hey, that's not so bad - Yorke and his "supergroup" (that includes Flea, producer Nigel Godrich, and percussionists Mauro Refosco and Joey Waronker) have crafted a disc of intricate, challenging, and downright funky music that's an absolute joy to piece together and marvel at. And when it's on, it's ON: listen to the way the skittering Afrobeat groove of "Before Your Very Eyes..." morphs into a dark synthetic rumination before your very...ears. Or the way that acoustic piano slides so beautifully into the 2-step shuffle of "Amok". The bandmembers wanted to erase the boundaries between man and machine here, making it incredibly difficult to distinguish between live instrumentation and programmed laptop trickery. This one won't go down as an all-time classic, but it stands as an incredible demonstration of expert production in service of a concept that draws from the strength of each of these musicians. Plus, Flea actually sounds quite tasteful here!  -ZN

Recommended Tracks: "Amok", "Before Your Very Eyes...", "Default"

Shlohmo - Laid Out EP: A brilliant new release from my favorite record label, and something a little different from Boy Wonder himself. It's a palatable step forward from his obscure, cerebral early work into a more rhythmic and club-ready, late night sex-in-the-champagne-room vibe. Slow, sensual 808-ridden beats tinged by 90's R&B make Laid Out sound more like a collection of cloud rap demos than the lo-fi experimental "backyard noises" we were used to with Shlohmo. Okay, how do I put this... say, while Bad Vibes was kinda like "getting too stoned and passing out on grandma's couch", Laid Out is more of a "slow-crawl to the toilet after sippin' too much Lean". This that ish that make you shut your eyes & sway so pop it on, nod your head, and get Laid the f**k Out.  -JLF

Recommended Tracks: "Later", "Out Of Hand", "Without"

Popstrangers - Antipodes: If Soundgarden had been neighbors with the Beach Boys in 1965, they would have become Popstrangers. With a singer that sounds somewhere between Noah Lennox (Animal Collective) and Chino Moreno (Deftones), the band definitely has a unique style that puts them in the midst a lot of familiar sounds without feeling colloquial. Rather than fall into a vague middleground, Popstrangers make their vast array of influences their strength by crafting an album that dances between reverb-soaked guitars, grunge energy, and pseudo-gaze drone. This is a record that will grow on you with each listen.  -NA

Recommended Tracks: "What Else Could They Do?", "404", "Heaven"

The Lovely Bad Things - The Late Great Whatever: Hot off their appearance at our Spectrum show this Valentine’s Day, Los Angeles’ Lovely Bad Things return with their newest full-length. Featuring their signature Ramonesesque “1-2-3-4!” thrashers as well as barn-burning ballads, this record definitely captures the LBT that has made them local favorites (they just finished a month-long residency at the Echo!). The chick-to-dude ratio of vocals makes them the punk rock equivalent of Fleetwood Mac, and I can only hope that their freespirited garage jams will reap the same critical praise. Lure your parents down to a ‘Bad Things show with “Rope Swing,” then watch their faces as you mosh to “Randall the Savage”. Totally surfy! Totally punx! Totally KXSC!  -NA

Recommended Tracks: "Fried Eyes", "Darth Lauren", "Hear or Anywhere"

Eat Skull - III: Fuzzy, distorted, big muff-induced guitar riffs rattle as the raw vocals and punchy drums combine into gritty layers. III brings home a genuine lo-fi feel. This album is a combination of Eat Skull's older, skuzzier sound with a more psychedelic, rock n' roll feel. Each song is packed with an intensity that combines their noise-approach to music that is more approachable than their previous records. The guitar solo on Dead Horses echoes that of The Velvet Underground's Sweet Jane, while Catch Em Before They Vanish's surf-inspired guitar is layered over a fuzzy backing that's ridiculously textural. It's good.  -JH

Recommended Tracks: "Space Academy", "Dead Horses", "Catch Em Before They Vanish"

New This Week: Jamie and Mowgli Push the Holy World Away

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Push the Sky Away: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds return to form with their new LP Push the Sky Away. Still coming down from the would-be adrenaline rush of Grinderman (Cave’s Alter ego), the band find themselves more grounded and introspective than ever. Like Johnny Cash’s "American Recordings" sessions, this is a set of songs that contrasts low energy and volume with tremendous soul and emotion. While Nick Cave is no longer the angsty young man of the Bad Seeds’ early days, his spirit pushes on with a newly refined sound. -NA
Recommended Tracks: "Higgs Boson Blues", "We No Who U R", "Jubilee Street"

Jamie Lidell - Jamie Lidell: Remember when I said I would add anything from Warp? Lidell has made a career out of fusing freewheeling electronica with Motown, and this record doesn't deviate from the formula in a significant way. Here he leans on Dayglo synth textures and cavernous drums straight outta "Party All the Time" to evoke the tired VHS Vibe that's been so prevalent these days. Stylistic decisions aside, Lidell's songwriting and pipes are often in top form here. Some of these tracks are duds, sure, but others rank near the top of his catalogue (spelling in reviews must match the nationality of the artist) - check out the brilliant "Do Yourself a Favor" to see what it'd be like if Stevie Wonder got really into LFO. -ZN
Recommended Tracks: "You Naked", "Do Yourself a Favor", "What a Shame"

Mister Lies - Mowgli: Alright, let's get the MYTHOLOGY out of the way: "Nick Zanca revisited his New England roots with a collection of Rudyard Kipling's written work and a carload of microphones, synthesizers and samplers and camped out at a cabin on a lake in Vermont. MOWGLI is the eight-track result of that meditation and soul-searching-- an aggressive hunt for self-awareness and feral youth." Half-baked Bon Iver comparisons aside, the good news is that this is a very, VERY good "eight-track result." Zanca can be meditative in a manner reminiscent of Nicolas Jaar but weaves together his synths&samples like a young James Blake. The tunes run the gamut from house-y stompers like "Align" to the spoken-word atmospherics of "Canaan". Everything sounds brilliant, but I'm not quite sure if Zanca has nailed down a style of his own yet; he seems to be trying on the hallmarks of other producers. As Kipling once said, "It's pretty, but is it Art?" -ZN   
Recommended Tracks: "Dionysian", "Ludlow", "Ashore"

Foals - Holy Fire: Somewhere between the spacious jamming of My Morning Jacket and the pulsating grooves of Kasabian lies Foals, one of Britain’s largest exports of the last few years. With their latest release Holy Fire, the band aim to solidify themselves as a formidable group in Britrock history (and they do just that). Where English counterparts Muse spent the last decade writing self-aware and ego boosting “epics” on their way to rock stardom, Foals’ music resonates with a sense of authenticity and grounding. They aren’t afraid to stray from the catchy hooks and rhythms for momentary bursts of grunge, but they won’t force it either. A record containing moments fit for rock, pop, and dance, Holy Fire’s strength lies in its adaptability to a variety of audiences. -NA
Recommended Tracks: "Inhaler", "Bad Habit", "Everytime"

Inc. - No World: Andrew and Daniel Aged's second album is a throwback to the early '80s R&B that's actually refreshing.  The album blends early R&B in these ultra layered tracks that are formed into an alternative sound.  The right amount of textures in these tracks that makes this album a reanimating experience to R&B of the early '80s.  Track number one, "The Place" is ultra layered and the sounds are something reminiscent of bells, water drops, and potentially the "marimba" setting on a keyboard? It's all done in a much more electronically/musically advanced way than I can ever aspire to describe (especially at this hour). Who knows, but what I can explain is that No World's catchy melodies will make you want to replay these smooth songs over and over again. -JH
Recommended Tracks: "The Place", "Lifetime", "Your Tears"