NEW MUSIC TUESDAY JUNE 8TH

You know the Tuesday drill. New music comes out. There’s too much for you to digest. You miss out. Fortunately, we’re here to ease the blow. This is a big list, folks. We’re doing our best to make it user-friendly. Read: alphabetical order and samples. Do we make you randy or what?

South African music is all the craze these days due to the viral videos of Die Antwoord, the odd yet brilliant rap group blowing up YouTube. So, when I say Blk Jks is a South African group, don’t get all wet in your pants. These guys are described by last.fm as an “Afro avant noise rock band” and if those string of words don’t dry up your libido, I don’t know what will. Only the snippets of songs on ‘Zol!‘ are really worthy of your time…if you’ve got absolutely nothing better to do. Actually, get stoned first and sync it up with Wizard of Oz, maybe that’s the trick. (Dustin Shey)

Sometimes great music just breezes past you. Such is the case with Deer Tick. Recommended to me by my local bartender, about a month ago, I finally wised up to his handy advice and drowned in their last record Born on Flag Day, due to the intoxicating vocals of John Mcauley III. The Black Dirt Sessions is a dark, haunting dilemma from front to back. If you can handle some solid songwriting, obtuse melodies, and a bit of grit, this musical adventure is for you. (Dustin Shey)

When you go from a one man in a bedroom solo project to a full lineup of musicians, there will obviously  be some significant changes in what your sound. Here We Go Magic has practically done a 180 with their new album Pigeons. The follow up to the self-titled debut adds a retro-electro feel on top of the original folksy lo-fi sound.

The opening track, “Hibernation” starts the album off on a 60s supermarket chic note, with chipper keyboards lilting over a very funk infused bass line. The rest of Pigeons follows—more or less—emphasizing the experimental thing Brooklyn bands have been thriving on so often lately. They do it well, with a strong sense of consistency throughout the whole album, keeping the slightly awkward TV Land sitcom soundtrack with titles like “Herbie I Love You, Now I Know” and “Vegetable or Native.” This is no sophomore slump, if anything it’s more like an entirely new debut. (Tatyahna Cameron)

I guess after 18 years of being a band, you probably run out of things to write about. Nada Surf may or may not have had this conflict, but with the growing trend of bands putting out albums of cover songs, the Surf digs deep in its bag of tricks and an eclectic library on what songs to re-do.  If I had a hi-fi is a collection of 11 incredibly fresh takes from great bands like Depeche Mode, Kate Bush, Spoon, The Moody Blues, The Soft Pack and more. (Dustin Shey)

…and they have escaped the weight of darkness is such a tremendous musical achievement by 23 year old Olafur Arnalds, another one of those brilliant music types from Iceland (see: Bjork, Jonsi, Sigur Ros). This instrumental filled album is the most calming thing I’ve heard in years. Arnalds’ music is charmingly simple in a transcendent sort of layering that will have you day-dreaming immediately. This is a must-have if you need to Zen out. And if your boss isn’t behind you, check out the uber creative video Hægt, kemur ljósið. (Dustin Shey)

Persistence is usually a good thing for progression, however the new album from Rooney will not have anybody shouting Eureka until it’s over. Peaking with their debut album has done nothing but good for these guys. Eureka is the bands “claim to independence” as it’s their first self-released album on their own label, California Dreamin’ Records (real original, guys) instead of Geffen who they were signed onto since their self-titled breakthrough album from 2003.

There’s never been a pop album that was so un-ear catching especially for a band that has provided us with “shuh-shuh-shakin” is now providing us with “snuh-snuh-snoozin” in their mediocre melodies and unsatisfying guitar riffs. (Tatyahna Cameron)

With the start of summer, comes summer romances, which in turn provide a mass amount of summer puppy love mix-tapes. I guarantee that the Michael Cera’s of the world will be including at least one track on their mixes from the newest album from Tokyo Police Club Champ. The happy-go-lucky, feel good vibe, Canadian quartet have followed their debut album with a more polished, consistent sound all while keeping the general feel of their previous work.

Champ is a few steps up from the 2008 debut, Elephant Shell. Think of Champ as a whole album’s worth of versions of “Tessellate.” Dave Monks and company have sanded down the rough edges and added a level of maturity all while keeping their boyish charm we’ve grown accustom to. That charm is best depicted in the second track, “Favourite Colour” a positively swoonworthy track with punchy chorus of small talk first date questions. Immediately following is “Breakneck Speed” which has slight hints of U2′s “With or Without You” which will surely provide for some modern-day Ross and Rachel moments.

The biggest draw to Tokyo Police Club is their way of going about a simplistic manner in an extremely catching way – think Ted Leo or Jimmy Eat World. Simple lyrics, simple chords, all fashioned together to make each song notable – “Less big words and more exclamation marks” as the lyrics go in the ninth track, “Big Difference.”

Champ is a top contender for my album of the summer this year, and I have a feeling it may be yours too. (Tatyahna Cameron)