New Music Releases: January 25th, 2010

Last year I pretty much ignored covering new music releases (which made it really difficult when it came time to compose my best of list). So this year, I’m going to try to return to doing a weekly post about new music.

Pick of the week:

Apex Manor: Year of Magical Drinking (Merge) – I was pretty shocked when the Broken West broke up, but happy to find out that lead singer Ross Flournoy was recording a new album. Apex Manor is the result of those sessions. There are elements of power pop, 70’s AM radio and probably some of the dirtiest lyrics to ever come out on a Merge release. Live at the Satellite on February 12th. [TIX]

MP3: Under the Gun

Other recommended releases:

Iron & Wine: Kiss Each Other Clean (Warner Bros.) – They made a leap to a major for some reason (hopefully  a big advance?) and the sound got bigger. Sam Beam’s songwriting is still at the heart of it all and that’s enough for me.

Other Releases That Caught My Eye (but I haven’t listened to yet):

[Local] Cold War Kids: Mine Is Yours (Downtown) – The Long Beach band goes bigger on their new release. Reviews have been mixed. Live at Coachella on April 15^th.  

Death: Spiritual Mental Physical (Drag City) – Death is a proto-punk band from mid-1970’s Detroit. This is a collection of demos from 1974-1976. It’s getting mixed reviews, but if you still haven’t heard their record, For the Whole World To See, I strongly recommend it. Live at the Echoplex on February 26^th.

Deerhoof: Deerhoof Vs. Evil (Polyvinyl) – Experimental. Live at the Echoplex on January 29^th.

Destroyer: Kaputt (Merge) – He’s such a unique lyricist. Not for everybody, but the critics love it. At the Troubadour on March 22^nd.

Fujiya & Miyagi: Ventriloquizzing (Yep Roc) –Pitchfork summarizes them thusly, “Krautrock-inflected dance pop.” At the Echo on March 20^th.

Gang of Four: Content (Yep Roc) – Legends. At the Music Box on February 21^st.

The Get Up Kids: There Are Rules (Quality Hill) – I can appreciate some nice Midwestern guys.

[Local] Grouplove: Grouplove (Atlantic) – Local kids. Caught them a few months back at the Bootleg.

Wanda Jackson: The Party Ain’t Over (Nonesuch) – Jack White produced the rockabilly legends new record.

Monotonix: Not Yet (Drag City) – Israeli garage rockers.

John Vanderslice: White Wilderness (Dead Oceans) – Considered one of the nicest guys in indie rock.