March 1 Album Releases

With a new month come new releases. Here are the buzz-worthy albums dropping this week:

Indie band Papercuts releases Fading Parade, and while I’ve never previously listened to Papercuts, their dreamy, beachy, lo-fi sound was immediately catchy to me on the album’s opening track “Do You Really Wanna Know.” Another track that stood out to me was "The Messenger"--vocalist Jason Quever’s vocals are heartbreaking, especially at the build-up of the chorus. Fading Parade is being released on Sub Pop and is a follow-up to their 2009 album You Can Have What You Want. The album is streaming in its entirety on NPR.

Next, we move on to country legend Lucinda Williams. Williams is releasing her 11^th album, Blessed, this week. Her first album was released over 30 years ago, but she’s still going strong. Her gravely voice is infused with the blues, such as on track “Sweet Love,” and judging by sad songs like “I Don’t Know How You’re Livin’,” she’s no stranger to heartbreak. Still, though she’s a veteran to the country scene, she proves she’s still got a lively and youthful spirit on tracks like “Buttercup.” Blessed is also streaming for free on NPR.

Lastly, Celtic-punkers Dropkick Murphys are releasing their seventh full-length Going out in Style. The album features guest vocals from other punk staples, such as Fat Mike from NoFX, Chris Cheny from The Living End and Lenny Clarke from Rescue Me, on the title track “Going out in Style.” The Dropkick Murphys also got the Boss himself, Bruce Springsteen, to lend his voice on “Peg O’ My Heart.” Dropkick Murphys are currently on-tour with my personal favorites, Against Me!, to promote the album.

Other releases not mentioned here include Lykke Li with Wounded Rhymes, Beady Eye with Different Gear, Still Speeding, Alex Ebert (of Edward Sharpe) with Alexander. Keep an eye on ACRN.com for full-reviews of these albums and more.

--Melissa Burant, Copy Chief

Cure your winter blues...

Greetings, darlings!

I hope you aren’t all too terribly snowbound, knee deep in winter doldrums and rabid with cabin fever. Such conditions can trigger a quick descent into madness, which may manifest itself in excessive napping, antisocial tendencies, unnatural fur growth and the substitution of guttural grunts for actual speech. Personally, I’ve been trying to outmaneuver that cantankerous old man winter by blasting Pet Sounds on repeat, screwing up my face and growling at the snow laden tree outside my bedroom window.

See? Madness.

But fear not, loyal readers! I’m here to advise. While my first suggestion for battling winter blues might be a stiff bourbon, my second is to keep those speakers up at full volume. While the Beach Boys are always a fabulous asset in cold weather combat, you don’t necessarily have to reach for something so super summery. Any enjoyable beat will help de-stress your shriveled brain and crack a grin on your pale face. If you’re brave enough to venture out to your local record store, check out some of the new releases dropping this week:

Prolific Seattle label Sub Pop recently garnered a few new darlings, Dum Dum Girls, who adopted their moniker from the seminal Iggy Pop song Dum Dum Boys (insta-points in my book). These four beautiful women produce exceptionally pleasing pop music edged with distortion and just the tiniest bit of tough – think flowery sundress meets studded leather jacket. Their debut album, I Will Be, drops today, so pick it up and dig it -- Dum Dum Girls will be coming through Ohio in early April, and it’s never too early to start prepping for a riotous gig.

If you’re an Epitaph kind of guy-or-gal, get yourself down to the record store and pick up the newest release from St. Louis based rockers Story of the Year. The new album is called The Constant, and you can check out a full review by lovely lobster Cassie here. If you’re a Guided By Voices kind of guy-or-gal, check out We All Got Out of the Army, the newest album from legendary Dayton native / GbV vet Robert Pollard.

If you’d prefer not entirely original content – well, treats are in store. Former Genesis frontman Peter Gabriel has dropped a cover album entitled Scratch My Back, wherein one can hear Peter covering the likes of Arcade Fire, Paul Simon, and the Magnetic Fields. But that’s not all! The second half of the project, another cover album called (I’ll Scratch Yours) is due out later this year. There, the artists covered on Peter’s portion will cover a few of his songs in turn. To check out a full review by our Senior Critic Kevin, click here.

Well, there you have it, my dears – highlights for the week. A bit of a slow one, yes, but there’s plenty to keep you company as you stare listlessly out of your window into the whirling wet white. Stay warm, stay sane, come back!

-Jen Kessler, Managing Editor