Put down the herbs & check out the tunes

While today is a Tuesday, I am pretty confident not too many people are concerned with new music releases, as many people that do love music also love a certain herbal holiday that is celebrated on April 20. Regardless, there are a diverse group of artists releasing new albums today.

The first is Apples In Stereo, an indie pop band with a big imagination, often space and psychedelic oriented, which makes it no coincidence that their new album is titled Travellers In Space and Time. Full of life, high energy and weirdness, this record sounds just like a live Apples In Stereo performance feels.

Circa Survive, a staple in the catalog of emo rockers that have been in high school at some point within the last decade, is releasing Blue Sky Noise. While Juturna was clearly the stand out record for the group, lead singer Anthony Green, formerly of emo-core band Saosin, is still singing his little heart out on this record.

One group that I am certain purposefully released their album today on 4/20 is Cypress Hill, with such great nineties classic hits (literally) like “Hits From The Bong.” The new record, the first for the group in six years, is Rise Up, and I’m sure longtime fans will hope it does indeed rise up to their expectations of the aging group.

Speaking of aging, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson and Ratt all have new albums coming out today too… I Am What I Am, Country Music and Infestation, respectively… making today not only a great day for weed, but for the old country crooners and hair metal fist pumpers that love it. If you are into that kind of thing, it is pretty much guaranteed you are into at least one of these artists, or definitely should be.

Springtime releases... not all good

Since this is a blog, I am going to pull no punches and give you my bitingly blunt opinions of this week’s newest releases. I will do my best to steer clear of profanity and stereotyping, but I consider myself a true music elitist, so expect an indictment of one (or more) artists that you like. Or, this guy might even really dig something that came out this week and you will just have to read on to find out.

Since the weather is nice and we should all be frolicking in the sunshine, a rundown of anything worth listening to comes first. That will save the readers some time, at least! First, Murs and 9^th Wonder’s collaboration Fornever. Hip-hop heads have been eagerly awaiting this one for a long time, myself included; 9^th Wonder is simply one of the greatest beat masters of the last few decades and he does not disappoint on this disc. Murs can be preachy at times, but he is flipping more quality rhymes here than on anything since The End of the Beginning. There are some weak ones to be sure, but do not miss Fornever if you want an example of what two of the best modern hip-hop artists are capable of.

No surprise, but there is only one other halfway decent album coming out this week. Dosh of Anticon reknown is releasing his album Tommy (no relation to The Who, as far as I know) today, and fans can expect more sonic experimentations, as well as another appearance from Andrew Bird and a variety of other talented musicians. What I have heard leads me to believe that Dosh has included some more dance-y tracks than previous albums.

Now on to everything else, i.e. stuff that I already hate or will hate as soon as I listen to it! The elephant in the room is the new MGMT album, Congratulations. I will not waste too much space on this boring sophomore effort, and all I can say is that sounds like a bastardized, whiny 21^st century version of something a baby boomer might have tripped to in college. Yawn. If you like Of Montreal or bands that are not as good as Of Montreal but still try to sound like them, give it a shot. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Coheed and Cambria’s Year of the Black Rainbow drops this week, too. This band was only relevant when they released Second Stage Turbine Blade, and even that is a stretch. Prog, melodic, you get the idea.

I know some readers may be from Cincinnati, but I truly believe that local heroes Foxy Shazam are pretty bad. In addition to a Super Bowl commercial sell-out moment, the band’s self-titled album is their first on a major label and promises to be even more corporate washed than ever before.

I’ll end the harshest criticism there and end with a tone of indifference. Bleeding Through, admittedly one of my favorite groups at a prior point in time, released their album today, which is also self-titled. I haven’t kept up with the band for many years, but it feels like I never left! Nothing has changed here (as far as I can tell) – just metalcore that sounds like Dethklok at points and crew hardcore at others. Fans of the band may enjoy this.

Yeah, yeah, I know. Too harsh and not witty enough, but I seem to have spent too much time in the sun and I am beat, given that I passed out and regained consciousness several times while writing. Feel free to ignore my ramblings and enjoy this week’s releases, you will probably disagree with me.

Keep living and listening, lobsters!

-- Marshall Pearson, News Editor

Well, well, well, it's already April. Isn't that just a wonderful reminder of how time flies, runs or walks it out? While distracting myself from the ever-tortuous job hunt, I wish to inform you of releases that you should either a) pick up or b) set on fire. A wiser man once said, "Davis, finish writing the goddamn blog," so without further ado let's discuss the "pick up" category.

Erykah Badu's new album, New Amerykah Part II: Return of the Ankh, begins the pick up category. She's backing up this CD filled with what I presume to be music (since I haven't listened to it) with a bad ass music video. Walking down an anonymous city sidewalk, Badu strips down from her coat all the way down to her birthday suit, which earned her international publicity and a $500 fine. Whether you think it's art or a shameless grab for attention, you must watch it (linked above) for the reactions of the unaware public around her. Personally, I think the video is brilliant, and subsequently her album should be "picked up."

The other music is from this guy in Nashville who goes by Makeup and Vanity Set. His new self-titled release came out on March 16. Granted it may be dated, but a) you haven't heard of this person b) you need to know him because c) he rocks harder than an avalanche. His take on electronic music brings a healthy dose of dissonance that people like M.I.A., Designer Drugs and Gozii have also mastered. MVS also nurtures a disco flavor in his music that captures the essence of any good, sweat-inducing dance tune. Pick it up.

I'm growing weary of dishing out compliments. Time for stuff worthy of a fiery demise (note: don't literally set things aflame; I got arrested for it once, and the police were not as fun as both Kindergarten Cop and Rush Hour made them out to be).

Slash is releasing a solo album. Set it on fire.

Asher Roth came out with a new mix tape called Seared Foie Gras with Quince and Cranberry. Every word of that previous sentence hurt my feelings. I envision a cruel future where everyone forgot how to read, blunt wrap industries have cornered the lobbies of the House and Senate, and court rooms have been phased out by the introduction of the MMA "judicial" octagon. If we do nothing, this "Rothian" future may become true. Burn this tape.

Well that's it.

End transmission.

-Davis Chambers, Video Director

OU alums rocking the mash-up scene

While this space is normally reserved for discussion of the hottest, freshest albums (this week: the infectious electro-pop of Little Boots and the more understated indie rock of Rogue Wave) to drop each week, I feel incredibly compelled to shine a light on music fresh in a different way -- specifically, fresh beats from some fly former Bobcats.

OU '09 alum Brian Kecskemety (BK) and his NYC cohort Brad Bambara, also known as the Stereo Bomb, create flawless, innovative mash-ups that rival those of Girl Talk's. There's the standard Jay-Z, Gaga and Weezy samples, but they're combined smartly with Queen, Radiohead, Spoon, U2, even Ben Folds (and a track from "The Lion King" soundtrack). BK is a solid dude with taste I can respect a whole lot, so I knew the Stereo Bomb's first release, Now Hear This, was going to rule. I finally remembered to download it this week (the album surfaced earlier in the quarter), and I was not disappointed one iota. Now Hear This is available for free on the Stereo Bomb's site. Seriously, you're a fool if you don't download this album. It's easy to love.

The brand new mash-up and remix EP, Bubblegum Bangers (FREE DOWNLOAD ALERT), from DJ Self Help, another former Bobcat, made its way to my iTunes this week as well. Now Columbus-based, Self Help might be best known to the OU community as the dude who DJs Dance or Die -- the one without the white man fro (no offense, Barticus -- got mad-love for your mane). Coincidentally, there's a Dance or Die tomorrow night, so perhaps Self Help will try to recreate some of his latest mash-ups and remixes then. Cross your fingers -- this stuff is innovative!

What makes it so great, you ask? Well, Self Help's quirky song selection, for one thing. If you're an indie and oldies whore like myself, you'll probably appreciate his remix of the TV on the Radio song "Ambulance" and his mash-up featuring George Harrison's cover of "Got My Mind Set on You." And let's just say I never expected to hear rap rhymes mashed up with '90s pop-rockers The Cranberries. It's simply a surprising EP -- in the best way possible.

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Truth be told, the majority of new music I am exposed to does not excite me. It comes with the territory, though, considering the amount of music I am expected to listen to as someone who consistently writes about it. I can honestly say that these two releases excited me, immediately demanding my attention and serving as the soundtrack to what could be the most hectic week of the quarter -- week 9, baby. But I'm expecting the albums to only get better this weekend. I'm convinced mash-up albums were created solely for college students' going out "pregame" routine.

-- Jillian Mapes, ACRN's Editorial Director

Drop It: February 23rd

Welcome back, hot-droppers. Yes, it's true, the onslaught of new music can be a tad overwhelming at times. Lucky for you, ACRN is always here to help sift through all of the new releases that are fit to illegally downlo- er, um, purchase.

Brian Jonestown Massacre is back with another album, Who Killed Sgt. Pepper?, showing no signs of slowing down after reaching double digits two years ago. The sound is a far cry from the BJM of old, almost reaching the point of techno, as demonstrated by the song "Let's Go Fucking Mental," which has consumed the band's Web site. So goes the progression of front man Anton Newcombe (that asshole from the movie "Dig"). The album does, however, represent the return of Matt Hollywood (the guy who gets pissed and quits in the movie "Dig") to the group.

Swedish indie-pop outfit Shout Out Louds will release a third album, Work, their first record in three years. Most of the album is readily available already, but the sparse, 80s-pop influenced album is still generating buzz. Work was produced by Phil Ek, whose impressive resume includes albums by Fleet Foxes, The Shins and Band of Horses.

This Tuesday will be a bittersweet release day for fans of The Streets, AKA Mike Skinner. It will mark the release of a long-awaited album, Computers and Blues, as well as Skinner's final effort under the name. Even before releasing his fourth album, Skinner was telling sites like NME that he was, to paraphrase, effing sick of being "The Streets." The new album seems to have a definitively darker tone, but Skinners lyrical prowess is still on display.

If somewhat-edgy pop-punk is more your thing, Alkaline Trio drops This Addiction this week. The title track is essentially a love letter that says: "Baby, you're like heroin. All those other girls are nothing but methadone to me." The rest of the album seems to pretty much follow suit, and the cover art depicts a heart-shaped collection of pills. Sometimes, it's OK to judge a book by its cover.

As for the best of the rest, there are a few notable blast-from-the-past type releases, including new goodies from Michelle Branch and Lifehouse. So if you feel like reliving the turn of the century, dig in.

That's all for now, but stay tuned next week for everything from Peter Gabriel to Mumford & Sons, not to mention Jamies - both Foxx and Cullum.

Greg Gallant - 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

Another week of great music...

Bonjour mes homards!

It’s time for another roundup of all the exciting albums set to drop this week.

One of Bristol, U.K.’s electronic mainstays, Massive Attack, is back with their fifth regular studio album Heligoland. Hailing from the likes (and city) of fellow trip hop acts like Portishead and The Wild Bunch, this album promises to serve the same “Bristol sound” that it has given before.

Fellow British electropop group Hot Chip will formally release their fourth studio album One Life Stand this Tuesday as well. It’s predicted by both critics and insiders alike to be a pretty damn good album, so it’s definitely worth checking out.

Another band back on the scene is HIM with Screamworks: Love in Theory and Practice. This proves to be an exciting release for many, and is set to fill a void left since 2007’s Venus Doom.

Metal staples Fear Factory are on their way to the crest of another highly anticipated release Mechanize. Despite some inner struggles and legal issues, Fear Factory is full speed ahead with Tuesday as their prospected release date.

For more releases this week, check ACRN.com’s album reviews and see if we talk about your favorite new album. There will be more where that came from next week, so stay tuned!

-Matthew Anderson