Albums

My Morning Jacket decided to record their latest release, Circuital (May 31st) in a Louisville, Kentucky gymnasium, in stark contrast to the Manhattan studio environment that 2008’s Evil Urges spawned from.

Much like their live shows, the electronic-improv duo EOTO (Michael Travis and Jason Hann) continue to change and morph over time.  From their humble beginnings a few years ago as a basement project to the explosive club juggernaut they have become, the group has redrawn the boundaries of performing live electronic music.

The band formerly known as 50 Cent Haircut who, after some confusion with a particular rapper sharing two-thirds of the same name, decided a change would be beneficial, now enter the world and hopefully its consciousness as Patrolled By Radar, and bring with them a fantastically sublime new album Be Happy.

Purposefully unclassifiable and borrowing from predecessors such as Pink Floyd, The Flaming Lips and, as odd as it may appear, Neil Young,

I don’t want to compare Strange Arrangement to any band; I want to compare them to every band.  Take a taste of all the jamband scene has to offer, take a taste of all the funk, bluegrass, soul, and blues of the past, and add them up.  That is what Polygraph sounds like.  The term “poly “meaning “many “is the flavor of this album, many influences, many arrangements and many different ways to get down.  From the fun and quirky to the meaningful and profound,

Knoxville, Tennessee indie trio Royal Bangs will release their third LP Flux Outside March 29th on Glassnote Records. It’s not everyday that an album like this lands on the desk. Sounds like psychedelic prog-pop, maybe…they prefer to call it “easy shred computer jam.” Whatever it is, the musicianship is incredibly tight, the sound intricate and full.

Toronto based Dinosaur Bones released their first full length album, My Divider on March 8th. Reasonably subtle, it presents itself without a whole lot of pushiness and allows the listener to take their time sifting through and discovering its fullness and vast idiosyncrasies at leisurely pace.

On April 5th, New York City based, multi-ethnic reggae outfit Easy Star All Stars will release their first full length record of original material entitled First Light. Famous for their reggae reworkings of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, Radiohead’s OK Computer, and Sgt.

The latest release from the Band of Heathens shows the group taking things further in terms of versatility of style, and demonstrating a certain maturity in songwriting and production. Top Hat Crown & the Clapmaster’s Son is a refined melding of the five member’s individual talents, and a step into some new territory.

Steven Quiry’s new release Pretend is fantastic.  I come to this conclusion through a long journey of criticism.  At first, I see the name.  Steven Quiry?  What kind of rock star name is that?  It’s no David Grey