New Music Roundup: 2/27/09

This post was written by TNG co-founder Zack.


Did you know that TNG loves music? I bet it never occurred to you. It's not like we write about it all the damn time or anything. Though we regularly cover bands in What We're Listening To and our interviews and our monthly live music roundups, we still receive many high quality CDs that never get reviewed on the site. To make up for this I am introducing a new weekly feature to give you the rundown of all the new music I've picked up in the last seven days. Not all of it is amazing and not all of it is released yet, but I do hope you that you find one or two in here that pique your interest.

This week includes mini-reviews for Nite Jewel, Telekinesis, That Pumpsta and many others.

Artist: Caroline Weeks
Album:Songs for Edna
Who the hell are they?: Bat for Lashes member goes solo on album of Edna St. Vincent Milay poems set to music.
Sounds like a combination of: A renaissance fair and the cure for insomnia.
For Example: Elegy.
Recommended?: No. This was very ill-advised.
Release Date: April 7.

Artist: Children
Album: Hard Times Hanging at The End of The World
Who the hell are they?: NYC hard rock trio.
Sounds like a combination of: Thin Lizzy and Buddha Stalin
For Example: Death Tribe
Recommended?: Actually, yes.
Release Date: May 12.

Artist: Jessie Kilguss
Album: Nocturnal Drifter
Who the hell are they?: Brooklyn-based singer/actress.
Sounds like a combination of: Paula Cole and respectability.
For Example: A Little Place Behind My Eyes
Recommended?: Again, I'm going to surprise myself and say yes. I could listen to the above song all day.
Release Date: January 6

Artist: Julie Doiron
Album: I Can Wonder What You Did With Your Day
Who the hell are they?: Latest solo release from journeywoman vocalist.
Sounds like a combination of: Kimya Dawson and Veruca Salt.
For Example: Heavy Snow
Recommended?: More than most girl-with-guitars. She actually rocks.
Release Date: March 10

Artist: Laura Barrett
Album: Victory Garden
Who the hell are they?: The personification of a new age bookstore.
Sounds like a combination of: Abject boredom and hell on earth.
For Example: Bluebird
Recommended?: What do you think?
Release Date: Feb. 24

Artist: Nite Jewel
Album: Nite Jewel
Who the hell are they?: LA '80s-revivalists.
Sounds like a combination of: Bronski Beat and The Eurythmics.
For Example: Artificial Intelligence
Recommended?: For bringing back the '80s the right way.
Release Date: March 17

Artist: Pomegranates
Album: Everybody Come Outside.
Who the hell are they?: Upbeat Cincinnati quartet.
Sounds like a combination of: Le Loup and Harlem Shakes.
For Example: Corriander
Recommended?: Yes!
Release Date: April 14

Artist: Sleepy Sun
Album:Embrace
Who the hell are they?: Buncha Santa Cruz hippies...
Sounds like a combination of: Blitzen Trapper and The Age of Aquarius.
For Example: White Dove
Recommended?: For when Phish is too loud and fast for your liking.
Release Date: Feb. 25

Artist: Telekinesis
Album: Telekinesis!
Who the hell are they?: Debut of Seattle one-man band.
Sounds like a combination of: Arcade Fire and Alamo Racetrack.
For Example: Coast of Carolina
Recommended?: Yes!
Release Date: April 7

Artist: Tha Pumpsta
Album: Bass Black Treble White
Who the hell are they?: Oversexed white rapper.
Sounds like a combination of: Lil John and Dizzee Rascal.
For Example: 1987
Recommended?: Not even a little... and I like Dizzee Rascal and Lil Jon.
Release Date: July 1, 2008

Artist: Tortured Soul
Album: Did You Miss Me
Who the hell are they?: Brooklyn neo-disco.
Sounds like a combination of: Phoenix and Kool and the Gang.
For Example: Your Dream is My Dream (MySpace player, 2nd track)
Recommended?: For wearing your tightest, shiniest pants.
Release Date: March 6

So which one should I buy?: In my stumbling opinion, this weeks best are Jessie Kilguss, Nite Jewel, Pomegranates and Telekenesis.