New Music Roundup: 3/6/09

This post was written by TNG co-founder Zack.


The TNG headquarters receive ton of new music in the mail. Its a tough job, I know, but I've valiantly taken some time out of my work week to listen to them all and let you know which are worth your time and which wouldn't even be suitable to cover up the sounds of the never-ending construction that's happening in the alley behind your bedroom.

Full list, in descending order of awesomeness, below the fold:

Really Awesome:

Artist: Morning Benders
Album: Grain of Salt EP
Who the hell are they?: Kinks/Kooks knockoffs get melancholy and original
Sounds like a combination of: The Kinks and The Clientelle
For Example: Grain of Salt (MySpace player, 1st track.)
Recommended?: Very much so
Release Date: Feb. 24

Artist: Pete Doherty
Album: Grace/Wastelands
Who the hell are they?: Debut solo album from tabloid fodder (and deceptively talented) English rocker.
Sounds like a combination of: "This is Hardcore"-era pulp and Dusty Springfield
For Example: Last of the English Roses
Recommended?: So, so much. This is quickly becoming my soundtrack for a melancholy, hungover 2009.
Release Date: March 24

Artist: Shunda K & Kotchy
Album: Le Passion, Yo!
Who the hell are they?: Queer Yo! Majesty frontwoman Shunda joins forces with Brooklyn producer Kotchy for solo EP.
Sounds like a combination of: Yo! Majesty and Meshell Ndegeocello.
For Example: First Encounter
Recommended?: Highly
Release Date: Feb. 24

Artist: White lies
Album: To Lose Your Life
Who the hell are they?: Ominous, death-obsessed UK dance trio
Sounds like a combination of: Depeche Mode and The Killers
For Example: Death
Recommended?: For dancing at the end of the world.
Release Date: March 17

Pretty Awesome:

Artist: Bricolage
Album: Bricolage
Who the hell are they?: Glasgow four piece
Sounds like a combination of: Morrissey and Reel Big Fish
For Example: Flowers of Deceit (MySpace player, 1st track.)
Recommended?: For it's blatant misuse of "Be My Baby" drums on track 7.
Release Date: May 12

Artist: The Decemberists
Album: The Hazards of Love
Who the hell are they?: Dramatic Portland chamber-popsters.
Sounds like a combination of: A highschool drama club and the White Stripes.
For Example: The Rake's Song
Recommended?: For storytelling and complexity
Release Date: March 24

Artist: Late of The Pier
Album: Fantasy Black Channel
Who the hell are they?: Frenetic English dance-rockers
Sounds like a combination of: Franz Ferdinand and The Cars
For Example: Heartbeat
Recommended?: For dancin'
Release Date: Jan. 13

Artist: Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band
Album: Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band
Who the hell are they?: Seattle indie wailers.
Sounds like a combination of: Tokyo Police Club and Rush
For Example: Anchors Dropped
Recommended?: I guess.
Release Date: March 10

Artist: The Secret History
Album: Desolation Town EP
Who the hell are they?: Side project of My Favorite frontman Michael Grace Jr.
Sounds like a combination of: Everything But The Girl and Stars
For Example: It's Not The End of The World, Jonah
Recommended?: For both good songs and its apparent shout-out to Donna Tartt
Release Date: Nov. 4th, 2008

Artist: Tragically Hip
Album: We Are The Same
Who the hell are they?: Long-practicing Canadian rock band, who, incidentally, have New York City's coolest publicist.
Sounds like a combination of: REM and The Angry Inch
For Example: Morning Moon (MySpace player, 1st track.)
Recommended?: If you like 'em.
Release Date: April 7

Artist:tUnE-yArDs
Album:BiRd-BrAiN
Who the hell are they?: Frustratingly capitalized ecclectic solo act
Sounds like a combination of: PJ Harvey and The Gorillaz
For Example: Sunlight
Recommended?: I normally don't like stuff this discordant, but it's pretty good
Release Date: Last year

Not Awesome at All:

Artist: Balmorhea
Album: All is Wild, All is Silent
Who the hell are they?: Austin band who is neither wild nor silent. Discuss.
Sounds like a combination of: The Family Ties theme song and a soothing noises machine from the Sharper Image catalogue.
For Example: Harp & Boon
Recommended?: For the world's most beautiful, posh, tree-lined elevator.
Release Date: March 10

Artist: Tina Dico
Album: A Beginning, A Detour, An End
Who the hell are they?: Danish singer/songwriter releases wholly unnecessary three part album
Sounds like a combination of: Dido and Ikea
For Example: He Doesn't Know
Recommended?: For a Starbucks. No, not even. A Caribou
Release Date: Jan. 27