This Week's Releases

Wow, I don't know what to say about the quality of this week's list of music. I would say it's amazing, but I don't think that encapsulates the staggering amount of great music ready to travel to your ears. I think you will just have to listen to it to try and understand how good this batch really is.

I don't have a pick for this week, I have five. Luckily they are all different types of music, so I don't feel bad about not being picky enough. First we have our favorite Afro-pop group, Vampire Weekend. I'm sure many of you have heard at least half the album already and the rest of the album is just as good and really compliments itself from beginning to end. The next two releases are local area bands The Shackeltons and Jukebox the Ghost. Joe posted an interview with the Shackeltons and the album lives up to everything said about it there. Jukebox has never failed to disappoint and with this release, we finally have an epic full length to listen to over and over again. We also have an interview with them for you to check out.

Vampire Weekend

Vampire Weekend - "A-Punk"

The Shackeltons

The Shackeltons - "Your Movement"

Jukebox the Ghost

Let Live and Let Ghosts - "Good Day"

The final two picks should be better known bands to everyone. Up first, The Helio Sequence have released their forth studio album and get better and better with every release. The eloquence and beauty of this release surpasses any of their others. The band stretches their collective creative talents to produce something everyone will find immensely pleasing to the ears.

The Helio Sequence

Keep Your Eyes Ahead - "Keep Your Eyes Ahead"

Finally, we have a new disc from The Mars Volta. Classified as progressive rock, psychedelic rock and experimental rock by many, I would like to add "tastefully loud" and pure rock pleasure. This album is not for anyone who cannot stand noise coming at them in the form of 5 to 9 musical instruments all at the same. However, for those of you who can muster the eardrum exploding (in my opinion, it has to be higher than regular volume to get the full effect) music infusion, you are getting a real treat. The band was recently in Baltimore and should be back in the area later in the year.

The Mars Volta

The Bedlam in Goliath

Other Notable Releases: In addition to those five, there are several other releases worth mentioning this week. These picks include the excellent new disc from DC's own, Thao and The Get Down Stay Down.

Thao & the Get Down Stay Down (from DC)

We Brave Bee Stings and All - "Beat (Health, Life, and Fire)" Full Album Stream

Chris Walla

Field Manual - "Sing Again"

Xiu Xiu

Women As Lovers - "I Do What I Want, When I Want"

Murder Mystery

Are You Ready For The Heartache Cause Here It Comes - "Love Astronaut"

The Bell

Make Some Quiet - "On and On"

Louis XIV

Slick Dogs and Ponies - "Guilt by Association" Full Album Stream