Yeasayer – Odd Blood
Given the current atmosphere of music, it seems like anything is possible. For example, it’s possible for members of a barbershop quartet to move to Brooklyn and form an indie-pop band, with sounds of the Middle East as an influence, and for people to like it. And in the case of Yeasayer, people like it a lot. “Odd Blood”, the band’s second full length, blends a lot of sounds ranging from folk to dub, and manage to do so in a way that pushes the metaphoric envelope, but doesn’t punish the listener with something too avant-garde. Label: Secretly Canadian
Zeus – Say Us
It seems there are a couple ways to get signed to the prestigious Arts & Crafts label – have lots of talent, or have a connection to their existing roster. Luckily for Zeus, they’ve covered both angles. Mike O’Brien and Carlin Nicholson have been performing together for years, perhaps most notably as members of Jason Collett’s backing band. Recently, they added Rob Drake and Neil Quin, and the music of Zeus came to be. And their debut full-length, “Say Us”, has all the ingredients of infectious Canadian rock that will have the plaid-clad population nodding their heads. Label: Arts & Crafts
Galactic – Ya-Ka-May
Galactic have a great deal of hometown pride, and why shouldn’t they? New Orleans is a hotbed of culture, by way of history, food, and music. And for their seventh studio album, “Ya-Ka-May”, Galactic have brought together and unleashed some of the Big Easy’s finest talent, from iconic veterans to up-and-coming underground artists. Together, they illustrate what the New Orleans sound means to them, and have a lot of fun doing it. This is not your grandfather’s New Orleans record. Label: Anti-
Massive Attack – Heligoland
Just because Massive Attack have only released five studio albums in twenty years doesn’t mean they haven’t kept busy. The Bristol duo also produce, as well as lend their talents to scoring soundtracks. And if they were concerned that seven years is a long gap between albums, their return comes with great fanfare. The album features appearances by Tunde Adebimpe (TV On The Radio), Damon Albarn, Adrian Utley (Portishead), Guy Garvey (Elbow), and Hope Sandova. The band also plans on releasing a follow-up EP by the summer. Label: Virgin
Hollerado – Record In A Bag
First things first – Hollerado’s “Record In A Bag” is far from a new album. And despite it being the official release of their debut album, Hollerado aren’t new to the scene either. They’ve been touring heavily for years, including their insane residency tour, taking them to seven different cities seven days a week for an entire month. Their collection of songs have also attracted the attention of a lot of prominent people, including Jack White, who personally handpicked the band to open for Dead Weather. Their efforts and dedication paid off in the latter half of 2009, when they were named the winner of Live 88.5’s “Big Money Shot”, winning $250,000! We’re secretly hoping they’ll share it with us when Hollerado perform live at Criminal Records in Toronto on Saturday March 13th (with Dan Mangan and Aidan Knight) Label: Royal Mountain
