Tuesday's Recommended Releases

After a fairly stacked release week last week, today's releases are thinner in quantity, but there are a few gems mixed in. Not noted below, but certainly worth getting, War Child Presents Heroes featuring Beck, TVOTR and all of your current favorites --all proceeds go to charity.

Here We Go Magic:
Album: S/T
Label: Western Vinyl
MP3: Tunnelvision (Via Fader)

Songwriter Luke Temple branches out into the more eclectic and electronic for his first release under the Here We Go Magic moniker. Filled with well-crafted melodies and hidden hooks, Temple has created a lush soundscape for his songs, recalling what Paul Simon might have sounded like had he grown up listening to indie electronica. Highly recommended.

Black Lips
Album: 200 Million Thousand
Label: Vince
MP3: "Short Fuse"

I haven't been able to spin this full record yet, but from what I've heard, I've been fairly underwhelmed. There has been a lot of pre-release buzz for this, but here we are at release day, and that buzz seems to have faded a bit. I'm willing to give the lips the benefit of the doubt though. I feel they earned it. Here's to hoping the record is better than what I've heard to date.

Laura Gibson
Album: Beasts of Seasons
Label: Hush Records
MP3: Spirited

As we wrote last week, we feel that this could be Laura Gibson's break-out album. Backed by a stellar band and producer Tucker Martine, Laura Gibson transcends her more traditional AAA approach for an updated and more sophisticated sound. Definitely pick this one up.


Laura Barrett:
Album: Victory Garden
Label: Paper Bag Records
MP3: "Bluebird"

Also included with Laura Gibson last week was Laura Barrett. Barrett brings to bear unique orchestral arrangements to her intimate songwriting. There is a softness to this music yet, the layered vocals and kalimba provide a unique and mysterious quality to the record making it stand out from the usual crop of indie singer-songwriters.