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What to Download: New Music Today

BuzzSugar — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:30:32 -0800

New DVD and music releases are the perk of Tuesdays, and today's album picks are fresh, fun, and guaranteed to liven up your iPod. I've checked out today's new music and have some advice for what's worth the download.

Don't stop partying: I'll resist doing a full-on album review for Weezer's Raditude; it's tempting, because I've always been a fan and have much to say about the band's transformation over the last 15 years. That said, if I forget about how lyrically deep Weezer used to be, I can enjoy the band for what it is now: a group of guys who write catchy, rocking party songs. I'm definitely enjoying this album way more than the last two simply for the fun factor; first single "(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To" is permanently stuck in my head and I don't mind. "Let It All Hang Out," with lyrics written by Jermaine Dupri, is exactly what you should blast at your next party when you're worried no one's having a good time; and continuing with the obvious theme here is "Can't Stop Partying" with Lil Wayne guest-rapping.

Ultimate TV karaoke If you're obsessed with Glee already, you may want to get your hands on the show's first soundtrack, Glee - The Music, Vol. 1. The offerings on the album are songs that have been on the season so far, plus a few from the next episode. "Don't Stop Believin'," the first song that captured the country's attention, is worth having (especially to remind you that for every awkward Mr. Schu rap, there's a gem like this). There's also the goosebump-inducing "Somebody to Love." Finally, there's one I'm especially excited about that has yet to air: Artie's slowed-down version of Billy Idol's "Dancing With Myself," where the oft-overlooked glee club member finally gets his own episode and electrifying solo.

Hear one more new release when you read more.
America's country idol: Country cutie Carrie Underwood is back with another disc of songs, Play On, that utilize her sweet voice to tell you she's not a doormat. Her first single, "Cowboy Casanova," warns ladies of players in 10-gallon hats; this infectious tune will probably be dominating the radio the rest of the year. Another catchy tale of heartbreak you're sure to hear a lot of is "Quitter," but I prefer the more uplifting title track "Play On," which showcases Underwood's pipes rather than her sassy attitude.

What to Download: New Music Today

BuzzSugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:30:52 -0700

Happy Tuesday - also known as my favorite day of the week for new DVD releases as well as music releases. On this crisp Fall day, the new tunes I'm recommending are of the indie, alt-rock variety. Check out the albums and tracks I've picked out as being worthy of a download.

Rock the family tree: Tegan and Sara's Sainthood is harder rocking than their previous albums (this is their sixth), but the relationship-heavy lyrics haven't changed. It's a more updated sound for the twin-sister indie outfit; lyrically and vocally, they seem more mature and evolved. The fast pace of songs like "Hell" is an example of a new-ish sound, while "The Cure" is a little more traditional Tegan and Sara. Don't miss the impassioned "It Was Midnight."

Scruffy sounds sweet: Devendra Banhart's latest, What Will We Be, is a lo-fi collection of subtly sexy folk-rock tracks; I could listen to the funky "Baby" all day long (in fact, I kind of have). Banhart's music often sounds like it's from another era, particularly the '70s, and this album really solidifies that - cue the sweet, twangy "Angelika," which switches it up in the last minute with a '50s Latin flavor. As a San Franciscan, I was predisposed to love the song "16th and Valencia Roxy Music," and its upbeat tempo and chorus are perfect for getting ready for a night out.

Listen in on one more new release when you read more.

Howling at the radio: Cosmic Egg is the follow-up from Australian band Wolfmother. Their debut album made a huge splash in the rock world in 2005, garnering the band a Grammy, but it wasn't all good times; two of its original members left the band in Summer 2008. Despite the new lineup, the hard rock sound hasn't changed a bit; the title track and "White Feather" (my favorite) dive in with heavy guitar riffs and Andrew Stockdale's signature screeching vocals. It also has to be said: "New Moon Rising" has a very timely title (hey, it could have been on the soundtrack!).

What to Download: New Music Today

BuzzSugar — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:30:14 -0700

It's one of my favorite days of the week: Tuesday! Which means I get to add DVDs to my Netflix queue, along with some brand new tunes for my iPod. So check out today's music releases for what you should download. (And if you like to review albums, don't forget to take a peek at the Music Review Group in the community.)

A smooth ride: Sufjan Stevens takes a breather from his states project with BQE, an ode to the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. He originally performed the work to accompany a film about the road, but the music stands on its own as a beautiful orchestral arrangement. Warning if you like Stevens's mellow voice: BQE is all instrumental. Still, it proves that he has what it takes as a composer, and I'd like to see him lend his talents to more of this sort of work. My picks: Movement II: Sleeping Invader, which sounds like a ballet dream sequence, and Traffic Shock, which mixes in clashing electronic sounds like a busy gridlock.

Pretty packs a punch: If you haven't heard of Florence and the Machine, get ready. Florence Welch is the latest spunky Brit singer on the scene, and her debut Lungs already went platinum in the UK. Today, it's available to buy stateside. She's the singer I'd want to be if I had my own band - a woman who wails while banging the tambourine - and her album veers between tough-chick anthems and haunting ballads a la Sarah McLachlan. Make sure you try the hand-clapping, feel-good Dog Days Are Over or the romantic Cosmic Love.

See two more releases when you read more.

Freaky fun: If you're a Flight of the Conchords fan - or even if you're not - you'll want to check out I Told You I Was Freaky, a compilation of music from season two (including three previously unreleased tracks). Sure, half the fun is watching the boys act out each song on the show (and Jemaine's wicked dance moves), but when you listen to the music on its own, you realize just how talented they really are. Each selection could qualify for radio-play - or just a ridiculously fun karaoke night. The album includes favorites like Sugarlumps, Hurt Feelings, and the Emmy-nominated Carol Brown.

Lyrical wanderlust: Jay Farrar of Son Volt and Benjamin Gibbard of Death Cab For Cutie team up on One Fast Move or I'm Gone: Music From Kerouac's Big Sur, an ode to the famous author's work. The two musicians met while working on a documentary about Kerouac and decided to collaborate on this album using words from his novel. It's fitting then that the result feels like a cross-country trip - lazy and laid-back with some twangy country, Americana sound. I'll be adding the title track and California Zephyr to my car playlist.

What to Download: New Music Today

BuzzSugar — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:30:59 -0700

It's Tuesday! I've already given you some picks to beef up your Netflix queue, but now it's time for your iPod. Check out today's new music releases for what you should download.

The birth of new sound: The latest from The Flaming Lips, Embryonic, is the musical equivalent of an acid trip. The band reportedly improvised a lot in the studio, so the entire album feels raw and pretty much all over the place. MGMT joins in on the track Worm Mountain, Karen O lends silly animal noises (yes, really) to I Can Be a Frog, and a mathematician spouts out equation, x=y type stuff on Gemini Syringes. Weird? You bet. Every track is experimental, which means you'll either embrace it for its free-spirited creativity, or write it off as too strange. Either way, it's worth checking out.

Pop culture candy: Hell has frozen over - Jack White is on the 90210 soundtrack. Hey, I'm not knocking TV music - I've already professed my love for it - but I was surprised to see The Raconteurs associated with a CW show. The band lends a wicked guitar riff to the first track Many Shades of Black (featuring soulful singer Adele) to start the album off. The rest of the playlist includes a mix of new offerings from indie artists and more mainstream pop, but my favorites are the sleepy Valium by MuteMath and the Postal Service-ish Sunburn by Owl City.

See one more release when you read more.

Bah-hum-blah: I was pumped when I heard that Bob Dylan was making a holiday album. It may be Halloween time now, but I always love a good carol, and Christmas in the Heart includes 15 of my favorites. But that's where my excitement ended. Dylan's voice will always be uniquely his, but the throaty quality seems out of place here, singing famous ditties like Here Comes Santa Claus. It's almost like your uncle had too many spiked ciders and started caroling. Even so, I'll probably still download I'll Be Home For Christmas or Winter Wonderland just so I'm not a total Scrooge - the proceeds go to the charity Feeding America.

What to Download: New Music Today

BuzzSugar — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:30:32 -0700

It's Tuesday, which means that not only is your Netflix queue getting a shot in the arm, so is your iPod: I've checked out today's new music releases and have some advice for you on what you should download today.

Hipster Halloween Party: I'm pretty shocked by how much I'm enjoying the self-titled debut album from Dead Man's Bones, AKA the band that Ryan Gosling is in. The "goth-folk" concept sounds too campy to work; Gosling and his bandmate Zach Shields have compiled an entire album of creepy-themed tracks, finding inspiration in zombies and werewolves. It sounds ridiculous, but their stroke of genius is adding the Silverlake Conservatory of Music Children's Choir. As backup singers, the kids' voices are sweet and catchy, especially on Flowers Grow Out of My Grave. My other favorites are the charm-filled, retro-sounding My Body's a Zombie For You and Pa Pa Power, where Gosling's '50s-toned voice plays off the backing of the young voices.

Spill it: I was eagerly awaiting Built to Spill's latest album, There Is No Enemy, and I'm not disappointed; so far I like it more than their last effort from three years ago, You in Reverse. Enemy is more in the upbeat-yet-deep vein of 1999's Keep it Like a Secret (maybe my favorite BTS album). Lose yourself in Hindsight and Aisle 13, but if you're craving a lilting, classic BTS jam, cue up Things Fall Apart.

See one more release when you read more.

A girl and her guitar: Brandi Carlile hit the pop culture jackpot when songs from her last album The Story were featured on Grey's Anatomy several times. Now she's back with her third album, Give Up the Ghost, and her emotional folk will probably get her back on the show: Dreams ramps up from a slow ballad to heavy rocker, while That Year and Before it Breaks are worthy of a Mer-Der cryfest.

What to Download: New Music Today

BuzzSugar — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 14:30:32 -0700

Tuesdays are big in entertainmentville: not only do all the new DVD releases hit Netflix, but new music also pours into stores. So I take a spin through each week's music releases and pick out some albums and tracks worthy of a download.

Queen of the dance floor: I pretty much murdered my cassette of Madonna's greatest hits, The Immaculate Collection, which came out in 1990. Now, with Celebration, her third hits compilation, Madonna brings the party again. The title track is an upbeat dancer, but what you really want are her older songs that are mixed in with more recent hits, including "Hung Up," "Music," "Vogue," "Into the Groove," "Don’t Tell Me," and "Like a Virgin."

Divas are doing it for themselves: Even if your tastes aren't Mariah-level mainstream, you probably won't be able to escape most of the singles off of Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel for the next few months. Mariah wrote and executive produced the entire album, which includes her stalker jam "Obsessed" which has already been getting lots of airplay. If you tend to like her pipes more on ballads, look out for "H.A.T.E.U." and "I Want to Know What Love Is."

See one more release when you read more.

Alt rock out: Paramore sprung on the scene last year with prime placement on the Twilight soundtrack. Since then, they've been nominated for a VMA, and today they release their third album, Brand New Eyes. The first single, "Ignorance," is a hard rocker, while the slower, bittersweet "All I Wanted" will please devoted fans and new listeners. I also predict "Brick by Boring Brick" will go places.

What to Download: New Music Today

BuzzSugar — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:30:32 -0700

Still rockin': I was surprised when I heard that Pearl Jam was releasing an album exclusively through Target this past Sunday - huh?! - but Backspacer is a solid, mature showing from the heralded band. The songs are full of introspective lyrics, like an older and wiser Eddie Vedder reflecting back on his life, but most of the tracks are fast-paced with a tinge of punk sound. While a bit of head-banging is fun, I've always preferred Pearl Jam's ballads like "Black" over their heavier stuff, so I'll be downloading "Just Breathe" and "The End."

Still waters run deep: Yesterday, we got word that indie artists Sea Wolf made it onto the New Moon soundtrack; now comes their sophomore full-length effort White Water, White Bloom, a mellow album of romanticism. (Perfect for Edward and Bella, no?) Every track has gorgeous storytelling imagery, as singer-songwriter Alex Brown Church constantly weaves in water themes (as his album title and band name hint). The result is something dreamy and lush to listen to on a lazy, sunny day. My favorite tracks: "Wicked Blood," "Dew in the Grass," and "The Orchard."

One more up next, so read more.

Child's play: Those neon outfits, those tight pants, that Freddie Mercury falsetto - everyone knows Mika is a bit outrageous, and his latest album is just as super-charged as his debut. Reportedly inspired by his own adolescence, The Boy Who Knew Too Much is full of that rebellious teenage attitude with the standard Mika dance fever. From the island music of "Blue Eyes" to the nursery rhyme-ish ditty "Toy Boy," it feels light and fizzy, like pop music on Red Bull - and it's just as addictive. You'll either love it or hate it, but as for me, I'll be downloading "We Are Golden" and "By the Time," where he collaborates with Imogen Heap.

What to Download: New Music Today

BuzzSugar — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 15:30:24 -0700

An amicable breakup: I thought Scarlett Johansson's album of Tom Waits covers was just OK, but her second effort really showcases her vocal talent. Paired with alt-country artist Pete Yorn, the two created Break Up, an album inspired by the '60s-era recordings of Serge Gainsbourg and Brigitte Bardot. Despite its title, the record is surprisingly upbeat. Many of you enjoyed the first single, the retro-twangy "Relator," when it debuted in May, and ultimately, it's still my favorite track. The rest of the album sounds more run-of-the-mill, but Johansson's sultry voice adds a lot of flavor to Yorn's music. Also worth hearing: "Clean" and "Wear and Tear."

Rebel yell: I wasn't that familiar with UK band Muse, but their performance at Sunday's VMAs was foot-thumping fun. (Some of you even said they were your favorite act.) Now comes their fifth studio release, The Resistance. My favorite track, "United States of Eurasia/Collateral Damage," is reminiscent of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody," and the entire album has a similar rock opera feeling. The guys are reportedly contributing to the New Moon soundtrack, but until then, check out "Eurasia," "Unnatural Selection," and "Uprising."

One more up next, so read more.

One giant leap: Kid Cudi was another VMA performer, and even though I've been hearing his name for a while - he contributed to Kanye West's 808s & Heartbreak album last year and is on Kanye's label - Cudi's promising debut, Man on the Moon: The End of Day, hit stores today. Like his mentor, Cudi tries his hand at "conceptual" music, using this album to tell personal stories in the context of nightmares, and he mixes in every genre from hip-hop to rap to electronic. Fans of 808s and Heartbreak should check this one out, but I think Cudi is at his strongest when he collaborates. "Pursuit of Happiness" is a track featuring MGMT and Ratatat, and "Make Her Say," which samples Lady GaGa's "Poker Face," gets help from Common and Kanye.

What to Download: New Music Today

BuzzSugar — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:48:20 -0700

Return of the King: The new Jay-Z album, The Blueprint 3, was supposed to be released on Friday but a leak prompted a last minute to move to today (which is why it may not be showing up on iTunes yet). The earlier release date is good news for fans, because this album is amazing. I've been listening to it nonstop, and during my first listen, I was surprised at how each song seemed to just get better and more epic.

I realize I'm gushing, so let me back it up: instant hits "Empire State of Mind" with Alicia Keys and "So Ambitious" with Pharrell are soulful groovers, while "D.O.A. (Death of Autotune)" and "On To the Next One" reassert Jay's self-proclaimed reputation as the Best Rapper Alive. (Update: the album is available to buy and stream on Rhapsody right now).

Go independent: Yo La Tengo's latest album, Popular Songs, promises some new sounds from the moody band, and I'd already gotten into preview song "Periodically Double or Triple". It's not the only upbeat track that hooked me; I want to listen to "Nothing to Hide" on repeat. Finally, the bonus track is a Carole King cover, "You've Got a Friend", and provides that slow, sweetly haunting feeling Yo La Tengo is known for.

Listen in on one more new download when you read more.

Let's jam: I know there's still a lot of you Phish-heads out there, and a listen to their newest, Joy, transports me back to my college days. I'm instantly sucked in by the lively Ocelot, and it's hard to not to comply with the lyrics of the appropriately named title track "Joy": "we want you to be happy". Oh, and don't worry, the band hasn't lost its affinity for epically long songs - there's a thirteen minute track, "Time Turns Elastic".

What to Download: New Music Today

BuzzSugar — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:30:06 -0700

She's baaack: I Look to You is supposed to be Whitney's comeback album, and "Million Dollar Bill" is the upbeat first single. It seems pretty disco-y and fun to me - like a radio-friendly hit - but it also feels like it was written for someone else. The same goes for "Like I Never Left," which features Akon; they're just kind of generic. The more "Whitney-ish" tracks are the ballads, particularly the title song "I Look to You." It's not a terrible album, it's just not the strong comeback I was hoping to get from the woman who belted out "I Wanna Dance With Somebody."

Turn it up: Listening to The Black Crowes' latest album, Before the Frost . . . Until the Freeze, makes me regret not being more familiar with more than the band's singles, because this album is such a good time, particularly the rocking opener, Good Morning Captain. Songs like it and Shine Along make me want to see the band on tour, immediately, in some big, hot outdoor venue where dancing is mandatory. (Note: If you buy the physical disc in stores, you get a download code for the second part.)

Check out one more download when you read more.

Crossing over: Actress Juliette Lewis has been singing with her band The Licks for a few years now, but she's going it all on her own with Terra Incognita. I'm impressed by this album, especially since I was always pretty ambivalent about her singing career. Omar Rodriguez-Lopez of The Mars Volta produced the album, which is super apparent in the heavy, mysterious-sounding tracks, but some of the songs (like "Ghosts") just sound like a Volta song with Lewis singing. But the title track, "Terra Incognita," is my favorite for its showcase of Lewis's pipes - snarling, but still melodic.