With today being Canada Day and Friday the Fourth of July, the music industry world is kinda quiet this week, but there are still some stellar releases worth shooting fireworks for. Highlights include the comedy album 2776: A Millennium of American Asskickery, the brainchild of Conan/The Daily Show writer Rob Kutner, The Tonight Show writer Joel Moss Levinson, and Steven Levinson. The compilation features new music from Yo La Tengo, Neko Case and Kelly Hogan, and Aimee Mann, with guest appearances from Ira Glass, Eugene Mirman, Patton Oswalt, and many more, plus proceeds go to benefit the charity OneKid OneWorld.
Other highlights include the debut album from Beverly, a new project of Frankie Rose, solo artist and former member of Crystal Stilts and Vivian Girls. KEXP's Music Director Don Yates notes the album, "blends hazy dream-pop with crunchy ‘90s indie-rock." A mere month after the release of their debut collaboration Someday World, Brian Eno and Karl Hyde of Underworld are already back with their sophomore release, High Life. Former Dream Syndicate frontman Steve Wynn shares the collection, Sketches In Spain, featuring music he recorded there from 2001-2005 with producer Paco Loco. Mark Kozelek releases the album Live at Biko, recorded earlier this year in Milan, and featuring several tracks from the Red House Painters/Sun Kil Moon catalog. Ryan Adams presents his first new music since 2011, and Japanese noise band OOIOO, featuring Boredoms drummer Yoshimi P-We (yes, that Yoshimi), release their euphoric sixth album, Gamel.
Highlights for this week include the debut release from The Proper Ornaments, a UK group led by Max Claps and Veronica Falls’ James Hoare. KEXP's Music Director Don Yates describes their first full-length as "a sturdy, well-crafted set of hazy psych-pop with jangly guitars, warm harmonies, wistful …
It's the first batch of new releases for the summer, and highlights include the latest from Chicago-based artist Tom Krell, who records under the name How To Dress Well. KEXP Music Director Don Yates describes his third album, What Is This Heart?, as a "more expansive take on his intimate blend of …