Normally I would use this category to recommend albums from months ago that either just came to my attention or that I didn’t have enough room to mention previously. Brand new releases do sometimes appear in this section, but usually get their own review. (Who am I kidding, right? I don’t produce reviews so much as highly enthusiastic recommendations. I can’t help it — negativity clouds my aura.) Due to the crazy number of killer albums being released into the wild right now, I don’t have the luxury of waiting. By using a protractor, an Etch-A-Sketch, and the Pythagorean Theorem, I managed to whittle 20 tasty albums down to 4. (We’ll get to the rest eventually.) Let’s round ’em up.
Three sisters from LA follow in the footsteps of Jimi Hendrix, The Walker Brothers, and Sparks by making it big in the UK before their native America even knows who they are. Their debut full-length is 80s-era Fleetwood Mac (with Christine McVie on lead vocals) meets TLC in 21st century London.
I was going to write about “The Wire” a few weeks ago, but decided to hold off, knowing the album was coming out soon. The song opens with the drum sound from The Eagles’ “Heartache Tonight” and then closes four minutes later with my undying love.
After six album of excellent Americana-rock inspired largely by Neil Young and Dylan, Blitzen Trapper comes out with their version of Beck’s “Midnite Vultures.” Southern rock you can dance to with some 70s sexytime funkiness occasionally thrown into the mix. Purist fans of the band may not like it, but it sure is fun.
If you jumped off The Official Arctic Monkeys Train a couple of albums ago—and you weren’t necessarily wrong to do so—prepare to buy another ticket. AM is a sleek and slinky ride on the midnight train to awesome. And it knows how to rock in all the right places.
The Foreign Exchange – Love In Flying Colors
Had Stevie Wonder decided to form a spin-off band in 1978 to capitalize on his success, they might have sounded like this for the first few years.
Looking for some relaxed R&B? Well pour yourself a glass of wine and a bubble bath, because here ’tis.
Note: With family arriving in town today, I may or may not post over the next week. I realize this is a devastating blow, but try to keep it together.
Be strong.
For the children.
1 2 3 o' clock 4 o' clock Rock 
Haven’t really listened to the Arctic Monkeys but I’m diggin’ the two songs you included. Perhaps an album purchase is in order.
If you like those 2 songs then you’ll probably like the rest. You can actually find all the songs from the album on YouTube if you want to audition them. Good stuff!
Cool. Thanks!