Dust Sleeve

Spoon – Transference

Merge Records / buy!

I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like Austin-based, Britt Daniel backed Spoon. Music lovers tend to come from one of two viewpoints on the foursome – they either absolutely love them or are luke-warmly interested. Either way, I have a feeling their 7th release, Transference, is going to be a crowd-pleaser.
MP3: Spoon – “Written In Reverse ”

Surfer Blood – Afro Coast

Kanine / buy!

Every year there is a bucket full of over-hyped, Pitchfork-approved, blogged-to-death groups that put out a few good singles and one mediocre album. Surfer Blood seemed to be a good candidate for this category, but after hearing their debut Afro Coast , I have to say – this time the hypers got it right. These Palm Beach, 90′s throwback rockers are worth listening to.
MP3: Surfer Blood – “Swim”

Eels – End Times

Vagrant / buy!

When it comes to Eels, you pretty much know what you’re going to get. E has his scratchy, melancholy vocals and minimal guitar/piano/drum sound set in stone, so you’ll either like it or you won’t. The four track recording sounds bare and personal, and that’s because it is – one listen to the lyrics will have you uncomfortably involved in E’s loneliness and misery… just the way you like it.
MP3: Eels – “Little Bird”

Also Out This Week:
Blockhead – The Music Scene
Cold War Kids – Behave Yourself EP
Dinowalrus – %
Editors – In This Light And On This Evening
Josephine Foster – Graphic as a Star
The Hot Rats – Turn Ons
Infinite Body – Carve Out the Face of My God
Lindstrom & Christabelle – Real Life Is No Cool
Major Stars – Return to Form
Motion City Soundtrack – My Dinosaur Life
Red Krayola with Art and Language – Five American Portraits
RJD2 – The Colossus
Scout Niblett - The Calcination of Scout Niblett
Various Artists - Pop Ambient 2010
Virulence – If This Isn’t a Dream… 1985-1989