This Week's Releases

14 March 2013 | 2:15 pm | Alex Wilson

New music from Bob Evans, Low, Devendra Banhart, Fletcher and Youth Lagoon!

Bob EvansFamiliar Stranger (Capitol/EMI)

The Jebediah and Basement Birds mainman moves away from his alt-country roots to indulge in some foot-tapping pop-rhythms on this confident solo effort. We hit Mr. Evans up a little earlier for a blog on his professional rockstardom.

FletcherUpon Ayr (Dramatico/Warner)

We had a chat with the man himself, formerly of Bluebottle Kiss and The Devoted Few, about the art and travel that influenced his debut solo record, which we have streaming for your listening pleasure.

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Dick DiverCalendar Days (Chapter)

The sophomore effort from these Melbourne kids finds them confidently sidestepping the awkward second record with a great batch of quirky and twangy indie-rock tunes. In this interview with themusic.com.au they open up about their shared musical vision and singing with an Aussie accent.

Youth LagoonWondrous Bughouse (Fat Possum/Shock)

Speaking of the dreaded sophomore curse, this second effort from the critically-lauded solo project of Trevor Powers has divided our reviewers. Is it an enticing, mysterious dreamscape or just so much aimless ambient noodling?

LowThe Invisible Way (Sub Pop/Inertia)

20 years and 10 releases in and Low are still refining their painfully eloquent sound, with amazing results. As always, it's a record worth hearing for their achingly low-key songs and wondrous vocal interplay.

Devendra BanhartMala (Nonesuch/Warner)

We have a review up of this latest effort from Mr Banhart. His dark and nostalgic lyricism and powerful vocals carry Mala, a record that is both cohesive and diverse.

PhosphorescentMuchacho (Dead Oceans/Inertia)

This latest effort finds Matthew Houck delivering an album of electronically-tinged Americana, replete with elegant arrangements and a hell of a lot of emotional punch. Maybe this sixth album will be the one that breaks him out.

Some more music that is coming out this week:

Night Moves Coloured Emotions (Domino/EMI)
Steve Mason
Oh My Lord (Domino/EMI)
Various
Social Experiment 3 Mixed by Art Department (No. 19/Balance/EMI)
Various
 – 101 Legends (EMI)
Current Swell
Long Time Ago (Nettwerk/Inertia)
Collen Green
Sock It To Me (Hardly Art/Inertia)
Purling Hiss
Water On Mars (Mistletone/Inertia)
Off With Their Heads
Home (Epitaph/Warner)
The Pogues
30:30 The Essential Collection (Warner)
Various
Spring Breakers Soundtrack (Atlantic/Warner)
John Grant
Pale Green Ghosts (Bella Union/Cooperative)
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Specter At The Feast (Abstract Dragon/Cooperative)
Caitlin Rose
The Stand-In (Spunk/Cooperative)
Baylou
Go To Hell And I Love You (ABC/Universal)
Eric Clapton
Old Sock (Universal)
Allen Stone
Allen Stone (Universal)
Nantes
Beingsbeing (Deadhead Music/MGM)
Daughter
If You Leave (4AD/Remote Control)
Justin Timberlake
The 20/20 Experience (Sony)
The Break
Space Farm (Sony)
Laura Mvula
Sing to the Moon (Sony)
Wild Belle
Isles (Sony)
Train
California 37 [Reissue] (Sony)
Various
Mt. Zion Soundtrack (Sony)
Self Is A Seed
Siren (Independent)
Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
Greatest Hits (Liberation)
The Reels
Beaitiful [Reissue] (Liberation)
Luke Howard
A Dove, A Lion, A Coast, A Pirate (Which Way/Fuse)
The Magnets
Homegrown (Wrasse)