New Releases - January 29, 2013

At some point during my senior year in college, I managed to acquire a total of 3000 cds. Every Tuesday, regardless of my dwindling bank account, I'd head to my local record store to pick up the new releases.

More often than not, I'd be happy with my purchase, memorizing lyrics and counting the days until their tour came to town. But for every The Colour and The Shape, the Foo Fighter's ambitious second album, there was a Foma, a generic rip-off from one-hit wonders, the Nixons. 

Thankfully, with the emergence of streaming services like Spotify or Pandora, you can avoid my mistakes and spend your cash on important things like beer and laundry. The following three albums are new this week and definitely worth your time, and probably your money too.

Tegan and Sara - Heartthrob

The twin sisters from Calgary are back with their seventh studio album and it's not what you would expect. This time around they have traded in their guitars and indie vibe, for an electro-pop feel, sounding more like Kelly Clarkson than Kim Deal. 

The addition of producers Greg Kurstin (P!nk, Kelly Clarkson) and Rob Cavallo (Green Day, Paramore), give Heartthrob a glossy makeover that follows the trend of high energy and shimmering synths. Check out the video for Closer, the first single.

Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite - Get Up!

During a recent show in Chicago, Ben Harper spoke fondly of a winter spent learning the blues from some of our city's best musicians. On Get Up!, we get to see how much he actually learned.

Over the course of 10 songs, Ben finds new ways to showcase his voice and expertise on slide guitar, with songs of despair and solace. Inviting electric blues harmonica player, Charlie Musselwhite, wasn't a bad idea either. Charlie has been playing since the 60s, and knows just the right time to give his instrument a stomp, or a whimper.

The lonely, You Found Another Lover (I Lost Another Friend), is the best both artists can offer and a worthy addition to the Stax legacy. The duo is playing a handful of shows, including a date at the Riviera on March 3rd. Tickets are on sale and available now.


Local Natives - Hummingbird
Earlier this month, I gave you a small sample of Local Native's second album, Hummingbird. My guess is that on the strength of Heavy Feet alone, you already picked up the album. If not, don't worry, the entire album will be up for the next two weeks, courtesy of Frenchkiss Records.

On their debut album, Local Natives played the California vibe to perfection, with clear skies and sand almost pouring out of the speakers. On Hummingbird, you get the quite the opposite; late nights and hushed tones. Either way, it sounds good to me.

Local Natives will be in town for a SOLD OUT show at the Vic, Thursday, March 21.