The first big release of the year comes this week in the form of Vampire Weekend’s sophomore album Contra. It leaked long ago, has been reviewed by blogs that have more sway than we do, and – not unlike their debut – is generating almost immediate love or hate. I haven’t listened to anything beyond “Horchata” and “Cousins,” and while I like both tracks, I’ll wait to pass judgment until the entire thing makes it way into my iTunes on Tuesday.
Beyond Vampire Weekend, the Laura Veirs has some buzz around it, as well as the OK Go album. There’s a lot to choose from, so we hope you find something to love this week. As always, there are a couple of tracks after the album list to jog your collective memory and loosen up that wallet a bit. Have an excellent week.
All Time Low – MTV Unplugged
Ben Kweller – Sawdust Man/Send Me Down the Road (Single) [Vinyl]
Blockhead – The Music Scene
Bouncing Souls – Ghosts on the Boardwalk
Elvis Costello – The Costello Show: Live at Hollywood High
Final Fantasy – Heartland
Freedy Johnston – Rain on the City
Lady Gaga – Bad Romance (The Remixes)
Laura Veirs – July Flame
Nick Cave and Warren Ellis – The Road [Soundtrack]
Norah Jones – Chasing Pirates (Remix EP) [Vinyl]
O.A.R. – Rain or Shine (Live)
OK Go – Of the Blue Colour of the Sky
Omarion – Ollusion
Ringo Starr – Y Not
Seabird – Rocks Into Rivers
Sidewalk Prophets – These Simple Truths
Uncle Tupelo – Anodyne [Vinyl]
Vampire Weekend – Contra
Van Morrison – T.B. Sheets (Remastered)
Vampire Weekend – Cousins (mp3) from Contra
Laura Veirs – July Flame (mp3) from July Flame
FYI: Owen Pallet is releasing the new Final Fantasy album using his name. He doesn’t want to get sued by Square Enix…
It was listed as Final Fantasy on Amazon, so I just left it as that. But, thank you. I’ll be looking for it on Amie Street tonight at midnight.
I was not, from my first listen, very impressed with it. I have to give it another go or two.
I'm hoping Lakeshore gets my vinyl copy in soon…
The name change happened real late in the game. Apparently there is a distro deal in Japan now and that was pushing things a bit too close to litigation territory. They are re-branding the old albums and everything. What is it with Canadian artists and retroactive renames. Caribou did that last year with Manitoba.