This is a big week for us indie types – and for the mainstream types too – with no less than 10 albums that I am personally interested in.  The heavyweights are the Ratatat (or R@@@ depending on which parlance you prefer) and Tokyo Police Club albums – at least for my money – and the Christina Aguilera album or Twilight soundtrack for most everyone else.  (Although, the Twilight soundtrack has some great bands on it; don’t be ashamed to get it, but be ashamed to see the movie instead.)

Beyond those, however, look for new albums from The Drums,  Blitzen Trapper, Villagers and Delta Spirit.  You can’t miss this week.  There’s something good every way you turn.  As ever, there are a few tracks to get you in the music buying mood.  We hope everyone’s week is moving along nicely.

Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Before Today
Blitzen Trapper – Destroyer of the Void
Chali 2na – Fish Market Part 2
Christina Aguilera – Bionic
Deer Tick – The Black Dirt Sessions
Delta Spirit – History from Below
The Drums – The Drums
Grace Potter and The Nocturnals – Grace Potter & The Nocturnals
Here We Go Magic – Pigeons
Hot Hot Heat – Future Breeds
Nada Surf – if i had a hi-fi
Ratatat – LP4
Rooney – Eureka
Suckers – Wild Smile
Teenage Fanclub – Shadows
Tokyo Police Club – Champ
Travie McCoy – Lazarus
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse Soundtrack
Villagers – Becoming a Jackal
The Young Veins – Take a Vacation!

Blitzen Trapper – Dragon’s Song (mp3) from Destroyer of the Void

Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Round and Round (mp3) from Before Today

Delta Spirit – Bushwick Blues (mp3) from History From Below

It’s been 3 weeks exactly since I did an installment of this, so if you’re unfamiliar with my personal list, go here to check the whole thing out.  If you’re caught up, read on:

97. Blitzen Trapper – Furr (mp3) from Furr (4:08) [Time Remaining: 546:34]

Dave and I started this blog about 14 months ago now (if you couldn’t tell by all our references to it over the past month while talking up our birthday show) – and didn’t really have any idea about what the reception to it would be.  Early on – about 3 weeks after the blog went live, Blitzen Trapper came to Rochester, and we decided to see about getting an interview with anyone in the band.  The band’s manager Matt was nice enough to allow us some time – and the band was nice enough to comply – and make us feel like we weren’t wasting our time or theirs – even if it was painfully obvious that we might have been.  And for that, I’ll always be thankful.

Beyond that support from the band, their track “Furr” is a constant favorite of mine.  It lives in my girlfriend’s car on mix CDs I made her from 2008, and it comes on every so often when we’re driving, and I sing along heartily.  There’s not much else that anyone could ask for, really.  As a bonus, I’m putting up the version of “Furr” that they played that night we saw them because it sounds fantastic, albeit a little quiet.  Turn it up and sing along yourselves.

BONUS: Blitzen Trapper – Furr (Live at the Bug Jar, Rochester NY) (mp3)

98. Cold War Kids – Rubidoux (mp3) from Robbers & Cowards (4:16) [Time Remaining: 542:18]

This is my second and final track from Robbers & Cowards.  It’s probably not the most popular one, but I’ve always found it one of the more intense tracks on the album, and that’s why it finds itself here.  It’s a nervous, jumpy road-tripping track that makes me listen 2 or 3 times whenever I hear it.

This week actually isn’t a horrific one for new music – a couple of good releases, some mediocre, some classics and some has-beens.  It looks, actually, like what each week should look like, in contrast to the schlock that’s been foisted upon the public for the past few weeks.

As a member of the music buying public, I’m personally going to purchase the Imogen Heap album, along with the new efforts from Arctic Monkeys and Fun, and Blitzen Trapper’s new/old EP.  That’s not to say you should copy me, or even that the following list will contain anything which tickles your personal fancy.  Check out the complete list of what’s due out this week here, and get a couple tracks after the list like we usually do.  Have a great week, and I hope you all find something to love.

Arctic Monkeys – Humbug
Blitzen Trapper – Black River Killer EP
Colbie Caillat – Breakthrough
Collective Soul – Collective Soul
Dolores O’Riordan – No Baggage
Fun. – Aim and Ignite
Imogen Heap – Ellipse
Ingrid Michaelson – Everybody
Jet – Shaka Rock
Matisyahu – Light
Queen Latifah – Persona
Willie Nelson – American Classic
Yngwie Malmsteen – The Genesis

Blitzen Trapper – Black River Killer (mp3) from Furr

Fun. – Benson Hedges (Demo Version) (mp3)

Imogen Heap – Goodnight and Go (mp3) from Speak for Yourself