The Wheel's Still In Spin

Better Than The Chili: The Hiders

Once a week The Wheel's Still In Spin highlights a band from the Greater Cincinnati area. Whether you prefer Skyline or Gold Star, you will agree that this band is "Better Than The Chili."

Download “Plastic Flowers” (mp3)

The Hiders are a local band with roots from the best bands of Cincinnati’s recent musical history. The band is the led by Bill Alletzhauser, from The Ass Ponys and Ruby Vileos. Michael Horrigan, from The Afghan Whigs and Brendan Benson’s band, plays bass. Local jazz and blues drummer Tony Franklin keeps the beat. Rounding out the band is Beth Harris, who provides the sultry harmonies.

The band’s first self released album, Valentine, was well received with strong praise from World Café. This Friday, May 9th, the band will hold a CD Release Party at the Historic Southgate House for their newest release. Most of Penny Harvest Field was recorded with producer Brad Jones (Matthew Sweet, Josh Rouse, Richard Julian, Hayes Carll, locals Over The Rhine, and many more). Two additional tracks were recorded at Cincinnati’s Ultrasuede Studio with John Curley (also from The Afghan Whigs).

Penny Harvest Field sounds like a perfect amalgam of Americana influences, from Neil Young to Son Volt, from Emmylou Harris to Oakley Hall. The title track is full of lyrics of unlucky symbols and resolves with the lines, “I’m lying like a penny/ Facedown on the ground/ I wish someone would pick me up/ But they all think I’m bad luck.” All of the songs that I’ve heard from this album are addictive and more captivating with each listen.

The Kim Taylor band will be joining The Hiders at their CD Release Party this Friday, May 9th, at the Historic Southgate House.

www.thehiders.com
www.myspace.com/thehiders

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New Releases - 6 May 2008

Here are a few of this week’s new releases that The Wheel’s Still In Spin highly recommends:

Firewater – The Golden Hour | Amazon CD MP3 | Insound CD
Download “Borneo” (mp3)
Download “3-Legged Dow” (mp3)
Tod A of Firewater trekked throughout the Middle East and East Asia for three years. Along with a blog called Postcards From The Other Side Of The World, this Gypsy Punk album chronicled his travels. He also recorded musicians in India, Pakistan, Turkey, and Israel with a single microphone and his laptop. With supporting artists from five different countries, this Firewater album was born.

The Last Shadow Puppets – The Age Of The Understatement | Amazon CD LP MP3 | Insound CD LP MP3
The Last Shadow Puppets is a side project for Alex Turner (Arctic Monkeys) and Miles Kane (The Rascals) with assistance from James Ford (Simian Mobile Disco) and Owen Pallett (Final Fantasy). The music has a decisively retro 60s and 70s feel, not unlike The Strokes with orchestral backings.

Russian Circles – Station | Amazon CD MP3 | Insound CD MP3
This three-piece instrumental band takes a page from fellow Suicide Squeeze artists, Six Parts Seven, with sprawling and lush melodically driven tunes. But Russian Circles adds much more to their sound. There are metal influences and discordant distortion cleverly thrown in between the melodic, jazzy riffs.

Insound is also offering a "Give More" program for selected touring artists. Every time you buy an MP3 album from Insound, Insound will donate $.25 to a touring band. They choose six lucky bands that they like (and one of them is Russian Cirlces), but you get to select the actual artist to earmark your quarter to. If you don't choose a specific band, they'll distribute the funds equally to all of the bands. All funds are to be used by bands to support their next national tour. Currently, the bands that will benefit from our donations are: The Big Sleep, Russian Circles, The Twilight Sad, Headlights, Epsilons, Videohippos. New bands will be added 2-4 times each year.

After the jump, there is a list of more new releases from this week.

Better Than The Chili: Junior Revolution

Once a week The Wheel's Still In Spin highlights a band from the Greater Cincinnati area. Whether you prefer Skyline or Gold Star, you will agree that this band is "Better Than The Chili."

Download “City That Never Wakes” (mp3)

After self-releasing their latest album near the end of 2007, Junior Revolution has embarked on a two month tour of the Eastern United States. Winding their way down the East Coast and then back up through the South, the band returns to the area with a few shows.

This Friday, May 2nd, at The Southgate House, Junior Revolution will play the Ballroom with 5 other bands. The Hanks, from Los Angeles, will be playing this and a handful of other Midwestern shows with Junior Revolution. Farmington, MI’s Empire Empire (that Will from Sound As Language recently interviewed) will also be sharing the stage along with the additional local bands All The Day Holiday, The Upset Victory and Oh, Here It Is.

After a few more Midwestern dates, the band will play in the area again on Saturday, May 17th, at the Madison Theater for The Host’s CD Release Party.

Junior Revolution has been through a number of lineup changes in the past five years, but seems to have settled on a solid musical team. Their most recent album, It’s A Process..., shows the current lineup meld multiple genres. With seven songs in about a half hour of music, the band mixed indie, emo, and progressive sounds into elongated pop songs. Throughout their songs, there is a layer of vocals with guitarist Jayson Hazelbaker, guitarist/keyboardist Daniel Erb, and bassist Brian Miller stacking their voiced atop Chris Denholm’s densely creative drumming.

www.juniorrevolution.com
www.myspace.com/juniorrevolution

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Best Albums Of April 2008

With five Tuesdays of new releases this month, there was a long list of strong albums to listen to. Here are The Wheel’s Still In Spin’s favorite releases for the month:

1. Langhorne Slim – Langhorne Slim | buy the CD or the vinyl at amazon
   Download “Rebel Side Of Heaven” (mp3)
   

   Langhorne Slim is backed by The War Eagles with conciliated upright bass and snare snapping drums. They amiably support Slim’s genuine voice and acoustic guitar and give the album a naturally warm feel. The rest of the album is fleshed out with the addition of piano, organ, keyboards, tuba, trombone, and violin. The vocals and production are sincere. Langhorne Slim wonders, “If I have something in me to believe/ I don’t know if that’s a blessing or a curse.” Mr. Slim, it’s a blessing, and like you, “All I wanted was a good song and a fair friend.”



2. Elbow – The Seldom Seen Kid | buy it at amazon
   

   This Elbow album is the first entirely produced by the band. The result is songs full of orchestra pop with guitars, organs, strings and horns. The swelling production creates tracks that are both dynamic and mammoth. The vocals have an emotional and endearing quality with lyrics that are vivid and veracious. Go to www.theseldomseenkid.com to hear this fantastic album.



3. The Childballads – Cheekbone Hollows (Pop. 1/2 Life) | buy it at amazon
   Download “Cheekbone Hollows” (mp3)
   Download “Laughter From The Rafters” (mp3)
   

   Stewart Lupton once was the front man of Fire*Eater. When that band broke up ten years ago, three of its members formed The Walkmen. Lupton, however, was not heard of musically until now. He went to George Washing University and studied poetry, modern art, and medieval studies. Finally, Lupton has formed and released this captivating EP. There is an acoustic guitar, organ, glissando-style vocals, and roomy drums. It’s got an alt country feel – but with a rocking, full sound – like Sticky Fingers or The Basement Tapes.



4. Jason Anderson – The Hopeful And The Unafraid | buy it at amazon
   

   Jason Anderson has kept some good company. He played piano with David Dondero, drums for Tilly & The Wall, and guitar in Mount Eerie. On this album, he was graced with some musical solace from former members of Magnolia Electric Co. The Hopeful And The Unafraid was put to tape in two days. The songs were recorded live with a few overdubs added. The energy of the tracks make them raw and powerful, especially for the roots rock style. Anderson’s vocals endlessly surge with honesty, intimacy, and committed fervor.



5. Cloud Cult – Feel Good Ghosts (Tea-Partying Through Tornadoes) | buy it at amazon
   Download “When Water Comes To Life” (mp3)
   

   Sonically, this album sounds similar to Cloud Cult’s previous release, The Meaning Of 8. The chamber pop instrumentation focuses into more pop oriented songs while wonderfully meshing with the thumping percussion. The subject matter on Feel Good Ghosts, however, deals with otherworldly themes. Determining that “Man must explore,” Craig Minowa sings, “Even though I don’t know God I’m happy with the mystery.”



6. Atmosphere – When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold | buy it at amazon
   Download “Shoulda Known” (mp3) (clean version)
   

   This album has tight beats supported with synths, keyboards, and piano. Slug puts down some solid rhymes and focuses on topics like addiction and double standards with lines like, “Got a little cocaine habit/ But he says he only does if somebody else has it,” and, “Shoulda known better not to fuck with you/ Ain’t got nuthin but too much to lose/ Lost in the rush don’t know what to do/ That drug got you like I want you.”



7. The New Frontiers – Mending | buy it at amazon
   Download “Mirrors” (mp3)
   Download “Look At Miss Ohio” (mp3) [non-album track, Gillian Welch cover, from www.absolutepunk.net]
   

   The deceptive part of this album is its consistent quality. The opening track, “Black Lungs,” is solid and catchy like a throwback to Son Volt’s Trace but with the more relaxed vocal of Nathan Pettijohn. The acoustic guitar is the center of the songs. Sometimes the acoustic is picking its way through songs and supported by sustained swells. Other times the album moves through countrified rock songs with serenely salient melodies. The album holds up as a complete entity and gets is more enjoyable with each listen.



8. Los Campesinos! – Hold On Now, Youngster... | buy it at amazon
   Download “Death To Los Campesinos!” (mp3)
   

   2007’s Sticking Fingers Into Sockets was my favorite EP of that year. Now, Los Campesinos is back with their first full-length album. I had been looking forward to its release since I heard the aforementioned EP. The best thing about Sticking Fingers Into Sockets is the unadulterated mess that became pure pop pleasure. On Hold On Now, Youngster… they reach for that same immediacy and disheveled potency and come very close in capturing it while making an album that sounds less lo-fi.



9. Man Man – Rabbit Habits | buy the single disc or 2CD version at amazon
   

   I’ve never had the pleasure of seeing this band live, but have heard nothing but great things. Rabbit Habits, the band’s first release for Anti- and third overall, is animated and distinct. The varied instrumentation – including piano, numerous brass and woodwinds, and marimbas – could have lead the album to a more melodic, orchestral sound. But Rabbit Habits is a bombastic, indie pop album.



10. Tokyo Police Club – Elephant Shell | buy the CD or the vinyl at amazon
    

    In 2006, Tokyo Police Club released an EP, A Lesson In Crime, that this site described as “an assault of sharp hitting drums, attacking guitar riffs and cutting vocals.” Elephant Shell, their first full-length album, retains the musical attitude of that original EP. The vocals, however, are not cutting on this album. Where the EP’s vocals are coarse and pointed, Elephant Shell’s vocals are more restrained. This is still a good album, but not as harsh as that original EP.

New Releases – 1 April 2008
New Releases – 8 April 2008
New Releases – 15 April 2008
New Releases – 22 April 2008
New Releases – 29 April 2008

The Wheel's Still In Spin's Best Albums Of January 2008
The Wheel's Still In Spin's Best Albums Of February 2008
The Wheel's Still In Spin's Best Albums Of March 2008

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New Releases - 29 April 2008

Here are a few of this week's new releases that The Wheel's Still In Spin highly recommends:

Langhorne Slim – Langhorne Slim | buy the CD or the vinyl at amazon
Download “Rebel Side Of Heaven” (mp3)
Langhorne Slim writes engaging, countrified folk songs. His backing band is dubbed The War Eagles. They supply warm low end on upright bass and drums that crack off the heads. The band has toured with The Violent Femmes, Cake, Lucero, and Jeffrey Lewis. But the former tour mate whose sound Slim most assimilates with is Rocky Votolato.

Jamie Lidell – Jim | buy the CD or the vinyl at amazon
This album has less of an electronica style to it than Lidell’s previous release. However, like Multiply, this album has a strong soul feel to it. Actually, Jim is drenched in a 70’s sound – R&B, soul, and disco. With the driving piano, subdued horns, and timbre of Lidell’s voice, he is most reminiscent of Stevie Wonder on this album. Watch the video for “A Little Bit Of Feel Good” after the jump.

The New Frontiers – Mending | buy it at amazon
Download “Mirrors” (mp3)
Download “Look At Miss Ohio” (mp3) [non-album track, Gillian Welch cover, from www.absolutepunk.net]
After releasing a few EPs, The New Frontiers provide their full-length debut. This five-piece band’s sound is anchored in acoustic guitar. There is a slight folk or alt country feel with piano and wafting lap steel. Every track on Mending is inviting and unswerving.

After the jump, watch the video for Jamie Lidell's “A Little Bit Of Feel Good” and see a list of more new releases from this week.

Better Than The Chili: Jeff Scott Roberson

Once a week The Wheel's Still In Spin highlights a band from the Greater Cincinnati area. Whether you prefer Skyline or Gold Star, you will agree that this band is "Better Than The Chili."

20 years ago or so Jeff Scott Roberson released his first solo album. Then he formed the local country-rock band Len’s Lounge with John Curley (Afghan Whigs, Staggering Statistics, Ultrasuede Studios). Curley’s not in the band anymore, but Len’s Lounge still plays out. Roberson stays active in the Cincinnati music scene with his band or as a solo performer.

Roberson has now completed his second solo album. Summer’s Here was produced by Ed Pettersen and mixed and mastered by Motown legend Bob Ohlsson. The title track is a mellow ode to the season of relaxation and easy. Above the acoustic guitar, and piano, a vivid lead guitar line is interspersed.

The best track is “Sam Nation.” A dedication to one of the lead singers of the local band The Thirteens, Sam was killed when a drunk driver collided with the passenger side of the car Sam was in. A sculptor and musician, Sam was a true artist. This song is “one more goodbye.” Not only does it capture the aura of Sam, it’s a great song.

Summer's Here is available at the local record stores like Shake It and Everybody’s. It's also at www.villagerecords.com and www.emusic.com. This coming Tuesday, April 29th, it's supposed to be available from iTunes, Amazon Download, and CDBaby.

www.myspace.com/jeffscottroberson

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Best Albums Of March 2008

Normally, The Wheel’s Still In Spin posts the month’s preferred albums on the last minute of the month. That didn’t happen in March, which is always a good month. Maybe it’s SXSW, the fact that spring arrives, or just the timing of the end of the first quarter, but this month is consistently one of the strongest months for new releases. This year it was an incredible month with a lot of great releases. Here are my favorites:

1. Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks – Real Emotional Trash | buy it at amazon
   Download “Cold Son” (mp3)
   Download “Baltimore” (mp3)
   

   Stephen Malkmus has assembled a perfect ensemble of supporting musicians. With longtime Jicks Joanna Bolme and Mike Clark on bass and guitar/keyboards, respectively, this is the first Malkmus album with former Sleater-Kinney drummer Janet Weiss. And this is best album the former Pavement member has released since pursuing a solo career. The vocal and guitar melodies share the lead on this well produced album.



2. The Raconteurs – Consolers Of The Lonely | buy it at amazon
   

   This band made a strong splash with their debut, Broken Boy Soldiers. Splitting vocal and guitar duties between Jack White and Brendan Benson, the album had some great songs like “Steady As She Goes” and the title track. But on their new album, which seemed to drop out of thin air with only a week’s notice, The Raconteurs seemed to have a more cohesive sound that gives the band more definition as a unit instead of a collaboration of great musicians.



3. Adam Green – Sixes & Sevens | buy it at amazon
   Download “Morning After Midnight” (mp3)
   

   For his fifth solo album the co-founder of The Moldy Peaches offers diverse album full of quirky and unassuming lyrics. The production fleshes out some of the more simplistic songs with horns and subtle strings arrangements. The songs keep his deep baritone voice front and center and makes it sound better than it’s ever sounded.



4. Connie Price & The Keystones – Tell Me Something | buy it at amazon
   

   Connie Price is one of the drummers for this deep funk band, but Dan Ubick writes the music for the band. For Tell Me Something, they take the sound of 70’s funk influenced jazz and condense it into single oriented songs. Then they add 8 guests as MCs and vocalists. The end result is a diverse, intelligent hip hop album that has some of the tightest and most original backing tracks. Tell Me Something was released as 2 discs – one with the vocalists and one with the instrumental tracks.



5. Born Ruffians – Red, Yellow And Blue | buy it at amazon
   Download “Hummingbird” (mp3)
   

   This Toronto trio has a lush, booming sound. Imagine Vampire Weekend melodies, but with a power pop trio as the backing band. This debut full-length album, produced by Rusty Santos – who produced Animal Collective’s Sung Tongs, Panda Bear, Ariel Pink, and more – is an indie pop opus full of dynamic and melodic instrumentation that makes this three-piece sound larger than they are.



6. The Dodos – Visiter | buy it at amazon
   Download “Fools” (mp3)
   

   This is a good folk based album from the duo of singer/guitarist Meric Long and drummer Logan Kroeber. These songs have good melodies and minimal instrumentation – but this band doesn’t need much more than the vocals, acoustic guitar, and percussion. The biggest strength of this album, though, is the way is endlessly flows. From track to track, each song beautifully melds into the next making an album whose sum is greater than its parts.



7. Elf Power – In A Cave | buy it at amazon
   

   Elf Power has been the musical project of Andrew Rieger. The supporting cast has changed through the past fifteen years with members of other Elephant 6 bands. Currently, there are members of Olivia Tremor Control, Of Montreal, and Instruments. Taking another page from psychedelic pop, Elf Power makes a catchy and mollifying rock album. It’s fuzzed out, but mellow. It’s orchestral pop, uncannily distorted.



8. Jaymay – Autumn Fallin’ | buy it at amazon
   Blue Note is streaming the song “Gray Or Blue” here, at least for now.
   

   Jamie Kristine Seerman (musical alias Jaymay) is a New York singer-songwriter whose first full-length album was originally released at the end of 2007 in the UK. March 11, Blue Note finally released it here in the States. Track one, “Gray Or Blue,” is incredible with opening lyrics, “I feel so helpless now, my guitar is not around/ And I’m strugglin with the xylophone to make these feelins sound.” The album is a portrait of dealing with a crumbling relationship as winter hit New York. That opening song is the one that captures the mood with its mellow rhythm and the lyrical poignancy of, “I keep starin at your mouth without wonderin how it tastes,” “And I notice she’s your love, but she’s nowhere near your heart.” Jaymay is a crafty storyteller. Autumn Fallin’ is an unfeigned folk album. “Gray Or Blue” is one of the best songs of the year.



9. Kevin Ayers – Unfairground | buy it at amazon
   Download “Cold Shoulder” (mp3)
   

   In the 60’s, Ayers was a founding member of the psychedelic band Soft Machine with Robert Wyatt. He also worked with Brian Eno, John Cale, Nico, and Syd Barrett. Now he has released his first album in fifteen years. Still getting assistance from Eno and Wyatt, artists who were influenced by Ayers’ earlier work also accompany him on this album. These musicians include members of Architecture in Helsinki, Neutral Milk Hotel, Psychedelic Furs, and Teenage Fanclub. Full of orchestral production, the album is accessible but solitary.



10. What Made Milwaukee Famous – What Doesn’t Kill Us buy it at amazon
    Download “Resistance St.” ( mp3)
    

    Equal parts pop and blues rock, What Made Milwaukee Famous’s second release is diverse. The influences are classic and modern, ranging from Led Zeppelin to The White Stripes to The Beatles to Spoon, to name only a few. The handful of opening and closing tracks are the best on this album.

New Releases - 4 March 2008
New Releases - 11 March 2008
New Releases - 18 March 2008
New Releases - 25 March 2008

The Wheel's Still In Spin's Best Albums Of January 2008
The Wheel's Still In Spin's Best Albums Of February 2008

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New Releases - 22 April 2008

Before I get to the new releases for this week, I’ve got to mention that Rhino is reissuing the first 4 Replacements albums – Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash, Stink, Hootenanny, and Let It Be. Now here are the recommended new releases for this week:

Atmosphere – When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold | buy it at amazon
Download “Shoulda Known” (mp3) (clean version)
First off, this is my favorite album title of the year so far. The first track, “The Rest Of Us,” takes lyrics like, “No crime to take a little too much/ Got time to drink away a few months/ Got a little cocaine habit/ But he says he only does if somebody else has it,” and, “She ended up on the pool/ Heels pointing at a Jesus she used to know,” framed over top some loops of classical piano noodling. The songs are contagious and narrative. This album is packaged as a hard cover book and an additional DVD.

Billy Bragg – Mr. Love & Justice | buy the CD or the Deluxe Edition at amazon
This album opens with some endearing love songs, territory that is not always associated with Billy Bragg. He does lead to the protest songs with the title track, “O’ Freedom,” and “The Johnny Carcinogenic Show.” This album reminds me most of Bragg’s work with Wilco on the Mermaid Avenue sessions. That is in large part due to Bragg’s vocal performance and the support of The Blokes backing band, which keeps the lead instruments diverse with guitar, organ, trombone, harmonica, and banjo. The Deluxe Edition comes with a bonus disc of Bragg’s solo versions of the songs. The video for the solo version of “O’ Freedom” is after the jump.

Elbow – The Seldom Seen Kid | buy it at amazon
This band has intriguing percussion, comforting strings, and astute horns. With the dynamic grandiose sound of the album, the appealing vocals and cognitive lyrics of Guy Garvey make this a powerful chamber pop release. Check out www.theseldomseenkid.com to hear the album in a “Find The Music” Rubik’s Cube style menu.

Tokyo Police Club – Elephant Shell | buy the CD or the vinyl at amazon
This is Tokyo Police Club’s first full-length release. Their first EP, A Lesson In Crime, was The Wheel’s Still In Spin’s favorite EP of 2006. Keeping with the same formula for short, piercing songs (only one track clocks in at over three minutes), this Canadian band successfully slashes together a highly anticipated album.

After the jump, watch the video for Billy Bragg’s “O’ Freedom” and see a list of more new releases from this week.

Better Than The Chili: Culture Queer

Once a week The Wheel's Still In Spin highlights a band from the Greater Cincinnati area. Whether you prefer Skyline or Gold Star, you will agree that this band is "Better Than The Chili."

Culture Queer is a local band whose goal is described by the passage, “What we hope for is a cathartic mess.” This Friday, April 18, they will be releasing their third album, entitled Kid Friendly Dinner Party.

The songs on Kid Friendly Dinner Party are short and sweet. The album consists of keyboard and guitar heavy pop songs, somewhat in the vein of the Elephant Six artists. Most of the songs on this 9-track and 22-minute album are originals. There is also a cover of Big Star’s “Thirteen,” which has been covered by Elliott Smith and Jeff Tweedy.

The band’s first release was 2004’s Supersize It Under Pontius Pilate, which was honored with a Cincinnati Entertainment Award for Album of The Year. That was followed with CQ EP in 2006.

Now the band celebrates their third album with a release party at The Gypsy Hut, in Northside, with Wussy, another band dubbed “Better Than The Chili.” Like most shows at The Gypsy Hut, admission for Culture Queer's CD release party on Friday, April 18th is free.

Culture Queer’s myspace page has 4 of the 9 songs from Kid Friendly Dinner Party available to hear.

www.myspace.com/culturequeer

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New Releases - 15 April 2008

It’s Tax Tuesday. It’s also the anniversary of some traumatic historic events – Lincoln’s assassination and the sinking of the Titanic. So, who would dare release their album on this day? The Wheel’s Still In Spin has a few new releases to suggest, but all of them have already been released overseas.

The Childballads – Cheekbone Hollows (Pop. 1/2 Life) | buy it at amazon
Download “Cheekbone Hollows” (mp3)
Download “Laughter From The Rafters” (mp3)
The Childballads are fronted by Stewart Lupton, who used to be the lead singer Jonathon Fire*Eater. Three of the other members of Jonathon Fire*Eater formed The Walkmen. Lupton went on to study poetry at George Washington University. Then he formed The Childballads. This album sounds like the early 70’s Stones were lead by a mid-60’s Bob Dylan.

Does It Offend You, Yeah? – You Have No Idea What You’re Getting Yourself Into | buy it at amazon
Download “We Are Rockstars” (mp3)
Download “Let’s Make Out” (mp3)
Last month this synth heavy electronic pop band from Reading, England, released their debut in their homeland. Today it officially comes across the sea. Taking influence from Daft Punk and Death From Above 1979, they are a dance-oriented band with a punk aesthetic.

The Kooks – Konk | buy the CD or the Limited Edition w/ bonus disc at amazon
This band from Brighton, England, sounds decidedly Britpop. They took their name from a David Bowie song off of Hunky Dory, but on The Kook's second album their sound reminds me of The Costello’s. However, The Kooks traverse more direct, less witty subject matter.

After the jump, there is a list of more new releases from this week.