Voxtrot - Voxtrot

$14.98 (list price), Rock, Play Louder

Basic Story: Riding high on the success and acclaim of 3 strong EP’s released over the past two years, Voxtrot finally deliver their highly anticipated debut.

Sample: “Cheer me up/ cheer me up/ I’m invisibly stuck all in myself/ Yes, I'm a vanity whore.”

Verdict: With the release of such solid EP’s, it’s easy to see why so much hype built around this young Austin, Texas band. Of course we all know that with hype comes backlash, and Voxtrot have had their share. Unfortunately for the band, their self-titled debut won’t make things any easier. Voxtrot seems to have toned down everything that made their first releases so good, replacing it with mediocre melodies and predictable chord progressions. While at first it was a relief to see that this album would feature all new material, it is now so sad to see what was, and what could have been.

Bill Callahan - Woke on a Whaleheart

$15.98 (list price), Country/Soul, Drag City

Basic Story: Singer and songwriter for Smog, Bill Callahan, ditches the alias for his first solo album, a stripped down venture overflowing with soul.

Sample: “You bring out the soft side in everyone/ we gather like ravens on a rusty scythe/ just to watch such a little dove/ fly away.”

Verdict: Despite the name change, Woke on a Whaleheart is essentially just another Smog record. But that’s far from being a bad thing. On his first full-length since 2005’s A River Ain’t Too Much To Love, Callahan seems more inspired by subtlety than experimentalism, a move that some may consider a step back. However, tracks like ‘Sycamore’ and ‘Honeymoon Child’ prove that Callahan’s writing is better than ever. If anything, the songs are now more accessible, made sparse enough to reveal themselves in a natural light. Vocally, the record often feels somber, but musically, it’s triumphantly uplifting.

Bonde Do Role - With Lasers

$13.98 (list price), Baile Funk, Domino

Basic Story: After a great deal of press and hype stemming from the release of a couple singles, the Brazilian funk trio finally unleash their debut with the help of Diplo.

Sample: Lyrics in Portuguese.

Verdict: Speaking both lyrically and musically, Bonde Do Role writes dirty, dirty music. The band combines funk with dance, punk and 70s rock n’ roll that, when all thrown together, can either make you want to run to the dance floor or run for the nearest toilet. All the songs are sung in a Portuguese slang adopted by the areas gay community which, apparently, most Brazilians don’t understand. The song ‘James Bonde’ for example, is about how the agent would be more convincing as a homosexual but would be fired by the queen once she discovered he uses false eyelashes. On record, the “dance” vibe doesn’t translate as well as it surely does live, making it a novelty listen at most.

Battles - Mirrored

$15.98 (list price), Experimental Rock, Warp

Basic Story: Warp Records continues its attempt to branch out from the likes of Aphex Twin, this time releasing the debut from New York-based art rockers Battles.

Sample: Lyrics Unknown/indecipherable.

Verdict: In a way, Mirrored makes sense in the company of its mostly experimental electronic label mates. The album is weird, predominately instrumental, and when there are vocals, they’re put through effects and used more like an instrument, making any lyrics indecipherable. The first single, ‘Atlas,’ sounds like it could have been pulled from an Animal Collective record. The drums drive the song while the melody crosses the line from dancing into freak out territory. Sadly, the single is as good as it gets. While other songs have their moments, the album relies too heavily on repetitive instrumentation that rarely builds to a release worth noting. Regardless, as a debut, it shows a great deal of promise for future releases.

The Zombies - Live at the Bloomsbury Theatre, London

$24.98 (list price), Pop, Rhino

Basic Story: Two original members of the ‘60s pop pioneers, The Zombies, performed past hits, covers and solo material live in London in 2005.

Sample: “Don’t let go of my hand/ now the darkness has gone/ this will be our year/ took a long time to come.”

Verdict: Reunions are a bit risky. When some bands attempt to recreate songs from the past, the listener is often left wishing their heroes had just remained dormant. The Zombies, however, prove here that they are worthy of such an encore. Two of the founding members, vocalist Colin Blunstone and keyboardist Rod Argent, teamed up with a full band to play 25 songs, including the hits “Time of the Season,” “Tell Her No,” and “This Will Be Our Year.” Blunstone’s vocals sound remarkably unaffected by age, and the quality of the recording is quite good. Sadly, only five songs from the 1968 classic Odessey and Oracle appear, but fans new and old should still enjoy this set.

Dan Deacon - Spiderman of the Rings

$13.99 (list price), Electronic/Dance, Carpark

Basic Story: Baltimore-based Dan Deacon, a self-proclaimed “absurdist composer,” has created a record that is as childish as it is danceable.

Sample: “My dad is so cool/ he is the coolest dad…/ he does not break any dad rules/ he would break you up if I asked him to.”

Verdict: Before you listen to this record, I highly recommend that you find a picture of Dan Deacon. I assure you, the music will make a lot more sense once you see who is responsible for it. Once you’ve seen him, hopefully you’ll realize that this record is not to be taken too seriously. And how could it be, when it begins with a song called “Wooody Wooodpecker,” which is based around the cartoon characters’ trademark laugh. “Absurdist composer” is right. Spiderman of the Rings sounds like Daniel Johnston trying his hand at dance music, if you can imagine that. It might not be for everyone, but if you dumb down just enough, you might find yourself really loving this stuff.

Great Lake Swimmers - Ongiara

$15.98 (list price), Country Folk, Nettwerk

Basic Story: Toronto’s Great Lake Swimmers return with an album that seems subtle and basic at first, but grows more rewarding after multiple listens.

Sample: “I thought I was sleeping/ but I was only forming a structure with no ceiling/ with words like a runway/ a cloud of a person drifting away.”

Verdict: ‘Ongiara’ is far from an attempt to break new musical ground. Instead, singer and songwriter Tony Dekker has unleashed 10 new songs that seem to scratch at the roots of country while relying slightly on his indie folk sensibilities. Its subtlety, for the most part, grows more endearing with each listen. But while the band’s sound is often compared to Sufjan Stevens and Iron and Wine, on ‘Ongiara,’ it lacks both the musical adventurousness and lyrical skills of the two performers. Still, it’s worth checking out, if not for Dekker’s great voice or for Owen Pallett’s (Final Fantasy/Arcade Fire) guest spot, then perhaps for helping to pass the time until Sufjan chooses his next state.

The National - Boxer

$14.98 (list price), Rock, Beggars Banquet

Basic Story: Following the critical success of ‘Alligator’ in 2005 that had even Bruce Springsteen raving, The National return with their most demanding record yet.

Sample: “You get mistaken for strangers by your own friends/ when you pass them at night under the silvery, silvery Citibank lights.”

Verdict: In a sense, The National have taken the safe route with ‘Boxer.’ But while there is little change in their overall sound, there is a noticeable expansion to it, indicating a more confident and mature band. The album, produced and mixed by the group, along with Peter Katis (Interpol, Spoon), has a slightly darker feel to it than previous works. Even when the music picks up speed, Singer Matt Berninger’s baritone vocals seem to slow it down. Imagine Tom Waits fronting your favorite indie rock band. It might take some getting used to, but there’s a good reason why this band was asked to open for the Arcade Fire on their recent U.S. tour.