New Music Tuesday: St. Vincent, Pink Mountaintops & more...

There are a crap-ton of great albums that come out today. I've recently been sucked into the world of checking out leaked albums months before they hit stores. I've been trying to keep my mouth shut about them here in respect to people that respect artist wishes and actually wait till an album is for sale and (gasp!) go purchase them at an actual store. However, I've been spinning all of these albums for a few weeks now and there are some gems that hit stores this morning. Here are the ones I can give solid recommendations for.

Pink Mountaintops - Outside Love

Most music fans are probably more familiar with the other band Sam Beam fronts, Black Mountain. I'm a big fan of Black Mountain's Sabbath-esque heaviness and it's something that's been mentioned HERE before (they even made my favorite shows of '08 list). Pink Mountaintops output up to this point had been a bit inconsistent. Outside Love however, hits on all levels and is one of my favorite albums so far this year. If Black Mountain is channeling Sabbath, Pink Mountaintops are definitely channeling Pink Floyd. It's moody, it's gloomy, it rocks and it grooves and covers about everything in between.

St. Vincent - Actor

I've already heard shouts of this being a favorite album of the year for many people but I didn't get it at first listen. This album is definitely a "grower" because after coming back to it a couple of weeks after first listen, I'm finally starting to get it. I'm still not sold on the fact that this album is better than Marry Me but it's certainly got it's high points. I could easily see this one getting higher on my best of list as the year goes on.




The Horrors - Primary Colours

God, I really want to hate this band. They essentially are in what seems to be a Joy Division cover band. I mean, look at these guys; they look like the Cure fans that Stan hangs out with in that episode of South Park where he's trying to be non-conformist. They are trying WAY too hard, and that makes me cringe. After listening to this album almost a dozen times, I have to say...it's fantastic. They are definitely influenced by Joy Division and that ilk, but I can't write them off as a cheap knock-off either. Front to back, this album doesn't have a weak track on it. Possibly the surprise album of the year for me so far.



Akron/Family - Set 'Em Wild, Set 'Em Free

The only Akron/Family stuff I had previously heard reminded me of the whole 'freak-folk' genre that was big in the past few years. It sounded like what might have been a group of dudes, tripping on acid and playing guitars around a campfire (sort of like older Animal Collective albums). So, I approached this album with a bit of hesitation, but that feeling quickly subsided as I listened to one of the better albums of the year so far (I say that a lot, don't I?). Another one that goes from folk to metal to country in a span of three songs, but this album definitely has a cohesive feel to it. Another definite recommendation to pick up today.

There are a few other albums worth mentioning: Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band - Outer South and Fischerspooner - Entertainment both were released today. I'm not a fan of either album but since I've enjoyed both artists previous output, I thought I'd mention them as well.

-Matt