Original Illustration by Ryan Blomberg (ryanblomberg.wordpress.com)

As always, I’ve valiantly taken some time out of my work week to listen to a number of new CDs this week and let you know which are worth your time and which wouldn’t even be suitable to grind up into a nice smoothie.

Full list, in descending order of awesomeness, below the fold:

REALLY AWESOME:

Artist: Curious Mystery
Album: Rotting Slowly
Who the hell are they?: Seattle-based psychedelic Americana band.
Sounds like a combination of: Cowboy Junkies and Dusty Springfield
For Example: Black Sand
Recommended?: For drinking a bottle of cheap whiskey on a covered bridge and wondering “Where did my youth go?”
Release Date: May 19

Artist: Grizzly Bear
Album: Veckatimist
Who the hell are they?: Homo-led neo-folk band from New York (Who are way more accessible here than usual.)
Sounds like a combination of: Love and Jens Lekman
For Example: Two Weeks
Recommended?: For rediscovering just how awesome a piano can be on an indie record.
Release Date: May 26

Artist: Liechenstein
Album: Survival Strategies in a Modern World
Who the hell are they?: Lo-fi swedish girl group recently signed to Slumberland.
Sounds like a combination of: The Concretes and Dick Dale
For Example: Security By Design
Recommended?: Highly!
Release Date: June 2

PRETTY AWESOME:

Artist: Del Marquis
Album: Litter to Society
Who the hell are they?: Audio/visual project from rogue Scissor Sister
Sounds like a combination of: Prince and Donna Summer
For Example: Litter to Society
Recommended?: Yeah, actually. It’s less of a Scissor Sisters retread than I as expecting.
Release Date: May 26

Artist: Fleet Foxes
Album: Sun Giant EP
Who the hell are they?: Pastoral west coast belters whose single Mykonos, off this LP from last year, was just released as a 7″
Sounds like a combination of: Beach Boys and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.
For Example: Mykonos
Recommended?: Yes, though its no substitute for a new LP.
Release Date: May 08

NOT AWESOME AT ALL:

Artist: David Mead
Album: Almost and Always
Who the hell are they?: Gentle Nashville singer/songwriter
Sounds like a combination of: James Taylor and Rufus Wainwright (but mostly James Taylor.)
For Example: Almost and Always
Recommended?: For sunny days you thought would never end.
Release Date: August 08