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 would wake the dead and inspire them to buy earplugs.

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

REALLY AWESOME:

Artist: Elizabeth Willis
Album: Elizabeth Willis
Who the hell are they?: Queer Smith Student/ Smoke-voiced troubador
Sounds like a combination of: Fiona Apple and Vanessa Carleton
For Example: In Your Eyes
Recommended?: Highly, though you might start feeling very lovelorn afterwards. Even if you’re not.
Release Date: September ‘08

Artist: Frankel
Album: Anonymity is the New Fame
Who the hell are they?: ’60s-tinged LA multi-instrumentalist.
Sounds like a combination of: Caribou and Al Stewart
For Example: Faux Science
Recommended?: Strongly. This will only get better as it gets colder outside.
Release Date: June 1

Artist: Fruit Bats
Album: Ruminant Band
Who the hell are they?: Jangly fourth release from the Sub Pop band
Sounds like a combination of: Leon Russel and the first half of “Over the Hills and Far Away.”
For Example: The Ruminant Band
Recommended?: For eating a peach, almost cutting your hair or ceasing to stop thinking about tomorrow.
Release Date: August 4

Artist: Jason Lytle
Album: Yours Truly, The Commuter
Who the hell are they?: Former frontman of the now-defunct Grandaddy continuing his exploration of modern technology and isolation
Sounds like a combination of: Grandaddy and Radiohead
For Example: I Am Lost
Recommended?: For the fact that it is basically a Grandaddy CD in everything but name. Why didn’t I find out about this sooner?
Release Date: May 19

Artist: Lightning Dust
Album: Infinite Light
Who the hell are they?: Another addition to the growing ranks of Black Mountain side projects.
Sounds like a combination of: Beach House and Bryan Ferry
For Example: Never Seen
Recommended?: Highly
Release Date: August 4

Artist: We Were Promised Jetpacks
Album: These Four Walls
Who the hell are they?: Sparsely elegant Edinburough natives
Sounds like a combination of: The Twilight Sad and We Are Scientists
For Example: Quiet Little Voices
Recommended?: For anyone who thinks accents are cute.
Release Date: July 7. 

PRETTY AWESOME:

Artist: Bowerbirds
Album: Upper Air
Who the hell are they?: Melodically-inclined Raleigh folk rockers
Sounds like a combination of: Damion Jurado and Joni Mitchell
For Example: Northern Lights
Recommended?: Yes.
Release Date: July 7

Artist: Dappled Cities
Album: Zounds
Who the hell are they?:Quasi-epic Australians
Sounds like a combination of: Coldplay and The Rosebuds
For Example: The Price
Recommended?: For holding an admiral place halfway between not bad and not amazing.
Release Date: September 15

Artist: The Datsuns
Album: Headstunts
Who the hell are they?:
Sounds like a combination of: Sweet and The Coathangers
For Example: So Long
Recommended?: For playing the most kick-ass house party your 18 year old cousin ever went to.
Release Date: May 19

Artist: Jaguar Club
Album: And We Wake Up Slowly
Who the hell are they?: New Wave inspired Brooklyn band (but who isn’t these days?)
Sounds like a combination of: Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Jeremy Jay
For Example: I Started a Fire
Recommended?: Yes.
Release Date: September 1

Artist: Julian Plenti
Album: Julian Plenti is… Skyscraper
Who the hell are they?: Solo project from Interpol lead singer Paul Banks
Sounds like a combination of: Christmas Lights and Jeff Buckley
For Example: Fun That We Have
Recommended?: Sure
Release Date: August 4

NOT AWESOME AT ALL:

Artist: J. Tillman
Album: Year in the Kingdom
Who the hell are they?: Longtime musican and recent Fleet Foxes addition Josh Tillman
Sounds like a combination of: Nick Drake and Nick Drake
For Example: Earthy Bodies
Recommended?: For driving your Volkwagon into a field of fireflies after you fell asleep behind the wheel.
Release Date: September 22

Artist: Scott Hardkiss
Album: Techincolor Dreamer
Who the hell are they?: 90’s style light electronica
Sounds like a combination of: Basement Jaxx and Autotune
For Example: You’re The Star
Recommended?: Not even for its ELO-sampling title track. Brian Krakow would find this bland.
Release Date: August 4

Artist: Sean Bones
Album: Ringss
Who the hell are they?: Brooklyn-based reggae apropriator
Sounds like a combination of: Desmond Dekker and Less Than Jake
For Example: Dancehall
Recommended?: For taking pleasure in the fact that, hey, at least you’re not listening to Asher Roth.
Release Date: July 21

Artist: Spencer Day
Album: Vagabond
Who the hell are they?: Classically-trained artist that will probably end up many of your parents’ christmas stockings.
Sounds like a combination of: John Mayer and Stephin Sondheim
For Example: Weeping Willows
Recommended?: He’s cute. That counts for something, right?
Release Date: September 8. TNG