THIS WEEK'S KEY RELEASES
Mastodon _ "Emperor of Sand"
With "Emperor of Sand", Mastodon remains one of the most distinctive bands of its ilk, but like a beach that's been combed over many times before, there's precious little left to discover this time around. _ Jordan Blum
Pharmakon _ "Contact"
To date, Margaret Chardiet's Pharmakon project has been largely about confrontation. She takes themes related to her own life and the world around her, funnels them into electronic noise, frightening samples, and gutteral screams, and dares you to turn off the stereo. Chardiet has created a rare thing here: a noise album that offers hope, rather than simply confrontation. _ Mike Schiller
Wire _ "Silver/Lead"
With its minor key synths and airy, almost jazzy chorus, "Sleep on the Wing" is quite possibly the most unabashedly "beautiful" song Wire have recorded yet. "Upward and inwards / Outwards and forward," Newman sings. It could be a mission statement for a band that, 40 years on, is still reaching and connecting. _ John Bergstrom
British Sea Power _ "Let the Dancers Inherit the Party"
Rodney Crowell _ "Close Ties"
Bob Dylan _ "Triplicate"
Nelly Furtado _ "The Ride"
Freddie Gibbs _ "You Only Live 2wice"
Goldfrapp _ "Silver Eye"
Jamiroquai _ "Automaton"
Aimee Mann _ "Mental Illness"
The Mavericks _ "Brand New Day"
NOW HEAR THIS
Lola Marsh _ "Wishing Girl"
Tel-Aviv duo Lola Marsh occupy a space in between indie pop, indie folk, and electropop with their beautifully melodic, breezy songs. It's a thoroughly modern and engaging approach to pop music that highlights the superb songwriting chops of Gil Landau and the enigmatic vocals of Yael Shoshana Cohen. Lola Marsh's tunes have stormed the Hype Machine charts, and their future looks bright with their debut album coming in June. Based on the strength of Lola Marsh's singles that we've heard so far, their debut album could well be one of the best indie pop debuts this year. _ Sarah Zupko (http://vevo.ly/S6Dbb2)
Left Lane Cruiser _ "Claw Machine Wizard"
Fort Wayne, Indiana's Left Lane Cruiser has built a solid reputation as an undeniable force of rhythm and raw energy over the last decade. You can hear the band in action on "Claw Machine Wizard", the title track from the duo's upcoming LP, due May 19 from Alive Records. A blast of pure, furnace-hot energy, the tune bridges the distance between hill country blues and Black Sabbath. _ Jedd Beaudoin (https://youtu.be/5NZzn1nxVIE)
WATCH THIS
The Afghan Whigs _ "Demon in Profile"
"In Spades," due out in May, is the second album from the Afghan Whigs' 21st century comeback phase, and it's a delight to have them back. Greg Dulli does his usual Tortured Indie Sex Symbol thing, and the whole band backs him up with a mature, piano-led arrangement that manages to strut but still sound deadly serious. This is a band that may be getting older, but instead of relying on '90s glory days, they're building on it. Their best days may still be ahead. _ Chris Ingalls (https://youtu.be/Kp7ooQ_7TPg)
Fleet Foxes _ "Third of May / Odaigahara"
Suitably sweeping for a song named after one of Japan's most picturesque mountains, "Third of May / Odaigahara" feels wild, free and a little bit heartbreaking. In other words, it's a quintessential Fleet Foxes song, the kind that uses barebones acoustic sounds and their echoes to fill a huge amount of space. Casual listeners need not apply; the video version of this single clocks in at nearly nine minutes, and requires full attention as it climbs, soars and then drifts into twilight tones. It's an intricate piece, and one worth getting tangled up in for a while. _ Adriane Pontecorvo
