Last Friday saw the release of not one, but two albums from local duo Shabazz Palaces. KEXP Music Director Don Yates calls Quazarz: Born On A Gangster Star "an impressive set of adventurous hip hop combining an ominous, shape-shifting sound with often heavily processed and reverbed vocals and dystopian lyrics." He notes Quazarz vs The Jealous Machines is "another strong set of adventurous hip hop combining brooding, beat-driven soundscapes with heavily processed vocals and lyrics revolving around social-media addiction and narcissism."
Alabama-bred, Philly-based artist Katie Crutchfield -- better known as Waxahatchee -- releases her fourth full-length, "a more muscular, live in-studio sound and some of her most memorable songs to date, with deeply personal, brutally honest lyrics about moving on from a busted relationship."
Seattle supergroup Lo Tom -- that's David Bazan and TW Walsh of Pedro The Lion along with Jason Martin and Trey Many of Starflyer 59 -- release their debut LP, "a promising 8-song set of '90s-steeped indie-rock with chugging guitars, muscular rhythms, offhand lyrics and potent song hooks." Philadelphia band Sheer Mag unleash a "knockout full-length featuring a punkish blend of '70s-inspired power-pop, classic rock and high-energy soul, along with a bit of funk and disco, combining Thin Lizzy guitar riffs, energetic rhythms and Tina Halladay's urgent, powerhouse vocals on hook-filled songs alternating between politically militant anthems and fevered, love-fueled rockers." And Melbourne, Australia band The Stevens deliver "a potent set of scrappy, lo-fi post-punk" on their sophomore LP.
Has your new summer jam hit the racks? This week, we see new releases from Toronto-collective Broken Social Scene. KEXP Music Director Don Yates notes the group's fifth album (and first in seven years) is "an often-buoyant set of maximalist, psych-tinged pop-rock with a lush, densely produced sound…
