Music Releases For May 21st, 2013

So I wasn't expecting to come home after a long [Canadian] weekend with more news than I could shake multiple sticks at.  Between hearing about music subscriptions services, new collaborations, new and old members joining/re-joining bands, I totally forgot that today is TUESDAY!  Release day for all of us here in North America.  There are a few albums that I really didn't even sit down to spin until this morning.  I know I will have to go back and give a more thorough analysis on the albums, but there are some great albums [nonetheless].

Thirty Seconds To Mars, Airbourne, Daft Punk and Zed have all been albums eager for a release date.  Most of those albums had great singles and really created some buzz behind the LPs.  New Politics and Beach Boys are my two off albums that I may not necessarily enjoy, but I know my readers will be getting their copies this week.  Hell, it's only The Beach Boys and they have only been around for FIFTY YEARS!  Good on them indeed.

So the usual rant.  Be sure to show your love for musicians. artists and others alike by picking up and album (or two, three, etc.) from your local record store, online retailer or other legal source.

(New Politics - A Bad Girl In Harlem) 

On their second album, Danish alt-rock power trio New Politics attempt to ditch the safety net of their influences to strike out on their own with A Bad Girl in Harlem. Where their self-titled 2010 debut found them mining the sounds of alternative radio, their sophomore effort finds them turning their dial towards the pop charts with a slicker, more polished sound. And even though the hand of the producers is more apparent than ever, the albums standout track definitely comes by way of "Just Like Me," a raw, no-frills rocker that really lets the band spread their wings and get rowdy for a minute. Though fans of the band might miss the more natural sound of New Politics' previous album, A Bad Girl in Harlem still delivers plenty of the hooky, infectious pop for them to crank up and sing along to. -All Music

(Thirty Second To Mars - Love Lust Faith + Dreams)

After starting with what sounded like a clear direction, Love Lust Faith + Dreams descends into something of a mess. It opens as if an extension of This Is War, before the band suddenly change things up with added synths. While Leto’s vocals remain as central as ever, there’s only so much you can take of his constant overbearing bellowing. Love Lust Faith + Dreams was set up as a new chapter for the band. The end result just feels empty. -Music OMH

(Airbourne - Black Dog Barking)

And that is the crux of the matter, If you love hard rock you’ll soon be needing some new heroes. We don’t like to think about it, but those impeachable bands that shaped the rock landscape in the 70’s won’t be around for ever. Someone has to carry the torch, Airbourne have grabbed it and are lighting a cigar and a stick of dynamite with it. Forget reinvention, this black dog is off the leash and his bark is exhilarating. -Rock Sins

(Daft Punk - Random Access Memories)

In the end, Random Access Memories is many things: a gamble, a Genesis scroll of Daft Punk’s musical DNA, a mesmerizing summation of their career to this point and a dynamic jumping-off point for the next phase of their creative evolution. Oh, and also, it’s fun. Extremely fucking fun, like album-on-repeat-late-apartment-dance-party- neighbors-calling-the-cops super-fun, which seems like a redundant thing to say about a Daft Punk album at this point. But it’s fun in a totally different way than people were expecting a 2013 Daft Punk album to be fun. If you’re still on the fence regarding your summer soundtrack, Random Access Memories will keep you dancing through September. -Idolator

(The Beach Boys - The 50th Anniversary Tour)

2012 marked the 50th anniversary of the greatest American band, The Beach Boys. To mark this momentous occasion, the band reunited to tour the country as well as a number of International concerts. The fans were thrilled to see Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston and David Marks on the same stage again, playing all the hits and more. This magical tour is now captured on the 41 track collection, Live-The 50th Anniversary Tour. -Amazon

(ZED - Desperation Blues)

ZED is a great rock band that takes influences from Black Sabbath to Queens Of The Stone Age. Pete Sattari’s gritty vocals provide the band with a hard rock feeling. Greg Lopes performs the guitar excellently throughout the album. Mark Aceves and Rich Harris keep the songs together with their bass and drumming respectively. Desperation Blues is an excellent album that any rock fan would enjoy. Whether you’re into Led Zeppelin or Rage Against The Machine, you’re sure to enjoy this album. -Musik Reviews