HRVRD are currently at home in North Carolina writing music for the follow-up to this year's Equal Vision debut, From the Bird's Cage. However, not ones to rest on their laurels, they'll hit the road again soon supporting labelmates A Lot Like Birds and play the Brewz Festival in Charlotte on October 19th. Last but not least, the band recorded a Daytrotter session late last month. [www.ryansrockshow.com]
Explosions in the Sky have been busy following the release of 2011's Take Care, Take Care, Take Care. The band recently scored the dark comedy Prince Avalanche and are now moving on to David Gordon Green's Manglehorn, starring Al Pacino. In early 2014, the band will begin writing their seventh full-length. [consequenceofsound.net]
Today, Sweden's Axel Willner will release a new album from The Field, titled Cupid's Head. The record features a "darker, hypnotic musical landscape" and is his "first album recorded solo since his debut," Here We Go Sublime. Read an interview with Willner on FACT Magazine and then stream the full album on SoundCloud. [www.kompakt.fm]
Saves the Day released their eighth, self-titled album earlier this month. The project was partially funded by fans through Pledge Music. You can currently stream the entire album on SoundCloud. [savestheday.com]
New York's Grandfather returned back in August with a new album of brooding, heavy rock, In Human Form. The band became known in 2010 with their Steve Albini produced Why I'd Try. This time around they collaborated with producer Alex Newport (The Melvins, The Mars Volta) and mixer Howie Weinberg (Nirvana, The Smashing Pumpkins). Stream and download the new album for free on Bandcamp. [grandfathermusic.com]
Back in August, mewithoutYou released Other Stories, a collection of two tracks previously exclusive to the deluxe edition of Ten Stories. "Julian the Onion" and "Four Fires" are "rooted in the story of the same 19th-century traveling circus train crash" as the recent album. In related news, the band has joined Paramore's Parahoy music cruise scheduled for March 7-11, 2014. [mewithoutyou.com]
Parlophone Records will chronicle the life and times of The Beta Band with The Regal Years (1997-2004) on October 7th. The 81-track box set includes the group's complete studio albums, demos, radio sessions and rarities. Find the full track list on Clash Music. [www.clashmusic.com]
The Horrors are hard at work on a follow-up to 2011's Skying. Guitarist Josh Hayward recently spoke to Drowned in Sound about the new album. He claims the album has "bigger arms" than past works and keyboardist Tom Cowan called it "fuzzy and distorted". Despite the mention of a late 2013 release, the album has been pushed to early 2014. Keep up with all things Horrors via @TheHorrorsNews on Twitter. [drownedinsound.com]
Yuck will release Glow and Behold on September 30th, despite the departure on frontman Daniel Blumberg in April. Stream "Middle Sea" from the new album on SoundCloud. Blumberg has moved on to his own solo project Hebronix, which released its debut, Unreal, back in July. [yuckband.com]
George Evelyn will release a new Nightmares On Wax album, Feelin' Good, through Warp Records on September 17th. Stream a sampler the Warp website. The album is influenced by "positivity and natural beauty, drawing on funk, soul and reggae references". [warp.net]
Ambient artist Tim Hecker will release Virgins on October 15th through Kranky. The "almost percussive" album was recorded "using ensembles in live performance" and "employs woodwinds, piano and synthesizers". Stream "Virginal II" on SoundCloud. Ravedeath, 1972 was released in 2011. [bleep.com]
Following Sic Alps break-up earlier this year, Mike Donovan is set to release a solo album, Wot, through Drag City on October 15th. Stream "New Fieldhand Bop" on SoundCloud. [www.dragcity.com]
Mazzy Star will return on on September 24th with Seasons of Your Day, their first album since 1996's Among My Swan. The album features performances from Bert Jansch and My Bloody Valentine's Colm O'Ciosoig. Stream the album this week on NPR. [www.hopesandoval.com]
The Dismemberment Plan will return on October 15th with Uncanny Valley. After a few festival dates in September, the band will hit the road in support of the album. Stream "Waiting" on SoundCloud. Change was released in 2001. [dismembermentplan.com]
Annie returned last week with The A&R EP, her first music since 2009's Don't Stop. Annie once again collaborated with producer Richard X on the new material. Stream "Hold On" on SoundCloud and watch the video for "Back Together" on YouTube. [anniemelody.com]
Of Montreal will release Lousy with Sylvianbriar on October 8th. The album was written by Kevin Barnes after two weeks in San Francisco. It's inspired by the '60s and '70s and was recorded on an analog 24-track recorder. Stream "Fugitive Air" on SoundCloud. [www.polyvinylrecords.com]
Bill Callahan will release Dream River on September 17th through Drag City. The label calls the eight-song album "easily the most sensual and soulful of Callahan's career." Stream the experimental track "Expanding Dub" on SoundCloud. [www.dragcity.com]
In a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal, Damon Albarn told the publication that Blur will record a new album following the band's current reunion tour, the New York opening of Monkey: Journey to the West, and his forthcoming "quite intimate" solo album. Most recently, Albarn, Nick Zinner and Flea recorded the song "Latest Style" as the entity Fresh Touch for Oxfam. Stream it on Stereogum. [blogs.wsj.com]
The Avett Brothers will release their eighth album, Magpie and the Dandelion, on October 15th. Normally, there's a two or three year gap between albums, but The Carpenter was just released last year. We aren't complaining. Stream the short and sweet "Another Is Waiting" from Magpie on NPR. [www.npr.org]
RJ Krohn will end the RJD2 drought with the "largely instrumental" More Is Than Isn't on October 8th through this own RJ's Electrical Connections. Stream "Her Majesty's Socialist Request" from said album on SoundCloud. The Colossus was released in 2010. [rjd2.net]
