The Friday Refrain: A bit of what's new in music

Happy weekend all! Lots of releases this week, but not many that you might know. Jesse Mccartney and 5 Seconds of Summer released albums this week, just in time to slip into the summer pop rotation. Yes released Heaven & Earth, Richard Thompson released Acoustic Classics, and that's about it for the recap.

Ugh, what a letdown recap with barely an ramp-up for The List. Ah well, sometimes it's just how the cookie crumbs roll.

Well this week, let's just roll through the vague genres and cast out a few suggestions, shall we?

Playground of Rock

The buzzy ones are probably Got A Girl, I Love You but I Must Drive Off This Cliff Now; PS I Love You, For Those Who Stay; Alvvays, Alvvays; The Raveonettes, Pe'ahi; and Nico Vega, Lead to Light. Also consider:

Monomyth, Saturnalia Regalia! - My husband and I batted around a few comparisons last night. His was that it reminded him of DTCV (which came out late last year, if you're not listening to that regularly, go listen now.) and I decided it was what might've happened if They Might Be Giants decided to be a trippy Beach Boys influneced band.

Sugar Stems, Only Come Out At Night - also my favorite album cover of the week.

WORKING, More Weight - Fuzzy guitared female singer rock

Bleached, For The Feel - another female singer rock band

Electronica

Nunca Duerma, Shapeshifter - an actual album you can put on and party to. Not just for the DJs.

Metal

This is such a hard category for me. I'm so picky, and I probably don't have a taste that's particularly shareable. But I am going back to listen to more of Rage Nucleáire, Black Storm of Violence.

Country/Americana

Sammy Kershaw, Do You Know Me: A Tribute to George Jones

Hook & Anchor, Hook & Anchor

World

Quraishi, Mountain Melodies: Rubab Music Of Afghanistan - I know just one recommendation for a category is weak, but this has started playing in my mix and continued for several songs without me interrupting it several times now.

Soul

Bobby Patterson, I Got More Soul! - so good.

Allright, short, sweet and simple. Next week The Refrain might be on a bit of a hiatus, but there will be something. I just haven't decided what. That should keep you on the edge of your seat, but until then - happy listening!

Friday Refrain is a weekly post regarding what new releases have caught my ear for the week. I try to compile a pretty comprehensive list of releases of the week and see what is available for me to listen to on the web. This is just my non-scientific, highly-subjective, randomly-listened-to list of stuff from the week. Oh, and I don’t always listen to lyrics or look at album art/music videos, so appropriateness is left up to the listener