January Music Wrap-Up: Bonus Podcast Edition

The Music Wrap-Up is a monthly summary of my favorite and other notable new releases. Having trouble keeping up with all the new music? Need some music suggestions? Then the Music Wrap-Up is for you. And please support these musicians as that's the reason I'm featuring them in the first place.
After a vast and barren December almost entirely void of new music, we've finally emerged on the other side. Great new music is being released again, and the Music Wrap-Up is here to share it with you. But guess what? This time you not only have the option of listening to it in your browser while you work/look at animated gifs on Reddit, but you can download it and take it along with you! That's right, the Music Wrap-Up has been podcastisized and released as a bonus episode on the Shuffled podcast feed. So hit that jump like you've never hit a jump before and listen to new music from Decemberists, Iron and Wine, Cake, and more!


Track List

1. The Decemberists - Calamity Song (From: The King is Dead) -- Buy the song or album
2. Iron & Wine - Rabbit Will Run (From: Kiss Each Other Clean) -- Buy the song or album
3. The Aquabats - Hey Homies! (From: Hi-Five Soup!) -- Buy the song or album
4. Wire - Moreover (From: Red Barked Tree) -- Buy the song or album
5. Social Distortion - California (Hustle and Flow) (From: Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes) -- Buy the song or album
6. Cake - Sick of You (From: Showroom of Compassion) -- Buy the song or album

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Cake was recommended by Chase Koeneke, who had this to say about it:

Cake has been pretty busy these past seven years, despite not releasing a new studio album in that time. They've started their own label (Upbeat Records,) removed their studio from the Sacramento power grid -- instead opting for solar panels -- and they released a B-sides and rarities album (appropriately titled B-Sides and Rarities.) But now in 2011, Cake has gotten back to what they do best, making music, with their new album, Showroom of Compassion. And, for the most part, it's a solid effort.

Front man John McCrea describes the new album as "very different than any of our other albums," but unless you're a seasoned Cake-aficionado, it's hard to see where the differences lie. There are differences, though. The prevalent wordplay and clever verses Cake is known for is lacking in most tracks, replaced by chorus, chorus and more chorus.

But what Showroom lacks in lyrics, it more than makes up for in music. Cake pulled out all the instrumental stops on this one, resulting in the richest-sounding album the band has ever done. Even with the weaker vocals, Showroom is an easy purchase decision for Cake fans. But for those looking for a good entrance point, older albums Fashion Nugget and Comfort Eagle are a better bet.