Seven February Music Releases You Should Listen To

If you were a listener of my Monthly Music Wrap-Up podcast you might have noticed its been absent from the site lately. Time constraints lead me to choose writing more over the excessive amount of effort I was putting into the podcast. (I'm currently working on a hosting solution to make all the released episodes available again, but for now just email me if you missed any.) Don't worry though, I'll still be pointing you toward great new releases each month, in the form of this here article series.

2012 is looking to be a great year for music, and February was where things really started off. So, which of the newly-released albums are worth your time? Well, I can't claim to have listened to everything put out in the month of February, but here are seven album releases that I quite enjoyed, and think you should give a listen to as well.

London-based duo The Hazard Archive release promising new single

One of my most anticipated albums this month is Shearwater's newest release, so when I got an email from a band who said they were similar I was more than intrigued. The Hazard Archive do indeed have the same sort of melancholic sound as Shearwater; the type of music I find most pleasant in those long winter months where everything can feel cold and barren. It adds a sense of beauty necessary to tolerating the temperatures.

The Hazard Archive don't have much to show for themselves yet, but their double A-side and this new single have more than piqued my interest in a debut full length. I'll be keeping an eye out for more from this promising new band. For now you can listen to or download their music here, or check out the video for Embers -- their newest single -- after the jump.

Shuffled Podcast: The Voiceless Edition

Every other Wednesday I share my love of music in an assortment of ways. Shuffled is a podcast whose format is as varied as my tastes in music, so hopefully you won't ever be bored and everyone can find something to enjoy.
In this edition of Shuffled I return to the original show format for some music shuffling without a voice. Don't expect any long diatribes about the songs that came up, just a quick summation and then straight to the tunes. And oh the wonderful tunes that did come along via the gods of randomness.

Music Wrap-Up Special: The Best Music of 2010

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.

The Music Wrap-Up forces me to keep up with new music every month so that I can share it with you. Without it I'd probably miss a lot of great albums. Some of the music I listen to a handful of times, pick out the songs I like the most, write them up in that month's Wrap-Up, and then never return to the CD again. Not because I disliked them, just because they didn't stick with me for some reason.

Other releases though, those stick with me all year long and well into the future. There's no doubt that if I'm still listening to it at the end of the year, it was one of my favorite albums of the year. So I've collected all that I hold most dear in this special edition of the Music Wrap-Up. While I never put anything in the other Wrap-Ups that I don't recommend, I extra recommend all of these releases. Seriously, buy these.