June Music Wrap-Up

The Music Wrap-Up is a monthly summary of my favorite and other notable new releases. The songs are for sampling purposes only and will be removed the next month. Artists or labels notify me with any complaints and I will remove the song as soon as possible. Please support these musicians as that's the reason I'm featuring them in the first place.

I couldn't find a ton to feature this month, so I dug into some bands that I had only previously dabbled in. Thats why I enjoy doing the monthly music wrap-up, because I find new bands to love that I might not have normally ever gotten too, all to find more music for you the people. As a result, June is pretty chock full, but wait until you see July. Good lord I can't wait for some of that music to be released. But let's stay on topic and get to our June music.

Elvis Costello's Secret, Profane & Sugarcane

Sulphur to Sugarcane



Hidden Shame



I'm not sure who or what first introduced me to Elvis Costello, but when I listened to Radio Radio, and heard the story of him playing that song on SNL despite the demands of the show, I was sold. He truly is a remarkable song writer. This cd has a much more country sound to it, but I enjoy it.

The Mars Volta's Octahedron

Teflon



Desperate Graves



Cotopaxi



I don't think I have to tell you that we're big fans of Mars Volta at this site, after all we all met on a TMV forum. Their music has been on and off with me, sometimes I love them and other times they kind of annoy me. This new release is sort of in between, I don't absolutely love it like I did Frances and Bedlam, but I don't hate it like I did Amputechture. It's the most run of the mill cd they've ever done, which means I'll probably grow tired of it quicker then any others, but it's still a great album.

Envy/Jesu's Split

I haven't gotten around to actually buying this cd yet, so I can't exactly feature music from it here. But the whole thing is being streamed online here. Both bands are in the same sort of ambient, transient, type genre that bands like Sigur Ros, Godspeed! You Black Emperor, and Explosions in the Sky helped create. I enjoy that kind of music at certain times, usually late at night when I'm driving around delivering papers. This is the first time I've heard Envy, who seem to interject screaming into the sound. It's interesting sounding, but I'm not sure if I'm in love with it. Be sure to listen through the first 3 songs so you can get to hear some Jesu too.

Spoon's Got Nuffin EP

Got Nuffin



Suprise! Theres a new Spoon EP, and its out in a few days. I can't help but feel like stuff like this is going to happen more and more in an attempt to battle piracy. If a band is big enough to forego the marketing phase of an album release then why not just sneak the release up on people. That way there will be so little time until release that fans might not download a leak and people might not leak it in the first place. Theres only 4 songs on here, one of them being a hidden remix of one of the other 3 songs.

Wilco's Wilco (The Album)

Wilco (The Song)



You Never Know



I'm glad I checked this out in an attempt to find more to feature this month, it's really good. Sounds a lot like Spoon, but both of those bands sort of made the indie rock sound right? I'm late to the party with both of them, my brother was the indie kid, I was the punk kid. Still, better late then never.

Moby's Wait For Me

Shot in the Back of the Head



Mistake



I don't know what I was expecting when I turned on Moby, but it wasn't this. I probably thought it would be like that video of Christopher Walken dancing around the hotel. Either way, this is is much darker, and has a brooding sort of ambience to it. It'll go great with my other late night listening.

Björk's Voltaic

Wanderlust



Declare Independence



Something always held me back from actually listening to Bjork. I know plenty of people that love her music, but I just never gave it a chance for some reason. I'm glad I finally did though, because I was blown away. I think I'm in love, you know, if she wasn't absolutely insane.