July 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.

July is chock full of great music, and I'm not even going to skimp you on any of it. I could put only one song from each band up to save space, but I'll stick with two each, and I'll even throw in a third from Discovery as a tribute to the recently departed King of Pop. The great releases come in all varieties this month, from electronic to dance to punk to a sort of southern rock, but they are all excellent. Someone said on twitter, "Thus far, 2009 has been a great year for music, a horrible year for film, and a pretty good year for games", I don't know if I agree with him on films unless we're only counting the big budget blockbusters, but he is certainly right about music. If July isn't packed full enough for you, theres even more great stuff coming in August and beyond. Stay tuned for all your music sampling needs.

Discovery

Osaka Loopline



So Insane



I Want You Back



The collaboration between Vampire Weekend's keyboard player and Ra Ra Riot's singer/songwriter, Discovery is a side project that drew lots of anticipation. They certainly do well to differentiate the music, being an electronic band instead of the indie pop sort of sounds of their respective bands. I'm glad to see members of two great bands already experimenting with music so soon after their first releases. I wasn't too enthralled with it at first but its since grown on me immensely and has become one of my favorite new albums.

Big D and the Kids Table's Fluent in Stroll

Fluent in Stroll



I,I,I



Most likely my summer cd of 2009. It perfectly accents any cruises down to the beach you might be taking.

I Come to Shanghai

Your Lazy Eye



Another Sunday Morning



Probably my biggest surprise of the year so far, I Come to Shanghai smacked me right across the face with radness. My head nearly blew up when I heard this cd. Inside jokes and interview with one half of the band can be found here.

Portugal. The Man's The Satanic Satanist

Lovers in Love



Mornings



Portugal. The Man is one of my favorites. Laid back grooves that are easy to get lost in, and serve as great background to menial tasks. Yet at the same time you can belt out the lyrics along with the music and have a great time just tapping your foot with a big smile on your face.

The Dodo's Time to Die

Longform



Two Medicines



One of my biggest surprise discoveries of last year, The Dodo's surprise again by returning so soon with another amazing cd. If you haven't heard this band, check out both of their releases. They have quickly become one of my favorites. Their entire new cd Time to Die is streaming here, I'm not sure for how long though.

Against Me's The Original Cowboy

A Brief Yet Triumphant Introduction/Cliche Guevarra



Unsubstantiated Rumors



Before Against Me went to record As the Eternal Cowboy for real, they recorded these quick demos. It's nice to see the variation in some of the songs, a lot sound more like their live versions, but it's probably something only appreciated by the die hard fans.

RX Bandit's Mandala

My Lonesome Only Friend



Hope is a Butterfly No Net it's Captor



RX Bandits are kind of fading on me. Progress was the last cd of theirs I listened to and I love it, but apparently I missed 2 cds in between that one and the new Mandala yet they seem pretty much the same to me. It's really good music but it's just not catching me like it used to.

Dead Weather's Horehound

60 Feet Tall



Treat Me Like Your Mother



I'm going to be embarrased by some of the words I use to describe this band but here goes, Dead Weather makes a sort of dirty southern rock. Sorry but I had to say it, thats what it sounds most like to me. Of course almost everyone will hear about this band because of Jack White being a member but even if you hate his previous work you might find something to love in this. At least listen all the way through these songs, 60 Feet Tall takes a sharp turn in direction halfway through.

Cobra Skull's American Rubicon

H.D.U.I. (Honorary Discharge Under the Influence)



Overpopulated



I've already written about this cd here, so I'll take this time to explain that H.D.U.I. is a true story of a soldier that the singer met. I'll just quote the singers explanation: "As a Marine, he felt he had been used in the invasion of Iraq with no other purpose than to take control of the country's oil. One day he decided that he had had enough, so he got a little drunk and did some donuts in the dunes until he was pulled over and charged with Driving Under the Influence. He received an Honorary Discharge. He did not have to return for a third tour and he was allowed to keep his G.I. bill, which was the main reason why he and many other young people join the military in these uncertain economic times."