1. Ghost To A Ghost, Hank Williams 3
2. Fragrant World, Yeasayer
3. Shrines, Purity Ring
4. Slipstream, Bonnie Raitt
5. Election Special, Ry Cooder
6. Little Broken Hearts, Norah Jones
7. Top of the World, Slightly Stoopid
8. Four, Bloc Party
9. Keys To The Kuffs, JJ Doom
10. The Idler Wheel, Fiona Apple
11. Carry Me Back, Old Crow Medicine Show
12. Mature Themes, Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti
13. Drag It Up (Deluxe Reissue), Old 97’s
14. Hot Cakes, The Darkness
15. Autotheism, Faceless
16. The Lumineers, The Lumineers
17. Old Believers, Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons
18. Latah Nights, ReVoLtReVoLt
19. Bloom, Beach House
20. Anastasis, Dead Can Dance
A 'MAD AS HELL' RY COODER & OTHER NEW CD RECOMMENDATIONS FROM RX!
PREVIEW/BUY THE CD HERE
Anyone who thinks protest music is dead hasn’t been listening to Ry Cooder. The renowned, Grammy-winning, folk-rock-blues-world singer-songwriter, musician, and soundtrack composer follows up last year’s equally pointed Pull Up Some Dust and Sit Down with Election Special, which makes no bones about his left-leaning views. On paper some of Cooder’s topic-targets sound pretty dry: the billionaire Koch brothers (“Brother Is Gone”), Mitt Romney’s oft-told Seamus-on-the-car-roof story (“Mutt Romney Blues”), and economic devastation (“The 90 and the 9”). Cooder is mad as hell, but because he’s a virtuoso with a wry sense of humor that balances indignation and despair, the songs stand as songs, not just soapbox speechifying. Some listeners may disagree with his views, but even they may find hard to resist the juke joint slide guitar snaking along the chilling lament for the White House, “Cold Cold Feeling,” the catchy backbeat of “Guantanamo,” and the stately country jaunt of “Going to Temple.” If the Occupy folks are still looking for a soundtrack this election year, Special is one-stop shopping. — Boston Globe
NEW RELEASE OF THE WEEK: YEASAYER CATCHY, EXPERIMENTAL ON THIRD LP
PREVIEW/BUY THE CD HERE
PREVIEW/BUY THE VINYL HERE
On their 2010 breakthrough, Odd Blood, Yeasayer streamlined many of their freakier sonic quirks in favor of colors and choruses more universally vibrant. Fragrant World is equally melodic, but its hooks are twisted and sculpted around some of the trio’s wackiest textures to date. Opener “Fingers Never Bleed” is a terrific example: Chris Keating croons an instantly infectious, Prince-esque vocal melody over beats built from human voices and synth lines that resemble de-tuned saxophones or moaning elephants. The masterful “Devil and the Deed” could have been assembled, brick by brick, from video-game samples and children’s toys. “Longevity” unfurls an R&B slow-jam groove with blaring synth-bass and dizzying hi-hats — K Ishibashi’s country-funk violin solo is simply icing on an otherwise badass cake. Yeasayer remain the new-millennium kings of studio manipulation, and it’s downright jaw-dropping that they’re able to experiment so wildly in the context of such catchiness. Fragrant World feels like a victory lap. — Boston Phoenix
NEW RELEASE TUESDAY 8/21: LISTENING PARTY WITH OWL CITY & FREE PIE HOLE!
The Record Exchange’s New Release Tuesday series continues on Aug. 21 with Owl City‘s new album The Midsummer Station! The album will be featured during our weekly listening party at 6 p.m. Enjoy free Pie Hole pizza while you listen to The Midsummer Station and enter to win our New Release Tuesday raffle prize!
Are you a proud owner of a Radio Boise KRBX Card? Bring i
t in every Tuesday from 6 to 9 p.m. and receive 20% off gift shop items and used CDs, vinyl, DVD/Blu-ray and cassettes (excluding collectibles – individual items $100 and over).
Speaking of our beloved community radio station, their new Radio Boise Tuesdays series at Neurolux is quickly becoming a new favorite on the music scene. The weekly series features local and touring bands as well as a Radio Boise DJ after each show. Radio Boise receives 20% of drink sales from every Radio Boise Tuesday show. You receive the benefit of DRINK SPECIALS at each one. The music kicks off at 7 p.m. — right after you’ve filled your belly with pizza and heard some new music at the RX!
Check out the Radio Boise Tuesdays performance schedule HERE.
Here’s a quick look at the bright and shiny new releases this week at The Record Exchange:
CD
Owl City – The Midsummer Station
Yeasayer – Fragrant World
Ry Cooder – Election Special
The Darkness – Hot Cakes
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Mature Themes
Los Lobos – Kiko 20th Anniversary Edition
Los Lobos – Kiko Live
Dispatch – Circles Around the Sun
Lynyrd Skynyrd – Last of a Dyin’ Breed (deluxe edition also available)
The Heavy – The Glorious Dead
The Prodigy – More Music from the Jilted Generation
Taj Mahal – Hidden Treasures/Live from Royal Albert Hall
Dylan LeBlanc – Cast the Same Old Shadow
Teengirl Fantasy – Tracer
JJ Doom – Keys to the Kuffs
Young Fresh Fellows – Tiempo de Lujo
Our Last Night – The Age of Ignorance
Dustin Lynch – Dustin Lynch
Adrian Sherwood – Survival and Resistance
Call of the Wild – Leave Your Leather On
Trey Songz – Chapter V
Van She – Idea of Happiness
JT Hodges – JT Hodges
VINYL
Sigur Ros – Varud (limited edition 10-inch)
Owl City – The Midsummer Station
Yeasayer – Fragrant World
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Mature Themes
Ry Cooder – Election Special
Dead Can Dance – Anastasis
The Heavy – The Glorious Dead
The Prodigy – Music for the Jilted Generation
Dispatch – Circles Around the Sun
Tortoise – Tortoise
Big Brother and the Holding Company – Cheap Thrills
Janis Joplin – Big Brother and the Holding Company
Janis Joplin – I Got Dem Ol’ Kozmic Blues Again, Mama!
Dylan LeBlanc – Cast the Same Old Shadow
Various Artists – I Am What I Am (Yep Roc 15th anniversary compilation)
Harry Taussig – Fate is Only Twice
Preteen Zenith – Rubble Guts and BB Eye
Xiu Xiu – I Luv Abortion (Deerhoof Remix)
Moon Duo/Psychic Ills – Zoned
DVD/BLU-RAY
Los Lobos – Kiko Live DVD and Blu-ray
David Bowie – Calm Before the Storm DVD
Graham Parker – Live at Rockpalast DVD
Staind – Live Mohegan Sun Blu-ray
Ecstasy of Order: The Tetris Masters DVD
Color Out of Space DVD
Walking Dead Origins DVD
Trucker’s Woman DVD
RECORD EXCHANGE TOP 20 SELLERS (WEEK ENDING AUGUST 19, 2012)
1. Old Believers, Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons
2. Bear Creek, Brandi Carlile
3. Blood, In This Moment
4. Gossamer, Passion Pit
5. Top of the World, Slightly Stoopid
6. The Idler Wheel, Fiona Apple
7. Blunderbuss, Jack White
8. What We Saw from the Cheap Seats, Regina Spektor
9. Autotheism, Faceless
10. My Head is an Animal, Of Monsters and Men
11. Carry Me Back, Old Crow Medicine Show
12. The Mighty Death Pop, Insane Clown Posse
13. Little Broken Hearts, Norah Jones
14. Home Again, Michael Kiwanuka
15. The Lumineers, The Lumineers
16. Give You the Ghost, Polica
17. Shrines, Purity Ring
18. Just Tell Me That You Want Me: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac, Various Artists
19. Latah Nights, ReVoLtReVoLt
20. HQ Live, Incubus