Featured New Releases for
March 12, 2013

Album cover for What About Now by Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi

What About Now

Island
Pop/Rock
Bon Jovi dourly explore the state of the world on the doggedly serious What About Now.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Album cover for Sing to the Moon by Laura Mvula
Laura Mvula

Sing to the Moon

Columbia
Pop/Rock
The admirable debut from this BBC Sound of 2013 nominee is rooted in decades-old forms of gospel, jazz, R&B, and, most deeply, orchestral pop.

— Andy Kellman

Album cover for The Next Day by David BowieEditors' Choice
David Bowie

The Next Day

ISO
Pop/Rock
An elegant evocation of Berlin-era David Bowie, The Next Day is a sweet coda to a towering career

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Album cover for Isles by Wild Belle
Wild Belle

Isles

Columbia
Pop/Rock, Reggae
The Chicago brother-sister duo mix reggae, Afro-pop, and melodic '60s folk-soul on their debut album.

— Matt Collar

Album cover for Mala by Devendra BanhartEditors' Choice
Devendra Banhart

Mala

Nonesuch
Pop/Rock
While not quite a return to the brilliance of his early days, the newest work from this freak folk maven sheds the confusion of his last few albums.

— Fred Thomas

Album cover for Old Sock by Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton

Old Sock

Bushbranch / Surfdog Records
Pop/Rock
Eric Clapton goes the indie route with the pleasingly lazy and sunny Old Sock.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Album cover for Sound City: Real to Reel by Original Soundtrack
Original Soundtrack

Sound City: Real to Reel

Columbia / RCA
Pop/Rock, Stage & Screen
Dave Grohl's love letter to Sound City Studios is accompanied by this collection of jams by stars who had recorded at the legendary L.A. studio.

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Album cover for All Around the World by Mindless Behavior
Mindless Behavior

All Around the World

Interscope
R&B
While still firmly rooted in R&B, the second album from this still young (and age-appropriate) group features a few straight-up pop diversions.

— Andy Kellman

Album cover for The Other Life by Shooter JenningsEditors' Choice
Shooter Jennings

The Other Life

eOne
Country
Crossing more genres than one can count, the ever defiant singer and songwriter turns in his most ambitious--and consistent--set to date.

— Thom Jurek

Album cover for Golden Grrrls by Golden GrrrlsEditors' Choice
Golden Grrrls

Golden Grrrls

Slumberland / Night School
Pop/Rock
The Scottish trio hits all the right C-86-inspired indie pop notes on its excellent debut album.

— Tim Sendra

Album cover for The New Life by Girls NamesEditors' Choice
Girls Names

The New Life

Slumberland
Pop/Rock
On their second album, the band ditch noise pop in favor of dramatically rendered post-rock psychedelic songcraft with positive results.

— Tim Sendra

Album cover for The Mystery of You by Spencer Day
Spencer Day

The Mystery of You

Concord
Pop/Rock
On his third release, singer/songwriter Spencer Day utilizes the same eclectic musical style but with a darker set of lyrics based on a failed romance.

— Al Campbell

Album cover for Lady by LadyEditors' Choice
Lady

Lady

Truth & Soul
R&B
Veteran R&B singers Terri Walker and Nicole Wray combined forces to create Lady, and their first album is a modern retro-soul classic.

— Tim Sendra

Album cover for Sleeper by Carmen VillainEditors' Choice
Carmen Villain

Sleeper

Smalltown Supersound
Pop/Rock
Carmen Villain's debut is full of daring, rewarding songs that could be described as fever dream pop.

— Heather Phares

Album cover for tUnE-yArDs as Yoko by tUnE-yArDs
tUnE-yArDs

tUnE-yArDs as Yoko

Chimera Music
Pop/Rock
Merrill Garbus takes on Yoko Ono's bold musical legacy on this single, which benefits the Rockaway Waterfront Alliance.

— Heather Phares

Album cover for Pale Green Ghosts by John Grant
John Grant

Pale Green Ghosts

Bella Union
Pop/Rock
The electro-pop-kissed Pale Green Ghosts is icy and self-obsessed, which is the direct antithesis, at least sonically, of Grant's previous album.

— James Christopher Monger

Album cover for Home by Off with Their Heads
Off with Their Heads

Home

Epitaph
Pop/Rock
The third proper album from this Minneapolis punk band hides depraved lyrical themes beneath their most polished production to date.

— Fred Thomas

Album cover for The Third by Family Force 5
Family Force 5

The Third

Tooth & Nail
Pop/Rock, Religious
This bombastic collection from Atlanta crunk rockers cherrypicks singles from their last record and includes several previously unreleased tracks.

— Fred Thomas

Album cover for Say Yes by Phil Perry
Phil Perry

Say Yes

Shanachie
Jazz, R&B
This under-appreciated vocalist offers a set of iconic covers and fine originals that are sophisticated, nuanced, and rousing.

— Thom Jurek

Album cover for Rat On! by Swamp Dogg
Swamp Dogg

Rat On!

Alive Naturalsound Records
R&B, Pop/Rock, Blues
Swamp Dogg refined his southern soul attack on the still strange 1971 album Rat On!

— Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Album cover for The Big Beat by The Woggles
The Woggles

The Big Beat

Wicked Cool
Pop/Rock
The Woggles are a band that seems to have stepped straight out of a Nuggets anthology. They've been that since 1987, and this outing is no different.

— Steve Leggett

Album cover for Aina Haina by Aina Haina
Aina Haina

Aina Haina

Badman Recording Co.
Pop/Rock
The duo follows the bare-bones indie rock trend, but '80s hair metal plays a bigger part than one might expect.

— Jason Lymangrover

Album cover for Eccentric Soul: The Dynamic Label by Various Artists
Various Artists

Eccentric Soul: The Dynamic Label

Numero
R&B
Obscure multiracial rhythm & blues, 1965-1968, from one of Abe Epstein's several San Antonio-based labels.

— Andy Kellman

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