The Friday Refrain: A bit of what's new in music...

 Well we are getting into the thick of it. Releases are abounding and it's my first week dealing with 150 on the list. The To-Listen list got pretty long this week and I'll have quite the time sorting through that one. By the by, if you're a festival-going fan, check out the line-up for Firefly this year. That's a pretty sweet line-up and not just because of Sir McCartney, but Spoon, Cage The Elephant, Run The Jewels, Sylvan Esso, Benjamin Booker, Sturgill Simpson, Matt & Kim, Empire of the Sun, and more? Good job, Firefly, good job.

Whooosh! It's the List!

All right, down to the brass tacks of the week. Kid Rock released First Kiss and it's more country than southern rock to me but that's just me I guess. Iron & Wine is releasing a collection of rarities and live things with the first volume out this week titled Archive Series Vol. No. 1. Do you remember Alien Ant Farm? They did that cover of "Smooth Criminal" over a decade ago, and this week released Always And Forever. But don't worry, the track "American Pie" is not a cover of the tribute to Buddy Holly. Rapper Big Sean released Dark Sky Paradise.

Their Names Belong Together...

Dutch Uncles, O Shudder

Radical Dads, Universal Coolers

Kid Rock, First Kiss

Get Ready For St. Patty's Day...

Tempest, Tracks We Leave - not purely Irish but a blend

Altan, Widening Gyre

Peppy

Gal Pals, Velvet Rut

The Elwins, Play For Keeps

MisterWives, Our Own House - also winner of this week's best album cover!

Drug Cabin, Yard Work

Vintage

The Mighty Sceptre, All Hail The Mighty Sceptres! - That 60s grooving music with orchestral instruments in the background, including some flute!

Kitty, Daisy & Lewis, No Action

Gal Pals, Velvet Rut - Blondie type of female fronted music

Artisan Loyalist, Lonely Ghost - Kinda 80s pop sounding

If you like... 

Lumineers and The Head And The Heart (Popular Indie/Alt-Rock)? Ewert & the Two Dragons, Circles

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetics crossed with Patrick Watson (dense folksy soundscapes)? Elvis Perkins, I Aubade

Andrew Bird meets Magnetic Fields (i really can't describe that)? Daniel Knox, Daniel Knox

Wolfmother and Django Django (it sounds like straightforward rock but there's a little more to it)? Galaxie, Zulu

Low tempo and sparse Beach Boys (that's really the best way to say it)? Charlie Brand, Monsoons

Foo Fighters and Jane's Addiction (early 90s rock)? Black Star Riders, The Killer Instinct

The Bad Plus (jazz versions of pop/rock songs)? Wolff & Clark Expedition, Expedition 2

Bjork just doing vintagey songs (almost just went into vintage until I felt it had a Bjork element to it, but I might be crazy. I'm a little/very tired)? Via Tania, Via Tania and the Tomorrow Orchestra

Okay I'm calling it. There's a ton of good stuff out there this week. The Badbadnotgood & Ghostface Killah album, The Rough Guide to Pyschedelic Salsa, Champs, Tisziji Muñoz, Romare, and CeDell Davis albums are all also worth a look at. But the sun is waning in the sky, the boy is a ticking time bomb (as all babies are really) and I need a snack. So go out into the world of music, explore and find something to call your own groove. It's a great week for it. Happy Listening!