You’ve been working hard all week and it’s finally here – Friday. What better way to celebrate than following us as we take a tour of new music? Click the link below and meet us on the other side.

Sam Smith – In the Lonely Hour

Sam Smith’s album will be released in the US next week, and ahead of it’s release NPR is streaming the album in full. This guy is going to be huge. The album was released last month in the UK and “Stay With Me” is already a top 10 single in the US. But try to put aside all the hype and just listen to what a great album this really is. His Nirvana EP from last year has been in constant rotation for me, with his acoustic version of “Latch”, a 2012 song by Disclosure that he provided the vocals for, and “Money On My Mind” a song that is so catchy that it usually ends up repeating over and over in my head for days. That particular track is the album opener and I try to sing along but I just don’t have a falsetto that does it justice. In conclusion, if you like soul and gospel tinged pop about unrequited love, you should check this out. – Christine

Album stream: http://www.npr.org/2014/06/08/319254479/first-listen-sam-smith-in-the-lonely-hour

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Elbow – The Take Off and Landing of Everything

One day on a fledgling social music-type website thing called turntable.fm I found myself in an room listening to a band called Elbow. Their song, “Lippy Kids”, from what was at that time their newest album began playing and it instantly hooked me. That was two years ago and Elbow has become one of my favorites. Their album Seldom Seen Kid and it’s subsequent re-recording live at Abbey Road with an orchestra and choir was a fucking revelation.

Most of the material Ebow has released since Build a Rocket Boys! was unfortunately lukewarm for me, it didn’t seem to light a fire in me like ‘Seldom Seen Kid’ or ‘Build A Rocket Boys!’ did.

Recently, I had the opportunity to see them live in NYC with a fellow tt.fmer and it was pure magic the entire time. The tracks from their new album, ‘The Take Off and Landing of Everything’, all sounded like old favorites to me even as they hit my ears for the first time. A combination of the room and the energy therein, and the fact that I was front fucking row at a concert I thought I would never see, never the less get to in time from NJ on a Wednesday during rush hour made it all the more special. Nevermind the bros behind me belligerently yelling the wrong lyrics to every song, they wouldn’t ruin this for me, no fucking way. But that’s enough about the live show, how about the album? 🙂
Like the ‘Seldom Seen Kid’, ‘The Take Off and Landing of Everything’ has all the feels one could want from an Elbow record and just as many catchy grooves to have you singing long after the music stops. Highlights for me are New York Morning and My Sad Captains.
I don’t have anything too technical to say about this album because I don’t think that is where it shines or where it’s worth is. This album feels good, it just makes you feel okay, and not the mediocre kind of okay, I mean it makes you feel.. Okay.

PS: I never found out who that person was that played Lippy Kids in ICA that one day, but I am so so so happy they did. – Dave P.

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The New Pornographers – Brill Bruisers (Single)

Aside from the start of the World Cup, this week’s highlight was the return of the New Pornographers. After a four year wait, the Canadian indie pop supergroup announced the release of their new studio album “Brill Bruisers” on August 26 and gave us a taste of the upcoming album with that record’s title track.
Both AC Newman and Neko Case have mentioned that the new record has a vibrant, sparklier and celebratory feel to it. And this track fits that description extremely well. It features the band’s trademark hooks and boy-girl harmonies between Newman, Case and Kathryn Calder. Yet it feels more exuberant than the overall tone of their last two records “Challengers” and “Together.”
This song is so catchy and joyous that If Turntable.fm still existed, I’m certain that I would’ve managed to single handedly place this song in the overplayed list over at the Indie While You Work room. – Chevel

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Sun Club – Dad Claps at the Mom Prom

I was hooked from the very beginning of this infectiously weird EP. THe lyrical styling and vocals are just as unique as the track titles (Beauty Meat kicks things off). But the harmonies are bold and beautiful. The energy is youthful and it is truthfully just fun. You will find a lot of similarities to Reptar, GROUPLOVE, and the like. Give it a spin and I think you will find a few tracks deserve a home in your summer playlist. – Jeremy

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Chet Faker – Built On Glass

One thing you must realize about us turntable.fm-alums, we love our covers (well most of us anyhow). Chet Faker’s cover of No Diggity was my first introduction to the artist. Honestly, when his single Talk is Cheap came out, I hardly recognized the music. The only association I made was the name, which was great in anticipation for the rest of debut album Built on Glass. The album isn’t cohesive as it could have been. I’m not sure if Chet can decide on whether he is a singer/songwriter or an electronic artist. The album is literally split into two. The seventh track on album is simply titled “/,” is 19 seconds, and states: “That was the other side of the record. Now relax still more and drift a little deeper as you listen.” After which, things get weird, but in a good way. It was an unanticipated, but welcome change of pace that consisted more primarily experimental electronic tracks. To be honestly though, there is a good deal of brass throughout the entire album – and I love me some brass. I have simple needs and this album satisfies them. – d’Art

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Poolside – Stir It Up mixtape

You know the seasons have changed when LA duo Filip Nikolic and Jeffery Paradise, aka Poolside, release a new mixtape on their Soundcloud page. It’s hard to believe that it’s been over a year since their last one but “Stir It Up” is filled with groovy tropical vibes and is a great way to start the summer right. This IS your soundtrack for those warm days spent leisurely by the pool with friends, drinks and a BBQ pit. There’s no track list yet but be sure to check out minute 44 for a brand new track from the band.  – Dave#4

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Additional listening: Jack White – Lazaretto, First Aid Kit – Stay Gold, Circa Waves – Circa Waves EP, Passenger – Whispers.