New music pickups of Januaray 2011

It's so hard to keep track of new releases, even for bands I like.  Maybe the community can do this monthly thing where we discuss what got our attention.    

Here's the haul I bought in the past month… 

Cake - Showroom of Compassion

Remember being young and ironically singing "The Distance" in that deadpan voice and thinking "what a randomly 90s band this Cake is, with their lame songs that totally don't rock."?  Well, now you're older, and should take this opportunity to listen to Cake again.  Their songs are very clever.  If you've always loved Cake, it's probably been a while since you last heard them as well, since their last release was in 2004!

Fujiya & Miyagi - Ventriloquizzing 

 3rd release by this strange group that excels at dark/moody/sexy instrumentals.  The lyrics are still quite vague and repetitive, but the music is still this cool cocktail of krautrock, dub, R&B, and other genres of music that juxtapose their pasty white UK hides.

 the pillows - Horn Again

If you haven't paid attention to this band over the past 5 years, you haven't missed much.  They write filler like nobody's business.  I think Pied Piper (2008) was their only accomplished release in recent memory.  What's frustrating is that the songs on this album are good, but entirely forgettable.   Also, after knocking about for 20 years, the engrish is getting kind of inexcusable.  "Horn Again"?  really?  Doesn't anybody inform these guys that they're just combining random words?

  The Get Up Kids - There Are Rules

Once emo poster children (back when emo was Rivers Coumo, not alterna-goth), this indie band has been running from their high-school romance fanbase since their 1998 album Something To Write Home About put them on the map.  Two albums, one breakup, and a five year gap later; the band has something they can truly call a reboot.  Good old fashioned post-punk indie fuzz-rock.  I love this album.  

Mademoiselle K -  Jouer dehors

French indie band, who seems to be at their height of popularity right now.  That or this is a major label debut out on the hunt for a radio push.  Not being a French speaker, I'm inferring all this from the production quality, which is very smoothed out and mellowed compared to their first two albums.  Anyway, this is a kinda like Metric thing.  I like this kind of music, but much prefer a more abrasive touch, which was left out this time around.

Deerhoof vs Evil

This is the worst Deerhoof album in a long time.  Let me tell you why its so great…  Nobody is like Deerhoof.  They write what are basically pop songs, but inside out.  On the surface, this band is nothing but rough edges; but between the lines, they're cuddly teddy bears.  I guess they're like the Super Meat Boy of bands.  Your ears will bleed love.  This particular album is just a bit too short, and didn't have as many great songs on it as others.  Maybe it will grow on me though.

  Lemuria - Pebble

Growing up in New Jersey in the 90s, I was witness to quite a large indie/emo scene.  The music has a larger fanbase than a thought, because this band is from Buffalo.  They're getting a lot of buzz right now, so I checked the new album out.  Not my kind of music, but it hits all the right notes for what its trying to do.  If you dig bands like Latterman or The Ergs, this is for you.  Hell if you even know who those bands are, you'll at least get where this is coming from.

  The Radio Dept. - Passive Aggressive

Listen to The Radio Dept.  I am serious.  If there is anything to take away from this thread it is to go find some Radio Dept. releases and listen to them!  This is a good place to start.  It's a singles collection.  They've got all the best parts of shoegaze, ambience, and dream pop.  They're like this generation's Joy Division.

GlassJAw - Our Color Green

I hate hardcore music, but love the album Worship & Tribute (2002).  This band hasn't done anything since then, except for a few singles which are all bundled into this package.  They've got a sort of bro mentality to them, but do a lot of cool interactions with their fanbase, and know how to put together a song well enough to still show up on my radar after all these years.

Please feel free to add what you grabbed this month and/or ad your opinions to these albums.

Also, what's coming out in February?  All I know is a new Go! Team album (which arrived this week, i I'm not mistaken.  Gotta grab myself a copy…)