New releases, Tuesday, July 21

There are so many things coming out that interest someone, I feel obligated to mention most of them. So, rather than have this post be two pages long, I’ll group them by genre, and give them a couple sentences each. If something you think is worthwhile got ignored, drop a message in the comments.

Susanna Hoffs (formerly of the Bangles) and Matthew Sweet put out their second collaborative covers album, Under The Covers: Vol. 2. This go around, they cover everything from Tom Petty’s “Here Comes My Girl” to John Lennon’s “Gimme Some Truth” to Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain.” The album also features guest appearances by Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac and Steve Howe of Yes. I love cover songs like crazy, but entire albums always seem like some sort of cop-out. Sweet continues to put out a regular parade of full-lengths, however, so it’s not like he tries to pass this off as a proper release. It’s going to be this shy of treacly, but certainly fun.

This week’s punk and punk-related releases include Set Your Goals‘ This Will Be the Death of Us, the pop-punk-hardcore (think H20-lite) group’s follow-up to Mutiny. English folk-punk troubadour Frank Turner‘s debut from Epitaph is Love, Ire and Song, and recommended for fans of Billy Bragg. Broadway Calls‘ Be All That You Can’t Be is probably more of their self-titled debut: pop-punk that isn’t anywhere near as good as their live shows.

MP3: Broadway Calls, “Be All That You Can’t Be”

Magnolia Electric Co. has Josephine and The Fiery Furnaces release I’m Going Away. Neither of these bands has ever grabbed me the way I hoped they would, despite repeated attempts as each act has put out new material. With Jason Molina, I’ve been trying to decipher his musical intent going all the way back to Songs: Ohia, and still … nothing. Both of these albums are getting rave reviews, however, and it’s being written that both acts are reaching new peaks of artistic accessibility.

MP3: Magnolia Electric Co., “Josephine”

Of course, if that’s too much for you, there’s a Rivers Cuomo-penned song on Music For Cougars, Sugar Ray‘s newest. “Love Is the Answer” was recorded by Weezer, but never released, and evidently Mark McGrath talked Rivers into letting him have it.