Was that a crazy weekend or what!? Last weekend’s Cruiser weekend brought in a multitude of visitors from around the east coast, and further. I don’t remember the last time Coastal Highway has been so packed on a day that was not the Fourth of July! And we’re not getting any breaks, as Memorial Day weekend is right here!  Still, let’s not get ahead of ourselves, because summer still technically hasn’t started yet! As you’re cruising down a hopefully not ridiculously congested Coastal Highway, here are six albums already released this year that should be in your CD player, iPod, playlist or whatever you use nowadays to listen to music.

 

m b v

Released: February 2, 2013

Let’s get one thing out of the way. This is not metalcore band Bullet for My Valentine, who is oft-confused with this classic late-80s alternative rock band. Since reuniting in 2007, members of the band have been adamant to release a third album that they have been trying to record since the mid-90s. Twenty-two years have passed since My Bloody Valentine’s last album, and the band has finally come through with their promise in delivering a third album. The same dark sound is there with unique and strange guitar and atmospheric sounds, but along with the expected sound is a higher production quality than their previous albums, which is welcomed and doesn't take away from the band’s sound.

 

Regions of Light and Sound of God

Released: February 5, 2013

As we've talked about this release before, I’ll give you a quick synopsis. Jim James, frontman of indie rock band My Morning Jacket (who I like to describe to people as this age’s Allman Brothers Band), has taken a break from his hugely successful band to work on a solo project. With two solo EPs under his belt, this is his first official full solo studio album. James’ iconic voice takes the forefront of the album, while the music has a familiarly relaxed, folky and somewhat trippy sound. An aggregate score of 73 may not look that good, but if you’re an MMJ fan, you have to listen to this. 

 

The Terror

Released: April 1, 2013

It’s been a few years since we’ve heard original new music solely performed by The Flaming Lips, and fans have been highly anticipating this release just like any other. The psychedelic rock band that has been performing since 1983 is still showing no signs of declining with their latest album. The tracks are still upbeat, loud, fun and…very weird. But that’s why we listen to this band, right!? While the band has never been categorized to play happy music, this album is noted to have a darker tone than their previous efforts.

 

Overgrown

Released: April 9, 2013

Another artist’s return to this column! As mentioned before, James Blake is quickly turning into one of the biggest names in electronic music today. Though his genre is post-dubstep, Blake’s sounds are much more toned down and less frantic than an artist such as Skrillex. His music is also much more minimalistic and soulful; a sound that continues in his sophomore release, Overgrown. Not only has legendary producer Brian Eno written and produced the song “Digital Lion” on this album, but RZA of the Wu-Tang Clan is featured in the song “Take a Fall for Me.”

 

Modern Vampires of the City

Released: May 14, 2013

No, this isn’t an emo band just because their name mentions vampires. Vampire Weekend is actually a very upbeat and sometimes punk sounding indie band that is supplemented by the soothing vocals of frontman Ezra Koenig. After avoiding a sophomore slump with their 2010 release Contra (it was actually received very well), the band began writing new material while on tour. The new album has pleased critics and fans as much as the previous two, and some have said this is an album perfect for the upcoming summer season.

 

Random Access Memories

Released: May 21, 2013

While fans of My Bloody Valentine undoubtedly yearned for the band’s latest release for a long time, the anticipation was just as great for the release of Random Access Memories. While the French duo has been together since 1993, they had released only three albums up to 2005. Technically, they did release new music when they did the soundtrack for the film “Tron: Legacy” in 2010, but there is a big difference between a movie soundtrack and a new record. Although the soundtrack was given positive reviews, all it did was make fans clamor more for a new album. It’s finally out and it’s funky. The duo went all out on this album as far as guest appearances go, including The Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas, N.E.R.D. frontman Pharrell Williams, Animal Collective co-founder and musician Panda Bear and legendary songwriter Paul Williams.