Spinal Tap Back from the Dead (A2M)

This album doesn’t attempt to pass itself off as a rock record. The concept is this: a reunited Tap celebrates the 25th Anniversary of This Is Spinal Tap by launching an unplugged and unwigged tour that…

Sonic Youth The Eternal (Matador)
(Playing under the St. Louis Arch July 17)
SY’s first album for Matador Records, this hard rocking LP ranks as one of their more inspired efforts in their 28 year career.

Black Eyed Peas The E.N.D. (Energy Never Dies) (Interscope)
Led…

Grizzly Bear Veckatimest (Warp)

Veckatimest is the long-awaited follow-up to Grizzly Bear’s critically hailed album, Yellow House. Neoclassical composer Nico Muhly and Beach House singer Victoria Legrand contribute.

Phoenix Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (Glassnote)
These are some of the most direct and enjoyable songs they’ve made to date.…

Peaches I Feel Cream (XL)

Peaches does it again, this time producing, along with the likes of Simian Mobile Disco and Digitalism, her most pop-sounding album to date.

The Vaselines Enter the Vaselines (Sub Pop)
Includes new mixes and re-mastered versions of material, never-before-heard demos and live…

Silversun Pickups Swoon (Dangerbird)

Swoon is a thick, layered listen, burgeoning with rich strings and crunchy guitars.

John Doe & the Sadies Country Club (Yep Roc)

X’s John Doe cuts a straight-ahead country album collaborating with the Canadian roots rock combo the Sadies.

Dengue Fever Sleepwalking Through Mekong (M80)

The…

Peter Bjorn and John Living Thing (Almost Gold/Startime Internat)

The Swedish trio returns with this darker, less bubbly album than their breakout Writer’s Block.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs It’s Blitz! (Interscope/DGC/Dress Up)

Never content to stay in one musical place for very long, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs…

I got a note from Jim Utz of Vintage Vinyl in which he shares a phenominal list of vinyl releases set for Record Store Day, Sat., April 18. I for one will be getting in line early that day to pick…

Nick Lowe

Quiet Please: The New Best of Nick Lowe (Yep Roc)

Much of this double-disc set is devoted to the mellow, deeply felt country-rock and torch songs that have been Lowe’s specialty since 1994’s The Impossible Bird.

Willie Nelson Naked Willie (RCA Nashville/Legacy)

Willie Nelson and…

Kelly Clarkson All I Ever Wanted (RCA)

All I Ever Wanted doesn’t completely abandon the tougher rock edges of My December, but it does ditch the brooding in favor of angry spunk, all the better to prove that the girl who sang “Since…

Karen O and her triple Yeahs have a dancy new album, It’s Blitz, coming out that can be streamed now on their MySpace page — www.myspace.com/yeahyeahyeahs. When I checked, the usual music player was only showing five songs, but click…