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Over the last few months I’ve posted quite a few notices of Album Releases spread across April, May, and June. Here’s a re-cap for your pre/late ordering pleasure all in one convenient place:

April

6th/ Dr. Dog – Shame, Shame

buy: [CD][Vinyl][Digital]

I only recently became a Dr. Dog fan, but since I finally gave their 2008 album Fate a listen, they’re basically ALL I’ve been spinning. I also had the pleasure of catching their live show in Austin a couple weeks back, and it was THE BEST rock and roll show I’ve ever seen. If at all possible catch this tour – the light show is mindblowing.

Dr. Dog - I Only Wear Blue

20th/ Horse Feathers – Thistled Spring

buy: [CD][Vinyl][Digtal]

The third album from this acoustic folk outfit from Portland dropped late last month. I received my vinyl copy a few weeks ago, but haven’t had the chance to fully enjoy it yet. This one sounded good on the first pass:

Horse Feathers - Vernonia Blues

May

4th/ Josh Ritter – So Runs The World Away

buy: [CD][Vinyl][Digtal]

I’ll be honest, So Runs The World Away kinda bored me on the first listen. The second time through, the latter half of the disc sounded better – especially this one with it’s busy acoustic guitar:

Josh Ritter - Lark

11th/ Sam Quinn + Japan Ten – The Fake That Sunk 1,000 Ships

buy: [CD][Digtal]

Sam’s first solo endeavor, The Fake That Sunk 1,000 Ships showcases the heartbreaking songwriting ability we all came to love with The Everybodyfields.

Sam Quinn + Japan Ten - So Strong

18th/ Band of Horses – Infinite Arms

pre-order: [CD][Vinyl][Digtal]

I’ve given this one a few spins since picking it up and I like just about everything I’ve heard. This one seems to be a more melodic record than previous Band of Horses albums.

Band of Horses - Laredo removed by request

18th/ The Black Keys – Brothers

pre-order: [CD][Vinyl][Digtal]

The world’s best Blues/Rock duo has done it again with Brothers, the band’s 8th studio album. They continue to invent the grooviest of grooves, but Brothers isn’t as raw as the rest of their catalog – Dan’s songwriting shows through nearly as strong as on his solo album.

The Black Keys - Howlin' For You

June

8th/ Deer Tick – The Black Dirt Sessions

pre-order: [CD][Vinyl]

Following their meteoric rise over the last two years, the Providence Grunge-Folk Rockers Deer Tick release their third full album. They opened for Dr. Dog this month in Austin and from the sampling we heard, this one should be stellar.

Deer Tick - Twenty Miles

22nd/ Various – Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows (John Prine Tribute Album)

pre-order: [CD]

An All-Star cast of today’s best folk musicians came together to pay tribute to one of folk music’s best songwriters of all time. Whether it’s Justin Vernon, Josh Ritter, Willie Watson, or John McCauley doing the singing, the simply perfect melodies never let you forget you’re hearing a John Prine song.

Old Crow Medicine Show - Angel From Montgomery

Got a string of brand new tracks in the last couple of days. No time for words, as more brand new music is pouring in as we speak.

Enjoy the latest, greatest additions to my music library:

Deer Tick - Twenty Miles
from The Black Dirt Sessions (out 6.8.10)

Band of Horses - Compliments
from Infinite Arms (out 5.18.10)

Dr. Dog - Unbearable Why
from Shame, Shame (out Today)

Ben Kweller - It All Happened
from Esquire Exclusive Download

John Prine - She Is My Everything (live)
from In Person & On Stage (out 5.25.10)

While preparing for my SXSW jaunt this weekend, I caught up with some sadly overlooked bands in my music library that I’d have a chance to catch. On the way over, I listened to Dr. Dog’s 2008 release Fate – an album I downloaded sometime after it came out, but sadly never gave it a proper listen. Their sound is pleasingly all over the place, and it gets stuck in all the right corners, too.

Though I didn’t get to catch a Dr. Dog performance this weekend, I have been spinning Fate on repeat to and from Downtown Austin. With dual songwriters/lead vocalists, multiple part harmonies, and ample use of the tambourine, the Philly-based band’s sound is happily Beatles-reminiscent. Scott McMicken’s (lead guitar) songs feature more of that 60’s sound, while Toby Leaman (bass) offers a rougher, more current rock vibe.

Dr. Dog recently announced the release of their 2010 album – Shame, Shame (pre-order available). Dropping in just a few weeks, the band has also let loose a couple tracks from the album.

Shame, Shame (4.6.2010, ANTI- Records)
1 Stranger
2 Shadow People
3 Station
4 Unbearable Why
5 Where’d All The Time Go?
6 Later
7 I Only Wear Blue
8 Someday
9 Mirror, Mirror
10 Jackie Wants A Black Eye
11 Shame, Shame

And here, check out a track from Fate featuring that jangly, harmony-driven sound:

Dr. Dog - From
buy Fate (2008)

Dr. Dog: [Website][facebook][MySpace]