urgencytobleed | Upcoming Releases: May/June

Let's talk upcoming albums that I'm extremely excited about:

Mates of State - My Only Offer (from Re-Arrange Us, out May 20th on Barsuk)

I suppose posting this song is okay since it appears on the most recent Paste magazine sampler and therefore is not from a leak. I've only heard it, "Get Better", and a live version of "Now" from this album and I'm planning to keep it that way until I can purchase it as I'm fairly sure I'll love it based on these three. This song is extremely mellow compared to most of the band's catalogue but is still very catchy; they seem to be incapable of writing a song that's not catchy - which is definitely a good thing. It features a very bouncy, rhythmic piano and drum melody and some of their signature back-and-forth vocals and of course some impeccable harmonizing as well. It's very simple but memorable and, like "Get Better", may take a few listens to really get into but once that happens it's like crack, seriously. In one word: awesome, and I've seen nothing but good reviews for the entire album so far, so I can't wait to hear the rest. (P.S. - the Mates' official store is offering a pre-order package with an exclusive t-shirt design as well as the album by itself.)

My Brightest Diamond - Inside a Boy (from A Thousand Shark's Teeth, out June 17th on Asthmatic Kitty)

Alright, I'll admit that I've already heard this entire album, but only because I wasn't a My Brightest Diamond fan at all until I stumbled upon a link and decided to give it a try. I had heard her first album, Bring Me the Workhorse, a few times before and though I found it pretty and her voice absolutely stunning, I never truly connected with it. As you can imagine, I was quite surprised at how immediately I fell in love with this record - and quickly afterwards, I revisited and finally clicked with her first album as well. This song, the first single and first track on the album, pretty much sums up the feel of the entire thing in one nice 3.5 minute package. It starts off rather calmly with Shara's operatic voice stretching the lyrics out like molasses, but you can feel the pulse quickening the entire time and it doesn't take long for it to culminate into something more upbeat. By the end, it has become absolutely epic, due to the sinisterly energetic instrumentation and some bone-chillingly, insanely fantastic vocal turns (specifically at 2:23 and 2:55). I'll write more about this album once it's actually come out, but it is crazy good, period. (P.S. - order from the Secretly Canadian webstore and get a special digital EP of demos.)

The Submarines - You, Me & the Bourgeoisie (from Honeysuckle Weeks, out May 13th on Nettwerk)

The Submarines consists of Blake Hazard and John Dragonetti, a couple who enjoy making music together, not unlike Mates of States, though their music is more accessible and electronic-influenced than the Mates'. However, they are just as catchy. Their first album, Declare a New State!, is something that I enjoy from time to time and I adore a few songs, but I never got too invested in. I didn't even know they were releasing something new until I stumbled across, yes, a link to a leak of the album. I haven't listened to it that much yet but I was immediately more into it than I was their debut; it's a bit more experimental and varied but also catchier. This song is one of the most addicting ones, full of handclaps, Blake's sugary but not too sweet vocals, and fast-paced lyrics that are just begging to be sung along to. I'll probably write more about this album later as well.

Tilly and the Wall - Cacophony (from O, out June 17th on Team Love)

Between this and the live versions of "Too Excited" and "Chandelier Lake", I can tell this album is going to be as completely fun and memorable as their first two. I'm dying to hear it but I'm pretty sure the wait will be absolutely worth it; I know, I'm setting my expectations extremely high but seriously, I don't see how it won't deliver. Anyway, this song has a pretty classic Tilly sound, with three-part vocal harmonies between Kianna, Neely, and Derek, Jamie's tap dancing as percussion, and dark lyrics betrayed by a joyous and energetic melody. It's very driving, very addicting, and very awesome - and over way too soon. Also, it seems that Derek's voice has improved a bit and there are some jazzy horns thrown in for good measure. All in all, it basically means that the Tillies can do no wrong at this point and should probably take over the world or something. (P.S. - if you order this from the Saddle Creek webstore, they'll ship it to you two weeks early.)

Interested in pre-ordering any of the above? Why, of course you are: