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Jim Guthrie – Takes Time

Use the widget above to stream the new full-length LP from Toronto singer-songwriter Jim Guthrie. The dude may not be a household name–well, I guess his last name is–but he’s been active in music for about 20 years now. He’s got a lengthy list of projects and albums to prove it, too.

Jim isn’t your average facial hair-sporting guitar strummer. Jim is lyrically focused, melodically concise, and this tracks on this latest album of his are nicely produced as well with shimmering guitars and finely played strings. Give a listen, and enjoy!

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The Uncluded – Hokey Fright

On a surprise collaborative album from Kimya Dawson and Aesop Rock, the singer-songwriter and MC prove their styles meld much more than they clash.

WATCH THE REVIEW

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The Uncluded – “TV On 10″

A lyric video for the new Uncluded track, “TV On Ten,” which comes off the surprise collaboration’s debut album, Hokey Fright. The album is looking at a release this week on Rhymesayers Entertainment.

The Uncluded is essentially the artistic pairing of singer-songwriter Kimya Dawson and MC Aesop Rock. These unlikely collaborators found common ground on a number of tracks from Kimya Dawson’s last full-length, and it seems they’re trying to stretch their creative spark out for an entire album.

Check a review for Aesop Rock’s last LP below:

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Jenny Hval – Innocence Is Kinky

Singer-songriter Jenny Hval’s sophomore full-length has its share of jumbled ideas with obvious inspirations, but sometimes her vocal expressions and songwriting are just enough to keep this album intriguing and somewhat moving.

WATCH THE REVIEW

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Soap&Skin – Sugarbread 7″

Austrian singer-songwriter Soap&Skin drops a new 7″ of emotionally potent tracks that should hold fans over until something more lengthy comes along.

WATCH THE REVIEW

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Jenny Hval – “The Seer”

Singer-songwriter Jenny Hval has a sharp, interesting voice that is equally matched by the odd beauty of the music she surrounds herself with. This adventurous personality Hval’s got was also on display through the track I previously posted on this blog, “I Called,” which is much noisier. In contrast, “The Seer” is a chilly ballad where the vocals really lead the way through droning layers of organ and sparse percussion toward the finish. Enjoy!

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James Blake – “Voyeur”

James Blake drops some visuals for the track “Voyeur,” and kills two birds with one stone by promoting his new album, Overgrown, which is dropping on April 8th; plus, the dude is bringing more visibility to the label he’s trying to put together, 1-800-Dinosuar.

The song itself follows a similar pattern to previously released tracks like “The Wilhelm Scream.” James sings beautifully, and subsequently chops and loops his vocals against electronic beats and synths that progress, progress, and progress. It’s an enthralling track, and can’t wait to see how it fits into the rest of Overgrown.

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The Drones – I See Seaweed

On the Drones’ latest release, the band is working with some of their longest and most emotive songs yet.

WATCH THE REVIEW

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Bill Ryder-Jones – “He Took You In His Arms”

With a past that includes being the lead guitarist of UK indie rock band The Coral and later a film score composer, Bill Ryder-Jones isn’t exactly new to the music scene. His next album, however, feels like a debut in some senses, for although it is technically his second solo foray, it differs significantly from 2011′s If…, which was written on the premise of being an “imaginary film score.” The sophomore A Bad Wind Blows In My Heart, if its lead single is any indication, is decidedly more oriented in singer-songwriter leanings. Titled “He Took You In His Arms,” the track doesn’t abandon Jones’ background as a composer and an arranger, but it is ultimately much more focused on a relatively traditional approach to songwriting. His hushed vocals are met by simple yet appropriate piano rock instrumentation, which build especially nicely under him as he repeats the title refrain near the end of the song. “He Took You In His Arms” is fairly straightforward, but it feels earnest, demonstrating the emphasis Jones places on emotional communication over surface-level complexity.

Watch the video for “He Took You In His Arms” above via YouTube, and look for A Bad Wind Blows My Heart on April 8 by way of Domino Records.

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Kurt Vile – “Never Run Away”

Truth be told, I wasn’t really a huge fan of the last Kurt Vile record; however, I think the few tracks he’s dropped thus far from his forthcoming LP, Walkin On A Pretty Daze, have been pretty sweet on the ears. Less meandering, more substance, but still maintaining Kurt’s psychedelic haze and druggy drawl.

Dig on this video, uh, commercial featuring the song “Never Run Away” via the embed above, and look for Walkin on Matador records in April.