New Releases: February 2011

A selection of some of the most interesting releases of February 2011:

Albums

PJ HARVEY - Let England Shake
RADIOHEAD - The King of Limbs
THE TWILIGHT SINGERS - Dynamite Steps
BRIGHT EYES - The People's Key
LYKKE LI - Wounded Rhymes
LA SERA - La Sera
THE BABIES - The Babies
YUCK - Yuck
…AND YOU WILL KNOW US BY THE TRAIL OF DEAD - Tao Of The Dead
MOGWAI - Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will
ASOBI SEKSU - Fluoresence
FRANKIE & THE HEARTSTRINGS - Hunger
DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS - Go-Go Boots
CHAIN AND THE GANG - Music's Not for Everyone
RAINBOW ARABIA - Boys and Diamonds
TORO Y MOI - Underneath The Pine
DEMDIKE STARE - Tryptych
NICOLAS JAAR - Space Is Only Noise
JAMES BLAKE - James Blake
THE STREETS - Computers and Blues
CUT COPY - Zonoscope
PURO INSTINCT - Headbangers In Ecstasy 
YOUNG GALAXY - Shapeshifting
TELEKINESIS - 12 Desperate Straight Lines
GRUFF RHYS - Hotel Shampoo
PAPERCUTS - Fading Parade
AKRON/FAMILY - S/T II: The Cosmic Birth and Journey of Shinju TNT
EAST RIVER PIPE - We Live In Rented Rooms
THE LOW ANTHEM - Smart Flesh
DAVID LOWERY - The Palace Guards

Singles & EPs

DUM DUM GIRLS - He Gets Me High  
VIVIAN GIRLS - I Heard You Say
LA SERA - Devil Hearts Grow Cold
THE BABIES - The Wilds
THE STROKES - Under Cover Of Darkness
THE KILLS - Satellite
LYKKE LI - I Follow Rivers
THE DUKE SPIRIT - Kusama EP
BRIGHT EYES - Singularity
BEACH FOSSILS - What a Pleasure EP
CAT’S EYES - Broken Glass EP
HOLD KISS KILL - Our last waltz
YUCK - Holing Out
J MASCIS - Not Enough
OKKERVIL RIVER - Mermaid
THE THERMALS - Not Like Any Other Feeling
MOGWAI - Mexican Grand Prix / Slight Domestic
CHRISTMAS / SELECTOR DUB NARCOTIC - Namiot
KEEP SHELLY IN ATHENS - Hauntin' Me
TORO Y MOI - Still Sound
CUT COPY - Sun God
GRUFF RHYS - Sensations In The Dark
GLASVEGAS - Euphoria, Take My Hand
MILES KANE - Come Closer
YOUNG BUFFALO - Catapilah / Only We Can Keep You From Harm
RINGO DEATHSTARR - So High
MONA - Teenager
PETER BJORN AND JOHN - Second Chance
KANYE WEST - All Of The Lights
LUPE FIASCO - The Show Goes On

The big event of the month in the singles department was the return of The Strokes with their first new track in five years "Under Cover Of Darkness", a first taste from their eagerly anticipated comeback album "Angles", which surfaced as a free download for a couple of days for subscribers of their mailing list.

But as you might expect if you've been following this blog for the past year, the highlight of the month for us is the release of the brand new Dum Dum Girls EP "He Gets Me High", out this Monday for Europe and Tuesday for America from Sub Pop. The band who was at the top of our year-end Singles list for 2010 with the awesome "Jail La La" is returning with 4 new tracks including a stunning cover of The Smiths' classic "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out". Production duties were handled by front-woman Dee Dee along with girl group sound expert Richard Gottehrer (best known for composing the classics "My Boyfriend’s Back" and "I Want Candy" but also the co-producer of Dum Dum Girls debut LP "I Will Be") and Sune Rose Wagner of the Raveonettes (their new album is coming in April). Get it here.

Another girl-related highlight in February's single releases is the first offering from Vivian Girls forthcoming album "Share The Joy". The track "I Heard You Say" is one of the girls' best moments so far and it certainly raises our expectations for their third full length which is expected in April from Polyvinyl (get the free mp3 here). But that's not all the Vivian Girls-related fun in store for us this month! La Sera, Katy Goodman’s side-project, just released a fine self-titled debut LP accompanied by the 7" "Devil Hearts Grow Cold", while Cassie Ramone along with Woods’ Kevin Morby just released their first full length as The Babies, a  lo-fi supergroup of sorts which also includes Bossy drummer Justin Sullivan and Stupid Party’s Nathanael Stark on bass.

Here's the video for "I Heard You Say" via P4K:

Vivian Girls - I Heard You Say

(audio via stereogum, pitchfork , altered zones, spin and the relevant record labels)