RAVEONETTES | IN AND OUT OF CONTROL[VICE] | October 6 | Often the band evolve through the albums; with the Raveonettes, it's more like the albums evolve through the band. Each iteration seems like a refinement of their general idea: a kind of Psychocandy prom, ditched by its king and queen on a motorcycle. And though the band are responsible for their own improvements (the snare on "Breaking into Cars" was directly inspired by the Wu-Tang Clan), the Danish duo also crowd-sourced critiques of their demos over Twitter. (So if you don't like it, that's your fault.)
PROM NIGHT: The Raveonettes’ In and Out of Control promises to be a further refinement of a great idea. |
FLAMING LIPS | EMBRYONIC[WARNER BROS.] | October 13 | Tell the Flaming Lips that the album is in a troubled state and they'll just release a double LP and fix the situation. The Lips might be at the perfect point in their careers to start repeating themselves, but they're not. Introductory single "See the Leaves" is the grittiest we've heard them in years, bounding out of its gates like some tossed-off jam between late Can and early Branca, only to grow fragile and break off like one of the leaves it's peeping. Embryonic is not the smooth ride of Yoshimi, but patience pays — the Lips may shift shapes, but they always stay solid.
LIGHTNING BOLT | EARTHLY DELIGHTS[LOAD] | October 13 | If you know me, grab a coffee while I tell that story about how, once, when trying to make it all the way through 2003's Wonderful Rainbow, my heart and brain freaked out and I had to crawl across my floor to swat the needle off the record. That's the story. It's also why I think Lightning Bolt are one of the greatest bands ever. Actual physiological ramifications! Earthly Delights is more like a menacingly riffy black cloud hung overhead than an army of fire ants mining your brain. So, yeah, it's not really dinner music.
ATLAS SOUND | LOGOS[KRANKY] | October 20 | Overzealous Deerhunter fans probably downloaded these songs through a wireless link to Bradford Cox's subconscious as he dreamt them up. But those of you who don't split your time between Stereogum and your own independent blog-stalking pursuits should check out Atlas Sound, the aforementioned Cox's solo project. Logos retains the foggy, lo-fi sonic interiors of his 2007 Let the Blind Lead Those Who Cannot See But Feel but escapes the bedroom, externalizing his psych and sporting guest appearances from Panda Bear's Noah Lennox and Stereolab's Laetitia Sadier.
KINGS OF CONVENIENCE | DECLARATION OF DEPENDENCE[VIRGIN] | October 20 | I'd suggest that the third album from the beloved acoustic duo of Erlend Øye and Eirik Glambek Bøe would be the charm, but they've been charming the undarned socks off their fans from the get-go. Although "Mrs. Cold" and "Boat Behind" don't stray all that far from the Kings tradition of "music your parents also like," they sound (rightly) well rested, and the album is less a raising of the bar than an opening of an additional window. It'll be deep into winter before they get here, so get cozy with these songs now.
TEGAN AND SARA | SAINTHOOD[SIRE] | October 27 | Sainthood isn't just another album from Canadian twins Tegan and Sara — it's an experiment on the foundations of their project. Past material has never sprouted from extensive collaboration, but this time, the two "forced" themselves to write each song together. Apart from "dark," there's little indication as to what it will sound like (though Death Cab's Chris Walla once again produced, along with the New Pornographers' Howard Redekopp). But a track-by-track balancing act of Tegan's pop-punk gusto and Sara's ear for detail can mean only good things.
