I'm not sure if today would be the day to go shopping at Waterloo or not, but if you do go, check out today's new releases:

Bloc Party A Weekend In the City (Vice)

The story of bands like Bloc Party is familiar, but still depends upon a sort of mystery to come to fruition. Whereas the huge fame and irrepressible buzz seemed to propel them into official stardom, the stress and anguish that must accompany a sophomore effort stands looming upon the release of A Weekend in the City. They've got two options: top themselves or fall flat. That's the tragedy of this sort of thing, this kind of dance pop that really starts to represent a time period more than a specific style: they don't just have to put out a really good record, it has to replace previous memories and create something just as buzz-worthy as Silent Alarm, or 50% of their fan base will lose interest. Well, there might be a third option, something along the lines of saying "Fuck the hype, let's make an album we really like," but holy shit, wouldn't that be boring?

Bloc Party Official
Bloc Party MySpace
Bloc Party "The Prayer" (YouTube)

Apples in Stereo New Magnetic Wonder (Yep Roc)

Bright and sunny pop with layers of harmony and medium-volume spurts of energy are what we've come to know and love from Apples, and we wouldn't suggest you expect much else from this offering. What's interesting, however, is that it's on Elijah Woods' Simian Imprint. If you like the older Apples stuff you'll probably like this, and though that's hardly a glowing review, it's about the best we can muster for them -- it's not a bad thing! Just watch a video or something, geez.


Apples in Stereo Official
Apples MySpace
Apples in Stereo "Energy" (YouTube)

Yoko Ono Yes, I'm a Witch (Astralwerks)

Oh Yoko. We don't believe you're a witch, we just sort of doubted your talent, is all. This release might not confirm that she's got talent for songwriting (well, at least not without Lennon's assists), but it does confirm that she knows how to put things out there that people will be interested in. Appearances from Cat Power, Jason Pierce of Spiritualized, Robert Schneider of Apples in Stereo, Peaches, the Polyphonic Spree, DJ Spooky, the Flaming Lips, Antony, the Sleepy Jackson, and folks from Le Tigre and Blow Up, we imagine at least 7 out of 10 owners of the CD will find something they're into. If it's good, it might not be all because of her, but whatever.

Yoko Ono Official
Stream "Revelations" (feat. Cat Power)
Stream "Cambridge 1969/2007" (feat. Flaming Lips)

Aereogramme: My Heart Has a Wish That You Would Not Go (Sonic Unyon)
The Apples in Stereo: New Magnetic Wonder (Yep Roc)
Bloc Party: Weekend in the City (Vice)
Carla Bruni: No Promises (Na�ve)
The Cat Empire: Two Shoes (Velour)
The Charlatans UK: Forever: The Singles (Umvd Import)
Clouds: Legendary Demo (Hydrahead)
The Colour: Between Earth & Sky (Re: Think)
The Comsat Angels: Glamour [Bonus Tracks] (Renascent [VCP])
The Comsat Angels: My Mind's Eye [Bonus Tracks] (Renascent [VCP])
The Comsat Angels: To Before (Renascent [VCP])
The Cooper Temple Clause: Make This Your Own
Corinne Bailey Rae: Corinne Bailey Rae [2 CD] (Capitol)
Dan�el �g�st: Swallowed a Star (One Little Indian Us)
Danny Cohen: Shades of Dorian Gray (Anti)
Dear and the Headlights: Small Steps, Heavy Hooves (Equal Vision)
Deerhunter: Cryptograms (Kranky)
The Dexateens: Hardwire Healing (Skybucket)
DJ Icey: Disco Rodeo (Moist Music)
Eleni Mandell: Miracle of Five (Zedtone)
Falco: Hoch Wie Nie: Best of Falco (Sony / BMG Import)
Fall Out Boy: Infinity on High (Island)
Frank Black: Christmass [Bonus DVD] (Cooking Vinyl)
Frivolous: Midnight Black Indulgence (Scape Germany)
Goldfrapp: Ride a White Horse (Mute U.S.)
Grandmaster Melle Mel: Muscles
Horace Silver: You Gotta Take a Little Love (Blue Note)
Hug: Heroes (Kompakt Germany)
J. Sands: Breaks, Vol. 2 (B.U.K.A. Ent.)
Jesse Sykes & the Sweet Hereafter: Like, Love, Lust & the Open Halls of the Soul (Barsuk)
John Digweed: Renaissance Presents: Transitions, Vol. 2 (Thrive)
John Waters: Date with John Waters (New Line)
Johnny Griffin: Introducing Johnny Griffin [RVG Edition] (Blue Note)
JT Donaldson: Franchise Player 01 (Swank Recordings)
Kenny Drew: Undercurrent (Blue Note)
Kiss Kiss: Reality vs. The Optimist (Eyeball)
Kool Keith: Ultra-Octa-Doom (2B1)
Kristin Hersh: In Shock (4AD)
Little Man Tate: About What You Know (V2 UK)
Loney, Dear: Loney, Noir (Sub Pop)
Mas Rapido!: Pity Party (Parasol)
MC Breed/DFC: Hits (Power Ent)
MC Eiht: Representin' (Native)
Mick Harvey: Motion Picture Music 1994-2005 (Mute U.S.)
Original Soundtrack: Smokin' Aces (Lakeshore S)
Over the Rhine: Discount Fireworks (Back Porch)
Public Enemy: Fight the Power!: Greatest Hits Live! (Titan / Pyramid)
The Queers: Beat Off (Asian Man)
The Queers: Munki Brain (Asian Man)
Rickie Lee Jones: Sermon on Exposition Boulevard (New West)
Sarah Shannon: City Morning Song (Minty Fresh)
Snoop Dogg: Legend of Hip Hop (K-Town)
Soft Circle: Full Bloom (Eastern Developments)
Sondre Lerche: Phantom Punch (Astralwerks)
Sun Kil Moon: Ghosts of the Great Highway [Bonus CD] (Caldo Verde)
Three 6 Mafia: Prophet's Greatest Hits (Hypnotize Minds)
The Used: Berth (Reprise / Wea)
Various Artists: 8-Bit Operators (Astralwerks)
Various Artists: Drum and Bass Headhunterz (Metalheadz)
Wiz Khalifa: Show and Prove
Woody Guthrie: Vigilante Man (Pazzazz)
Wu-Tang Clan: Unreleased (Nature Sounds)
Yoko Ono: Yes, I'm a Witch (Astralwerks)
Z-Ro: King of da Ghetto
Z-Ro: King of da Ghetto [Chopped and Screwed]
Z-Ro: Z-Ro vs. the World
Z-Ro: Z-Ro vs. the World [Chopped & Screwed]
Z-Ro: Tha Omega (KMJ)