New Release Tuesday: Pompeii
We'd also like to take this time to recommend Hospital Ships' (former Minus Story) debut, Oh, Ramona. You can watch a the video for the single, "Baby for J" here.
With their follow up to 2006's debut, Assembly, Austin's Pompeii pulled out all the stops. Produced by C.J. Eriksson (Jack's Mannequin, Rocket Summer) and mastered by Gavin Lurssen (Cat Power, Kings of Convenience), Nothing Happens for a Reason brings the young band into a much bigger space. They're still confidently mixing elements of big-room emo with more subdued indie-pop (the comparisons to Jimmy Eat World and Death Cab for Cutie aren't without warrant), but they've also warmed up to some heavier territories, revealing influence by bands like Explosions in the Sky and Sigur Ros. "Where We're Going, We Don't Need Roads" is practically an ode to Explosions, with slowly building crests underpinned by cello and delicate keys. Vocalist and guitarist Dean Stafford's voice is pop perfection, lilting around both the heavier moments and the softer ones with ease. It's hard not to mention how wonderful the guitar tones on this record are, particularly in the careful dueting between electrics in "Ready/Not Ready." There are moments when the addition of strings seems superfluous, but beside the rest of the songs, any of which could easily be a stand-out single in mainstream pop radio, that's a small complaint. Pompeii will be touring this winter in preparation for SXSW 2009, and at La Zona Rosa on Friday to celebrate the release with the Soldier Thread.
+ / - (Plus/Minus): Xs on Your Eyes
AC/DC: Black Ice (Wal-Mart exclusive)
An Albatross: The An Albatross Family Album
Anni Rossi: Afton
Beach House: Used To Be (single)
Bloc Party: Talons (import single)
Bombay Dub Orchestra: 3 Cities
Boy Eats Drum Machine: Booomboxxx
Brett Dennen: Hope for the Hopeless (vinyl)
Brian Eno & Robert Fripp: Evening Star (reissue)
Brian Eno & Robert Fripp: No Pussyfooting (2-CD reissue)
Brother JT3: Jelly Roll Gospel (vinyl)
Cornelius: Sensuous/Sensurround
Daniel Johnston: Fear Yourself
Danielson: Our Givest (Remix) (vinyl)
Davis Coen: Blues Lights for Yours and Mine
Dead Trees: King of Rosa
The Dears: Missiles (vinyl)
Dears: Money Babies (import single)
Deep Vibration: Vera Cruz EP
The Doors: Perception (remastered 12-disc box set)
El Guincho: Alegranza! (vinyl)
Electric Six: Flashy (vinyl)
Eric Copeland: Alien In A Garbage Dump (vinyl single)
Erik Friedlander: Broken Arm
Final Fantasy: Play
Fireworks: We Are Everywhere
Gang Gang Dance: Saint Dymphna (vinyl)
Gary Louris: Acoustic Vagabonds
Genesis: Genesis 1970-1975 (13-CD box set)
Grails: Doomsdayer's Holiday (vinyl)
Gretchen Peters: Northern Lights
Hank Williams III: Damn Right, Rebel Proud (vinyl)
Heavy Hands: Smoke Signals (vinyl)
Herman Düne: Next Year in Zion
The High Strung: Moxie Bravo (vinyl reissue)
Hospital Ships: Oh, Ramona
Hush Arbors: Hush Arbors
Jack White & Alicia Keys: Another Way to Die (import single)
Jazzanova: Of All the Things
Jesus H Christ and the Four Hornsmen of the Apocalypse: Happier Than You
Jimi Hendrix: Axis: Bold as Love (vinyl reissue)
Jolie Holland: The Living and the Dead (vinyl)
Keane: Lovers Are Losing (import single)
Kiss: Ikons (4-CD box set)
Lake: Oh, the Places We'll Go (vinyl)
Last Shadow Puppets: My Mistakes Were Made for You (import single)
The Lemon Pipers: Love Beads and Meditation (import reissue)
Libertines: Time for Heroes: The Best of the Libertines (vinyl)
Long Blondes: Singles (import)
Lydia: Illuminate
Mark Farina: Mushroom Jazz, Vol. 6
Mick Fleetwood Blues Band: Blue Again! (import)
Miles Davis All Stars: Broadcast Sessions 1958-1959
Mogwai: Hawk Is Howling (import with bonus CD)
Mythical Beast: Scales
Night Horse: The Dark Won't Hide You (vinyl)
Of Montreal: Skeletal Lamping (2-LP vinyl)
OhGr: Devils In My Details
Parts & Labor: Receivers (vinyl)
Pit Er Pat: High Time (vinyl)
PJ Harvey: To Bring You My Love (vinyl reissue)
Primus: Sailing the Seas of Cheese (vinyl reissue)
Prodigy: Product of the 80's
RTX: JJ Got Live RaTX (vinyl)
Sam Taylor Wood: I'm in Love with a German Film Star (single)(vinyl)
Sara Groves: O Holy Night
Sea and Cake: Car Alarm (vinyl)
Sebastian Grainger: Sebastien Grainger and the Mountains (vinyl)
Shawn Lee & Clutchy Hopkins: Clutch of the Tiger (vinyl)
Simon Bookish: Everything | Everything
So So Glos: Tourism/ Terrorism (vinyl)
Super XX Man: Vol. XII: There'll Be Diamonds
Swervedriver: Ejector Seat Reservation (remastered import)
Swervedriver: Raise (remastered import)
Tim Ries: Stones World: Rolling Stones Project, Vol. 2
Tony Trischka: Hill Country (reissue)
Van Halen: Van Halen (reissue)
Various Artists: All Aboard: A Tribute to Johnny Cash
Various Artists: High School Musical 3: Senior Year (soundtrack) (CD+DVD)
Various Artists: SAW V: Music From And Inspired By The Motion Picture
Waylon Jennings: Waylon Forever
The Welch Boys: Drinkin' Angry
The Whispertown 2000: Swim
White Hinterland: Luniculaire EP
Yo Majesty: Futuristically Speaking: Never Be Afraid (vinyl)
