New Music Reviews (2/16)

Each week KEXP's Music Director Don Yates and other KEXP DJs share brief insights on new and upcoming releases. See what's coming up this week below, including reviews for new releases from Car Seat Headrest, Screaming Females, Ought, Buffalo Tom, Belle & Sebastian, and more.

U.S. Girls – In A Poem Unlimited (4AD) 
The sixth studio album from this Chicago-bred, Toronto-based artist (aka Meghan Remy) is a powerful set of groove-driven avant-pop blending elements of electro-pop, New Wave, '60s pop, disco, funk, R&B and more, combining shimmering synths, occasional distorted guitars and horns and propulsive rhythms with often-buoyant pop melodies juxtaposed with dark lyrics of violence, deception, power imbalances and gender inequality. (Don Yates)
 
Car Seat Headrest – Twin Fantasy (Matador) 
The latest album from this Seattle-based project spearheaded by Will Toledo finds him re-rerecording his 2011 bandcamp-released album of the same name, discarding the skeletal lo-fi sound of the original in favor of full-band arrangements that bring plenty of rock heft to a dramatically reworked set of sharply crafted songs revolving around a youthful relationship and evolving identity. (DY)

• Read an indepth review of the album here.

 Everything Is Recorded – Everything Is Recorded (XL) 
The debut full-length from this project spearheaded by English producer (and XL record label owner) Richard Russell features an impressive guest lineup including Sampha, Kamasi Washington, Ibeyi, Syd, Wiki, Peter Gabriel, Owen Pallett and other notables on an eclectic assortment of groove-driven tracks ranging from atmospheric future soul to gritty hip hop. (DY)
 
Screaming Females – All At Once (Don Giovanni) 
The seventh album from this New Brunswick, NJ trio led by guitarist/vocalist Marissa Paternoster is an expansive, visceral blend of driving hard-rock, punk and garage-rock. Produced by Matt Bayles at Seattle's London Bridge and Red Room studios, the album combines muscular rhythms with Paternoster's fiery guitar work, powerful vocals and angst-fueled lyrics. (DY)
 
Ought – Room Inside The World (Merge) 
This Montreal band's impressive third album features a more nuanced and melodic take on the band's clanging post-punk, combining ringing guitars with synths, vibraphone, horns and more with Tim Darcy's gloomy vocals and anxiety-fueled lyrics. (DY) 
 
Ravyn Lenae – Crush EP (Atlantic/Three Twenty Three) 
This young Chicago artist collaborated with The Internet's Steve Lacy for her third EP, an excellent 5-song set of adventurous, jazz-tinged R&B combining a warm, beautifully layered sound courtesy of Lacy with her supple, dynamic vocals and reflective lyrics of love and heartbreak. (DY) 
 
Grant-Lee Phillips – Widdershins (Yep Roc) 
This Nashville-based artist brings a stronger political focus to his 9th solo album. Produced by Phillips and mixed by Tucker Martine, the album features an expansive sound ranging from driving post-punk to bucolic folk-rock on consistently well-crafted songs reflecting upon these troubled times. (DY)
 
Buffalo Tom – Quiet & Peace (Scrawny/Schoolkids) 
This veteran Boston band is in excellent form on their ninth album (and first in seven years), featuring consistently well-crafted songs ranging from surging, hook-filled rockers to wistful folk-rock ballads. (DY)
 
Femi Kuti – One People One World (Knitting Factory) 
The latest album from this Nigerian artist (and son of Afro-Beat pioneer Fela Kuti) is another potent set of hard-driving Afro-Beat with funky rhythm guitars, punchy horns, steamy organ and fiery rhythms accompanying his commanding vocals and often-politically charged lyrics.  (DY)
 
Geowulf - Great Big Blue (37 Adventures) 
This London-based Australian duo's debut full-length is an evocative set of breezy dream-pop with shimmering synths, glittering guitars and sun-kissed melodies juxtaposed with melancholy lyrics. (DY)
 
Vundabar – Smell Smoke (Gawk) 
This Boston duo's third album is a strong set of hook-filled slacker-pop reminiscent at times of Pavement, combining fuzzy guitars and catchy pop melodies with often-wry lyrics revolving around illness, loss and mortality. (DY)
 
Dana Buoy – Ice Glitter Gold (Everloving)
The second album from this Portland-based project spearheaded by Akron/Family drummer Dana Janssen is a well-crafted blend of glittery electro-pop and expansive psych-rock. (DY)
 
Nilufer Yanya – Baby Luv EP (ATO) 
This promotional EP collects various singles from this promising young London-based artist, including her latest one, "Thanks 4 Nothing." It's a nice way to catch up with her minimalist, R&B-tinged jazz-pop. (DY)
 
Ride – Tomorrow's Shore EP (Wichita) 
This veteran British band follows up last year's stellar reunion album Weather Diaries with this fine 4-song EP ranging from fuzzy, shoegazer psych-rock to atmospheric space-pop. (DY)
 
Belle & Sebastian – How To Solve Our Human Problems (Part 3) EP (Matador) 
The third and final EP in this Scottish band's planned EP trilogy is a fine five-song set ranging from sunny, Motown-influenced dance-pop to wistful folk-pop. (DY)
 
Starchild & The New Romantic – Language (Ghostly) 
The debut full-length from this Maryland-bred, Brooklyn-based artist (aka Bryndon Cook) is a fine set of expansive funk and R&B combining an '80s-steeped sound with his soulful vocals. (DY)
 
Barrence Whitfield & The Savages – Soul Flowers of Titan (Bloodshot) 
This veteran Boston band's latest album is a high-energy blend of old-school R&B and rock 'n' roll, combining gritty guitars, searing organ riffs, soaring horns and punchy rhythms with Whitfield's grainy vocals. (DY)
 
Insecure Men - Insecure Men (Fat Possum) 
Insecure Men is another musical side hustle from songwriter and musician Saul Adamczewski (of Fat White Family) and his schoolmate, Ben Romans-Hopcraft (of Childhood). This debut was recorded on an ancient Tascam at Sean Lennon’s studio in upstate New York while Saul was working on The Moonlandingz album.  The group explores a playful lo-fi spectrum with gazey guitars, organs, and hints of exotica while drifting into darker lyrics about tragic and disgraced pop stars.(Abbie Gobeli)
 
Belgian Fog – One Night Man EP (self-released) 
Belgian Fog is the project of Seattle artist Robert Dale. His official debut EP is a promising 4-song set of shimmering electro-pop combining twinkling synths and propulsive beats with his swooning vocals and wistful lyrics. (DY)
 
chong the nomad – Love Memo EP (Believe) 
The debut EP from this Seattle producer (aka Alda Agustiano) is a fine six-song set of atmospheric electronic grooves combining hypnotic synth textures and mostly downtempo beats with looped vocal samples. (DY)
 
I Mark 4 – Nelson Psychout: Original Italian Library Music from the Vaults of Nelson Records (Vampisoul) 
Cool compilation of Italian film library music performed by the band I Mark 4, whose cinematic sound blended elements of jazz, funk, psych-rock and more. (DY)