Albums Out This Week: W/C 20th July 2009

Pop-punk bands who you've never heard of, is this week's theme on the album release chart.

Cheap Trick have a little less of the pop, The Word Alive have nothing in the way of talent inside them, Nerf Herder are more famous for a sonic abortion than any more of their output, Set Your Goals joined the glut of mindless self-indulgence currently on Epitaph Records (but are just about keeping afloat) and Our Lady Peace will likely never see the outside of a bargain bin, which is a shame.

A smattering of folk releases round out the day, with Magnolia Electric Co. worthy of the most praise, we've said that they have a "very solid body of catchy, country leaning rock and folk songs that are as sure-footed and weighty as ever, but at the same time light-footed and full of a soulful groove." Trust us, you'll be wanting this album.

The Duke & the King: Nothing Gold To Stay

The Duke & the King are a newly-formed three-piece from New York, they've released one E.P so far which featured four critically acclaimed tracks. While the album is standing in the limelight for this week's releases, you can mark us down as 'unimpressed'.

Magnolia Electric Co. : Josephine

The lovely folks from Magnolia Electric Co have given away a couple of tracks from their new album through their website here.  Dave Morris took on the SG review for this record, after an intense dissection Dave concluded that the album is astonishing and it earned itself nine stars out of ten. Good for them.

Cheap Trick: The Latest

For a band that started in 1974 Cheap Trick seem to be keeping up to date with shifting tastes extremely well. Yet the punk-rocking old-timers will be keeping it slightly old-school with a 8-track tape accompanying the release. If you're into the older generation of music this could prove a fun listen any younger and we should say "no, it doesn't go in the toaster".

Portugal. The Man: The Satanic Satanist

Portugal. The Man spawned from the untidy leftovers of Anatomy Of A Ghost, front-man John Gourley personally crafted the artwork for this album from photos and watercolours, yes, this is our impressed face! He heart didn't skip a beat when the album leaked, he told fans to download it and then to buy it if they enjoyed the experience.

The Word Alive: Empire

The Word Alive are the latest concoction of godawful American teens trying to push the boundaries of heavy music. Please keep this music away from your ears, warn your friends and your family. Heck, warn your pets, the RSPCA are getting pretty hardcore nowadays.

Nerf Herder: IV

A band named after Star Wars, best known for composing the theme tune to the Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV series. Yep, cutting edge pop-culture here! It's been seven years since their last confession. In '07 they recorded thirteen tracks for their fourth album which was titled Brownerton at the time, after two years of procrastinating the band have cut the album to ten tracks and changed the name to IV. 

Set Your Goals: This Will Be The Death Of Us

After splitting with their previous label Eulogy Recordings last year, Set Your Goals stated that they would self-release their next L.P. Due to an unexpected change of plans the band signed to Epitaph Records and are now riding the wagon of in luxury. However, these Californians have proved a point with this album, earning remarkable reviews from many notable publications. 

The Skygreen Leopards: Gorgeous Johnny

The Skygreen Leopards have been dabbling in folk rock music for nearly ten years now, their latest efforts have been highly anticipated and first reactions from the avid fans are that the album will be frustrating to anyone that has followed the duo for a while. 

Bad Veins: S/T

Bad Veins will be releasing their début record through Dangerbird Records who also represent The Silversun Pickups and The Dears, the duo earned their spot on the roster with an intense two years of touring and brief recording. Faint pop sensibilities threw us off at first but we're never shook by first impressions.

Megafaun: Gather, Form and Fly

The founding duo of Megafaun were originally members of DeYarmond Edison who disbanded in 2006 after travelling from Wisconsin to North Carolina with their good old friend Justin Vernon (Bon Iver). We've heard a few promising tracks from Gather, Form and Fly which you can catch on their MySpace. 

Kevin Devine: Brother's Blood

In a recent interview Kevin stated that some of the topics for his fifth album were  "The end of days, a dead dog and his sailor master, hallucinogenic fever dreams, sexual infatuation, vividly imagined infidelity, Irish women, Irish Spring, baby boomers, cold feet, getting responsible, life on life's terms." The album was released in America a few months back, and after many enjoyable listens we can begin to believe that he covers all the mentioned issues and many more. 

He Is Legend: It Hates You

Four metal enthusiasts from North Carolina make up He Is Legend and this will be their first album on Tragic Hero Records. It would come to no surprise to hear some drastic changes in sound now that the band are free from the hands of their previous label Solid State, whose predominent focus is spreading the ministry of their saviour Jesus Christ... through lots of screaming.

Jonsi & Alex: Riceboy Sleeps

It's safe to say that we'd be interested in any band that spawned from the illustrious Sigur Rós, this spawn comes in the form of a homosexual couple one half of which is singer Jón Þór Birgisson. The album is purely acoustic instrumentation and you may have already heard the first track "Happiness" from the Dark Was The Night charity compilation.

Our Lady Peace: Burn Burn

Our Lady Peace will be self-releasing their seventh studio album in Britain, whilst Sony will be doing so in Canada and Warner will be covering Canada. The record is the shortest to date with only ten tracks and two bonus tracks on the special edition release. Awesome artwork though.