Albums Out This Week: W/C 22nd June 2009

If there was a theme to this week's releases it would be this, "exhume the corpses".

Not intending to be disrespectful to musical ancestors, yet the slate features more than a few contributions for former rock stars distilled into new porcelain. First, The Mars Volta attempt to be as entertaining to their listeners as they are to themselves, then former McLusky boys Future of the Left test the very limits of how much humans can laugh while they're rocking out.

Entirely different are Millionaires, who test how much you can laugh while you're throwing up.

Now in their twenty-fifth year since formation, Dinosaur Jr. unveil their second post-reunion album and contrary to nature, still manage to remain current and not wallow in nostalgia and pastiche. Alexisonfire do much the same, especially if you swap "still manage" to "can't manage" and "not wallow" to "joyously bathe".

Regina Spektor: Far

The recently-crowned folk queen Regina Spektor has smashed into the international scene over the past few years. Hailing from New York and raised in a Soviet-Jewish family Regina managed to use her peculiar up-bringing  to change the world's view and parameters on accessible folk music. 

The Mars Volta: Octahedron

We were just getting used to The Mars Volta's last album The Bedlam In Goliath when we hear that they'll be releasing a fifth album this week, and it sounds as if there's plenty more adapting to do. Omar announced that the album is their acoustic attempt at mellowing out. 

Dinosaur Jr: Farm

Farm will be Dinosaur Juniors second album since they reunited in 2005, drummer Murph said "The album was recorded at Mascis' home and will be a return to the heavier, Where You Been LP era." Sounds exciting to us and I think we can say the same for Jagjaguwar who will be releasing the record this week. 

Future Of The Left: Travels With Myself and Another

The three welsh nutters also known as Future of the Left will be releasing their twelve track sophomore album this week. You may have already heard a few of the new tracks on the Last Night I Saved Her From Vampires live album. Be sure to read our delightful 9/10 review of the album. 

Deerhunter: Rainwater Cassette Exchange

We don't normally mention E.P's in this article, however, Deer Hunter's last album Microcastle blew us away therefore we feel that this 5 track release is easily worth the mention. As expected, the E.P will be released with a special edition tour cassette. 

Bibio: Ambivalence Avenue

Ambivalence Avenue will be the second album that producer Stephen Wilkinson has released this year, the first, Vignetting the Compost earned a favourable review from us which you can read HERE. It's obvious that Bibio utilises influences from the likes of Boards Of Canada to create a unique electronic sound. 

White Denim: Fits

Austin based indie rock trio White Denim released a critically acclaimed début in 2008, yet as usual, critically acclaimed means nothing to us when considering the latest indie sensation. This is probably not the strongest release this week, in fact it's definitely not, just forget you ever read this. 

Alexisonfire: Old Crows / Young Cardinals

The mammoth Alexisonfire are set to tour a host of stadiums and huge arena's this year, along with some even bigger names such as Anti-Flag and The Fall Of Troy. The Canadian collective will be visiting over 70 different city's across America and Europe so make sure you have your cash and credit cards ready.. or just burn your money now to save yourself the time and dignity. 

The Gentleman Losers: Dustland

Finnish duo The Gentlemen Losers have accumulated a huge amount of respectable publicity surrounding this album, one of our reviewers likened the album to Bibio's work (after a first listen). It's only early days for the two brothers but we have high expectations for them in the near future. 

Tortoise: Beacons of Ancestorship

Chicago instrumental collective Tortoise released their last studio L.P over five-years-ago, since then the chaps have been laying pretty low besides a couple of album releases including a collection of covers. Tortoise have garnished a lot of respect within the post-rock realm so Beacons Of Ancestorship is definitely one to pick up this week..

Petterson Hood: Murdering Oscar (And Other Love Songs)

You may know Petterson as a member of Drive-By Truckers who have been going for over 15 years now. However, Mr. Hood will be releasing a second solo album this week promising southern rock tunes and a vinyl with three bonus tracks. 

Amazing Baby: Rewild

Rewild will be Amazing Baby's début album since their formation not too long ago, you can stream the album from their website HERE. We haven't heard a lot from these chaps so you'll have to make your own judgement for this one, our first impressions were tainted by the overwhelming amount of indie flannel shirts and queer press shots.

Jack Penate: Everything is New

As one of the many ambassadors to retarded indie, Jack Penate has earned himself quite the reputation here at SG, and by reputation we mean he earned the privilege to have his face printed on every last sheet of toilet paper in the office. Jack will be releasing his second album this week which is sure to propel his already chaotic career to new depths. 

Christina Courtin : S/T

The easiest way to explain Christina Courtin is... Regina Spektor. Like the wonderful Regina, she emerged from the rising anti-folk scene in New York over the past few years and was eventually picked up by a major label (Nonesuch records). However, she does lack in experience compared to Regina as this will be her début. 

Therefore I Am: The Sound of Human Lives

Boston changes its map entry to a slightly nicer font with these progressive post-hardcore boys. Eschewing the standard floppy hair, scream and whine dynamic influenced by metalcore, the quintet take the genre back to its roots and infuse genuine emotion into hardcore punk and dust it off with a experimental rock finish.

Millionaires: Just Got Paid, Let's Get Laid E.P

Stretching the very definition of 'music', this L.A-based trio thrive on controversy with the kind of lyricism bound to give parents nightmares for weeks. They also happen to be oh so very bad. It doesn't take a genius to swear over bad hip-hop, just ask Curtis Jackson.