Waco Brothers & Paul Burch
Great Chicago Fire
Bloodshot
Street: 04.24
Waco Brothers & Paul Burch = 16 Horsepower + Richard Hell + Exene Cervenka
When working-class rockers the Waco Brothers and alt-country writer and Nashville native Paul Burch threw in together to make this record, it was pretty apparent that even though they were considered to be from different genres, they were on the same page on another level—internally, you could say. While plenty of country and folk roots are touched on here, the vigor and rowdy spirit is always looming, but never gets too intense, which works well, and allows both driving forces of the project to be heard. This is just evidence of a metric ton of talent. Upon each listen, I zero in on a new song, a different voice, a different guitar lick. ”Cannonball” is a pretty consistent favorite, with its soothing female backing vocals by Burch delivering lyrics thoughtfully and poignantly over a proficiently played assortment of instruments, such as an accordion and tremolo guitar. Hopefully this isn’t the last time these boys get together, because they’ve left me wanting more. –James Orme

We Have Band
Ternion
Naïve
Street: 02.28
We Have Band = Friendly Fires + The Rapture + Human League
The word Ternion means a set of three, it is also the title of the sophomore album by Manchester’s We Have Band. The band themselves are a set of three, with each member playing an equal and necessary role delivering this infectious blend of intelligent dance-punk songs of love and isolation. Each intricate layer on album opener “After All” has been chopped, sliced and diced over rich, fuzzed-out rhythms. The pounding array of percussive beats on “Rivers of Blood” warm you up for the artful, edgy New Order-esque “Visionary.” “Shift” and “Pressure On” are the only moments of weakness ... wait, scratch that … these two songs are strategically placed for you to catch a breath. Ternion is a polished party album proving that three really is good company. –Courtney Blair

Whitejacket
Hollows and Rounds
Self-Released
Street: 04.03
Whitejacket = Lennon/McCartney + Love Language + Broken Bells
Looking at the track listing, I was a bit worried at first, as the vast majority of the songs on this album are under three minutes, with a few even under two—but don’t let the short tunes fool you. This is good shit. Several times I felt as though I was listening to The Beatles, such as during numbers like “Single Seagull.” At other points in the album, I drew comparisons to Pink Floyd’s masterpiece Atom Heart Mother, thanks to a four-piece horn section playing along with the band in multiple tracks, like “Inside Out.” Led by Chris McDuffie, the 10-piece band delivers beautiful harmonies and mellow soundscapes that will take you back in time. Because of the relatively short length of each tune, this album is a quick listen. Even though there are 13 tracks, they only amount to 35 minutes of playing time. It’s one of those albums that you wish lasted longer, but instead, leaves you saying, “What the fuck? Is that all?” At which point, you can just listen to it again. –Jory Carroll

Young Magic
Melt
Carpark Records
Street: 02.14
Young Magic = King Krule + Salem
Young Magic might be a bit more Fleet Foxes than King Krule in the vocal department at times, but it still makes for an interesting listen. With erratic and often hard-to-identify African percussion over ever-changing and extremely lush synth lines, it does tend to drone on at times (like the self-titled Here We Go Magic album). However, it also sounds a bit like a Salem and Animal Collective collaboration, and people went batshit for the newer electro Animal Collective, so that is probably a good thing. Young Magic have crafted an album full of lush, sparkling soundscapes, and some of the songs might be 4-minute-long loops, but you probably won’t get tired of it. –Cody Hudson

Young Prisms
In Between
Kanine Records
Street: 03.27
Young Prisms = My Bloody Valentine + Best Coast
Even in the throes of a shoegaze revival at its apparent peak, I haven’t heard buzzing, swooning guitars so closely resemble Kevin Shields as those on Young Prism’s sophomore LP. Impressive in its own right, but what sets apart these Loveless worshippers is the amount of heart that cuts through the reverb. The album’s best moments, like in the song “Four Hours (Away),” are made of a simple guitar line or melody. What makes it so effective is that Young Prisms know just when to turn up the right amount of lovesickness. –Nate Housley