Allow me to make a peace offering to the agitated, the anxious, the affable, the amphibious listeners of this blog with these eight songs from new releases that know how to craft tension and release, sometimes in the same song.

A Worthless Tourist

Amazing Baby - A lovely melding of glam styles with some textured guitar and perhaps even a bit of Spanish horns for a slice of fun that’s aiming for MGMT like success.

Foreign Born – Bit of a plodder here but it carries a punch worth waiting for in the chorus that can’t be denied as it earns a chance at the title fight.

Dinosaur Jr. – New album is actually carries some Sire-era polish despite still hanging on to the pre-Sebadoh lineup, one can’t deny this sprawling rocker earns its extended length.

Wussy – Former Ass Ponys members can barely seem to hang together in this rough late 80’s alterna-rocker but whenever they led the lady take the lead I find their songs undeniably addictive.

Phil & The Osophers – Former dumbest band name on the concert report winners prove they have to be better than anyone else for fear of being laughed out of the club upon introduction.

Cosmos – If the names Robert Pollard and Richard Davies stoke your excitement well it’s not exactly Cardinal-esque precision you’ll find on this full-length despite the evidence to the contrary presented here.

Malcolm Middleton – Must admit while it doesn’t fully remind me of Arab Strap it does carve a wave of its own out of its unpredictable tempo and boisterously british presence.

David Axelrod – Soundtrack instrumental that aims for an early 70’s sun and seashore vibe and hits the target with one hundred and EIGHTY like precision.