New Releases: Indie Stars Kick Off Big Year In Music

01/22/07 6:00pm

by Noah Love (CHARTattack)

If you've been reading the ChartAttack news over the last few weeks, you've probably figured out that 2007 is gonna be huge. Over the next 12 months, we're getting new records from Arcade Fire, Modest Mouse, The Shins, Interpol, Dinosaur Jr., Do Make Say Think, Kevin Drew, Feist, and possibly Blur and The New Pornographers.

Everybody's leaning indie right now, which is why it's appropriate that the year's first big release day is jam-packed with names from that scene.

The Good, The Bad And The Queen are the result of a collaboration between Blur's Damon Albarn, The Clash's Paul Simonon, Fela Kuti bandleader Tony Allen and The Verve's Simon Tong (every supergroup has a weak link). Their self-titled effort is infused with sounds as diverse as you'd expect the group to produce, and it's out Tuesday.

Clinic have finally secured a North American release for the follow-up to Winchester Cathedral. In stores this week, the appropriately titled Visitations isn't likely to alienate any of the art-rock collective's hardcore fans.

One group whose fanbase has been expanding exponentially in recent years is Of Montreal. Their last two records have been dancefloor fillers, and the sound on Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer will keep the party bustling. Pick it up Tuesday.

Rob Crow has quietly been the driving force behind about 147 bands in the last few years, but none more popular than Pinback. He's produced a solo debut that sounds just like a Pinback effort and titled it Living Well. It's also out this week.

Finally, Canadian wondergirl Julie Doiron is reunited with former Eric's Trip bandmates on her latest solo effort, Woke Myself Up, which is out Tuesday on Endearing.

Here are some of Tuesday's other releases:
ANIMAL COLLECTIVE People (Fat Cat/Fusion III)
ARBOURETUM Rites Of Uncovering (Thrill Jockey)
ATREYU The Best Of Atreyu (Victory/Universal)
LLOYD BANKS & DJ IDEAL New York Times (Oarfin/Fontana North)
THE BERG SANS NIPPLE Along The Quai (Team Love/Outside)
BONNIE `PRINCE' BILLY Lay And Love (Drag City)
THE BROKEN WEST I Can't Go On, I'll Go On (Merge)
DEERHOOF Friend Opportunity (Kill Rock Stars)
THE EARLIES The Enemy Chorus (Secretly Canadian/Sonic Unyon)
DAVID KILGOUR The Far Now (Merge)
MENOMENA Friend Or Foe (Barsuk/Outside)
NURSE & SOLDIER Marginalia (Jagjaguwar)
PSAPP Hi (Domino/Outside)
THE SHINS Wincing The Night Away (Sub Pop/Outside)