New Releases: Liars Switch Direction? No Way!

It always comes as a bit of a surprise when you listen to a new Liars record and it sounds so different than the last one. So, in a way, it should come as no surprise that their new self-titled LP, out Tuesday, sounds nothing like drone success Drum's Not Dead. It carries on some of Drum's sound, but jams it into more of a rock model.

New Buffalo (real name Sally Seltmann) is probably best known for penning this year's Feist hit, "1,2,3,4." But she's also received praise for her solo efforts, and she has a new album out this week. Somewhere, Anywhere is a more adventurous take on Seltmann's twee pop sensibilities and the Arts & Crafts release should find the Australian a few more fans — or at least some fan boys.

If Luscious Jackson decided to be less a funk outfit and more a hip-hop group, they'd probably have been Northern State. The all-girl trio have garnered numerous comparisons to the Beastie Boys during their short career, and Ad-Rock lent his production skills to their newest release, Can I Keep This Pen. In what's fairly certain to be a savvy match-up, the ladies will head out on the road with Tegan And Sara this fall.