Album Release Tuesday!: January 10th, 2012

Today is a little bit light on releases--only 6 are being featured on Spinner.com, but maybe this is a good thing.  Perhaps on my next day off (Thursday), I'll spring one of my detailed reviews on you.  But for now, I'll just list the gems I've found and hope you take a moment to listen to them on your own.  I have taken a moment to preview a couple of songs on each album and, bien sur, the asterisk denotes that I'm interested in hearing more. 

• Dark Matters by Expensive Looks -- Pop electronica that sounds like Tame Impala or Portishead. I was digging track #2, "Nothing More."
• Normal by Run Dan Run* -- Low key garage rock with haunting guitar melodies.  Check out "False-Hearted Lover."
• Grand & Noble by Grand & Noble* -- Indie rock, with bluesy roots.  Sounds like Spoon.  I'm liking "Paris (and Danielle)" and I'm really interested in doing a full listen when I get more time.
• Passenger by Kayln Rock -- Singer-songwriter, reminds me a little of Regina Spektor and definitely reminds me of Rachel Platten. I like the heartsick sweetness of "Valentine" but perhaps because I'm feeling hopelessly romantic.
• m4w by Uncles-- Tongue-in-cheek storytelling lyrics combined with a folksy guitar.  The singer's voice, although nothing special, has that evocative quality of simpler times that is a hallmark of folksier tunes.
• The Fall by Public Jones* -- Technified, sci-fi ballads that rely heavily on keyboards and bouncy percussion.  Spinner says it sounds like Massive Attack or Muse, but I'm leaning more towards Backstreet Boys when they went through that one latex phase, but with more intelligent lyrics.  Singer's voice has dark, breathy quality that I'm enjoying.  Check out "Mustard." Strange name, interesting results.