Album Preview

We’ve been big fans of The Boxer Rebellion’s driving melodic rock since their 2009 album “Union” and the lead single for their latest effort, “Diamonds”, is an intoxicating track that indicates the best is yet to come.

From Jason Bentley:
“The music and lyrics of The Boxer Rebellion churn with a gravitational pull that is undeniable, each song building a roiling intensity throughout “Promises”. It’s apparent …

It’s a gutsy move to play a 9-minute song on the radio. But when Anne Litt gave the new Kurt Vile a spin a couple weeks ago, it was a transcendent moment of radio magic.
Kurt is a really exciting artist. KCRW DJ, and fellow Philly native, Mario Cotto is a big fan and he was my highlight of Matador Records’ 21st anniversary show in …

We declared Jenny O a Local Band we Love two the years ago on the basis of her sassy, groovy, and uber catchy track “Well OK Honey”.
We’ve been anxiously awaiting new material and we’re thrilled to be featuring her new debut full length “Automechanic” streaming in FULL as part of our Album Preview series this week. It’s a KCRW exclusive!
As Music Librarian Eric J …

I don’t want to presume too much, but there’s a good chance you already know Meshell Ndegeocello…regardless, given the remarkable span of her roughly 20 year career and her moving new Joe Henry produced album, Weather, she bears re-introduction.
A 10 time Grammy nominee, the sultry voiced, critically acclaimed bassist and singer-songwriter, has worked with a spectrum of artists ranging from John Cougar Mellencamp to Madonna, …

Pavement and Stephen Malkmus fans take note! He will be appearing live on Morning Becomes Eclectic this coming Wednesday, August 24 with his band the Jicks. In the meantime, check out a stream of his 5th solo album “Mirror Traffic”, produced by Beck, on our Album Preview page.
As KCRW DJ Dan Wilcox says, it’s funny that “these once indie posterboys for the Slacker Decade …

Weeks ago, Jason Bentley got a sneak preview of the new Thurston Moore album. When I spoke to him on the phone afterwards, he seemed like he was in a slight state of shock. I could tell the album wasn’t what he was expecting – but in a good way.
Produced by Beck, “Demolished Thoughts” is an introspective, acoustic affair. (in fact, a lot of …

Many singers don’t sing with an accent. I’m SO glad James Allan, frontman for Scottish rock band Glasvegas, does. Aside from the swirling, epic sounds of the music, I can recognize a Glasvegas song in under 10 seconds. And I mean that totally as a compliment.
James wrote the latest album, “Euphoric Heartbreak”, around the corner from KCRW, on the beach here in Santa Monica. …

KCRW is streaming the new solo album by Dinosaur Jr’s  J Mascis as part of our Album Preview series and when we were looking for a DJ to do a write up, we knew it had to be Henry Rollins.
Weeks ago he premiered a song of the album that he himself had procured, so it was clear he was exciting about the impending release …

Gang of Four’s latest album “Content” is streaming in its entirety as part of KCRW’s Album Preview series.
From KCRW DJ Gary Calamar:
“Back in the day (late 80′s) I used to manage an overly talented but highly underrated band called The Balancing Act. We had released a few albums on IRS Records. The band was doing pretty well back when college radio was king. When …

With a name like “Delicacies,” it’s hard to resist Simian Mobile Disco’s new album. And after I read that DJ Dan Wilcox called it an “unrelenting techno tour-de-force,” I was hooked!
The band spent most of this year creating a series of 12” singles named after exotic delicacies James Ford and Jas Shaw discovered while touring around the world and this album is …