Kim Janssen – Ancient Crime
Dutch musician Kim Janssen is young and ambitious, as his second solo endeavor, Ancient Crime,…read more→
Denison Witmer – The Ones Who Wait
Pennsylvania based indie singer/songwriter Denison Witmer has released his ninth studio album The Ones Who…read more→
Mariee Sioux – Gift for the End
Folk singer/songwriter Mariee Sioux recently released her fourth album Gift for the End in Europe…read more→
K Phillips – American Girls
Austin, TX’s latest rising country-rock star is K. Phillips, and his debut solo album American…read more→
M. Ward – A Wasteland Companion
Record Dept. is a longtime fan of M. Ward in his many incarnations: solo artist,…read more→
John Fullbright – From The Ground Up
Oklahoma singer-songwriter John Fullbright follows-up his debut album Live at the Blue Door with his…read more→
JBM – Stray Ashes
Singer-songwriter and classically trained guitarist JBM (Jesse Brian Marchant) is somewhat of a geographic nomad,…read more→
The Spinto Band – Shy Pursuit
The name The Spinto Band may not be familiar to many, but this hard working…read more→
Shannon Stephens – Pull It Together
Following the success of Shannon Stephens’ second solo effort, The Breadwinner, Asthmatic Kitty is issuing…read more→
The Dandy Warhols – This Machine
Portland, OR band The Dandy Warhols is a mainstay on the indie scene, and following…read more→
Beach House – Bloom
Baltimore-based dream-pop band Beach House’s fourth album is Bloom, which expands on the band’s warm…read more→
Baobab – Baobab
Durham, NC duo Baobab – Phil Torres (vocals, multi-instrumental) and Whitney Trettien (piano) – have…read more→
Willis Earl Beal – Acousmatic Sorcery
Chicago singer/songwriter/musician Willis Earl Beal believes in himself, and unapologetically so. The self-taught musician, whose…read more→
Father John Misty – Fear Fun
2011 was a year of significant change for J. Tillman, finding the Seattleite quitting his…read more→
Jack White – Blunderbuss
One of Nashville’s most prolific and successful collaborators is finally out with his first solo…read more→
Dry The River – Shallow Bed
Dry the River, a London based five-piece, follows-up their 2011 EP 2011’s Weights and Measures…read more→
Of Monsters And Men – My Head Is An Animal
This Icelandic indie-folk six piece made a splash in 2010 winning the country’s battle of…read more→
Bro. Stephen – Baptist Girls
Bro. Stephen is the moniker of Scott Kirkpatrick (formerly of the indie rock band Chemic)…read more→
Carolina Chocolate Drops – Leaving Eden
Since the 2010 release of Genuine Negro Jig, great things happened for the Carolina Chocolate…read more→
Andrew Bird – Break It Yourself
Break It Yourself, the sixth solo full-length from Chicago musician Andrew Bird, finds the singer/songwriter/violinist…read more→
Ramsey Midwood – Larry Buys A Lighter
Ramsey Midwood’s debut album Shoot Out at the OK Chinese Restaurant was released over a…read more→
The Shins – Port of Morrow
I’ve been a devoted fan of The Shins since their debut Oh, Inverted World –…read more→
Tyler Butler – Winter King
Edmonton, Alberta songwriter Tyler Butler has re-mastered and re-released his full-length, Winter King on Yer…read more→
Trampled by Turtles – Stars and Satellites
Duluth, Minnesota bluegrass band Trampled By Turtles’ sixth album, Stars and Satellites, finds the acoustic…read more→
Yellow Ostrich – Strange Land
Yellow Ostrich has grown from a one-man operation (frontman Alex Schaaf ) known for blending…read more→
Sons Of Fathers – Sons Of Fathers
Austin, TX based Sons of Fathers are the founding duo of David Beck and Paul…read more→
John Goraj – Seen And Unseen
South Dakota native and L.A. based singer/songwriter John Goraj has released his indelibly lovely indie…read more→
Alex Chilton – Free Again: The 1970 Sessions
He was best known as co-founder of power-pop band Big Star, but as a teen…read more→
Jackstraw – Sunday Never Comes
Portland, OR based five-piece stringband Jackstraw is out with their sixth acoustic album, Sunday Never…read more→
Lost In The Trees – A Church That Fits Our Needs
From the tragic wreckage of suicide comes the hauntingly beautiful and unforgettable sophomore album of…read more→
Delta Spirit – Delta Spirit
SoCal multi-instrumentalists Delta Spirit have released their spectacular eponymously titled third album on Rounder Records,…read more→
Yukon Blonde – Tiger Talk
In contrast to their self-titled debut which featured an eclectic brand of 60’s-inspired psychedelic indie…read more→
Yarn – Almost Home
Brooklyn based alt-country/roots rock band Yarn recently self-released their fourth album funded by a Kickstarter…read more→
Grand and Noble – Grand and Noble
Making their first foray into the alt-country/indie-rock scene is Chicago four-piece Grand and Noble, and…read more→
Lower Dens – Nootropics
Following the release of their debut Twin-Hand Movement, Lower Dens hit the road for a…read more→
Damien Jurado – Maraqopa
Seattle based singer/songwriter Damien Jurado has found his musical partner in singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Richard Swift. Following…read more→
Diamond Rugs – Diamond Rugs
This supergroup/collaboration unites the mighty talents of members of Deer Tick, Dead Confederate, Black Lips,…read more→
Bahamas – Barchords
Shortly before I left for SXSW 2012, I came across Bahamas’ sophomore release of chilled…read more→
Great Lake Swimmers – New Wild Everywhere
Toronto’s Great Lake Swimmers follow-up their Polaris Prize and Juno nominated 2009 album “Lost Channels”…read more→
Elfin Saddle – Devastates
Together Emi Honda and Jordan McKenzie are Elfin Saddle, and their third full-length Devastates is…read more→
Neal Casal – Sweeten The Distance
THE ROYAL POTATO FAMILY Neal Casal may not be as famous as some of his…read more→
Kevin Gordon – Gloryland
Louisiana native and acclaimed East Nashville singer-songwriter Kevin Gordon’s new full-length release Gloryland is an…read more→
The Wooden Sky – Every Child A Daughter, Every Moon A Sun
Toronto based alt-country/roots rock band The Wooden Sky are out with their third release, Every…read more→
Justin Townes Earle – Nothings Gonna Change The Way You Feel About Me Now
Following 2010’s award winning Harlem River Blues, Justin Townes Earle is releasing his fourth solo…read more→
Eric Chenaux – Guitar and Voice
Eric Chenaux’s fourth solo album Guitar & Voice is not typical of the work Record…read more→
SXSW BANDS TO WATCH | 2012 According to the official South by Southwest Music…read more→
Record Dept at SXSW
RECORD DEPT AT SXSW Due to participation in SXSW 2012, Record Dept will not be…read more→
Sugar and The Hi-lows – Sugar and The Hi-lows
Amy Stroup and Trent Dabbs are Sugar + the Hi-Lows, a retro Nashville, TN based…read more→
Lee Bains III and The Glory Fires – There is a Bomb in Gilead
Lee Bains III, formerly of the Southern rock band The Dexateens, is releasing his debut…read more→
Marissa Nadler – The Sister
Boston painter turned singer/songwriter Marissa Nadler follows-up her self-titled album of psych/neo folk songs with…read more→
Danny and The Champions of the World – Hearts and Arrows
The appeal of Americana transcends geography, and longtime musician – Londoner Danny Wilson – has…read more→
Lake Forest – Silver Skies
Silver Skies is the debut solo full-length album of Toronto singer-songwriter/guitarist Will Whitwham. Between Wilderness…read more→
Jay Farrar, Will Johnson, Anders Parker and Yim Yames – New Multitudes
This July marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of legendary American folk singer-songwriter Woody…read more→
Buxton – Nothing Here Seems Strange
Hailing from Houston, TX is the sextet Buxton and their third album (and first on…read more→
The Lumineers – The Lumineers
The Lumineers have had a long, rough road but they are finally on their way…read more→
John K. Samson – Provincial
John K. Samson – best known as the founder of the indie rock outfit The…read more→
Jim White – Where It Hits You
Where It Hits You, the latest full length album from Athens, GA based songwriter/ folk…read more→
Fred Eaglesmith – 6 Volts
Ontario-based singer-songwriter Fred Eaglesmith is out with his nineteenth album of striking alt-country, 6 Volts.…read more→
Mirel Wagner – Mirel Wagner
Singer-songwriter Mirel Wagner’s unique background makes wonderful copy, but it is her stunning and sparse…read more→
Fanfarlo – Rooms Filled With Light
London-based collective Fanfarlo mixes folk with orchestrated indie pop, and their new album Rooms Filled…read more→
Whitehorse – Whitehorse
The marriage of Canadian indie rockers Melissa McClelland and Luke Doucet is one made in…read more→
Our Orthodox – We Are Not The Only Ones
Our Orthodox is the indie folk rock recording project of Neal Harris along with Jens…read more→
Lincoln Durham – The Shovel vs. The Howling Bones
Following 2010’s self titled EP, Texan Lincoln Durham is out with his excellent full length…read more→
PUNCH BROTHERS | WHO’S FEELING YOUNG NOW? NONESUCH New York’s Punch Brothers are a virtuosic…read more→
BLACK BANANAS | RAD TIMES XPRESS IV DRAG CITY First there was Royal Trux, then…read more→
CURSIVE | I AM GEMINI SADDLE CREEK Since the formation of Cursive in 1995, trio…read more→
STANDARD FARE | OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF TOWN MELODIC Standard Fare may be young,…read more→
CHARLIE PARR | CRIMINALS AND SINNERS SELF-RELEASED Lately I can’t get enough of country bluesman…read more→
THE PLIMSOULS | BEACH TOWN CONFIDENTIAL: LIVE AT THE GOLDEN BEAR 1983 ALIVE RECORDS You…read more→
THE MAGNETIC FIELDS | LOVE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA MERGE On March 6th…read more→
LANA DEL REY | BORN TO DIE INTERSCOPE Love or hate her largely ridiculed performance…read more→
LUKE ROBERTS | THE IRON GATES AT THROOP AND NEWPORT THRILL JOCKEY Brooklyn musician Luke…read more→
THE JAMES LOW WESTERN FRONT | WHISKEY FARMER UNION MADE RECORD CO. Portland, OR singer/songwriter…read more→
WE/OR/ME | SLEEPING CITY SELF-RELEASED After almost a decade of singing and songwriting under the…read more→
BOWERBIRDS | THE CLEARING DEAD OCEANS Since 2009’s release Upper Air, life for the North…read more→
Liz Green – O’Devotion!
Manchester, UK folk singer Liz Green first appeared on the music scene in 2007 with…read more→
Charlie Parr – Keep Your Hands on the Plow
Keep Your Hands On The Plow is country blues musician Charlie Parr’s latest release. Parr,…read more→
Hospitality – Hospitality
Hospitality is an indie-pop trio comprised of husband/wife team Amber Papini (songwriting, vocals, guitar) and…read more→
Lambchop – Mr. M
Mr. M – the eleventh studio album by Nashville-based Americana indie rock ensemble Lambchop, is…read more→
Shearwater – Animal Joy
Austin, TX trio Shearwater is out with their eighth album, and they have clearly hit…read more→
Lee Fields – Faithful Man
With a career spanning over forty years, North Carolina singer Lee Fields continues to define…read more→
Field Music – Plumb
British art rockers Field Music will soon to be out with their fourth full length,…read more→
One Model Nation – Totalwerks 1: 1969-1977
Since the 2010 release of The Capitol Years 1995-2007, Courtney Taylor-Taylor of The Dandy Warhols…read more→
Sharon Van Etten – Tramp
I fell in love with singer-songwriter Sharon Van Etten’s work when I first heard her…read more→
The Big Pink – Future This
Following their 2009 debut A Brief History of Love and the breakout single “Dominoes” (which…read more→
Trailer Trash Tracys – Ester
London four-piece Trailer Trash Tracys are out with their debut album of experimental pop, Ester.…read more→
Imperial Teen – Feel The Sound
San Francisco based indie rockers Imperial Teen, best known for their chart topping 1996 debut…read more→
Dr. Dog – Be The Void
Philadelphia’s Dr. Dog is back with Be the Void, the highly anticipated follow-up to 2010’s…read more→
Islands – A Sleep and A Forgetting
Brooklyn by way of Montreal indie-pop band Islands is set to release their fourth album,…read more→
First Aid Kit – The Lion’s Roar
Young Swedish sibling folk rock duo First Aid Kit (a.k.a. Klara and Johanna Soderberg) are…read more→
The Moth And The Flame – The Moth And The Flame
Brandon Robbins and Mark Garbett are The Moth And The Flame – a Provo, Utah…read more→
Ben Kweller – Go Fly A Kite
At long last, Ben Kweller’s fifth studio album Go Fly A Kite is set for…read more→
Of Montreal – Paralytic Stalks
Of Montreal, named after a failed romance with a woman from the namesake region, is…read more→
Craig Finn – Clear Heart Full Eyes
When The Hold Steady went on a four month break this past summer, frontman Craig…read more→
Mark Lanegan – Blues Funeral
Mark Lanegan is the name behind some of the most influential bands of the last…read more→
Kathleen Edwards – Voyageur
Canadian singer-songwriter Kathleen Edwards follows-up her 2008 Polaris Prize nominated album Asking For Flowers with…read more→
Cloud Nothings – Attack on Memory
Dylan Baldi’s Cleveland, OH based four-piece band Cloud Nothings has shed their syrupy yet fun…read more→
Porcelain Raft – Strange Weekend
NYC-based Italian Mauro Remiddi, former frontman of the indie pop band Sunny Day Sets Fire,…read more→
Chairlift – Something
Brooklyn’s electro-rock duo Chairlift has evolved since first founded in 2005 as a project to…read more→
Nada Surf – The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy
NY band Nada Surf is coming out with their seventh album on January 24th, The…read more→