I was recently asked what I have been listening to lately and what releases I was looking forward to. I realized then that most of the things that I am currently listening to came out months ago (some things even longer than that). Not that this is necessarily a bad thing. I tend to buy albums and then get so immersed in them for some time without realizing that the world still turns regardless and other albums are being released week after week.

At the beginning of 2010 I decided that, despite not having much money, I was going to purchase at least one new album per month. I think I was sticking with it for a while, but now I realize that I have quite a bit to look forward to from some old favorites and a few newcomers.

Hurricane Bells, the new project from Longwave frontman Steve Schiltz, is releasing an EP in the next few months. I already have the finished version and it is great. If you are unfamiliar with the full length album that was released late last year you can stream it in its entirety from their website. Unfortunately it is not available on vinyl, but I would highly recommend the CD. Not a bad track on there. The opener blows me away every single time that I listen to it and the videos that have been made are just perfect. Check out the videos for “Freezing Rain“, “The Winters In New York“, and the video for “This Year” has an intense effect on me every time. Keep an eye out for their forthcoming EP “Down Comes the Rain” on September 7th. Hopefully a tour to follow.

The Spinto Band are preparing for a tour currently and have a new album ready to come out. Back in 2006 I was listening to their first album “Nice and Nicely Done” incessantly. Every song is just so damn catchy, especially the song that I first heard, which got me hooked, “Oh Mandy“, their ode to a mandolin. It seems that since this album came out they have grown in popularity, based on the simple fact that when I was first listening to them I couldn’t hardly find any information anywhere on them, or any fan videos on youtube and now there seems to be an abundance. They have been updating their youtube channel with 30 second snippets of the recording process showing not much actual work getting done, but still a lot of fun to see that they will soon be churning out what I know will be another album full of indie-pop gems. I still can’t believe that any band comes from Delaware, or that anything at all if from Deleware, but they are, and they are great. The new album will be out soon, hopefully. Check out the band on tour.

Buke and Gass is a 2 person collaboration that I discovered when they were interviewed on NPR. They make their own instruments and play a kind of music that is urgent, aggressive, experimental and above all else, very unique. Until now they have only released a 7 song EP, but a full-length album is on its way. According to the band it will be out “later in 2010”, so that must mean soon. You can listen to tracks from their EP, as well as purchase it here. Check out a track from their upcoming full-length album, “Medulla Oblongata“.

I am most looking forward to of Montreal’s “False Priest” that is currently available for pre-order over at Polyvinyl. I have been amazed at Kevin Barnes’ songwriting ever since hearing the “Icons Abstract Thee” EP in 2007. Seeing the band live blew me away. Their last album “Skeletal Lamping” took some time to grow on me, but I have discovered some really great tracks (or as the case with that album great parts of tracks, the way some songs have other songs tucked inside). Judging by the first track that they have released “Coquet Coquette” this is going to be more of the same, freaked out, funky weirdness and perfectly produced poppy tunes that we have come to expect from of Montreal. I need to find $20 so I can pre-order the limited edition red vinyl immediately.

I heard a track by Best Coast several months ago on a podcast that was giving a preview of SxSW. The track was “When I’m With You” and I fell in love with it instantly. Enough echo to make Phil Spector jealous, and layer upon layer of sloppy, jangly guitars. The song is catchy as hell, and the other tracks that I have heard are as well. The debut album will be out on July 27. I’m going to catch them in a few weeks at the Pitchfork Music Festival, which I’m assuming will be great.

Lastly, I’m crossing my fingers that the new Interpol album is amazing. It is also due out in September. I have been a fan of everything that they have put out so far, which flies in the face of every review of every album beyond “Turn Up the Bright Lights”. Yes, there are a few tracks that I’m not a fan of on “Antics”, but I thought that “Our Love to Admire” was great. That album was in such heavy rotation in my car that it simply lived in there for 2 years or so. The video for the first single of the new, self-titled album, is kind of freaky, overdone, overwrought and, well, I suppose good just to bring them some attention. I know I’ll end up buying this album and loving it. It’s just a matter of if I tell people that I love it or not.

That brings me up to date on the rest of the year in music. I’m sure I’m missing some, but I’m sure I’ll be back later to post about it at some point.