Every Monday, Ghettoblaster is looking back to new albums released the previous week.  Below you’ll find several albums released on Friday March 18th that we believe are definitely worth a listen.

The Drones – Feelin Kinda Free (Waterfront Records)
Waterfront Records describes the new album from The Drones in the best possible way: “Feelin Kinda Free is a bad trip you can dance to. It’s a punch in the brain.”  The Drones are an Australian band with lyrics largely about Australian politics; however, lack of knowledge on the subject matter doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy this album.  Vocally, The Drones sound like a wonderful cross between Nick Cave and Joe Strummer, of the Clash.  Musically, this time around, they provide an interesting marriage between the frenetic and unpredictable sounds of Sonic Youth with the eschewed pop styling of tUnE-yArDs.  If it sounds like a strange combination of references, it is, and it works gloriously.  This is quite a difficult, yet endlessly rewarding listen for those who like their music with the roughest of edges.

Damien Jurado – Visions of Us on the Land (Secretly Canadian)
Damien Jurado has been the best, and most consistent singer-songwriter in the 2010’s, and his latest album, Visions of Us on the Land, continues his long winning streak.  He is also on the cover of the most recent issue of Ghettoblaster, out this week!  This is a beautifully psychedelic set of songs, which finds Jurado embracing a sound seemingly inspired by Western films.  Seeing the tracklist number 17 songs could seem like a dense listen, but each song breezes by, blending into the next, over the course of only 52 minutes.  Visions of Us on the Land is a must listen for fans of singer-songwriter music, as is every album Damien Jurado has put out since 2010.

Baauer – Aa (LuckyMe Records)
Ever since Baauer exploded on the scene with the insanity of “Harlem Shake,” listeners have been waiting for him to release an album as great as Aa.  This album is filled to the brim with straight bangers.  Aa should break your sound system, if it doesn’t then you need to turn it up louder.  The sequencing of Aa is also something special to note.  The songs that comprise the front half of the album are all just Baauer doing his own thing, while the songs on the back half of the album are all songs that feature guest vocalists.  This dynamic makes for an interesting and fulfilling listen from start to finish.  Please listen if you’re interested in some of the most enjoyable and creative electronic dance music around.