New Album Releases: Nicole's Picks

By KROQ's Nicole Alvarez

It's New Release Tuesday - here are my picks as well as the other albums new on the shelves and online.

Kings of Leon - Come Around Sundown

The highly anticipated follow up to Only By the Night is without a doubt, the biggest and most exciting album being released on 10/19/10, at least in my world.

The Kings of Leon took the world by storm with Only By the Night. The songs off of that album were everywhere. They were blaring from the car next to you, they were on every single station, from classic rock, to pop, to alterntive; they were playing at parties, coming from your neighbor's window, in gas stations, at malls... Songs like "Use Somebody" and "Sex On Fire" were either filling the air around you or were at any given point, in your head. How could they not be? Only By the Night was and is a nearly perfect album. I have at least 1,000 memories attached to every song on that album and I'm sure that I'm not the only person who wouldn't mind being stranded on a deserted island with it. So of course we've been waiting for more with bated breath, and finally, here it is.

Come Around Sundown is NOT Only By the Night. Once you wrap your head around that, then you proceed to buy Come Around Sundown. The key to really enjoying this great record is to not expect to find another "Sex On Fire" and "Use Somebody". First, I would like to encourage everyone to go back and listen to the Kings of Leon's other albums: Youth and Young Manhood, Aha Shake Heartbreak, and Because of the Times. Get to know them from their humble beginnings. At the core, the KOL boys are just well-mannered good ol' boys with a penchant for making organic rock-n-roll music that people can feel as if the music were born in their very bones. Their music is perfect for a road trip with your best friends, or a night with those very same friends huddled around a bon fire with cold beers and a lot of laughter. Come Around Sundown is the Kings of Leon being the Kings of Leon and that's never a bad thing.

Only By the Night was an entire era, a mood, a head space. It was the "bigger" Kings of Leon album and Come Around Sundown definitely benefits from it. I think that the new album sounds like their past and present are in totally harmony with one another and it has everything to do with what they learned from Only By the Night. I also think that this next step that they have taken is genius. Rather than try and "outdo" Only By the Night, they pull back a bit and not in a way that restricted them, but, in a way that freed them. They sound like they are relaxed and fulfilled and that's exactly how listening to Come Around Sundown made me feel. I feel good listening to it. My mood isn't heavy, my thoughts flow with a lovely ease, and I'm relaxed and fulfilled. I can't wait to hear these songs live and quite possibly make them the soundtrack to my next road trip up the coast.

Songs I love most: "The End", "Birthday", "The Face", "Pyro" and "Radioactive".

Mt. Desolation - Mt. Desolation

Mt. Desolation is in indie rock lover's "supergroup". Essentially, the members are Tim Rice-Oaxley and Jesse Quin, full-time members of Keane, but at different times, the band also includes members of Noah and the Whale, The Killers, Mumford and Sons, The Long Winters and more. Mt. Desolation is regarded as alt-country and indie. That alone is all the intrigue I need to sink my teeth into their debut self-titled album.

I've already heard a few track and I'm sold. These are all very talented and accomplished, thoughtful musicians with a lot to say and they convey their experiences and beliefs in a beautiful and gentle manner. The sons I've heard are easy on the soul and they have a kick. I'm really looking forward to getting into this one.

Songs I love most: "State Of Our affairs".

Ima Robot - Another Man's Treasure

Ima Robot are Los Angeles sweethearts in my book. They have been putting their own stamp on the LA indie, punk, dance scene since the late 90's. It's been 4 years since their last album Monument to the Masses and after saying goodbye to their label Virgin Records, Ima Robot is back with Another Man's Treasure.

I've only heard the songs that the band has so generously been offering up via their website imarobot.com, but what I have heard is very cool and very eclectic and almost experimental in nature. It felt a little psychedelic and swirly if that makes any sense. I will definitely turn off the lights and put my headphones on for this one. I may also have a dance party.

Ima Robot are always a good time and I expect to be very pleased and warmed over with the Ima Robot vibe that stole the hearts of Angelinos in the beginning. I plan to jump around singing and plan to smile. That's what I have come to expect from this band.

A must-hear Ima Robot song: "Lovers In Captivity", "Creeps Me Out", "STD Dance", and "Let's Talk Turkey".

Plain White T's - Wonders of the Younger

I remember when the Plain White T's had the biggest song on KROQ. It was "Hey There Delilah" and listeners requested it so much on a daily basis that at one point, it made me want to cry. Not in a good way. I couldn't understand how so many people wanted to hear the same song so many times on such a consistent basis. It was maddening. Something about this song really struck a chord with the masses and it became THAT song. It was infectious and it was everywhere.

Unfortunately for the Plain White T's, that became the song that people identified them with and when the same people that loved it started to hate it, the Plain White T's suffered for it. So, there's a lot riding on this new album and I for one, can't wait to see what direction they've gone. According to the band, the have adopted a "live-in-the room acoustic California-pop feel". I guess the verdict is out.

Song of note: "Rhythm of Love"

Other bands that fall under the KROQ umbrella of music with new musical offerings include:

• All That Remains - For We Are Many
• Panda Bear - You Can Count On Me
• Liz Phair - Funstyle
• Bob Dylan - The Original Mono Recordings

Happy listening!

For the record, I am a KROQ DJ and a rock and roll girl at heart, but music is the love of my life and I listen to and collect all kinds. I take a lot of pride in having an extensive music library filled with artists from every genre. Here are other artists releasing music this week that is going to be huge:

• Sugarland - Incredible Machine
• Shakira - Sale El Sol
• Elton John and Leon Russell - The Union
• Glee - The Rocky Horror Picture Show Songs

There's a little something for everybody.