Walk the Moon– What If Nothing– RCA
FourScore
Right from the album’s first track (the aptly named, earnest “Press Restart”), Walk the Moon immediately stakes its claim to the third of their album releases by throwing down some unswerving hooks on tunes like first single, “One Foot,” and the impudent “Headphones.” Elsewhere, “Sound of Awakening” takes more of a shoegaze approach, showcasing Walk the Moon’s slowly growing versatility. With each album it seems the band gets more confident, which is only improving its songwriting. ** 1/2
The 1975– A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships– DH Records
You can consider this album either a well-directed mess, or, well … just a mess. It all depends on how patient you are. The 1975 dives deep into some eclectic audio experimentation here, and it sounds a little like the band should’ve come up for air a few times. Too many of these tracks are too self-indulgent — the over-processed, often unintelligible “I Like America and America Likes Me” and the Humperdinck-ian “I Couldn’t Be More in Love” are only two examples. * ½
Cold War Kids – This Will All Blow Over in Time– Downtown Records
Not merely an album but an anthology that spans CWK’s career to date, this collection is a standout for the indie blues-rockers. Over two CDs, the band treks through its 15 years together, in chronological order, from the first single that snagged it national acclaim (2006’s “Hang Me Up to Dry”) to CWK’s final record for Downtown Records (2014), and then onward to a second section of unreleased demos and rare tracks like “Vacation in Chicago,” “Goodnight Tennessee,” and the demo for “First.” ***
The Ataris – Silver Turns to Rust – Kung Fu Records
Released in a casual fashion via the band’s BandCamp page and in conjunction with Warped Tour (the track “Trash Panda” also appears on the Warped Tour compilation album), this unexpected compilation album features four tracks from The Ataris’ full-length set, The Graveyard of the Atlantic, plus some pretty cool bonuses, including demos of two brand new Ataris tunes and also some songs from its last EP, a total of a dozen tracks in all, including highlights “All Souls’ Day” and the title track. ***