1) Brothers - The Black Keys (released May 18, 2010)

2) Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty - Big Boi (released July 6, 2010)

3) /\/\/\Y/\ (Maya) - M.I.A. (released July 13, 2010)

4) The ArchAndroid (Suites II and III) - Janelle Monae (released May 18, 2010)

and last but not least!

5) Electric Toys - The Dig (April 27, 2010)

So to make up for my lack of posting in the past few months (I’m now employed, which explains that), here are five short reviews of albums that should keep you engaged til the end of the summer:

1) I like to describe the Black Keys’ aesthetic as down-and-dirty 1960’s blues, which is exactly what it is. Dan Auerbach is on guitar and Patrick Carney on drums, resulting in a very bare bones, garage rock sound. People often draw comparisons between them and the White Stripes but the Keys are far bluesier. Listen and you’ll understand. (Release dates above are download links.) The one downside of this album is its length: I got tired after the sublime “The Only One,” so I suggest listening in two parts, part one starting at the opener and one of my favorites, “Everlasting Light” and ending at “The Only One” and part two at “Too Afraid to Love You” til the end.

Best tracks (in my opinion): “Everlasting Light”, “Next Girl”, “Tighten Up”, “The Only One” and “Never Give You Up” (no that’s not a Rick Astley cover, don’t worry).

2) I’m listening to this right now! Man, after Speakerboxxx/The Love Below I wondered if Andre 3000 and Big Boi could ever top themselves. Big Boi certainly did. This is, without a doubt, a beginning-to-end listen, each song flowing seamlessly into the next. (And by the way, it’s L-U-C-I-O-U-S Left Foot, not ‘Luscious’, the uploaders made a universal typo.) The hooks will snag you by the ears, the beats will make you want to dance in public (I very nearly broke it down in the Q train while listening to “Turns Me On”, no joke). And Big Boi collaborates with a variety of artists ranging from Janelle Monae to Yelawolf to Gucci Mane, ‘nuff said.

Best tracks: “Daddy Fat Sax”, “Turns Me On ft. Sleepy Brown and Joi,” “Shutterbug ft. Cutty”, “Tangerine ft. T.I. and Khujo Goodie” and “Shine Blockas ft. Gucci Mane”.

3) Pitchfork tore this album to pieces (eff P4k man) but I rather like it. It’s a lot more abstract than previous M.I.A LPs which is why a lot of people don’t get it. The woman’s going in a new direction folks! If you’re expecting an album full of Paper Planes and Boyz, you ain’t getting it! I suspect that if you’re a fan of Animal Collective and electronic stuffz you’d appreciate this release. I haven’t really progressed past having “Born Free” on repeat, but I have a feeling that this one will grow on me.

Best tracks: “Born Free”, “Meds and Feds,” “Teqkilla”, “Lovalot”, “Space”

4) I LOVE JANELLE MONAE. SO MUCH. She’s bringing back the old school with a twist: her genre-switching within the album. By mixing so many styles, one would think Monae would put together a choppy record, but to the contrary. She demonstrates her talent for variety and we are left with fantastically catchy songs like “Cold War” or “Locked Inside”.

Best tracks: “Cold War”, “Tightrope ft. Big Boi”, “Faster”, “Locked Inside”, “Dance or Die ft. Saul Williams”

5) You will not have heard of The Dig except from me, I can almost guarantee that. They are a local New York band that is just beginning to make it big: they opened for The Walkmen, White Rabbits, and Portugal. The Man among others. I actually met Emile Mosseri, lead singer/bassist, on the street and sang Beatles and Simon and Garfunkel songs with him for two hours in Washington Square. It’s that old sixties aesthetic that The Dig revives, but with modern instrumental set-ups and clean producing. The lyrics are fresh (listening to “Two Sisters in Love” is a creepy yet strangely wonderful experience) and the riffs are worthy of endless repetition on your iPod. I personally love every single track on this record, but the album starts a bit slow with “Carry Me Home” (a beautiful song, but not an energetic opener), so I suggest starting with the ones I’ve listed below and then delving into the rest.

Best tracks: “Penitentiary”, “Look Inside”, “You’re Already Gone”, “Shadow”, “Sick Sad Morning”

So there you have it. New music for the rest of summer. And as I discover new things, I will take the time to post, just for you. Cheers.