New President. New Records. You will remember this day, politically and artistically, for a very long time. Here are some of the new releases for Tuesday: January 20.*

In 2008, you couldn't escape the androgynous, operatic voice of Antony Hegarty. Guesting on every single record that everyone seemed to care about, from Hercules and Love Affair to Marianne Faithfull, Hegarty has practically become the Michael McDonald of today. In 2009, you still won't be able to escape him. The Crying Light, Antony's long-awaited follow-up to I Am A Bird Now, is a record that people will be fawning over for years. Beautiful, yes. Melancholic, sure. Hopeful, you bet.

Antony & the Johnsons play The Moore Theatre on Saturday, Feb. 28.

Pucker your face and get ready to whistle. Andrew Bird has a new album that's calling out to you. Noble Beast is, ahem, a noble and pleasant array of lilting, light-tempo feel-goods, provided by a strong cast of musicians and noise makers (including longtime-collaborator and pedal-heavy percussionist, Martin Dosh). Lead-off track "Oh No" opens with a string arrangement that could be augmented into any song on Nick Drake's Bryter Layter, and segues right into a hummable, memorable melody. Throughout, Bird's songs take many quick turns while they frolic. This is a good album for someone to listen to while daydreaming and thinking about someone they fancy. Kiss the air and whistle.

Andrew Bird plays The Moore Theatre on Monday, Feb. 23.

Or scream. Screaming can be good therapy. I just quit smoking, so I try to scream out every time I crave a cigarette, usually in private (I don't want to show the world just how crrrraaazzyyyy I feel inside). Colossal Yes get the screaming out of the way first thing on Charlemange's Big Thaw, and immediately swagger happily right into their flat/falsetto-rich, piano rockers. Singer/pianist Utrillo Kushner doesn't have the prettiest voice by any means, but it's softly sanded and comfortably awkward. What year are we in again? This would have been the biggest and best-selling record of 1972. It's not going to be the best-seller of 2009, but it's a damn fine record nevertheless.

Colossal Yes are playing at Vera Project tonight with Devon Williams.

Our own sonic surveyor, Dave Segal, takes a walk with RTZ, the latest collection of rare, Humboldt County, CA-grown Six Organs of Admittance tracks, previously only on super-limited LP pressings, brought to you by recent Seattle transplant/thrum wizard Ben Chasny. Read all about it here.

Six Organs of Admittance will play whenever he wants. We are very fortunate to have him living here.


*There are entirely way too many records being released today to list, but other highlights include a new one from NY drone masters Psychic Ills, some Willie Nelson covers by Phosphorescent, a new Bon Iver CD/EP, Animal Collective on CD, and Thom Yorke's Eraser getting remixed by the likes of Modeselektor, Four Tet, and the Bug.