Giddy up, New Music Wranglers. Here's a quick round-up of the highlights being released today, Tuesday, February 17.

Beirut - March of the Zapotec and Realpeople Holland
Double EP/2x12" (Ba Da Bing/Pompeii)

Beirut's Zach Condon went to Eastern Europe for the Gulag Orkestar and the French countryside for Flying Club Cup. Tack on another pushpin to his musical map: Oaxaca, Mexico, a beautiful city in south Mexico, where self-aware renaissance indie boys find new inspirations in the old and dying traditions of funeral brass bands. This double EP couples Condon's recent travels to Mexico with old recordings of Condon under his Realpeople moniker, before he became Beirut. Where will dude end up next? Nonesuch Records should just offer Condon his own Explorer series at this point. Read Eric Grandy's thorough critique of the album here.

Death - For The Whole World To See
CD/LP (Drag City)

Incredible! In 1973, three black blood brothers from Detroit, who were raised on Motown soul and R&B music, went to an Iggy & the Stooges show and found their true calling in rock music. This is some serious prototypical garage punk at it's hyphenated finest - seven songs of full-throttled, politically-charged, kick-ass riff-and-groove assault. Now, 35 years after it was recorded, For the Whole World To See will finally become one of the best rock records you will hear in 2009 or ever. Fans of MC5, Simply Saucer, and Rocket From the Tombs, prepare to meet your maker.

Vetiver - Tight Knit
CD/LP (Sub Pop)

Tight Knit, Vetiver's fourth full-length overall and first for Sub Pop, finds Andy Cabic and Co. in well-moisturized hands. Pleasant and whistful, in typical Vetiver fashion. Take it away, Grandy:

Cabic's voice and guitar form the core of Tight Knit's songs, but he surrounds himself with other instrumentation—keys, drums, bass, strings, and horns—sometimes played by him, sometimes played by his live bandmates and friends. Lyrically, it's all pretty typical rambling-man territory ... but the simple, easy songwriting and perfectly no-frills production are undeniably pleasant, and Cabic can hold a note on his breath and let it go like a breeze, barely there but subtly affecting.

Morrissey - Years of Refusal
CD/CD+DVD/LP (Decca)

His Mozzery is back, holding onto his legacy looser than the ugly baby on the cover. When not getting naked with his bandmates for a single, he's making more of the same dramatic rock cadences that his devoted followers will buy regardless of whether or not it's any good. Nothing really to hate here, and this is coming from a lifelong Morrissey fan, but there's nothing really to love either.

Various Artists - Dark Was The Night
2xCD/3xLP (4AD)

The Red Hot Organization is a global HIV/AIDS awareness charity that occasionally puts out unique, musician-curated compilations to help raise money and awareness (check out the awesome Feli Kuti-inspired Red Hot + Riot!). Dark Was The Night is the latest, co-produced by The National's Aaron and Bryce Dessner, who bring together some of the biggest and brightest stars of indie rock (Ben Gibbard OMG!, Arcade Fire, Spoon, Antony, etc.). Along with a tracklisting that reads like the heavy rotation playlist at KEXP 2006-present, there are some truly unique collaborations (Blonde Redhead and Devastations, Grizzly Bear and Feist) to hear. Additionally, the money you spend on this goes toward something that really matters.



Other albums being released today: M. Ward Hold Time, Mr. Scruff Ninja Tuna, Zu Carboniferous, Gun Outfit Dim Light, Mi Ami Watersports, N.A.S.A. Spirit of Apollo, William Elliott Whitmore Animals in the Dark, Alela Diane To Be Still, Asobi Seksu Hush.


EPs and singles being released today: !!! The Moon Must, Squarepusher Numbers Lucent, Architecture in Helsinki That Beep, Boozoo Bajou Same Sun, Abe Vigoda Reviver.