Until in Excess, Imperceptible UFO, The Besnard Lakes
Offstage spouses—and past Polaris Music Prize nominees—Olga Goreas and Jace Lasek celebrate their 10th anniversary as a band with an album of dreamy shoegaze alt-rock, recorded at Lasek’s Breakglass Studios in Montreal, unique for its analog recordings.
Ghost on Ghost, Iron and Wine
Don’t let the name fool you—the heartily bearded Samuel Beam lightens up on his fifth album. “Lovers’ Revolution” is smoky, speakeasy jazz, while “Grace for Saints and Ramblers”—with its synths, snares and singalong chorus—is the perfect feel-good summer tune.
Mosquito, Yeah Yeah Yeahs
On the title track, Karen O warns she’ll “suck, suck, suck” the life out of her enemy (or, maybe, um, friend?). But “suck” is not a word we’d use to describe her band’s fourth album. O’s wiry voice sinks into the belt-it-out chorus of “Sacrilege,” which unexpectedly swells to include a gospel choir.
Volume 3, She & Him
Unlike her alter ego Jess Day, Zooey Deschanel will not be singing any Dirty Dancing tunes on this album (for better or for worse). She wrote Volume 3 in between breaks from New Girl, and will tour this summer (hitting Montreal on July 3 and Toronto on July 4) with her partner in cabaret pop, guitarist and producer M. Ward.