There was no question from the first listen that the new Dinosaur Jr. was going to be tagged for Record of the Week. This is without a doubt, the only band that can go into hibernation for years on end and then come back at it as thought they put out a record the week prior.

The sound here is unmistakbly Dinosaur Jr. From J’s blaring guitar solo and heart on his sleeve lyrics(it’s hard to believe this guy is 45 years old now) to Murph’s thunderous pounding of the drums this album sounds like it was recorded somewhere between Where You Been and Green Mind. If you don’t believe us, check out the song “I Want You to Know” that we posted on our last Weekend Listening feature.

To top it all off we have the deluxe version of the CD that features a second CD with four exclusive songs. This version is the same price as the normal version and very limited. We also have this on sale right now! An absolute essential this year.

Bibio really came into this week at an unfair advantage. Dinosaur Jr. had the Record of the Week award on lockdown from the moment the album was released so putting out anything else good(and good lord is there a lot of good this week) was really just shooting yourself in the foot. Bibio managed to stay head and shoulders above the rest though and put out an incredible record in Ambivalence Avenue.

Equal parts Boards of Canada(for it’s warbly folky, National Geographic film being projected in 7th grade sounding interludes) and Prefuse 73(for it’s glitch-pop main tracks that actually manage to be the best Prefuse 73 material that Prefuse 73 didn’t put out), Bibio weaves his own brand of folktronica over 12 tracks and is one of the best releases not just this week but this year. To celebrate how great it is, we have this on our listening stations right now for a SUPER cheap price. There is absolutely no reason not to pick this up right now.

Honorable mentions for June 23rd Record of the Week:

• Foreign Born – Person to Person (Secretly Canadian)
• A Hawk and a Hacksaw – Deliverance (Leaf)
• Sunset Rubdown – Dragonslayer (Jagjaguwar)
• Tortoise – Beacons of Ancestorship (Thrill Jockey)

First up is the one, the only, Dinosaur Jr. They came back from beyond the grave a couple years ago to grace us with Beyond which was just a killer album. Well on June 23rd they are going to release Farm which is classic Dinosaur Jr. The track available here, “I Want You to Know” is the first indicator on the album that they haven’t lost it as J. Mascis’ crooning and ripping guitar are all over the place with not just one but two of J’s signature guitar solos! Ahhh, it’s good to have them back.

Dinosaur Jr. – I Want You to Know

Up next is Foreign Born, the Los Angeles quartet whose album, Person to Person is released in a couple weeks on June 23rd. This track “Vacationing People” is the third track and it’s a good one. Equal parts Delta Spirit, Walkmen, and maybe an unequal part of Summer because this is certainly a warm weather kind of song from a warm weather kind of album. Definitely one to keep an eye on, which has become the norm from Secretly Canadian.

Foreign Born – Vacationing People

Sunset Rubdown is mostly Spencer Krug who you may know from such bands as Wolf Parade and Swan Lake. The man is no slouch when it comes to putting out albums, that’s for sure. When you are so prolific though it can sometimes be easy to sacrifice quality for quantity but such is not the case here. “Idiot Heart” off the new Sunset Rubdown album Dragonslayer runs you through the indie rock gauntlet that is bound to leave you worn out and tattered and wanting more when the end comes. The fact that Jagjaguwar can release this and Dinosaur Jr. in one week really makes you wonder: Do these people have any concern for our wallets at all?

Sunset Rubdown – Idiot Heart