Every Tuesday artists vie to take our valuable coin and to be the best on the numbers chart following Tuesday Release Day. Here's what we got with our hard-earned ducats for the week of July 23, 2013.  



 

We Came As Romans – “Tracing Back Our Roots” Detroit recently filed for bankruptcy, the move being one of the first and biggest of its kind. The social and financial implications of such a thing happening in our lifetime basically brings the word ‘suck’ to the forefront of any conversation about it. In comparison, the Detroit metalcore ensemble We Came As Romans could serve as a soundtrack for anyone signing the papers in a surrendering pose to the crushing debt of life. The melodic breathers between signature angst still carries the entire album, as with works past, but it’s now making grown-up decisions and dealing with the grind in a cleaner and more digestible way.


 

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes – “Self Titled” “Edward Sharpe” isn’t who you probably think he is. He’s a fictional character that was penned by lead singer Alex Ebert after a break-up and move into rehab. He’s an ever-changing vision of Ebert’s that is in a constant state of rebuilding and the new album from the band is no different. What was supposed to be gifted alongside “Here” back in 2012, the present work was delayed and probably for good reason. The newly released LP is different, more light-hearted and easily relatable. The dreamy pitch throughout carries a type of nostalgia that’s rarely accomplished by today’s artists.


 

Gogol Bordello – “Pura Vida Conspiracy” Eugene Hütz, lead singer of the relentlessly energetic gypsy rock ensemble, Gogol Bordello, has a knack for keeping things real. Bordello has spent the better part of fourteen years on the road, plowing through countries with its own brand of eccentric rock, and hasn’t changed a bit. The multi-lingual vocals are growled through with the prevalent accordion and violin mainstays keeping a frenetic pace that is singularly Gogol Bordello. “Pura Vida Conspiracy” is another energetic blast that will hardly lose any effect with multiple listens.


 

Selena Gomez – “Stars Dance” Easily one of the most hyped albums of the week came from on-again off-again Bieberette, Selena Gomez. If her PR people are stupid enough to think we fell for the ubiquitous dating rumors of the two, mere weeks before her album was due to be released, we truly feel bad for whomever signs their paychecks. Either way, she’s 21 now, which we all know because of the July 22nd video release of “Birthday,” a pop-sweating single on the new album that fell conveniently the day before Tuesday release day. It’s pop, which means it’s going to rely heavily on short bursts of club bites and dance-laden tracks. That style is a science now. Whether or not you blast that shit is entirely up to you.