By Juliet Kelso

Writer

Your Halloween was likely filled with copious amounts of bad candy and dorm-made costumes, but what about new music releases? There must be something to be said about an artist who chooses to drop their latest album around the world’s spookiest holiday. Turns out, it’s not that popular of a move. Florence and the Machine and Down with Webster were two of the only groups to make the statement this year, releasing CDs on October 28 and 31, respectively.  

In terms of notoriety and mass appeal, the headliner of the day was inevitably Coldplay’s “Mylo Xyloto.” The general reaction to “Mylo Xyloto” is that of relief: the tracks are somewhat refreshing, a change from the expected Coldplay conventions. But if you’re like most Coldplay fans and your love of the group is rooted in emotional attachment to their earlier material, you will be very disappointed.

My personal recommendation from the October 25th list is Surfer Blood’s EP “Tarot Classics.” The short six tracks include two remixes and four eclectic songs with a West coast-post-punk-revival vibe. The opening track, “I’m Not Ready,” is a bouncy pick-me-up and “Voyager Reprise” is the highlight.

The Italian indie band A Classic Education has dropped their highly anticipated LP,”Call it Blazing,” which is another must for the adventurous listener. The break-out band exhibits the fashionably ennui style of yawning indie elitism. This inclination is heavily present in the LP: preppy meets a contrasting above-society-coolness, a healthy balance which resonates but lacks originality.

For a busier selection, I would suggest Justice’s album “Audio, Video, Disco” which I have listened to extensively with satisfaction. As expected, Pitchfork graced the album with a scathing review and insulting grade of 5.3 out of 10. Their fickle critics gave a much more appropriately stinging mark of 3.9 to Deer Tick’s “Divine Providence.” Do not waste your time, it’s really that bad. With that said, I have provided a list of new album releases:

A Classic Education, “Call it Blazing”

Florence and the Machine, “Ceremonials”

Down with Webster, ” Time to Win- Vol. 2″

65Daysofstatic, “We Were Exploding Anyway” (U.S.-only two-CD release)

Coldplay,  “Mylo Xyloto”

Deer Tick, “Divine Providence” 

Dub Trio, “Dub Trio IV”

Haken, “Visions”

Junius, “Reports From the Threshold of Death”

Justice, “Audio, Video, Disco”

Kathryn Calder, “Bright and Vivid”

Lights Resolve, “Feel You’re Different”

Roots Manuva,  “4everevolution”

Russian Circles,  “Empros”

She & Him,  “A Very She & Him Christmas”

Surfer Blood, “Tarot Classics”

Tom Waits, “Bad As Me”

Vince Gill, “Guitar Slinger”

Woodsman, “Mystic Places EP”