It's 2008, the start of a new year and new beginnings… and of course, great new music. This year can't be as exciting as 2007 (we’ve already had that revolutionary Radiohead album drop) but there are nonetheless some albums to look forward to. Here are two albums from two very different genres that I am excited for!

1)      The Teenagers, Reality Check (Releasing March through Merok): This Parisian electro-pop group first gained recognition for their remixes: Air’s “Mer du Japon” off the eponymous album released 2007, Simian Mobile Disco’s “It’s the beat” and Soulwax’s “NY Excuse” to name a few. However, they gained notoriety for “Homecoming” which contained the litigious lyrics “I f***ed my American c**t” and about the summer “romance” of a British hipster (with a thick French accent, curiously) and the typical shallow Californian girl. The album will also include other tracks featured on their MySpace: “Starlett Johansson” a more recent single and an obsessive worship song about the actress and “F**k Nicole” another crude, yet nonchalant song about a certain myspace female. This album, although certainly not groundbreaking is sure to titillate some ears. www.myspace.com/theteenagers

2)      Basia Bulat  Oh, My Darling: This Basia Bulat album has already been out since April for those UK and European listeners but will be available for American fans February 5 through Rough Trade Records. Basia Bulat, another talented Canadian songstress, is a little like Feist with the eccentricity of St. Vincent thrown into the mix. She successfully captures the rustic charm of folk/country without its sometime dullness. Her arrangements are delicate and lush, from the soaring and lyrical “Snakes and Ladders” to the hand-clapping and vivacious tune that is “I Was a Daughter.” the soulful and Bulat’s distinctive yet charming voice make each song a personal and stunning treat. Make sure to check out the official video for another track, “In the Night”!
www.basiabulat.com

– Yasaman