On new supergroup Monsters of Folk's debut album, Jim James, M. Ward, Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis deliver 15 songs that touch on straight-up country and bluegrass, but they also veer into atmospheric ballads, like opener "Dear God." The best part of the album: it doesn't sound overworked. Instead, it comes off like a couple of buddies sitting around on the porch at a late-night jam session, especially on standout "Whole Lotta Losin' ."
Also on the New Music Report radar this week: A Brief History of Love, the debut from duo the Big Pink, delivers druggy shoegaze crafted with synths and squealing guitars. The LP kicks off with four strong tracks, including "Dominos," which mixes techno noise with a chant-ready chorus about girls being unable to resist the charms of frontman Robbie Furze.
