Hold On!

I love the self-titled debut from the Hundred in the Hands!  It's  electronic guitar pop with a dance-able beat that ranges between Tiger Baby and School of Seven Bells, with occasional forays into Sleigh Bells staccato (without being obnoxious and discordant).

I'm also digging Shit Robot's 'debut' From the Cradle to the Rave. It's all kinds of LCD Soundsystem-style dance (which shouldn't be at all surprising, considering Marcus Lambkin and James Murphy are BFF...all together now: Awwww!)  Both Murphy and that one dude from Hot Chip lend their vocals to a few tracks, and it is fabulous.

Tired Pony is Gary Lightbody from Snow Patrol with members of REM and Belle & Sebastian playing sleepy Americana-ish.  Betty Clarke over at the Guardian says it best: "Tired Pony ends up sounding like Snow Patrol with slide guitar."  I want to like this, and maybe after a few listens I will...but honestly the first three tracks kind of bored me and I moved on.

Also Shelf-Worthy this week: 

• Margot and the Nuclear So-and-Sos: Buzzard
• John Legend & The Roots: Wake Up!
• Mavis Staples: You are Not Alone