BUY IT, BURN IT, SKIP IT: Hercules and Love Affair, Sigur Rós, The Watson Twins

HERCULES AND LOVE AFFAIR: Where Antony at?

By Aaron Richter

As we all know by now, new releases hit record-store shelves and digital-download services each Tuesday. That’s why self-titled presents the following every week: a new release you’d be stupid not to own (Buy It), one worth checking out if you’re the curious type (Burn It) and something you might have heard about but probably should avoid (Skip It). Simple, ain’t it?

This week’s edition is short & sweet …

BUY IT
Hercules and Love Affair, Hercules and Love Affair (Mute/DFA)

Need we say more about this group? Support gay disco. If you don’t buy this—the best dance album of the year so far—you basically suck at life.

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LISTEN AND LEARN: “Blind”

BURN IT
Sigur Rós, Me∂ Su∂ í Eyrum Vi∂ Spilum Endalaust (XL)

Our favorite gaggle of Icelandic post-rockers are back with an album that, for the first time in a looong while, actually promises something a bit different from their formula. And it does sounds different. For a while, at least. And then it kinda just sounds the same. Which isn’t totally a bad thing. And then the last 20 minutes just sorta fall off into nowhere. Props for the Ryan McGinley-inspired album cover. We’ll file this one after 1) Ágætis byrjun and 2) ( ), in a dead heat for third place with Takk …

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LISTEN AND LEARN: “Gobbledigook”

SKIP IT
The Watson Twins, Fire Songs (Vanguard)

Not too great with Jenny Lewis. Even worse without her.