New Music Releases: June 26, 2012

Here are the new albums that are dropping today.  Check ‘em out and see if there’s anything worth buying/downloading!

Overexposed (Maroon 5) – it feels like I’ve been hearing “Payphone” for a million years now so it’s great that the album is finally coming out.  I still don’t know how I feel about that track (but given its success, fans are loving it).  I mean, a payphone?  When was the last time you saw one of those?

Living Things (Linkin Park) – Since the band hit the scene back in 1996, they have sold more than 10 million copies of their albums and have appeared on movie soundtracks (who else thinks of Transformers the minute they hear this band? I know I do!).

Write Me Back (R. Kelly) – you won’t find any auto-tune on this album but what you will find, as with all of R. Kelly’s albums, is the type of song writing that will make you remember a track (even if it leaves you laughing).  This latest effort follows up his acclaimed 50s/60s-inspired album, Love Letter, which was released in 2010.

Casey Abrams (Casey Abrams) – this new artist was one of the most memorable contestants to grace the American Idol stage in recent years – he almost fainted when the judges used the only “save” of the year to keep him on the show when he got the lowest number of votes. He didn’t win but he did have a unique style that could make this debut album worth a listen.

Days Go By (The Offspring) – After an amazing nine years of making music, The Offspring continue to strive to bring something new to their fans.  Indeed, listening through their catalogue does show the band’s growth and strengths as musicians.  This marks their first album in four years, following 2008’s Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace.

Suzie Cracks the Whip (Blues Traveler) – Blues Traveler is one of those bands that has so much heart and soul.  It makes them almost irresistible. Anyone who fell in love with tracks like “Hook” and “Runaround” will probably admit that their hearts raced a little when they heard about this new album, which coincides with the band’s 25^th anniversary.