New CD Releases: February 5, 2008

We know it's only February, but we would like to prematurely speculate and say that Lightspeed Champion has released one of the most accomplished debuts of the year.

Who knew that Dev Hynes [pictured], guitarist of the now defunct thrash punk outfit Test Icicles, was a brooding singer/songwriter bursting at the seams with sentimental feeling? Dev, recording under the moniker Lightspeed Champion, releases his stunning new solo album, Falling off the Lavender Bridge, today.
-Watch a very cool music video for the song, “Galaxy of the Lost” at Youtube
-Stream the entire album at AOL
-Download the song, “Everyone I Know is Listening to Crunk,” at Pitchfork
-Read an album review at the BBC's website
-Brooklyn Vegan has an excellent interview with Dev
-Buy Falling off the Lavender Bridge

Jack Johnson is back with uncharacteristically darker material on his fifth studio album, Sleep Through the Static, today.
-Johnson recently spoke to the NYTimes about the new album
-Read an album review by Rolling Stone
-Watch the music video for “If I Had Eyes,” at Youtube
-Stream the entire album at AOL
-Johnson is headlining this year's Coachella
-Buy Sleep Through the Static

Nerdy noisemakers Hot Chip follow up 2006’s wildly popular The Warning with their new album, Made in the Dark, boasting more of the same angular dance mixes.
-Stream the entire album at AOL
-Watch the music video for “Ready for the Floor,” at Youtube
-Read an album review by Rolling Stone
-Buy Made in the Dark

We’ve been fans of Nada Surf since "Popular," and today they release their new record, Lucky.
-Download the song “See These Bones” at Barsuk Records
-Watch the music video for song, “Whose Authority,” at Stereogum
-Paste Magazine recently spoke with Nada lead singer Matthew Caws
-Buy Lucky