Top 10 Review Copies Recently Sent to The Indy

We’re not gonna lie — one of the best benefits to covering
music, film, and books at a newspaper is the relentless barrage of
review copies that come our way. There are far too many every week
to feature adequately, but the following list of recent highlights
sheds a little light on some newly released material.

1. Pete Philly and Perquisite’s
Mindstate: This groovy concept album — each song
reflects a particular mood or emotion — is the promising product of
an Aruban-born Dutch rapper and an American DJ.

2. Iron Weed Film Club: With mailed monthly
DVDs aimed at inspiring progressive activism — recent releases
include Seoul Train and Street Fight — this club ups the Netflix
ante.

3. Phoenix’s It’s Never Been Like
That: The French four-piece drops a new sugar-pop,
synthy rock album that’s more addictive than MSG. Due out June
13.

4. Mexico In Mind: An Anthology:
Filled with writings about Mexico — from William Burroughs’ junky
antics to Tennessee Williams’ playwriting and Ann Louise Bardach’s
journalism — this is a must-read for south-of-the-border fans.

5. The Coup’s Pick a Bigger Weapon:
Oakland’s politically brilliant duo drops its best album yet, fresh
with conscious, presidentially aimed lyrics and eardrum-pleasing
beats.

6. Home Movies Season Four: The
three-DVD collection of this Comedy Central cartoon about “children
who are more like adults” is a constant kick.

7. The Aggrolites’ self-titled album: This
SoCal ska and reggae outfit looks mean, but its songs — which sound
eerily like both the Skatalites and Toots and the Maytals — are as
happy as can be.

8. Wild Ducks Flying Backward’s The Short Writings
of Tom Robbins: Yep, the wacky novelist drops
non-fictional shorties, too, and they’re way worth your time.

9. T-Bone Burnett’s The True False
Identity: The movie-music master’s first fully new
album in 14 years, we’re quickly reminded on this genre-jumping
album of why his name should be household. (He comes to the Lobero
with Jakob Dylan on June 17.)

10. Jack Kerouac’s Windblown World: This
collection of journals by the Beat master from 1947 to 1954 reveals
insights into his formative years as a writer.