The Friday Refrain: A bit of what's new in music

Still in the thick of it, music is being bombarded at us each week. This week includes the posthumous 50 St. Catherine's Drive album from Robin Gibb of The Bee Gees; Prince's Art Official Age; along with a release from his band, 3rdeyegirl, Plectrumelectrum; Bryan Adams has Tracks of my Years; Melissa Etheridge released This Is M.E.; and Engelbert Humperdinck dueting it up on Engelbert Calling. Pop country is alive and well with Blake Shelton's Bringing Back The Sunshine and Lady Antebellum is back with 747. On the Playground of Rock, The Preatures have Blue Planet Eyes; and Rural Alberta Advantage is out with Mended With Gold.

Heads up, it's the list.

So there are a lot of things to try out and listen to this week, but here are a few picks out of the bunch:

Pop

Tove Lo, Queen of the Clouds

Tragic Thrills, Tragic Thrills

Yelle, Complètement Fou - Fun French Pop

Folk/Old Country

Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives, Saturday Night/Sunday Morning

Alice Gerrard, Follow the Music

Rock

Estrogen High, Hear Me On the Number Station - No frills.

Black Crown Initiate, The Wreckage of Stars - I put this on first thing this morning so I can't completely say I'm unbiased. For some reason, 90% of the time, any metal I put on before breakfast on Friday morning makes my liked list.

Playground of Rock

Madi Diaz, Phantom - Give it a whirl and see what you think.

Filthy Huns, Leopard On My Right - it's pretty much instrumental, and there's not much that happens. It kind of builds on itself, but it's got this intensity to it.

Blues

Luke Winslow-King, Everlasting Arms - more blues than blues rock and just laid back.

World

Vaudou Game, Apiafo

Sally Nyolo, Tiger Run

Well there you have it, another list, another week. Hope you have a good weekend and happy listening!