Want some soul? We got it. Want some hip-hop from Brooklyn by way of the West Indies featuring one of the TvoTR guys? We got it. Want completely generic but catchy pop/rock? We got that too? Welcome to this week’s new releases…

Rahsaan Patterson-Bleuphoria

For his fifth studio album, the criminally underrated soul singer has decided to call in some reinforcements. Not that he needs them, but Bleuphoria features the talents of Shanice Wilson, Faith Evans, Lalah Hathaway and Jody Watley. I’ve had the album on repeat for several weeks now, having acquired a promotional copy. Personal favorites include the Evans-assisted “Crazy (Baby)”, the Prince-like “Insomnia”, and the singles “6 A.M.” and “Easier Said Than Done”. Every Rahsaan album is a treat, and Bleuphoria is no different.

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Theophilus London-Timez Are Weird These Days

Not totally sure who this guy is, but anyone named Theophilus automatically gains cool points from me. According to his Wikipedia page, he’s a rapper fromLondon, who’s “genre-bending approach draws from a range of styles, from soul-pop and post-punk to electro and contemporary R&B”. Sounds like something I can get with (despite the fact that he lists The Smiths as an influence and I kinda hate Morrissey), so what the hell? I haven’t bought a record in a couple of weeks. I might cop this one. Dave Sitek (AKA the white dude in TV On the Radio) is one of the producers here.

3 Doors Down-Time of My Life

Yep, 3 Doors Down is (are?) still around. Filling this generation’s hole for a bland radio-rock band in the vein of…I don’t know, Foreigner? Brad Arnold (yes, I know their lead singer’s name, BY HEART) and his merry band of Southern rockers.have hung around for a solid decade. Time of My Life is their SIXTH album (yeah, freaked me out too). I can’t imagine them doing anything crazy or different to their sound, so I most likely will be passing on this one. However, I eagerly await the only 3 Doors Down album I will probably ever pay money for-their greatest hits.

311-Universal Pulse

Man, if you’d have told me that 311 would still be around a decade and a half after scoring their initial success, I’d have thought you were stone cold bonkers. Nevertheless, the jam-band punkers are hanging tough, and their new album, Universal Pulse, is sure to contain enough head-nodders to help you sustain your buzz when you see them live.

Elsewhere, hard rockers Cold (not to be confused with not-hard rockers Coldplay) are unveiling their latest album, entitled Superfiction. Jesse’s pretty excited for it, expect a review soon. Former American Idol contestant Kimberley Locke (the one who kinda looked like Jordin Sparks and then lost a ton of weight like Jordin Sparks) is also on the scene with an EP entitled Four on the Floor. “Idol” fans may appreciate the fact that it contains an appearance from fellow “AI” alum Ace Young. Japanese rockers Shonen Knife are marking their 30th (!!) anniversary with an album called Osaka Ramones (guess what: it’s a tribute to the Ramones), and nerd-rock favorites They Might Be Giants (who’ve become viral sensations thanks to their cover of Chumbawamba’s “Tubthumping”) make their return with Join Us.

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