Braid – Closer to Closed Legendary post-hardcore emo trendsetters are back from the grave. The Illinois boys haven’t released new material in over a decade instead focusing on other projects such as Hey Mercedes, The City on Film and The Firebird Band. Now back with this EP, which feels like the ’90s all over again, Braid are set to hit the road for a few unbelievably nostalgic performances. Stephen Malkmus And The Jicks – Mirror Traffic Former Pavement frontman Stephen Malkmus is back with yet another record. More of the same zany lyrics that somehow seem to stick in your head for days. Since Pavement’s demise in 1999, Stephen Malkmus And The Jicks have been keep the sound alive and Mirror Traffic is yet another good listen. Archers of Loaf – Icky Mettle Okay, so I may be cheating a bit on this one as it is a reissue, but man is it a killer record. Icky Mettle was the indie rocker innovators first studio record and is a doozy. The two-disc set also features the entire Archers of Loaf vs. The Greatest of All Time EP as well as singles and b-sides. Fountains of Wayne – Sky Full of Holes The fifth studio album by Fountains of Wayne is their first since 2007. Though the band is at times silly and sarcastic, musicians and songwriters Chris Collingwood and Adam Schlesinger really know how to write a catchy damn pop song and the new record is more of the same you have come to fall for from the band. Ceremony –Covers EP These punkers recently announced they were moving from punk-rock label Bridge Nine to indie-rock darlings Matador Records and Covers EP will be the last release before the jump. Here the California bred band sets their sights on a handful of cover songs with Pixies’ Nimrod Son being a clear standout. Butch Walker and the Black Widows – The Spade Walker best known for producing international musicians as Pink, Fall Out Boy, Katy Perry and Panic at the Disco has finally released his sixth solo record, which was just released on Dangerbird Records. Though not his best work, the latest is a nice and easy on the eardrums. Grey Area/Go Rydell – Split This split 7 inch is first recordings from legendary NYC pop punk veterans Grey Area and the track is killer. Go Rydell follows up their highly-acclaimed debut The Golden Age with the their new track on the coattails of the band making AP’s “100 Bands You Need To Know” in 2011 list. Restorations – Restorations Released on the fantastic independent label, Tiny Engines, The self-titled debut full-length by Restorations in one hell of a record. Theses Philadelphia natives bring forth a sound long lost in the late ’90s. Post-punk at its utter finest, Restorations latest record should be on the must-buy list of all those that appreciate great music that hasn’t been released since the heyday of labels like Jade Tree and Polyvinyl. The War on Drugs – Slave Ambient Though guitarist Kurt Vile has exited the band, The War on Drugs have returned with another worthy record. The shades of Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan are still prevalent as is the band’s impressive guitar presence with or without Vile.