New Music Friday: Tame Impala, The Chemical Brothers, And Alan Jackson

By Michael Cerio

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Time to soundtrack your life. A new delivery of albums this week from electronic icons, a classic country star, and everything in between.

This is New Music Friday.

Tame Impala – Currents

After Arcade Fire won album of the year in 2011, it seemed as though a certain circle searched for something new. Something not so blessed by the establishment. After some meandering, many found a new darling in Tame Impala. The psychedelic crunch and John Lennonesqe vocals of 2012's Lonerism connected, and won the Australian band both critical acclaim and commercial success. Even, "literally in commercials" success. Today, Kevin Parker, the man responsible for Tame Impala unleashes Currents. His third album finds him setting his guitar down far more often, as chunky synth beats drive Currents towards the dance floor without losing any of what made Tame Impala fun in the first place.

Wilco – Star Wars

The most accessible album of the week comes from Wilco. On account of it being free and what not. Jeff Tweedy and company released Star Wars yesterday without warning for the low cost of nothing. You can get it on their website, you can get it on YouTube, you hear it on a plane, you can hear it on a train. Anywhere you want Wilco you got it. Just do it in the next 30 days. Stars Wars is a compact, guitar forward, fuzzed out journey.

The Chemical Brothers – Born In The Echoes

Gather round kids. Did you know before you were throwing cake at a rave and waiting for the beat drop to set off the confetti cannons, we had this band called The Chemical Brothers who helped pave the neon streets for electronic music? It's true. The Chemical Brothers were part of a wave in the late nineties that shook up the system and carved out a path for today's EDM to exist. A lot has changed since then, and The Chemical Brothers show that growth as they evolve on Born In The Echoes, echoing some of the movements from earlier in their career in a way that sounds fresher than ever before.

Alan Jackson – Angels And Alcohol

Alan Jackson is classic country, and his new album Angels And Alcohol shines up the belt buckle for one more ride. He's got all the ingredients. A word of warning about women and whiskey ("Angels And Alcohol"), a salute to his friends which are actually alcohol ("Jim And Jack And Hank"), and a message about race relations. Just kidding. More alcohol ("Mexico, Tequila, And Me"). The Georgia singer is still a good time after all these years off the Chattahoochee, and will give you exactly what you expected.

Also out this week is the trunk-rattling DS2 from Future, a covers set from Iron And Wine and Band Of Horses singer Ben Birdwell, and new music from Jason Isbell with Something More Than Free.