5 new releases we love: Spoon takes a victory lap, B Boys get jagged, and more

Mini Mansions, Guy Walks Into A Bar…

[Friction Records, July 26]

Breakup albums are commonplace. But an album that traces the trajectory of a relationship from its start to its demise, in real time, not so much. This is the ethos of Mini Mansions’ third album, Guy Walks Into A Bar…. A supergroup of sorts, Mini Mansions is the side gig for members of Queens Of The Stone Age, The Last Shadow Puppets, and Arctic Monkeys. An aural diary of vocalist-guitarist Michael Shulman’s doomed relationship, Guy… kicks off with the bouncing, Arctic Monkeys-influenced “Should Be Dancing,” marking the dizzying start of the initial meeting. This exuberant energy keeps up, much as it does in real life, as Guy moves through the getting-to-know-you phase into the heady, T. Rex-like “I’m In Love.” As the relationship deepens, the tempo mellows with the romantic “Time Machine.” The unraveling is in full effect on the part sassy, part enamored duet with The Kills’ Alison Mosshart, “Hey Lover,” signaling a bruised ending. [Lily Moayeri]

Violent Femmes, Hotel Last Resort

[PIAS, July 26]

The Violent Femmes’ 10th album, Hotel Last Resort, finds a slower, smarter band than the young punks who first ripped everything up with cult hits like “Blister In The Sun” and “Add It Up” thirtysome years ago. The band’s bare-bones setup—standup bass, guitars, primitive percussion, including a Weber Grill—is still in play, though some horns make guest appearances, adding richness to tracks like “Adam Was A Man.” While another take on Femmes’ classic “I’m Nothing” wasn’t really necessary, even with a guest appearance by pro skateboarder Stefan Janoski, there’s lots for diehard fans to love here, with jaunty short cuts like “Not Ok” and “It’s All Or Nothing” hitting that familiar Femmes sweet spot. The lovelorn “Everlasting You” gets downright sentimental, a rarity, as does the Femmes’ hauntingly warped version of “God Bless America.” But the title track is the album’s centerpiece and masterpiece: a five-minute odyssey, with Television’s Tom Verlaine contributing ethereal guitars to a spooky ode about the end of the road. The Femmes may be singing about dire straits, but this record shows that they have miles to go before they even get close. [Gwen Ihnat]