New Releases: July 5, 2005

Brakes, Give Blood (Rough Trade)
This indie supergroup (made up of members of British Sea Power, Tenderfoot, and Electric Soft Parade) mix it up with a blend of punk, pop, and new wave with a dash of irreverence. You can order the import version now; a U.S. release is expected in September.
Buy: Amazon

Missy Elliott, The Cookbook (The Gold Mind/Atlantic)
Rap's reigning artist cum producer is back with her sixth full-length album. With help from crunk darling Ciara, The Cookbook is on fire (read review).
Buy: Amazon | iTunes

Sufjan Stevens, Illinois (Asthmatic Kitty)
Pretty folk revival from Middle America. Nobody rocks the banjo like Sufjan on Illinois. Sadly, the album is currently on hold due to a legal scuffle over the album cover.
Buy: Amazon | iTunes

R. Kelly, TP3 Reloaded (Jive)
And we quoth, from R. Kelly's opus, "Sex in the Kitchen": "Girl, I'm ready to toss your salad." The bard speaks for himself.
Buy: Amazon | iTunes