The Cool Kids, Kalup and Franco, Yes: This Week's New Releases

By Dani Kinnison Tue., Jul. 12 2011 at 1:21 PM

Categories: New Album Releases

Each Tuesday, record-store clerks unpack boxes of albums and restock shelves with the latest releases. This week brings a slew of notable albums, including new stuff from Midwest rappers the Cool Kids, fathers of progressive rock Yes and James Franco's music project (naturally).

The Cool Kids
Though this is its first full-length, Chicago-based hip hop group the Cool Kids has released a handful of EPs and mixtapes, including its most recent: When Fish Ride Bicycles. The new album features collaborations with Pharrell, Ghostface Killah, Mayer Hawthorne and Asher Roth. Travis Barker also makes an appearance on "Sour Apples."

Kalup and Franco
Actor, director, author and performance artist James Franco, along with Linzy Kalup (a.k.a. Kalup and Franco), just debuted with Turn It Up. Clocking in at just seconds shy of twenty minutes, the EP is a slim three tracks and two remixes. Kalup and Franco released a video for the song "Rising" last month, which features a head shot montage of Franco and Kalup and a floating, ghostly weave. Kalup takes lead on vocals while Franco's image fades in and out throughout the video.

Yes
Prog-rock pioneers Yes's Fly From Here is the band's first album in ten years, since 2001's Magnification. Prior to the album's release, Geoff Downes returned to the band, taking the place of Oliver Wakeman on keyboards. The album's title track is separated into five pieces of an overture that spans 24 minutes. Yes is on tour with Styx in support of Fly From Here. The band will be making a stop in St. Louis on July 24 at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater.