VoxTalk highlights three albums from a strong week of releases, recent tour developments and other music news.

New albums (released Sept. 4):

Cat Power – Sun

Chan Marshall (aka Cat Power) goes electronic on her ninth studio album. Synths and drum machines compliment Marshall’s minimalistic guitar playing. Lyrically, the songstress looks inward, examining fractured relationships—what went wrong and why—by assuming a self-reflexive perspective.

Bob Mould – Silver Age

The former Hüsker Dü and Sugar frontman signed to famed indie label Merge Records for the release of Silver Age. The LP features drumming by Superchunk’s Jon Wurster and sees Mould returning to the luscious textures of his former band Sugar, while retaining the spirited angst he patented with Hüsker Dü.

Jens Lekman – I Know What Love Isn’t

Swedish songwriter Jens Lekman sings sad songs with delicacy. His cute, shy voice is surrounded by pianos and gentle guitar tones, but he aches. These are the sounds of a long term relationship crumbling, and Lekman airs every memory, regret and sentiment.

Courtesy of Secretly Canadian

Tours:

• Paul McCartney set a series of dates to close out his 2012 tour, including a stop at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis on Nov. 11.

• Rihanna announced a North American tour in support of her recent album, Talk That Talk.

Other tidbits:

• Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke’s side-project, Atoms for Peace (which also includes producer Nigel Godrich and Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Flea) released a new single, “Default,” (available now on iTunes) and announced that its debut album will come out in 2013.

• As expected, last night’s MTV Video Music Awards were a retched waste of two hours, however, R&B singer Frank Ocean provided a moment of artistic clarity with his performance of “Thinkin’ Bout You.”

Vox pick of the week:

Jens Lekman – “Become Someone Else’s”

The most upbeat tune on I Know What Love Isn’t. A country-tinged piano hook intertwines with a dance beat while Lekman pleads for everlasting love to a girl named Tracy (ostensibly his romantic partner). Despite it’s catchy melody, Lekman remains a tragic figure. “Sleeping on my arm till it becomes someone else’s,” he sings during the refrain. Oh, Jens. Cheer up! If you’re in a relationship with this Tracy girl, then stop being so damn melancholy.