Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Tame Impala - Innerspeaker

Surfer Blood now have some competition for debut album of 2k10 in Tame Impala's Innerspeaker (I'm not sure if the debut album by Broken Bells, which is essentially The Shins as produced by Danger Mouse, really counts).

Tame Impala hail from Australia.  Their sound mixes Beatlesesque vocals with some awesome psychedelic crunchy guitar granola. 

Check out Innerspeaker highlight "Runway, Houses, City, Clouds" here.

Tame Impala's MySpace

Friday, June 25, 2010

of Montreal - False Priest Details + Coquet Coquette MP3

I step out for an hour for lunch and come back to the most exciting news possible - a new song and full album details from of Montreal.  Their new record False Priest drops September 14.  That artwork above (a mutant warship invading heaven?) is the cover art.

And here's the tracklisting:

01) I Feel Ya' Strutter
02) Our Riotous Defects [ft. Janelle Monáe]
03) Coquet Coquette
04) Godly Intersex
05) Enemy Gene [ft. Janelle Monáe]
06) Hydra Fancies
07) Like a Tourist
08) Sex Karma [ft. Solange Knowles]
09) Girl Named Hello
10) Famine Affair
11) Casualty of You
12) Around the Way
13) You Do Mutilate?

You can download lead single "Coquet Coquette" straight from the band at their website.

No Age - Everything In Between

LA band No Age have announced details for their next album.  It's gonna be called Everything In Between.  It drops September 28.

Here's the tracklisting:

01) Life Prowler
02) Glitter
03) Fever Dreaming
04) Depletion
05) Common Heat
06) Skinned
07) Katerpillar
08) Valley Hump Crash
09) Sorts
10) Dusted
11) Positive Amputation
12) Shred and Transcend
13) Chem Trails

I had already been a fan of this band after listening to their previous album Nouns, but my favorite work of theirs is actually the Losing Feeling EP they released 'in between' (ugh) albums.

Since my friend Tanya looked at me like I had two heads when I used the term 'EP', to anyone reading who doesn't know, an EP is a music release that's bigger than a single (one song, and then maybe a b-side or two), but too short to be considered an album.  EP stands for 'extended play', while an album is an LP, for 'long-playing'.  Most EPs I've seen have about 4-7 songs on them.  All of this is practically meaningless in the age of the MP3, but I love having a singular body of music that's 15-20 minutes long, when you don't have time/patience to listen to a whole album.

With that lesson out of the way, No Age's Losing Feeling EP is awesome, and you should check it out while awaiting their upcoming full album.

Sup Pop Records: No Age - Losing Feeling

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Passion Pit - Tonight, Tonight (Smashing Pumpkins Cover)

Levi's Jeans appear to be joining Mountain Dew and Adult Swim in offering free new MP3s from indie buzzbands on their website. 

Check out the Levi's "Pioneer Sessions" website here.

All of the songs here are newly recorded covers.  They already had Dirty Projectors covering Bob Dylan's "I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine" and The Shins taking on Squeeze's "Goodbye Girl".

The latest addition is Passion Pit doing their take of Smashing Pumpkins' classic "Tonight, Tonight".  You can download it for free at the link above, you just have to give 'em your email address.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Futurama Returns

Futurama returns to the airwaves this Thursday at 10pm on Comedy Central.  It's been seven years (!) since the show was canceled on Fox.  During that time, the show gained a larger following alongside Family Guy on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim.  They've also released 4 feature length DVD releases in the interim.

It's awesome that we live in a time where great shows that ended too soon can be revived.  Now where's Arrested Development?

New Radiohead Record in 2k10

Radiohead guitarist Ed O' Brien has stated in an interview that the band's new album is 'hopefully' only 'a manner of weeks' until completion.  This isn't quite as exciting as the In Rainbows announcement, which was basically "we have a new album, it's done, you can download it for whatever price you want in a couple of weeks".  Nonetheless, Ed's statements strongly suggest that Radiohead's 8th record will see the light of day in 2k10, which is definitely good news.

Ed also indicates that the recording process is 'very different' from what they did last time, and that he feels like this is the best record they ever made.  I feel like artists/bands are always saying shit like that, so it doesn't mean much, but hey, it's new Radiohead.  That's enough said.

Monday, June 21, 2010

Arcade Fire - 4 Tracks from The Suburbs


Arcade Fire's third album The Suburbs drops on August 3.  The tracklisting is here.  Four songs from the album have been released/leaked - the title track, "Month of May", "Ready to Start", and "We Used to Wait".

So what do Arcade Fire sound like in 2k10?  Based on these four songs, the sound is less orchestral, more punchy than what we've heard previously from AF.

The Suburbs - The opening track, establishing the theme/mission statement for the record.  "You always seemed so sure that one day we'd be fighting in a suburban war".  But what are the suburbs, really?  Well they're the place where you raise a family.  Win sings about wanting a daughter while he's still young, but if that's too much to ask, send him a son.  I can relate.  I'm 28 and I absolutely want a family, seems like it's getting around the time when I should start.  There are two women in my life right now, but honestly, the prospects of starting a family with either of them anytime soon are not good.  Sound-wise, this track slowly saunters into the room, and BUILDS.

Ready to Start - You'd think that a song called "Ready to Start" would be the obvious choice for opening track, but no, this is Track #2.  I'd say that this is the best bridge between previous and current Arcade Fire.  I also feel like this song will be the soundtrack for movie trailers/commercials in the future.  "If I was scared, I would.  And if I was bored, you know I would.  And if I was yours, but I'm not".

Month of May - Arcade Fire have never done a riotous rocker like this before, and I love it.  There's a 1-2-3-4 followed by a heavy riff, and away we go.  "The kids are still standing with their arms folded tight, kids are still standing with their arms folded tight.  Well some things are good and some things are right, but the kids are still standing with their arms folded tight".  The message to me is that these days, everyone is too cool for school, the easiest thing to do is to not care too much about anything.  But that's no way to live.

We Used to Wait - A piano riff opens and provides the backbone for this track.  We used to write letters, we used to wait.  A children's choir joins in with Win towards the end of the song, to great effect.  I'm not sure exactly what Win was writing about, but what I take away from this song is that things have changed.  We used to wait for it.  Not anymore.

You can pre-order The Suburbs from Merge here.  If you do, you get to download "The Suburbs" and "Month of May" immediately.

Friday, June 18, 2010

Best Coast - Crazy for You

So many album detail announcements to catch up on, so little time.  Best Coast are FINALLY releasing a proper album (I don't think I've ever started listening to a band and had nothing but a random assortment of MP3s to listen to for so long).  It's called Crazy for You, and drops on July 27.

That's the album cover above.  It's cute.  We know Best Coast likes cats and California.  It is strangely without any weed references.

Crazy for You tracklisting:

01) Boyfriend
02) Crazy for You
03) The End
04) Goodbye
05) Summer Mood
06) Our Deal
07) I Want To
08) When the Sun Don't Shine
09) Bratty B
10) Honey
11) Happy
12) Each and Everyday

Bonus Track: When I'm With You

Well this is a surprise!  I totally thought this was gonna be one of those debut albums where you've heard half of the songs already, but that's not the case at all.  Those are 12 brand new tracks.  The only song I've heard is "When I'm With You", and it's been demoted to a 'bonus track'.

Kevin Barnes talks new oM Album/Tour with P4K

Kevin Barnes talked with Pitchfork about the new of Montreal record False Priest and its accompanying tour.  Check it out here.

What do we learn from the interview?

  • Kevin had a complete record put together (he always works solo in the studio) when he started working with Jon Brion.  So Brion couldn't technically be called the producer for False Priest, but he's helping to give it the best sound possible, improve the fidelity.  Programmed drums being replaced by real drums, hooray!
  • False Priest will have a heavy low end not typically found in indie rock albums.  It will rattle your car trunk.
  • Janelle Monae and Solange Knowles guest on the album.
  • of Montreal will tour with Janelle Monae once more and they're gonna put on a crazy fucking show the likes of which you have neither seen nor imagined.

Wolf Parade - Expo 86 Streaming on MySpace

You can stream Wolf Parade's new record Expo 86 on their MySpace here.  And you probably should, if you haven't illegally downloaded it already, it's a great record.  "Pobody's Nerfect" is an early favorite of mine.  I love the line "We built this city on cocaine lasers", even if I have no idea what that's supposed to mean.

MySpace.  It's the future of music.  But seriously, this trend of offering full streams of your upcoming album is a good idea that's catching on.

MGMT - It's Working (Video)



I really don't care one way or the other how 'controversial' an opinion this may be, but MGMT's Congratulations easily holds my top spot for album of the year so far.  Yeasayer's Odd Blood, Caribou's Swim, LCD Soundsystem's This Is Happening, and Wolf Parade's Expo 86 probably round out the Top 5.

I love "Time to Pretend", "Kids", and "Electrical Feel" as much as the next person, but pound-for-pound, Congrats is by far the superior album over Oracular Spectacular.  I've heard it said that MGMT are trying to fit too many ideas into single songs, which is quite possibly the dumbest criticism I've ever heard.  Oh no, too many ideas, I can't take it!  The album is totally more psychedelic freak out and less cool electro pop, and for that reason I can understand some negative reactions.  But I love this shit.

Anyway, even someone who doesn't love Congratulations could probably still love "It's Working", it's an awesome tune.  There's a lot of energy, and it's cool the way the chorus seems to flow into itself, if that makes sense.  "It's working in the blood.  But you know it's not the same as love, it's only in your mind, and not your heart.  It's working in the blood...".  And so on.

The MGMT boys have made a video for "It's Working", featuring a crazy contraption that gets out of control.  Check it out.

Arcade Fire Presents "The Suburbs"


Kanye West titled his 3rd album Graduation, which is incredibly appropriate.  The 3rd album from a band/artist often represents a graduation to another level.

In the most basic of terms, when a band releases their 3rd album, it means they've been around for at least a little while, and are still making records.  Arcade Fire have been a part of my life since 2k4, that's 6 years now.  They've already been with me through multiple stages of life.

There's also the matter of pure volume + variety of songs.  When I really love a debut album from a group, I spin it so many times that I'll usually get burned out, and I gotta put it down for a while.  But if that's the only record that a band has, that band basically ceases to exist for a time.  I played Vampire Weekend so much that I just couldn't listen to it anymore, and I didn't listen to the band at all for 6 months or so until Contra came out.

When Arcade Fire dropped their sophomore release Neon Bible, that was my fucking album.  Funeral is the better record, and will be very difficult for the band to top, but Neon Bible came around right at the height of my obsession, and perfectly fit my state of mind/state of being at the time.  It is rivaled only by of Montreal's Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? in number of plays on my iTunes.

Anyway, the point is, I had pretty much worn out both Funeral and Neon Bible.  A third album is very much needed from the group.  At this point their collection of songs will 'graduate' into a full catalog.  After I play this third album to death, I should be able to alternate between records and each will remain fresh.

As a general rule, a third album is also enough time for a band to progress and develop, and then release a record that is truly great.  The classic example for this would be Radiohead's OK Computer.  I suppose an exception to this would be Weezer, for whom many fans would be happy if they just stopped after sophomore release Pinkerton and left it at that.

Finally, a third album can often be a time when a band achieves a new level of commercial success and recognition.  LCD Soundsystem's recent release This Is Happening seems to be a good recent example.  I don't have the numbers in front of me, but I believe the record 'charted' more and got more 'mainstream' recognition than Sound of Silver did when it was released.  Spoon would be an exception to this rule - I believe it took their 5th or 6th album before they got to the level of awareness they have now.

Arcade Fire seem poised to follow this rule, however.  They're playing Madison Square Garden in upcoming shows, holy shit!  Their third album drops on August 3.  It's called The Suburbs.

Here's the tracklisting:

01. The Suburbs

02. Ready to Start
03. Modern Man
04. Rococo
05. Empty Room
06. City With No Children
07. Half Light 1
08. Half Light II (No Celebration)
09. Suburban War
10. Month of May
11. Wasted Hours
12. Deep Blue
13. We Used to Wait
14. Sprawl I (Flatland)
15. Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)
16 . The Suburbs (Continued)

You can pre-order The Suburbs from Merge here.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Wavves - Post Acid

Wavves are back.  New album King of the Beach will drop on August 3.  That colorful image with the chill lion creature smoking a J above will be the album cover.

Here's the tracklisting for the record:

01. King of the Beach
02. Super Soaker
03. Idiot
04. When Will You Come?
05. Post Acid
06. Take on the World
07. Baseball Cards
08. Convertible Balloon
09. Green Eyes
10. Mickey Mouse
11. Linus Spacehead
12. Baby Say Goodbye

I see "Mickey Mouse" on there, but where the hell is "Cool Jumper"?!  I love that song.  Frowny face.

Anyway, our first taste of King of the Beach is "Post Acid", and it comes to us courtesy of the Mountain Dew 'record company' Green Label Sound.  First Neon Indian, then Wavves, who's next, Mountain Dew?  Maybe I'm biased because I happen to love Mountain Dew, but I have absolutely no problem with my indie bands releasing music this way, it's cool.  Songs are offered for free, and they aren't 'tarnished' by being part of a commerical or whatever.


Considering that the production on previous record Wavvves was so rough that it was characterized by the term 'no-fi', damn this song sounds clean!  I'm totally cool with this too.  I loved Wavvves, but nowadays when the songs show up randomly on my iTunes DJ, the rough sound can be really harsh.  I'm ready to move on and hear what kind of record Nathan can produce in a studio, rather than his bedroom.  "Post Acid" is catchy and fun, I dig it.

You can listen to/download "Post Acid" from GLS here.

Neon Indian @ MH of WB Tonight, Sleep Paralasyst Video


I'm back!  I apologize to all my readers for my extended absence from this blog.  Life was kinda crazy for a bit there.  Still is actually, but I think I can divert some attention back to writing about music and other things that interest me once more.

What was I doing?  Well I spent a week in the town of Wallingford in Britain, where my market research company MMR is based.  We had some intense intellectual debates about market research stuff.  There was no time for sightseeing, though I made sure to hit a few pubs.  I was pursuing this girl Tanya, only to really hit it off her lovely sister Alicia.  I reconnected with my girl Nelly, introduced her to Alicia, and the 3 of us had an amazing experience together at the Mountain Jam music festival in Hunter, NY.  Life-altering type stuff.  As much as I'm into music, the highlights of the festival for me were decidedly non-musical.

Anyway, Neon Indian!  I love this band.  'Chillwave' is as ridiculous a genre label as 'grunge' and 'emo' before it, but who cares?  I see this dude Alan Paloma making awesome pop music for years to come, whether it's as Neon Indian, VEGA, Ghosthustler, or something else.  Psychic Chasms is a wonderful record, front to back.

I'm super excited to finally see Neon Indian live, and in one of my favorite (indoor) venues, Music Hall of Williamsburg.  It's sure to be an awesome time, though at the moment NEITHER of my two girlfriends will be joining me there and I need to find a companion.  (Don't you feel bad for me?  No?  Okay, I'll shut up).

You can watch the rad video for the Mountain Dew backed track "Sleep Paralasyst" (fucking hard to spell!) above.