My favourite experimental indie darlings took to their facebook page earlier this week to deliver this message: “Towards the end of this month we head to Texas and continue writing new songs and begin recording new album!” This news brought an incredibly massive smile to my face. Grizzly Bear's gorgeous third album, Veckatimest was released nearly two years ago. Surely it's time for more! No other details are available just yet.
Here's some older Grizzly Bear to tantalize your musical taste-buds!
Watch Death Cab For Cutie's latest video for “Home is a Fire.” The track will be included on the band's forthcoming album, Codes and Keys, out May 31. It's an interesting video; shots of an urban city with lyrics on signs and posters plastered around the town. The song itself is pretty awesome and has an underlying electronic vibe.
We have been give yet another taste from the Arctic Monkeys upcoming release Suck It And See, out June 7. In “Reckless Serenade” shaggy-haired Alex Turner sings about a pretty girl. We're talking really pretty. The track's opening lyric: “Topless models doing semaphore wave their flags as she walks by and get ignored.” Now you get the idea. It's a little happier then “Brick By Brick” and “Don't Sit Down” and sounds like it'll be the uplifting, lovestruck track on the album.
A few days ago, Lady Gaga tweeted the album cover of her highly anticipated record Born This Way, which will finally be released next month. I thought it was a joke, as did many others, but then over the weekend, she tweeted a photo of her holding a copy as proof that it really does exist. My first thought was: WTF?! I can kind of understand where she was coming from, trying to be really bold and bizarre. Born as a motorcycle will definitely get you bizarre. It's giving me an 80's Spinal Tap vibe. Ironically, the band was really a joke.
In other Gaga news, she also unveiled her second single off Born This Way, just in time for Easter (Ha!). “Judas” is a synth heavy electronic number complete with fake accents and biblical references. I strongly disliked it upon my first listen and thought, how the hell can you go from “Poker Face” and “Bad Romance” to this...? I forced myself to give it another chance and wouldn't you know it? I caved. I don't think it's her absolute best work, but it's not completely horrible. Listen below.
Death Cab For Cutie will soon release their seventh effort, Codes and Keys and have given us another taste of the album. “Some Boys” is a catchy track that has more electronic undertones then are usually found in Death Cab songs. I'm diggin' it.
It was announced today that Kings of Leon will be releasing a documentary chronicling their rise to fame. Talihina Sky will show us how the Followill brothers (plus cousin) struggled with ditching their religious upbringing for good old rock n' roll. It features some never-before-seen footage and revealing interviews by the band and their father, Ivan Leon.
As a huge fan of the band (I've been addicted since Youth and Young Manhood!), I'm obviously looking forward to checking this out. However, there's a tiny part of me that is seeing this as just another Followill cash-grab. Their last album, Come Around Sundown was alright. They kept up their mainstream sound and pretty much lost every ounce of their KOL originality. Yet, I still love them. I try really hard not to judge a band's career on a single album, but rather their entire musical background. In which case, they are an incredible band. I don't know why, but I have a strong feeling they'll return to their musical roots eventually...
The documentary is set to be shown at the Tribeca Film Festival later this month. There's no word yet on when it will be released worldwide. For now, you can watch the trailer below.
Death Cab For Cutie made history today when they streamed their video for “You Are A Tourist” live as it was being filmed. It had a very cute concept, complete with LED lights, projected patterns and a group of female dancers. I think it turned out to be a success and may just inspire other artists to do the same. You can watch the video below. You'll have to skip ahead about 16 minutes to get to the start of the actual music video though. Enjoy!
Stephen Colbert appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on Friday evening and performed his own rendition of ... you guessed it, “Friday.” He was joined by Fallon, The Roots, the New York Knicks City Dancers and ...Taylor Hicks?! It's pretty hilarious. All for charity, Fallon raised $26, 000 for Donors Choose. Click here to watch the clip!
Viral video star and “singer” Rebecca Black is currently battling Ark Music Factory, the production company behind her track “Friday.” According to Rolling Stone, 13-year-old Black and her mother, Georgina Marquez Kelly, are accusing the company of copyright infringement and the unlawful exploitation of publicity rights. They claim that Ark has failed to provide them with the master recordings of her song and video, created a ringtone and advertise Black as an exclusive Ark artist. Rolling Stone reports: “Ark Music Factory founder Patrice Wilson denied most of the allegations... “I have met with Rebecca Black's mom and everything is fine,” he said. “She will get the masters and the song. They can have it all.”'
Something smells fishy here. I think it may have to do with a young girl and her mom desperately trying to soak every ounce of her 15 minutes. Let's hope her time runs out soon. Am I a horrible person for not sympathizing for someone who clearly doesn't have much musical talent and is making a mockery of modern music? I know, there are a lot of craptacular songs out there, and I guess "Friday" fits into that category. If she was taking the comedic route, then I could understand, but she takes herself very seriously and that's not something I can stomach. She thinks she's a good singer. It's like watching those poor people on American Idol who have no singing ability, but truly believe they have the best voice in America. She needs to be informed. Someone please, inform her! And I don't mean with hate mail. Someone needs to take her aside and nicely explain that if she wants to be taken seriously, she must improve her singing voice and lyrical subject matter. Rant complete.
Speaking of taking the comedic route, The Lonely Island have returned with “We're Back.” The SNL trio will be releasing their second album Turtleneck & Chain on May 10. I mostly fell in love with the video because America Ferrera is in the first few seconds, and I love her. But the song is pretty funny. If you like dick jokes, watch below!
In other news, Ben Gibbard of Death Cab For Cutie will be playing the role of Christopher Cross in the latest Russell Brand flick, Arthur. Christopher Cross was an 80's pop singer who is best known for “Sailing” and “Best That You Can Do.” He performed the latter in the original Arthur film in 1981. Gibbard will also be contributing a solo song to the soundtrack entitled “When The Sun Goes Down.” With some light galloping drum work and Gibbard's usual calm tone, it makes for a nice chillin' track.
A studio version of Death Cab For Cutie's “You Are A Tourist” has finally surfaced online. The song will appear on their upcoming album Codes and Keys, out May 31. It sounds a lot peppier and definitely more uplifting then the Death Cab we've come to know over the years. I think it may have to do with frontman Ben Gibbard's move from Washington to L.A to be with his wife, the gorgeous Zooey Deschanel. You are a tourist? Sounds like something that could come from a move across the country...right?
There has been a video floating about online for one of the The Strokes' new jams, “Call Me Back.” Apparently, for those who pre-ordered their album Angles, the band sent them a link to download this video. It was created by guitarist and indie rock solo star, Albert Hammond Jr.! The clip consists of slow motion water droplets and a woman who walks through a waterfall. Very nice. Watch below!
In other news, Lil Wayne wants to be remembered like John Lennon. You read right! In Weezy's latest release, “If I Die Today,” he raps a chorus as follows: “If I die today, remember me like John Lennon / Buried in Louis, I’m talking all brown linen.” Yes, he is definitely an awesome rapper, with more then a few unbelievably catchy tracks, but has he or will he ever accomplish what Lennon had in his career? Uhhh.... probably not. It's certainly nice to dream though. Anyway, listen to his new track below.
Washington-based, indie rock Death Cab For Cutie, have announced via their website that they will be releasing their seventh effort, Codes and Keys on May 31. Frontman Ben Gibbard told Spin last year that their next album wouldn't be as guitar-based, while in a recent BBC interview, guitarist Chris Walla mentioned that they have been experimenting with synths and reverb. He also said that the first single will be called "You Are A Tourist." I'm looking forward to it. Sometimes there's nothing like a little Death Cab to get your day going.
Phoenix, the alternative synth-pop quartet of Versailles, France, are also currently working on their next album. No word yet when the record will be released, however in an interview with Austailian website Pedestrian TV, frontman Thomas Mars explained that their followup to 2009's incredible Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, will be "experimental," "minimal" and "futuristic." He also mentioned that the band plans to hire a Byron Bay orchestra to record some drum samples. It seems as though they are becoming slightly bored and frustrated with their usual pop routine and hope to infuse some change into their sound. You can watch the interview here.
James Blake, the soulful dubstep producer from London, England, has recently released his self-titled debut to much critical acclaim. I feel almost lost and confused in all the hype of this album. While I can agree that some tracks are artistically beautiful, I feel like others drag on to a point where they lose their interesting edge. His bass-heavy, ambient sound is quite different in the realm of modern mainstream music, which of course is a good thing; it's nice to see different sounds being praised. However, I'm not sure I believe all the hype surrounding this particular record. Watch the video below of James Blake's "Limit To Your Love" and judge for yourself.
