Monday, March 31, 2014

The Antlers New Album Info


New York indie darlings The Antlers will release their new album, Familiars in June. The band produced the record on their own. Take a look at the cover, above, and the tracklisting, as well as the new video for "Palace," below.

01 Palace
02 Doppelgänger
03 Hotel
04 Intruders
05 Director
06 Revisited
07 Parade
08 Surrender
09 Refuge

Quick News

Robert Smith is opening up about the forthcoming Cure album, 4:14 Scream, the sequel to 2008's 4:13 Dream. Speaking to XFM, Smith does not seem to be too thrilled about the upcoming record, saying, "We're in a weird predicament in that I've finished singing and mixing an album that was made by a band that no longer exists. I'm not sure it happens that often. This band is trying to make an album with this lineup, and it's an album that I'm tempted to make, that's really different to anything else we've done. So trying to be convinced that I should release the second half of what is an effectively an album that came out in 2008, it's a bit of a sore point, really, to be honest, amongst this current lineup." He then went on to say that 4:14 Scream will be released this summer and with The Cure's current line-up they will be recording a new album soon.

 Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers will release their new album, Hypnotic Eye, this summer.

Odd Future fans hoping to hear Earl Sweatshirt and Tyler, The Creator's project, EarlWolf, will be disappointed to find out that Tyler seems to be scrapping the project. He took to his SpringMe page and wrote, "im serious. i dont want to do it anymore and to be honest it will never live up to the expectations of people that really want it. not that that really matters, but, im not in the mindframe to do a whole album of that shit. i dont want to do it. maybe one day when i dont want to make clothing and furniture and gay ass fruity music about lakes and shit, ill get back around to hard hitting raps, but the way things are looking, its only gonna get worse until i turn full fag.”

Taking the music listening experience to a whole new level, former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Fruscante has sent his new album, ENCLOSURE into space. Over the weekend, he sent the album into space and now, fans can download and stream the album via a free app. According to a press release, "When Sat-JF14 hovers over a user's geographic region, ENCLOSURE will be unlocked, allowing users to listen to the album for free on any iOs or Android mobile device."

A brand new Michael Jackson album, XSCAPE will be released in May. The album, which features redone unreleased MJ tracks overseen by L.A. Reid and production by Timbaland, Rodney Jerkins, Stargate, Jerome "Jroc" Harmon, and John McClain. Take a look at the cover below:

LISTEN! The Flaming Side of the Moon

Massive Pink Floyd fans, The Flaming Lips, have released a companion piece to the iconic British band's landmark album, Dark Side of the Moon, called The Flaming Side of the Moon. This companion piece is intended to be listened to at the same time as Dark Side, as well as Wizard of Oz, which, as folklore suggests, synches perfectly with the Floyd record. Take a listen!

Sunday, March 30, 2014

EXCLUSIVE! Kevin Seconds INTV!

Since 1978, Kevin Seconds has not stopped making music and living the life he has wanted. From fronting the influential punk and hardcore band 7Seconds to his side projects and his solo career, Seconds has seen and done it all. At 53, he is still showing no signs of stopping thanks to the release of his latest solo album, Off Stockton. We had the honor of speaking to the legend about his career, new record, and being the influential man that he is. Take a look at our interview with Seconds below:


What did you do for "Off Stockton" that you have never done before?


I actually went into my friend David Houston's studio (Moon Studio, Sacramento) where I recorded it with a complete album finished and usually, I have bits and pieces of mostly finished songs and I just come up with the rest as we record. Initially, I had intended to release a record recorded entirely on my iPhone and iPad but once I went in and talked with David about it, I sort of decided that I should at least spend a little more time on some of the songs and see what I came up with. I'm happy I did because I love how the album came together and how it ended up.

What does the name, "Off Stockton" signify?

Stockton Boulevard is one of Sacramento's main arteries and it is somewhat controversial in that, some of the worst neighborhoods in the city are dissected by Stockton Blvd. It gets a bad rap because there is some prostitution and sketchy drug shit going down on parts of the street but there is also this really great little part of it with cool restaurants, cafes, a theater and 2 of the best punk rock venues in town, Cafe Colonial and the Colony. At the time, I was living just off Stockton and David's studio is just off Stockton and so...off Stockton :)

So many singers from punk bands like yourself, Chuck Ragan, Brian Fallon, Dave Hause, Frank Turner, have all gone and done the singer/songwriter style, leaving the band behind for a more personal sound. Why is this? Is this a trend we will keep seeing?

I have no idea. I started focusing on playing solo and on an acoustic guitar in the late 80's and began touring on my own shortly after that. In Sacramento, I have hosted several singer-songwriter showcases and open mics since 1993 and it helped me refine my songwriting and grow as a solo performer. At first, I was terrified. Just standing up their with my acoustic guitar feeling raw and naked and vulnerable. It took playing tiny
cafe and art gallery gigs to get up the gumption to take it on the road and I just never stopped.

I also never had plans to leave the band behind and I haven't. The other guys in 7Seconds have kids and job commitments and were unable to tour as much as we once did but I was still very much into getting in the van and playing all over so the solo thing enabled me to do that and do it fairly seamlessly.

After doing your thing with 7Seconds so long and releasing solo material, what is it about being a solo artist that you enjoy?

The independence. Not having to worry about other people and problems and attitudes. I also like to be punctual and I like to stop and smell the roses, so to speak, and sometimes with other people, you're limited to things by them. I also love that I can play literally anywhere. Bars, cafes, record stores, people's houses, on the street...I don't anything but me and my guitar. It's great!

Your wife sings and performs with you on "Off Stockton," what is it like working with your other half?

Allyson is amazing and makes me want to sing better because she sings so sweetly. We don't get to tour much together - not yet anyway - but we do play together often and it's always my favorite thing to do. She loves and gets my songs and her sense of harmony perfectly complements them.

The album is very lush and is more than just a folk record, was that your intention making it?

Like I said, I first thought it was a great idea to release a record I recorded on my phone...hahaha!  But honestly, I just wanted to make something that people would immediately identify as folk music. I've shied away from that because I'm a punk rock kid at heart and for some reason, folk music is equated with hippies and Joan Baez - which, to be honest, does not bother me one single bit - but I listen to a lot of Woody Guthrie and Dave Von Ronk and the Carter Family and Townes Van Zandt and Phil Ochs and I just tried to make a stripped-down record with heart and soul. I wasn't concerned about punk rockers not liking it. I've been doing this long enough to know that most punk rockers out there don't like my solo stuff. So be it.

 It has been nine years since the last 7Seconds record, will the band ever record again?

We will, indeed. We just spent the last couple of months recording a record in Southern California with Steve Kravac who produced and engineered our Good To Go album from 1999. We recorded 14 brand new songs and we have a new album coming out on Rise Records in late May. It's called Leave A Light On and personally, I think it's the best thing we've ever done. Does that sound arrogant?  Hahaha.

Craig Finn of The Hold Steady once proclaimed in his band's song, "Stay Positive," that "It was the early 7Seconds that taught us some of life's most valuable lessons." Knowing that is directed at you, how do you respond to that?

It's very sweet. I've never met Craig or the band but we were honored by the mention. As a 'high five' back to the Hold Steady, I slyly name-checked them in one of my songs on my last solo record, Don't Let Me Lose Ya. See if anyone can figure out where it is.

Growing up in Reno, it had a tremendous impact on your music, all of these years later, does your hometown still influence you?

It probably would more if I still lived there. The other guys in the band still do. I moved back to Sacramento in 1988 so I'm only up there to play, practice with the band and see my Mom and family who still live there. Without a doubt though, Reno shaped 7Seconds as a band. In all likelihood, without Reno there would have been no 7Seconds. We're still a Reno band.

You have traveled so much of the world, where is your favorite place to play a show and why?

It still changes. Over the years it has been Trenton, New Jersey, L.A., Reno, Berlin, Sacramento, Austin, New York City, London, Boston. Lately, I'd have to say anywhere in Italy and Spain.

At 53, you are still hitting the road and looking like a non-stop train going at full speed. How long do you think you will keep going?

This last tour almost killed me. It's the first non-7Seconds tour where I actually felt like I had been taken out and brutally beaten for about 2 and a half straight weeks. I'm pretty sure it was because I traveled completely alone so I was doing all the long drives, through Arizona and New Mexico and Texas, by myself and getting shitty sleep, eating crappy food and playing every night. If I continue onward, I'm going to need to find someone to help me drive and maintain my sanity :)

From playing in bands to your solo work, what is your fondest memory as a musician?

Seeing so many beautiful places for the first time. From pulling up to play our first Sunday afternoon matinee show at CBGBs to traveling around on the bullet train to get from gig to gig in Japan. There are so many lovely memories, I'd feel weird about trying to nail down just one for you.

Friday, March 28, 2014

Peter Murphy Album Teaser


As we mentioned earlier this week, former Bauhaus frontman Peter Murphy will be releasing his new solo album, Lion, in June. Take a look at the album's epic six-minute teaser video which previews a number of the LP's tracks.

The National on Fallon


Watch The National perform "This is the Last Time" on The Tonight Show!

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Live Pix: Grouplove @ Terminal 5


Last night, pop-rockers Grouplove stormed Terminal 5 and threw an amazing party and cranked up the heat despite the cold outside. An amazing live band with an unbelievable stage show and lighting grid that has us still blind.

Our photo correspondent Le-La Cloutier was on hand to capture some of the action. Take a look at the live pix, below:







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Quick News

Taking to social media, rock icons Living Colour have confirmed they are working on a new album. No word as to when it been released.

As we wait for Wu-Tang Clan's new album, A Better Tomorrow, apparently we will be getting another Wu record soon, however, the delivery of it will be far different than one could imagine. The hip-hop icons will release Once Upon a Time in Shaolin, and only one physical copy of the record will be made. According to RZA in an interview with Forbes magazine, the album will make a tour in museums, art galleries, and festivals and patrons will be charged a fee to listen to the record on headphones provided by the venue in which the record is being played. The production of the record stems back as far as 1997 and the LP has been being made in secret since then, it will also feature all of the original members of the Wu. No word as to when it will be released, but RZA said to Forbes, "We’re making a single-sale collector’s item. This is like somebody having the scepter of an Egyptian king." After the tour is over, the group will make the album available for purchase for a price "in the millions."

Following the release of Out Among the Stars, Johnny Cash's son, John Carter Cash, told The Guardian that more albums are on the way. He said, "There are a few things that are in the works right now – probably four or five albums if we wanted to release everything. There may be three or four albums' worth of American Recordings stuff, but some of it may never see the light of day."

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of Kurt Cobain's passing, the iconic Nirvana singer is getting his own comic book. The comic will be apart of Blue Water Productions' tribute series and will be available next month. The comic chronicles his life growing up in Seattle to his untimely death.

Bjork will be joining Nas this year as part of the documentaries making their premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival next month. Nas will be opening the festival with his documentary, Time is Illmatic, about the making of his landmark debut. Bjork will be releasing Biophilia Live, a live doc about her inspiring 2011 Biophilia project and tour. Take a look at the film's poster below:

Fu Manchu New Album Details


For the first time in five years, Fu Manchu will be releasing a brand new record. The album, Giganoid, will arrive at the end of April. Take a look at the cover, above, and the tracklisting, below.

1. Dimension Shifter
2. Invaders On My Back
3. Anxiety Reducer
4. Radio Source Sagittarius
5. Mutant
6. No Warning
7. Evolution Machine
8. Triplanetary
9. The Last Question

VINTAGE CLIP: Kraftwerk Live in 1970


Next week, we will be covering Kraftwerk's 3-D concert from New York's United Palace Theater, in a coincidental event, a recent YouTube video was uploaded featuring the band in their very early, pre- man / robot days performing on the German TV show, Rockpalast. Take a look!

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Peter Murphy New Album Info


As we mentioned yesterday, Bauhaus frontman Peter Murphy will be releasing his new album, Lion in June. Now, Murphy has released more details about his forthcoming 10th solo album, including the cover, above, and the tracklisting, below:

1. "Hang Up"
2. "I Am My Own Name"
3. "Low Tar Stars"
4. "I'm On Your Side"
5. "Compression"
6. "Holy Clown"
7. "The Rose"
8. "The Ghost of Shokan Lake"
9. "Eliza"
10. "Loctaine"
11. "Lion"

Jake Bugg Announces New EP


Jake Bugg will be releasing a new EP in May called Messed Up Kids. The EP is based around a track off last year's awesome Shangri-La record he put out with producer Rick Rubin, as well as three additional tracks Rubin produced that never made the LP's final cut. 

Take a look at the cheeky cover, above, and the tracklisting, as well as the video for "Messed Up Kids," below. The EP will be availble as a download and 10." 

'Messed Up Kids'
'A Change In The Air'
'Strange Creatures'
'The Odds'

Quick News

Speaking to The New Zealand Herold, Damon Albarn revealed that the recent Big Day Out festival in Australia would have been Blur's last. The band famously bailed on the festival citing organizational reasons. Albarn said, "This is as frank as I'm prepared to be about what happened. That was going to be the last Blur show – the end of playing together – and I didn't want it to finish on anything other than a very positive note, because Blur is incredibly precious to all of us." He added then added, "They [the organizers] weren't being straight with me about things, which they needed to be, and at that point I became disillusioned because I didn't want what we'd done throughout the year, with Blur, to be undermined or tarnished in any way, by a show that wasn't going to be what we wanted to do. We'd been playing for six months solidly, around the world, so I knew that we would deliver a fantastic show, a great performance and a communal event, which everyone would have enjoyed. All I asked was that the organization recognized that and I didn't feel they did. So, that's why, unfortunately, we couldn't come."

Frank Ocean has confirmed via Instagram photos that he is working on his sophomore album.

Pretenders frontman Chrissie Hynde will release her debut solo album, Stockholm, in June. The record was produced by Bjorn Yttling of Peter Bjorn and John.

A Sunny Day in Glasgow will release their new album, Sea When Absent, in June.

The Pains of Being Pure At Heart have pushed back the release of their forthcoming album, Days of Abandon, to May 13.

Did Chris Rock come up with the hook for Jay Z's infamous "99 Problems?" According to producer Rick Rubin, Rock came up with the idea for the chorus. Speaking to New York magazine, Rubin said, "Actually, Chris Rock had the idea for the chorus. It’s based on an Ice-T song called “99 Problems,” and he said, “Ice-T has this song, and maybe there’s a way to flip it around and do a new version of that.” And I told Jay Z the idea and he liked it. The Ice-T song is about “got 99 problems and a b***h ain’t one,” and then it’s a list of him talking about his girls and what a great pimp he is. And our idea was to use that same hook concept, and instead of it being about the girls that are not his problem, instead of being a bragging song, it’s more about the problems. Like this is about the other side of that story."

Girl Talk & Freeway Announce Collab EP


Girl Talk and Freeway have been collaborating since the fall on music and now, the duo have announced Broken Ankles EP, which will arrive on April 8 as a download. In a press statement, Girl Talk himself Greg Gillies said, "I wanted to work closer to traditional song structure compared to my last few albums, but still include some detailed sample splicing and change-ups when it felt appropriate. The overall structure is what I thought worked best with Freeway's style... It's always important to me to have an album that works as a whole; something that has a calculated flow to it, which is intended to be listened to front to back."

Take a look at the cover, above, and the tracklisting below:

01 Broken Ankles Intro
02 Tolerated [ft. Waka Flocka Flame]
03 Tell Me Yeah [ft. Young Chris]
04 I Can Hear Sweat [ft. Jadakiss]
05 Suicide
06 Lived It

Four Tet's FULL SXSW Boiler Room Set


Earlier this month at SXSW, Four Tet performed at Ray Ban x Boiler Room's SXSW Warehouse. The entire performance is now available for you to watch and wish you were there. Take a look!

Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings on Kimmel



Watch the always incredible Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings perform "People Don't Get What They Deserve" and "Making Up and Breaking Up" on Kimmel!

The Hold Steady on Letterman


Watch The Hold Steady perform their thunderous new single, "Spinners" on Letterman!

Vampire Weekend on Fallon


Watch Vampire Weekend perform "Unbelievers" on The Tonight Show!

Monday, March 24, 2014

VINTAGE CLIP: Deftones / Jonah Matranga Perform Together in 1997


After we posted our interview with the always amazing, Jonah Matranga over the weekend, we came across this gem from 1997. Deftones were on tour with Sepultura and Far, who at the time Mantranga was fronting. At a stop at New York City's Irving Plaza, someone recorded their performance of "Be Quiet and Drive" on what looks like VHS, which makes it even better. Take a look at Deftones and Matranga going crazy and go ahead, reminise about the '90's.

Black Keys New Album Details


After announcing their new album, Turn Blue in a strange video via Mike Tyson's Twitter account on Friday, The Black Keys have detailed more about the forthcoming record arriving in May. Turn Blue was produced by Danger Mouse and according to a press release, "Turn Blue could refer to: A: Suffocation B: Sadness C: Numbness from extreme cold D: A Cleveland late night TV host from the 1960s named Ghoulardi E: All of the above."Anyway, take a look at the cover, above, and the tracklisting, below, as well as hear the new single, "Fever." 

01 Weight of Love
02 In Time
03 Turn Blue
04 Fever
05 Year in Review
06 Bullet in the Brain
07 It’s Up to You Now
08 Waiting on Words
09 10 Lovers
10 In Our Prime

11 Gotta Get Away


Quick News

Sad news to report, the founder and singer of influential metal band GWAR, David Brockie, was found dead in his apartment over the weekend in Richmond, Virginia. The singer, who went by the stage name Oderus Urungus, was 50 years old. The cause of death has not been announced.

Peter Murphy will release his new solo album, Lion, in June.

Speaking to Billboard magazine, Aretha Franklin has confirmed that Andre 3000 is working with The Queen of Soul on her new record. The album, which is also getting the help of Babyface, does not have a release.

For the first time since 1991, Pixies will release a brand new album. However, fans of the band should not get too excited since the record is just a mere compilation of the three EP's the band surprised fans with last year. The record called, Indie Cindy, will arrive next month. The album will not feature member Kim Deal on any of the bass tracks, nor will it feature her two replacements that have succeeded her position, instead it will feature Ding aka Simon Archer on the basslines. Take a look at the tracklisting below:
01 What Goes Boom
02 Greens and Blues
03 Indie Cindy
04 Bagboy
05 Magdalena 318
06 Silver Snail
07 Blue Eyed Hexe
08 Ring the Bell
09 Another Toe in the Ocean
10 Andro Queen
11 Snakes
12 Jaime Bravo


Sunday, March 23, 2014

EXCLUSIVE! Jonah Matranga INTV!

Like many singer / songwriters, the life and times of Jonah Matranga are reflected in his music. If he is fronting a band or working on his solo material, the indie icon has put his heart and mind on his sleeve for decades and has made no apologies of it, in fact, he has made a career of it. Matranga, who will release his latest record, Me And You Are Two, under his famous moniker onelinedrawing on Tuesday. Instead of getting funding from a label (major or indie) he went and did it on his own and went to his loyal fan base for help by launching a Kickstarter campaign. It is something he has tried before and it works. After listening to the album, Me And You Are Two, I felt it was his most intimate to date. Even with a string of intimate and personal recordings, this is Matranga exposing himself even more in his music. Songs like "You're What Went Right" are about his daughter, which comes to be one of the biggest motifs of the album. It is an LP about parenting, being a single parent, being a parent that has to travel but being there for the person in your life that means the most. The record even takes a turn and looks at religion, songs like "Yr Will" is what he told me was his most agnostic prayerful song to date, and it is indeed just that. With so much to explore on this record, from how it was made to how it was funded, even after all these years, Matranga is still teaching and guiding his listeners.

With his campaign being a success and as he gears up to celebrate the fruits of his labor and hard work, I spoke with him about his latest creation, his upcoming tour, and what still makes him tick. Take a look at our interview below.

You went back to using the Onelinedrawing moniker, but it comes with a twist, you now go by Jonah’s Onelinedrawing. Why the switch?

JONAH: Actually, Jonah's onelinedrawing was the very first name for the project, then it just got shortened to onelinedrawing. Then I put out some albums under my full name. Then I got really tired of people somehow misspelling Matranga consistently. Mostly, I just kinda missed the onelinedrawing thing. There's something about it. Also, this just felt like a onelinedrawing record, whatever that means. Have I told you lately that I'm a weirdo?

Your latest record, Me and You Are Two also plays on your old Onelinedrawing stage prop, R2D2, whatever happened to R2?

JONAH: The Are Too thing started out in 1999, just as a goofy little joke to have my beat presented in a different way. For whatever reason, people really took to it. We've had some good times. That said, I think I have some sorta reflex where if I sense that something is overshadowing the actual music, I'll ditch it. Are Too was kind of like that. We did some counseling, though, and we're giving it another try.

What inspired the title of the record?

JONAH: Well, aside from my insatiable love of puns, it is in many ways an album about me attempting to remember the obvious yet somehow difficult-to-grasp truth that I'm my own creature, and so is everyone else. As simple as that sounds, it can be tricky for me, especially when it's a person I love deeply, on whatever level. I've got some very codependent tendencies that can lead to me taking care of other people before I take care of myself, which might sound sweet, but it really hardly ever works out well for anyone. It's the whole oxygen mask on the plane thing. Of course the instinct is to give it to your kid or someone else, but if you pass out before you've given them the mask, then no one gets the mask.

This record was totally fan funded via Kickstarter. Were you afraid to do it fan funded? The dilemma many face today is not getting the fund goal, was that a factor for you at any time?
JONAH: I've made my last bunch of records that way. I love the personal, interactive nature of it. I've kind of always done stuff that way, way before Kickstarter. As for any sort of fear around that, it's my intention never to lose those nerves about no one showing up. I think that's a healthy humility. I've always set my Kickstarter goals much lower than most of the goals I see. Partly that's because I like doing things in a much less expensive, much more DIY way than most musicians seem to, partly that's because I'm grateful anyone wants to support me in that way, partly that's because it'd suck to have all those people help out and then not reach some silly goal.

You always have had the “Pay Whatever You Want” Yard Sale style of concert tickets, merchandise and now the funding of this record. Was this a natural progression for you?

JONAH: Yea, exactly. Even when I was a kid and I'd have a an actual yard sale, I wouldn't put prices on stuff. I really enjoy the conversation about value, fair exchange, trust, all of that.

The very cool thing you did to promo this album was the cool stuff you were bundling with the album orders. Do you feel now that the Jonah shop is bigger and better than before?

JONAH: Haha, maybe. I'm always messing with the ways I sell stuff, playing with ways to have exchange be interesting. Mixing money and music can get so boring, which for me defeats the purpose of the whole thing.

What did you do differently musically on this record that you have not done before?

JONAH: This has been the most purely self-made record I've made since the Sketchy EPs, and before that, my very first cassette recordings back in the day. Even for my other solo records, friends would pop by to play something, or we'd write a song together, or who knows. I actually really wanted this record to be that way. The original title was 'I Really Love Yr Company', and the idea was gonna be very collaborative and interactive. Then, for so many reasons and none at all, I just came to believe that this was one to really make on my own, with the old-school Are Two beats, just bring it back home. Even though it never left home, really. The title really became a mirror image of the original title. Life's funny that way.

From major labels to indie labels to now doing it all DIY, does the business of music become as frustrating as it seems?

JONAH: I dunno, I think it's kind of like getting mad at the sun or something. I can't control circumstance, only my attitude. I've tried lots of different things over the years. They all have their points that could be thought of as more simple or difficult, better or worse. Really, while I can get in a bad mood as quickly and intensely as anyone, I just don't believe in obstacles or frustration or whatever. I think whatever this life is or isn't, it's just the most fun to think of it as nothing but a gift. It also makes the most sense to me, actually. So when it comes to stuff about career, technology, money, success, all these kind of abstract terms, I just think time spent worrying about stuff like that is no fun. It's actually pretty insulting to the billions of people that have much more primal, palpable problems, too, but that's a whole other conversation.

Over the years you have become friends with so many amazing musicians that always praise you and your work. From Chino of Deftones, to Geoff Rickley, Lupe Fiasco, and so on, have you ever tried to get everyone in a room together to make a noise as a collective?

JONAH: Oh, so many times. Just about every record, really. In between records, too. Once in a while it happens, and I always love it. I just made a couple of songs with J Robbins that will be coming out soon on a 7", which has been pretty much a lifelong dream. For better or worse, though, I have this belief that if too much effort is putting into something, with some expectation of a specific result, that isn't the kind of fun I want.

You are once again about to hit the road to support this record, your shows, for so many, including myself, are so emotionally involved in every way possible. Do you ever find it draining to do it night after night?

JONAH: It's a really interesting way of using energy, no doubt. While it's definitely draining in really mysterious ways, it's even energizing and nourishing, which is perfectly paradoxical. Whether it's 5 or 500 or 5000 or whatever, when everyone is in that room giving what they give, some pretty amazing stuff can happen. It's one of my favorite places to be in the world.

When hitting the road, what is the one thing you have to have with you at all times and why?

JONAH: A toothbrush and toothpaste. It's not that I brush my teeth obsessively or anything, it can just really help me feel clean and refreshed when I've been driving all day and not had a decent sleep or shower in a while. Also, bad breath bugs me, so I do what I can to avoid having it.

Speaking of being on the road, I imagine it allows you to listen to so much music. What are you enjoying these days?

JONAH: I'm always curious about new stuff. That said, I actually love listening to stuff that most people would't think of musical while driving a lot, whether it's spoken-word or the sound of the road or my weird imagination. Also, I spend a lot of time listening to ideas of mine or ideas made by friends, just seeing what might become of them.

When you sit back and look at your career, what do you see?

JONAH: Hmm. I see a really fun, weird adventure. Curiosity. Recklessness. Passion. Work. Play. A life being well-lived.

 From being in very influential bands to being a very influential solo artist, what still makes Jonah Matranga tick creatively?

JONAH: I definitely think that not thinking about what makes me tick too much is a good way to keep ticking, creatively or otherwise. I'm as self-analytical as anyone, and I'm always looking to lovingly let go of the more narcissistic parts of that. That said, I suppose just maintaining a childlike sense of curiosity is something I try to keep some attention on. Just check myself that I'm not getting complacent or habitual. A while back, I had this thought that there's really no reason to stop having new ideas. In fact, I think it's impossible. So I just keep letting them in and seeing what happens.

Playlist


Take a look at March's 28 song playlist and listen / get / share it on Spotify!

Quick News

Killer Mike gave a massive update to Rolling Stone on the new Run the Jewels album, as well as his solo work. He said about the new Run the Jewels album, that he and El-P are crafting a new sound, saying it is, "much darker and much harder than I thought it would be. It's pushed me into some darker crevices of my personality." The group hope to have it out by the summer as they finish recording very soon.

Killer Mike then gave an update to his sequel to 2012's brilliant R.A.P. Music, he hopes to have R.A.P. Music II out by the fall. About the concept of the record, he said, "It's that child that discovered rap about eight or nine years old. And he is attempting the Herculean task of becoming one of those greats." After all of that is finished, he will have a busy schedule lined up as he finished I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind IV and a new project called The Elegant Elephant, that he describes as "new and fresh and weird and wild and wonderful and dynamic."

Next month, Danny Brown will reissue his 2008 Hot Soup as a double vinyl and 2X CD set that will feature remixes, B-Sides, demos, and alternate versions of songs that appeared on the original version.

Speaking to NME, The Horrors frontman Faris Badwin expressed his band's constant musical evolution, saying, "We started making music as a really primal thing, as an intuitive thing," says Badwan. "We're not a band of scientists. Well Josh (Hayward, guitarist) is a scientist. And he often wears a lab coat. But we don't really approach music in that way. It's really about a feeling we all share. Intuition is a lot more exciting as a tool. We have a strong idea of what The Horrors identity is, and with each Horrors record we twist that, change it slightly. So each record becomes about finding out who we are now, and then just going with it. On this record 'I See You' was the song that felt like a development from what we've done before. And everything else came from there."

This morning, Wolfmother pulled a Beyonce and surprised fans with a brand new album, their first in five years, and did it via Bandcamp. The record, New Crown, contains 12 tracks and can be heard / bought HERE

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Black Keys New Album Trailer


Thanks to the help of social media and Mike Tyson, on Friday night, The Black Keys announced their new album in a bizarre video. Take a look. The record, Turn Blue, arrives May 13.

Friday, March 21, 2014

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Joy Division Reissuing Debut EP


Just after they changed their name from Warsaw to Joy Division in 1978, the soon-to-be iconic band released their debut EP, An Ideal For Living. The EP, which featured a terrible initial production and pressing became demoed and traded among JD fans around Europe and then, North America. After it's initial pressing and run, the EP was never reissued, thanks in part to its original Hitler Youth influenced cover. 

Now, on Record Store Day, for the first time ever, An Ideal For Living will be reissued and remastered as a 7" and will feature a brand new cover. Take a look at the new cover, above, and the tracklisting, below, as well as listen to that original pressing thanks to a YouTube video which features that controversial cover.

01 Warsaw
02 No Love Lost
03 Leaders of Men
04 Failures

Quick News

 If anyone was hoping for a new Raconteurs album, think again. Brendan Benson of the band told Billboard that the prospect of a new album is "Kind of off the table." He then spoke about the band's hiatus, "We never planned anything. We never planned a breakup. It always felt spontaneous. I liked that about it, too.”

After the emergence of a brand new Wu-Tang song, "Keep Watch," Raekwon spoke his mind about his ongoing battle with RZA and his disapproval of new Wu-Tang Clan material. He said to Grantland, "I would be the first one to say that we cannot leave everything in RZA’s hand no more,” Rae says. “He has done his job to the greatest of his ability when we were younger, but now every man plays an imperative role in this situation. His plan was to do a more humble album. We was like, Nah. You can’t do that with the hardest group in the game. “It’s like getting the United Nations to all agree on one fucking thing. Italy ain’t having it. Japan is on some shit. You know what I mean? Now, here it is, the 20-year anniversary that’s so decoratedly respected that we might not even be on time for this shit.”

Reports have confirmed that Stooges drummer Scott Asheton passed away this week of a heart attack. His longtime bandmate and friend, Iggy Pop remembered him in a Rolling Stone article. Pop said, "Scott just had a certain dignity about him and everyone was always glad to have him in the room. He looked like he could be a tough customer, but I never even heard of him flicking a fly." He then went on to talk about the future of The Stooges saying, "I don't want to say that I'm done with the band. I would just say that I feel like the group has always included the Asheton brothers. When Ron passed away, Scott represented him. Nearly everything we play, Ron played on originally. I don't feel right now like there's any reason for me to go jumping out onstage in tight Levi's. What am I going to scream about? I just can't see the band playing in the near future. It would just be wrong. But if something comes up, you should be open to it. It depends on the feeling of the family and the surviving members.

Ratking have announced that they will release their debut album, So It Goes, next month. Take a look at the tracklisting below:
'*'
'Canal'
'Snow Beach'
'So Sick Stories (ft. King Krule)'
'Remove Ya' 'Eat'
'So It Goes'
'Puerto Rican Judo (ft. Wavy Spice)'
'Protein' 'Bug Fights'
'Take (ft. Salomon Faye)'

Lykke Li shared the cover to her new album, I Never Learn, which arrives in May. Take a look below:


Melvins frontman Buzz Osborne will release his debut solo album, This Machine Kills Artists in June. Take a look at the tracklisting below:
  1. Dark Brown Teeth
  2. Rough Democracy
  3. Laid Back Walking
  4. Drunken Baby
  5. Vaulting Over A Microphone
  6. New River
  7. The Vulgar Joke
  8. Everything's Easy For You
  9. The Ripping Driving
  10. How I Became Offensive
  11. Instrument of God
  12. The Spoiled Brat
  13. Illegal Mona
  14. Good and Hostile
  15. The Blithering Idiot
  16. Useless King of the Punks
  17. The Hesitation Twist

YG on Kimmel



Watch Compton's YG perform "Who Do You Love," "My Hitta," and "I Just Wanna Party," on Kimmel!

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

QUICK SPINS


Biblical Monsoon Season
We have been talking a lot about Toronto’s metal / prog trio Biblical and finally, their much anticipated debut arrived and does not disappoint. The band who sound as if there is an entire army in this band rather than three guys combine their influences of thrash, metal, punk, hardcore, prog, and old time rock and roll. They pound and push boundaries to no end and we are just hearing the beginning of what they can do.
FINAL GRADE: A

PharrellG I R L
Following one of his most successful years in a long time, Pharrell unexpectedly announced a solo record a month before it arrived and G I R L continues his wave of new success. Combining the funk of James Brown, the essence of Michael Jackson, and his signature out of this world production and songwriting, Pharrell scores again.
FINAL GRADE: A

Johnny CashOut Among The Stars
The “lost” album from Johnny Cash surfaces thanks to his son “discovering” it and looking to put it out. This 1980’s lost record has finally arrived and it haunts us, simply because the record is as beautiful and dark as we would hope, it is as if The Man In Black is still with us.
FINAL GRADE: A-

Perfect PussySay Yes to Love
Syracuse, New York, noise makers Perfect Pussy seem to come from nowhere but they are showing that they are more than just hype. After being one of the most talked about bands to come from SXSW and get heavy promo from NPR, Perfect Pussy take that Bikini Kill thrash and garage rock sound and push it further as if they are in their final seconds of life as they push their music through your speakers.
FINAL GRADE: A-

Band of Skulls Himalayan
The English trio return with their third album and while they may be from the other side of the pond, they show their heavy American rock and roll influence on Himalayan. A tour-de-force album that shows while this band may not be new to some, they will become household names to others.
FINAL GRADE: B+

ElbowThe Take Off and Landing of Everything
The English ballad giants return with their latest album, and following the somber dud of 2011’s Build A Rocket, Boys!, The Take Off and Landing of Everything hears Elbow get more upbeat, more optimistic, and most importantly much more lush in sound and style than ever before. 
FINAL GRADE: B+

Fanfarlo Let’s Go Extinct
The third record from this English collective hears Fanfarlo experimenting a bit more with electronic sounds and a bit more texture than their previous effort, 2012’s Rooms Filled With Light. The record is a loosely based off the theory of evolution, but the album hears this band evolving from what we knew about them.
FINAL GRADE: B

The Men Tomorrow’s Hits
New York City’s favorite garage rockers are now four albums into their career in four years and are showing no signs of stopping. Tomorrow’s Hits hears the band going a bit more technical but just as chaotic as they have in previous releases and only make things more interesting as to what they will do next.
FINAL GRADE: B

MetronomyLove Letters
The fourth album from England’s neo-new wave punks is much more introspective and raw than previous releases and while most bands of their genre would be going for a radio hit, they are doing things on their own terms.
FINAL GRADE: B

Neil Finn Dizzy Heights
The songwriters songwriter, Neil Finn returns with his third album and while the New Zealand legend has been in the business for over 30 years, it is surprising that Dizzy Heights is only his third album. Finn makes Dizzy Heights a family affair with use of his wife and sons on the album and still shows that even after all these years in music, he has not lost his touch.
FINAL GRADE: B

SkatersManhattan
The much talked about NYC throwback thrash punk band, Skaters released their much anticipated debut and they prove that The Big Apple still has the ability to produce a punk band that will raise eyebrows everywhere.
FINAL GRADE: B

Rough FrancisMaximum Soul Power
Coming off the success of last year’s documentary, A Band Called Death, which features the children of members of Death in the band Rough Francis, the latest generation decided to release an eight-song LP that takes their family’s legacy into a new era.
FINAL GRADE: B-

BaysideCult
The Long Island via Queens post-punks return with their sixth studio album and bring the same thunder that fans have loved from Bayside over the years. Cult is a record that is for their cult, the legion of fans that have stuck by them through the years and each song, though may not be directly about that, that motif is there.
FINAL GRADE: B-

War on Drugs Lost in the Dream
Indie favorites War on Drugs return with their third album, and while the band have built a massive buzz over the years, Lost in the Dream alters what people had known about their style and sound. The record has mysteriously murky and dark tones but overall echoes some worthwhile creativity.
FINAL GRADE: B-

SkrillexRecess
Pulling what Beyonce had done months prior, Skrillex surprisingly unveiled his latest release of wub and sub-bass onto the masses. While it is hard to review or chronicle EDM albums simply because so much of it relies on the live experience and energy from the crowd, Recess seems to be an excuse for Skrillex to hit the road again on a large scale -- as if he really need a reason too.
FINAL GRADE: C+

Tokyo Police ClubForcefield
Tokyo Police Club have had an interesting career, a few years back they had the indie world by the balls and then seemed to disappear. Now, as they make a “comeback” with Forcefield, the band experiment with a formula that has already been done before and play it safe to try and get back in the good graces of those that made them such a hot act.
FINAL GRADE: C-

Metallica Share Demo Of New Song


While we eagerly wait for a new Metallica album, the band released a "Garage Demo" of a brand new track called, "Lords of Summer." Take a listen!

Foster the People on Fallon


Watch Foster the People on The Tonight Show!

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Tune-Yards Announce New Album


On May 6, Tune-Yards will release their new album, Nikki Nack. Take a look at the cover, above, and the tracklisting, below, as well as watch the new video for "Water Fountain." 

01 Find a New Way
02 Water Fountain
03 Time of Dark
04 Real Thing
05 Look Around
06 Hey Life
07 Sink-O
08 Why Do We Dine on the Tots?
09 Stop That Man
10 Wait for a Minute
11 Left Behind
12 Rocking Chair
13 Manchild


Oasis Making of 'Definitely Maybe' Documentary


 While 2014 marks the 20th anniversary to Oasis' landmark debut, Definitely Maybe, and the occasion is being celebrated with reissues and an art exhibit in London, NME points out that a "Making Of" documentary has surfaced online. Take a look!

Fucked Up New Album Info!


After teasing us for weeks following the announcement of their new album, Glass Boys, Fucked Up have finally given more details, including the cover, above, and the tracklisting, as well as the brand new video for "Paper The House." The album arrives in June. Take a look: 

01 Echo Boomer
02 Touch Stone
03 Sun Glass
04 The Art Of Patrons
05 Warm Change
06 Paper The House
07 DET
08 Led By Hand
09 The Great Divide
10 Glass Boys 

Monday, March 17, 2014

VINTAGE CLIP: R.E.M. 1991 MTV Unplugged


 With the announcement that R.E.M. will release their two iconic MTV Unplugged performances from 1991 and 2001 as a box set with a slew of tracks that didn't make air on Record Store Day, we are figured it would be great to post their '91 Unplugged gig. Take a look!

Quick News

Sad news to report, iconic drummer Scott Asheton of The Stooges passed away over the weekend. The drummer, whose brother and fellow Stooges guitarist Ron, passed away a few years ago. No report as to what caused Scott's death, but Iggy Pop broke the news and posted, "My dear friend Scott Asheton passed away last night. Scott was a great artist, I have never heard anyone play the drums with more meaning than Scott Asheton. He was like my brother." Our thoughts to go Scott's family, friends, and band.

Killer Mike has confirmed via Instagram that Run The Jewels, his group with El-P, have finished working on their new album, Run The Jewels II. No word as to when it will be released.

R.E.M. will be releasing their iconic MTV Unplugged performances from 1991 and 2001 as a box set on Record Store Day. The 4-LP set will feature songs from both gigs that did not make air.

Rudimental have confirmed to Australia's Triple J radio that they are working with George Clinton for their upcoming album. Band member Kesi Dryden said, "We actually did two tracks with George Clinton. We went to one of his gigs in London and we got to meet him afterwards, and we sent him a couple tracks and he was really liking it. His management got in touch with us, and he vocalled it, and sent them back. We're going to get back in the studio [soon] to finish it and it will be on album two."

The AP reports that De La Soul are working on two albums to be released this year. One record will be a traditional album and the other will be a mixtape. No word as to when they will both be released.

Just like they did with Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, The Flaming Lips are now making a covers album of The Beatles masterpiece, Sgnt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. The Lips are recruiting Miley Cyrus, as well as members of MGMT and Tame Impala. No release date has been given.

The Madchester scene of the late 80's and early 90's was one of music's craziest scenes ever, now, one of the key figures of that era is running for political office. Bez from Happy Mondays told The Manchester Evening News that he is going to run for PM of Salford, England. He told the paper, "I've been saying we need a revolution, and there's no good shouting about it when you're not actually doing anything. If you want to do something about things you've got to get into the corridors of power and take them on."

The Heartbreaks have unveiled the tracklisting to their forthcoming album, We May Stand A Chance, which arrives in May. Take a look:
'Paint The Town Beige'
'Absolved'
'Hey, Hey Lover'
'Robert Jordan'
'¡No Pasarán!'
'Bittersweet'
'Fair Stood The Wind'
'Man Overboard'
'This Is Not Entertainment'
'Rome'
'Dying Sun'

Sunday, March 16, 2014

EXCLUSIVE! Ida Maria INTV!

From touring with Glasvegas to having Iggy Pop guest on one of her songs, and unexpectedly working with Anthony Green of Circa Survive, Norway's Ida Maria is living her rock and roll dream. As she is a big star in her native land, she has gained the respect of the indie world for years around the globe and while she completes work on her latest record, she gave fans a taste of what is to come with her new E.P., Accidental Happiness. We spoke with Maria who just finished touring her country, about Accidental Happiness, her career, and what this all means to her. Take a look at our interview below:


Hailing from a small Norwegian town, did you ever think that your dreams of becoming an international rock star would come true?

I definitely dreamed of it! When I moved to Bergen as a 15 year old I saw a norwegian rock band for the first time, I would sneak in to concerts, I learned that dressing up in colorful eccentric clothes was a great way to get past the doormen without ID, because they would never ask anyone flamboyant for ID. So it was all about showing off and having a big ego, then I could get in to shows when I was underage. I saw rock bands perform and I knew I wanted to do this for a living. 

You gained notable well reaction from Jools Holland, Glasvegas, and
 The Times. When the reviews started coming in, what was your reaction?

I think my ego blew up a bit, and I got a little big headed. Now life has beaten my ego down to a slightly more sympathetic size. But I also felt like I had accomplished something, I had broken the code somehow.

 Your breakthrough single, "Oh My God" featured Iggy Pop. How did
 that collaboration come about? What was he like to work with?

Iggy is amazing, and he really gave me a lot of good advice. I feel very much like a young version of him in many ways. Really shy and thoughtful and philosophic, and also explosive and curious and artistic. And misunderstood. We didn´t like the treatment for the music video, so we did a whole other thing instead. We wanted to do something anti-punk. I don´t know what´s more punk than anti-punk, so we wanted to make something where Iggy was the protector and the guardian of the younger punk aka me, and where we behaved more like children than posing like rockstars. He was totally into it and he said it was the best music video filming he had ever participated in. He is a highly intelligent person and has a lot of experience to draw from. We have a common friend in Jonathan Shaw who is a tattoo artist/gypsy and amazing author of among others the book Narcisa. 

Another collaboration you did was with Anthony Green for his solo album. How did that come about? Where you a fan of his work before working
 with him?

I didn´t actually know a lot about Anthony before we worked together but I think his management sent my management a song and asked if I wanted to do a duet with him, and write some parts for the song, and I really liked and identified with the song and the thematics and it was a joy and very inspiring to write and sing it with Anthony. I got to perform with him at his show in LA a few years back and we got to hang out and chat but not enough. I was so impressed with him and his band, I was not touring at the time, so I was a bit out of the live-loop and his band was super tight, it inspired me to put a band back together and start touring again. 

You just released your latest EP, "Accidental Happiness," what was different about the EP that you had done from your full lengths?

What´s different about Accidental Happiness is that it is very much a first person storytelling. Where Katla was a lot about other people, stories and anecdotes, and descriptions of other people, Accidental Happiness is very much meticulous descriptions of me and what I´m interested in and what I´m not interested in, plus warnings about how bad I am in a relationship, how ice-cold I can be towards men and so on. It´s also about my boogie nights with the devils soul, there´s some exorcism, there´s the physical attraction, there´s the sex vs. love, which I think I have been discussing on all of my releases. 

On Fortress it was the story of Stella the prostitute, who got the power of the World as payment for a night, from her customer God, the Bearded man. Also on Fortress was the song I Like You So Much Better When You´re Naked, where it´s me objectifying the man. About time if you ask me. On Katla there was Cherry Red, my feminist anthem about giving head, funny how I got a lot of criticism from old feminists for that one, and totally banned on the radio. And then of course 10000 Lovers and I eat boys like you for breakfast" which are two sides of the same coin - non-exclusive relationships gone wild. Welcome to life on the road! Musically, I would say it all rocks. Especially live. 

What does the title, "Accidental Happiness," signify?

It signifies that you can walk around in darkness for years, like after a nuclear war, and have PTSD ´s, bad hearing, bad vision, nausea, and stay in the darkness for so long that you think that darkness is all there is, and light is a myth and light is a dream and a vicious lie, a joke with no laughter, and then all of a sudden the sky cracks and the sun beams start shining and all you can see is unicorns and shooting stars and palm trees and elephants with ornaments and velvet plush and purple wigs and belly dancers and the best food you can imagine like waffles and pizza and carousels. 

 With the release of a new EP, does this mean we will get a new
 album soon?

 Totally.

What is next for you?

I´m taking this crazy big cruise ship Hurtigruta from Nesna to Harstad in Norway, it´s gonna take 24 hours on the boat to the next place we´re playing, Harstad. And from there we are renting a car and driving to Finnsnes and from there we are driving to Tromsø, from Tromsø we are taking a plane to Vadsø, and playing in Vadsø. If you look at the map, you will see that we are touring the North Cape, far above the Arctic Circle, in landscapes that are absolutely beautiful and dramatic. We are trying to document this and put it out on youtube, because this is truly exotic even for me as a northern norwegian. It´s pretty much Alaska the Last Frontier meets Ice Road Truckers meets The Osbournes, meets Lilyhammer.