Sunday, May 31, 2015

The French Mixtape


As summer approaches and many begin to do tours of wineries and vineyards to spend the day, we look to the land of some of the finest wines for our third Cultural Mixtape -- France. 

We began this series in January with The South African Mixtape and then added The Italian Mixtape to give readers a musical perspective on what is happening around the globe that may not be mainstream here in America but that features artist that are a big deal in their native land. 

France, who is home to a World Cup winning soccer team and one of the most expensive and well paid clubs on the planet -- Paris St. Germain, has had a major impact on modern music for the last 20 years thanks to artists like Daft Punk, Phoenix, Air, Busy P, Justice, M83, and Dimitri From Paris. While those artists are featured on this mixtape, it is others like Herman Dune, Telephone, The Do, La Famme, Yelle, and Kavinsky that are putting their counties music over the edge. 


Live Pix: Maryland Death Fest 2015



 Last weekend, the Maryland Death Fest took over the city of Baltimore during Memorial Day Weekend. Our very own RICH D SMOOV was down there again to capture the action. 
Take a look.



 Gnaw Their Tongues
 Lock Up

 Serpentine Path
 Skepticism

To see more pictures of the event, LIKE us on FACEBOOK
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Saturday, May 30, 2015

Catfish & The Bottlemen FULL BBC Radio 1 Big Weekend Set


Earlier this week, Catfish & The Bottlmen performed to their biggest audience to date at BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend Festival. Take a look at their full set now.

Friday, May 29, 2015

Giorgio Moroder Shares Ultimate Mega-Mix of Upcoming Album


Next month, synth and disco legend Giorgio Moroder will release his brand new album, Deja Vu. Now, to get fans pumped he released a mega-mix video of cuts from the record. Take a look and listen.

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Quick News

U2 are mourning the sudden loss of tour manager Dennis Sheehan who passed away in a L.A. hotel room earlier this week. The band posted their words of sympathy on their website saying, "U2 is a kind of family. U2 is a brotherhood. Although there are a lot of sisters in it now that I think about it. The extended family are everything to us, We look after each other. Last night we lost a member of our family." Bono wrote, "We've lost a family member, we're still taking it in. He wasn't just a legend in the music business, he was a legend in our band. He is irreplaceable."

Justin Young of The Vaccines talked to NME about the issues he was facing when making their latest, English Graffiti. He said, "I definitely have had numerous breakdowns this year. I guess the record really allowed me to say everything I wanted to say, and once we'd finished the record I really felt I'd lost a bit of purpose and direction and felt like a very vulnerable body floating in a big, scary ocean."

While Foals are hard at work on their new record, singer Yannis Philippakis spoke to Q magazine about their new LP and the recording. He said, "We felt that the spread on 'Holy Fire' was good but on this we wanted to push it out even further, so the extremes were further apart. The heavier songs are heavier, the poppy songs are poppier and weirder." No release date has been set.

Are Odd Future done? It seems that way after Tyler, The Creator tweeted:

It seemed that the hip-hop collective was done and drifting apart. Tyler, then clarified his comments, sorta, tweeting:
MSMR have announced that their new album, How Does It Feel, will arrive in July. Take a look at the cover, below:

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Live Review: Pixies @ Beacon Theater


There was no fanfare, no music as Pixies walked onto the dimly lit Beacon Theater stage. The band, who are in New York for three shows, kicked-off the first of their city stay that ends at Brooklyn's King Theater, on Tuesday night at the iconic Upper West Side venue. As they strutted just past 9p.m., the members of the infamous Massachusetts band didn't seem bothered by the fans applause when they started playing. Backlit by a series of lights and glass the band couldn't be seen, except for their shadows, but felt and heard. It seemed to be the way Pixies wanted it to be, let is rest solely on their music.

In a setlist that included B-sides, very deep album cuts, and fan favorites like "Debaser," "Cactus," "Bone Machine," "Where Is My Mind?," "The Holiday Song," and "Break My Body," there was something for everybody. The band, who have a new look with Paz Lenchantin on bass after the famous departure of Kim Deal last year, seamlessly has worked her way into the band as if she has been there since 1986 with the rest of the lads. Frank Black, who doesn't do much interaction with the fans, just wanted to get the job done and barnstormed through each song with such gusto and vigor you would have thought that his quiet and loud vocal abilities were going to explode at any second. Guitarist Joey Santiago flexed his guitar muscle all night, especially during the encore when he practically took the machine apart and created the most chaotic sounds the Beacon has ever heard. Not to be outdone, drummer Dave Lovering was simply on fire all night as he showed no signs of his age going through the difficult rhythm lines his band has created over time.

While the band utilized every nook and cranny of acoustics inside the theater, it was sometimes sloppy and sometimes brilliant as they plugged through their vast catalog. Since reformed in 2004, the band have not hid that these reunion shows are for the money and giving the fans what they want. However, after over a decade back together, they now seem to be interested in what they have not offered and plugging into that and while they released their first album in over 20 years last year, Indie Cindy, it is optimistic to think more material is on the way and with the way Lenchantin has worked in the band, she could push them to places they themselves haven't gone before.

Hyperdub Releasing Posthumous DJ Rashad EP


Next month, Huperdub will release the late DJ Rashad's 6613 EP. The proceeds of the record will go to his family.

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

01 CCP2 [ft. DJ Spinn]
02 Cause I Know U Feel [ft. Gant-Man]
03 Ya Hot [ft. Taso]
04 Do Not Fuck [ft. DJ Manny, DJ Spinn, Taso]

Beach House Announce New Album


In August, Beach House will release their new album, Depression Cherry. The record was made in Louisiana.

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

01 Levitation
02 Sparks
03 Space Song
04 Beyond Love
05 10:37
06 PPP
07 Wildflower
08 Bluebird
09 Days of Candy

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Quick News

Chris Cornell will release his new solo album, Higher Truth, in September.

Grimes has announced that she will release a "surprise" record in October and promises it to be different than her previous albums.

French pianist Christophe Chassol has revealed to BBC that Frank Ocean has recorded part of his new album in Abbey Road. While nothing else was released in terms of info, it has been rumored that the Channel Orange-follow-up will arrive in July.

Lana Del Rey is expected to release her new album, Honeymoon, in September.

Speaking to Electronic Beats, former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante has mentioned that he will not release any new music but only record it. He said, "At this point I have no audience. I make tracks and I don’t finish them or send them to anybody, and consequently I get to live with the music. The music becomes the atmosphere that I’m living in. I either make really beautiful music that comes from classical, or I make music where the tempo is moving the whole time, and there’s no melodic or rhythmic center. It’s just disorienting music that’s falling apart."

Robyn is teaming up with her keyboardist Markus Jägerstedt, for a new project called La Bagatelle Magique. The duo are set to tour Europe this summer and record an album.

Friday, May 22, 2015

SLAYER Announce New Album


Slayer will release their new album, Repentless, on September 11. Take a look at the teaser announcement the band released this morning.

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Quick News

Ian Curtis' Manchester home, which he took his own life, has been purchased by a fan and will be turned into a museum.

Sad news to report, Ross Dawson drummer of Late of the Pier has died in a very sudden and tragic accident the band's former label, Parlophone, has confirmed. The band has been broken up since 2010, and former members have yet to comment on the passing.

Vampire Weekend's Ezra Koenig has confirmed that the band are gearing up to begin work on their fourth album. No date as to when they will begin working on the record or when it will be released.

Speaking to VLAD TV, Ghostface Killah gave a hilarious interview when he discussed the first time he heard Action Bronson. He said, "I thought he was me.I'm asking myself, 'When the fuck I do that verse?'" Since Bronsolino has arrived on the scene he has often been mistaken for Ghost on record.

Marvel really loves Run The Jewels, then again, who doesn't?! The hip-hop duo will be honored with their third comic-inspired cover for an upcoming Deadpool issue. Take a look at the cover below:

Live Review - Palma Violets / Public Access TV @ Music Hall of Williamsburg



Since forming in 2011, UK’s Palma Violets have been thrashing and energizing crowds around the world and have gained so much buzz doing it.

This month, the band released their sophomore album, Danger in the Club, and returned to the U.S. to support the record’s release. Capping off a two night stay in New York City, the band played to a half-filled Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn but still came with the same energy as if they were headlining Wembley Stadium.

The night before the band had played Bowery Ballroom and maybe playing a room of similar size the next night was a bit too ambitious, but the fans inside saw something spectacular. Bassist Chilli and guitarist Samuel Thomas Fryer have a modern day Mick and Keith chemistry as they feed off each other’s energy and project it to the crowd. As fans opened a circle pit to songs like “Best of Friends,” “Johnny Bagga Donuts,” “Danger in the Club,” and “Secrets of America,” it was a perfect mid week stress and emotional release.

Opening the gig were New York City buzz band, Public Access TV, the band who have a similar sound and style to Palma Violets were a perfect fit to open. When the took the stage at around 9pm, they looked as if they were apprehensive to play to near empty room, but as soon as the music kicked in, the people came. Public Access TV are a downtown band from Manhattan and take that Television meets Blondie ethos and give it a modern Strokes hook, this is a band to look out for.

Foo Fighters on Letterman


Foo Fighters performed an extra-long "Everlong" which is David Letterman's favorite song for his final night hosting The Late Show.

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Noel Gallagher Live in London


Earlier this year, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds performed at a tiny club in South East London for Absolute Radio. Now, the entire concert has been put to YouTube to watch. Take a look!

Bob Dylan on Letterman


For David Letterman's penultimate episode of The Late Show, Bob Dylan made a rare TV appearance and performed "The Night We Called it a Day."

Incubus on Conan


Watch Incubus perform "Dance Like You're Dumb" on Conan!

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

QUICK SPINS

 
Hot Chip Why Make Sense?
England’s favorite dance-floor electronic nerds with a new wave of tunes and a still bring enough energy and creativity to light up a night. Venturing into new areas for themselves like hip-hop and dub, Hot Chip showcase that making sense is not a priority but having fun is.
FINAL GRADE: A-

MetzMetz II
Canada’s pulse pounding post-hardcore titans return with a record that will melt more faces than they did on their 2012 debut.
FINAL GRADE: A-

Tal National Zoy Zoy
West African guitar collective Tal National return with the fever of their motherland and laid out over some of the most intricate and fantastic riffs, chords, and work in years. This band’s sophomore album, Zoy Zoy, is not to be missed by any major music fan. While it combines more than just rock and African sounds, it proves that music is our universal language.
FINAL GRADE: A-

Buena Vista Social ClubLost and Found
The final record to come from Cuba’s greatest musical exports hits home. As the Cuban embargo was lifted earlier this year and Americans begin to descend to the island that has been closed off for so long to us, it is music like this record and this band that will carry us there.
FINAL GRADE: A-

Jesse MalinNew York Before the War
Iconic New York musician, Jesse Malin, returns and hits back at the current dying feeling of the old city as gentrification and high rise buildings push every out. New York Before the War is a tribute to the New York that Malin saw as a kid and came of age into. It was harder, gritter, nastier, but most of all, it was original.
FINAL GRADE: B+

Paul Weller Saturn’s Pattern
The Modfather returns for his most ambitious and biggest sounding solo record. Saturn’s Pattern is Weller experimenting with what he can do with his guitar in a punk world but not limiting himself to the style of the genre he was apart of. It is a record inspired by outer space and it sounds like that is what he is reaching for even at his age.
FINAL GRADE: B+

Mumford & SonsWilder Mind
Mumford & Sons came to America and took over by storm. They saw immersed themselves in Americana and the only thing British about them were their tongues and blood. They were more of a States band than more American roots band that have come about in the last 20 years. With their third album, Wilder Mind, they do an about face and become an American rock band via England. While they don’t do a terrible job at it, the change in sound and identity makes you hear and see a whole new band.
FINAL GRADE: B

Surfer Blood1000 Palms
Just in time for summer, West Palm Beach, Florida’s garage rockers come back with their third album and make us want to head to the beach faster than ever before.
FINAL GRADE: B

Sojourner
Not since As Tall As Lions has a band with such an atmospheric and beautiful sound come from Long Island. This three song EP from this band hears them reaching for the stars and with enough luck, courage, and risk, they will make it because their talents are surely already there.
FINAL GRADE: B

Miami Horror All Possible Futures
Australia’s chill wave favorites Miami Horror return with their first album in five years and their sophomore record seems to have proven to fans it was worth the wait. While you are day drinking or hanging at the beach this summer, this is a record worth having on.
FINAL GRADE: B

Snoop Dogg Bush
Reteaming with Pharrell, Snoop Dogg gives a hip-pop record about his favorite plant and throws in enough swag that he shows he still has got it.
FINAL GRADE: B-

Tyler, The Creator Cherry Bomb
As Odd Future’s ringleader Tyler, The Creator gets older, so is his fan base and ideas. His slacker rapping has now gotten big names like Pharrell, Kanye West, and Schoolboy Q to join him but while he isn’t pushing boundaries, he is just being him with A-listers still wanting to work with him.
FINAL GRADE: B-

Faith No More – Sol Invictus
For the first time since 1997, the world has gotten a new Faith No More record and if you expected anything like you heard in the past, then you clearly don’t know Mike Patton and the boys. Sol Invictus is the alternative to the alternative, a record unlike anything around today but also a record that is all over the place. In some strange way, if this was another band it wouldn’t work, but for them, this is the normal.
FINAL GRADE: B-

CeremonyThe L Shaped Man
Take everything you know about Ceremony and throw it out the window. The former thrash and hardcore California band have totally altered their sound and image and while it was known they took their name from the Joy Division song, “Ceremony,” they are now mimicking their idols’ sound. The L Shaped Man is a Joy Division heavily influenced record that old fans may abandon and fans of The Horrors may embrace.
FINAL GRADE: B-

The Tallest Man on Earth Dark Bird is Home
The Swedish folk singer is back with another record of more of the same. If you are already a fan, this is one to add to the collection.
FINAL GRADE: C+

Best Coast California Nights
Yeah, you guessed it, more songs about California being awesome. We get it.
FINAL GRADE: C


Rudimental Announce Sophomore LP


UK club hounds Rudimental will release their sophomore album, We the Generation, in September.

Read Our 2013 Interview with Rudimental

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

'I Will For Love' (feat. Will Heard)
'Never Let You Go' (feat. Foy Vance)
'We The Generation' (feat. Mahalia)
'Love Ain't Just A Word'
'Rumour Mill' (feat. Anne-Marie & Will Heard)
'Common Emotion' (feat. MNEK)
'Go Far' (feat. Will Heard)
'Foreign World' (feat. Anne-Marie)
'Too Cool' (feat. Ella Eyre)
'Bloodstream'
'All That Love'
'Needn't Speak' (feat. Lianne La Havas)
'Lay It All On Me'
'New Day' (feat. Bobby Womack)

Quicks News

Black Thought has confirmed to Consequence of Sound that The Roots are working on a new album. He said, “I feel like we are embarking on a new chapter in our lives and in our careers, so it’s time to either make more music or to stop making music, and we’re not going to stop. Music is on the horizon."

 A collection of essays, reviews, photos has been put together for Photofantasm: Soundgarden - Nude Dragons to King Animal, a book created by fans of the band that features contributing writers like Chad Channing of Nirvana, Stephen Carpenter of Deftones, Duff McKagen  as well as Salvatore Bono from Officially A Yuppie (Hey, we know that guy!). For more info on the book and pre-order info, click HERE.

Next month, Miguel will release his new album Wildheart. As info comes slowly on the LP, he finally shared the cover of the record, take a look:

Ratatat Detail New Album


Ratatat will release their new album, Magnifique in July. The album took four years to make and was recorded in Jamaica, Long Island, Brooklyn and Upstate New York.

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

01 Intro
02 Cream on Chrome
03 Magnifique
04 Abrasive
05 Countach
06 Drift
07 Pricks of Brightness
08 Nightclub Amnesia
09 Cold Fingers
10 Supreme
11 Rome
12 Primetime
13 I Will Return
14 Outro

Janelle Monae on Fallon


Watch Janelle Monae perform with The Roots on The Tonight Show.

Father John Misty on Meyers


Watch Father John Misty on Late Night with Seth Meyers.

Eddie Vedder on Letterman


Watch Eddie Vedder perform Pearl Jam's staple "Better Man" for his final performance on Late Show.

Lord Huron on Conan


Watch Lord Huron perform "Fool For Love" on Conan.

Monday, May 18, 2015

Playlist


May's 27-song playlist of musical musings is here. Take a listen to it on Spotify!

The Maccabees Detail 4th Album


English band The Maccabees will release their new album, Marks to Prove It, in July. 

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

'Marks To Prove It'
'Kamakura'
'Ribbon Road'
'Spit It Out'
'Silence'
'River Song'
'Slow Sun'
'Something Like Happiness'
'WW1 Portraits'
'Pioneering Systems'
'Dawn Chrous'

Quick News

Ghostface Killah and Adrien Younge have confirmed that 12 Reasons to Die Part II, the sequel to their brilliant 2013 album, will arrive in July.

Simon Cowell has confirmed he is going to produce The Fifth Beatle, a film based on Vivek J. Tiwary's graphic novel of the same name, which is about former Beatle manager Brian Epstein. No release date nor cast and director have been announced.

Run the Jewels have shared a snippet of "AngelMeowster" which is produced by Dan the Automater, from the upcoming Meow the Jewels project which they have been working on. If you have been living under a rock, Meow the Jewels will be Run the Jewels 2 remixed by various producers using cat noises. Hear the snippet below:

A video posted by thereallyrealelp (@thereallyrealelp) on

Public Image Ltd. have announced that their 10th album, What the World Needs Now... will arrive in September. Take a look at the tracklisting, below:
01 Double Trouble
02 Know Now
03 Bettie Page
04 C'est La Vie
05 Spice of Choice
06 The One
07 Big Blue Sky
08 Whole Life Time
09 I'm Not Satisfied
10 Corporate
11 Shoom

Sunday, May 17, 2015

Great Soundtrack: The Virgin Suicides


Next month, Air will reissue their score and soundtrack to Sofia Coppola's 1999 film, The Virgin Suicides. The film, which is a period piece about the loss of childhood innocence was a breakthrough for them after their 1998 debut, Moon Safari, began to help them crack into the American and international indie music scene. The Virgin Suicides soundtrack was released separate from the film and put out in early 2000.

Now, 15 years later, the album still echoes a sentiment in listeners it did when it arrived. Songs like "Playground of Love," which featured a then unknown Thomas Mars of Phoenix (who would later marry Coppola in the mid 2000's), and "Highschool Lover." It is a soundtrack like Prince's Purple Rain, that stands on it's own as an album within the band's catalog.

Recommended Reading: Oasis - The Truth


For months, rumors have swirled over if whether or not Oasis will reunite. Both Gallagher brothers have seemed to show no interest but the idea that if one of Britain's greatest bands would come back, what would it mean for the state of rock and roll and music? As time will tell if Liam and Noel are willing to bury the hatchet to come back, it is no secret that their history together was a tumultuous one. In their early days, Oasis had a revolving door of musicians but solidifying a line-up in the early 2000's, at the center of it all was always the brothers Gallagher.

Read Our Interview with former Oasis bassist Andy Bell

In 2011, original Oasis drummer Tony McCarroll went all out in a tell-all book called Oasis: The Truth, where he gave details as to what it was like inside the early days of the fastest selling British artists heyday. McCarroll never held back on his feelings on the brothers, especially Noel, who he cites as the reason for his exit. Four years after his release of the book, the story and drama around Oasis is just as timely now as ever before.

Read Our 2011 Interview with McCarroll

Saturday, May 16, 2015

U2 Pay Tribute to BB King


For the first time in over 20 years, U2 played their Rattle & Hum-era song "When Loves Comes to Town" the duet they did with BB King for their 1988 documentary. On Friday, King passed away and U2 paid tribute to the iconic guitarist by opening Friday's Vancouver concert with the song. Take a look at the fan-shot video.

VINTAGE CLIP: BB KING on Letterman in '92


While we mourn the loss of "The King of Blues," BB King, after it was announced on Friday that he passed away in Las Vegas at 89, we remember and cherish the music and legacy he left behind, not to mention the sounds he and Lucille created. Take a look at King on The Late Show in 1992.

Quick News

Courtney Love is currently on tour with Lana Del Rey, but touring with Love is Hold Steady guitarist Tad Kubler who has joined her band while his main band is on break.

Janet Jackson has announced she will release a new album this year, her first in seven years. It is rumored to be called My Conversation.

Joy Division's catalog - their two studio albums and two post-breakup compilations, will be reissued on 180 gram vinyl in July to celebrate the 35th anniversary of "Love Will Tear Us Apart."

Lamb of God will release their new album,VII: Sturm Und Drang, in July. 

Also celebrating a 35th anniversary is Pulp, who spoke to NME about their very first concert which took place at Leadmill in Sheffield, England, in 1980. Jarvis Cocker said of the gig, ""It was a festival and we were the second band on in the afternoon. It was the first time we’d been on a proper stage, and when our bass player started experiencing feedback he didn’t know what to do, so he started walking towards the front of the stage and fell off it. People found us entertaining, but only because we were a bunch of mad kids who didn’t know how to play. We also made one of the best entrances of all time. There was a man across the yard with a mobile grocer’s van, and we used that to transport our equipment. We stunk of cabbage."

Noel Gallagher spoke to Noisy about that scrapped Amorphous Androgynous album that was supposed to arrive in 2011. He said, "The album got finished. We spent a lot of time working on it, but the way that they work is that they get me in and I play all day then they take it away. Then the next thing you hear, you go 'Well, that's not what I was thinking'. It became apparent that they weren't making a record for me but I was making a record for them. You know me, that's not going to fucking work. There's no bootleg because I own the master and I destroyed it. My manager's not even heard it. I wouldn't play it. It was so underwhelming to me that I never played it to anybody. I'm not going to put records out to please people and their imagination, then they hear it and go 'Actually, it's a bit shit'. I know it's shit that's why it's not coming out and that's the end of it."

Friday, May 15, 2015

Tom Waits on Letterman


Tom Waits performed a brand new song called "Take One Last Look" for his final appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman.

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Quick News

Coldplay have relaunched their website and crafted a fantastic timeline of the band's history that includes rare photos, videos, and significant moments in their career. Take a look at it HERE.

Jack White and Loretta Lynn will be named in Nashville's Walk of Fame this summer.

El-P has confirmed that Run the Jewels 3 will come next year and posted a sample on Instagram of a beat he is working on for that record:

A video posted by thereallyrealelp (@thereallyrealelp) on


Frank Turner announced that the title of his new record will be called Positive Songs for Negative People earlier this week, he has now released the cover, take a look below:

Brandon Flowers on James Corden


Killers front man Brandon Flowers made hearts swoon on The Late Late Show with James Corden, take a look!

Ryan Adams on Letterman


Watch Ryan Adams perform the first song he ever played on The Late Show "Starting to Hurt" for his final Letterman appearance.

Will Butler on Seth Meyers



Watch Arcade Fire's Will Butler on Late Night with Seth Meyers.

Earl Sweatshirt & BADBADNOTGOOD on Kimmel



Watch Earl Sweatshirt bring out BADBADNOTGOOD to perform a number of his tracks on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Faith No More on Fallon



Watch Faith No More return to the small screen after nearly 20 years on The Tonight Show!

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

VINTAGE CLIP! Motorhead on Letterman in '91


Watch Motorhead perform Chuck Berry's "Let it Rock" on The Late Show with David Letterman in 1991.

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Curtis Harding on Jools


Watch Curtis Harding perform "Keep On Shining" on Later...with Jools Holland!

Paul Weller on Later..with Jools Holland


Watch Paul Weller debut "Long Time" on Later...with Jools Holland!

Albert Hammond Jr. Announces New Solo LP


On July 31, The Strokes' Albert Hammond Jr. will release his third solo album, Momentary Masters. Take a look at the cover, above, and the tracklisting, below, and hear the first single "Born Slippy."

01 Born Slippy
02 Power Hungry
03 Caught By My Shadow
04 Coming to Getcha
05 Losing Touch
06 Don’t Think Twice
07 Razors Edge
08 Touché
09 Drunched In Crumbs
10 Side Boob

Quick News

Next month, LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy will open a wine bar in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, with his wife called The Four Horsemen.

Kendrick Lamar was honored by the California State Senate on Tuesday as he was named the 35th Districts Generational Icon. Watch his honor celebrations below:


Speaking to iHeartRadio, Matt Bellamy has claimed that Muse's upcoming album, Drones, is their best yet. He said, "I can say this: this album is our best album," he added. "I haven't been able to say that for a while, but this album is our best album – so feel free to start on this one, just don't worry about the others."

A$AP Rocky has shared the various covers to his upcoming A.L.L.A. album which arrives next month. Take a look:


Death Cab For Cutie on Fallon


Watch Death Cab for Cutie on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon!

Monday, May 11, 2015

Quick News

While we wait for info on the new Frank Turner record, he took to social media to announce that his upcoming album will be called Positive Songs for Negative People. No release date or tracklisting was given, but Turner says all of that is arriving soon.

Speaking to Vegas radio station KOMP FM, Chino Moreno of Deftones said that Jerry Cantrell of Alice in Chains is on the band's forthcoming album, which arrives in September. Moreno said, "Jerry is on the [new Deftones] album. I didn't know if he wanted anybody to know or not, but I guess I've just spilled the beans. In Deftones songs, there's not really any guitar solos per se, but there was a section in there where [there was room for] not necessarily a typical solo, but it had an area where it could use something like what he does. So I sent him the track, and then he sent me a demo of it back, like, two days later. It's like you're hearing a Deftones song, but all of a sudden, a little bit of Alice in Chains seeps its way in there, and it's kind of neat. I mean, me, as a fan, I was just sitting back and a little tear came out of my eye."

Speaking to NME, Jamie xx has mentioned that his upcoming solo LP, In Colour, is informed by The xx's new album. He said, "The [solo] album feels like the next part of what we're all doing rather than just be branching off... It has definitely informed what we're doing for the next [xx] album."

Blur spoke to Billboard about their new album, The Magic Whip, and guitarist Graham Coxon as said that the band are only now just realizing what they can do together. He said, "It's weird that we're between 45 and 50 and we're only just realising the potential of our relationship musically. This process has shown us a lot more than I ever thought it would, what we like about each other and what we both enjoy about the music that we make together... If we had done this 20 years ago, it would have been a lot easier." Damon Albarn then added, "The story of this record can be compared to a middle-aged couple, out of the blue, receiving the news that there was going to be a new baby, after the original children had grown up. We had no intention of having another kid and then suddenly, almost miraculously, one appeared."

Stereophonics will release their new album, Keep the Village Alive, in September. Take a look at the cover, below:

Sunday, May 10, 2015

U2 on Fallon


Months after U2 had to postpone their second Tonight Show appearance due to Bono's bike accident in the fall, the band returned in full force to perform "Beautiful Day," and "Song for Someone." Fallon also took the iconic Irish band down to Grand Central Station earlier in the week to tape a segment, watch below:

Dave Matthews Band on Letterman


20 Years after they performed "What Would You Say," Dave Matthews Band taped their final Late Show performance on Thursday (it aired on Friday) to do that song all over again.

Read: Dave Matthews Band @ Ed Sullivan Theater Live Review

Friday, May 8, 2015

Thursday, May 7, 2015

Live Review: Dave Matthews Band @ Ed Sullivan Theater


Since 2010, the Live on Letterman series has brought some of musics biggest names like Pearl Jam, Gorillaz, Depeche Mode, Peter Gabriel, Foo Fighters, Alicia Keys, Adele, Coldplay, Florence & The Machine, KISS, and many others into the infamous Ed Sullivan Theater. Each band that has played there has brought more than just their A-game, they brought something so special to the stage where The Beatles, The Doors, and Rolling Stones once graced generations before.

The Top 10 Musical Performances on The Late Show

Before David Letterman bows out as host of The Late Show after 34 years, CBS is pulling out all of the stops with A-list guests and specials, including the conclusion of Live on Letterman which was transformed into Legends on Letterman and featured Mumford and Sons earlier this week and Dave Matthews Band for the final taping.

In the mid-90's Dave Matthews Band made their TV debut on The Late Show, now, in a sort of full circle moment, they were the last guest on his web series. The band, who are about to embark on their annual summer tour, stopped recording and came to New York for this special performance. Opening with the jamming "Seven," Matthews and his band made fans make sure this was going to be a night to remember right away. Matthews joked in between songs about playing on the show years ago and gag with audience members in his Forrest Gump-esque baritone voice. The fans ate it up, it was a show like this for a band like this that is a once in a lifetime experience. Yet, that was the whole beautiful experience about Live on Letterman, you would see artists in a space that is so intimate that there is no such thing as a bad seat.

For the hour DMB were on stage, which included hits like "Don't Drink the Water," "Satellite," "Stay or Leave," "Grey Street," and "Granny," it was the most perfect way to finish this series. Fingers crossed Stephen Colbert keeps up this program after he begins his run in September. 

Quick News

Arcade Fire's main couple Win Butler and Regine Chassange will open a Haitian restaurant in Montreal this summer called Agrikol.

Taking to Tumblr, Lorde gave fans an update on album number two. She said that she had taken a few months off and is now back in the process, saying, "Just getting into making the next body of work. [It's] very exciting and scary but so validating." She then went on to say how Robyn is an influence on this second record and praised the Swedish singer's 2010 classic "Dancing on my Own" as "Perfect."

Little Boots will release her third album, Working Girl, in July. Take a look at the tracklisting below:
'Intro'
'Working Girl'
'No Pressure'
'Get Things Done'
'Taste It'
'Real Girl'
'Heroine'
'Interlude'
'The Game'
'Help Too'
'Business Pleasure'
'Paradise'
'Better In The Morning'

Norah Jones on Letterman


Watch Norah Jones perform "Don't Know Why" on her final appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman.

Twin Shadow on Meyers



Following a bus accident last month, Twin Shadow bravely returned to TV and performed a cover of Sade's "No Ordinary Love" with Zoe Kravitz on Late Night with Seth Meyers.

Noel Gallagher on Fallon


Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds performed on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon for the very first time. Take a look!

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Top 10 David Letterman Musical Performances

It is hard to imagine, but this month marks David Letterman's final weeks as host of The Late Show. This has been a program that revolutionized late night TV but also saw the host allow a slew of bands get their start on television on his program. 

In tribute to Letterman, we thought it would be fitting to do a Top 10 list of our favorite musical performances on his show through the years. 



1. Foo Fighters - "Everlong" 1997

2. At the Drive-In - "One Armed Scissor" 2000

3. Beastie Boys - "Ch-Check It Out" 2004

4. Paul McCartney - Medially on the Marquee 2009

5. TV on the Radio - "Wolf Like Me" 2006

6. David Bowie - "Dead Man Walking" 1997

7. Gorillaz - "Rhinestone Eyes" 2010

8. Oasis - "Live Forever" 1994

9. The Heavy - "How Do You Like Me Now?" 2010

10. Robyn - "Dancing on my Own" 2010