QUICK SPINS

BadBadNotGood – IV

The best music from Canada usually comes from oddball collectives and BadBadNotGood are no different. The acid jazz group has released a collection of fascinating and brilliant songs that transcend the genre into pop, rock, and of course, hip-hop. IV is one of the best and freshest albums of the year.

FINAL GRADE: A+

Blood Orange – Freetown Sound

Take the sounds of Africa and mix it with the funk of Prince and passion of Michael Jackson and you get the latest offering from Blood Orange. Dev Hynes has released his finest album to date and one for all to enjoy.

FINAL GRADE: A

 

The Bouncing Souls – Simplicity

The iconic New Jersey punks return for their latest offering and bring forth a social commentary of today’s issues. With their legendary raw power and inspiring sound, The Souls are still standing on solid ground.

FINAL GRADE: B+

Mumford & Sons – Johannesburg

Inspired by their first tour to South Africa, Mumford & Sons recorded an EP with local musicians to please their creative nerve and let the world know about a sound that is captivating a continent.

FINAL GRADE: B+

Pup – The Dream is Over

Take the early 2000s emo scene and give it a modern twist and Pups latest is a bit of nostalgia as well as a bit of much needed energy in 2016. The album is like a cup of black coffee and will wake you up straight away and after one listen you will be looking for more.

FINAL GRADE: B+

Descendents - Hypercaffium Spazzinate

The punk icons first album in 12 years picks up right where they left off and gives fans hope for the future.

FINAL GRADE: B+

Clams Casino – Ghost in a Kiss

The beatmaker, producer, DJ and hitmaker has finally released his long awaited debut and it does not disappoint. Ghost in a Kiss has it all – it is sexy, it is a banger and it is transcendent.

FINAL GRADE: B+

Caveman – Otero War

New York City indie rockers return with their latest and best album. Otero War is unlike any other Caveman LP, in fact, it is more than just a Caveman record. Otero War is a walk into the unknown. Combining space age themes and progressive rock, Caveman are out of their slumber and into your earbuds.

FINAL GRADE: B+

DJ Shadow – The Mountain Will Fall

The latest offering from electronica hero DJ Shadow is another galactic trip that takes you into another planet without leaving the comfort of Earth.

FINAL GRADE: B

Bat For Lashes – The Bride

In one of her darkest and most personal albums, Bat For Lashes returns as The Bride. What feels like a concept album about falling in and out of love, Bat For Lashes delivers a haunting and introspective into her heart.

FINAL GRADE: B

Band of Horses – Why Are You OK

In a total turnaround from 2012’s disappointing Mirage Rock, Band of Horses saddle up and sound like they are having the time of their lives. Experimenting with prog, psychedelic, and ambient, the band is evolving past the Americana folk rock that made them fan favorites.

FINAL GRADE: B

Puro Instinct – Autodrama

The Hollywood sorority return with another record of sexy sounds from the Sunset Strip.

FINAL GRADE: B-

Jake Bugg – On My One

With Jake Bugg’s third record, there was so much promise since it was revealed he was doing it all on his own – playing each instrument, writing the songs an going back to basics in a way. Yet, the outcome is far from it. Bugg needed a bit more direction for On My One as the record is all over the place. From garage rock hits to dismal folk tunes and even rapping at one point, it is one of the disappointing releases of the year and discouraging album from someone who had so much promise.

FINAL GRADE: C

Biffy Clyro – Ellipsis

The Scottish band returns with another album of stadium rock songs that seem to not evolve from their previous efforts.

FINAL GRADE: C-

Mumford & Sons on 'Fallon'

Mumford and Sons were joined by South African musician Baaba Maal on The Tonight Show. Take a look!

Mumford & Sons Announce 'Johannesburg' EP

During their first tour of South Africa earlier this year, Mumford & Sons recorded an EP featuring Senegal's Baaba Maal, South Africa's Beatenberg and London via Malawi band The Very Best.

They recorded the songs while on tour in the country and in June will release the EP, Johannesburg.

In a press release, the band said: "The South African Broadcasting Corporation had a room. It had two. Literally, two rooms. A few corridors away, and around the corner. It was a magnificent building though, all imposing wood panelling and endless corridors leading to more corridors. It had something a bit brutalist about it. It had a vibe."

Listen To Our South African Mixtape

Take a look at the cover, above, and the tracklisting, below and watch the EP's trailer.

There Will Be Time (with Baaba Maal)
Wona (with Baaba Maal, The Very Best and Beatenberg)
Fool You've Landed (with The Very Best and Beatenberg)
Ngamila (with Baaba Maal and The Very Best)
Si Tu Veux (with Baaba Maal and The Very Best)

Another Look at 2015

via GIPHY

As 2015 closes, our correspondents RICH D SMOOV and Le-La Cloutier share their year-end lists to showcase how the year in music looked for them.

Read: The Top 10 Albums of 2015

From RICH D SMOOV:

Jazz Album Of The Year: Kamasi Washington – The Epic
Hip Hop Album Of The Year: Czarface – Every Hero Needs a Villain
Rock Album Of The Year: Ecstatic Vision – Sonic Praise
Metal Album Of The Year: Pissgrave – Suicide Euphoria
Honorable Mention Of The Year: Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp a Butterfly 

2015 Honorable Album Mentions

From Le-La Cloutier:

Alabama Shakes - Sound and Color

The Weeknd - Beauty Behind the Madness

Tame Impala - Currents

Mumford and Sons - Wilder Mind

Mark Ronson - Uptown Special

George Ezra - Wanted on Voyage

Gary Clark Jr. - The Story of Sonny Boy Slim

Elle King - Love Stuff

Mumford & Sons on Kimmel

Watch Mumford & Sons perform "The Wolf" on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

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-

Metz – Metz 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 Club – Lost 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 Malin – New 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 & Sons – Wilder 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 Blood – 1000 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-

Ceremony – The 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

Mumford & Sons on Letterman

Watch Mumford & Sons perform "Believe" on The Late Show before they kicked-off the final series of Legends on Letterman.

Live Review: Mumford & Sons @ Ed Sullivan Theater

This month marks the final time David Letterman will host The Late Show after 34 years. It will be hard to imagine what late night TV will be like without the man who changed it forever. But, Letterman's channel, CBS, is making sure their legend goes out with a bang. The acclaimed Live on Letterman web series returned tonight after a nine month hiatus and feature Mumford and Sons for the kick-off as the series has been renamed Legends on Letterman.

Mumford and Sons, who just released their latest record, Wilder Mind, celebrated their new sound, album, and Letterman in a special performance for fans around the globe and the lucky ones inside the iconic Ed Sullivan Theater.

Wilder Mind is Mumford going electric and with their new sound, they are coming with a new attitude. They dress like members of Interpol but still bring the same heart and intensity to their craft they did when they were striking their acoustic instruments, now they just get to do it louder and wilder. Backed by a drummer, a horn section, and a violinist, the band resembled The National more than the Mumford and Sons fans know but that is the progression they are looking to make and they were going to make their mark in this special concert. After all, it was David Letterman who gave the band a shot in 2011 and put them on TV for the first time, now, it was time to repay the favor, one last time.

Opening with the new track, "Snake Eyes," the band showed what they were made off. An angst-filled rock anthem that shows their new plugged in persona is the real deal. Singer Marcus Mumford thanked the crowd for coming and also gave a shout out to the new record which he is "glad is finally fucking out," before jumping into "Ditmas." It was then into fan favorites like "The Cave" and "Little Lion Man," that had the crowd thumping. But it was back to the new material and ending with "The Wolf." Marcus even took time out to thank Letterman and his staff, "We know there are a lot of changes here. We know David Letterman is leaving and he will be fine, but a lot of his crew may face uncertainty and we just want to thank them for all of their support and help." This new direction for Mumford and Sons is not only welcomed but surprising, and it couldn't have come alive in a better place.

Mumford & Sons on Jools Holland

Watch Mumford & Sons perform "The Wolf" and "Believe" on Later...with Jools Holland.

Quick News

Kendrick Lamar has confirmed that his new album, Untitled, will arrive in two weeks.

Founding member of The Pretenders, Chrissie Hynde will release her memoir via Doubleday in September.

Speaking to Rolling Stone, Lars Ulrich said Metallica are "fucking in it," in terms of writing their new album. The drummer said, "We've got lots of songs, and we're honing them and tweaking them. It's pretty close."

The Replacements will reissue their catalog in a eight-disc box set via Rhino records that will come out next month.  The band will use the same remastered seven studio albums that arrived 2008 along with their first EP.

Noel Gallagher has revealed to NME that he wants to record an album with former Verve singer Richard Ashcroft. The former Oasis man said the idea could upset his brother Liam, which would make it more the reason to do it. Noel said, "I haven't seen Richard for ages but whatever he's doing I hope he's making a record. I don't know anyone who's got his phone number. The one he gave me he never answers. He lives in a fucking big stately home and I imagine he's just stoned, thinking, 'What is that fucking noise?' That United Nations Of Sound record [2010's 'United Nations of Sound'] was a fucking great record. I should make a record with him." Some songs I write I never follow through because I'm not a soul singer. Would that upset Liam? Oh that would be war. More reason to do it! The fact that you've now put that in my head means I'm definitely going to follow that through. Hopefully he might give himself a black eye."

Mumford and Sons keyboardist Ben Lovett also spoke to NME about recording parts of their upcoming album, Wilder Mind, at Aaron Dessner of The National's Brooklyn studio. Lovett said, "We met Aaron touring around, just on the circuit. We've been huge fans of The National for ages. All of us, individually have got a very personal attachment to their music. We ended up being complete super fans. After meeting Aaron said: 'Come to my garage in Brooklyn and we'll make some music'. It was quite innocent really."

Mary J. Blige's documentary, Mary J. Blige - The London Sessions, which chronicled the making of her most recent album of the same name will get it's world premiere at next month's Tribeca Film Festival.

Fucked Up will release their latest Chinese Zodiac inspired EP, Year of the Hare, in June. Take a look at the cover below:

Mumford & Sons Detail Third LP

Mumford and Sons will return in May with their third album, Wilder Mind. The record, according to Rolling Stone, will hear the band go for a much more electric feel with "U2-Style guitars" and less banjos. This will be an interesting departure for the band as they prep to go electric and a release we are looking forward to. 

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

1. "Tompkins Square Park"
2. "Believe"
3. "The Wolf"
4. "Wilder Mind"
5. "Just Smoke"
6. "Monster"
7. "Snake Eyes"
8. "Broad-Shouldered Beasts"
9. "Cold Arms"
10. "Ditmas"
11. "Only Love"
12. "Hot Gates"

Albums Coming in 2015

A new year means new albums and we take a look at the first quarter of releases of 2015 and give a rundown of albums to keep an eye out for this year. 

 

January:

Belle & Sebastian – Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance

Sleater Kinney – No Cities to Love

Joey Bada$$ - B4.DA.$$

Derek Grant – Breakdown

Until The Ribbon Breaks – A Lesson Unlearnt

Lupe Fiasco – Tetsuo & Youth

The Decemberists – What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World

Marilyn Manson – The Pale Emperor

Mark Ronson – Uptown Special

Jamie Cullum – Interlude

February

Chromatics – Dear Tommy

Ghostface Killah & BadBadNotGood – Sour Soul 

Gang of Four – What Happens Next?

Screaming Females – Rose Mountain

Big Noble – First Light

The Church – Further / Deeper

Dan Deacon – Gliss Riffer

The Wombats – Glitterbug

Kate Pierson – Guitars and Microphones

Bob Dylan – Shadows in the Night 

March

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Chasing Yesterday

Cold War Kids – Hold My Home

Testament

Ringo Starr

Carl Barat & The Jackels

Modest Mouse – Strangers to Ourselves

Hot Rod Circuit – Sorry About Tomorrow

Of Montreal – Aureat Gloom

James Bay – Chaos and the Calm 

Madonna – Rebel Heart

April

Faith No More

Twin Shadow – Eclipse

Axell /\ Ingrosso

Marina & the Diamonds – Froot

Other Artists Supposedly Releasing Albums in 2015:

Coldplay – A Head Full of Dreams

U2 – Songs of Experience 

Giorgio Mororder – 74 is the New 24

Adele - 24

Kid Cudi – Man on the Moon III

Action Bronson – Mr. Wonderful

Clipse – As God As My Witness

Ghostface Killah – Supreme Clientele 2: Blue & Cream

Ghostface Killah & MF DOOM – DOOMStarks

Raekwon – FILA

Q-Tip – The Last Zulu

Living Colour – Shade

Run The Jewels – Run The Jewels 3

Muse

The Cribs

Airborne Toxic Event

Jake Bugg

The Jesus & Mary Chain

Guns N Roses

King Diamond

Culture Club

Death Cab For Cutie

The Cure

Brandon Flowers

Lorde

The Black Keys

Daughter

Black Sabbath

Nas

David Gilmour

The Vaccines

Against Me!

Foals

Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals

Mumford & Sons

Rainer Maria

Incubus

Prodigy

The xx

Jamie xx

Tool

Slayer

Deftones

Dr. Dre

Bjork

Bad Religion

Emelie Sande

Fleetwood Mac

King Diamond

Metallica

No Doubt

Motorhead

The Libertines

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Soundgarden

Maxwell

Garbage

Social Distortion

Sparta

Strung Out

Unlocking the Truth

James Blake

Refused

Frank Turner

Radiohead

Robyn

Joanna Newsom

Justice

QUICK SPINS

 

Foo Fighters – Sonic Highways

The size and scope of the Foo Fighters latest album, Sonic Highways, is so big it required an HBO documentary series to tell the tale of the making of the album, which Dave Grohl told the musical tale of America’s best cities. This is their love letter to American music, no doubt about it. A different song recorded over a week in a different city, while Grohl cherrypickes his lyrics from the interviews he is conducting with musicians in those cities to craft a song inspired by metropolis they are in. While the creative force and idea of the record propels Sonic Highways at the speed of light, musically it takes on the concept of the music they are in but they make it all their own. For these eight songs that are a way for them to say “Thanks America,” Foo Fighters go from being America’s biggest rock and roll band to the best.

FINAL GRADE: A

Arca – Xen

Arca, the Venezuelan born producer made his name last year when he appeared as one of the producers on Kanye West’s Yeezus. Since then, he has gone on to produce FKA Twigs (a fellow 2014 Best New Artist nominee) fantastic debut and is currently working with Bjork on her new album. In all of this, he found time to record a debut that is so unconventional, so smart, and so ahead of it’s time, Xen will be a record we talk about in years to come as we see it was the blueprint and jumpoff to what alternative music will sound like.

FINAL GRADE: A

Idris Elba Presents Mi Mandela

Nearly a year after Nelson Mandela’s passing, Idris Elba, the best actor to ever portray the iconic leader on screen has crafted a tribute record of sorts using various African musicians, as well as Mumford and Sons, James Blake, Mr. Hudson, and Cody ChestnuTT, to bring a much more pop sound to an already fantastic musical landscape. This album represents the world in song and needs to be heard.

FINAL GRADE: A

Bryan Ferry – Avonmore

The musical mastermind, Bryan Ferry, returns with a new record of songs to add to his iconic arsenal of alternative music. This time around he brings Nile Rodgers, Johnny Marr, Flea, Ronnie Spector along for the ride.

FINAL GRADE: A-

TV on the Radio – Seeds

TV on the Radio have always delivered records that sound as if they come from another cosmic part of the universe, Seeds is no exception. The band’s latest, their first recorded since the passing of bassist Gerard Smith, doesn’t sound like a band reflecting too much on their past but focusing, as always, on the future and what is ahead. Which in many ways, is probably what Smith would have wanted. The production of member David Sitek is as funky and freaky as ever and the energy this record packs is a colorful punch to fans around the globe.

FINAL GRADE: A-

Mary J. Blige – The London Sessions

Linking up with Disclosure got R&B icon realizing that the UK is where it is at – it is something we have felt for a while now, too. The London Sessions is her homage to the musical spirit of the iconic city and how it never ceases to stop creating, stop wondering, and stop being hungry. One of Blige’s best records and a new chapter in her illustrious career.

FINAL GRADE: A-

Lagwagon – Hang

For their first record in nearly a decade, Lagwagon pull all the stops and show they still can pack a serious punch.

FINAL GRADE: B+

KMFDM – Our Time Will Come

At one point in their massively long career, KMFDM called it quits, yet, since they have been back they have been harder, stronger, faster, and better than ever. Our Time Will Come is the industrial legends 19^th album and while they show no signs of stopping, we thank them for not slowing down.

FINAL GRADE: B+

Circa Survive – Descensus

The fifth album from the Pennsylvania prog/emo-core band hears Circa Survive sounding as big and as energetic as ever. This is a band that has been putting out quality music for a decade now and it keeps getting better and better.

FINAL GRADE: B+

Erasure – The Violent Flame

The 16^th album from the iconic British New Wave titans hears them pulverizing dance floors again as if it is 1984. The Violent Flame gets a modern twist produced by XL Records mastermind, Richard XL and brings that classic Erasure sound to a whole new level.

FINAL GRADE: B

Royksopp – The Inevitable End

The fifth and final album from Norway’s beloved electronic artists Royksopp is the perfect swan song for a band this strong and this talented to go out on. With guest appearances by Robyn, Man Without Country, Jamie Irrepressible, and others, Royksopp wave goodbye in grand fashion.

FINAL GRADE: B

AC/DC – Rock or Bust

For over 40 years, Australia’s biggest rock export have saluted those about to rock and been to the highway to hell and back and are now returning basically what feels like an excuse to tour. Rock or Bust is the 15th record from AC/DC and while musically it doesn’t do anything new, it is the first album without Malcolm Young on bass and is the shortest record from the band. It just feels complacent and it feels as if they need a shake-up, sort of what Black Sabbath did with 13, in order to get back to their musical heights.

FINAL GRADE: C

Rick Ross – Hood Billionaire

While Rick Ross has a sleek new look, he still sounds the same. Hood Billionaire maybe the latest album from Rosey, and with his star-studded guest list featuring Jay-Z, R. Kelly, Project Pat, K. Michelle, Yo Gotti, Boosie Badazz, Big K.R.I.T., Snoop Dogg, Fat Trel, Whole Slab, French Montana, Big KRIT, Lex Luger, Timbaland, it still doesn’t save this album from sounding like anything else he has done before.

FINAL GRADE: D

Bush -  Man on the Run

Gavin Rossdale’s latest incarnation to his English grunge band doesn’t sound too different from when he resurrected them a few years ago. While their greatest material ended at the turn of the century, this new Bush should not only be called something else, they should be looking to sound like something else, too.

FINAL GRADE: D

Quick News

Incubus have confirmed they have begun work on their new album. No word as to when it will arrive has been released.

Emo band Rainer Maria have reunited. The Wisconsin trio broke up in 2006, but have come together for a new tour and possible new album.

Circa Survive's new album will be called Descensus and will arrive next month.

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Doolittle, Pixies are reissuing the album in a deluxe set that features demos, B-sides, outtakes, live cuts, and more. It will arrive next month.

Speaking of reissues, Cursive will reissue their 2003 masterpiece, Ugly Organ, next month. The reissue will feature the remastered original album, plus outtakes, demos, and live cuts.

Mumford and Sons have confirmed they are in the studio working on their third record. The album is being produced by James Ford, best known for his work with Arctic Monkeys.

Idris Presents... mi Mandela

Actor, producer, and DJ Idris Elba, who portrayed late South African leader Nelson Mandela in last year's film, Long Walk To Freedom, will release a tribute album that celebrates South African music and the life of Madiba with mi Mandela. The album arrives in November and features contributes from various South African musicians, Mumford & Sons and James Blake. Take a look at the trailer above.

Playlist

 Take a look at November's 26-song playlist and hear it on Spotify!

Quick News

The Who have announced that after their 2015 50th anniversary tour, the band, or what is left of them, will stop touring forever.

Next week, L.A. alternative legends Jane's Addiction will get their own star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.

A supergroup called Salvador Dali Parton which features members of Mumford & Sons, The Vaccines, JEFF the Brotherhood, Old Crow Medicine Show will play six gigs in one day on November 2 in Nashville. While in the process, the band will also be cutting an album, live in front of their audiences.

Eminem spoke to Rolling Stone about his upcoming Marshall Mathers LP 2 and said, "Calling it 'The Marshall Mathers LP 2', obviously I knew that there might be certain expectations. I wouldn't want to call it that just for the sake of calling it that. I had to make sure that I had the right songs – and just when you think you got it, you listen and you're like, 'Fuck, man! I feel like it needs this or that,' to paint the whole picture."

Paul McCartney has said he has stopped writing new songs. Speaking to England's The Daily Star, he said, "I'm resisting writing any more songs as I've got so many. I got everything off my chest with 'New', and next I need to go through my pile of demo ideas. It'll be like cleaning out my attic – I know I should do it even though I don't really want to. There are loads of songs I've started in the past couple of years that I need to finish off. Some are just sketchy ideas but I think there are a lot of strong ideas in my demos too, which I need to sit down and ­figure out how to finish."

FINALLY! On January 21, 2014, Against Me! will release their much anticipated new album, Transgender Dysphoria Blues. Take a look at the albums tracklisting below:
"Transgender Dysphoria Blues"
"True Trans Soul Rebel"
"Unconditional Love"
"Drinking With the Jocks"
"Osama Bin Laden as the Crucified Christ"
"FUCKMYLIFE666"
"Dead Friend"
"Two Coffins"
"Paralytic States"
"Black Me Out"

Quick News

Mumford and Sons have announced they will go on a bit of a hiatus following the success of last years Babel album and world tour. Speaking to Rolling Stone, keyboardist Ben Lovett said, "We have no idea. We just know we're going to take a considerable amount of time off and just go back to hanging out and having no commitments or pressure or anything like that. It feels like the last week of school right now, before school holiday when you're in high school. The atmosphere on the road is one of... I think everyone's excited about being free of schedules."

The biopic on hip-hop legend Tupac Shakur is finally going to happen. The film, which will have a reported $45 million budget will start filming next year.

The tracklisting to Arcade Fire's Reflektor has been revealed thanks to Amazon France. A posting was crafted featuring the list of songs, take a look below:
'Reflektor'
'We Exist'
'Flashbulb Eyes'
'Here Comes The Night Time'
'Normal Person'
'You Already Know'
'Joan Of Arc'
'Here Comes The Night Time II'
'Awful Sound (Oh Erydice)'
 'It's Never Over (Oh Orpheous)'
'Porno'
'Afterlife'
'Supersymmetry'

The cover to Eminem's Marshall Mather's LP 2 has been revealed. Take a look below:

Mumford & Sons FULL Lollapalooza Set

 Watch Mumford & Sons FULL Lollpalooza Saturday headlining set!

July Playlist

Take a look / listen / grab July's 27 song playlist on Spotify!