Fiona continues to release videos from her #1 2012 album The Idler Wheel…. This time, in a video directed by her former beau (and one of my all time favorite directors), Paul Thomas Anderson.
This video has a very 60s vibe to it, but it accurately captures pretty much everything that happens in this subdued song. I’m assuming that’s Fiona’s sister there, singing with her in the video, as it is her sister that sings with her on the album on this song.
I’m not familiar with Shad, but I do know Lenny Kravitz, and while I don’t reach for Let Love Rule any longer, I can still appreciate what Lenny was able to accomplish. Clearly Shad agrees.
I really don’t understand why I like Noah And The Whale. It’s treacly, formulaic english pop. There’s barely anything redeemable about it. But yet, here we are, with this song stuck in our head, and a cute but silly little video to go along with it.
Their latest album, Heart of Nowhere, came out earlier this year.
This is basically a lyric video, which I’m quickly coming to feel is a lazy and unimaginative way to release a song / music video. But since it features a song by Elvis Costello and The Roots from their upcoming collaboration, Wise Up Ghost, I’ll show it here anyway.
Costello continues to give me a reason to come back into the fold after falling out of it. The fact that he’s working with the Roots this time around is the best yet. The album comes out September 17.
This is BRAIDS, a trio (and apparently former four-piece) from Calgary. I missed their 2011 debut album Native Speaker, which was shortlisted for Canada’s Polaris Music Prize. Their next album, Flourish // Perish, comes out August 20. If the album sounds like this song — my god, the drumming alone! — I’ll be listening to the album non-stop for the rest of the year.
Also note they’re coming through town in October, playing the lovely, tiny Sunset Tavern on the 23rd. See you there?
Holy crap, Franz Ferdinand are still together, and making music that simultaneously sounds like them, but in a modernized way. “Right Action” is from their forthcoming album Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action, due out August 26.
If you’re not yet familiar with The Weeknd, that rock you’re under must be nice and cozy. The song shown in the attached video is “Belong to the World,” which appears on his forthcoming album, Kiss Land.
In the video, The Weeknd (whose real name is Abel Tesfaye) appears to be attempting a mid- to late-career Michael Jackson-like performance. Watch the video, and try not to think about Moonwalker or the video for “Black or White.”
OK, I’m scared.
I’ve spoken of my love for Matthew Houck and his band Phosphorescent many times in the past. Solid, twangy, bluesy rock n’ roll. Nobody today is doing it better. And unless quite a few amazing albums come out in the next few months, Phosphorescent’s recent album Muchacho will end up near the top of this year’s Bacon Calendar.
They’re coming to Seattle in September, after having just been through town back in April of this year. I saw them then, and I just bought tickets to see them again. This is officially a must-see event. Don’t miss it.
The nicest man in indie rock, John Vanderslice, has a new album out (Dagger Beach) and now has a new video from said new album. “How The West Was Won” is classic Vanderslice: split vocals, solid chord progressions, somewhat bleak-sounding lyrics directed at a nameless “you.” If you’ve liked John in the past, you’ll like this, too. And if you’re not familiar with John, this is the perfect jumping off point.
I love Stephin Merritt, in all his incarnations.
This particular song/video is for his band Future Bible Heroes, from their new album Partygoing, which came out in June. A lovely little ditty called “Living, Loving, Partgoing.”
I would very much like a life-size Stephin Merritt statue at my next camping expedition. Makes for a good bear repellent.
You Alone Know, the Soil & the Sun, What Wonder is this Universe!
“I don’t need to understand
Every word you speak to me
I don’t need to recognize
Every truth, every time
I don’t need a bigger noise
All I need is to hear your voice”Game over the Soil & the Sun, my heart is bursting.
//
The Soil & the Sun. A crazy blend of Typhoon, Sufjan, Of Monsters and Men, and many many other things. MUST HEAR MORE. (and you can, right here.)
Quite interested in Majical Cloudz (I’m sorry, but really?! “Majical Cloudz”? Ugh.), whose second album Impersonator came out back in May. I haven’t listened to anything else of theirs, but based on this song they sound very much in the same realm as James Blake. I’ll now go listen to the album and report back.
Still trying to figure out Colin Stetson. Here’s a new video, for his song “Who The Waves Are Roaring For” featuring Justin “Bon Iver” Vernon on vocals. Colin and his experimental saxophone can be head on his most recent album New History Warfare Vol. 3: To See More Light, out now.
Wow. This is my first taste of Gary Clark Jr., and if the rest of his stuff sounds like “Numb,” I’m going to be bowled over. This video came out back in May, so I’m surprised I haven’t heard or seen it before now. It‘s possible I heard it and mistook it for The Black Keys, as it does sound quite a bit like that, but this gets back to something that those guys lost a few years back. Definitely going to look more into him, starting with his album Blak and Blu, which came out back in October of last year.
2013 might be the year I finally start to like Bloc Party. Their song “Ratchet,” from their EP The Nextwave Sessions, to be released on August 12 is shown above, in a video that can accurately be described as “mind blowing.”
According to Wikipedia the band will be taking an indefinite hiatus after their performance at the Latitude festival on July 19. That’s unfortunate, given my newly acquired willingness to enjoy their music.
There’s a definite time and place for M.I.A., and just because I haven’t found it yet doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate what she’s produced to date. Here’s a new video, for the song “Bring The Noize” which is off her forthcoming album Matangi, to be released “in the near future.”
Perhaps it’s the bleach-blonde hair, or the fiery green dress, but the way The Deer Tracks’ lead singer Elin Lindfors is portrayed in this video for their song “W” reminds me of Daenerys Targaryen rising naked out of the ashes at the birth of her dragon offspring.
Please draw your own conclusions.
The Deer Tracks’ The Archer Trilogy series concluded back in February of this year.
Just like King Kong, here are the Yeah Yeah Yeahs from atop the Empire State Building, with their fantastic, bombastic song “Despair.” Their fourth full-length album, Mosquito came out this past April, complete with one of the worst covers ever applied to a professionally-produced record.
Great little professional live video from Atoms for Peace’s club performance last month. SO looking forward to finally getting to see this lineup at the Treasure Island Festival down in the bay area in October.