[new] Drunk Girls- LCD Soundsystem

James Murphy is having a great couple of months.  Free Energy’s album, Stuck on Nothing, debuted recently to great reviews, his soundtrack to “Greenberg” is getting comparisons (for better or for worse–in my opinion, for the better) to Harry Nilsson, and now he’s got a new single out, titled “Drunk Girls.”

After a few listens, “Drunk Girls” sounds to me like Murphy’s version of Beastie Boys’s classic “Girls.”  Just as the Boys shouted “girls!” followed by sexist, chauvinist observations on the gender, “Drunk Girls” has a bratty refrain of “drunk girls!” sandwiched by witty comments on the topic.

Listen to it here:

2010
03/28
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Greenberg

“The Squid and the Whale” is one of my favorite movies–when I saw it over the summer, I was impressed by the acting (seriously, in my head this film cemented Jesse Eisenberg as the future of cinema) and Noah Baumbach’s terrific writing and direction.  I never saw Baumbach’s follow-up, “Margot at the Wedding,” and I’ve heard that I’m not missing anything.  I should probably get around to seeing it soon though…

Anyways, I’ve read good things about Baumbach’s new film, “Greenberg,” starring Ben Stiller.  I’ll be seeing it tomorrow afternoon after school with some friends (before heading to the Beach House concert!).  I love the trailer for if not because it has plenty of shots of Stiller (le sigh) then for the genius use of LCD Soundystem’s “All My Friends,” which is indisputably one of the greatest songs ever.  Fo’ real.  Watching the trailer got me to revisit James Murphy and boy am I loving it.  I tend not to listen to a lot of electronic music but Murphy knows just how to inject his records with the emotion and songwriting I feel much of the genre lacks.

Watch the Greenberg trailer here and get excited!

2010
03/25
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[new] Bloodbuzz Ohio- The National

The National has released the first single off of High Violet a few weeks early to combat some yucky leaks that have pervaded the internets this week.  After one listen, I can say it lives up to what Matt Berninger said about the tone of the record: it’s not as shouty as Alligator but not as somber as Boxer.  What it is is signature National: intense, emotional, percussive, and affecting.

Listen to it/download here.

Pre-order High Violet from Insound HERE.  The album will be released May 11 via 4AD.

2010
03/24
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[new] Blitzen Trapper- Heaven and Earth

Between the Hold Steady, MGMT, and the New Pornographers, I’ve been drowning in new singles this week.  Now here’s a new cut from Blitzen Trapper to add to the already fantastic roster.  ”Heaven and Earth” is the first single from the upcoming Destroyer of the Void, which will be released June 8 on Sub Pop.

If I remember correctly, “Furr” was the first track out from Blitzen Trapper’s last record.  It quickly became one of my favorite songs of the year.  ”Heaven and Earth” continues in the pattern of showcasing a more delicate song as the first single.  It’s more of a ballad than anything else, with crooning, yearning vocals; the arrangement is sparse with just piano and some strings.

Download the mp3 HERE.

2010
03/23
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[new] The New Pornographers- Crash Years

There are a lot of great bands dropping albums in the next few months (The Hold Steady, The National) but I think the record I’m most looking forward to is The New Pornographers’s Together.

The Pornos released the first single, “Your Hands (Together)” a few weeks ago, and now they’re back with “Crash Years,” an energetic Neko-led romp full of cello runs, flute, and whistling.  While I adore hearing Neko on slower tracks like “Challengers,” it’s pretty cool to hear her take the lead on a more upbeat track.  Challengers was one of my favorite albums when it came out and it took a more melancholy, reflective tone than any of the Pornos’s previous records.  If these singles are any indication, though, I think that Together will be a snappier follow-up.

Pre-order Together and download “Your Hands (Together)” HERE via Matador records.

Buy “Crash Years” on iTunes HERE.

Also check out THIS to see a studio peek into the recording of the album!

2010
03/23
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Mumford & Sons

Last week my friend Lillie recommended that I check out this band called Mumford & Sons.  I finally got around to picking up their album, Sigh No More, this afternoon.  I was reminded to get it when I was listening to some live Laura Marling on YouTube and one comment noted that her backing band was in fact Mumford & Sons.  A friend of Laura’s is a friend of mine.

On Sigh No More, the Sons take the album title to heart: with aggressive horns, banjo, acoustic strums and vocals, there is barely room for a breath.  The group was clearly bred in the same folk-and-bluegrass-by-way-of-Britain cult that spawned the aforementioned Laura Marling, but they forgo Marling’s hushed utterances and guitar picking for dynamic instrumentation and wailing harmonies.  On standout track “Little Lion Man,” booming bass drum and frantic guitar strums give way to feverish vocals and a heartbreaking chorus of, “I’ve really fucked it up this time, didn’t I, dear?”

The Sons tone it down, to an extent, on “I Gave You All,” a spare ballad that opens with just piano and guitar accompaniment.  The track reaches a frenzied pace in the final two minutes, as horns and soaring choral harmony enter the mix.  The lead singer spits, “You rip out all I have just to say that you’ve won,” with such an intensity that is only matched by the pounding piano chords and thundering bass drum.

Mumford & Sons is definitely a band to check out if you’re a fan of Local Natives, Noah & the Whale, Laura Marling, or Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros.

Check out “Little Lion Man” here:

2010
03/22
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[new] Hold Steady- Hurricane J

The Hold Steady (one of my FAVORITE FAVORITE FAVORITE bands) has a new album, Heaven is Whenever, out in May.  The first single, “Hurricane J,” which calls back to a recurring character named Jessie, came out today and it is stellar (duh).  Listen to it/revel in its anthemic, fist-pumping glory here.

P.S. How great is the album artwork?  I know, so great.

2010
03/22
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Alex Chilton

I love you.  You are one of my favorite songwriters and you fronted one of my favorite bands.  Rest in peace.

2010
03/18
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The National debuts new song on Fallon

Of all the things I’m looking forward to in the next few months (spring break, getting into college, prom, graduation) seeing the National play at Constitution Hall ranks pretty high on the list.  They’ve been one of my favorite bands since Boxer came out, and since then I’ve fallen in love with the band’s back catalog, especially the stunningly beautiful Alligator.

The National’s next album, High Violet, will be released in two months.  The group debuted the opening track, “Terrible Love,” last week on Fallon.  It sounds like classic National: pulsing percussion, building tension, choruses that double as dramatic anthems.  Can’t wait.

2010
03/14
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[new] Two MGMT Singles

I must say, the new MGMT song, “Flash Delirium,” doesn’t sound very MGMT-y.  It’s full of the band’s signature trippy synth and childlike vocals, of course, but it’s got some slinky, dirty vibes that strike me as something that would arise from an electronic Jack White side project.  It’s a cool listen though and it definitely makes me curious to see how the album (Congratulations, set to drop April 13).

The second new track from these Wesleyan grads is “Congratulations,” a slow-burning, mostly acoustic jam that would fit in nicely nestled into a Flaming Lips set (if I’m comparing it to a track off of Oracular Spectacular, I’d go with “Pieces of What”).

Download “Flash Delirium” for free on MGMT’s website HERE.

“Congratulations” has been removed from most blogs, but I’m sure some diligent Googling will reap an mp3.

2010
03/11
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