pop etc : live it up (video)

this will be on pop etc's (formerly the morning benders) new album. melodically, this still feels like vintage benders to me. but instrumentally, we're hearing a whole different beast. r&b-ing all over the place.

gaslight anthem : 45 (stream)

first taste from the fourth full-length, handwritten. very solid.

the sugarcubes : hit (stream)

blast from the past with bjork's old band.

muscles : ready for a fight (stream)

if you hung out with me 1L year, you certainly know muscles. i played "ice cream" and "hey muscles, i love you" probably 20 times a weekend every weekend. dude is back with new material. stream it below.

japandroids : the house that heaven built (stream)

some songs take hold of your heart. some songs lift your soul. some songs climb in through your ear and get stuck in your head. but every once in a while a song comes along and it grabs you by your guts and refuses to let go. that's this song.

if they try and slow you down, tell them all to go to hell.

grimes : genesis (live on jools)

one of my favorite tracks from one of my favorite albums of 2012. sounds great live.

jack white : sixteen saltines (live on jools)

this song rocks pretty hard.

fiona apple : every single night (stream)

still hearing jon brion on this.

the tallest man on earth covers thin lizzy : dancing in the moonlight (video)

i have no idea what this is from. some sort of european talent show and the audience/judges seem unimpressed. but i'm pretty impressed. especially because it shows how well kristian mattson's voice works outside of the hyper specific folk context in which we usually hear it. reminds me a bit of van morrison.

beach house : equal mind (stream)

another flawless beach house track.

ra ra riot cover steve winwood : valerie (stream)

ashamed to admit that i didn't know that this song is where that sample came from.

kindness : house (stream)

i don't know too much about kindness, but i'm really vibing to this song. like if miike snow was less aggressive about going for pop's jugular. very mellow but still dancey. perfect for the warmer spring days ahead.

the walkmen : heartbreaker (stream)

another track from heaven. old school.

phantom : scars (stream)

a slow, moody track suggested by the xx. rec'd if you like the xx.

dirty projectors : you against the larger world (demo) (stream)

an outtake from up coming swing lo magellon.

arctic monkeys : electricity (stream)

between this, last single "r u mine?" and recently recorded b-side "evil twin", i am getting real amped for the band's next full-length. you can hear the lasting impression josh homme made on the band during the humbug sessions.

beach house : lazuli (stream)

beach house is one of those bands that excels at sounding a little bit different between albums but also exactly the same.

sam sparro : the shallow end (video)

sorry for the double sparro post, but sam sparro is one of the most fun records i've heard in the last decade, and i'm just real pumped for the followup. another phenomenally fun track below. going to be the party album of the summer.

sam sparro : happiness (stream)

umm...did y'all know that sam sparro has FINALLY released new music??? new album is forthcoming, but first single is here (out for a few weeks now) and it's a classic (read: unstoppable) sam sparro song. the perfect mix of funk, pop, soul and r&b. dayum.

norah jones : little broekn hearts (album stream)

listen to the dangermouse produced album at npr.

the walkmen : heaven (stream)

stream a great new song called "heaven" by the walkmen at p4k.

jack white : blunderbluss (album stream)

have a listen at itunes.

lolla 2012 lineup

here.

deep sea diver : nwo + you go running (video)

the singer/bandleader here, jessica dobson, is part of the shins' new lineup. this is her main musical project, though, and it's pretty legit. #indievibes

grimes : rosa (stream)

"hulk...smash."

the head and the heart : virginia (live)

new song, i think. very pretty.

eight and a half : eight and a half (album stream)

you can stream the debut self-titled album by eight and a half (two parts the stills to one part broken social scene) over at paste. a couple of strong numbers, but the band doesn't seem to have totally found it's footing just yet.

the walkmen : heaven + interview