Traffic Increase

MP3: Lupe Fiasco - All Black Everything

If we post a ton of very popular music, then we should get more hits—at least that's what some of our peers think. So, here's a party jam. Enjoy.

David Bowie Fridays: Teenage Wildlife

MP3: David Bowie - Teenage Wildlife

Enjoy.

New Sonny & the Smiths: I Wanna Do It

MP3: Sonny & the Smiths - I Wanna Do It

Sonny & the Smiths may be the only band around today that actually is music legally allowed to name their album "Hit After Hit": they're damn fucking good and consistent. Very excited for this new album, out April 12th on Fat Possum.

Hunx in your bunx

MP3: Hunx and His Punx - Too Young to Be in Love

For you: the title track to Hunx and His Punx's eagerly awaited "Too Young to Be in Love" album. Here, Hunx brings the tempo down and the mood up. Awesome, as expected.

Still coming out March 29th on Hardly Art.

Art haus

MP3: Boris - Hope

Boris has two albums coming out on April 26th, and today we get a peek from the one we were less excited about: "Attention Please" is the record that isn't heavy and also is an entire album with Wata on vocals. Thankfully, "Hope" isn't terrible (it's actually pretty fucking good!), and I now find myself just as excited for this LP's release. In the end, we all trust Boris to slay and they found a way on "Hope".

So yeah, I'm jamming it, but mostly I can't wait for "Heavy Rocks"!

FUCK YEAH: End of winter jeans.

MP3: Mean Jeans - Brains Out

It's true, FY!GT! is Mean Jeans HQ. Here's a rarity that appeared on the "Modern Gnart" cassette compilation from Portland's Gnar Tapes. I paid a dollar for this song, so you dudes better enjoy the shit out of it.

GO TEAM: New BRAHMS video

MP3: BRAHMS - Add It Up

BRAHMS debuted (via Stereogum) a new video for "Repeat It", the b-side on their single for "Add It Up" and it's very creative (unlike today's other video post). These guys have been killing it since they started, so obviously we should support everything they do.

The Add It Up/Repeat It 7 inch single is limited to 300 copies and is available now from Insound. Buy it here and get the mp3s instantly.

Also, dudes are on tour and I can confirm they put on a superb show. Check them out:

Feb 24 Glasslands w/ Acrylics, New Moods & Tanlines (DJ) 8.00pm - $10.00 Brooklyn, New York
Feb 25 Brighton Music Hall w/ Asobi Seksu 8.00pm - $12.00 Boston, Massachusetts
Feb 26 Casa Del Popolo w/ Asobi Seksu 9.00pm - $12.00 Montreal, Quebec
Feb 27 Horseshoe Tavern w/ Asobi Seksu 9.00pm - $10.00 Toronto, Ontario
Feb 28 Empty Bottle w/ Asobi Seksu 9.00pm - $12.00 Chicago, Illinois
Mar 1 7th Street Entry w/ Asobi Seksu 8.00pm - $10.00 Minneapolis, Minnesota
Mar 3 The Palace Lounge w/ Asobi Seksu 9.00pm - $8.00 Missoula, Montana
Mar 4 Chop Suey w/ Asobi Seksu 9.00pm - $12.00 Seattle, Washington
Mar 5 Biltmore Cabaret w/ Asobi Seksu 8.00pm - $15.00 Vancouver, BC
Mar 6 Doug Fir Lounge w/ Asobi Seksu 8.00pm - $10.00 Portland, Oregon
Mar 8 Bottom Of The Hill w/ Asobi Seksu 8.30pm - $12.00 San Francisco, California
Mar 9 Troubadour w/ Asobi Seksu 8.00pm - $12.00 Los Angeles, California
Mar 10 Soda Bar 9.00pm - $8.00 San Diego, California
Mar 11 Neon Reverb Festival time tbc Las Vegas, Nevada
Mar 12 Detroit Bar w/ Starfucker & Unkown Mortal Orchestra 9.00pm - $10.00 Costa Mesa, California
Mar 13 Trunkspace w/ Starfucker & Unkown Mortal Orchestra 7.30pm - $10.00 Phoenix, Arizona
Mar 16-19 SXSW (check sites for full details soon) Austin, Texas
Mar 20 The Mink w/ Superhumanoids 8.00pm - $8.00 Houston, Texas
Mar 22 The Earl w/ The Joy Formidable 8.30pm - $10.00 Durham, North Carolina
Mar 23 Casbah 8.00pm - $8.00 Durham, North Carolina
Mar 24 Rock And Roll Hotel w/ Fujiya And Miyagi & Warm Ghost 8.00pm - $14.00 Washington, DC

FUCK NO: Cults' Go Outside video

MP3: Cults - Go Outside

Cults have really got a lot of mileage out of a limited catalogue, with most of the focus being on their excellent "Go Outside" hit. Today, a video produced by anti-music video company MTV has premiered and man did everyone involved miss the point entirely.

Staring Emma Roberts and Dave Franco (a kid who is endlessly destined to always have it mentioned that he is the brother of James, mostly because he has no talent to help him stand on his own two feet), it takes a song of dark, evil, cheerful pop and glosses it to a 2-bit love story that no one could give a shit about. It is truly everything that is terrible about music videos and I'm hoping with one viewing of this schlock I can forget it's image anytime I listen to this song.

Shame on Patrick Hoelck, the director. Clearly, you are a hack. Let's please throw money at people WITH vision people!

Burn bridges, build bridges.

MP3: The Berg Sans Nipple - Change the Shape
MP3: The Berg Sans Nipple - Convert the Measurement

After seeing that a good chunk of artists (Craig Wedren, The Felice Brothers, David Dondero) were no longer recording for New York label Team Love, I visited their website to see if they were still functioning. Turns out, they are, and one of their crown jewels (that they managed to keep) has a new LP coming out.

The Berg Sans Nipple return with their first new album in many years: it's called "Build With Erosion" and today you get a taste of 2 songs from it, both really good and enough to leave you wanting more. Definitely more vocal this time around!

"Build With Erosion" is out March 15th. I'm looking forward to it.

The Best Song Ever: Love Fade

MP3: Tamaryn - Love Fade

One of the big regrets of mine while the blog was in a clusterfuck at the end of 2010 was that I missed the opportunity to write something about Tamaryn's great LP "The Waves". It was really good and on heavy rotation for awhile, and "Love Fade" is just the perfect song. It evokes emotions without being emotional, and jangles through space while you ride a rocket to the goddamn moon. So while this song may be old news to everyone by now, it's worth taking a step back and revisiting it time and time again. Or forever, like I plan on doing.

Video: No Star!

MP3: The Velvet Teen - No Star

The Velvet Teen's return has been much appreciated on this blog, and now we've got a video for their newest ep's most badass song "No Star". With an ending that rips, the challenge was up to them to visually display something beyond comparable and I'm happy to say they've succeeded. Check it out.

Deeped.

MP3: Grails - Deep Politics

Running on few hours sleep, I'm totally feeling a drone Friday. Matthew kicked things off with a track from the very, very great new Earth record and I'm going to keep that Pacific Northwest style rolling with a new song from Portland, Oregon's Grails.

Grails are a band that have been recording amazing albums for years and deserve so much more credit and attention. Losing a member to OM, the band was forced to redefine themselves into a different force of evil and "Deep Politics" is that evil.

Here is the video for the title track (mp3 is above) and for another killer LP track called "Daughters of Bilitis", and they're both awesome. Like the album, which is out March 8th on Temporary Residence.

David Bowie Fridays: Panic In Detroit

MP3: David Bowie - Panic In Detroit

Enjoy.

Transmissions from the satellite darkness

MP3: Earth - Father Midnight

Quite surprisingly, Joey has not posted a track from this album, even giving a shout-out to current bass player Karl Blau, whose music is oft overlooked. Anyway, what better way to kick off a cloudy Friday than with a nice, mellow jamb. Enjoy.

Drug dreams

MP3: Harlem - LSD Saves

Missed this one when it came out, but recently caught on: Harlem released a 7 inch with 2 brand new songs not on "Hippies". This is the a side.

True colours.

MP3: Karl Blau - Dark Sedan

Busy day today! Hoping I can check in here more throughout it, but meanwhile I dusted off a great, under looked record by Karl Blau that came out back in 2009. "Zebra" didn't seem to get the press and attention that his previous 2 LPs on K had received which is tragic because it might have just been his best yet. Dude is playing bass in Earth now, which is cool but in the meantime, track down a copy of "Zebra", brah!

Clone Wars

MP3: Beach Fossils - Fall Right In

As Captured Tracks quickly cements itself as the Drive-Thru Records of indie pop, time was short before its bands all began sounding alike. To celebrate such a fashion, they're releasing a new EP by Beach Fossils. Gone are the static-filled charm of their debut record, the innocently hesitant drumming, and the whimsical guitar patterns. Instead, the produced drumming and clarity of the tracks causes it to sound exactly like label-mates Wild Nothing (unsurprisingly one track does feature Jack Tatum). One could argue very easily that both groups already were heavily linked musically and not be wrong, but when bands evolve you'd hope they would venture away from their peers—not ever closer.

Hard candy

MP3: Acid House Kings - (I'm In) a Chorus Line

I was hoping that with a six year wait, a new Acid House Kings long player would be nothing but home runs. Alas, that record is "Music Sounds Better With You", and it is full of fouls instead.

There's nothing really wrong with it, per say, but it just comes off as shtick mostly. One of the highlights, however, is the track "(I'm In) a Chorus Line" which is full of piss and pop vigor. I hope it isn't another six year period before we get a follow up because this album leaves a bad taste in the discography's mouth and I'm sure it could use something tasty to wash it down with.

FUCK YEAH: Sandy days

MP3: Beaches - In a While
MP3: Beaches - Halve

Yesterday I gave Melbourne, Australia's Beaches a listen and am so grateful that I did: these gals fucking rip bongs and jams, providing a psychedelic big bang in the center of your goddamn heart!

They only have one US release out, last year's 4 song "Eternal Sphere" LP on Mexican Summer, but it's their best one yet and that's where these songs come from. Download them as fast you can, your soul will thank you.

New tUnE-yArDs: Bizness

MP3: tUnE-yArDs - Bizness

tUnE-yArDs' "BiRd-BrAiNs" LP on Marriage back in '09 was a revelation and this song, the first one released from her forthcoming "w h o k i l l", is even more insane! A little slicker (with much thought gone into it apparently), but still plenty layered in that batty battiness that we've come to love.

w h o k i l l sees release in April coming from 4AD.

Late to the punch bowl, but drinking the kool-aid

MP3: The Strokes - Under Cover of Darkness

In typical fashion, The Strokes have returned with a damn fine song. I was always a bit miffed when the press around "Is This It" was avoiding what was always that most obvious feature of The Strokes being a pop band, just because they did it a bit differently. I'm just glad to see they're aging well, and that moreso, the skeptics have come to realize there's nothing wrong with a great pop single.

Lincolns

MP3: Talib Kweli & Dead Prez - Sharp Shooters

One of my best buddies growing up, Wes, used to make me the dopest hip hop mixes in high school. In one he scattered all of the hits from the now legendary Lyricist Lounge 2 comp on Rawkus, including today's mp3, which came up in conversation with Matthew this past weekend. It's a fucking hit, and really should be in the forefront of both artist's career highlights like I've always considered it to be.

That's gonna do it for the week, nuders. Keep it sleazy, I'm going to see the Warriors on the big screen tonight!

David Bowie Fridays: She Shook Me Cold

MP3: David Bowie - She Shook Me Cold

NOTE: Giordano is on holiday in the alps or some shit this weekend, so I will be posting an entry in his place for David Bowie Fridays today. Tough call, went with a ripper.

Enjoy.

Jetty.

MP3: Panda Bear - Last Night at the Jetty

I am of the camp that does not like Animal Collective even a little bit, but totally dig what Panda Bear is doing. After a year of releasing hit singles, he's re-recorded them and compiled them into "Tomboy", which comes out April 12th via Paw Tracks. You know all of that I'm sure which makes this a useless post: the whole blogosphere is on top of it. But fuck it, "Last Night at the Jetty" is a great song and should be spread like a wonderful disease. Enjoy the LP version of the track.

FUCK YEAH: Secret of the ooze

MP3: Black Pus - Bark of the Tree

I had a nice time downloading and listening to the Black Pus discography yesterday afternoon. Here is the b-side to a 7 inch.

FUCK YEAH: PC Worship

MP3: PC Worship - Sittin' In My Car Round 2

Tracks like this should be released on Mondays, because they're straight gloom enders. PC Worship return with one of the best songs of the year to date. Make sure you catch these dues live for some face melting. Enjoy.

Skye blue, stay true.

MP3: Mighty Clouds - Stay Single

Fred Thomas returns with one of his greatest collaborators, Betty Marie Barnes, to form Mighty Clouds. Their self titled LP (which you can get a copy of the original press from here or here) will see a repress from Thomas' own Lifelike Records (who also did the first round of copies) with nation wide distribution from Polyvinyl on Record Store Day.

It's a good album: for me, Fred Thomas is an incredibly talented songwriter who flourishes greatly with a girl to play off of. I have no problem with his other projects (many of which see a digital push from PV as well, learn which ones here) and am happy that he's found so many creative outlets, it just never did it for me. It seemed like didn't get the attention and passion that his songwriting in the great Saturday Looks Good to Me received.

So welcome back, Fred. Can't wait to hear more, I'm sure you'll release like 2,402,040,303,333 tapes and 7 inches with only 2 copies made for each one. Collectors: on your mark...

Nuo Moon Duo: Mazes

MP3: Moon Duo - Mazes

Glad to see these dudes back in action: Moon Duo releases "Mazes" their new 8 song LP on March 29th from Sacred Bones, and you can download the titular track from it right now. I don't need to tell you how awesome it is, but in case I do: it's awesome.

Gary No Moore

MP3: Thin Lizzy - Waiting for an Alibi
MP3: Thin Lizzy - Got to Give It Up

Gary Moore has passed away, and I wanted to pay tribute. While he joined Thin Lizzy as a guitarist when (I feel) the spark was fading, "Black Rose: A Rock Legend", his recorded debut with the band, is still pretty solid. Dude was beyond capable, and him and Phil Lynott were tight bros so that makes him immortal.

Enjoy some songs he rips on from that LP. RIP brah, I bet you're shredding with Phil in the afterlife!

FUCK YEAH: Time is cyclical.

MP3: Parts & Labor - Constant Future

Life is good: Matthew and I were just last night speaking about how we wish the new Parts & Labor record would leak, and this morning it did! Don't worry, Jagjaguwar, we'll buy the vinyl edition.

2011 is fast proving to be the year that rock and roll destroys everything and a new P&L LP is always a safe bet. "Constant Future" rules and is out March 8th.

FUCK YEAH: Pints and joints all weekend.

MP3: Federation X - Rally Day
MP3: Federation X - Slave Song
MP3: Federation X - Charlie Jackie Freedom Pride

Life has been good to me, I must say. I never had the chance to see Federation X live and it seemed like they were done playing music for many years. It felt horrible. Then, recently, dates were announced and they were on the East Coast to boot. That's that coast I live on! They're in New York this weekend and I will be there on Sunday for the gig at the Cake Shop. I know a lot of our readership is in that area (thanks google analytics), so TOTALLY come out. Tweet (ugh) @fuckyeahgoteam if you want to buy us pints, myself and Giordano will both be attending and will bring our thirsts.

Federation X's remaining dates (including tonight):

Fri Feb 4 Comet Pizza and Ping Pong Washington DC
Sat Feb 5 285 Kent Ave - Williamsburg Brooklyn, NY
Sun Feb 6 Cake Shop New York City, NY (that's when we'll be there)
Mon Feb 7 The Ox, Philadelphia, PA

Attend what you can! Rare opportunities! That's gonna do it for us this week, see you on Monday.

FUCK YEAH: Death to all false profits.

MP3: Death From Above 1979 - Losing Friends
MP3: Death From Above 1979 - Little Girl

Welcome back, you saviors of goodness. Please don't abandon us again, it was cold without you near.

I Want You 2

MP3: Personal and the Pizzas - I Want You

Been meaning to share this A-Side from the Personal and the Pizzas single on Trouble in Mind for a bit now. Obviously it rips greasy.

Also, Nu Rave Brain Wave has the Pizzas' track from the "Party Platter" comp that Florida's Dying put out. Snag it if you know what's good for ya!!

Like the telephone uses.

MP3: White Wires - Did You Forget My Name
MP3: White Wires - Be True to Your School (Til You Get Kicked Out)

Hell yeah, White Wires put out a record called WWII a few minutes ago and it fuckin' rules. It's got hooks, it's garage, it's on Dirtnap and it's Canadian. 'Nuff said.

David Bowie Fridays: 1984

MP3: David Bowie - 1984

Enjoy.

A hug and a kiss at the door.

MP3: The Finches - The River in Edo
MP3: The Finches - Natural History

A lot has happened with the Finches since we last left them: half of the duo was gone, there was a name change and then they become 3 strong, then 1, then 3 strong once again.

That catches us up to now, and we have "On Golden Hill", their follow up to 2007's "Human Like a House". It's been a few years, sure, but we've all kinda changed and grown and solidified what was really special about us as human beings you know?

"On Golden Hill" is really great, it's only occasionally weak. It begins on track 6, the song "I Stood", which starts off as interesting and kitschy, but almost immediately that charm is temporary and turns against itself. The same goes for "Hannah": the two tracks go together so well that it's a no brainer to sequence, but they slow down the enjoyment to the point of doubt, until you reach LP closer "How to Keep Your Heart Hate-Free", which (along with the 2 songs I've featured today) really solidify Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs as a brilliant song writer of timeless, special music.

Mostly, I'm just glad the Finches are back. Don't go away this long again, guys.

New Cold Cave: The Great Pan Is Dead

MP3: Cold Cave - The Great Pan Is Dead

Wes Eisold's Cold Cave project is back with a new album called "Cherish the Light Years", and if it's first single (and opening track) is any indication, it's back in full blast. Download "The Great Pan Is Dead" above or below through the widget for an email address (which will give you lyrics and art). This, their 2nd album, comes out April 5th on Matador.

Falling.

MP3: Julee Cruise - Falling (demo)

I was listening to my friend's radio show and his friend played this 7 inch he found containing quite the gem: the demo version of "Falling", a song written by David Lynch, composed by Angelo Badalamenti and sung by Julee Cruise that is also known, in it's instrumental form, as the theme to the seminal television program Twin Peaks.

The 7 inch is a random promotional item from the majors, it's green and went completely under the radar. It's very existence is completely baffling.

The demo reveals a whole new level of sparse, and works as an appreciator if you've heard the original or will lull you into Julee's world if you haven't.

Sorry for the quality, it was the best I could find online. It was almost as tough to find as the 7 inch itself.

The Best Song Ever: Fucking Little Bastards

MP3: Arab Strap - Fucking Little Bastards

I've been listening to this record a lot lately, perhaps a result of finally picking it up on vinyl (which the copy was probably sitting there for years, new and untouched). A wrench of an album, a broodingly unkempt coat for the pessimistic romantic—few recent records have felt so assuring in their bleakness—yet a bleakness they resign themselves to.

Memory Cadets

MP3: The Aquabats! - Poppin' a Wheelie!
MP3: The Aquabats! - The Shark Fighter!

I've always had a special place in my heart for the Aquabats! since the release of The Fury Of..., and the inner me was pretty excited when I heard they were releasing a new album. Hell, if it were along the lines of Charge!!, however, upon releasing "Radio Down!" as the single, a track featuring the great Biz Markie, all hopes dashed—it was quite poor on all accounts. It doesn't surprise me to see the band head into the children's music genre due to their hit show Yo Gabba Gabba, and familiar listeners have always appreciated the playfulness of their music. This one however, is a bit different; with their past two efforts the fun power pop aspect made it seem focused. Here for you, I've included the two best tracks on the album, where the steer away from the reggae and the rapping. Enjoy.

Holding hands outside of the school dance.

MP3: Girlfriends - Gov't Seizure
MP3: Girlfriends - Good to Be True
MP3: Girlfriends - Slugger

Girlfriends are from Boston, Massachusetts and man, they're fuckin' swell. Fun and catchy without being anything less than bad ass.

Enjoy a song from each of their current (as of 02/01/11) releases: their s/t cassette (here), their free digital single for Good to Be True (here) and their Gov't Seizure 7 inch (here).

You'll be real glad I turned you onto these dudes, trust me.

Glares in the budding evening.

MP3: EYES - the falling moon

I don't want to over share this one because you can download it all for free anyway, but I suggest you totally check out the new full length "DUST" from California's EYES. Tripped out bliss, kinda completely not like anything else out there. It'll take you to where you need to go, it's like a fucking audible taxi.

Download DUST here and their previous and also very worth it album A CANDLE IN THE CROWN OF THE DAWN here. Both are criminally for free. Steal it now.

Bill Callahan - Apocalypse - 4/19/11

It was a good day today because this image was in my inbox this morning with the following information:

4/19/11 BILL CALLAHAN APOCALYPSE LP/CD/DIGITAL

Count me in. Gonna be great!

Megashowcase

MP3: The Fine Arts Showcase - Honest Mistake

MP3: The Fine Arts Showcase - Galveston

MP3: The Fine Arts Showcase - Instant Distance

Since Joey has gone up and opened the TFAS well, who I admittedly have no listened to in a while, I figured I'd send in a couple of older gems, two from the debut record (which for some reason iTunes misspells Gustaf's name) and the other a demo prior to their second record, Radiola. It was a strange and pleasurable experience for my brother and I meeting Gustaf in Clapham, sitting in the rain snussing, chain smoking and knocking back many a Staropramens, discussing (amongst other things) early nineties favorites Further, Small (23), Archers of Loaf, etc. But what stuck out most was a worrisome humbleness he had about himself. In retrospect, our bleary-eyed night in South London makes much more sense when you hear his follow-up Dolophine Smile many pieces are put together not necessarily on the content of the night, but of the atmosphere; I'll have to see what he's been up to recently. Enjoy.