Introduced

MP3: M83 - Intro (feat. Zola Jesus)

We're all going to pretend that we all didn't download Hurry Up, We're Dreaming this week and that "Intro", featuring the lovely Zola Jesus, is a complete shocker. So let's go ahead and talk about the song!

It actually IS a shocker. Listening to "Midnight City" for so long left it harder to imagine something of equal or greater quality could come before and properly set up such a beast, but here we are and it totally fucking rules. It's sprawling, warm and as big as space itself (like all M83, duh), but beyond that I was air drumming like I was fucking a goddamn superstar by the end of it and I like that because I'm not and escape is everything.

New Meg Baird: The Finder

MP3: Meg Baird - The Finder

Some people release too much music, some just enough and too many not much at all - it's the Goldilocks theory. Meg Baird totally falls into the latter category, though now we're all lucky enough to anticipate a new album called Seasons on Earth, coming out on Drag City next month.

Everyone is older and wiser in the world and I guess this LP's is gonna reflect that - "The Finder" certainly makes me believe it. While her Philadelphia peers like Purling Hiss and Kurt Vile are painting the USA the color Philly one city at a time, 2011 seems prime for a lovely overtaking. All hail Queen Baird, mother fuckers.

FUCK YEAH: Bad as Me

MP3: Tom Waits - Bad as Me

Every time Tom Waits raises his head, music stops. It doesn't stop because it's run out, it's stops because of the blindsiding that occurs. At that point, you'd think it would reevaluate it's position, but it just keeps prostrating to the admonishment being delivered by Mr. Waits. He's the voice of reason; he brings character to the world. With Bad as Me seeing release this October, I can only hope an appropriate Dickensian winter (finally) follows suits. Enjoy.

New Atlas Sound: Terra Incognita

MP3: Atlas Sound - Terra Incognita

There are the constants to Bradford Cox that you not only count on, but thrive upon as well: his voice will break your heart, no matter what he's singing and it's going to sound awesome in some way, even if it's not readily visible on it's the surface. How does it change up?

Well his upcoming Parallax album, the 3rd under his Atlas Sound moniker, is self labeled as "science fiction" for it's genre -sounds stellar to me.

Out Nov 8th on 4AD (and by Nov 8th I mean when it leaks in October).

David Bowie Fridays: So Close

Enjoy.

Video: A Long Time

(NOTE: I intended to post this on Aug 2nd but Pitchfork has the WORST embeddable player and I couldn't find this clip anywhere else - until today)

There is nothing about this Mayer Hawthorne video for deep cut "A Long Time" that isn't awesome as all hell.

FUCK YEAH: Girls

MP3: Girls - Saying I Love You

Girls have returned with yet another album of spectacular songs. Spectacular in the sense that they keep getting better. Although I have a gripe: it bothers me that they're addressing this as "Record 3" on the cover, when they've not done so on the EP formally. In actuality, for continuity, it should be Album 3: Father, Son, Holy Ghost with Album 2: Broken Dreams Club or it should have been Record 1: Album and so forth from the beginning. I know they're minor details considering the music is so good, but it some form of continuity is going to be maintained in the naming conventions, then it should be decided beforehand and adhered to. Enjoy.

Los Jicks

MP3: Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks - Forever 28

We're no stranger to SM, and frankly I always look forward to each new release of his slacker jams. With Mirror Traffic out next week, now's a good time to post a track. "Forever 28" finds the Jicks bringing out their inner ELO, and to satisfying results. Enjoy.

Bun B Raw

MP3: Sun Araw - Trireme

Drag City's been getting younger by the minute, perhaps because the old guard is getting close to retirement. The Joos have already hung it hope (although a shove out of eternity would be much welcomed). Sun Araw, though, is quite prolific, and in the past year or two has really jumped to the forefront. I hear his next album is going to have a duet with Andre Benjamin on it. Enjoy.

New Blitzen Trapper: Your Crying Eyes

MP3: Blitzen Trapper - Your Crying Eyes

After last year's Kansas sounding affair Destroyer of the Void, Portland's Blitzen Trapper have upped the tempo to something more akin to Furr and Wild Mountain Nation whilst improving on the melodic attempts on Destroyer... What does that mean? (Other than the obvious of being partially familiar with their back catalogue.) Well, fans can expect to tap their toes (and occasionally their heads) along to this contemporary alternative country music band.

Ditko

MP3: Black Lips - Spidey's Curse

I considered myself a casual fan of the Black Lips until their most recent album Arabia Mountain, which has had more last power than I ever thought possible. Burger Records just released it on 500 cassettes (with the first 150 orders getting orange and the rest are clear), you should snag a copy like I did. Hopefully we'll get the orange tapes!

Download the best song ever about Spider-Man. Sorry, Ramones.

FUCK YEAH: Crisp

MP3: Leather - Novitiate

Here's one from Philadelphia's Leather. From this year's Sterile 7 inch (on Jade Tree of all places), this one is already old news snooze: Fan Death just released a new 7 inch from them called Wretch, but I don't have it yet. I'll keep you posted, but this one is very nice for BBQs.

Cuffed up

MP3: CUFFS - Privilege

CUFFS is the new band from dudes involved in Pants Yell (RIP), Big Troubles and other cool music groups. Their debut 7 inch single Privilege b/w Archer is out now, limited to 300 screen printed copies by Ride the Snake Records (great label name). Check out the A SIDE, get into good rock pop then get a copy - like today or somethin'.

FUCK YEAH: Past in the future

MP3: Trans Am - Futureworld

In preparation for next year's 20th anniversary, Thrill Jockey is giving US a gift by reissuing Trans Am's seminal 4th LP Futureworld on vinyl, out Sept 13th. From the label's mouth:

The re-mastered Futureworld LP will be available in a limited edition on September 13, and is available now for pre-order. The LP will be packaged in a high gloss jacket with high gloss inner sleeve, and for the first time will include a download card for the album and two digital bonus tracks:

"Nazi/Hippie Empire"- Studio outtake from the Futureworld session, mixed by James Murphy
"Now You Die, Thriddle Fool!" - originally released by Strength Magazine on a split 7"

Thrill Jockey will be re-pressing and re-issuing other classic vinyl in 2012 as part of its 20th anniversary, including albums by Tortoise and The Sea and Cake.

All sounds very excellent, and Trans Am is playing this record in it's entirely to boot! Pre-order the LP here.

Trans Am - Futureworld tour dates

TUE 9/27 PHILADELPHIA, PA Johnny Brenda http://tinyurl.com/3sxo32h

WED 9/28 BOSTON, MA Middle East Upstairs http://tinyurl.com/3bfdkpm

THU 9/29 MONTREAL, QC Il Motore http://tinyurl.com/3koh6of

FRI 9/30 TORONTO, ON Lee's Palace

SAT 10/1 GRAND RAPIDS, MI Pyramid Scheme (Prospecto Music Festival) http://tinyurl.com/3lc827o

SUN 10/2 MILWAUKEE, WI Cactus Club

MON 10/3 CHICAGO, IL Empty Bottle http://tinyurl.com/3frqa6m

TUE 10/4 CLEVELAND, OH Grog Shop http://tinyurl.com/3vjpqod

WED 10/5 PITTSBURGH, PA Brillobox (Via Pittsburgh Festival) http://tinyurl.com/3g3l3r4

THU 10/6 BALTIMORE Talking Head Club http://tinyurl.com/3oz32fc

FRI 10/7 WASHINGTON, DC 9:30 Club http://tinyurl.com/3c7f8vy

SAT 10/8 BROOKLYN, NY Union Pool http://tinyurl.com/3bddh8c

SUN 10/9 BROOKLYN, NY Union Pool http://tinyurl.com/3bddh8c

FUCK YEAH: Caught (or) Spotlight

MP3: Thin Lizzy - Bad Reputation (BBC Session)

MP3: Thin Lizzy - That Woman's Gonna Break Your Heart (BBC Session)

MP3: Thin Lizzy - Dancing in the Moonlight (It's Caught Me in Its Spotlight) (BBC Session)

I guess some label somewhere released a deluxe edition of Bad Reputation, the best Thin Lizzy record there ever was. I don't know any of the officials on this, I just saw it on a blog I download from, but the remaster sounds great and the BBC Sessions included as a bonus are top notch.

From that session I leave you with a ripper, a tripper and a tearjerker. Buy this used - you can always find it cheap in record bins, but download a copy of this edition for the road when you wanna get technological. Enjoy.

Video: Vomit

Keeping up on the Girls promise (post EVERYTHING).

FUCK NO: Best Coast

MP3: Best Coast - How They Want Me To Be

As whatever indie rock has become continues to mock it's DIY past, the marketing group's Avril Lavigne has posted a demo from her upcoming album? Unsurprisingly, it sounds exactly like her other material—that stale bastardization of Northern Soul she's tried so hard to dilute. Don't get me wrong, it's not the fact that trying to use a musical style as your base to work with is at all wrong. In fact, that's what all contemporary music is. It's that her attempts have never been better than mediocre at best, and the trumpeting of her catalogue by the music press is bewildering. That is, until you've realize it's not about the product but only about the number$.

HOT TRAXXX: Somebody (Drum Machine Version)

MP3: Niki & the Dove - Somebody (Drum Machine Version)

The whole recently released/shockingly under hyped single for The Fox by Niki & the Dove is incredible, but it's high mark is closer "Somebody" - credited as a drum machine version. It raises all sorts of questions for the sound of the forthcoming album's counterpart, but what's presented here is pure pop TNT, completely impossible to resist. 26 plays on my iTunes and rising...

FUCK YEAH: Wild Flag album trailer

September 13th can't come soon enough.

Another song

MP3: Beirut - Port of Call

Here is the final song from the upcoming Beirut album. As with every other song of his, I picture them, cinematically speaking, only being featured in any film starring Elijah Wood...maybe Steve Carrell too. Regardless of such a specific visual cue, these set of songs probably involve the least cultural appropriation. Fans of Zach Condon have come to expect consistency on each release, so this should not prove exceptional. Enjoy.

Video: Black Smoke Rise

New Miko Revereza directed video for Wooden Shjips' "Black Smoke Rise", yet another highlight from the forthcoming West LP (out September 13th via Thrill Jockey).