Baby Grand "Una"

One of my favorite bands-on-the-rise Baby Grand dropped a new one today, "Una".

August Playlist

Here is a collection of songs I found myself liking the most in the month of August. Sadly, no Antwon "Sittin in Hell" is to be found on the youtubes. Fear not-- the remainder of my favorite songs of the month still get it in. Enjoy.

Todd Rundgren Isn't Dead; Releases a Remix of a Tame Impala Track

I didn't know dude was still alive; apparently he is and he's a fan of Tame Impala. Shouts to XMU (presumably).

Via Rolling Stone:
So we got back from tour one day, and Jay pulled this purpley weird looking record out of his bag that he got from some record shop in some place I don’t even know. And he was telling me about it as I was walking upstairs but I wasn’t really listening as I was kind of tired and jetlagged . . . something about the guy from the Nazz’s solo thing . . . Anyway a few minutes later I heard some kind of cosmic-ness going on downstairs, I resisted a few more minutes but the cosmic-ness continued so I pulled myself downstairs to see Jay with this look on his face like he’d just had his tits blown. Turns out he had indeed just has his tits blown. A few minutes later I had my tits blown too. The song was “International Feel” from the album A Wizard a True Star by Todd Rundgren. So from that day we were Todd Rundgren slaves. Fast forward like four years or something and Glen from our record label said he had agreed to do a remix of our new song “Elephant,” which make me go pretty batty. So that’s how that all happened. Enjoy!

Moonface "I'm Not the Phoenix Yet" Video

The Moonface LP that came out earlier this year is one of my favorites, and the video for one of my favorite tracks dropped today:

El-P and Despot Freestyle

I love the Selector series. Despot is a fucking beast. I once saw EL-P perform in a church basement.

Main Attrakionz "Do It For The Bay"

Check out the new track from the Bay's favorite cloud-rap group:

Chief Keef

There is a great article over at The Fader on Chief Keef. Give it a read if you have a chance.

A$AP Rocky Pushes Back Release Date

The title says it all: That Pretty Motherfucker will be releasing his album not on September 11 but on Halloween. Trick or Treat.

Mount Eerie "Ocean Roar"

I was really looking forward to the release of Mount Eerie's first LP of 2012, Clear Moon, only to give it one cursory listen and file it under "Listen to Again Soon".  Unfortunately, that time never really came.
Ocean Roar is his second effort of the year, and this eponymous song makes me promise myself to not do something so foolish again when it drops September 4.

Supreme Cuts and Haleek Maul

Supreme Cut and Haleek Maul released the King Crimson-sampling "Moon" and it is something that should be blaring in the background of a slow-motion bank robbery sequence. I'm looking at you, Ben Affleck.

The lyrics drop the song a letter grade, but this shit is still enough to make a teacher's pet out of this promising duo signed to Mishka/Dovecoat. Their album drops 8/28 and it is called Chrome Lips.
More importantly, mixtapes are released every day and this beat is sure to get some serious mileage.

Grimes "Genesis" Video

My girl Claire does her thing with this one. This one is extra-Grimesy.

Kendrick Lamar/ Young Jeezy

"West Side, Right On Time" is the newest single from Kendrick Lamar. With this track, Kendrick reminds us once again that he is going to be the next rap heavyweight while Young Jeezy contributes some raspy words that sort of rhyme and almost make sense. Par for the course for both.

Jessie Ware

I will certainly be picking up the Jessie Ware album Devotion this weekend.

Here's why:

Working Class Hero

I am very behind in my music listening due to the start of a new job. I'm working for the man, folks--becoming just another working class hero. The good news is that I'll have a lot more money to spend on music.

This weekend I'm buying and listening to lots of music if I can squeeze it in between moving into a new place and a fantasy draft (equally big moments).  Wild Nothing and Yeasayer are at the top of my list of listens.

It is a sad time in my life; one where I can no longer spend all day listening to music.

Mike Will Made It

Mike Will Made It tells about his rise to prominence:

Chairlift and Washed Out

Watch Chairlift and Washed Out perform at a house party that I totally DID get invited to but, ya know, I just had so much other stuff going on that I couldn't even be bothered.

Frightened Rabbit "State Hospital"

Frightened Rabbit released a new song today, "State Hospital", which includes the signature songwriting style (uniquely descriptive and raw), instrumentation (immaculately produced) and vocals (yearning and accent-heavy) that makes me willing to pay $20 to see them play in October. Shit is nice. Give it a listen.

How To Dress Well Cover Janet Jackson, Continues to Get Me Hyped for New Album

Here is How To Dress Well's cover of Janet Jackson's "Again". Much like his excellent R.Kelly cover (which you can find over at yourstru.ly) it makes you see the song in a new light and compels you to revisit the original--basically, it does exactly what ever cover should do.

Total Loss drops mid-September. HTDW is touring Europe and the states over the new few months. Get into it.

King Krule "Rock Bottom"

Amazing new track from King Krule. "Rock Bottom" adds a new wrinkle to his repertoire, as it pulls the young crooner away from dreary musings toward a more grooving direction. It gains extra points for The Streets allusion at the end of the song, as A Grand Don't Come For Free is my favorite album of all time (at least a lot of the time).

?uestlove and Beastie Boys

Nas Has Ghostwriters, Breaks My Hearts

Dream Hampton took to twitter yesterday and, whilst discussing Jay-z, mentioned that Nas used both Jay Electronica and Stoic of Dead Prez as ghostwriters for his Untitled album. A part of me died.

It was great to hear that Jay-z is still penning his own words, though. It further substantiates my view that Nas won the battle, Jay-z won the war.

Heems-"Killing Time"

Heems released the first track from his new mixtape, Wild Water Kingdom, called "Killing Time" today and I was glad to see the production was done by Yo of BLKHRTS.  BLKHRTS put out a really solid mixtape last year, BLK S BFTL, which you should check out if you have some time.

Japandroids' 'The House That Heaven Built' Video

I hate tour-montage music videos. I think they are lazy. Which makes my liking (Loving? I dunno, but I'm definitely In Like with it after one watch) of the Japandroids "The House That Heaven Built" very surprising. I (definitely) love me some Japandroids and not just because they were both incredibly nice to my incredibly drunk self after a show a year or so ago (although that helps). This video kicks ass for the same reason this band kicks ass--taking a tired concept and adding a certain panache and energy to make it feel new and exciting. Beer in the Hand™ to this director. Beer in the Hand ™ to this band.

Death Grips to Release Album in Fall

Death Grips' The Money Store was one of the most jarring, inspired interpretations of hip-hop I'd heard in years. When I saw their tour schedule, I had the summer date circled on my calendar. Much to my dismay, they cancelled the tour to work on another album. Luckily, the album is only a few months away from dropping, as they released a statement saying the fall of 2012 is the goal for their second release of the year.

Also, Crispin Glover was mentioned as a possible collaborator for a video. Count me in. All is forgiven, Death Grips.

Petite Noir "Till We Ghosts"

Petite Noir, AKA Yannick Iluga, is making waves with this debut single "Till We Ghosts", and every co-sign is well-deserved. Peep the video below.


(Via Pitchfork)

Summerays "Spacious"

Summerays, AKA Luke Teeters, isn't trying to re-invent the wheel with "Spacious". Instead, he just makes the wheel more jangly and dreamy, like a child spawned from DIIV and Galaxie 500.
The outcome is a tasty surf-pop/shoegaze number that sticks with you like your tank top in the summer heat. (Seriously, bro, change your shirt. You look disgusting.)

 (Via MyOldKentuckyBlog)

Titus Andronicus, A$AP Mob Announce Release Dates

Hirsute rockers Titus Andronicus announced that October 23 will be the release date for their new LP,  Local Business. It will be the first record since the phenomenal The Monitor and it will try to save face for New Jersey, after the disastrous Gaslight Anthem album.

A$AP Mob announced that their record Lords Never Worry will be out August 28, which should give them plenty of time to hit the ol' refresh button on the Album Name Generator and pick a different fucking title.

Six Songs of Me

Musicologist Eric Clarke is attempting to find out what the music we listen to says about us and the world at large. Take part in his study by answering six music related questions here.

Adam Yauch is Cooler than Everyone, Even While Dead

Adam Yauch, AKA MCA of the seminal rap group The Beastie Boys, is truly a legend--even in the afterlife. Yauch put in his will that none of his art will ever be able to be used for advertising purposes, a clause that many successful musicians forget to put in their living will. (By living will, I mean their decision making process.)

So fuck off, Budweiser! You will not be selling me beer under the false pretenses that I must fight for my right to do so.

And fuck off, Black and Decker! Don't you tell me what I should do with my rump!

Richard Thompson "I Feel So Good"

Howsabout a little throwback?

High Highs

High Highs write stirring acoustic music akin to Iron and Wine and Bon Iver and are signed to Elton John's label. They released a new track called "Once Around the Horse" and it deserves a moment of your time.

Big Boi and Little Dragon "Mama Told Me"

Big Boi and Little Dragon have teamed up for "Mama Told Me", a funky, grooving electronic track that they debuted live via the vitaminwater & Fader uncapped series.

New Wild Nothing

I have been anxiously awaiting the follow-up to Wild Nothing's fantastic debut LP Gemini. Captured Tracks has released a song from the sophomore effort, Nocturne, called "Paradise" and it bodes well for another solid record. Check it out below and be sure to buy the album on August 28.

Ryan Hemsworth "Charly Wingate" Video

The meteoric rise of our boy Ryan Hemsworth continues with the release of the video for "Charly Wingate".
If you don't like this, I don't like you.

 (Via Yours Truly)

Alley Boy ft. Pusha T "Your Favorite Rapper"

I love getting in philosophical debates about the morality of hip-hop songs that promote negative themes as much as the next guy, but I also love some gutter-ass rap that promotes everything that a human should never do. Every so often I forget about this hedonistic side of myself, and then a track like "Your Favorite Rapper" comes along to act as a reminder.

Alley Boy and Pusha T give us the rap equivalent of a four-to-the-floor rock n' roll scorcher with this archetypal street-rap anthem. Through the four minutes and twelve seconds, the duo express their disdain for all forms of fakery in the rap game, expertly marrying room-clearing punchlines with this southern-friend beat that could loosen fillings.

New Mumford and Sons

Mumford and Sons have totally ripped off Mumford and Sons for their first cut from their new album Babel. Opting for grand themes expressed over fast-tempo chord progressions instead of the deep, incredibly intricate tracks that made them famous, "I Will Wait" is sure to be popular amongst people who don't like music.

Be prepared to hear this playing ad nauseam in your local supermarket, suburban clothing store and from the speakers of your musically oblivious neighbor.

Kendrick Lamar, Talib Kweli, Curren$y Collaboration

Kendrick Lamar, Talib Kweli and Curren$y are just Wind and Water away from completing the Rap Captain Planet. (In case you were wondering-Kendrick is Fire, Curren$y is Earth, Talib is Heart).

The song is called "Push Thru"

New XX "Chained"

New XX joint.

Alt-J

The band is Alt-J. The sound is Yeasayer meets Radiohead. The outcome is good music and what might be my favorite new band of the year.

Antwon END OF EARTH

Antwon is an emcee from San Jose whose sound sits somewhere between my favorite acts from Gorilla Vs. Bear and 2dopeboyz. The production choices are peerless (with beats from Salem, Clams Casino and Big Baby Gandhi) and he possesses an over-sized personality that matches his California-Cool on the mic. He's sort of like Rick Ross if Rick Ross was self-aware and better at rapping talented.

You can check out his mixtape Fantasy Beds at his bandcamp, where you can also purchase his album if you like what you hear below.

White Lung

White Lung are a punk foursome from Canada and their newest LP is an impeccably crafted 20 minute assault on your ear drums. It's the soundtrack to a futuristic gang of ballerinas beating the shit out of you and your loved ones. Enjoy.

Drake Defies Logic, Space and Time; Releases New Song with Aaliyah

Drake posted a new song which heavily features Aaliyah. Most would be deterred from using a track from a dead R&B legend for fear that it would seem like profiting off of a tragic incident, but Drake is a man with an unfettered vision (The same cannot be said for Tony Parker).

Joking aside, I have no problems with Drake's use of Aaliyah so long as her estate is cool with the goings on. I see it as Drizzy keeping her legacy alive by dropping verses on her songs--now teenagers from around the world will be exposed to a legendary talent.

Drake has a knack for doing these sorts of things--remember the nod to Gil-Scott Heron "Over My Dead Body" ?-- and it can't be argued that the man has great taste in musicians.

Check out "Enough Said" by Aaliyah ft. Drake

Daytona

Daytona are a world-music inspired band from Brooklyn which includes a member of Harlem. At one point, they have probably all been to the Bronx and enjoy the TV series the King of Queens. I like to drink Manhattans. (Insert other New York joke).

I am really feeling this EP, which can be downloaded via their bandcamp and streamed below.

Lemonade Remixes Blood Diamonds "Phone Sex"

Lemonade puts their spin on Blood Diamonds' latest joint and the outcome is a perfect soundtrack for your summer sexploitations. Follow the jump to stream it/download it over at The Fader.

Blood Diamonds, “Phone Sex” (Lemonade Remix) MP3

Poliça Sign to Mom + Pop

Consequence of Sound is reporting that Mom + Pop have made the wise choice of signing Minnesota-based electronic act Poliça. Beer in the hand™ to all parties involved. Check the video for "Lay Your Cards Out" and the some remixes of your favorite Poliça tracks.

Kanye Releases Album Art; Ridiculous Quote Sure to Follow

Kanye West has unveiled his album art to Cruel Summer, which drops on September 4. It is some faux-high brow nonsense that has become synonymous with Mr. West. I am certain he will respond to "haters" by tweeting something really profound, such as "IT'S NOT A PAINTING! IT'S A VIDEO!!" or something to that effect.

At least one genius believes it was inspired by Kim Kardashian. I find that hard to believe, however, because there are no cameras in the background.

Alex Pappademas and Rick Ross

Rick Ross' newest release God Forgives, I Don't has been met with mixed reviews. I was planning on treating it like every other Rick Ross release, meaning I was going to completely ignore it. Then I read this article by Alex Pappademas and now I have to go give it a listen.

tl;dr: Alex Pappademas is a miracle worker.

Listen to Andre 3000 go in on his guest verse:

Metz

Metz is your infinitely-cooler older brother's favorite rock band. The Toronto outfit is signed to Sub Pop and their album drops early October.  Stay drunk off this until then.

Elliott Smith "Alameda"

To honor the would-be 43rd birthday of music legend Elliott Smith, Kill Rock Stars has released an alternate take of "Alameda".

Listen to Yeasayer's New Album..if You Can Find it

Rejoice! Yeasayer has released their new album to the internets! Panic! You have to find the various tracks hidden on eleven separate websites. Details over at Pitchfork

Washed Out "A Dedication" Video

My favorite track from Washed Out's debut LP gets an equally stunning video:

Beer in the Hand/ Beer in the Face: Concert Edition

A beer in the hand for a job well done

A beer in the face for the ultimate punishment

Time for another round of America's favorite game--Beer in the Hand or Beer in the Face?

I caught the Charli XCX concert last night at Brighton Music Hall. Magic Man and St. Lucia were the supporting acts--here is how they rated:

Beer in the Hand to:  EVERY ACT! Genuinely one of the best top-to-bottom concerts I have been to in  long while.

Beer in the Hand to: Magic Man. This band was truly a cut above the typical opening acts AND they are named after a Heart song (okay, I made that up.. but it might be true). I was completely unfamiliar with their music before seeing them (I think that was the general sentiment) but they made a fan out of me from sheer stage presence. The lead singer rocks a Morrissey-inspired pompadour and freaks out on stage like Morrissey freaks out on carnivores. I'm fairly certain that all of the members of this group took a turn on the communal snare drum placed center-stage, which was a nice touch. The energy was through the roof.  This indie-rock/dance collective is akin to Ra Ra Riot, so be on the lookout to hear one of their tracks on a Honda commercial in the near future.


OFFICIAL BEER IN THE HAND™ DRUNKEN UNCLE CO-SIGN to: St. Lucia. Fuck me. What a great set. Magic Man really set the bar high for performances and St. Lucia was more than up for the challenge. Simply brilliant. The 80's revivalist movement has created an overwhelming amount of acts vying to glean the best parts of the cocaine decade in hopes of constructing dance-pop gold, but none do it better than St. Lucia. Their performance was incredibly entertaining (a fuckin' saxophone?!) and they knew how to work a room. The coldest of beers in the hand, sirs and madame.


Beer in the Hand to: Charli XCX. Or, perhaps more appropriately.....

Beer in the Hand to: Charli XCX's swag. She had a great demeanor on stage--an engaging mix of humble charm and over-the-top charisma. 

Beer in the Hand to: Charli XCX's outfit. 'Twas a glorious matching of a white tank top from Mariah Carey's closet circa 1995, gold-striped zebra stretch pants and moon boots. To top it off, she donned a cross necklace that I'm confident she got for free for attending Vacation Bible School. 

No beers in the face! What a glorious accomplishment!

Ryan Hemsworth "Slowed Summer"

Official Beer-in-the-Hand™ artist Ryan Hemsworth is blowing up, folks. Get your ticket for the bandwagon while there is still time. Here is his summer playlist, which functions perfectly as both a soundtrack to your drinking sessions AND your midnight smoke-outs. Versatility is the name of the game.

Yuck on LaundroMatinee

I loved Yuck's 2011 self-titled release, so when I came across this LaundroMatinee, I had to share. Wootwoot.

Yuck - The Base of a Dream is Empty from LaundroMatinee on Vimeo.

Holograms "Monolith"

Holograms are signed to Captured Tracks and that alone should make you want to listen their music. This yearning, post-punk track "Monolith" is an absolute scorcher. My forehead is starting to hurt from my raised eyebrows.