Out of his element

Last week, the good folks at Adult Swim offered the first song Bonnie 'Prince' Billy and Matt Sweeney have recorded together for several years. This week, they have a brand new Madvillain track available to download. Considering that the acclaimed Madvillainy was released back in 2004, that makes it two collaborative acts who've put out their first new material in ages through the website. "Papermill" runs at less than two minutes long, but that's plenty of time for DOOM to impose himself on proceedings, spitting some wonderful non-sequiters along the way. Suddenly, that second album seems even more urgent.

The way she brushed her hair from her forehead

Having grown up listening to Paul Simon, I have no qualms about saying that Graceland is one of my favourite albums of all time, a record I keep on returning to all these years later. So I'm always keen to hear current artists covering tracks from it (or albums such as Return To The Sea and Vampire Weekend, that essentially play out as extended homages). Back in 2006, Casiotone For The Painfully Alone put out a limited 7" featuring their version of the title track; now, The Tallest Man On Earth have tackled the same song. Head on over to Music vs. Misery to hear it; it's a great interpretation of what truly is an amazing song. And if you haven't already checked out the new Tallest Man album The Wild Hunt, you should make time to do so.

Like a death of the heart

Maybe sometime soon LCD Soundsystem will stop giving me reasons to write about them; I feel like I'm endlessly hammering on about how great they are. But frankly, it'd be just plain irresponsible of me not to post this video of the finale they chose to end each set of their recent four-night residency at Manhattan venue Terminal 5 - a medley joining the fantastic Sound Of Silver closing track "New York, I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down" and a cover of the Jay-Z and Alicia Keys duet "Empire State Of Mind" together.

I want these sleepless nights to end

Fans of The Dodos album Visiter would be well served to make their way to the Daytrotter website, where there is a brand new session the band recorded accompanied by the Magik Magik Orchestra, who helped them to put a new spin on "Ashley," "Fools," and "Winter." They're prolific contributors; it's their third outing for Daytrotter (after previous efforts in 2007 and 2008), and they've now offered versions of nine of the fourteen songs on Visiter. It is a stunning record, and if you haven't already discovered it, now's as good a time as any. The version of "Fools" is particularly impressive, and highlights the epic tendencies that lurk beneath their deceptively simple songwriting.

For what it's worth

Having seen Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin grow from the humble origins of their debut album, Broom, to the wonderfully confident, poppy songs of the follow-up, Pershing, I can't help but feel a special kind of attachment to the band. Now, details of their third record have emerged. Produced by Death Cab For Cutie guitarist and all-round go-to guy Chris Walla, Let It Sway is due August 16th. Polyvinyl are offering the first single "Sink/Let It Sway" as a free download; make sure you go grab it quickly. You'll be glad you did; musically, it's the perfect accompaniment to all this fantastic weather we've been having.

Let It Sway track list:

1. Back In The Saddle

2. Sink/Let It Sway

3. Banned (By The Man)

4. In Pairs

5. My Terrible Personality

6. Everlyn

7. Stuart Gets Lost Dans Le Metro

8. All Hail Dracula!

9. Critical Drain

10. Animalkind

11. Phantomwise

12. Made To Last

Looking for a tired face

More Pavement ATP footage; I've never been a massive fan of The Walkmen, but "The Rat" is a stunning song, and after a couple of false starts due to technical difficulties served to build excitement levels, they absolutely nailed it. And look: another Pavement song, Wowee Zowee track "Father To A Sister Of Thought," one of two singles from that album (the other being "Rattled By The Rush") released to absolutely no success, later inspiring Stephen Malkmus's immortal admission that "I was smoking a lot of grass. They sounded like hit singles to me."

The Walkmen - "The Rat"

Pavement - "Father To A Sister Of Thought"

Everything You Need, Friday 21st May 2010

Remember to give.

Three words printed onto a small slip of paper, one of several such messages given out as a raffle ticket, which your £2 entrance fee entitles you to receive; it's an uncomplicated sentiment, but one that's easy to lose sight of, and one that makes a great deal of sense. It's also been the winning ticket at the previous two Everything You Need events, with the lucky victor taking home a very generous prize of half of the takings on the door.

Of course, that's only the tip of the iceberg as far as reasons to attend are concerned. All those involved, from organisers to attendees, approach the evening with a great deal of enthusiasm; the music ranges from Sam Cooke to Micachu, with a hell of a lot of variation in between; and if there's anything in particular you'd like to hear, you're encouraged to request it. There's no pretension involved, just an honest desire to see people enjoy themselves. It's where I'll be tonight, and I hope to see you there.

Here I am, helicopters flying

Seeing as how I'm so high on LCD Soundsystem at the moment, I figured I'd post this incredibly low-rent video made to accompany their cover of Suicide frontman Alan Vega's track "Bye Bye Bayou." There's every chance that This Is Happening may be the album of the year; having heard it a few times now, I'd put it ahead of anything else released in the first five months of 2010. I hope that it doesn't prove to be their swan song; I selfishly want more from them.

LCD Soundsystem - Bye Bye Bayou (HD)

lcd soundsystem | MySpace Music Videos

We fell right to sleep in the damp tangled sheets

Fans of Superwolf, the excellent 2005 Bonnie 'Prince' Billy and Matt Sweeney collaboration, need to make their way to the Adult Swim website, where you can download a new track. Well, I say brand new; it's actually a cover of Gene Watson's 1975 song "Love in the Hot Afternoon." Still, it's hard not to become excited at the prospect of a follow-up album from the pair. I know my fingers will be crossed from this point on, anyway.

They really like to see you there

When Stars debuted "Fixed" from The Five Ghosts, I stood up and took notice; the track is an immediate pop gem, suggesting that their fifth album should rank amongst their best yet. If you head on over to Pitchfork, you can listen to the first single, "We Don't Want Your Body," which is further evidence that July 21st is a date to mark in all of our calendars.

I can't get beer in me

Most people know David Cross best for his role as Tobias Funke in superlative American sitcom Arrested Development. But he's actually much more important than that; not only was he one of the key figures behind Mr. Show, one of the best sketch shows of all time (which happens to be lamentably difficult to watch legally in this country), but he's also an excellent stand up comedian. Having released Shut Up, You Fucking Baby! and It's Not Funny to critical acclaim, he's back with his third album of recorded material, entitled Bigger and Blackerer. Click on the link below to get a taste of his sense of humour, as he mocks Coors Light drinkers.

David Cross - "I Can't Get Beer In Me"

Maybe we could dance together

Yes, I'm still obsessively searching for footage from Pavement ATP; so for your viewing pleasure here's another couple of videos. Atlas Sound bandleader Brandon Cox celebrated his birthday by covering the amazing Pavement track "We Dance," from Wowee Zowee; also, a couple of songs from The Authorities fantastic set, which they tore through in the early hours of Monday morning. Having never listened to them before the festival, they were definitely one of my favourite discoveries of the weekend.

Atlas Sound - "We Dance"

The Authorities - "Park Song" plus one

All this could be yours someday

With Friend and Foe, Menomena propelled themselves from relative obscurity to a position of prominence in the alternative music scene. It truly was a remarkable record, and some new music is long overdue. So news that their fourth album Mines is set to be released on July 26th is more than welcome, as is a chance to hear a track from it. Entitled "FIVE LITTLE ROOMS," the widget below allows you to download it for your listening pleasure. In their own words, "it's either the best or the worst song we've ever written; you decide!"

Mines track list:

1. QUEEN BLACK ACID
2. TAOS
3. KILLEMALL
4. DIRTY CARTOONS
5. TITHE
6. BOTE
7. LUNCHMEAT
8. OH PRETTY BOY, YOU'RE SUCH A BIG BOY
9. FIVE LITTLE ROOMS
10. SLEEPING BEAUTY
11. INTIL

A guess is the best I'll do

As expected, more video filmed at the Pavement ATP is gradually emerging, and whilst most of it involves grainy visuals and terrible sound, there's the odd gem to be found, if you look hard enough. Like Pavement performing "Here," one of my favourite songs from their debut album Slanted and Enchanted, and Broken Social Scene performing "Meet Me In The Basement" from their new album Forgiveness Rock Record. Credit once again goes to Polar1One, who so far has provided all of the decent footage. Enjoy!

Pavement - "Here"

Broken Social Scene - "Meet Me In The Basement"

Initial impressions

BAND OF HORSES, Infinite Arms

Maybe I jumped the gun when preparing myself for Infinite Arms to be the best Band Of Horses record to date. On the evidence of the songs they previewed ahead of its release, they appeared to be in fine form. Yet taken as a whole, the strike rate of memorable vs. forgettable tracks simply isn't high enough. "Factory" is quietly beautiful in the same vein (and same league) as "The Funeral" and "No One's Gonna Love You," but perhaps it should have closed the album, rather than opened it; nothing else matches the high standard it sets, and I just don't see myself returning to this album all that often.

PEARLY GATE MUSIC, Pearly Gate Music

Pearly Gate Music weren't on my radar in any way, shape or form until a timely shout out from Pop Tarts Suck Toasted pointed me in their direction. It turns out that their self-titled debut album is one of those hidden gems that may never generate too much discussion or affection, but rest assured that the handful of people who discover it will cherish it forever. The simplicity of the melodies on offer doing nothing to alter the fact that these songs stay with you, and Zach Tillman should be commended for putting out an uncomplicated first record filled with understated beauty. "I Was A River" is the standout track, an incredibly sparse arrangement infused with a sense of poignancy so pure it's impossible not to get caught up in the feelings it evokes. Highly recommended.

WOODPIGEON, Die Stadt Muzikanten

Continuing with the 'understated' theme, on their third album Woodpigeon offer their most ambitious record to date, without changing too much about their sound. Traces of Belle & Sebastian, Beirut and Seabear are easily identifiable, but at the same time, they've clearly found their own unique voice. "Empty-Hall-Sing-Along" provides exactly what the title suggests, a delicate slice of music that belongs on a movie soundtrack. "Duck Duck Goose" wonderfully highlights the expansiveness they're capable of, whilst sounding earnestly hopeful. If you haven't already heard them, this is the perfect place to start.

You're not the only one

More of the same from The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart? Perhaps, but it works so well for them it's hard to find fault. Any new material is reason to be excited, so here's the B-side to their upcoming new single, "Lost Saint."

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - Lost SaintbyLukeSlater

Lights that flash in the evening

Whilst I'm not entirely sold on Infinite Arms having now heard it in its entirety, I still have enough love for Band Of Horses to be interested in hearing them cover The Replacements. Thanks to the folks at CD101 Radio, that's now possible, as the band offered a version of "Can't Hardly Wait" whilst in session. They stick to the script as far as the song is concerned, but then wouldn't they; it was a damn fine song to begin with.

Pavement ATP: the aftermath

It's always difficult to come back home after a weekend spent at All Tomorrow's Parties. Aside from the inevitable stupor that three days' worth of hangovers inflicts upon your body and mind, you have to deal with the knowledge that everyday life does not consist of getting up, milling about for a bit, and then checking out a handful of excellent bands. Fortunately, this ATP was everything I was hoping it would be. Pavement more than lived up to my expectations, playing everything I wanted to hear during an epic two hour set that spanned the length of their career, and the band were clearly enjoying themselves. And I've come away with plenty more wonderful memories, too; Broken Social Scene were excellent as always; eighties American punk band The Authorities surprised us with the strength of their songs; and Wax Fang are well on their way to becoming amongst my personal favourites. Catching The Walkmen playing "The Rat" and Calexico playing "Not Even Stevie Nicks" is something I was delighted about as well. All that, of course, is just the tip of the iceberg; there's a constant source of entertainment to be derived from ATP, beyond just the music. Hopefully more footage of the event will emerge over the next few days; what's currently kicking around on YouTube is largely of a pretty poor quality. If I find any more decent videos, I'll post them.

Pavement - "We Dance"



Broken Social Scene - "KC Accidental"

Another Butlins holiday

So, tomorrow I'm fortunate enough to be off to Minehead for the Pavement-curated All Tomorrow's Parties. Undoubtedly my favourite band of all time, I never believed I'd have the opportunity to see them live, but thankfully they decided to embark on a reunion tour, and in two days I'll be watching them play through a two hour set. Whether or not they'll be everything I'm hoping for is uncertain, but right now I'm finding it impossible to be anything other than optimistic that this is going to be one of those transcendental live performances I remember for the rest of my life.

Of course, Pavement are only the tip of the iceberg. There's plenty of other stuff to look forward to as well; bands I've recently become infatuated with, such as Avi Buffalo and Surfer Blood (who played the Ruby Lounge last weekend, and really impressed me); bands I have a longstanding love of (the likes of Broken Social Scene, The Fiery Furnaces, and a rare opportunity to see Mission Of Burma); and bands I know I should've heard already (chief amongst those being Blitzen Trapper and Wooden Shjips). And that's only scratching the surface. Having skipped all of the ATP events last year, it'll be good to be back.

Make an earthquake

Few artists could pull off the heartfelt sincerity needed to convincingly deliver the message that "we should always know that we can do anything." Jonsi, however, makes it look easy. The version of "Go Do" he and his band performed on Tuesday's episode of The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson is particularly wonderful, and new album Go is well worth spending some time with, too.

She'll decide what she wants

On several occasions recently, I've mused about how a certain band or artist has passed me by. You can add Ben Folds to that list, and that's something of a shame; I can't help but feel if I'd discovered him at the right time of my life, he might have become very important to me. As it is, Rockin' The Suburbs was my first experience of his music, and "Annie Waits" aside, it was never going to be enough to win me over. But my love for Elliott Smith is such that I always pay attention whenever somebody covers his music. Cymbals Eat Guitars offered a fantastic version of "Big Nothing" recently, and as part of the A.V. Club's extensive Undercover project, Folds recorded a version of "Say Yes" that sticks close to the original, whilst also doing it justice.

The Hold Steady, Heaven Is Whenever

It seems strange that critics have chosen their fifth album to cast doubt on The Hold Steady. Several reviews have pointed to the shift from first person to third person narration as one of the key reasons why Heaven Is Whenever doesn't stand up to their past glories. To me, that seems like a completely misguided line of argument; songs so obviously rooted in youthful adventure and misadventure can only be sung convincingly for so long by someone approaching their forties. That Craig Finn has decided to take a step back from the action is reasonable; previously, he's exhibited such a yearning for the past you would think he were a First World War soldier afflicted with nostalgia. Now, he acts mostly as narrator rather than reveller, and if Heaven Is Whenever doesn't quite offer up the dramatic musical shift the band themselves had suggested they would deliver, there is an important shift in perspective.

This intent is signalled right from the off, as "The Sweet Part of the City" ostensibly tells the story of how The Hold Steady came to be, with Finn revealing at the end that "we were bored so we started a band," breaking the third wall and setting the tone for an album that sees Finn playing the elder statesman he's so often tagged as; on second track "Soft in the Center" he's counselling someone as to the perils of love, declaring that "you can't get every girl" whilst insisting that "you gotta trust me on this one," all the while sounding like a man who has the necessary experience to sing it with conviction. Similarly, "Hurricane J" sees Finn reaching out to another, telling her "you know I'd never ask you to change/I'll only ask you to try." Yet the sense of futility is obvious; he knows that his words alone won't be enough to save her from mixing with the lowlifes and the hoodrats that so often populate his songs. Meanwhile, "The Weekenders" is a sequel to "Chips Ahoy," and another example of The Hold Steady's tendency to reference past songs and stories, a wonderful touch that adds a sense of continuity to their oeuvre, as well as a tacit acknowledgment that the past doesn't always hold up all that well on reflection.

Elsewhere, the balance between out-and-out rockers and torch song balladry is perfect, with the band often alternating between the two; "Rock Problems" immediately comes across as a live favourite in waiting; "We Can Get Together" is an ode to the joy of listening to music, referencing Pavement and Husker Du amongst others, and Finn delivers the lines that give the song and the album its title, as well a message that proves surprisingly affecting after a few listens: "Heaven is whenever we can get together/Sit down on your floor and listen to your records." Then, the aforementioned "Hurricane J" kicks in; it's my choice for the standout track of the record, a barnstorming tune filled with some absolutely wonderful lyrics, showing both insight and Finn's frequently brilliant turns of phrase, with "you're a beautiful girl/and you're a pretty good waitress" the undoubted highlight.

Over the course of ten songs, the only misfire is "The Smidge," a rather pedestrian effort that fails to leave any lasting impression. That's an impressive strike rate for an album that feels concise in the best possible way, and closing song "A Slight Discomfort" is a wonderful end to proceedings. Clocking in at over seven minutes, it's their longest track to date, as well as an affirmation of everything that preceded it; not just over the course of the album, but from Almost Killed Me to Heaven Is Whenever. Far from being a dip in quality, this record manages to enhance everything that came before it, and stands as proof that this is a band still capable of evolving.

At the foot of your love

I've already posted extensively about The National's new album, High Violet, and whilst I'm still feeling my way around it to some extent, first single "Bloodbuzz Ohio" has already made a huge impression on me. It definitely ranks amongst their best ever songs, and now there's a video for it, in which lead singer Matt Berninger comes across all American indie cinema, right down to looking like a young Bill Murray. It's worth watching, if only to see him dance awkwardly, wine glass in hand.

The National - "Bloodbuzz Ohio" (official video) from The National on Vimeo.

Amongst the hopeful and the drunk

The Besnard Lakes Are the Roaring Night really took me by surprise. I've never gone out of my way to listen to The Besnard Lakes, despite being vaguely aware that I'd probably enjoy them. Turns out that I do. Quite a bit, actually; their latest album is one of my favourites of the year so far. Lead single "Albatross" now has a video. Enjoy it, but be aware that it really works best as part of a whole; seek out ...Are The Roaring Night and you will not be disappointed.

I don't let it show

I need to stop letting the music of M.I.A. pass me by. Clearly, there's something in her unique brand of hip-hop; it's hard to imagine she'd receive as many plaudits as she does without there being some merit to her work. So starting with new track "XXXO," I'm going to be paying more attention (rather than listening to "Paper Planes" and nothing else). The new album is due July 12th, and it'll be interesting to see what direction she has taken with it; "XXXO" sounds surprisingly close to commercial pop. Whether that's a good indication or not remains to be seen; I'll be listening, out of curiosity if nothing else.

anniemacin4zlbyuser6352431

The parking lot kids

The emergence of The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart was definitely one of the musical highlights of last year. In May I saw them at the Nottingham leg of the Dot To Dot festival, and they were simply fantastic; towards the tail end of 2009, they played the Academy 2, and didn't seem overawed by the size of the venue. Not only that, but their self-titled debut album more than lived up to the hype. Head on over to Pitchfork, and you can hear new song "Say No To Love," set for release on June 7. Hopefully, their second album won't be too far behind.

"I've missed you too. Don't think that I haven't"

For so long, it looked certain that it was never going to happen. Sure, we all clung to the hope that Jeff Mangum would make a return to music, but he seemed so staunchly against the idea that most people moved on, left only with the daydream of how wonderful it would be to see him performing live. Last night, however, something amazing happened. In benefit of Chris Knox, a New Zealand musician who recently suffered a stroke, Mangum performed a set of five Neutral Milk Hotel songs.



The footage that has emerged is far from fantastic - no cameras were allowed into the venue, and the policy was intended to include even mobile phone cameras. Consequently, the picture quality is far from fantastic, and "Oh Comely" aside, the songs are cut off before they're finished - only a minute of "Two-Headed Boy Part Two" has been captured, and nothing of "In The Aeroplane Over The Sea" and "Engine" has so far emerged. Somehow, it's still enough. It'd be foolish to speculate that this marks a return to performing for Mangum; chances are, this is a one off, and he'll return to his reclusive ways and we'll be left to wonder what might have been. Still, I take comfort in knowing that he's doing fine.

I can feel you on fire

And whilst I'm in the mood to post, here's the video to Avi Buffalo's "What's In It For," arguably the best track from their self-titled first album. These days, it's not all that often that I actually buy albums but, having heard nothing about this band until a few weeks ago, I've quickly fallen hopelessly in love with them. I know this song will be a big part of my soundtrack to the summer, and I urge you all to embrace them as well.

With your headphones on

With the release of High Violet now tantalisingly close, The National have debuted a video to album track "Anyone's Ghost" on Pitchfork. From what I've heard so far, the album hasn't yet grabbed me in the way I was hoping it might do, but then again, on the first few listens neither did Boxer. I expect it to be another grower, and I'm sure that once I've played it through a few times, I'll enjoy High Violet every bit as much as their last two efforts. They really can do no wrong at the moment.

Put your hands together

One of the strongest tracks from their new album Together - which was out yesterday on these shores - The New Pornographers have released a video for "Your Hands (Together)." If you're a fan of catchy indie pop and karate choreography, then you'll definitely enjoy it.

Give me all your money

Tapes 'n Tapes. There's a band who disappeared off the radar almost completely. Which is something of a shame; I still have a bit of a soft spot for The Loon, a decent-but-not-spectacular debut album that boasted a few fantastic tunes, not least "Omaha," which made its way onto a few of the mixtapes I made around the time (and also stands as evidence that the band might well be best served going down a similar route as The National did when putting out a slow-paced, meditative album like Boxer). I never gave Walk It Off much of a chance, really; I'll probably play it through a couple of times this week, and decide whether or not I was wrong to ignore it. They recently debuted new song "SWM" at a live show, and a third album is reportedly due at some point this year.

Shake me up

I never fell for At Mount Zoomer the way I fell in love with Apologies to the Queen Mary. Maybe I never gave it enough time. That doesn't mean I'm not excited about the release of Wolf Parade's third album, Expo 86, especially since the first two songs they've debuted from the album are pretty damn good. Due June 28th, listen to "Ghost Pressure" and "What Did My Lover Say? (It Always Had To Go This Way)" below:

Wolf Parade - Ghost Pressurebypitchfork
Wolf Parade - What Did My Lover Say (It Always Had To Go This Way)bypitchfork

Expo 86 track list:

1. Cloud Shadow on the Mountain
2. Palm Road
3. What Did My Lover Say? (It Always Had To Go This Way)
4. Little Golden Age
5. In the Direction of the Moon
6. Ghost Pressure
7. Pobody's Nerfect
8. Two Men in New Tuxedos
9. Oh You, Old Thing
10. Yulia
11. Cave-o-Sapien