NEW BLOG COMING SOON!

Hello everyone!
I have decided to revamp/ restart my music blog. I probably won't be posting for a while, but will be back with something new fairly soon. Thank you to everyone who has been reading, and get excited for what's to come!

You Are All I.... Want To Listen To

Pat Grossi aka Active Child has been impressing the vast majority of the music blog scene since he put out his first outstanding EP back in 2010. However, this week's release of his debut album, You Are All I See, has placed him so far above his peers in terms of innovation and production skill that it's hard to find words to accurately explain his genius. This album is a mastermind, through and through. Rarely (never) do I find guys singing in falsetto to be attractive, but he pulls it off so well. And how many guys do you know that can play the HARP and can pull that off tool? Mix that in with gorgeous harmonies layered over really interesting beats, and you know what it sounds like to go to heaven in 2011; I would be alright with dying if it meant that heaven sounded like this. My absolute favorite is the title track, "You Are All I See," which has this awesome wall-of-sound effect, and is best if listened to loud and with your eyes closed. "Hanging On," "Johnny Belinda," and "Shield & Sword" are also extraordinary. I guess my only complaint would be the track "Call Me Tonight," as it's a bit too La Roux-y and doesn't quite fit with the rest of the album. Minor setback, but rather insignificant when looking at Grossi's work as a whole. Learn to love Active Child as much as I do, because if not you are sorely missing out. And Pat, if you're single, I'm coming for you. Listen to "You Are All I See" and "Johnny Belinda" below:

Active Child- "You Are All I See"

Active Child- "Johnny Belinda"

New Florence & The Machine!!

I have been desperately waiting for Florence & The Machine to put out some new material, and two days ago that wish was finally fulfilled. Her newest single, "What The Water Gave Me," has the same edgy romantic quality and mystical allure as her old material, but this song really shows off her growth as a songwriter and true artistic sophistication. She's also just such a beautiful human being, inside and out, that it's pretty impossible not to love this. Apparently the world agrees too, because when I first saw this it had 300 views and now, 2 days later, it has over a million! Get it girl. If you are a Flo fan, watch the video here:

Adele @ The Hollywood Palladium in LA, 08/17/11

A lot can change in a short amount of time, something that the UK's most talented musician of her generation has proven very thoroughly. Three and a half years ago, I had the great honor of meeting Adele after one of her first performances in Los Angeles, a performance that absolutely convinced me she would because as famous and well-revered as she is today. To my great surprise though, she didn't seem all that convinced herself; in a half-joking and all-too-humble manner, she laughed to me that I might be one of the only people to stand in front of her and know every word to her songs. I would just like to say.... ADELE, I TOLD YOU SO.

After unfortunately canceling both of her sold-out LA tour dates earlier in the summer, August 17th could not have come soon enough for her fans here, me included. The excitement in the room was more palpable than had been in any other audience I had ever stood in, many of those around me commenting to their neighbors about how thrilled they were to see her live for the first time. Wanda Jackson, rockabilly legend and one of the most spunky seventy-something year old women I have encountered, opened with a heart-warming mix of rock, country, and endearingly excessive banter with the crowd. She even squeezed in a cover of "You Know I'm No Good" as a tribute to Amy Winehouse, which made me and many others tear up. She was fabulous and I hope I have half of her spirit when I reach that age.

Starting promptly at 9:30 like the altruistic non-diva she is, Adele emerged from behind a curtain and began her set with "Hometown Glory," smiling and waving at as many people as she could. God, if anything tells you how incredible and deserving this girl is of all she has earned, it's the way she interacts with her audience. In between effortlessly belting out tracks like "I'll Be Waiting," "Turning Tables," and "One and Only," she took the time to read signs fans had made for her, dedicate songs to couples standing in the front, and periodically demanded that the lights in the room be turned on so she could properly see those who came to see her perform. I am more than aware that most of the world loves her as much as I do, but Adele will always have a special place in my heart. Though she is obviously quite a talented songwriter, I would also like to say that I think she is especially gifted at interpreting and reproducing the work of others to make them her own, something she proved quite well while performing "If it Hadn't Been for Love" by the Steel Drivers and "Lovesong" by The Cure. She absolutely blew me away with these two covers, and really with entire set. She has always been this talented at performing, but the confidence she has gained and the way she carries herself now really makes me look up to her as an example of how a true artist should be. If you haven't had the absolute privelege of seeing Adele live, make sure to catch her on the second leg of her 21 tour (which she hinted will be coming up in the fall.) And if you haven't already, listen to "If it Hadn't Been for Love" below:

Oh Land- "White Nights" Official Music Video!

Being the huge fan that I am, I was quite pleased when Oh Land's newest music video for "White Nights" was the first thing I saw this morning. It features an amalgamation of fantasy worlds full of color, incredible visual effects, and one very adorable scandanavian superstar who I expect to reach Florench Welch-like fame and praise worldwide in the upcoming months. I wish I was seeing her open for Sia this week, but videos like this only get me more excited for the day I finally get to see her live. It is extremely well-done, intricate in its production and only one of the reasons Oh Land is sure to make all the best-of-the-year lists. Enjoy!

Kurt Vile and the Violators @ The Troubadour in LA, 7/29/11

What can I say... I'm completely smitten with Kurt Vile. From what I have heard about his live performances from friends and blogs, my expectations were set pretty high for this show. And let me just tell you, he did not disappoint. Completely unassuming in an Orangina t-shirt and unkempt mop of hair, Kurt came on stage with his band, smiled at the crowd, and began to play as though he was sitting around a fireplace with a bunch of friends. Though not much for words and loveably awkward, his voice and the heartwarming simplicity of his music were enough to physically make me feel lighter as I listened to "Ghost Town," "Jesus Fever," and "On Tour" with my eyes closed and a massive grin on my face. The best, in my opinion, was "Peeping Tomboy".... a soul-crushingly good live performance. Vile's 4th and newest studio album, Smoke Ring for my Halo, is arguably the best album of the year of his genre, albeit a genre I can't describe accurately enough to do it justice. If you're into folk and/or psych rock, he's your man... he has something so completely inimitable about him and I just can't say enough about his music. Watch the music video for "Jesus Fever" below:

Ida Maria w/ Chasing Kings @ The Roxy Theater in LA, 06/30/11

Seeing Ida Maria performs songs off of her sophomore album, Katla, has been one of my most prioritized goals of the year so far, and thank god it was finally fulfilled last Thursday at the famous Roxy on Sunset. Local band Chasing Kings opened for her, who aside from being the most attractive band I have seen in a long time, were absolutely incredible and played some pretty impressive material off their latest EP,The Current State of our Future, among other songs. If you're into bands like Local Natives, Dr. Dog, etc. definitely check them out.
Onto the piece de resistance. Ida, decced out in a flapper-y red fringe dress and what she calls her "rock boots," pranced onstage with both a cool confidence and palpable sense of excitement to perform for a packed room of devout Los Angeles fans. The Norwegian songstress played a satisfying combination of old and new, mixing new favorites like "Cherry Red" and "I Eat Boys Like You For Breakfast" with the original songs that made me fall in love with her, songs like "Queen of the World" and "I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked." Her performance was also a rollercoaster of emotions; one minute, she was touching the hearts of the audience members with "Keep Me Warm" and then, minutes later, was screaming into the microphone, pouring water over her head, and writhing on the floor singing her most famous, "Oh My God." I couldn't quite tell if she was drunk or just naturally a little bit insane, but either way I was into it. Especially after this show, I hold firm to my belief that she will stand as one of the most genuine and talented acts of her generation. Though her newest album hasn't gotten the hype I think it deserves, I am almost completely certain that will change in the upcoming months. If you haven't yet listened to Katla, get on it. You won't be let down.

Tuesday, June 21st 2011 was a magical day.

And it was a magical day for two reasons: YACHT's album, Shangri La, and BON IVER's album, Bon Iver, were both released yesterday. And they are both absolutely amazing from start to finish. It's kind of a bummer for YACHT that their album came out on the same day, because anyone who has been on the interwebs at all in the past 24 hours knows how much hype Justin Vernon and crew are getting for their record. I, on the other hand, am so overjoyed with the quality of both albums my head is going to explode. We all know Bon Iver is incredible, and I think enough people are talking about it that my input would be redundant. Thus, I am going to talk solely about YACHT's work, and hopefully enough of you will read this post that they can step on into some of BI's limelight. Let the praising commence:

YACHT- Shangri La

If you were to tell me back in 2007 when I first saw YACHT perform that they were going to be one of my favorite bands, I would have laughed in your face. To put it lightly, I was not that impressed. But holy shit has this band transformed themselves into a talented, brilliantly creative electronic duo. Everything they do now, from writing lyrics to constructing and producing songs to their group aesthetic and live performances, is a work of art. They have taken their slightly offbeat nature and completely made it work, so much so that I think Shangri-La will hold a pretty high standard for future albums of the same genre. Two of their new songs, "One Step" and "Tripped and Fell in Love," have got me helplessly hooked. I think it's their minimalist approach to production and the relatability of their words that make them so appealing, something they have always gone for but have really nailed in songs like these. "Shangri-La," too, completely resonates with me, as does the slightly-more-bizarre-yet-totally-loveable track, "Paradise Engineering." And of course, I would be remiss if I didn't reiterate how much I've loved "Dystopia (The Earth is on Fire)" since its original release earlier this year. You would think I'd be a bit sick of it by now, considering how much I have played that track on repeat, but the fact that I still want to listen to it at least a couple of times a week tells me that they have really got something going; mark my words it will be listed as one of the best tracks of the year. In sum, I would like to say that it is a rare thing for me to feel I can listen to an entire album without the urge to skip a track or two, but I can honestly say that I'm a fan of every single one of the tracks on this fantastic new album. If you are at all into synthy electronic music or have enjoyed any of YACHT's earlier work, you must must MUST get Shangri-La. Listen to "Tripped and Fell in Love" and "Paradise Engineering," AND watch their brand new hybrid music video for both "Utopia" and "Dystopia (The Earth is on Fire)" below:

YACHT- "Tripped and Fell in Love"

YACHT- "Paradise Engineering"

YACHT- "Utopia/Dystopia (The Earth is on Fire) Official Music Video

New CSS!

It's been quite a long while since anyone has heard new material from Brazilian electro-rock crew CSS, but their newest release, "Hit Me Like a Rock," has made it well worth the wait. It's much more mellow than the likes of "Art Bitch" or "Alala" and almost has a reggae swing to it, but it's such a great summertime song. I'm almost positive they played this at Coachella because I remember being struck by it; it really is quite well done, and has made me pretty stoked for the release of their third album, La Liberacion. All of you can listen to this little gem below and download it for free!

The Civil Wars @ Amoeba Records in LA, 06/14/11

Summertime in Los Angeles always means one thing... great free shows at Amoeba. They always present quite the eclectic mix of artists (I've seen everyone from Kate Nash to Amanda Blank perform at the world-famous mecca of music); this week, fans were graced with the presence of The Civil Wars, a folk duo whose simple guitar lines and gorgeous harmonies are nothing short of goosebump-inducing. They were showcasing their newest record, Barton Hollow, which was released in February of this year. I was completely in awe of how natural the connection was between Joy Williams and Jon Paul White, and how full the sound of their two voices and one guitar seemed to be. Though I'm not always partial to this kind of music, I think they have captured something absolutely wonderful together; their performances of "I've Got This Friend," "Poison and Wine," and "20 Years," albeit simple in nature, were so beautiful that I definitely saw a couple of guys in the audience reduced to tears. To my great surprise, too, they covered Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean," which was probably the highlight of the show. I was sad that they didn't play the namesake of the album, but I look forward to seeing much more from them in the future. Wesleyan readers: I spoke with them after the show and they want to come play at school! Keep your eye out. Listen to my favorite track off of their album, "I've Got This Friend," below:

The Civil Wars - I've Got This Friend by LifeBoxset.com

Mumford & Sons: "England" (The National cover)

When I went on to Stereogum earlier today and saw "Mumford & Sons covers The National," my first thought was that if it was a cover of "England," I would have a stroke. Sure enough, it was a indie folk rock dream come true. No stroke occured, but I was dangerously close. For those of you who are true Mumford fans, you know they do a mean cover of Vampire Weekend's "Cousins" and are pretty well respected as a band who can, dare I say it, one-up original works by other groups with their folkrock Mumfordy renditions. "England" is by far one of my favorites by The National, so naturally this melted me into pieces. Watch them perform it live on VH1 Unplugged below:

Tags: Mumford and Sons Unplugged, Mumford and Sons, Music Videos, Live Performances

FYF Fest 2011 Lineup Announced!

...AND IT'S OUT OF CONTROL. Tickets go on sale Friday at 3pm PST. If you are in Los Angeles on September 3rd I highly suggest that you consider going to this. I mean come on... Death From Above, Explosions in the Sky, The Head and The Heart, YACHT, and BSS all in one day for $35??? Don't be stupid. Go.

Stream YACHT's New Album!

YACHT's highly anticipated new album, Shangri-La, is due out in less than two weeks. But lucky for us, NPR is streaming their album in full! I'm liking what I'm hearing so far. Listen for yourself below:

YACHT- Shangri-La Stream

Computer Magic- "The End of Time" video

Danz, aka Computer Magic, is someone I've mentioned on my blog before and someone I completely foresee breaking into the indie music scene in a big way very soon. If you haven't had the chance to listen to her stuff yet, do it. She's the shit, and this video is visual confirmation of that fact. Watch below!

Computer Magic - "The End Of Time" from stereogum on Vimeo.

Broken Soc Gets Gory

Well, I've always thought this song was hauntingly good and slightly creepy in and of itself, but Broken Social Scene's new video for "Sweetest Kill," featuring Bijou Phillips, leaves nothing to the imagination. It's a very literal translation of the song, to say the least, but at least its shot in a cinematographically beautiful way. You've been warned. Watch the video below:

New Jamie xx!

Electronic music mastermind Jamie xx officially released two new songs yesterday, entitled "Far Nearer" and "Beat For." Jamie, frontman of The xx and famous for his collaborations with the magnificent Gil Scott-Heron (RIP), has absolutely never failed to impress in the past; if this new material is any indication of what is to come off of his forthcoming LP, however, I'm not sure my mind will be able to handle the brilliance. I am extremely addicted to these two tracks, and guarantee if you've listened to anything he'd done in the past, you will be too. Listen for yourself, and get excited for future Jamie xx summer releases!

Jamie xx - Beat For (limited vinyl & download out now - http://farnearer.com) by Numbers
Jamie xx - Far Nearer (limited vinyl & download out now - http://farnearer.com) by Numbers

Last Week in LA: Lykke Li at The Wiltern, Arctic Monkeys at The Palladium

Last week was quite an exciting one for me and a great deal of other music lovers in the good old City of Angels, as we were graced with the appearance of two very prominent European acts, and two very different ones at that. Tuesday's Lykke Li show was quite incredible, laden with black draping outfits (curtains to match) and a healthy dose of what Lykke herself is most famous for: sex appeal. Grimes was the opening act, an endearingly awkward little electronic musician hailing from Canada. With such a mousy voice and spindly physique, I was pretty shocked to hear her music include some pretty heavy, soul-shaking beats. Despite minor slip-ups and not so smooth transitions, Grimes was able to captivate the crowd song after dance-invoking song, and impressed me with what she was able to do to her music in terms of distortion and reverb. Lykke's performance, as expected, was chalk-full of amazing theatrics, darkly seductive dance moves, and flashing orange and yellow lights that coincided perfectly with the lyrics of her songs. If there's one thing this girl has proven she can do time and time again, it's put on a good show. She opened with "Jerome", the perfect choice to prep the crowd for what was to come (in my opinion, it's one of the best off of Wounded Rhymes, one of the year's best albums so far). She didn't do a lot of talking or engaging with the crowd, but it's impossible to deny how nuts everyone went around me as she performed numbers like "I Follow Rivers," "I'm Good, I'm Gone," "Everybody But Me," and "Get Some." I was even more impressed to find out how sick she was at the time of the show! Poor girl had the flu and still put on an amazing show, I have a lot of respect for her for that. I left a bit early but got to hear "Youth Knows No Pain" while walking out; a killer way to end an incredible evening.
The Arctic Monkeys show, on the contrary, was anything but a calm spectator sport for admiring fans. After The Vaccines finished their set (not much to say about that, was less than impressed...) and the lights went out, I barely had time to take in what was going on before being pushed about 50 feet forward, jam-packed in the middle of a bunch of rowdy, shirtless drunk men head banging as the Monkeys opened with "Brainstorm" and "This House is a Circus." Not to say that they didn't put on an amazing show; with them playing songs like "Teddy Picker," "Crying Lightening," "Do Me A Favour," and the new and popular "Don't Sit Down," i was impossible not to have a great time. I could have done without being punched in the face, but it was worth it. I would have loved to hear them play "505" or "Dancing Shoes," but the fact that they ended with "Fluorescent Adolescent" made me the happiest little clam in the building. Quite an experience, but I can safely say I can and will do it again. As for their highly-anticipated new album, I've heard a really wide range of reactions: some love the new direction they're going in, some call it a cheap attempt at a Strokes impression. As for me, I've enjoyed what I've heard so far and think is going to do quite well. But we'll see. Watch the videos for Lykke Li's "Get Some" video and Arctic Monkeys' "Don't Sit Down" video below!

Music for the Last Day of Spring!

Since June 1st denotes the official first day of summer, I thought I would leave you guys with 3 distinct spring releases to enjoy on the last day of the season. This year has far surpassed almost every other in my lifetime in terms of great new music, spring in particular. So I think it's important that we take a step back and celebrate the artists that have contributed thus far to a fantastic 2011! Here goes:

1) Noah and the Whale- Last Night on Earth

Now, obviously the British folk-rock duo has made quite an impression on the majority of indie music lovers in the past few years. But since seeing them perform at Coachella in 2009, I have seen an immense progression in their ability to produce interesting and diverse music that appeals to almost everyone, something that was solidified for me when I saw them at The El Rey in LA this past Tuesday. "Wild Thing", "Tonight's The Kind of Night", and "Give it All Back" show off their ability to experiment with different genres and sounds and really show off their musical ability. Plus I have to see they have moved beyond the incredibly depressing era of First Days of Spring, not that this album doesn't retain some of that quintessential NATW self-loathing and misanthropy but at least I can listen to this album in full without crying. Listen to the aforementioned tracks below:

NATW: "Wild Thing"
NATW: "Give it All Back"
NATW: "Tonight's The Kind of Night"


2) Beth Ditto- Beth Ditto EP

Honestly, not much to say except DAMN can this woman sing. The Gossip lead singer has released some solo work in the past, but I absolutely love how well she has pulled off experimenting with a heavy electronic/ synthpop sound... kind of has early Madonna/ Janet Jackson vibes or something. But honestly, the girl can do anything. My respect for her has really grown and hope she continues producing solo stuff as well as music with Gossip. Listen to the EP preview below, and for the love of god just buy it if you like it. It's 4 fucking dollars and worth every penny.

Beth Ditto EP Preview


3) Friendly Fires- Pala

Not much has changed with this group since their first self-titled LP, released in 2008, and in my eyes that is definitely not a bad thing. The album is inimitably theirs, and they are just as amazing and catchy as they were when I fell in love with "Paris" at 16. The two things that really stand out to me on this album are the production quality and variation of tempo and beats; though their music is quite distinct, they are also brilliant at taking their style and creating such a sophisticated array of tracks, it's impossible as an electronic music lover not to love them (well, I guess that's arguable, but someone would really have to make a solid case to convince me otherwise). Hopefully I will get to see them next week in LA, but if not I look forward to seeing and hearing more from them in the future. Check out "Helpless" and "Blue Cassette" below:

Friendly Fires: "Blue Cassette"
Friendly Fires: "Helpless"

Yelle @ The Music Box in LA, 5/21/11

It's been a week since I saw Yelle perform at The Music Box with French Horn Rebellion, just enough time to process the glory that was Julie Budet in a whirlwind of safari-themed outfits, dancing to green-red-blue lights flashing to the beat of the two giant drums on either side of the stage. French Horn Rebellion had some trouble at the start with their set, the awkwardness of a computer malfunction that led to some hilarious impromptu french horn solo-ing to the likes of Bach, Beethoven, and Tchaikovsky. I wouldn't say that I was taken with their music, as they kind of proved to be somewhat average electronic musicians as soon as they fixed their equipment, playing mostly pre-produced music that all sounded the same. However, I will give them props for their ability to fight through technical difficulties and engage the crowd. Yelle, however, killed it. She always puts on the best shows, and from the looks of her Coachella set I had pretty high hopes for seeing Ms. Budet for the second time at this venue. She opened with S'etient le Soleil, on of my favorite tracks off of the new album, Safari Disco Club. I've always admired her ability to captivate an audience who, as a whole, probably doesn't have a fucking clue what she's singing about. Funny, too, because she's one of the most adorable artists out there and yet a large amount of her lyrics are quite dirty, something I also find quite hilarious and endearing as I watch the 16-year-old fans around me pretend to sing along. But I digress. The show was spectacular, a perfect combination of old and new as she danced around to tracks like "Ce jeu", "Amour du sol", and "Je veux te voir" off of 2009's Pop-Up, as well as new masterpieces like "Unillusion" and "Safari Disco Club". Regardless of your level of fluency in Francais, it's undeniable that Yelle has got something going for her that transcends cultural and language boundaries. I highly recommend buying Safari Disco Club if you haven't already, and listening to the absolutley FANTASTIC remix of Safari Disco Club included on the iTunes deluxe edition.

Trifecta of Tranquility

So the 3 artists I'm about to discuss will most definitely not be anything most of you haven't heard about already, but I would be remiss if I didn't talk about the amazing new music from Explosions in the Sky, Fleet Foxes, and Bon Iver. Both Take Care, Take Care, Take Care by Explosions in the Sky and Helplessness Blues by Fleet Foxes have been out for weeks now, and have been absolutely the sources of comfort in my world of chaos and end of the year stress. Explosions in the Sky do an absolutely amazing job at arranging incredibly long pieces, and yet manage to create enough texture and sophistication in each song that you are completely unaware you have been listening to the same track for over seven minutes. We all knew they were talented, as exhibited in their previous albums and on the Friday Night Lights soundtrack. But my god, is this album amazing. "Human Qualities", "Be Comfortable, Creature", and "Last Known Surroundings" are my favorites off of the album... if you are at all in need of some relaxation or decompressing, these should be your go-to's. And as for Fleet Foxes... where do I even begin. The melodies and instrumentation on songs like "Bedouin Dress", "Lorelai", "Grown Ocean", and "Battery Kinzie" effortlessly combine what is good about modern-day folk rock and what should always be loved about down-to-the-roots folk music. These guys kill me, every musician writing this type of music (or any acoustic music, for that matter) could and should learn a lot from them. And finally, I know I stand among millions who are saying this right now, BUT I CANNOT WAIT FOR BON IVER'S NEW ALBUM. It drops early June, and they have already announced the first leg of their upcoming international tour. Sadly it does not yet have a stop in good old LA, but fingers crossed that that will change very soon. They posted "Calgary", one of the tracks of their forthcoming self-titled album, on Youtube a couple of days ago; it is so breathtakingly beautiful I didn't quite know what to do with myself the first time I heard it. Needless to say, the summer music scene is off to a pretty solid start. Listen to "Human Qualities", "Battery Kinzie", and "Calgary" below:

The Kills @ Royale, Boston MA 4/26/11

Well, we all know what's coming.... extreme reverence. I had seen Jaime and Alison the week before at Coachella, so what I'm about to say came as no surpise to me, but this show was by far the best I've seen from The Kills in my entire career as unrelenting superfan. It is hard to describe Alison Mosshart's live-show magnetism and unbelievable command of the audience's attention, let alone put into words the feeling of standing directly beneath her for the entire show. I find a lot of people fascinating, but rarely do I find anyone as inimitably badass and inspirational as I do her, a feeling that was only accentuated by her forceful grip on the mic stand, placing of one black boot on the speaker in front of my face, and leaning over to stare right into my eyes while singing songs like "DNA," "You Don't Own The Road," and "Heart Is A Beating Drum" off of their new album, Blood Pressures. Though it is to be expected that, after 10 years and 4 albums together, the duo have developed quite a knack (to say the least) for performing and writing, I have never seen anything like the relationship between these two incredible musicians. Sure, Jaimie does most of the instrumentation and production of their live sets (you should see his pedal board...it's insane), but the amazingly captivative performance they put on really proves them to be equally important in the band's appeal. I was also absolutely thrilled, too, with the incredible balance of new material and old on this tour; never would I have seen it coming that they would play "Fried My Little Brains" as their last song, but nothing could have made me happier. They also performed songs like "No Wow," "Pull A U," "U.R.A. Fever," and "Sour Cherry" off of their previous 3 records, which were incredibly well-received and appreciated by onlookers. I know that I never have anything even remotely critical to say about The Kills, but it's nice to be able to rely on my favorite band's unwavering ability to pull through and surpass my already high expectations each and every time I see them live, right? Check out my pictures from the show below, and definitely try and see them on the Blood Pressures tour. And, if you can't catch them this time around, I've heard rumours of a follow-up summer mini-tour in August! No promises though.

Magic In So Many Ways

Brooklyn-based singer and electronic musician Danielle “Danz” Johnson, stage name Computer Magic, has made one of the quickest jumps into the indie music limelight I have seen in a while; after mere months making music for the public, she was featured in Stereogum’s Top 30 Arists to See at SXSW, among many other sources of high praise (and for good reason!). We all know of the breadth of electronic music that exists right now, but as I sit here trying to give you an artist or two to compare her style to for reference, I literally can’t think of anything… my version of the highest of compliments. She currently has two EPs out, entitled Spectronic and Electronic Fences (the former isn’t on iTunes, but is available for free download on her website!). My absolute favorite track of hers is “The End of Time,” however I also think that “Holiday Song,” “Electronic Fences,” “In So Many Ways,” and “Grand Junction” are incredible. Wesleyan kids keep your fingers crossed, because I have been talking to Danz about playing a set on campus before the end of the semester! Listen to “The End of Time” and Grand Junction” below:

Computer Magic- “The End of Time”

Computer Magic- “Grand Junction”

Tomboy [ˈtɒmˌbɔɪ] n.: a girl who acts or dresses in a boyish way, liking rough outdoor activities

Noah Lennox aka Panda Bear's latest LP, Tomboy, is by far his best work yet. I do not know how he manages to work in so many complex textures and effects into his music, but each and every song on this album is so interesting and sounds completely different from the next... if anyone finds way to bottle how his brain works, I will pay top dollar. Can I get away with saying that I think Tomboy trumps Merriweather Post Pavilion? Whatever, I said it and I meant it; this shit is pure gold. If anyone was ever able to prove that solo work can be equally great, if not better, than work with one's respective band, Lennox has done it. I am absolutely in love with "Afterburner," "Surfer's Hymn," "Slow Motion," and "Last Night at the Jetty," but really, the entire thing is worth buying. Fuck yeah Panda Bear, you are the finest of fine wines in indie music: your music gets better and better with time. Listen to the entire album in full via Soundcloud here:

Panda Bear- Tomboy

BABY PRODIGY!

I don't know much about Jasmine van de Bogaerde aka Birdy, other than the fact that she's only 14 fucking years old and absolutely puts Bon Iver to shame (jk, I love Vernon, but still... she's amazing). This British songstress is already making huge waves in the music world, recently hitting the UK charts with her first single, "Skinny Love." Birdy has made quite a name for herself in an extremely small amount of time, and one of the rare exceptions of young musicians in the public eye that I think actually deserves the attention. Watch the absolutely gorgeous music video for "Skinny Love" below.

Bite the Lightening and Tell me How it Tastes

It’s been quite a while since Arctic Monkeys have released new material, but their latest single, “Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair,” seems to be only the tip of the iceberg for the brilliance of what’s to come with their forthcoming album, Suck It and See, which is due out in late spring. It’s a lot more hard rock than their previous material, and features a magnetically dark guitar line that I very much appreciate. The song kind of sounds like the band channeled a bit of both Zeppelin and The Strokes, and being a huge fan of both it goes without saying that I am quite impressed. I can’t wait to hear the new album and see them play this summer at their show at The Palladium (which by the way Los Angelites if you will be in town you must attend). Listen to the new track here:

Arctic Monkeys: “Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair”

England's Best Voice Since Florence Welch

There has been a lot of hype recently circulating around the name Ellie Goulding, but I hadn’t taken the time until recently to sit down and see what all the fuss was about. After hearing songs like “Guns and Horses,” “Animal,” and “Lights,” I only wish I had started listening to her sooner. This girl is absolutely amazing, and has that incredible combination of both effortlessly beautiful vocals and an uninhibited manner of using her voice, something I respect a lot about Florence & The Machine. Goulding has managed to channel electronic/ dance music, pop, jazz, and rock into her music in a completely coherent way, making her music refreshingly original and so catchy. Her debut album, Lights, was released in the US on March 8th, and I’m putting my money on this girl blowing up just as rapidly stateside as Flo did a year ago. In the more immediate future, I can almost guarantee her set at Coachella will place her as one of the best of the festival. Listen to a couple of the tracks from the album below and see for yourself!

Ellie Goulding- “Animal”

Ellie Goulding- “Guns and Horses”

You Can Blow What's Left of My Right Mind

Blood Pressures was released yesterday, and for those of you who aren't familiar with The Kills or my infatuation with them, this is a really big deal. I was sent a copy of the album a little over a week ago so it's newness novelty has worn off a bit for me, but I wanted to wait until the release day to talk about it so that you, the reader, will hopefully BUY it and not download it off of mediafire. I obviously had high hopes for this album, being that both Jaimie Hince and Alison Mosshart have had some time since the release of Midnight Boom in 2008 to get their creative flow back and make this record the best yet. However, I have to say I am quite surprised at the overall feel and versatility of this album's sound; I half expected, since Alison has been the frontwoman for The Dead Weather for the past couple of years, that it would be more dark than it actually is. To my great surprise, songs like "Nail In My Coffin," "Future Starts Slow," and "Baby Says" have both the quintessential Kills edge and a significant focus on melody, something you can't really say about most of their previous work. Maybe it's the fact that they are now ten years older than they were when Keep on Your Mean Side came out, but it's refreshing to me that they've been able to find this in their music and experiment with different genres and styles of writing. Not to say that there aren't a fair share of pretty badass songs; I think I would have been disappointed without the likes of "DNA," "You Don't Own The Road," "Satellite," and "Damned if She Do." Overall, I am so unbelievably impressed with their work, and absolutely can't wait to see them perform live again. If you don't buy Blood Pressures, you will be sorely missing out on what is sure to be one of the top 5 (at least) records of the year. No pressure, though (pun!). Faceculture did a fantastically in-depth interview with my favorite duo, watch part 1 below!

Let the Motherf*cker Burn

Yacht has a new single, bitches. It sounds nothing like their old stuff, which to be honest is a good thing in my mind. Not that I wasn't into I Believe In You. Your Magic Is Real., but I think "Dystopia" shows tremendous progress on their part. The Portland-based duo of Clare Evans and Jona Bechtolt has always been known for their interesting (to say the least) electronic experimentation, but I think this track shows that they have become much more sophisticated in their ability to produce really intricate and textured electronic music. Their sound is definitely evolving, and evolving for the better. I for one cannot wait for their new album to drop; listen to "Dystopia" below and see for yourself!

I'm In Love I'm In Love I'M IN LOVE

...with Oh Land's new self-titled album; oh my god is this shit extraordinary. Danish singer Nanna Oland Fabricius, aka Oh Land, has been at it for a while now, but this album has absolutely placed her at the top of my favorites. Both playful in its experimental instrumentation and wholly representative of what is good about modern-day indie music, this record places somewhere in between Glasser and Ladyhawke with a dash of Fever Ray.... which, if you don't know my taste in music, is a very high compliment in my book. Her most famous song off the album, "Son of a Gun", who's accompanying video has rightfully gone viral on youtube since being posted in October, is, to say the least, extremely catchy and creative. I personally would put "White Nights" and "Human" on the same level as "Son of a Gun"; they have a similar vibe and yet are both quite original, and will undoubtedly be stuck in my head for weeks. "Helicopter" is somewhat mellow compared to the other aforementioned songs, but it is calmingly beautiful and just so well done. Ugh I cannot say enough about this girl, this album is a must-buy. I was absolutely heartbroken to find out she is playing in LA at the Music Box DAYS after I leave, but here's hoping she will play more live shows over summer. Watch the visually stunning video for "Son of a Gun" below, and trust me when I say you will not regret buying this record.

You Are My Native Speaker

I went to see Baths play at the Troubadour a week or so ago, and as much as I was impressed with him I was absolutely blown away by Braids' live show. The foursome from Canada has been on a very lengthy tour with Baths in the US/ Canada since early February, LA being their last stop. I had never heard of the group before seeing them play, but I was so absolutely impressed with their incredible vocal effects, harmonies, and amazing production technique that I went home and immediately bought the record after the show, and have been listening to it non-stop since. Songs like "Native Speaker" and "Glass Deers" are such a brain-envelopingly amazing combination of trippy and serene that they make you want to lie down in the middle of a forest and never leave. If you don't yet have their debut album, Native Speaker, yet, you're sorely missing out. Listen to "Glass Deers" below:

Love Out Of Lust For Lykke

I should have written this post two or so weeks ago when Lykke Li released her sophomore album, Wounded Rhymes, but to say I have fallen madly in love with every single track on this record is an understatement. I have been a Lykke fan from the beginning, who initially drew me in with tracks like "I'm Good, I'm Gone", "Complaint Department", and "Dance, Dance Dance" and with her unbelievable theatrical live performances. But I have to say, although I truly loved a lot of the songs off of Youth Novels, she has come quite a long way musically since her earlier days. The creative drum beats and dynamic melodies of "I Follow Rivers" and "Youth Knows No Pain" are what make these two songs absolute stand-outs for me, however I am almost equally obsessed with songs like "Rich Kids Blues" and "Love Out Of Lust", and of course with the hilariously abrasive "Get Some". I really can't say enough about this album, her work on this record really makes it hard to believe she's only 24 years old. And seeing as her live shows are probably my favorite part about her, I absolutely cannot wait to see her this summer at the Wiltern in LA. And for you New Yorkers, it was just announced today that she will be playing at Central Park Summerstage in August! I highly recommend buying Wounded Rhymes in full, it's definitely going to be on everyone's top albums of 2011 lists. And if you get the chance, see her live. It is truly a worthwhile experience. Listen to the album HERE.

The Queen of Soul is Back with a Vengeance

At long last, Adele's sophomore album, 21, was released today. Not that I would expect anything less from this girl, but I actually haven't been able to speak to anyone for about an hour now; the entire album has completely blown my mind and I can do nothing but sit, mouth agape, and marvel at the absolute prodigy that is Ms. Adkins. I can't help but feel incredibly inadequate as I listen to track after track of the most incredible new music around... how many people my age can say that they have recorded two of the most vocally and lyrically sophisticated albums of our generation, won two grammys, and have stolen the hearts of music lovers around the world all before the rest of us have graduated college?!? To say that people like this come around once in a lifetime is the understatement of the year, and I'm so happy for her that she has come this far. It's hard to believe that the girl I met after playing her first show in Los Angeles in 2008, stricken with fear and completely skeptical as to whether or not she would ever have a fanbase in the US, sold out almost every single date on her upcoming US tour in under a day. Once again though, I am not surprised at all. After listening to 21 in full about 3 times today, it has become clear to me that Adele is much more than a girl with unbelievable raw talent; she has become an absolutely brilliant songwriter as well, one whose growing confidence and way with words beyond her years is highlighted in every single song on this album. "Rolling In The Deep" still remains one of my favorites; the melody obviously shows off her vocal talent quite well, but moreover the power of the kick drum and beautiful backup vocals add a complexity and catchiness that I think set it on a whole new level from her older material. "Set Fire To The Rain" and "Rumour Has It" share that same undeniable confidence and are tracks that I foresee becoming absolute hits, and on the other end of the spectrum, the more mellow "Turning Tables" and "Someone Like You" are just so beyond beautiful I can't really say much other than how speechless I am. In other words, FUCK YEAH ADELE. You never cease to amaze me.

Check out "Set Fire To The Rain" here:

Adele- "Set Fire To The Rain"

Synthpop's Newest Powerhouse

When I first heard MNDR sing with Mark Ronson & The Business Intl on his summer single, "Bang Bang Bang", I knew Amanda Warner and her partner Pete Wade were a duo set to take the electronic music world by storm. A failed attempt at seeing them perform over the summer (their show at Echoplex in Silverlake was cancelled) only made me more determined to hear more of what they had been working on apart from Ronson, which led me to listen to E.P.E., MNDR's first EP. They have only officially released about 6 songs to date, but their music has made a huge impression on me. "Caligula" is one of those songs you can listen to 10 times over and not get sick of it, and songs like "Fade To Black" and "Cut Me Out" strike me as instant hits. As of now I'm just waiting for them to really take off, not that they haven't already done incredibly well for not having an LP out (they are currently on a mostly sold-out tour with Chromeo and have been all over Pitchfork the past month or so). If you haven't listened to MNDR's music, do yourself a favor and download their music off of iTunes, especially "Cut Me Out" and "Caligula". Listen to "Cute Me Out" below and see for yourself:

MNDR: "Cut Me Out"

The Kills- "Satellite" Music Video

It seems fitting that my 100th post would be about The Kills.... Domino quite literally JUST posted the video for their newest singe "Satellite", a song that I have annoyingly brought up many times, but whatever. I'm excited, so sue me. I couldn't have more accurately described it than did the people who posted the video, who narrate: "Alison and Jamie hop into a vintage Rolls Royce and embark upon a road trip headed towards the faded, washed out glamour of the English coast. Vehicle collisions, dual personalities, and even a spot of fish and chips feature in this subtly disorientating, noir clip." Even if you aren't as obsessed as I admittedly am, it's worth giving it a watch; their videos are always aesthetically sound, and I think this video in particular gives fans a window into their incredible chemistry.

When Time and Place Collide

After much anticipation (at least for me), The Kills have released their first single today, "Satellite", off their upcoming record, Blood Pressures. Clearly, knowing how much I adore the duo, I have nothing bad to say; I think the song is nothing short of amazing. It's ridden with sex appeal, clever lyrics, and interesting musical experimentation.... but what else would one expect from Jamie Hince and Alison Mosshart? Not that I had any doubts that The Kills would deliver with their new material, but hearing this has made me shiver with anticipation for what's to come. Download the song on iTunes if you haven't yet, and keep an eye out for the release of more singles in the upcoming months!

New Fleet Foxes!

YES!! Fleet Foxes have posted a brand new song as of today, entitled "Helplessness Blues". It's absolutley beautiful; chalk-full of gorgeous harmonies (as their music always is), sophisticated and eloquent lyrics, and the perfect combination of folk, country, and indie rock. If Frightened Rabbit and Mumford & Sons were to have a baby, this would be it. The best part: there's a link to a free mp3 of it!
Listen/ download here:

Fleet Foxes: "Helplessness Blues"

The Perfect Winter Song

We all sort of dread having to get up in the morning, bear the cold, and inevitably slip or fall at some point in the day on this so called "black ice". However, there are definitely upsides to this weather, one of them being the fact that it was inspiration for Beach House's latest and greatest, "I Do Not Care for the Winter Sun". Lyrically and musically simple yet absolutely breathtaking, as I find all of Victoria and Alex's songs to be, this new tune seems to makes me look at the snow and the cold a bit more affectionately, even if it has undertones of a broken heart. You don't much hear them use the slide guitar in their music, which I think makes this song unique in their repertoire; yet, there's no denying that it still has that quintessential Beach House dreamy quality to it. I highly recommend this song, especially to those who would rather do nothing than stay in with a cup of tea and enjoy the snowfall at a distance. Listen to the mp3 here:

Beach House: "I Do Not Care for the Winter Sun"

Lykke Li- "I Follow Rivers" Music Video

Lykke Li has been releasing singles from her forthcoming album, Wounded Rhymes, and now has just posted the music video for her latest, "I Follow Rivers". Personally, I don't really feel that drawn to the video; it's a cool concept but I think it's a bit underdone. The song itself, however, is quite well done and rather catchy, and has absolutely captivating vocals in the chorus. Overall, I think she has proven to fans worldwide that her sophomore album will not dissapoint; from what I can see so far, it is full of musical experimentation and is both rough around the edges and beautifully melodic, the perfect combination in my book. Judge for yourself, watch the video below.

Watch Out... Ida Eats Boys Like You For Breakfast

Ok, I can no longer deny the fact that I couldn't wait for the US release of Ida Maria's newest album, Katla... I had heard a lot of the tracks on her Myspace and on youtube a while back, and I just had to download it (Ida I promise I will buy it when it's released). Honestly though I have no regrets because the entire album is jaw-droppingly good. I thought her debut album, Fortress 'round My Heart, was amazing, but this shit is unbelievable. I've always seen her as one of the most unabashed young musicians of her generation (re: her dress falling off at Coachella...), and this album proves that. Songs like "I Eat Boys Like You For Breakfast", "Cherry Red", and "Let's Leave" show off her endearingly vulgar and raw sense of humor, while songs like "Quite Nice People" and "10,000 Lovers" seem to speak the words that everyone thinks, but doesn't want to say. My favorite though, "Bad Karma", really resonates with me lyrically, and is so wild and powerful it makes you want to.... scream and kick stuff? Any song that's an excuse to make a scene is good in my book. She is amazing, and I am so happy that Katla came out as well as it did. PLEASE don't do what I did; wait for the album to be released on iTunes and download it there :). But for now, listen to some of her best new tracks below.

Ida Maria- "Bad Karma"

Ida Maria- "I Eat Boys Like You For Breakfast"

Ida Maria- "Let's Leave"

This is a HUGE DEAL.

Let it be known that on January 11th, 2011, my dreams have become a reality. I cannot adequately express how much what I am about to say means to me, but The Kills have just announced their follow-up album to 2008's Midnight Boom, Blood Pressures. What an apt name, seeing as mine has absolutely skyrocketed upon hearing this. Excuse the overexcitement, but it is hard for me to convey a) how much I idolize Alison Mosshart, b) how long I have been waiting for this, and c) how much I have prayed that they would play live shows together again. Horrible rumors were spread a while ago about Kate Moss, who happens to be Jamie Hince's ex-girlfriend, throwing Jamie's computer (which had the only copies of their new tracks) into a pool and ruining all their work...I still am unsure if this is true or not, but needless to say I was not happy; that, combined with Mosshart's new role as lead singer of The Dead Weather, sadly gave me doubts of the promise of this ever happening. And against all odds, it has. And I'm fucking ecstatic. The duo posted this morning that their new album is set to be released April 5th... just in time for Coachella but I won't get my hopes up just yet. The tracklist is as follows:

01 Future Starts Slow
02 Satellite
03 Heart Is a Beating Drum
04 Nail in My Coffin
05 Wild Charms
06 DNA
07 Baby Says
08 Last Goodbye
09 Damned If She Do
10 You Don't Own the Road
11 Pots and Pans

My god, EVERY SINGLE track name is amazing. I can't wait.

The Duke Spirit w/ Crash Kings @ The Roxy Theatre in LA: 12/30/10

I have been desperate to see The Duke Spirit for almost 3 years, and by miracle I happened to notice the day before the event that they were playing a small show at the Roxy… obviously I seized the opportunity and bought myself tickets at 1:30 in the morning the day before the show. As if seeing Leila Moss and her gang wasn’t great already, I was lucky enough to see Crash Kings open for them, a tree-member band out of LA who I have been a fan of for quite some time. They were amazing; Mike and Tony Belveau, who happen to be twins, both have incredible voices and I found their music to be quite powerful. They also use a Clavinet D6 instead of an electric guitar, which I had never seen before but found quite amazing as it sounds like the real thing (I later learned with some investigation that this keyboard-posing-as-a-guitar was used as the guitar in Stevie Wonders’ “Superstition”). Although I think Crash Kings played for just a liiiiittle too long, I was quite impressed and will definitely check out more of their music.
After Crash Kings played, The Duke Spirit came crashing on stage, a lightening bolt of energy accentuated by Leila Moss’s unbelievable stage presence and all sequenced pants. I always knew that this band was incredibly talented and that Moss had very strong vocals, but this show proved to me that she is absolutely a star; her way of commanding the audience’s attention and palpable level of enjoyment that the band in its entirety was having while performing was completely inspiring and so much fun to watch. They opened with “The Step and the Walk”, undoubtedly their most famous song, which more than pleased onlookers and summoned an equal amount of energy from those around me than was displayed on stage. Their performance also included some of my favorites such as “Lassoo” and “Love Is An Unfamiliar Name”, as well as new tracks off their new EP, Kusama, which was released in early December. It’s been a while since I’ve heard anything new from this band and, from what I could see, their most recent material seems to hold a lot of promise. I thoroughly enjoyed this show, and strongly encourage you readers to check out both The Duke Spirit and Crash Kings, and to check out Kusama.

Ida Maria's "Quite Nice People" Video Premiere

For all you Ida Maria fans out there, I just noticed that everyone's favorite Norwegian songstress has posted a link to the official music video premiere of "Quite Nice People", one of the tracks off of her forthcoming album, Katla, which was released internationally last year and is, as far as I know, set to be released in the US very soon. The song is much more mellow than most of her other stuff, a "Keep Me Warm" vibe of sorts. The lyrics, however, are so subtly sassy and relatable; I, being the misanthrope that am, am in love with this song. The video itself is visually very pleasing and beautiful in its simplicity. Those of you who don't listen to her before should really give this listen, she's truly talented and a rare gem of an artist.