Category: mp3 Page 34 of 120

We’ve hit another Tuesday, where I’m once again pleased to bring you a quick rundown of artists with brand new music coming out this week. The hope is to either inform you about what’s out there, but also to maybe even remind you if one of your favorite artists is putting out something new and you simply forgot about it. So without further ado, here’s your list for this week: Christopher Owens, Electric Youth, Gerard Way, The History of Apple Pie, Lucinda Williams, Prince, The Rural Alberta Advantage, Steve Aoki, Tove Lo, Trigger Hippy, Witch Mountain and Yelle. If you’re so inspired please pick some of these records up via your favorite digital or physical retailer! Now let’s get to today’s Pick Your Poison, where you can discover even more hot new music. Some key tracks you’ll want to give attention to today come from Bear Arms, Disaster Artist, Les Bonbons, and Stone Cold Fox. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream new songs from G, Jon Hopkins (ft. Raphaelle Standell from Braids/Blue Hawaii), Les Sins, Li Xi, Lucius (covering My Morning Jacket), Milan and more.

Bear Arms – Innate

Corners – Love Letters

Disaster Artist – Sushi

Dive Index – Pattern Pieces

Happy Dagger – Wicked Annabella (The Kinks cover)

Kypski – Wreck Fader (ft. D-Styles)

Les Bonbons – Nouveau Départ (ft. Finn Andrews)

The Marivaux – Come With Me

Sirma – Trigger (Blue Hawaii Remix)

Stone Cold Fox – Sold

Toph Allen – Limits

Wet – Don’t Wanna Be Your Girl (PURPLE Remix)

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Happy Monday! Hope your weekend was grand. Today’s edition of Pick Your Poison has some great tracks from Bonfire John, Cariad Harmon, Eric Zayne, Lisa Mitchell, Little Cinema and Stereo Off. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream songs from Halsey, Jason Urick, Little Comets, Melanie De Biasio (as remixed by EELS) and Mitski.

Bonfire John – One Night

Cariad Harmon – Like You

E.A.S.Y. – Fly Away

Electric Caves – Oversocialized

Eric Zayne – Drugs and Kids

Gorgeous Bully – I Can’t Sleep Because I’m Afraid You’ll Leave

Haley Pharo – Sorry For Not Being Sorry (Dekoder Remix)

Kasey Keller Big Band – RIC

Lisa Mitchell – Wah Ha

Little Cinema – When You Think of Me

The Presets – No FUn (Nature World DJs Remix)

Stereo Off – Effectual

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It’s Thursday, which means it’s time for another weekly dip into the pool of music news, interviews and videos that I like to call This Week In Music! Yes, in addition to the normal Pick Your Poison mp3s and Soundcloud streams, I like to toss out links to a bunch of other music-related content that I’ve found interesting or worthwhile over the course of the week. I encourage you to check some, if not all of these things out, particularly if you’re looking to waste some time. There’s plenty to see, read and hear:

Music Video: Volcano Choir – Tiderays

Help fund a documentary about the Elephant 6 Recording Co.

Watch Tyler, the Creator throw a birthday party on KTLA

Read an interview between Karen O and Julian Casablancas

A MusiCares tribute concert for Bob Dylan will include Beck, Neil Young, Jack White, The Black Keys and many more

Urban Outfitters is now the world’s biggest vinyl retailer

Stream Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ Gone Girl soundtrack

Watch Ty Segall perform a medley of David Bowie covers live in Chicago (on David Bowie Day)

Here are details on Pink Floyd’s forthcoming album The Endless River

Watch Neon Indian’s Alan Palomo give a TED Talk on “The Myth of the Auteur”

Once you’re done with that set of distractions, let me offer up another set via some song downloads and streams. Don’t miss tracks from Alloise, DWNTWN (covering Vance Joy), His Name Is Alive, Jungle Doctors, Ladada and LA Font. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream cuts from Baths, Cherry Glazerr, Common, Hudson Mohawke, Loveskills (covering The Smashing Pumpkins), Raspberry Bulbs and TALA.

Alloise – Circus

DWNTWN – Riptide (Vance Joy cover)

Flesh – Vauxhall Casanova

His Name Is Alive – African Violet Casts A Spell

Jo Mango – Evermore (The Cormorant Remix)

Jungle Doctors – The Sea and The Rain

Jupiter Lion – Lost Cannibal

King Capisce – Never Spoken (Extended Edit)

Ladada – Give It Back

LA Font – Pretty in Love

Mosaics – Submit

Zak Smith – Raise the Moon

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There’s so many great shows happening in Chicago over the course of the next week, I could wax poetic about one every single day if needed. I’m not going to do that, but would like to take a quick moment to try and provoke your interest in Slow Club’s forthcoming show at Schubas tomorrow (Thursday) night. The Sheffield duo’s latest album Complete Surrender came out this summer to strong reviews, and most importantly a small change in direction that feels particularly suited to their strengths. More specifically, over the course of three records they’ve evolved from this lighthearted folk band who could easily soundtrack a dozen quirky indie films, into something darker, more atmospheric and soulful. The lynchpin holding it all together has been (and remains) the superior vocal interplay between Rebecca Taylor and Charles Watson. They’ve both got incredible voices, Taylor in particular, and the soul influence on the new album really allows her to let loose in a way we’ve never heard her before. A song like “Suffering You, Suffering Me” is a great example of that, and shows where the band is at these days sonically. Check out the title track if you’d like to hear something a bit more playful and pop-influenced. Overall, Slow Club have built a strong early catalog for themselves, and every indication suggests their star is going to continue to rise. Best to see them now at an intimate venue like Schubas before people really start to catch on. Not only that, but Nick Mulvey is opening the show. His debut album First Mind is acoustic folk at its finest, so much so that it was just shortlisted for the Mercury Prize. That’s another reason to go, in case you needed one. Anyways, the show starts at 9PM, it’s 21+ and you can buy tickets for $15 by going here. Okay, let’s get to today’s Pick Your Poison. There’s some good tracks in this set from Andrew Judah, The Beggars, The Foreign Resort, n.Lannon and Todd Tobias. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream songs from Arp, Black Milk (ft. Bun B), Field Report, John Wesley Coleman III, Radical Dads, White Laces and more.

Andrew Judah – In the Sun

The Beggars – FRK (Make Up & Dancing Shoes)

Brian Lopez – Persephone

For you Katrina – Do It!

The Foreign Resort – Flushed

The March Divide – I Told You So

n.Lannon – Dreamer

Raury – God’s Whisper (Flossdradamus & Aryay Remix)

Suuns – 2020 (Abstraxion Remix)

Tina Shafer – Strange Life

Todd Tobias – Kur

Yellerkin – Solar Laws

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We’ve hit another Tuesday, where I’m once again pleased to bring you a quick rundown of artists with brand new music coming out this week. The hope is to either inform you about what’s out there, but also to maybe even remind you if one of your favorite artists is putting out something new and you simply forgot about it. So without further ado, here’s your list for this week: alt-J, Aphex Twin, Bonnie Prince Billy, Chuck Prophet, Dntel, The Drums, Empires, Gnarwolves, GOAT, Groundislava, Imelda May, Julian Casablancas + The Voidz, King Tuff, Laetitia Sadier, Leonard Cohen, Lights, Marketa Irglova, Mr Twin Sister, Perfume Genius, Purling Hiss, S, Smashing Pumpkins, The Growlers, Tweedy and Whirr. If you’re so inspired please pick some of these records up via your favorite digital or physical retailer! Now let’s get to today’s Pick Your Poison, where you can discover even more hot new music. Some key tracks you’ll want to give attention to today come from Astronauts, etc., Bad Blocks, Ellie Herring, Ka, and Sable. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream new songs from Azealia Banks, Dave Harrington (of DARKSIDE), Dreamtrak, Kendrick Lamar, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Puro Instinct and Ryan Hemsworth.

Astronauts, etc. – Sadie

Bad Blocks – Lunar

Ellie Herring – Mickie

Field Division – Hollow Body Weather

The Gromble – Desole Pt. II

Ka – Lost Prophet Report

MY BODY – Boys

Running in the Fog – $ign$

Sable – The One (ft. Kele)

Skye Steele – Hiromitsu & Yuko

Tom Flynn – Yes Yes Y’all

White Sea – Prague (:PAPERCUTZ Remix)

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The fall concert season is a busy one, and I want to do my best to make sure you’re fully aware of all the incredible shows and tours happening over the next couple of months, or in some cases even the next couple of days. Case in point, on Thursday Mutual Benefit will be rolling through Chicago for a show at the Empty Bottle. Last year’s Love’s Crushing Diamond wound up being my favorite folk album of 2013, which merited a Top 10 slot overall. And while their sound is best and most easily described as folk, it’s more of a chamber or orchestral folk reminiscent of Sufjan Stevens circa 2004 or so. It’s a sound I loved with unabashed passion, and am still very much a sucker for, apparently. But plenty of other positive reviews back me up on that assessment. Have I mentioned that it’s also the perfect record for fall, which coincidentally has its official start today? Time to break out the warm sweaters, curl up on the couch with a mug of hot chocolate, and let the sweet melodies sweep you away as the changing leaves blow around in the breeze outside your window. If there’s ever a visual description as to what a record sounds like, that’s it. But if you want to hear instead of read more about this record, stream “Golden Wake” and “Let’s Play / Statue of a Man” to get you started. Anyways, I had a magical experience with Mutual Benefit this past summer, when they played at the Pitchfork Music Festival. It was an overcast start to the day there weren’t a ton of people around yet, so I laid down in the grass, stared up at the sky and let their set transport me to somewhere magical. I can only imagine how rich it’s all going to sound inside the confines of the Empty Bottle. Now the band also recently re-released The Cowboy’s Prayer EP, which originally came out in 2011 and was available only as a Bandcamp download. It’s not quite the Mutual Benefit of 2013 (or 2014 for that matter), but you can hear foundations of what they would become based off of that. Have a listen to “Auburn Epitaphs” to get a better idea of what I mean. So the fine details on the show are as follows. It’s Thursday, September 25th at 9PM. Thin Hymns and Ricky Eat Acid are opening. Tickets are $12 and can be purchased here. I hope you’ll consider coming out to the show if you’re in town! Now how about today’s Pick Your Poison? There’s some solid tracks in this set from Anabot, Captivves, Douglas Francis, Elijah Ocean, The High Learys and Sneakout. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream songs from Andy Stott, Fear of Men (covering Ty Segall), Marianne Faithfull, Night Terrors of 1927 (ft. Tegan and Sara), Slim Twig, ZHU (covering CHVRCHES) and more.

Anabot – Candy-Eyed

Bowts – Recur (Original Mix)

Captivves – Don’t Defy Us

Cocoa Futures – Scotland

Douglas Francis – Hedonic Treadmill

DREAMERS – Wolves (Duplexx Remix)

Elijah Ocean – Ride It Out

The High Learys – I’m A Fool For You

Joe Cristo – It’s Always Something Isn’t It

Nina Carlin – Sure Thing

Sneakout – The Art of Hanging On

We Roll Like Madmen – Babel

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It’s Thursday, which means it’s time for another weekly dip into the pool of music news, interviews and videos that I like to call This Week In Music! Yes, in addition to the normal Pick Your Poison mp3s and Soundcloud streams, I like to toss out links to a bunch of other music-related content that I’ve found interesting or worthwhile over the course of the week. I encourage you to check some, if not all of these things out, particularly if you’re looking to waste some time. There’s plenty to see, read and hear:

Interactive Music Video: SBTRKT ft. Caroline Polachek – Look Away

Music Video: Ryan Adams – My Wrecking Ball

Apple is reportedly working on a new digital music format, in collaboration with U2

YouTube Audio Stream: Jessie Ware – Kind Of…Sometimes…Maybe (ft. Miguel)

Watch a nearly hour-long interview between Dan Rather and Jack White

Music Video: Interpol – Twice As Hard

A Run the Jewels fan has started a Kickstarter to get the hip hop duo to re-record their forthcoming album with all cat noises

YouTube Audio Stream: Jose Gonzalez – This Is How We Walk on the Moon (Arthur Russell cover)

Music Video: Angel Olsen – High & Wild

Read Meredith Graves’ piece on sexism and authenticity in the music industry

Once you’re done with that set of distractions, let me offer up another set via some song downloads and streams. Don’t miss tracks from Andrew St. James, Energy Slime, Gringo Star, Leaks, Nite Fields and Party Favor. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream cuts from Flying Lotus, Lydia Ainsworth, The Pans of Being Pure at Heart, Peaking Lights and Zola Jesus, among others.

Andrew St. James – Tapes

Anushka – Atom Bombs (VIP Dub)

Barrence Whitfield and the Savages – The Corner Man

Cory Branan – The No-Hit Wonder

Energy Slime – Star on the Ground

Gringo Star – World of Spin

La Bete Blooms – TV Speak

Leaks – Underthought

Little May – Boardwalks

Nite Fields – Vacation

Party Favor – Bap U

Soledad Velez – How to Disappear

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This Wednesday’s edition of Pick Your Poison is a pretty good one. You’re not going to want to miss downloads from Baptiste Saunier, Electric Bird Noise, Mighty Mouse, Negativland and Olivver. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream new tracks from Allo Darlin’, Bedhead (covering Stranglers), Holiday Mountain, Korallreven and Seekae. The Juan MacLean also remix a lovely Sharon Van Etten song, while Foals for the same for Wild Beasts.

Baptiste Saunier – Why Don’t You Come Down (ft. Benny Bizzie)

BASECAMP – Shudder (Howie Lee Remix)

Bright Lights – How You Love Me (Acoustic)

CITIZENS! – Lighten Up (Cesare Remix)

Einar Stray Orchestra – Politricks (Radio Edit)

Electric Bird Noise – The Hum of the Moon

If Thousands – Paint the Night

Mighty Mouse – That Piano Track

Negativland – Right Might

Olivver – Revvival

Rllrbll – Wyoming

Selena Garcia – Brother

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We’ve hit another Tuesday, where I’m once again pleased to bring you a quick rundown of artists with brand new music coming out this week. The hope is to either inform you about what’s out there, but also to maybe even remind you if one of your favorite artists is putting out something new and you simply forgot about it. So without further ado, here’s your list for this week: The Allah-Las, alt-J, The Front Bottoms, Lia Ices, Mike Doughty, My Brightest Diamond, Myrkur, Shellac and This Will Destroy You. If you’re so inspired please pick some of these records up via your favorite digital or physical retailer! Now let’s get to today’s Pick Your Poison, where you can discover even more hot new music. Some key tracks you’ll want to give attention to today come from Baby Baby, Celine Neon, Desert Ships, Dream Boat, Pink Frost and Tinkerbelles. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream new songs from Angel Olsen, Blood Sister, Buzzcocks, Dream Police, Lapalux, Medicine and PROM.

Altexx – GradeA

Baby Baby – Turnip

Celine Neon – Depresh

Desert Ships – Shell Shock

Dream Boat – The Rose Explodes

East Edwards – Scare Easy (Mudcrutch cover)

Eric Copeland – Uncle Sam’s Blues (Low Jack Remix)

Manic Pixi – Hangover

Pink Frost – Traitors

Strange Bodies – With You

Tinkerbelles – When Puppies Cry

Wuki – Hot

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It’s been a minute since I’ve mentioned and actively promoted a Chicago show here on the site. It’s not that I haven’t wanted to, but with summer festival season and all that brings it seemed like there weren’t a lot of bands playing shows in town that weren’t part of a 50-150 artist roster. Now that the fall concert season has all but arrived, all of those festivals are gone and we’re left with a whole lot of shows at a whole lot of venues. Case in point, this upcoming Saturday, September 20th at Schubas. Cymbals Eat Guitars are coming through town, on tour to help promote their great new record LOSE. If you’ve not listened to the band in awhile, or ever, they deserve an introduction or re-introduction as the case may be. Their sound is best described as indie rock, which can often feel more like a vague phrase with plenty of artists fallng into that category. But there’s not really any other way to categorize a band that’s kind of all over the place stylistically but in a really good sort of way. There are elements of punk, prog, metal, pop and psychedelia, where guitars play a central role. I mean, “guitars” is in their damn name! They’re most often compared to Built to Spill or Modest Mouse, which I feel largely makes sense, but once again isn’t quite all-encompassing. It’s probably best if you listen to a couple of songs such as “Warning” and “Chambers” to gain a better understanding of where this band is at in 2014. Better yet, hop on Spotify or something and stream the full record if you’re hesitant to make a purchase outright. They’re a thoroughly excellent live band as well, and should figuratively burn down the building at a small venue like Schubas. Opening for CEG will be two great local Chicago bands, Varsity and Pink Frost. The cool kids of Varsity are currently in the middle of recording their debut full length, which will be out in 2015. Earlier this year they put out a delightfully fun and catchy EP to strong critical acclaim, and have secured some great opening slots in recent months for artists like Courtney Barnett and Alvvays. Meanwhile Pink Frost will be unleashing their debut EP Traitors onto an unsuspecting world tomorrow, and their set at Schubas will serve as a release party. Their sound is best described as psych-rock with a shoegaze edge, though they remind me quite a bit of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Overall it’s a triple bill worth checking out, what with two local bands quickly on the rise and a headliner that’s just put out one of the best records of their careers. Tickets are only $14, and can be purchased here. I hope to see you at the show! Now how about the Monday edition of Pick Your Poison? There’s some strong tracks in this set from Kyle Bauder, Nights, Run the Jewels, Seyffert, Whitewash, Yes I’m Leaving and Miracles Club’s remix of a Cut Copy track. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream new songs from Cold Specks (covering Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds), Dan Bodan, Lee Gamble, Sea Oleena, SOS, and remixes of tracks from Caribou and Jungle.

Cut Copy – Meet Me In A House of Love (Miracles Club Remix)

Kyle Bauder – Car Wash

Nights – Last Night

Paul Cook & The Chronicles – A Real Thunderbolt (Midnight Sun Remix)

Red Traces – Spectre

Run the Jewels – Oh My Darling Don’t Cry

Seyffert – Trust Your Senses

Sister Flo – The Look

Tove Lo – Habits (Young Wolf Hatchlings Remix)

Whitewash – Logocenter

Wise Girl – So Broken

Yes I’m Leaving – Fear

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It’s Thursday, which means it’s time for another weekly dip into the pool of music news, interviews and videos that I like to call This Week In Music! Yes, in addition to the normal Pick Your Poison mp3s and Soundcloud streams, I like to toss out links to a bunch of other music-related content that I’ve found interesting or worthwhile over the course of the week. I encourage you to check some, if not all of these things out, particularly if you’re looking to waste some time. There’s plenty to see, read and hear:

Stream a new song from EMA, “False Flag”

Music Video: Jessie Ware – Say You Love Me

The shortlist for the Barclaycard Mercury Prize has been revealed

Music Video: Death From Above 1979 – Trainwreck 1979

Watch The Replacements perform “Alex Chilton” on The Tonight Show

Music Video: Julian Casablancas + The Voidz – Where No Eagles Fly

Here’s a full list of the gear used to record the new Aphex Twin album

Listen to The Cure covering The Beatles classic “Hello Goodbye”

Music Video: Perfume Genius – Grid

YouTube Audio Stream: Ariel Pink – Put Your Number in My Phone

Once you’re done with that set of distractions, let me offer up another set via some song downloads and streams. Don’t miss tracks from Asante Phenix, Big Tree, Cult of Riggonia, Markus Mehr and Salme Dahlstrom. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream cuts from Arca, Astronauts, etc., Clark, Little Daylight (covering David Bowie), Meatbodies, and Mr. Twin Sister, among others.

Asante Phenix – Bunnies

Big Tree – Raise the Flag

Bo Jankans – Level Up (ft. Reef the Lost Cauze & Kane Mayfield)

The Crazy Carls – To the Stars

Cult of Riggonia – Dwell Neo Dwell

Dive Index – A Person to Hide With

The Henry Millers – Posies

Markus Mehr – Gymnasium Swarms

Miami Horror – Wild Motion (Rogue Vogue Remix)

Miike Snow – Paddling Out (LoftyLows Edit)

R.O.M.I. – G.T.A.

Salme Dahlstrom – Love+Shine

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As I’m sure you’ve heard, Apple made a big announcement, and once again the world collectively flipped out. People are lusting after two new iPhones and an iWatch, among other pieces of magic that were revealed. Because this isn’t a tech site, I’m not going to go into all of the details and my general (lack of) excitement about them. No, what I want to talk about is the little “added bonus” that came along with the announcement. Specifically, every single person who is on iTunes or has an iTunes account now has the new U2 record Songs of Innocence in their libraries. This was a record we didn’t know was coming, though U2 have been in the studio for a long while and were said to be debating when and where to release their new music. I guess we know the answer now – for free on iTunes. Actually, a physical version of the album will be available for purchase in October, should you be so inclined. But why would you when 500 million of your closest friends now all have personal copies they can just burn to CD or upload to their music player of choice? My thoughts on this promotional stunt are varied, so let me try to break it down as best as possible. Upon first learning I was given a new U2 record for free, my initial reaction was excitement. Not jumping up and down excitement, but more the sort like if somebody handed you $10 on the street and told you to enjoy it. I smiled, nodded, and said, “Aw, that was nice.” My reaction shortly after that was light outrage. I wanted to know how this album had been uploaded to my “cloud” without my permission. I’m sure in Apple’s Terms of Service they claim they’re allowed to do whatever they want with your account, but it almost feels like some privacy elements might have been violated. If the cloud really is so safe and secure, especially in the wake of the celebrity phone hacking scandal, then dropping a new U2 album into everyone’s libraries might imply otherwise. After I was done being outraged, my next emotion was sadness, specifically for U2. They’re all millionaires several times over and don’t need the financial windfall (or lack of one judging by album sales these days) that can come from putting new music in stores, but shouldn’t the acquisition of their new album be a choice? It seems to me that Bono and the boys insisted that choice shouldn’t exist. You’ll get the album whether you like it or not, though I suppose you don’t have to listen to it. But in their seemingly endless quest to be the world’s biggest rock band and expose themselves to the widest audience possible, giving away an album to iTunes users reeks of desperation. They knew they would never get this sort of exposure or publicity through any other means so it’s also very smart, but mostly it’s just sad. Now they’ll get to go on tour in support of the album and make another boatload of cash from that. I suppose the larger question that needs to be asked is this: Has recorded music reached such a point of devaluation that one of the biggest bands in the world is comfortable with just giving it away for free? That’s not something I want to dig into right now, because it’s time for another edition of Pick Your Poison, in which I also just give away a bunch of music for free. None of these bands are U2, but many are worthwhile anyways. Don’t miss tracks in this set from Applebottom, Flatbush Zombies & Trash Talk, Fool’s Gold, Glyphs, Grouper, Noire and Ruane Maurice. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream songs from Azar Swan, Blonde Elvis, Girlpool, Itasca, Operators, SBTRKT (ft. A$AP Ferg) and WATERS.

The Acid – Fame (Lovers Anonymous Remix)

Applebottom – Acting Kool

Flatbush Zombies & Trash Talk – Modern Mayhem

Fool’s Gold – I’m In Love

Glyphs – Shed Skin

Grouper – Call Across Rooms

Gwyneth Moreland – Pine Box Sailor

Noire – Those Days

Nooch – How Real (ft. Paul Wall)

Ruane Maurice – Lakes

Stillwave – Rich Ones (Jor Mesin Remix)

Wave Sleep Wave – Swan

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We’ve hit another Tuesday, where I’m once again pleased to bring you a quick rundown of artists with brand new music coming out this week. The hope is to either inform you about what’s out there, but also to maybe even remind you if one of your favorite artists is putting out something new and you simply forgot about it. So without further ado, here’s your list for this week: Busdriver, Death From Above 1979, Hiss Golden Messenger, Interpol, Justin Townes Earle, Karen O, Lemonade, Menace Beach, Sloan, Tennis, The Ukiah Drag, Tiny Moving Parts and Tricky. If you’re so inspired please pick some of these records up via your favorite digital or physical retailer! Now let’s get to today’s Pick Your Poison, where you can discover even more hot new music. Some key tracks you’ll want to give attention to today come from Arum Rae, Paris Carney (covering a White Town classic), Phototaxis, The Radio Dept., Rome Fortune (ft. ILoveMakonnen) and We Are Temporary. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream new songs from Francisco the Man, Greylag, SOAK, YACHT, A.G. Cook’s remix of a How to Dress Well track, Maps’ remix of an M83 classic, and Sam Smith’s new collaboration with A$AP Rocky.

Alexia Coley – Drive Me Wild (Chicky Boom Remix)

Arum Rae – Let’s Shake

Baauer & Boys Noize – Fire Like This

Faux Effet – Tanz in den Mai

Paris Carney – Your Woman (White Town cover)

Phototaxis – Please

Polica – Chain My Name (Kauf Remix)

The Radio Dept. – Death to Fascism

Rome Fortune – FriendsMaybe (ft. ILoveMakonnen)

VIRGO – ISS

We Are Temporary – Gods and Monsters

Yuzima – Bash

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As Sun Kil Moon, Mark Kozelek makes folk music that’s more often than not just him playing an acoustic guitar. It can be really heartfelt stuff, with rich lyrical content that results in records like Benji, which is one of 2014’s finest so far. But it also doesn’t inherently lend itself well to live performances. Unless you’re in a seated venue, where the crowd can just relax and soak in the performance, chances are if people are standing while you’re quietly strumming they’re going to become impatient and bored after awhile. So it comes as little surprise to me that Kozelek was playing a show at Lincoln Theatre in Raleigh over the weekend as part of the Hopscotch Music Festival, and things suddenly took a turn for the sour. People started to talk through much of his set, and after awhile he became a bit irate, telling the crowd to “shut the fuck up” and calling them “fucking hillbillies” before threatening to walk off mid-set. Eventually he got past it and finished the show, but it was reportedly a tense few minutes and certainly didn’t earn him more respect from fans. My thoughts on the matter are twofold. First of all, if you paid money to go and see an artist that you like perform, why would you spend most of your time talking with friends or staring at your phone? That seems like a waste. I’ve been to plenty of shows both quiet and loud where people around me talk through most of the set, and more often than not it gets me angry the performer isn’t being shown more respect – especially if the show happens to be great. On the other hand, musicians and performers owe it to their fans to be entertaining and engage them with their art. If you’re paying $20 to see somebody play an acoustic guitar for 90 minutes, you don’t want to be put to sleep. If what you’re seeing just isn’t connecting with you, at least you’re there with friends to talk to. My main point is this: when you go to a live show, there’s an unwritten social contract that you enter into with the artist. If you’re respectful and pay attention, they will let you into their worlds for a bit and play songs you love. Should one half of that equation not live up to their end of the bargain, all bets are off. Artists can turn on a crowd, and a crowd can turn on an artist. It’s not something anybody wants or wishes would happen, but when it does you hope that cooler heads prevail. In spite of everything, Kozelek finished his set over the weekend. I doubt the crowd really did shut the fuck up as he requested, but he powered through anyways. Sometimes you need to bite your tongue and take the higher road in spite of your own inclinations. If he would have put down his guitar and walked off, now THAT would have been a story. Okay, let’s get to today’s Pick Your Poison. There’s some strong tracks in this week-starting set that come from Katalina Kicks, Loopee, Mastodon (ft. Gibby Haynes), Monogold, Shelter Point and A Shoreline Dream. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream songs from Cult of Youth, Dark Blue, Dawit Eklund, Ex Cops (ft. Ariel Pink), Sir Sly (covering Arcade Fire) and Springtime Carnivore.

Astro Tan – Geronimo (Say Nothing)

Katalina Kicks – Forever Young

Loopee – State of Mind

Mastodon ft. Gibby Haynes – Atlanta

Monogold – Holograms

Owbese x ICBM – Comatose (ft. Fleyo)

Photay – No Sass

Ronika – World Is Turning

Shelter Point – Cut Me Loose

A Shoreline Dream – King of Your Castles

A Sol Mechanic – Take It Slow

The Wans – I Can’t Fix You

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It’s Thursday, which means it’s time for another weekly dip into the pool of music news, interviews and videos that I like to call This Week In Music! Yes, in addition to the normal Pick Your Poison mp3s and Soundcloud streams, I like to toss out links to a bunch of other music-related content that I’ve found interesting or worthwhile over the course of the week. I encourage you to check some, if not all of these things out, particularly if you’re looking to waste some time. There’s plenty to see, read and hear:

YouTube Audio Stream: Aphex Twin – minipops 67 [120.2][source field mix]

Music Video: Iceage – Forever

Watch Jack White perform two songs outside a chapel in France

YouTube Audio Stream: Karen O – Day Go By

Watch Courtney Barnett cover The Breeders’ “Cannonball”

Stream Jens Lekman’s “WWJD” mixtape

Sub Pop will be releasing a Sleater-Kinney box set this October

YouTube Audio Stream: TV On The Radio – Happy Idiot

Watch Kanye West’s full set from the “Made In America” Music Festival in Philadelphia [Part 2]

YouTube Audio Stream: Julian Casablancas and The Voidz – Human Sadness

Once you’re done with that set of distractions, let me offer up another set via some song downloads and streams. Don’t miss tracks from Autumn in June, Moxi, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Sea Oleena, Sirma and Thy Slaughter. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream cuts from Chaos Chaos, Institute, Kindness (ft. Kelela & Ade), Mysteries, The Neighbourhood (ft. Raury), Roomrunner and Juan MacLean’s remix of the new Zola Jesus single.

Autumn in June – IDK

The Burgeoning – Lighthouse

Eddie Cohn – Guarantee Me Love

Moxi – Hold Me

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Jubilee Street (Live from the Sydney Opera House)

Pr0files – Luxury (Straight A Remix)

Ramaj Eroc – My Life (ft. Parish Seyclouds, Benny Love, & David May)

Sea Oleena – A Lift (Dreams of Portugal)

Sirma – Intuition

Thy Slaughter – Bronze

Unmap – Purify (La Boum Fatale Remix)

Yulianna – Revolution

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