Category: music Page 101 of 188

Today’s special Friday edition of Pick Your Poison is brought to you by CMJ. Because when artists, labels and promoters have a big music event going on in one of the most populated cities in the world, they hand out new music and mp3s like they’re candy. Speaking of handing out candy, we’re just under 2 weeks until Halloween! I hope you’ve come up with a good costume idea by now. But I’ll talk about that later. I try to keep things short and sweet whenever I’m able to do a Friday Pick Your Poison, so let’s get right down to business. Top tracks today come from Liam Singer, Liquid Sunshine, Nathan Angelo, Perfume Advert, Radioactivity and Soho Riots. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream songs from Bars of Gold, Crusades, Museum of Love, Passafire, Rainy Milo and Weatherbird.

Basketball Shorts – The Reaper

Big Bill – Juice U

Cosmo’s Midnight – Surge (Willow Beats Wizard Remix)

Dominic Lord – Real (Remix ft. Gorgon City & Yasmin)

How to Dress Well – & It Was You (Chuck Wild Bootleg Remix)

Liam Singer – Unhand Me (You Horrid Thing)

Liquid Sunshine – Breathe In

Mali Michael – Wild Things (Visionist Remix)

Nathan Angelo ft. Micah Dalton – I Second That Emotion (Smokey Robinson & The Miracles cover)

Perfume Advert – Rotted Out

Radioactivity – World of Pleasure

Sage the Gemini – Gas Pedal (Stubbs Remix)

Soho Riots – Who’s Your Man

Volcano Choir – Comrade (All Tiny Creatures Remix)

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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: Atoms For Peace – Before Your Very Eyes

Have a look at the 25 Best Morrissey Quotes From His Autobiography

Check out this album trailer for Arcade Fire’s Reflektor

Music Video: Jorge Elbrecht ft. Caroline Polachek of Chairlift – I.V. Aided Dreams

Bauhaus frontman Peter Murphy sentenced to 3 years probation for methamphetamine possession

Watch Chvrches perform a few songs at Boiler Room

Music Video: James Blake & Chance the Rapper – Life Round Here

Watch Phoenix’s hour-long set on Austin City Limits

Watch/Listen as Phosphorescent covers Vampire Weekend’s “Ya Hey”

Watch Atoms For Peace’s full make-up set for ACL Festival

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 Barton Carroll, Botany, Dust Engineers, High Water, Louis London and Pony Boy. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream cuts from Audacity, Dead Times, Junior Prom, Milosh and The Thing.

Barton Carroll – The Straight Mile

Botany – Quatic

Calliope Musicals – Dancing Shoes

Dent May – Let Them Talk (Teengirl Fantasy Remix)

DNKL – Hunt

Dust Engineers – Pb [Lead]

Fiig – Bass Drum

High Water – Someday

Jay Arner – Don’t Remind Me (Teen Daze Remix)

London Grammar – If You Wait (Budo Remix)

Louis London – Old L.A.

Metzop – Not Defective

Pony Boy – If Only He Were You

Son Lux – Easy (Son Lux Remix ft. Busdriver)

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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: Aaron Parks, Arthur Channel, The Avett Brothers, Beats Antique, The Beets, Black Milk, Bloc Party, Blue October, Boardwalk, The Body, Boldy James, Cameron McGill, Cass McCombs, Cave, Crystal Antlers, Cults, Dean Wareham, The Dismemberment Plan, Doomriders, Elsinore, Four Tet, The Head and The Heart (featured below!), Heavenly Beat, Imbogodom, Kevin Devine, kwes., La Luz, Lucius, Luke Temple, Mirror Travel, Molly Drake, Morcheeba, Nobunny, Oozing Wound, Paul McCartney, Pearl Jam, Red Fang, Saintseneca, Shine 2009, Tancred, Tim Hecker, Tristen, Trivium, Weird Owl, Will Hoge and Wymond Miles. There’s a couple of really strong records in this stack for this week, so please make some purchases 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 Big Tree, The Cloud Room, Dark Colour, The Head and The Heart, High On Fire, Norwegian Arms and SCRNS. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream songs from GEMS, Screaming Females, Tycho, Spiritualized remixing Cut Copy and Lee Gamble remixing Mount Kimbie.

Afrolicious – Pleasure Time (Novalima Remix)

Big Tree – Like A Fool

Chris Zurich – The Sounds

The Cloud Room – Mrs. Marquis de Sade

Dark Colour – The Games Are Killing Us

Figaro – Queen Mary

The Head and The Heart – Shake

High On Fire – Slave the Hive

Howard Ivans – Red Face Boy

James Mauri – Got Your Love

Laser Background – Fantasy Zone

Norwegian Arms – Tired of Being Cold

OMN – Betwixt (Orikami Remix)

SCRNS – TTYN

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Every October, it arrives in force. Those who aren’t affiliated with the music industry or live outside of New York may not know about it, but rest assured it is a big deal. It is the CMJ Music Marathon. Starting tomorrow and running through Saturday, this annual gathering of industry professionals results in what amounts to the SXSW of the East Coast. The hordes flock to NYC, and in addition to all sorts of panel discussions and conferences, there’s plenty of showcases at bars and clubs all over the city featuring acts you’ve both heard of and ones you hopefully will hear about in the coming years. CMJ can go a long way towards making or breaking a band, and if you’re lucky enough to get a spot on a good bill with a number of other noteworthy artists, it could mean your shot at stardom. Last year’s breakout act was Savages, and look how far they’ve come one year later. Several years back, I was lucky enough to attend CMJ. I’m proud to say that I attended zero discussion panels or conference elements. I spent the entire few days going to see live music and enjoying free drinks when I could get them. During the daytime I slept, and once the sun started to set I found myself wandering all over Manhattan ducking in and out of shows all over the place until the sun was about to come up. One of the best, if not THE best live show I’ve ever witnessed happened around 3AM one night at the Bowery Ballroom when …And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead, still hot off their “perfect” Source Tags and Codes record, came out on stage drunk and played an incredible set that ended with smashed instruments everywhere and half the crowd climbing on stage to sing with the band. That was a once in a lifetime moment. And so, as my inbox overflows with emails from promoters and record labels telling me all about what they’re doing for CMJ and encouraging me to party with them, I can’t help but feel a little wistful every year around this time. A little voice in my head says that maybe I’ll go again someday…like next year. I don’t know that I have the same fortitude to walk literally miles around Manhattan (I never once took a cab or the subway except to and from the airport), but it’d be great to get back to the city and discover some great new music at some classic concert venues. You should go too. Learn more about the CMJ Music Marathon by going here. Now then, in lieu of discovering new music through CMJ live shows, there’s always a fresh edition of Pick Your Poison to help you uncover the next great artist or band. In today’s set, you’ll want to keep an ear out for tracks from Eureka Birds, Ing, Super Adventure Club, Tic Tic Boom! and Trentalange. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream songs from Ejecta, Jeffrey Novak, No Joy, Yamantaka // Sonic Titan, plus James Murphy (LCD Soundsystem) remixing David Bowie.

Around7 – Strictly Business

Black Mekon – Jonny Diamond’s Pink Flamingo Club

Chromeo – Over Your Shoulder (Mr. Oizo Remix)

Die Antwoord – Evil Boy (Niko Javan Remix)

Eureka Birds – Fastest

Grigori – What You Want, You Always Steal

Ing – Dogs Are Aliens

pr0files – Call Yourself A Lover

The Relays – You Invented Horror

Super Adventure Club – 9 Times

Tic Tic Boom! – How It Ends

Times Neue Roman – So Many Females

Trentalange – Reconnected

Victor Porfidio – Miami (Original Mix)

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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: Cut Copy – Free Your Mind

Watch Kanye West’s full interview on “Jimmy Kimmel Live”: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6

Spanish dance pop band Delorean were victims of a “virtual kidnapping.” Here’s details on that.

Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig “reviews” Drake’s new album Nothing Was the Same

Read Passion Pit’s letter about why bands cancel shows (and why it sucks for everyone)

Music Video: Parquet Courts – You’ve Got Me Wonderin’ Now

Read David Byrne’s editorial on how New York’s creative scene is being crushed by the 1%

Music Video: Pixies – Andro Queen

Watch Queens of the Stone Age’s Josh Homme perform “Knee Socks” live with Arctic Monkeys

Music Video: AlunaGeorge – Best Be Believing

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 Cosmic Suckerpunch, DeltaFoxx, GRMLN, Juliette Commagere, Nervous Cloud, Silent Rider and Yes, I’m Leaving. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream new songs from Mick Turner, Pattern Is Movement, SKATERS, and Kele Okereke’s remix of a Bloc Party track.

Cosmic Suckerpunch – City Love

Daft Punk – Giorgio By Moroder (Aerotronic Remix)

DeltaFoxx – Can’t Stop Loving You, Yeah!

Eddie Spaghetti – The Value of Nothing

GRMLN – Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen cover)

Juliette Commagere – Rebel

Nervous Cloud – Unbalanced Equation

Scary Cherry – Cut Off Your Head

Silent Rider – Ain’t No Sunshine (Bill Withers cover)

Snir Yamin – Stay

Top Less Gay Love Tekno Party – Colleen Harpe

White Prism – Fool (Daniel Hunt/Ladytron Remix)

Yes, I’m Leaving – Endless Mind

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Do you have any plans for Halloween yet? I’m assuming you’re not going trick or treating, unless you happen to be a 12 year old reading this site or a parent forced to walk around with your small children from house to house. All Hallows Eve is also Friday Eve this year, given that it’s on a Thursday. Your typical parties will be either muted or pushed to the following day(s) when people can actually embrace the weekend in all of its drunken glory. So if you’re not dressing up in costume and participating in a contest at your local bar, allow me to suggest heading over to Schubas for a show. Actually, you know what? Schubas is hosting a costume contest during its show featuring Widowspeak and Pure Bathing Culture. So it’s a great way to kill 2 birds with 1 stone. But getting more in depth on the bands, if you’ve never heard Widowspeak before, they’re the duo of Molly Hamilton and Robert Earl Thomas, who together make dreamy 70s-inspired rock and roll with a slight country tinge to it. Their latest album Almanac adds shades of Fleetwood Mac to add to their Mazzy Star-esque melodies/vocals, and it’s a delight. Have a listen to “The Dark Age” and “Thick As Thieves” to get a better idea of what I mean. Opening up the show will be Pure Bathing Culture, who certainly made their mark a couple months ago with the release of their debut album Moon Tides. The duo of Daniel Hindman and Sarah Vesprille both used to be part of Vetiver, and this new project takes the 60s pop sound of their former band and upgrades it with 70s and 80s touches, which is a nice way of saying they work with a lot more synths than before. Their single “Pendulum” is one of my favorites from 2013 so far, and you can also download the track “Dream the Dare” by clicking here. Anyways, these are both pretty cool bands, and I’m intrigued to hear how they play off one another stylistically. If you’re interested in going to the show on Halloween at Schubas, the fine details are that it starts at 9pm, is 21+ and tickets are $12. You can buy tickets via this link. Come on out for a scary good time. Ha ha ha. Okay, let’s talk Pick Your Poison for this Wednesday. Gold star tracks for today come from Cate Le Bon (ft. Perfume Genius), Clara May, Last Good Tooth, Lisa Papineau, Little Suns and The Noise FM. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream tracks from Kurt Vile and Sore Eros, Los Campesinos!, Saintseneca, Star Slinger, Giraffage’s remix of Movement and Lissvik’s remix of HAERTS.

Amy Lynn & The Gunshow – Can’t Put My Finger On It

Cate Le Bon – I Think I Knew (ft. Perfume Genius)

Clara May – American Desi

Gold Panda – Brazil (Slow Magic Remix)

Great Hare – Like Flowers

Johnny Rodgers – Let It Fill Your Whole Heart

Last Good Tooth – What’s What I Do

Le Trouble – Mission Bell

Lisa Papineau – Rainmaker

Little Suns – Sunboat

Mount Fabric – Books

The Noise FM – Crooked Smile

XOV – Lucifer

Young Mammals – Build A House

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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: Amos Lee, Anna Calvi, Cage the Elephant, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., Darkside, Dave Hause, Deap Vally, Electric Six, Ezra Furman, The Fratellis, Glasser, His Clancyness, Iggy Azalea, Kodaline, Lee Ranaldo and the Dust, Lissie, Little Suns, of Montreal, Papa, Parquet Courts, Patty Griffin, Pusha T, RJD2, Robert Wyatt, Scott Miller, Sleigh Bells, St. Lucia, Turin Brakes, Tim Kasher, Wild Child and Zedd. There’s a couple of really strong records in this stack for this week, so please make some purchases 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 Evan Only, Fruit Bats, Matt Pryor, Mind Spiders, Oozing Wound and The visibles. In the Soundcloud section, stream new songs from Dead Gaze, Pusha-T (ft. Kendrick Lamar), Upset and We Are Scientists.

Atari Jones – Body Feelings

Belladonna – Wonderlust

Evan Ønly – No Matter What

Fruit Bats – When U Love Somebody

Ghost Wave – Kind of a Drag (The Buckinghams cover)

Gloom Balloon – She Was the One That Got Away

Matt Pryor – Kinda Go to Pieces

Mind Spiders – Inside You

Misun – Goodbye Sasha

Monster Rally – Palm Village

Oozing Wound – Call Your Guy

Shapeshifter – Gravity (Pacific Heights Remix)

The Visibles – Clarendon Hills

Wolf Catcher – Marijuana

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If you ask me (you didn’t, but I’ll tell you anyways), Band of Horses have been heading downhill since their very first album, 2006’s Everything All the Time. That was their high watermark, and it seems like with each new release they dip a little further in quality. Apparently I’m not the only one who has noticed this, considering that if you look at a collection of reviews they pretty much all reflect that same sentiment. What seems to be the problem with the band? They remain moderately popular, and can still certainly sell out a decent sized venue, but are the rooms they’re playing in filled with people eager to hear “The Funeral,” or “Knock Knock”? Don’t get me wrong – all indications are via interviews and press materials that the guys in Band of Horses are super nice and a whole lot of fun. They’d be a lot easier band to hate if they weren’t good people. Hell, I’m still rooting for their recovery in spite of everything. As a result, there was a certain degree of happiness that washed over me upon finding out that Band of Horses frontman Ben Bridwell is officially launching a solo project under the pseudonym of Birdsmell. Of course that happiness is tempered with caution, because for all I know Bridwell is the weak link in that band, and his solo stuff could be the worst yet. The press release attached to the announcement of the solo project didn’t instill much hope either. “I enlisted those same musicians [from an earlier single recording] to record some songs of mine that had been sitting around for far too long, some of which could be said to be uncomfortably silly and devoid of all reasonable taste,” Bridwell said. “I wasn’t exactly in a rush to get them out to the discerning earholes of the public. Regardless, this project was pure enjoyment for me and it was nice to not give a damn about anything, but having fun recording these songs.” When you’re calling your solo songs “uncomfortably silly and devoid of all reasonable taste,” it seems to suggest that they’re terrible and probably shouldn’t be heard. Yet he went and recorded them anyways, and three of them can now be streamed via Soundcloud. All three songs will appear on a 7″ vinyl, which will only be available at the handful of Birdsmell shows taking place next month in the Deep South. Where the project will go from there is anybody’s guess. Listening to those solo songs, I’ll say this much: they’re better than I expected them to be. Have a listen for yourself, and maybe they’ll strike your fancy. If not, well, there’s a whole roundup of Pick Your Poison tracks to discover as well. Today’s specials include cuts from Emperors, The Golden Furs, Mansions, Midnight Faces, Teapots and Yo La Tengo. In the Soundcloud section (after the jump), stream new songs from Baio, Destroyer, Juana Molina and Russian Circles.

BASECAMP – Emmanuel (Blackedout Remix)

Emperors – Be Ready When I Say Go

The Golden Furs – Run Back

Honeymilk – Light Entertainment

Mansions – Flowers in My Teeth

Midnight Faces – Fornication

Pattern Is Movement – Untitled (How Does It Feel) [D’Angelo cover]

PET – Talk to You (Kina Remix)

The Royalties STHLM – Your Favourite Song (Secondary Rules Remix)

Schwarz Don’t Crack – Charade (Adana Twins On A Lonely Night Remix)

Spazzkid – Weird Girl

StaG – I Think I’ll Shout (Chakita Remix)

Teapots – Alley

Yo La Tengo – Super Kiwi

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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:

Watch Steve Albini on the cat talk show “Lil Bub’s Big Show”

Will Morrissey’s autobiography be released on October 17th?

Music Video: Cults – High Road

Watch Julianna Barwick perform “Crystal Lake” at Judson Church, with Sharon Van Etten and Prince Rama

YouTube Audio Stream: Iceage – Jackie (Sinead O’Connor cover)

Music Video: Angel Haze – Echelon (It’s My Way)

Watch Chvrches perform “The Mother We Share” on “Later… With Jools Holland”

Stream Disclosure’s BBC Essential Mix

What are David Bowie’s Top 100 Must Read Books?

Music Video: Courtney Barnett – Avant Gardener

Once you’re done sifting through that pile of this week’s many music-related media delights, be sure to keep scrolling downward for today’s edition of Pick Your Poison. There’s some great downloads in this set from The Bynars, Conveyor, Manicanparty, Saint Motel and Save Ends. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream songs from Lauryn Hill, Magik Markers, Paradise and Swearin, among others.

Aufgang – Ellenroutir (Anton Zap Remix)

Avis Norfleet – E.C.C.I. (ft. Mathew Lee Cothran)

BASECAMP – Rydia (Joe Hertz Remix)

The Bynars – Everyone Is Here

Carlton – Little Miss Sunshine

Champions League – My Dears

Conveyor – Pushups

Manicanparty – It’s In Her Eyes

Nathan Angelo – Thank You

New Navy – Regular Town (Baio Remix)

Saint Motel – Get Free (Major Lazer cover)

Satchmode – Old Fears

Save Ends – A Life They Wrote

Thief – Broken Boy (Césare Remix)

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Let’s talk upcoming Chicago shows for just a brief minute. Both of the ones I want to mention are already sold out, so if you don’t have a ticket than you may have to buy them off somebody if you really want to go. Still, these are worthwhile shows from worthwhile artists (clearly, if they’re sold out), and it gives me a chance to talk about them. LA’s Grouplove and Australia’s The Reubens are touring together, and their first stop in Chicago will be at Lincoln Hall next Wednesday, October 9th. That’s going to be a full electric set from both bands. The following night they’ll both be at SPACE in nearby Evanston, where they’ll both perform acoustic sets. If you pay much attention to radio these days, or are even calibrated to Internet buzz, than you’ve likely heard about Grouplove before. Their debut album Never Trust A Happy Song put them on a lot of radars, thanks largely to their hit indie pop song “Tongue Tied.” A couple weeks ago they put out their sophomore album Spreading Rumours, which is getting strong attention thanks to their latest single “Ways to Go.” Meanwhile, The Reubens are touring the U.S. for the first time in their young careers, in support of their self-titled debut album. Their sound might be best described as Jack White meets The Black Keys in terms of blues-inspired rock, though they’ve got something of a pop edge to them as well. Check out their single “My Gun” to get a feel for their sound. And as a nice spot of fun, the guys in The Reubens performed a cover of Grouplove’s “Ways to Go” and mixed in some bits of “My Gun,” for one singular fun track to celebrate their tour. Check that out here. So if you have the means to get into either of the two shows these two bands are playing in town next week, I highly recommend that you go. Now let’s get to today’s Pick Your Poison. Highlights include cuts from A Beautiful Friend, Blank Maps, Cameron McGill, FMLYBND, The Parson Red Heads, SWF and Zeds Dead with Major Lazer. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream tracks from Flume (ft. Freddie Gibbs), Jensen Sportag, Kwes., Widowspeak and Fort Romeau’s remix of Cut Copy’s latest single.

A Beautiful Friend – Romeo

Blank Maps – Calm

Blue Sky Black Death – Keys (ft. Gucci Mane, Deniro Farrar, Nacho Picasso, and Mack Shine)

Cameron McGill – Good Love

Dream Shake – Buffy

FMLYBND – Come Alive

Hollow & Akimbo – Still Life

MondreM.A.N. – MC ILLIN

The Parson Red Heads – Every Mile

SWF – Turtle Brain

Todd and Erin – All I Can Think About Is You

The Union Electric – Day of the Dead

Unlike Pluto – Bollywood Summer

Zeds Dead & Major Lazer – Turn Around (ft. Elephant Man)

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Okay kids, 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: Agnes Obel, Bailterspace (featured below!), Basia Bulat, Blitzen Trapper, The Blow, Bonobo, Cathedral, The Crookes, The Deep Dark Woods, Deltron 3030, Dr. Dog, Elf Power, Fuzz, Gambles, Grails, Haim, Hunters, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, Johnny Flynn, Justin Timberlake, Leverage Models, Lorde, Melt Banana, Moby, Ohm, Oneohtrix Point Never, The Paper Kites, Polvo, Quasi, The Sadies, Those Darlins, Tired Pony and Yuck. There’s some real gems in that pile, so check some of these artists out if you haven’t already. You may wind up discovering your new favorite band. Or you could do the same thing as part of today’s Pick Your Poison. Highlights today come from Body Parts, Chad Valley, CUSCINO, Harness Flux, Miko & The Musket and Sidney York. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream songs from Editors, Popstrangers, We Are Scientists, White Lung, and Jagwar Ma remixing an Angel Haze track.

Bailterspace – Trinine

Body Parts – Be A God

Budo – Fremont

Chad Valley – Real Time

CUSCINO – Only the Beginning

Emillia Rich – Wild & Dirty

Fijuka – Phantom Sentimental

Harness Flux – Privacy Policy

Les Level – House of Need (Dirty Dub)

Miko & The Musket – On Your Mark

Mist Glider – Flash Back

Morgan Doctor – West Coast

Sidney York – Dick & Jane

The THANGS – Wedodo

Vincent Vocoder Voice – The Unbearable Heaviness of Having

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When it comes to gender equality, I am an advocate in the biggest possible sense. It would make me so happy to live in a world where gender bias doesn’t exist, and every person had the same opportunities available to them. Sadly, this is not the case currently, nor does it seem like it will happen anytime in the near future. There’s much more to this problem than a simple difference in compensation. In the entertainment world things are particularly bad. Struggling female actors often keep it quiet, but there’s still trading sex for on-camera roles that happens all the time and is in some cases expected. As far as the music world is concerned, women can be targets for male predators hoping for the chance to live out their twisted fantasies. You could call it a dirty little secret of the music industry, where nobody wants to talk about it because it steals focus away from the songs and records. Which is why I’m grateful for Chvrches’ Lauren Mayberry, who wrote an article about the misogyny she experiences on a daily basis from people calling themselves “fans.” These men go onto Facebook and Twitter and other Internet mediums/social networks with the intention of harassing and objectifying female musicians via lewd and inappropriate comments. Some record labels and managers attempt to shield their artists from this evil by maintaining control over social media accounts and such, only filtering in the good stuff. In the case of Chvrches though, Mayberry says she and her bandmates control all that stuff. While a majority of the attention they receive online is positive and praiseworthy, there’s always a little bit of not-so-respectful bits thrown into the mix as well. It can be as light as a Facebook message asking take someone out on a date, or as dark as one that talks about anal sex or even rape. Women aren’t harassing male musicians about this sort of thing (that I know of), and the mere thought of making dirty or sexist comments to what ultimately amounts to a complete stranger reflects poorly on you as a person, let alone the gender you represent. The last thing I want is for a woman to immediately distrust me and my intentions because of how other men have treated her. Everyone deserves a fair shake, and when somebody makes a sexist or misogynist comment to you or about you, it messes up that dichotomy. So please Internet and your guise of anonymity, straighten up and fly right, so we can all be a little more civil to one another in the future. Now then, let’s get to today’s Pick Your Poison. Key tracks in this set come from Ian Place, Makoto, ODESZA, Parkington Sisters, Son Lux and Wolf Catcher. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream songs from Albert Hammond, Jr., The Chain Gang of 1974, Cold Beat, Girls Names, Milosh (of Rhye) and Phantogram.

Crystal Vision – SONIV

Firehorse – Bloodstream (T.H. White Remix)

Glimpse Trio – I Owe You

Ian Place – East Coast West Coast

Lo Fine – Lie in White

Makoto – Ritual

ODESZA – Without You

Parkington Sisters – Inside My Head

Rachel Thomasin – Valerio (Acoustic Mix)

Ryan Martin – New York Women

Scotty ATL – Mountains 4 the Trees (ft. iNDEED)

Son Lux – Easy

Ula Ruth – Let Down

Wolf Catcher – Falling Stars

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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:

Watch Beck perform a new song called “Wake Up”

Music Video: Charli XCX – SuperLove

Watch Atoms for Peace get interviewed + perform on “The Daily Show”

Music Video: Savages – Husbands

Watch a mockumentary on the making of the new Islands album, featuring Michael Cera, Bill Hader and more

Watch Haim cover Miley Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball”

Music Video: Sky Ferreira – You’re Not the One

Watch a video diary showing what Grimes and Default Genders (aka James Brooks aka Elite Gymnastics) did this summer

Check out the soundtrack to the next Hunger Games film, featuring original music from The National, Of Monsters and Men, The Weeknd, Imagine Dragons and more

Watch Twin Shadow cover Tori Amos’ “Silent All These Years”

So much good stuff this week, to the point where it was difficult to whittle it down to what you see above. Once you get done making a few distracting selections above, get down to brass tax with some downloadable songs below. As part of today’s Pick Your Poison, you’re probably not going to want to miss tracks from Borrowed Beams of Light, Death valley Rally, Hot Peach, Lucy Rose, Mansions on the Moon, Raccoon Fighter and Thundercat. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream songs from Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., The Fratellis, OFF!, Polica and Roman Remains.

Borrowed Beams of Light – On the Wings of a Bug

Chris Zurich – Nothing Around Me

Death Valley Rally – Farewell

Escort – Cabaret (Little Boots Remix)

F3 – Lonely Land (John Talabot Midnight Club Revision)

Heems x Lushlife – Soup Boys (Botany Remix)

Hit It – Sinister (ft. Christina Marie Magenta)

Hot Peach – Radio Romance

Hybrid Theory – Mind Games

Lucy Rose – Middle of the Bed

Mansions on the Moon – It’s Not Too Late

Raccoon Fighter – My Ticket

Thundercat – Bowzer’s Ballad

Work Drugs – Bellport Bay

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Ugh. I don’t know how to feel about this. Madonna is an artist I respect and in some cases admire because of the boundary pushing work she’s done in her past. The present she seems to be courting controversy on purpose to try and keep her name in the headlines. Well, these days she’s crafted a 17-minute film that’s being called SecretProjectRevolution, which is intended to “further freedom of expression” and “to respond, address and protest persecution around the world.” Um, okay I guess. I don’t know that it’s going to actually succeed in its mission, but it’s something to try. Anyways, Madonna held a launch event for it at a New York gallery the other day, and it included a piece of performance art. Dragged into the room by two “prison guards,” she wound up singing Elliott Smith’s “Between the Bars”. First of all, I wasn’t even aware that Madonna even knew who Elliott Smith was, and it was kind of cool that she covered one of his songs. Of course if you know anything about Elliott Smith and the “Between the Bars” song itself, there are a couple things wrong with this scenario. The main problem has to do with the song’s original intention, which had absolutely nothing to do with prison. Madonna’s prisoner performance seems to imply that (or, as I’m sure she would say, re-contextualizes it). If Smith were alive today, I don’t think he’d approve how it’s being used and by whom. Still, there’s hope that by singing the song, Madonna did bring some attention to Smith and his legacy, which is very important. So like I said, I don’t know how to feel about it. Feel free to pass your own judgment though. That judgment will come in handy for today’s Pick Your Poison. Allow me to recommend cuts from Absolutely Free, Bestial Mouths, Hair Thing, Lizzie Davis and Sleigh Bells’ remix of Phoenix’s “Chloroform.” In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream songs from Anna Calvi, Peace (covering Disclosure), Tessela and Yuck.

Absolutely Free – Clothed Woman, Sitting

Bestial Mouths – Reunion

Colette – Physically

Dead Professional – Pillow Talk

Empire of the Sun – DNA (The M Machine Remix for Helios)

Gold Panda – Reprise (Fackels Edit)

Hair Thing – Surrend

H.M. Hammarin – Living a Lie

Little Boots – Crescendo (Larry Gus Remix)

Lizzie Davis – Latitudes

Movement – Us (Kowton Remix)

Ms. Henrik – Everybody’s In Here

perth – Drank and Kites and Tomorrow (ZIP)

Phoenix – Chloroform (Sleigh Bells Remix)

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