Thursday, June 28, 2012

Best New Music: DIIV

Brooklyn band DIIV might not be great at spelling -- but that doesn't mean they don't succeed everywhere else, from fostering major hype to crafting dense, dreamy concoctions.


crafting mega confetti bombs?


On debut record Oshin (remember what I said about spelling?) they prove the hype was well worth it, with a sparkling collection of tunes teeming with melody and emotion. Check out my full review over at Phrequency -- along with the vid for standout single "How Long Have You Known?" -- and get ready to crank the AC (it's a scorcher out there) and lose yourself in DIIV. Now there, that's better. You're welcome, music <3ers.

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Tuesday, June 26, 2012

XPN2 Playlist, 6/26/12

6:00

The So So Glos, “Lost Weekend”
Blowout

Japandroids, “Fire’s Highway”
Celebration Rock

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Blonde Summer, “Silver Jesus”
Eleganza

Mr. Airplane Man, “Wait for Your Love”
C’mon DJ

Jacuzzi Boys, “Los Angeles”
Glazin’

Animal Kingdom, “Get Away With It”
The Looking Away

1990s, “You Made Me Like It”
Cookies

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Dent May, “Best Friend”
Do Things

Tame Imapala, “Lucidity”
InnerSpeaker

No Joy, “Junior”
Negaverse

Handsome Furs, “Repatriated”
Sound Kapital

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Yeasayer, “ Longevity”
Fragrant World

Purity Ring, “Fineshrine”
Shrines

The Apples in Stereo, “Told You Once”
Travellers in Space and Time

Talking Heads, “Road to Nowhere”
Little Creatures

Franz Ferdinand, “No You Girls”
Tonight: Franz Ferdinand


 Google image result #18 for "No You Girls." From the '80s-rific


 7:00

Cold Cave, “Underworld USA”
Cherish the Light Years

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Tiger Waves, “I Love You George Harrison”
Don’t Be Yourself

Nada Surf, “Beautiful Beat”
Lucky

Smith Westerns, “Weekend”
Dye It Blonde

Girls, “Lust for Life”
Album

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Animal Collective, “Summertime Clothes”
Merriweather Post Pavilion

Unicycle Loves You, “Mirror, Mirror”
Mirror, Mirror

Xylos, “Second Order”
Xylos

Saint Etienne, “I’ve Got Your Music”
Words and Music by Saint Etienne

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Chomp, “Throw Out Your Wish List”
Buddha Jabba Momma

Guided by Voices, “Jon the Croc”
Class Clown Spots a UFO

Sonny and the Sunsets, “Year of the Cock”
Longtime Companion

Dr. Dog, “The Old Days”
Fate

Mannequin Men, “Enough”
Mannequin Men

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Wyldlife, “City of Inbreds”
City of Inbreds (Single)


Tune in again next week from 6 to 8 for more sweet summer jamz.

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Monday, June 25, 2012

Music Video Mondays: Hot Panda

I'm not really sure what's going on in this new vid from Vancouver's Hot Panda, which features telekinesis, and some creepy-ass masks. What I do know is that the tune is killer, stroking paranoia while riffing on Tron:

  

"Future Markets" appears on the record Go Outside, out July 17 on Mint. 

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Friday, June 22, 2012

Best New Music: Dent May

Mississippi popster Dent May crafts lush, Beach Boy-style psych pop, that makes you feel like you're relaxing ocean-side, frothy frozen drink in hand.


A second feeling: like being surrounded by 4 human watermelons


On sophomore record Do Things, these forces collide -- into a brilliant rainbow of harmonies and grooves. Need a pick-me-up to survive the subhuman weather? Dent May's your dude. Check out my full review over at Phrequency.com, then get ready to soak in the vibes.

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Tuesday, June 19, 2012

XPN2 Playlist, 6/18/12

6:00

Superchunk, “This Summer”
This Summer (7”)

Les Savy Fav, “Let’s Get Out of Here”
Root for Ruin

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JEFF the Brotherhood, “Hey Friend”
We Are the Champions

La Sera, “Please Be My Third Eye”
Sees the Light

Break It Up, “Excavate”
Excavate (Single)

Eternal Summers, “Wonder”
Correct Behavior

Black Lips, “New Direction”
Arabia Mountain

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ARMS, “Heat & Hot Water”
ARMS

Crocodiles, “My Surfing Lucifer”
Endless Flowers

Super Furry Animals, “(Drawing) Rings Around the World”
Rings Around the World

The Elwins, “Dear, Oh My”
The Elwins

Telekinesis, “Car Crash”
12 Desperate Straight Lines

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POP ETC, “Keep It For Your Own”
POP ETC

Metric, “Breathing Underwater
Synthetica

Exitmusic, “The Night”
Passage

Minks, “Little Fawn”
Araby

Craft Spells, “Party Talk"
Idle Labor


 Google image result #21 for "Party Talk." Didn't anyone ever tell 
Shish Kabob here that it's rude to talk with you mouth full? 
(Also rude: throwing up on your friend Robot-Box-Boy)


7:00

STRFKR, “Death as a Fetish”
Reptilians

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Hot Chip, “Motion Sickness”
In Our Heads

David Bowie, “Sound and Vision”
Low

LCD Soundsystem, “Time to Get Away”
Sounds of Silver

Friends, “Va Fan Gör Du”
Manifest!

Reptar, “Sweet Sipping Soda”
Body Faucet

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Post Teens, “Turn Down the Teen Rebellion”
The Heat

The Fresh & Onlys, “Yes or No”
Long Slow Dance

Wire, “Ex Lion Tamer”
Pink Flag

Mazes, “Summer Hits or J Plus J Don't Like”
A Thousand Heys

Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks, “Forever 28”
Mirror Traffic

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The A-Sides, “Sidewalk Chalk”
Hello, Hello

The Replacements, “Beer for Breakfast”
All for Nothing/Nothing for All

Gentleman Jesse, “We Got to Get Out of Here”
Leaving Atlanta

The Animals, “We Gotta Get Out of This Place”
The Complete Animals

Mayer Hawthorne, “Dreaming
How Do You Do

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Belle and Sebastian, “Funny Little Frog”
The Life Pursuit


Tune in again next week for more hot jamz, fresh off the musical presses.

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Monday, June 18, 2012

Music Video Mondays: Metric gets manical + Best Coast smashes instruments

I don't generally think of Canadian band Metric as the type to churn out ragers...but new single "Youth Without Youth" is a total banger, and just might be my fave Metric tune to date. The youth today are totally twisted!


"Youth Without Youth" appears on the record Synthetica, out now.


And because no one wants to start their week off with an image of all those wasted cakes (I hope the film crew ate them aftewards), here's a vid of Best Coast smashing instruments and covering shit in graffiti:
 


I've never hung out with Bethany and Bobb in person -- but somehow I imagine this is what every day on the road is like. Oh to be on tour and have money to burn on smashing instruments!

"The Only Place" appears on the record The Only Place, out now.

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Friday, June 15, 2012

Best New Music? POP ETC

POP ETC -- the new moniker for the band formerly known as The Morning Benders -- is certainly a lofty one. But one their new, self-titled record does that band live up to its new name?


POP ETC's Chris Chu (or is this Jonathan Chu? I confess I'm not sure)


Over at Phrequency.com, I delve deep into the record, and explore the good, the bad, the awesome, and the cringe-worthy of POP ETC's POP ETC. Head over there to get the goods -- and peep the super-awesome vid for the record's best song.

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Tuesday, June 12, 2012

XPN2 Playlist, 6/11/12

6:00

The Ponys, “Small Talk”
Turn the Lights Out

Reigning Sound, “Everything I Do Is Wrong”
Abdication…For Your Love

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Nobunny, “La La La La Love You”
La La La La Love You (Single)

The Marked Men, “Fix My Brain”
Fix My Brain

Cloud Nothings, “No Future / No Past”
Attack on Memory

Nirvana, “Drain You”
Nevermind

Yuck, “Get Away”
Yuck

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Holy Shakes, “Plastic Is Forever”
Feast or Famine

Mind Spiders, “Join Us Now”
Meltdown

White Birds, “Waters”
Waters (Single)

Kimbra, “Settle Down”
Vows 

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Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, “Baby”
Mature Themes

The Minders, “If You’re Lonely”
Golden Street

BOAT, “We Want It! We Want It!”
Setting the Paces

Rubblebucket, “Silly Fathers”
Omega La La


 Google image result #3 for "Silly Fathers." Yes, that's a photo 
of Rubblebucket. Watch the zany vid for "Silly Fathers" here.


7:00

Metric, “Speed the Collapse”
Synthetica

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PS I Love You, “Don’t Go”
Death Dreams

Van She, “Idea of Happiness”
Idea of Happiness

Peter, Bjorn and John, “Eyes”
Gimme Some

Foster the People, “Houdini”
Foster the People

Friends, “Mind Control”
Manifest! 

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Architecture in Helsinki, “Escapee”
Moment Bends

Saint Etienne, “Last Days of Disco”
Words and Music by Saint Etienne

The Pauses, “Don’t Wake Me Up”
In Pleasant Company: A Mixtape for Jason

Maritime, “It’s Casual”
Human Hearts

Polytechnic, “Pep”
Down Til Dawn

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Seapony, “What You Wanted”
Falling

Orca Team, “Vancouver B.C.”
Let It Go

Fool’s Gold, “Bark and Bite”
Leave No Trace

The Imagineers, “Dearest One”
The Legend of John the Terror (Notorious)/Dearest One

Vampire Weekend, “A-Punk”
Vampire Weekend

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The Kooks, “Shine On”
Konk


Tune in again next week for more cool jamz.

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Monday, June 11, 2012

Music Video Mondays: Van She + Kimbra get twisted

Happy Monday! In honor of Father's Day coming up (next weekend!), here's a little family dysfunction to enjoy with your morning coffee. First, Australian popsters Van She go for a Girls vibe in their new vid of the most awkward X-mas ever:



...which of course reminded me of this lil gem, where Kimbra goes pyro on a not-at-all creepy shelf full of dolls. (I'll admit I'd take Stepford over 'ole banana hammock any day.) 



"Ideas of Happiness" is the title track on the record of the same name, out July 6 on Modular. "Settle Down" appears on the record Vows, out now. 

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Thursday, June 7, 2012

Best New Music: Friends

Brooklyn's Friends are -- you guessed it -- friends, with a penchant for pop, and a love for genre-bending.

other loves: short ceilings, shirts made of sparkles

On debut record Manifest!, the band uses its friendship bonds to create a playful and seductive collection of tunes, that mix hip-hop, pop, R&B and new wave into something uniquely dance-y and fun. From the breezy cool of "Friend Crush" to the David Byrne-approved (I imagine!) beat of "Mind Control," Manifest! is perfect for summer raging AND grooving -- making it an obvious choice for my record of the summer. Head over to Phrequency.com to read more.

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Tuesday, June 5, 2012

XPN2 Playlist, 6/4/12

Songs to welcome in summer!

6:00

Islands, “Switched On” 
Vapours

Cut Copy, “Where I’m Going”
Zonoscope

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Wavves, feat. Best Coast, “Nodding Off”
Life Sux

The Undertones, “Here Comes the Summer”
The Undertones

Surfer Blood, “Take It Easy”
Astro Coast

The Dirty Projectors, “Gun Has No Trigger”
Swing Lo Magellan

Passion Pit, “Take a Walk”
Gossamer

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Hot Chip, “Night and Day”
In Our Heads

The Flaming Lips, “It’s Summertime”
Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots

The Naked and Famous, “Eyes”
Passive Me, Aggressive You

The Hot Toddies, “Max’s Mankini”
Get Your Heart On

The Beach Boys, “Sloop John B”
Pet Sounds

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The Walkmen, “Heartbreaker”
Heaven

Fair Ohs, “Summer Lake”
Everything Is Dancing

Oxford Collapse, “Young Love Delivers”
Bits


 
Google image result #67 for "Young Love Delivers." Of course there'd be 
a photo of Zooey Deschanel in there somewhere 
(from 500 Days of Summer)


7:00

Wavves, “Post Acid”
King of the Beach

The Ataris, “Summer Wind Was Always Our Song”
End Is Forever

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The Hold Steady, “The Swish”
Almost Killed Me

Japandroids, “Younger Us”
Celebration Rock

Bruce Springsteen, “Badlands”
Darkness on the Edge of Town

The War on Drugs, “Your Love Is Calling My Name”
Slave Ambient

Gospel Claws, “Summer Nights Lakeside”
C-L-A-W-S

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Pants Yell!, “To Take”
Received Pronunciation

Allo Darlin’, “Europe”
Europe

Guided by Voices, “Crutch Came Slinking”
King Shit and the Golden Boys

Real Estate, “Wonder Years”
Days

Wilco, “When You Wake Up Feeling Old”
Summerteeth

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King Harvest, “Dancing in the Moonlight”
Dancing in the Moonlight

Martha Reeves & the Vandellas, “Dancing in the Street”
The Ultimate Collection

Sly & the Family Stone, “Hot Fun in the Summertime”
Greatest Hits

Free Energy, “Dream City”
Stuck on Nothing 

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The Drifters, “Under the Boardwalk”
Under the Boardwalk


Tune in again next week for more jamz for the Summer of Ragin.

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Monday, June 4, 2012

Music Video Mondays: The Very Best

Ok, so maybe it's a little early in the morning for animal sacrifice...but at the same time, you can rest assured that YOUR Monday morning will be comparatively tame:



“Kondaine” appears on The Very Best's new record MTMTMK, out this July. Guest vocals are from the Nigerian-born Seye. 

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