Jun 15, 2010

Norwegian dream-pop band I Was a King were rightfully compared to Olivia Tremor Control and Teenage Fanclub when they released their self-titled, Emil Nikolaisen-produced (Serena-Maneesh) LP last year. On IWAK’s third full-length, Old Friends, frontman Frode Strømstad asked I Was a King guest/Danielson leader Daniel Smith to produce.

The Scandinavian group recorded the new songs in Smith’s Familyre Recording Studio in New Jersey. Its first preview cut, rainy day tune “Daybreak,” sees Strømstad adopting Smith’s jerky brand of sunshine-pop. Strings, brass, drums, and piano clamor for your attention as boy-girl vocal melodies skip along the surface. Old Friends streets on August 16 through Norway’s Hype City. Also, stream another new tune, called “Unreal,” at the band’s MySpace. (Via Stereogum.)

Jun 15, 2010

Bedroom experimental-pop artist Julian Lynch is set to release Mare on June 28 via Olde English Spelling Bee. Here’s “Ears,” another great tune off the potential album-of-the-year contender. A glorious assemblage d’empreinte of rolling percussion and phased guitars make up the killer track.

That’s Mare‘s Houyhnhnm cover art on the right. All of Mare is currently streaming over at Lynch’s Bandcamp page. Additionally, Underwater Peoples will release a Lynch 7-inch on June 21. That features non-album cuts, “Droplet on a Hot Stone” and “Nen Vole.”

Jun 15, 2010

Damaged art-punks Crocodiles made a splash on the blogosphere last year with their shoegazy and brutal debut LP, Summer of Hate. Now the San Diegan duo has expanded to a quintet and put to tape a sophomore effort, entitled Sleep Forever. It streets September 14 via Fat Possum. The organ-droning title track is the lead single and you can download it now.

The crisp and tidy sound swirling around vocalist Brandon Welchez’s vox probably stems from Simian Mobile Disco dude, James Ford. He’s also a well-known U.K. producer for Florence and the Machine, Arctic Monkeys, Klaxons, The Last Shadow Puppets, et al). Supposedly, he bonded with the group over a mutual appreciation of Krautrock pioneers Harmonia and punk progenitors The Monks, in a home-made and vintage Joshua Tree studio. The “Sleep Forever” 7-inch drops August 17 and will come with the B-side, “Groove Is In the Heart / California Girls.” See Crocodiles’ summer tour dates with Dum Dum Girls here.

Jun 15, 2010

This past March, Manchester, England space-popsters Everything Everything played at our SXSW party. They rocked it of course, and now the ascendant foursome have issued, “Schoolin’,” the syncopated first single off their debut album. That untitled, David Kosten co-produced album drops August, via Geffen, and the “Schoolin’” 7-inch through Hippos In Tanks. The B-side is the tune’s “Vision of Trees” remix.

Download and listen to our exclusive premiere of the slinky cut. Also, see the band on their summer world tour. They’ll hit the U.S. this fall. The “Schoolin’” 7-inch will only be available for a very limited time. While you wait for more R&B-pop earworms, listen to “Suffragette Suffragette,” “Photoshop Handsome,” and “MY KZ, UR BF.”

Memory Tapes: “Bicycle” Video:

Memory Tapes (a.k.a. Dayve Hawk) is taking a hiatus from working on his sophomore, currently untitled LP, to play some headlining gigs and summer fests. This week, Jamie Harley issued a creature-heavy clip for the mesmerizing Seek Magic single, “Bicycle.” Check it out. Also, see MT’s upcoming concerts dates at his MySpace.

Jun 14, 2010

Watch on YouTube

Jack White and Alison Mosshart wraithlike voices do battle in The Dead Weather‘s tribal and ominous new video for “Die By the Drop.” The fantastical Sea of Cowards’ clip was helmed by Floria Sigismondi (The Runaways, The White Stripes’ “Blue Orchid”). Buy the 7-inch and digial version of “Die By the Drop” here. (Via Spinner.)

Arcade Fire: “Ready to Start” MP3 Stream

Arcade Fire: We Used to Wait” MP3 Stream:

It’s been an eventful and teasing lead-up to the August 3 release of Arcade Fire’s highly anticipated third album The Suburbs, and it’s still only June. After the dropping of the limited double A-Side 12 inch “The Suburbs/Month of May” late last month, two new tracks have appeared. Radio station 107.7 The End out of Seattle has a stream of “Ready to Start” here , while Zane Lowe’s premiere of “We Used to Wait” can be found at We All Want Someone to Shout For here.

Update: 107.7 has removed “Ready to Start” at the request of Arcade Fire’s label. It can still be heard in regular rotation at the station. However, Consequence of Sound is streaming the track here. Or, stream them both above. Check upcoming gigs here. (Via Pitchfork) - John Everhart