San Franciscan indie-poppers Thao with the Get Down Stay Down debuted their vid for “Body” on Oxfam America this week. Nguyen has worked with Oxfam for more than three years and is an ambassador for the Sisters on the Planet Campaign. The fun clip was directed by Dianna Agron, who plays cheerleader Quinn Fabray on Fox‘s Glee. The actor and singer-songwriter apparently became best buds through Skype, while Nguyen was touring.
The resulting music video sees the indie rocker jumping around on a bed with random “partners” and bandmembers. It was lensed on Valentine’s Day in Agron’s bedroom. (Fanboys just had a collective heart attack.) The Know Better Learn Faster tune is about feeling used at the end of a once-passionate relationship, but you wouldn’t know from all the revelry. The three-minute introduction from Agron and Nguyen is pretty hilarious too. Know Better Learn Faster is out now via Kill Rock Stars.
Arcade Fire: “The Suburbs” / “Month of May” (Interactive Snippets) MP3 Streams
Earlier this week, we told you about Arcade Fire posting a postcard on their site, announcing to their fans that a new 12-inch single would drop in “a couple of weeks.” (Rumored street date is June 1.) Now, thanks to the magic of interactive Web 2.0, we can listen to some ridiculously truncated portions of two new cuts.
Play around with the scratchy, poppy vinyl widget for some trippy sounds. You might even hear Win Butler sing about The Devil if you play it backwards. (OK, maybe not that last part.) You can listen and watch other cool AF media here.
The rumored title of the single, “The Suburbs” b/w “Month of May,” is absolutely true. The first seven seconds of “The Suburbs” sounds like a bright piano popper, whereas “Month of May” sounds like a classic AF tune, with a punk edge. In the latter, Butler sings about making a record in the titular month while violent winds blow. The band will European festival circuit this summer. (Via P4k.)
Admiral Radley
“I Heart California” MP3
May 20, 2010
The indie-pop supergroup Admiral Radley consists of Jason Lytle and Aaron Burtch of Grandaddy and Aaron Espinoza and Ariana Murray of Earlimart. The band just announced plans for a West Coast, “I Heart California” tour to celebrate the impending release of their debut LP, also titled I Heart California. That’s out July 13, via The Ship, Espinoza’s new imprint/recording space. The July tour will focus on the Central Valley (home to some of the AR musicians) and an ol’ fashioned barn hoedown will happen on July 17 in Lytle’s hometown of Modesto. For full dates and details on a deluxe, limited edition I Heart California package, go to the band’s official site.
Also, please check out the title track above. It’s a summery pop tune with some hazy edges. Lytle vox is in pure Grandaddy mode and keyboard and vocal mesh together quite well. Lytle’s lyrics delve into a love-hate relationship with his home state. He says “I am California” throughout, yet sings about its dirty underbelly. The band keep the instrumentation nicely muted too. Also, read the band’s sorta funny origin story while you listen/download. Hope you enjoy it.
Toro y Moi
“Leave Everywhere” MP3
May 19, 2010
With Causers of This, Chaz Bundick (aka Toro Y Moi), spearheaded the glo-fi movement whether he liked it or not. On his upcoming 7-inch single, “Leave Everywhere,” Bundick abandons his dreamy electro-pop accoutrements and picks up some trad-rock instruments. Huh.
Download the straight-forward “Leave Everywhere,” the single’s A-side. The 7-inch is out July 20 in the U.S. and July 19 in Europe, via Carpark. The song will most likely appear on Bundick’s second album, slated for fall of this year.
Janelle Monáe‘s rousing rendition of “Tightrope” for last night’s Late Show with David Letterman was one of the best late-night performances in several years. Ms. Monae busted out some “classy brass,” the tightrope dance, superhero capes, and synchronized band moves.
Also, Diddy stops by the studio. (Or as Dave calls him, “Seaaaaan.”) Basically, you need to see this. It would probably make Oscar the Grouch smile. (Via Prefix Mag.)
Monae’s debut LP, The ArchAndroid, came out yesterday. She has an upcoming tour supporting Erykah Badu that will be full of must-see appearances.
Menomena
“FIVE LITTLE ROOMS” MP3
May 19, 2010
After a three-year wait, the experimental indie-rock trio Menomena will finally release the follow-up to Friend and Foe: Mines. Their fourth LP streets July 26 in Europe (via City Slang) and July 27 in North America (courtesy of Barsuk). Pitchfork debuted the album artwork earlier today. It’s a stereogram (3D optical illusion) of a Little Mermaid-esque statue in a forest and follows the band’s tradition of producing majorly excellent interactive packaging (i.e. - I Am the Fun Blame Monster!’s flip book, and Friend and Foe’s labyrinthian die-cut puzzle).
Pitchfork also premiered the album tracklist and the excellent new single, “FIVE LITTLE ROOMS.” (Guess the band really wants to get our attention.) Download the saxophone-and-piano cut from Menomena’s site for the measly price of an e-mail address. While you’re there, read drummer/singer Danny Seim’s “Five Little Facts” about “FIVE LITTLE ROOMS.”
In June, the indie-rockers will tour Europe for a smattering of dates. That interary is below. Except a full tour announcement soon.
Mines:
01 QUEEN BLACK ACID 02 TAOS 03 KILLEMALL 04 DIRTY CARTOONS 05 TITHE 06 BOTE 07 LUNCHMEAT 08 OH PRETTY BOY, YOU’RE SUCH A BIG BOY 09 FIVE LITTLE ROOMS 10 SLEEPING BEAUTY 11 INTIL
Menomena:
06-05 Paris, France - La Fleche D’or 06-07 London, England - Hoxton Bar & Kitchen 06-09 Amsterdam, Netherlands - Studio 80 06-12 Lucerne, Switzerland - B-Sides Festival
Dan Sartain Lives is the fifth LP from the Birmingham, Alabama-based lo-fi rockabilly wanderer Dan Sartain. Lives was helmed by Grammy Award winner Liam Watson (The White Stripes, ex-Stranglers Hugh Cornwell) and it’s the follow-up to the 2006 full-length, Join Dan Sartain.
Sartain’s new music video for debut single, “Atheist Funeral,” packs in all the scruffy hallmarks fans of his tunes expect when a new album rolls along. The no-nonsense roots clip fuses blues chords, rockabilly bluster, and the feral clangor of garage-punk. There’s also plenty of Christian signage and Sartain singing about how he doesn’t want any mention of God at his wedding or funeral. Dan Sartain Lives streets July 20, via One Little Indian. See him this summer while he’s touring the U.S. with Social Distortion.
The resulting music video sees the indie rocker jumping around on a bed with random “partners” and bandmembers. It was lensed on Valentine’s Day in Agron’s bedroom. (Fanboys just had a collective heart attack.) The 
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After a three-year wait, the experimental indie-rock trio 
