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Sonic Youth

“Sacred Trickster” (Live On “Late Show With David Letterman”) Video

Jun 11, 2009

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Sonic Youth played Letterman last night, scorching through The Eternal‘s opening cut, “Sacred Trickster.” Side note: I watched it with my parents and they seemed a little flummoxed by the whole situation. Looks like SY’s still got it where it counts. “Seminal” is right Dave.

Blur

“Song 2” (Rehearsal for 2009 Reunion Tour) Video

Jun 11, 2009

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This Blur reunion is really happening folks. NME posted a link to Blur‘s official YouTube page this week. In this video the seminal band is rehearsing the rocktastic “Song 2.” Other rehearsed tracks posted to the site, include “For Tomorrow” and “Death of a Party.” Albarn and crew seem very jolly in them. The full band is making their return at Colchester’s East Anglian Railway Museum - the very place that held their first ever show. The Museum holds around 150 people so if you’re going to that you are one lucky Blur fan. The reunion tour schedule is up on the band’s site. Blur’s also releasing their second best-of compilation, Midlife: A Beginners Guide to Blur on June 15. [via NME]

Jóhann Jóhannsson

“Escape” MP3

Jun 11, 2009

Jóhann Jóhannsson announced his first ever trip to the States already. That small grouping of dates start later this month. To celebrate the occasion Jóhannsson is giving away a song entitled “Escape.” The track is from the soundtrack he made for the BAFTA-nominated, Marc Croste-directed animated film Varmints. A limited edition CD of the film’s music will be released and sold exclusively on the upcoming U.S. tour. As far as those dates are concerned, Jóhannsson will be performing material from his latest conceptual album Fordlândia (second in a proposed triology based on technology) and will be accompanied by the NY-based quartet The American Contemporary Music Ensemble (ACME). Here are the dates so far:

6.25 NYC, NY - Wordless Music.org @ Le Poisson Rouge (early & late shows, early show 6 p.m. doors, late show 8:30 doors)

6.26 Boston, MA - Cambridge YMCA Theatre

6.27 Philadelphia, PA - St. Mary’s Hamilton Village / thegatherings.org

6.28 Pittsburgh, PA - The Warhol Museum

6.29 Chicago, IL - Lakeshore Theatre

6.30 Minneapolis, MN - Southern Theatre

The Fiery Furnaces

“The End Is Near” MP3

Jun 11, 2009

On July 21, Thrill Jockey and the Friedberger siblings will release the eigth Fiery Furnaces album, I’m Going Away. This super simplified first single “The End Is Near,” (released June 23) has that apocaplytic sitcom feel going on. Eleanor Friedberger will be in the Self-Portrait section of Under the Radar‘s Summer issue. The single artwork is below.

Violens

“Doomed (MGMT Remix)” MP3

Jun 11, 2009

Brooklyn’s Violens are giving away MGMT’s remix of their song “Doomed,” off their debut EP (Cantora Records). The two acts met last year after MGMT asked Violens’ Jorge Elbrecht about remixing their hit “Time to Pretend.” This MGMT remix keeps Violens’ sunny Zombies-like beat, while highlighting their atmospheric harmonies. The rock rhythm section is replaced with whirring keyboards and drum machines. You can also watch the music video for the original track here (directed by Mateo Ramirez, produced by Cantora Creative).

An expanded take of Violens’ self-titled EP is out via Static Recital/Cantora. Check out a new U.K. Chess Club Records 7” A-Side “Lightning Lightning” at the band’s MySpace. A proper debut full-length is expected this fall.


Céu

“Bubuia” MP3

Jun 09, 2009

Brazilian music is having a healthy resurgence in popularity here in the U.S. Brazilian chanteuse Céu is at the forefront of that burgeoning movement. She stole our hearts with her self-titled debut album in 2007, her follow-up release has been widely anticipated and finally has a release date. Vagarosa, which translates to “slow, easygoing, and leisurely,” comes out on July 7th, via Six Degrees. Vagarosa lives up to its name on “Bubuia.” The skittering percussion plays lightly in the background, like a jungle beat heard from far off. Céu’s silken croon keeps it at midtempo. Vagarosa was produced in mid-2008 at Sao Paulo, Brazil’s Ambulante Studios. Céu teamed up with her old friend and producer Beto Villares for the new tracks. She also teamed up with Curumin producer and engineer Gustavo Lenza (Céu’s touring engineer for the past four years) and soundtrack producer Gui Amabis, who has collaborated with Céu on the Sonantes project.

BLK JKS

“Molalatladi” MP3

Jun 09, 2009

You can hear some major riffage on this new single from South African quartet BLK JKS. The first taste of the group’s debut Secretly Canadian full-length, “Molalatladi,” translates to rainbow in Zulu. The colorful, Soweto-infused track will be on After Robots, which is out September 8th on SC. After Robots was produced by The Secret Machines’ Brandon Curtis.

Under the Radar @ E3 2009 DJ Hero demo

Jun 09, 2009

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DJ Hero wasn’t playable on the floor of E3 but there were several live demos. You’re watching one right now.