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.

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.

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.

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.

Jun 09, 2009

Toronto septet Rock Plaza Central are giving away a free MP3 of “(Don’t You Believe the Words of) Handsome Men” in lieu of their sophomore release on Paper Bag Records, At the Moment of Our Most Needing, or if Only They Could Turn Around, They Would Know They Weren’t Alone, which drops June 16th. The longplayer is the makeshift group’s follow-up to their critically-lauded 2006 debut, Are We Not Horses?. At the Moment of Our Most Needing is also loosely based on William Faulkner’s Light in August.

Jun 08, 2009

Here’s some sun-drenched reggae/dancehall for your June BBQ and inner tube party. Naturally, the first single from Sean Bones’ forthcoming Frenchkiss debut, Rings, is entitled “Dancehall.” The Brooklyn musician, who stars opposite Norah Jones in the politically-themed road film Wah Do Dem (patois for ‘What They Do’) also persuaded the piano chanteuse into a guest spot on his album, which is out July 21st. Rings was recorded by Jon Spencer’s Jay Braun and is an Afrobeat/reggaeton/disco romp. The Jones-Bones film vehicle is set to premiere this June at the Los Angeles Film Festival (June 18th - 28th).

Jun 05, 2009