June 30, 2012

Maxïmo Park video for Write This Down

The newest video from The National Health from Maxïmo Park. The song is "Write This Down". It's another powerful piece of music.



I'm enjoying the new tunes, boys, but if you could release the album in North America, I'd really appreciate it.

June 29, 2012

June 28, 2012

Listen to some new Bob Mould

While this video dates back to February, I just discovered it. Live video of Bob Mould performing two songs from his upcoming album, Silver Age, out September 4. The vocals are pretty buried but the sound is pretty good for a live video. Definitely sounds like Bob's particular brand of power pop. Brilliant as always, Mr. Mould.

June 27, 2012

New Muse song - Survival

Muse have a new album called The 2nd Law coming out in September. They also have a song for the 2012 London Olympics. That song is "Survival" and you can listen to here:



They lyrics of "I'm gonna win" and "I will survive" sound olympic enough, the overall tonality is just a little dark for what I would think of as an olympic anthem. Looking forward to this album nonetheless.

June 26, 2012

Haim with Forever

NME put up their 20 Best Songs Of 2012 So Far and while I've already had a number of these bands and tracks on my radar, Haim was brand new to me. They play cool guitars and I like the track "Forever" so maybe you'll like it too. Sounds like a good, summery single.





June 25, 2012

Sleigh Bells with Demons

Sleigh Bells have put together a combination that I have never heard before and they make it beautiful. Buzzsaw guitars, relentless hammering drum machine covered with sometimes sweet sometimes powerful vocals. Here's their latest - "Demons" from Reign of Terror.




June 24, 2012

New Gaz Coombes video

Gaz Coombes has just put out a video from his Here Come the Bombs album. The song is "Simulator" and the visuals are space-age.

June 23, 2012

Youth Without Youth video

Metric just released their great new album Synthetica. Along with it, they've released a video for "Youth Without Youth". It's a great song and I'm really enjoying this album.


Love that Rickenbacker bass.

June 22, 2012

Walk the Moon on Letterman

Walk the Moon put out their major label album earlier this week and performed for David Letterman on release day. Good stuff! Great song!

June 21, 2012

New Stars!

I love Stars. Their 2006 album Set Yourself on Fire is one of my all time favourite albums ever. And their other albums are great, too.

If you like Stars half as much as me, you have to be excited about the fact that they have a new album called The North coming out September 4. You can check out the new song "The Theory of Relativity" below and go to their site to trade your email address for your very own copy.

June 20, 2012

New Noel Gallagher video

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds have put out a new video from their self-titled album. The track's called "Everybody's On The Run" and the video stars Mischa Barton.

June 19, 2012

Neon Trees with Everybody Talks

Neon Trees with Everybody Talks.  Bubblegum.

June 18, 2012

Frank Turner at Wembly

The song's called "Balthazar, Impresario". It's by Frank Turner. Live At Wembley

June 17, 2012

June 16, 2012

City and Colour does Kimbra

Dallas Green, Kimbra's song "Settle Down" and a guitar. Beautiful.

June 15, 2012

June 14, 2012

Japandroids!

There's been a huge cycle of hype surrounding Japandroids' most recent album Celebration Rock. I have to say, it is a fantastically energetic record with fantastic songs. I've only been listening to it for a short time and I expect it to grow on me big time.

They recently stopped by Jimmy Fallon. Take a listen and have a look.

"Fire's Highway"


"The House That Heaven Built"


And they have been nominated in the long list for the Polaris Prize. They probably won't win, though, based on my history of not liking any of the winners.

This has got to be one of the best albums of 2012.

June 13, 2012

Favourites: Five-Star Songs

What do these songs have in common? They're all awesome!

"Acquiesce" by Oasis


The Long Blondes "Giddy Stratospheres"


Interpol "Slow Hands"


Interpol "Obstacle 1"


Klaxons "Golden Skans"

June 12, 2012

Gaslight Anthem video for 45

A while back I posted the new song "45" from the new Gaslight Anthem album Handwritten which is out July 24. They've now released a video for that song. Watch it here.



Just loving this song!

June 11, 2012

New Vaccines video from forthcoming Vaccines album

The Vaccines have a new album called The Vaccines Come Of Age. It's coming out September 4.

Here's the video from the first single, "No Hope".

June 10, 2012

Alabama Shakes Hang Loose

Another fantastic Alabama Shakes song. This one's called "Hang Loose". Boys & Girls is an awesome album if you like this soulful sound.

June 9, 2012

My 25 favourite tracks of NME's 100 best tracks of the '00s

NME posted their 100 Best Tracks Of The ’00s.  I picked out my favourite 25.  It was tough.  Here they are.

100 Maxïmo Park – “Apply Some Pressure”


99 Flaming Lips – “Do You Realize”


95 The Killers – “These Things That I’ve Done”


93 The Big Pink – “Dominos”


79 Muse – “Plug In Baby”


76 Gnarls Barkley – “Crazy”


66 Friendly Fires – “Paris”


59 Interpol – “Evil”


55 The xx – “Islands”


50 Kasabian – “Empire”


47 Britney Spears – “Toxic”


46 Lily Allen – “Smile”


42 Gossip – “Standing In The Way Of Control”


41 The Killers – “Mr. Brightside”


31 Bloc Party – “Banquet”


30 Franz Ferdinand – “Take Me Out”


28 Arctic Monkeys – “I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor”


24 Doves – “There Goes The Fear”


23 Muse – “Knights Of Cydonia”


22 The Strokes – “Last Nite”


17 Yeah Yeah Yeahs – “Maps”


10 Arctic Monkeys – “A Certain Romance”


07 Klaxons – “Golden Skans”


05 Outkast – “Hey Ya!”


02 MGMT – “Time To Pretend”

June 8, 2012

New Whigs

I'm a pretty big fan of The Whigs. Rolling Stone just announced that their new album is coming out September 18 and it's called Enjoy the Company. They've also put up a song from the album called "Summer Heat". It's a mid-tempo rocker with big, smoky guitar chords and those wonderful, familiar Whigs vocals and melodies.

Looking forward to this one for sure!


June 7, 2012

New Bob Mould announced

I don't keep it a secret that Bob Mould is one of my favourite musicians and songwriters. He's been a huge influence on my own songwriting and I always look forward to his releases. Yesterday, he announced a new album called Silver Age which will be coming out September 4.

Thinking about the fact that he's been playing Sugar's first album Copper Blue from front to back over the past several months leads me to believe that this will be a super solid rock / power pop effort in that vein.  Well, I can cross my fingers and hope!

We could continue speculation by wondering what the album title refers to - the 25th anniversary of Copper Blue, growing more mature and greying hair perhaps - and what the symbol on the album cover means.

Consequence of Sound posted this track list and some tour dates:

01. Star Machine
02. Silver Age
03. The Descent
04. Briefest Moment
05. Steam Of Hercules
06. Fugue State
07. Round The City Square
08. Angels Rearrange
09. Keep Believing
10. First Time Joy

I also hope that he'll swing through Toronto and put on one of his magnificent shows at The Mod Club.

June 6, 2012

Video for Wintersleep's In Came the Flood

As I posted previously, Wintersleep have a new album called Hello Hum coming out June 12.  Here's the video for "In Came the Flood".



Great track!

June 5, 2012

New Young Galaxy Songs

Here's the latest from Young Galaxy. It's a track called "Shoreless Kid" from their new 7". The flip side, "Youth is Wasted on the Young", was posted the other day on Stereogum. You can check them both out below. Cool tunes.



June 4, 2012

New M83 video for Reunion

Yup. What the headline says.

June 3, 2012

Cold Specks

Cold Specks is Al Spx. She's a Canadian, from my home base of Etobicoke, in London. I've been seeing the name around for a while and at long last took a listen. She's got a fantastic voice and I love the songs she's written. Her wikipedia page says, "Her musical style has been described as doom soul and shows the influence of American deep south gospel with a strong goth streak." I can't argue with that.

Check her out for yourself if you haven't already.

Here's "Holland", "Blank Maps" and "Winter Solstice" from I Predict a Graceful Expulsion,







And "Lay Me Down" and "Old Stepstone" from her appearance on Later with Jools Holland.



June 2, 2012

It's always darkest just before the Darkness

The Darkness have some new music. Works for me. The new album's called Hot Cakes (I'm sure it will sell just like 'em) and it's out August 21.

"Every Inch of You"


"Nothing's Gonna Stop Us"


And in case you're wondering what all the fuss is about, here's their breakthrough track, "I Believe In A Thing Called Love"

June 1, 2012

New video for Gold on the Ceiling by The Black Keys

So I saw a tweet to watch the new video for The Black Keys' song "Gold on the Ceiling" and I'm thinking, wow, welcome to several months ago, because I posted for the "Gold on the Celing" video back in February. Well, lo and behold, there's a new, new video for "Gold on the Ceiling". Here it is.

It's, um, well, it's, ahhh, interesting.