New Grouplove: Ways to Go

Grouplove's début Never Trust a Happy Song is a pop masterpiece, full of peppy, hooky, happy songs. I featured "Naked Kids" back in '11 and "Tongue Tied" in '12. It's no coincidence that their albums and singles are released in the summertime. Their easy going pop is perfect for cruising, soaking up the sun and havin' a few.

Their new album Spreading Rumours will be released on September 17. Til then, we can listen to their newest earworm, "Ways to Go".

Favourite: Mr. November by The National

I've got a list as long as my arm of tunes to write about. And my heart's just not in it today. So, in honour of The National, who are awesome, and who are playing a free concert this Friday night in Toronto, I give you "Mr. November" from their 2005 album Alligator.

Of Monsters and Men with King And Lionheart

I enjoyed "Little Talks" by Of Monsters and Men, as did many other people. It even made it to number 37 on my favourite tunes of 2012 list. Their album My Head Is an Animal is quite solid and yielded another single in the form of "King And Lionheart".

New video for Friction by The xx

The xx are on a roll. Their first album xx came out in 2009 and is fantastic. They followed it up with the equally wonderful Coexist in 2012. They've just released a video for "Fiction" from their latest.

And they wrote "Together" for The Great Gatsby movie.

I love this band.

New Nine Inch Nails!

Last November, Trent Reznor said that there would be new Nine Inch Nails music and that they might even tour again. Then, about a week ago, he announced that he'd completed a "fucking great" new album with Atticus Ross and Alan Moulder. Now we get to hear a song.

The tune is "Came Back Haunted", the album is called Hesitation Marks and it will be out September 3.

What can I say about this tune, besides it is what it says on the tin. It's definitely a Nine Inch Nails song. Sounds pretty fucking great.

Since I never saw this band back in the day, they might actually get me to go to another stadium show. As long as the tickets aren't at Rolling Stones price levels. They've got tour deets here. They'll be playing the ACC on October 4.