New Sigur Ros

Word on the street is that Iceland's answer to cosmic tears, Sigur Ros, have a new album due out in May.  And you know what they say about the word on the street?  Believe it.  "Valtari" should be out May 28th.  In the meantime, listen to and watch the hypnotizing video for "Ekki Mukk."  Pretty.

New John Maus

The Record Store Day releases are starting to trickle out as April 21st steadily approaches.  The latest word is some new John Maus material, "No Title (Molly)."  It will be available on Ribbon Music and Domino's FlexiDisc Zine which also includes jams from Real Estate and more.  Listen to the John Maus track below and check out the trailer for the zine.






Looks pretty damn cool.

Chromatics - Kill For Love

Chromatics are currently streaming their brilliant and beautiful new record "Kill For Love."  The physical release should be right around the corner from Italians Do It Better.  Listen to the album below.  Hooray!

Damon Albarn - The Marvelous Dream

Last year, Damon Albarn put on an opera called "Dr. Dee" about a 16th century intellect/scientist/renaissance man.  This year, it sees physical release along with the other thousand things Albarn is working on.  Listen to "The Marvelous Dream" below, and look for the album later this year from Virgin.

Odd Future Mixtape 2

Those crazy kids over at the Odd Future camp are at it again with their newest collective release, "Mixtape 2." It's what we've come to expect from the hip hop troop, a lot of fun for the most part, some uncomfortable moments here and there, and the occasional jam that makes you remember what all the fuss was about to begin with.  Check out the video for "Oldie" below.  Somehow, it reminds me of being a kid.



Sadly, the album is already sold out from Odd Future Records.  Boo-urns.

Ty Segall and White Fence

Lo-fi garage rock bangs like a cannon in the new collaborative effort between Ty Segall and White Fence.  Jangly guitars, raucous drums, Hammond organ, and lot of good ol' noise.  We likes.  Look for "Hair" from Drag City later in April, but for now, listen to "I Am Not A Game" below.

Peaking Lights

Dubby freakoids Peaking Lights are readying their new album "Lucifer" for release later this year from Mexican Summer and Weird World, and we're waiting anxiously.  In the meantime, check out the "Lucifer" mixtape below, featuring a bunch of tunes that influence the duo, as well as "a few distant glimpses of Lucifer's many spoils."

A$AP Rocky - LiveLovePurple

Check out the new mixtape from A$AP Rocky, "LiveLovePurple," chopped and screwed by OG Ron C.  Stoner hip-hop at its finest, perfect for an Austin riot.  Download for free here, and listen to the remix of "Purple Swag" below, featuring a slew of Houston rappers.

MIna Tindle

"Taranta," the debut album from French chanteuse Mina Tindle is now available for download at least (we'll keep you informed as to a physical release in the future).  Folky, wistful, beautiful stuff.  Check out the teaser video for album closer "Demain" below.

Flaming Lips Record Store Day release!

Record Store Day is my favorite holiday of the year (behind Halloween and Arbor Day of course), and Oklahoma City's resident freakoids usually do not disappoint with their yearly contribution.  This time around, they'll be issuing a double LP of collaborative efforts featuring everyone from Nick Cave to Biz Markie.  Check out the awesome track list:

The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends:

Side 1:
01 2012 (featuring Ke$ha and Biz Markie)
02 Ashes in the Air (featuring Bon Iver)
03 Helping the Retarded to Know God (featuring Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros)

Side 2:
04 Supermoon Made Me Want To Pee (featuring Prefuse 73)
05 Children of the Moon (featuring Tame Impala)
06 That Ain't My Trip (featuring Jim James of My Morning Jacket)
07 You, Man? Human? (featuring Nick Cave)

Side 3:
08 I'm Working at NASA On Acid (featuring Lightning Bolt)
09 Do It! (featuring Yoko Ono)
10 Is David Bowie Dying? (featuring Neon Indian)

Side 4:
11 The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (featuring Erykah Badu)
12 Thunder Drops (featuring New Fumes)
13 I Don't Want You to Die (featuring Chris Martin of Coldplay)

I cannot wait to get my grubby little hands on this beast.  Listen to "Is David Bowie Dying?" below.

FIDLAR

LA's FIDLAR are the drunk and stoned sweaty punk rock kids we all wanted to be back in junior high school, when the most perfect thing in the world would be to get high and go skating.  Come to think of it, that would still be really cool.  Grab the "DIYDUI" 7" from White Iris and listen to "Wake Bake Skate" below.

Infinity People

Detroit isn't the first place i think of when i think freaky psyche music.  Raucous garage rock?  Sure.  Pitch perfect soul?  Of course.  But not really the jams for spaced out flower children.  Enter Infinity People, a 13-member collective of tripped out musicians, an "American kosmische musik - freak rock revue - astral soul - spiritual - musical commune and revival."  Their "In Love With The Light" album is available from a number of labels and distributors, but you can also get it at Burger Records.  Listen to "Blood of The Sun" below.

Sam Flax

San Francisco's Sam Flax were one of my many enjoyable discoveries over the last week.  The combo of garage rock guitar jangle and new wave synth is the perfect score for a sunny, blurry, toxin-drenched day.  Get the "Age Waves" cassette from Burger Records and listen to "Everybody Wants" below.

SXSW 2012 Finale (Saturday at 11:50)

And so, SXSW 2012 comes to its inevitable end (baring any last minute shows tomorrow afternoon to cool down), and the only thing that could possible cure my alcohol and junk food wasted body is to get up at the ass crack of dawn tomorrow for tailgating outside of a BBQ joint, followed by the meat coma induced by eating said BBQ.  Just what the doctor ordered.  Until next year SXSW.  Until next year.

Here's some more pics and songs from the day.

Rayon Beach

Sam Flax

Teengirl Fantasy

Trust

Bleached

The Drums

New Build

Andrew WK

Andrew WK (with pizza guitar)

Andrew WK

I'm so tired...

SXSW 2012 (Friday at 9:00)

Day three was met with lots of free swag, lots and lots of free beer, and lots and lots and lots of  people everywhere.  Club Deville was the club-du-jour again today.  Check out some pics and songs.

Gauntlet Hair

Tanlines

Caveman

Zola Jesus

And, one more of Zola Jesus

And then there's tomorrow...

SXSW 2012 (Thurday at 10:58)

Someone remind me to write an essay later entitled, "SXSW, A Recap, or Am I Getting Too Old For This Shit?"  Free beer and cheap Sailor Jerry cocktails have done me in.  Here's a few pics from the Levitation Psyche showcase at 29th Street Ballroom (this year's hippest venue in my humble opinion).

Psychic Ills

Sun Araw

Coxcombs (Indian Jewelry)

Until tomorrow then...

SXSW 2012 (Thursday at 4:54)

You have every intention of going to one party, and you do, but then it gets too crowded, or the beer's not free enough, so you go next door.  That pretty much sums it up.  Here's some pics and some jams.

Dive

Lower Dens 

Dive (again at Club Deville)

Trust

Bleached

Mikal Cronin

And we'll be back after a nap and some digestion of free beer...

Pitchfork Day Party

Heading to Mohawk for more free music at The Pitchfork Day Party, because apparently that's where hipster-Donald Duck likes to party.

More SXSW 2012 (Wednesday at 11:55)

Here's some pics from the KVRXplosion showcase at Spider House.

Eternal Summers

AU

Heavy Times

Unstoppable Death Machines

Javelin

Stay tuned for tomorrow's pics and tunes.

SXSW 2012 so far (Wednesday at 5:30)

The carnival atmosphere is in full effect.  Saw some good stuff at 29th Street Ballroom last night, some great shows at Red 7 today, and my friend tried to pick a fight with Dent May.  Awesome.  Free shit everywhere!  Here's some pics, and some songs.

Part Time

Mr. Gnome

White Arrows

Tycho

La Sera

Young Magic

Widowspeak

Korallreven

Dent May

Stay tuned for more!  More!!  MORE!!!