As of right now, Chicago math-folk group Maps & Atlases have a new EP out exclusively on iTunes called Living Decorations, but if just listening to music doesn’t quite fulfill your creative needs, and if you happen to be a bit of a competitor, AND if you’re a big Maps & Atlases fan, then it seems the stars have aligned!

Maps & Atlases are currently hosting a remix competition, it which you, the participant, are charged with remixing selected songs from the band’s 2010 release, Perch Patchwork. Grab the stems from any of three select Perch Patchwork songs here. If you win, you get a bunch of cool merch from the band, and your remix will be included on their forthcoming remix EP. Not a bad deal!

The group is currently touring the USA with Menomena and other guests, so be sure to join the fun on one of the following tour dates:

03/05/11 – Ames, IA [Maintenance Shop] *
03/06/11 – Iowa City, IA [Mill] *
03/09/11 – Columbia, MO [Mojo's] *
03/10/11 – St. Louis, MO [Gargoyle Club] *
03/11/11 – Chicago, IL [Lincoln Hall] **
03/14/11 – Birmingham, AL [Bottle Tree] *
03/16/11 – New Orleans, LA [House of Blues] ***
03/17/11 – Austin, TX [SXSW]
03/18/11 – Austin, TX [SXSW]
03/19/11 – Austin, TX [SXSW]
03/20/11 – Dallas, TX [Loft]

* w/ Menomena
** w/ Light Pollution, Gypsy Blood
*** w/ Fang Island

Indie rock lords The National recently stopped by the Webster Hall Studio in NYC to record a live session for MTV, where they performed four selections from their latest album, High Violet, as well as “Fake Empire” from Boxer. Check out the rousing performances below. And while you’re getting into the National mood, why not check out MTV’s collection of National band interviews at their National home page?

Somewhat the antithesis of Harmony in Ultraviolet‘s violently raptured surface, Ravedeath is largely a barren deconstruction of past Hecker complexes. This is apparent no more so than on the barely there valley of “No Drums,” which serves as the rear end of an almost unnoticeable decrescendo spanning the three song “In the Fog” suite before swelling into what is a landmark of the album in “Hatred of Music I.” I use the word ‘landmark’ in relative terms; a windy, gloom-ridden hill is as high as the album cares to reach for. Hecker clearly has no interest in emulating a “masterpiece” or a record with crossover appeal, and for that some will be thankful and some will be indifferent. For my part, it is exactly what it needs to be and nothing more.

Lingering piano chords slip over the droning throb of the buried pipe organ, permeating the unsettled atmosphere, occasionally to rise out of the sharp haze to cinematic effect, as if tying all the loose ends of the story into a twisted, frostbitten bow. Possibly the distant ice-rattled echoes of the all too predictable tones of An Imaginary Country, the occasional recurrence of these wispy plucks is always a treat, especially with the closing chimes of “In the Air III.” Hecker is an artist who rarely indulges, but when he does it’s in a method so oddly seductive that there is never any danger that you might feel compelled to take a step back. Rather, he offers just enough to lure listeners in, and I suspect that for each there will be a moment of awe, several listens in, at which point the unsuspected depth of Ravedeath suddenly becomes overwhelmingly apparent. It’s hard to say whether Ravedeath, 1972 will go down as a fan favorite, but it doesn’t need to and it frankly isn’t interested. It makes its own statement, and it does so with the level of maturity and succinctness that we’ve come to expect from Hecker, an artist who has well earned his place as a leader amongst his peers.

The Atlantan stars of heavy metal, Mastodon, are currently writing for their fifth LP, but for those of us who shudder at the thought of going much longer without a new Mastodon album, they’re about to release a very welcome hold-me-over. On March 15, they will release Live At The Aragon, a DVD/CD chronicling their triumph at the revered Chicago ballroom circa 2009. Per their tradition of the last 2 years, you can expect to see Crack the Skye played in its entirety, along with selections from their other three albums and a cover of The Melvin’s “The Bit”.

If that’s not enough to melt your mind, the package will also include a 58-minute film documenting the epic Crack the Skye tour. Plus, it will all come in a fancy tin casing full of miscellaneous Mastodon goodies. Check out the full setlist and a trailer for the DVD below:

Live At The Aragon

01. Oblivion
02. Divinations
03. Quintessence
04. The Czar
05. Ghost of Karelia
06. Crack the Skye
07. The Last Baron
08. Circle of Cysquatch
09. Aqua Dementia
10. Where Strides the Behemoth
11. Mother Puncher
12. The Bit (Melvins cover)

Texan post-rock quartet Explosions in the Sky are back with a new LP after a four-year break. The follow up to the critically acclaimed All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone will be titled Take Care, Take Care, Take Care and will be released on April 26th in the US and on April 18th for you lucky UK folk. All of a Sudden… producer John Congleton returns on the Temporary Residence Ltd. album. According to the band’s website, it “feels different than anything else we’ve done before and we’re very excited for you to hear it.” I’d say we’re pretty excited to hear it ourselves! If a new album release doesn’t quite fill your Explosions needs, keep an eye out for them on tour this year. They’ve announced several dates, beginning with the Radio City Music Hall, before they head out on a brief European tour. See the official track list, tour dates, and a brief promotional clip below:

Take Care, Take Care, Take Care from Explosions in the Sky on Vimeo.

Take Care, Take Care, Take Care

1. “Last Known Surroundings”
2. “Human Qualities”
3. “Trembling Hands”
4. “Be Comfortable, Creature”
5. “Postcard from 1952″
6. “Let Me Back In”

4/06 – New York, NY @ Radio City Music Hall
5/16 – Dublin, IE @ Victar St
5/17 – Manchester, UK @ Academy
5/19 – London, UK @ Roundhouse
5/20 – Paris, FR @ Bataclan
5/22 – Berlin, DE @ Postbahnhof
5/23 – Cologne, DE @ Essigfabrik
5/24 – Brussels, BE @ Ancienne Belgique
5/25 – Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso

Get ready, young folks! Indie pop rockers Peter Bjorn & John are all set to release their sixth LP, Gimme Some, on March 29th. You may have already heard the first single from the album, “Breaker Breaker”, and now you can get a second preview with the track “Second Chance”. The trio have a penchant for writing songs that are almost too catchy, and “Second Chance” is no exception, but they seem to be turning up their amps for the new record. Good call, boys! Check out the motivating new track at Stereogum.

On February 22nd, chillwave headliners Toro Y Moi will release the follow up to their well received 2010 debut, Causers of This. The first single is called “Still Sound” and has a Steven Daniels directed video in which you can watch Toro y Moi leader Chazwick Bundick have a grand ol’ time bike-walking his dog, fondling another man’s mustache and running like hell from a tortured ghost. It probably made sense at one point. Check it out below. In the meantime I need to go peel myself an orange…

If you’re behind on your of Montreal, now is your chance to get more familiar with the last 7 years of the adventures of Barnes & Co.

Polyvinyl is releasing a very modestly priced ($39.99) digital box set of the group’s last five studio albums along with a generous 27 bonus tracks and 10 videos. The virtual package is called Ambivalent Stumbling Hysterical Dispatches, Strictly In Unisex. Whatever you say, guys! At this point, the offer is only available via US iTunes.

Expect to hear much more from of Montreal over the coming year as they tour North America, prepare to release a new EP entitled The Controller Sphere this spring, and begin work on a new LP.

No matter how you may feel about the English superpower, you can’t can fault Coldplay for lack of ambition.

According to a recent interview with NME, lead singer Chris Martin feels that the band has yet to create its masterpiece, despite 2008′s Viva la Vida having struck perhaps the most potent commercial and critical balance of their careers. Martin says that the band is “still hungry” to achieve that masterpiece, which may come as a sign of hope to fans made nervous by rumors that LP5 would be the final Coldplay album.

Brian Eno and Markus Dravs are producing, which, given their contributions to Viva la Vida (and both their respective careers of course) is a promising sign. When asked by BBC Radio whether the album would be released by summer, Martin only stated that there was plenty of work remaining to be done.

It’s been a year and a half since the release of Raekwon’s acclaimed Only Built for Cuban Linx… Pt. II, but he hasn’t been allowing himself much down time. In 2010 he dropped the collaborative Wu-Massacre album and he kept busy offering up a host of guest spots (including several with with Kanye… and one with Justin Bieber). As it turns out though, 2010 seems to have just been a warm up for Rae (or a victory lap depending on how you look at it). With not one but two albums due this year, The Chef is looking to take the game by storm, and if the hard-nosed, skit-riddled title track to Shaolin Vs. Wu-Tang is any indication, he’s got a pretty good shot. Check it out below:

Raekwon – Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang by One Thirty BPM

Shaolin Vs. Wu-Tang is expected out March 8th

Eminem’s Shady Records has been fairly quiet since they put out the 8 Mile soundtrack and signed 50 Cent all the way back in 2002, but Em is looking to pick up the pace in 2011. He recently signed both the Alabama native rapper Yelawolf and hip hop supergroup Slaughterhouse. Yelawolf has been at it for a few years, but finally had a breakout year in 2010 with his relatively successful Trunk Muzik 0-60 mixtape and his first major feature on Big Boi’s highly acclaimed Sir Lucious Left Foot album. Yela’s debut album, Radioactive, is expected to hit sometime this year. Slaughterhouse are also expected to have a new LP out this year (their 2nd), and although Crooked I, Joell Ortiz, Royce Da 5’9″, and Nino Bless have each been doing their own things over the past decade, signing to Shady Records will put them under the biggest spotlight of any of their careers. Slim Shady himself is expected to have a hand in the production of both albums.

[Via Rap Radar]

That is of course the aim; the composition tremors with awe and foreboding, at the heart of which is a powerful sense of long forgotten grandeur. Whatever past this scenery may once have known has long since been ravaged by the raw cold; it now lies barren and frozen, barely able to breathe under the weight of its own brutally saturated atmosphere. The ever tugging but ultimately unchanging echoes of ambience achieve a cavernous, devastatingly somber tension that has been expertly realized by Basinski, who further solidifies his rightful place as a cornerstone artist in his field.

Newcomers to ambient will absolutely not want to test the waters here (for you I recommend Eluvium or Helios, who are downright poppy in comparison to this). Anyone used to hearing melody in their music will have difficulty putting up with hearing the same unfaltering three note sequence for 45 minutes straight, and indeed it’s likely to make even more weathered fans of the genre a bit restless.

The album is not complete repetition; new textures are slowly and steadily (emphasis on slowly) phased in and out, but even these changes will require an attentive ear to pick up on. Basinski has certainly never shied away from repetition, but he is likely to push some listeners to their limits with Vivian & Ondine. Basinski’s offering from last year, the 60 minute, four track album, 92982, feels like a breath of fresh air in comparison.

Although this album does an admirable job of creating mood and suggesting imagery of ancient depth and the empty aftermath of icy devastation, it does so with completeness long before it reaches its end. There will undoubtedly be a few don’t even think to consider the run time and simply bask in the unmistakeable feeling this composition provokes, but for too many it will long overstay its welcome, which is a shame considering how potent this might have been were there a few more ideas to balance it out.



The first thing that strikes me about Mines is the level of detail. Menomena have always been fine craftsman, but they take it to a new level here. As remarkable as the amount of detail is the quality of the production; I don’t know know that I’ve ever heard an album featuring so many layers of sounds without ever letting them smudge into each other. If you aren’t already sporting high-end headphones, this is the sort of album that will make you itch for a pair. It’s impossible to take in all the details with only a few listens, and the songwriting is the most challenging that Brent has offered yet. It’s not a difficult album to enjoy, but it undoubtedly has the highest payoff of any Menomena album thus far.



One negative result of the less accessible songwriting and deluge of details is that this album doesn’t deliver some of the straightforward hooks that the previous album, Friend and Foe, offered. There’s no “Wet and Rusting” here, nor are there any tracks to match the vicious “The Pelican.” This a little bit of a turn-off at first, and even though it’s pretty easy to get over this issue, it still would have been nice to have a couple songs that more emphatically establish themselves as single material. Also, despite the enormous level of activity on the album, there are a few brief areas, such as on the appropriately named “Sleeping Beauty,” that won’t vie for your attention if you’re not already offering it.



However, there is no need to worry that Mines is merely attempting to disguise hook inadequacy with studio tricks; this album has it’s own set of teeth. You probably won’t remember the vocal lines to “BOTE” at first, but the badass slide guitar and punctuated brass (which is way too easy to sing “ME-NO-ME-NA!” to) will echo in your brain long after the track has ended, and after the instrumental bombast has drawn you back for several more listens, the vocals begin to worm their way into the mix. Before you know it, you end up with a highly addictive track that is engaging on several levels. Menomena use this strategy throughout the album. You’ll probably repeat “TAOS” to sing along about not being the most cock-sure guy, but a barrage of big band layers will soon shift your attention, remaking it hard to choose whether to sing along or take it all in.



The music is never goofy, but it’s easy to tell that the band mates have a sense of humor and a willingness to indulge in quirks. Thankfully, they also have the intelligence to do so in ways that support the follow of the album and keep the listener fully engaged rather than for indulgence’s sake. The aforementioned “TAOS” and “BOTE” offer the highlights as far as volume goes, but there are plenty of well placed mood shifts. “Lunchmeat” and “Dirty Cartoons” share some of the minimal, post-punk tendencies of Friend and Foe, while “Oh Pretty Boy, You’re Such a Big Boy” and “INTIL” offer potent moments of tension, build-up and release that avoid the common pitfall of feeling inorganic and forced into being epic. “Five Little Rooms” touches back to a borderline ska element of Menomena’s past that is a bit more subdued for the most part on Mines.



Mines does a very admirable job of advancing Menomena’s sound to new territories both in terms of mood and technical proficiency without, for the most part, forgetting what made past albums endearing to so many. If I Am the Fun Blame Monster and Friend and Foe left room for questions, Mines should alleviate any doubt; this trio has managed to create and master a sound that is truly their own, and for that they undoubtedly deserve a new level of success.

Whether said fans are happy with The Five Ghosts will depend largely upon how committed they are to Stars’ creamy, soft-as-silk sound; as it turns out, a healthy dose of commitment will be required. In an age when synths are beginning to replace (if they haven’t already replaced) the guitar as the pop/rock building block instrument of choice, Stars’ increasing reliance on synths makes their already derivative brand of silky pop sound even less gripping. That is absolutely not to say that Stars cannot make a brilliant synth based song; for that you need look no further than Sad Robot EP’s “Going Going Gone [Live].” Unfortunately, inspired moments run far too sparse on The Five Ghosts, which stakes its life on fans being hungry for more of the same. To make matters worse, lead singers Amy Millan and Torque Campbell, who usually play off each other quite well, seem all to aware in their deliveries that this album is going through the motions.

There is a saving grace to be found in the fact that Stars make good filler, and none of these songs are particularly weak or out of place. Even the off-kilter “We Don’t Want Your Body” justifies itself with a peppy chorus featuring lines about cheap ecstasy and boughten sex. The album does feature its share of highlights, most clearly the soapy “Changes.” “Wasted Daylight” and “Fixed” are accessible picker-uppers that could’ve held their head high on any Stars album. Stars shyly poke at a few new ideas in the latter half of the album, and although none of them really take off, they’re engaging enough to save the album from becoming too sleepy. For the most part you have to be in this for the sound of the songs mores than the songs themselves, but I’d be remiss to give the impression that the album lacks any redeeming qualities.

The Five Ghosts is by no means a bad album. In fact, in the grand scheme of things its probably above average, with several songs that make it worth revisiting. However, when a band such as Stars offers plenty of moments of promise throughout their career but fails to bring it together in a complete statement, it’s hard not to feel underwhelmed. If you haven’t tried Stars yet, The Five Ghosts will give you a perfectly adequate sampling of what they’re all about, but long time fans know that Stars are capable of much more than “adequate.”

Don’t be fooled for a moment into thinking this is a boyish record; it’s got a nasty sex appeal, fueled in part by Dan Auerbach’s increased appreciation for R&B infused blues. The unexpected falsetto on opener “Everlasting Light,” the immediately classic melodies of “Next Girl,” the rambunctious and infectious “Howlin’ for You,” indeed the general level of well rationed polish and funk; all contribute to a record that has universal appeal while staying admirably true to its roots. The law is laid down from the ourset. There is a clear purpose to this album and it follows through with all the reckless authority of Electric Warrior meets Electric Mudd, but with a fresh level of conciseness that The Black Keys have always handled so well.

That said, the album is longer than one might expect from the sound of the opening tracks, and it’s easy to think that this album would benefit from trimming a track or two. Individually judged however, it’s hard to bear the thought of just about any of these tracks not making the cut. The slow numbers, “The Only One” and “Never Gonna Give You Up” are both stellar in their own rights and fit snugly into the flow of the almost flawlessly paced album. Not every song is particularly eventful, take “The Go-Getter” or “I’m Not the One” for instance, but even those bear endearing marks on an album full of tracks that don’t need each other but sound great together. Each track is a unique, finely crafted gear that works to move the entire unit forward. Yes, the machine is a bit rickety. Not every song is perfect. But so many of them feel like they might be, and they operate with such unity that griping feels contrived. Brothers is part punishment and part celebration; critique doesn’t fit into the equation. Brothers is an album that’s easy to enjoy in the midst of its possible shortcomings.

The bottom line is, this is an extremely intelligent record that isn’t spoiled by self-awareness; it’s genuine without being niche. Is it accidentally great? Maybe. The Black Keys don’t give a fuck. You can’t ask for much more than that.

Opening track “Deadbeat” should immediately dispel any worries of disaster; the gnashing riff and expected misty vocals from Mew vocalist Jonas Bjerre play off each other to interesting and unexpected effect. It’s not a particularly gripping or endearing song, but it’s kind of fun; it’s an interesting idea and it’s fairly satisfying. Unfortunately, that description fits the rest of We Are Here quite snuggly. The album is filled with little quirks and intriguing half-thoughts that are usually pleasant to listen to but fail to bare their teeth. This would be understandable if We Are Here were a true debut album, but each of the four forces behind Apparatjik have contributed to far greater, more fully realized projects. True, it would be foolish to approach this album hoping for a new Frengers or Viva la Vida, but it nevertheless remains impossible to wonder what could have been.

That said, there’s no reason to overlook this album. Most of the ideas here aren’t as fleshed out as they would be in a given member’s main act, but they are worth hearing at least once or twice. Although their lack of ambition is the main cause for criticism, there is a distinct silver lining. The little experiments and silly doodles that permeate the album, irrelevant as they may be, keep the album feeling alive and refreshing. On top of that, each member manages to demonstrate a sample of their established chops, with Jonas Bjerre’s trademark wistful and often beautiful melodies at the forefront. Honestly, there is not a bad song on the album, and most songs have their own little standout moments, none more so than “Snow Crystals.” However, fun side thoughts and a consistent flow of “pretty good” songs aren’t enough to make the album feel significant in any way. It’s intriguing to be certain, and by no means a waste of time; I would certainly be open to see if this group could step up their game and create something special on a sophomore album (they are undoubtedly capable of it), but for the time being it feels just a little lacking.

We Are Here is a lowest common denominator record that is consistently digestible but rarely as tempting as it should be. It’s a common theme among most “supergroups”; it sounds more like a few guys playing around in the home studio just for the fun of it, with relatively little investment in the final outcome. There’s only so much that can go wrong when individuals of such experience and success record something together, but when these individuals each have reputations built around great ambition, We Are Here can’t help but feel a bit disappointing in its simplicity and contentedness to goof off, fun though it may it be.

With these negatives pointed out, it cannot be overlooked that when OK Go hits the balance between the various and obvious influences they’ve taken in since Oh No, they do so with poise. Lead single “WTF?” features a savory, slippery-as-soap Prince inspired melody with bursts of instrumental flourishes that capture the attention and will put smiles on plenty of faces. Anthems are not lacking, and songs such as “This too Shall Pass” and “Needing/Getting” are sure to provide the soundtrack for many-a-teen’s drive to school. “Skyscrapers” is a highly successful low-tempo track, demonstrating perfectly how to slow things down on an album where things are not supposed to slow down. Despite the fact that there’s plenty on the album to question, there’s also undoubtedly plenty here to embrace for the pop perfection it aspires to be.

Of the Blue Color of the Sky is an admirable attempt to bridge the gap between mainstream anthems and indie-approved textures. Does it work? Yes, in the sense that it gets the job done. It more or less limps it way through the 13 tracks, occasionally looking up to grin at those who are gathered around to cheer it on, and even dares to flex its melodic muscle from time to time. However, for the remainder of its hobbled walk it focuses on the well-trodden ground directly before it, afraid to take any true risk or abandon its methodical step-by-step approach. It’s a bit like watching a young child begin to grow more confident in taking steps; it’s certainly nothing to aspire towards, but it’s pleasing and exciting to see. Sure, Blue Color of the Sky might not be particularly special – it might be unable to poke its head out from the shadows of its big brothers – but with an attempt this honest and promising it almost feels wrong to criticize.

The Twilight Sad have abandoned some of the finer instrumental nuances of Fourteen Autumns for a more distortion heavy, My Bloody Valentine-light sound. The new sound is utilized with mixed results. For the times that lead singer James Graham brings the melodic hooks, it works brilliantly. The dirty guitar textures compliment Graham’s skillfully and emotionally delivered lyrics of ambiguity, and sometimes overpower them, a device which is generally used with tact, heightening the reach of a band which was already successful in developing mood. Tracks such as “The Neighbors Can’t Breathe” and “I Became a Prostitute” are just as apt to rock your face off as they are to pull your hair over your eyes, which is exactly what many fans were hoping for.

The new sound offers some unfortunate disadvantages as well; namely, the fact that this album is consistent to a fault. While there are undoubtedly moments of dirty transcendence scattered about, a step back will reveal the album to be a bit of a muddy mess; nearly all variety and nuance from Fourteen Autumns is lost. That’s not too say Fourteen Autumns was particularly exploratory, but it would have been nice to see The Twilight Sad develop in that direction. The textures dominate this album, resulting in several stretches of indistinguishable sound. Thankfully, it’s not bad sound, but it’s indistinguishable and forgettable sound. These stretches are usually characterized by nominal songwriting on Graham’s part; like the music, the melodies aren’t bad, but too often they have no teeth. You won’t finish “Seven Years of Letters” or “Scissors” particularly offended, but you won’t really remember much about them either. Repeated listening, as with many albums worth hearing, will reveal hooks that you hadn’t expected, but too often these potent moments just aren’t worth the effort it takes to uncover them. It’s these Mogwai inspired guitar washes and periods of arbitrary songwriting that are the album’s only definable weakness, but when Graham is able to ride these waves rather than drown under them, such as on album peak, “That Birthday Present,” The Twilight Sad truly show promise.

All things considered, Forget the Night Ahead is a successful avoidance of a sophomore slump. It’s a step forward for the band that will satisfy old fans and probably win a few new ones along the way. Unfortunately, there’s too much, or perhaps not enough, that holds this album back from becoming a great. While one has to appreciate that The Twilight Sad is moving forward with their sound, it’s also impossible to not be a little disappointed that there’s far less risk-taking within the album itself. Nevertheless, the album represents a promising step in what will hopefully be a long and fruitful career for The Twilight Sad.