Going back to glorious rock classics with this catchier-than-thou single from The War On Drugs. Based in Philadelphia, The War On Drugs is a trio led by Adam Granduciel, who founded the band with former member Kurt Vile in 2003. “Baby Missiles” is the first song from TWOD’s upcoming second album, “Slave Ambient”, and it is a killer indie rock jam. Not unlike some good old Doors (or Springsteen or whatever nostalgic rock and roll band fancies you.) Keep in mind, this is coming from a not-so-into-rock’n-roll girl. I mean, just try not to nod or tap your feet along to this. In the video they even treat us to a psychedelic journey throughout Italy, what’s not to love, seriously? Watch for their full-length album to drop on August 16 via Secretly Canadian.
I haven’t given any Portland bands Newdust love for awhile, so let me introduce you all to Soft Metals, a beautiful male/female duo hailing from the City of Roses. Patricia Hall and Ian Hicks met each other in a peculiar way–an audition. In 2009, Hicks was looking for a vocalist to back his cinematic synthesizer soundscapes, and Hall was searching for a partner to put her whimsical poems to music.The two connected over a mutual love of 80s synthesizer pop, krautrock, post-punk and techno, and sparks flew both musically and romantically. Thus, Soft Metals was born.
The twosome’s first EP, The Cold World Melts, is Hall’s amorous confession to Hicks; a record of their courtship. The lovebirds have since recorded their debut LP, Soft Metals, which is slated for a July 19 release on Captured Tracks. “Psychic Driving,” is the first single off the record. Enjoy!
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I have been meaning to post this video for John Maus’s track “Believer” for a while now. The video was directed by Jennifer Juniper Stratford (check out her cool photographs here) and filmed on rare vintage video equipment using experimental techniques. OK…? This video gets kind of weird/spacey (obviously its John Maus) but I would like to think this is just the lens by which Maus views the world. Enjoy!
In case you haven’t heard the news: The Cars are back. I didn’t think it was possible, but they’re sounding better than ever. Few bands from the 80s can gracefully & kick-ass-fully (yeah, that’s right) dive back into it like The Cars have (Duran Duran comes in mind). Excited? I sure as hell am. Here’s their damn fine music video for a just as equally fine new tune off their upcoming May 10th release Move Like This.
John Maus is one of the few people I have heard of that can work on their PHD and earn indie cred whilst playing with Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti. Since 2006, Maus has been making dark 80’s-movie soundtrack inspired jams. I saw him at SXSW and his live show is very intense to say the least. You can almost feel the pain, angst, excitement and joy while he performs. John Maus’ third full-length “We Must Become The Pitiless Censors Of Ourselves”, drops June 27th on Upset The Rhythm (Europe & UK) and June 28th on Ribbon Music (North America).
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Jake Troth is a hit machine! Recall if you will his highly addictive single “Material Things” (one of my favorite tracks from 2010), and of course his hip-hop collaboration with B. Rossi, “Gems and Rubies.” Now he’s back with yet another solid track, this one titled “Ross and Rachel,” which gives off sort of an 80’s pop-ballad vibe. What’s so great about Jake Troth is that he doesn’t put himself inside any one particular genre, which is why we love him so much.
You never know what his next song is going to sound like, which is the type of anticipation you can only hope to have in the music industry these days.
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I don’t think Chateau Marmont got the memo that the Eighties were over (news must travel slow in France), but hey, there’s nothing wrong with taking synth-pop back to its roots and accompanying it with black-and-white primitive geometric animation mindfucks. In fact, it’s pretty tubular. The Parisian four-piece will be making its North American debut down at SXSW, with stops in Canada, Chicago, New York and D.C. along the way.
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