Video: Lykke Li "Get Some" (Live on Jules Holland)

Lykke Li may have been banged up recently--appropriately described in Li-ish--but looked hard as hell here throwing signs and hypnotizing. Haven't fully clicked with Wounded Rhymes, but this song is an instant classic.



MySpace: Lykke Li

Trailer: Somewhere to Disappear

Haven't posted movie news in awhile, but saw an opportunity to amend that when I came across this earlier today. Somewhere to Disappear is a documentary trailing photographer Alec Soth as he treks across America looking for hermits, runaways, and other isolated folk. I'm a sucker for docs and beauty in solitude, so this seems like a natural fit.

Manchester Orchestra - "Virgin"

I was gearing up to post a video of Manchester Orchestra performing an abbreviated acoustic set when they decided to debut a brand new song this very night. "Virgin" begins with a eerie children's choir before Andy Hull's fragile tenor navigates the tune into the sludgy carnage that is the chorus. A very heavy and menacing track, but definitely my favorite thing they've shown off of Simple Math as of yet.

Stream: Manchester Orchestra - "Virgin"

MySpace: Manchester Orchestra

Video: Pusha T - "Can I Live"

Pusha quickly follows the "My God" video up with another visual representaton, this time for his "Can I Live" freestyle. Features the standard hip-hop video fare: good looking ladies, a Scarface-era Miami background, and a huge ass yacht. Pretty smooth vid for a pretty smooth track.



MySpace: Pusha T

Donnis - "Loft Music"

I've always been so-so on Donnis, but he gets a B.o.B-sounding flow going over The Weeknd's "Loft Music" for a winner. Tagging anything onto House of Balloons will get plenty of love from me right now.

Download: Donnis - "Loft Music"

MySpace: Donnis

The Dear Hunter - "This Body"

Alternative Press got the exclusive of a new cut off The Dear Hunter's Color Spectrum, a nine-EP series due out June 14th. This one, entitled "This Body" will come off the Black EP. Hit below for the lyric video created by Casey Crescenzo himself.

Speaking of Casey, here's what he had to say about the song:

"At first, I wanted to create a percussion-only EP, but as the arrangements developed, the opportunity for a more grating and disorienting palette of sounds presented itself and I decided to take the tracks in a much more menacing direction. The entire EP uses a lot of electronic instruments and sequencing, but also a great deal of acoustic drums. This song in particular has three drum kits being played simultaneously through the song to keep the poly-rhythmic feeling, as well as a good deal of sequenced analog drums. Lyrically, this record is definitely more negative than any of the other Color Spectrum EPs, but past the surface of these songs the meaning is more centered around breaking free of the negativity and embracing a different point of view.”



MySpace: The Dear Hunter

Stream: Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues

Fleet Foxes held the indie world captive with the lush dreamscape painted within their debut album. Now they're at it again with their new LP, Helplessness Blues. It packs the same gorgeous harmonies, but features a more beefed up folk sound and transitional lyrics rather than the allegorical storytelling of records past. Early favorites include: "Bedouin Dress", "Helplessness Blues" and "The Shrine/An Argument".

Definite album of the year candidate, so get at it.

Stream: Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues

MySpace: Fleet Foxes

Mixtape: Green Street - Don't Look Down

Green Street, a hip-hop act out of Boston, just dropped their debut mixtape Don't Look Down last week. The soulful/jazzy instrumentals leanings of the tape will immediately resonate with fans of A Tribe Called Quest, while the conscious and DIY-lyrics of A-Live and Soupa--a.k.a my boy Elijah Adamson from Boston University--are thought-provoking and hard-hitting.

These dudes are coming up strong--they've opened for Wiz Khalifa and Lupe Fiasco--and are doing it the right way. Do the game and yourself a favor and scoop this A.S.A.P.

Download: Green Street - Don't Look Down

MySpace: Green Street

Video: fun. - "Runaway" (Kanye West Cover)

fun. have an unusual, but hip leanings in their cover selections. Nate Ruess reminds me why I need to listen to him sing more as he makes Kanye's contemplative epic "Runaway" sound like one of The Format's own contemplative dittys. Love this.



MySpace: fun.

Death Cab for Cutie - "Some Boys"

Death Cab drops off another new cut, this one kind of pumps the brakes on the bounciness of "You Are a Tourist" and "Home is a Fire," but is still intrinsically upbeat. I can already tell Codes and Keys (out May 31st) will possess the thoroughness-via-simplicity quality you see in a lot of maturing bands. I, for one, am eggycited.



MySpace: Death Cab for Cutie

Manchester Orchestra - "Anytime" (My Morning Jacket Cover)

Although Manchester Orchestra and My Morning Jacket both hail from the South and have wildly bearded, but beautiful-voiced frontmen, I never thought of them in the same light. After Andy Hull and Co's tender rendition of "Anytime" of MMJ's Z, I'd love to see both bands on the same bill in the near future

Download: Manchester Orchestra - "Anytime" (My Morning Jacket cover)

MySpace: Manchester Orchestra

Kendrick Lamar - "Hiii Power"

I've passed on all the hype surrounding Kendrick Lamar until right now. This track is on point with the man sounding like a mix between K-os, Talib Kweli, and Kanye West over a J. Cole-designed instrumental. If that isn't a tasty mix, I dunno what is. Fire.

Download: Kendrick Lamar - "Hiii Power"

MySpace: Kendrick Lamar

Video: The Gaslight Anthem - "Bring It On" (Live on Letterman)

Brian Fallon spoke a lot about how The Clash influenced American Slang. Looks like the similarities are not only coming through the speakers, but in their dress as well. Solid performance (did we expect anything less?) from a solid group of guys.



MySpace: The Gaslight Anthem

Video: Pusha T - "My God"

Strangely enough, this is exactly how I pictured a video for this song would look like. Fear of God, which he'll re-released as Fear of God 2: Let Us Pray on June 21st, was a bit disappointing. This one is a hands-down stunner, though. My god...



MySpace: Pusha T

Weatherbox - Daytrotter Session

While this session is a little too loose for my tastes, it's gotten me in enough of a Weatherbox kick to bring American Art back out of hiding. Hot damn, I love that record.

Download: Weatherbox - Daytrotter Session (4-17-11)

MySpace: Weatherbox

Video: J. Cole - "Freestyle/"Before I'm Gone" (Live in D.C.)

Somehow J. Cole snuck into D.C. without me getting one sniff of it. During his stay he dropped a stunning one-minute freestyle before ripping into my favorite cut off the largely disappointing Friday Night Lights.

One time for the city, one time for you...

Watch: J. Cole - "Freestyle/"Before I'm Gone" (Live in D.C.)

MySpace: J. Cole

Video: The Weeknd - "High For This" (Unofficial)

This is an unofficial video for the lead track off The Weeknd's House of Balloons--which has been rotating for me on a non-stop rate for the past few weeks. This one reads more like a softcore porn that an actual music video. While the lighting director for this ish should be fired (watch and you'll see what I mean,) all of this is just so wrong, it's right.

High For This from michaelcumming.tv on Vimeo.

Video: Death Cab for Cutie - "You Are a Tourist"

This video is pretty awesome on it's own, but shoots up to fucking ridiculous when you consider it was filmed in one shot. Song gets better and better every time I hear it too.

Expecting nothing but the best from Codes and Keys, out May 31st.



MySpace: Death Cab for Cutie

Video: Manchester Orchestra - "Simple Math"

Epic video for an epic song. Since IFC premiered the visuals, I did my best to lock onto the cinematic vibe and I walked away with a mix between Inception, The Sixth Sense, and Stand By Me if they were all shot in the Deep South.

Can't wait for Simple Math to drop on May 12th.



MySpace: Manchester Orchestra

Video: Atmosphere - "She's Enough"

The Family Sign hit stores yesterday along with this video for single "She's Enough". Atmosphere's recent videos play like a morality-based kids book, but it's still damn clever.

Atmosphere - Music - More Music Videos

MySpace: Atmosphere

Video: The Knux - "She's So Up"

This guys are right at the top of my criminally overlooked list. Remind Me in 3 Days...was one of the more refreshing hip-hop debuts I'd heard in awhile, but the duo sort of faded out of my rotation. Fortunately they're coming back with a new LP TBA and just dropped off this new video for it's lead single "She's So Up" featuring a cock-rocking sound and a Lenny Kravitz-looking Krispy and Joey.



MySpace: The Knux

Video: Blu - "The Explanation"

Blu drops some knowledge on his upcoming NoYork! project. Hear him explain why he named the record that, complemented with visuals of what I think happens in Jon Barnes mind while he's trying to explain it. Deep shit.

TheExplaNation from Johnson Barnes on Vimeo.

MySpace: Blu

City and Colour - "Fragile Bird"

Here is the first single off Dallas Green's third release under the City and Colour moniker entitled Little Hell. While the lyrics and soaring vocals are on par with his past work, this song has a noticeable groove and energy that was lacking in the slower, melancholy efforts.

Download: City and Colour - "Fragile Bird"

MySpace: City and Colour

Incubus - "Adolescents"

Give mad props to my boy Steve "Tets" Myette for getting me hooked on Incubus throughout college. Definitely have become on of my favorite bands and was beyond bummed when they announced their indefinite hiatus. Well, they're back now with a hypnotic new ditty that rolls around in the A Crow Left of Murder territory. Me rikey the billboard.


MySpace: Incubus

Kid Cudi - "Capcom"

Kid Cudi and LeBron James share more in common than the simple fact that they (used to) rep Cleveland.

Both shared a meteoric fall from critical acclaim with their senseless decisions and me-first mantra. Legend of Mr. Rager had some ok cuts on it, but I largely overlooked it due to the endless string of bullshit and nonsensical trash take coming from Cudder's mouth up to it's release. I mean, Wale might warrant some criticism since joining MBM, but not when Cudi was ripping him apart.

I say that to say this. I'm actually feeling this track. His rock leanings are dumb as hell, I stand by that. But this one has actual body to it and ventures back to the meaty hooks he fed up on The End of Day.

Lets hope he sticks with this sound moving forward.

Download: Kid Cudi - "Capcom"

MySpace: Kid Cudi

Moving Mountains - "Tired Tiger"

I was admittedly caught off guard by the hard-charging "Where Two Bodies Lie", so this sort of epic build up and atmospheric instrumentation is what I expect from Moving Mountains. It's obvious that they are scaling back the drawn out jams to make themselves more compact and accessible. I ain't hating...you gotta do what you gotta do and it's working.

Waves drops May 10th.

Listen: Moving Mountains - "Tired Tiger"

MySpace: Moving Mountains

Lupe Fiasco - "Airplanes" (feat. Hayley Williams)

Well, it appears the rumors that Lupe handed "Airplanes" down to B.o.B. are true. It actually makes a lot of sense, considering Lu also went in over "Nothing on You" and collaborated with Bobby Ray on "Past My Shades". Still can't get into Lasers, but might've laid on it more if he'd had kept this. Vintage Wasalu.

Download: Lupe Fiasco - "Airplanes" (feat. Hayley Williams)

MySpace: Lupe Fiasco

Death Cab for Cutie - "Home is a Fire"/"You Are a Tourist"

Death Cab for Cutie seem like they are practicing their elementary English with a lot of these song titles. But in their defense, these songs boast a particularly youthful bounce. Codes and Keys--out May 31st--might end up marking the sunniest release from these historically melancholy guys.

Guess marrying this dime piece can turn anyone's worldview around. Or is that just me?

Download: Death Cab for Cutie - "Home is a Fire"
Download: Death Cab for Cutie - "You Are a Tourist"

MySpace: Death Cab for Cutie

Manchester Orchestra - "April Fool"

Man Orch get their 90s alternative rock on with this pulsing jam. Could certainly fit right onto Mean Everything to Nothing, but instead it'll fit onto a finely-shaping Simple Math that drops May 10th.

Listen: Manchester Orchestra - "April Fool"

MySpace: Manchester Orchestra

Video: Stephen Colbert - "Friday" (feat. The Roots/Jimmy Fallon/Taylor Hicks)

This Charlie Sheen shit is played out, but I can't help myself...#winning.