Muse - Madness

When Muse claimed that Skrillex inspired the sound of their upcoming album, The 2nd Law, I became slightly worried.  I like my Muse without dubstep, thank you.  However, it appears that Muse have decided to contain the record's Skrillex influence within the final two songs of the album, for the most part.  Their new track "Madness" is far from a Skrillex shout out.  It's actually pretty subtle for your average Muse song.  The closest they've come to this sound before was with their 2009 single "Undisclosed Desires".  It's dominantly electronic, but they've saved room for a short guitar solo.

I'm still a bit on the edge about what to expect from The 2nd Law.  It definitely doesn't look like it'll be another Absolution.  Oh, how I wish they would create another album that equals the power of Absolution.  With that said, my curiosity is racing for what Muse will deliver.

The 2nd Law will be out in the UK on October 1 and one day later for the US. You can pre-order an overwhelming variety of album packages here.

Grimes - Genesis

Who would've ever guessed the insanity that Grimes had in store for us with the music video for "Genesis"?  The one minute trailer for Grimes' track, off of this year's Visions record, showed Claire Boucher striking a pose in front of a parked car.  The full video, clocking in at five and a half minutes, is so much more.  I don't even know how to describe it.  Directed by Boucher herself, flaming swords, metallic body armor, and a huge snake are all included.  I love it.  Watch Grimes and her troupe do their thing in "Genesis".

Grimes' latest album, Visions, is out now on 4AD.  You can buy a copy here.

Taylor Swift - We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together

Let's face it, this song is pretty much guaranteed to hit number one.  Lyrically, Taylor Swift's new single is everything you would expect from a Swift song, but this time the music is a little less country and a lot more pop.  Produced by Max Martin and Shellback, "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" is the first track off of her upcoming album, Red.  The single is a radio-ready anthem that momentarily sets aside some of the more mature elements that her last album had.  The verses and bridge are more talking than singing, while the chorus is massive.  Listen at your own risk, as it may be stuck in your head for much longer than expected.  I know from experience.

Taylor's fourth album, Red, is out on October 22.  You can download "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" here.

Antony And The Johnsons - Cut The World

Antony And The Johnsons' new live album, Cut The World, came out today.  The record features a selection of songs from each of Antony's past releases and a speech titled "Future Feminism".  The recording is from Antony's stay at Copenhagen's DK Concert Hall in September of 2011 and he's backed by The Danish National Chamber Orchestra.

"Cut The World" is the album's opening track.  Previously unreleased, the song comes from Marina Abramović's stage show, The Life And Death Of Marina Abramović.  A chilling video for the song, starring Carice Van Houten, William Dafoe, and Abramović herself accompanies the album's release.  There are endless possible interpretations to what the video demonstrates. Is it the result of one being under another's command for too long?  Is it a feminist film or simply anti-male?  Viewer discretion is advised due to violence.

Cut The World is out now on Secretly Canadian.  You can buy a copy for yourself here.  For more information on Antony And The Johnsons, head over to their website.

Unicorn Kid - Need U

There's something about Unicorn Kid's recent videos that I just love.  The video for his previous track, "Pure Space", featured a group of teens to twenty-somethings as they spent a night roaming through the city.  The ensemble cast channeled something along the lines of The Breakfast Club. When combined with the song, the video gave off a complete feeling of freedom, a real "living in the moment" vibe.

For the Scottish musician's follow-up, he combined Japanese culture, video games, and a Loleatta Holloway sample.  "Need U" chases Unicorn Kid around some more city streets, as you're bombarded with flashing imagery that'll take you back to those arcade cabinets you once worshipped.

"Need U" is out October 1 on 3 Beat.  You can check out the video for "Pure Space" here and download the track here.

Willy Moon - Railroad Track

Earlier this week, Third Man Records announced that Willy Moon would be releasing his next single on the Nashville label.  Yes, Willy Moon is working with Jack White.  The new song is "Railroad Track" and it will be backed by a cover of "Bang Bang", made famous by Nancy Sinatra and Cher.  But wait, there's more!  "Railroad Track" already has a music video. Unfortunately, you won't see many of his dance moves in this one.  Directed by Michael Carter and filmed in Nashville, it's a bit of a new direction for Willy Moon when compared to his previous visual work.

Hopefully, this partnership with Third Man will develop into a full LP.  How soon can we expect to see the limited edition silver record laced with traces of real soil from the moon?

"Railroad Track" will be available as a 7" single on August 20, exclusively through Third Man Records.  You can pre-order a copy here.

Conveyor: Interview & Ticket Giveaway

Brooklyn-based band Conveyor have a new album and they're coming to DC!  Their self-titled debut came out last month and it's quite the record indeed.  For the full album review, head this way, but today we have other exciting news to talk about.  Not only do you have the chance to see them live, but I recently had the pleasure to interview Conveyor and here's what they had to say.

Hello!  Thanks so much for taking the time to chat with me today.  Let's start this off with an introduction.  Who is Conveyor?

We are!  More specifically, we are T.J. Masters, Michael Pedron, Alan Busch, and Evan Garfield.

Your debut album came out earlier this month, so congratulations on that major achievement!  How does the typical Conveyor writing session unfold?  Is it a group process, or do you guys write separately and then merge the results together?

Our process isn't all that consistent really.  It depends on the song.  In some cases songs came together almost entirely in the studio, while in others, one individual brought a relatively fleshed out idea to the group at which point we would all then collaborate and contribute our own ideas.  We also like to let the songs continue to develop in a live scenario, where they tend to really come into their own.

Which comes first, music or lyrics?

Again, this depends on the song.

As a band, what influences you?

We take a lot of direction from music across history (ranging anywhere from the Four Seasons to Fela Kuti), but our real interests lie in bringing those historical influences into the contemporary dialogue among the music scene in which we operate.

If you had to describe Conveyor in three words to someone who has never heard your music before, what would you say?

Teaming Earth Kaleidoscope.

You're currently in the middle of a summer tour spanning across the US and Canada.  How has the crowd reaction at the live shows been so far?

For the most part, the crowds have been very positive and encouraging.  For that, we are more than grateful.

What should someone expect when going to a Conveyor concert?

Expect your expectations to be wrong.

Do you have a favorite city to play?

Louisville, Kentucky.

Finally, what music are you currently listening to?  Are there any albums that you just can't stop playing?

We are listening to Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young at this very moment. We've really been digging on the Kishi Bashi record as well as Monogold's record, The Softest Glow.  Monogold is from Brooklyn and they are great.

Thanks!  Have a great time on the rest of the tour!

Thank you!



Now it's time for the giveaway!  Conveyor's playing at DC's Black Cat tomorrow night, along with Drop Electric, Southwork, and Presto Bando.  If you'd like to win some tickets, you can enter through the following methods.  Increase your odds by doing all three!

1. Send me an email with your name and the subject line "Conveyor Giveaway".

2. Tweet me using the hashtag #ConveyorGiveaway

3. "Like" and leave a comment on this Facebook post

Good luck!  The winner will be contacted on 8/3.