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.