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We've known The Envy Corps for as long as it's truly possible to know a band without being a part of it. We were there when they stole the show in a surprise debut appearance at the M-Shop in Ames, Iowa in late 2001. We watched them become the Hawkeye State's next big thing. They opened for the Killers, toured England, and eventually ended up back in the Midwest. We loved them then and we love them now.
Kid Gloves serves as a document of the band's journeys, both in music and miles. The five-song EP showcases Luke Pettipoole's lyrical wit and the band's stylistic exploration. The collection of songs is both noisier ("Screen Test") and more soothing ("The Cursing Choir") than anything The Envy Corps has released before. Of course, none of the band's travels and travails could shake loose their knack for embedding unshakable hooks into the fabric of every song.
After listening to the EP's five songs (and hidden bonus sixth track), you will undoubtedly wish for another five, as Kid Gloves feels like the A-side of an album of gems. Do not despair. We have a solution: play Kid Gloves again and repeat until the band releases its in-progress full length album. Enjoy.
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In early April, Phoenix wowed unsuspecting audiences on Saturday Night Live with live performances of "Lisztomania" and "1901". Since then, they've dropped a stellar video for each of those songs, featuring a light-show spectacular and a giant bomb balloon. And following the free release of the "1901" tracks, the synth-gorged, impossibly catchy track has been remixed all over the place. Oh, and there's that irreverently named album, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (Glassnote), available now on iTunes.
Sure, the album title is a bit of a joke, but aren't most jokes half-truths anyway? In this case, yes. Definitely, yes. They might not be Mozart (yet), but Phoenix reach pop perfection on WAP. This will be your summer soundtrack. Count on it.
Watch Phoenix do it all summer long on their world tour, dates available here. And if the official video for Lisztomania doesn't quite do it for you, this definitely will. |
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It's been a rough year. Financial markets are down, unemployment is up. John Mayer won a Grammy. Two, actually. But don't despair. Things are looking up. Metric are back with an album that's a little more, dare we say, hopeful.
Fantasies (out April 14) is filled with pragmatic optimism. "If we're still alive, my regrets are few," Emily Haines sings on lead single "Help I'm Alive", which is available as a free acoustic download on the band's website, and the digital single is available now on iTunes. "Help I'm Alive" is something of a accidental hit. Originally recorded to help raise money for a variety of Canadian charities, the song has become the band's biggest Canadian radio success. And it's not even the best song on Fantasies.
For more on the band's approach to the new record, check out this insightful and occasionally amusing Pitchfork interview.
Metric will tour the U.S. in June . Dates and tickets available here. Tour dates, not dates to the show. You're on your own for that. What kind of website do you think this is?
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Hot Chip, The Hold Steady, Lily Allen and several more of your favorite artists have banded together with music legends like Joy Division, Bruce Springsteen and The Clash to help kids trapped in war-ravaged regions worldwide. No, it's not some indie-rock G.I. Joe after-school special (though that would be awesome). Instead, War Child International asked classic artists to select both one of their songs and a newer artist to cover it. The result, War Child: Heroes (Astralwerks), is spectacular.
Stream the tracks via MySpace. Pick up a copy online or at your favorite local independent retailer. It's a noble cause. And, seriously, The Kooks kill "Victoria".
For more information about War Child International and how you can help, click here.
Here's the tracklist:
1. Beck (Bob Dylan – Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat)
2. The Kooks (The Kinks – Victoria)
3. The Hold Steady (Bruce Springsteen – Atlantic City)
4. Hot Chip (Joy Division – Transmission)
5. Lily Allen (The Clash – Straight To Hell)
6. Yeah Yeah Yeahs (The Ramones – Sheena Is A Punk Rocker)
7. Franz Ferdinand (Blondie – Call Me)
8. Duffy (Paul McCartney – Live And Let Die)
9. Estelle (Stevie Wonder – Superstition)
10. Rufus Wainwright (Brian Wilson – Wonderful/Song For Children)
11. Scissor Sisters (Roxy Music – Do The Strand)
12. Peaches (Iggy Pop – Search And Destroy)
13. Adam Cohen (Leonard Cohen – Take This Waltz)
14. Elbow (U2 – Running To Stand Still)
15. The Like (Elvis Costello – You Belong To Me)
16. TV On The Radio (David Bowie – Heroes)
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Lord Cut-Glass is the new solo project from The Delgados' Alun Woodard. The first single and video from the "self-titled" record is "Look After Your Wife and sits below for your enjoyment. We do that. You don't have to thank us. |
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