[VIDEO] tori amos: "flavor"

"flavor" is the new music video from tori amos' upcoming thirteenth studio album gold dust, out october 2 in the US. gold dust has tori re-imagining a personally hand-picked collection of songs spanning her career. it'll feature reworkings of songs in orchestral settings by the metropole orchestra, conducted by jules buckley.

[MP3] WHY?: "jonathan's hope"

good god/what the hell?/what the fuck?/a white dove on the hood of a two-ton truck

WHY? has been incredibly busy of late. the oakland hip-hop/indie band's fifth studio album mumps, etc. is out october 9 and they just released an EP this month called sod in the seed. plus they're on a major world tour. "jonathan's hope" is the new single from mumps, etc. which is rife with sharp lyrics and ingenious turns of phrase and one big hook to hold it all together.

[VIDEO] the presets: "ghosts"

the presets unleashed the video for "ghosts," the first single from their upcoming album pacifica. it's a colorless fest of half-naked teenagers, crooked teeth, swimming and diving.

[REMIX] visitor: "coming home" (viceroy remix)

apparently i'm in a remix mood tonight.

[REMIX] passion pit: "take a walk" (chew lips remix)

in anticipation of chew lips' upcoming single "hurricane," out september 3, from their as-yet-untitled sophomore album, they have remixed passion pit's single "take a walk" to great effect.

zero 7: "the colour of spring" (feat. only girl)

i'll never forget the first time i heard zero 7. i was the arts & entertainment editor at my college newspaper and i received an advanced copy of their album simple things. i was riding the bus back from work and listening to the album on my portable CD player. (aww, remember those?) as soon as i heard "destiny" i was hooked. i listened to it over and over and have followed zero 7 ever since. they lend their talents to the upcoming talk talk tribute album spirit of talk talk. in a collaboration with only girl zero 7 covers "the colour of spring." it's as majestic as you think it is. the double album, out september 3, features 30 artists including:

Alan Wilder (Depeche Mode/ Recoil), White Lies, King Creosote, Jason Lytle (Grandaddy), Zero 7, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Richard Reed Parry (Arcade Fire), Joan As Police Woman, Sean Carey (Bon Iver), Lights, Goldheart Assembly, Thomas White (Electric Soft Parade), Fyfe Dangerfield (Guillemots), Thomas Feiner, The Black Ships, Turin Brakes, as well as Ian Curnow, David Rhodes, Gaynor Sadler and Martin Ditcham, all of whom worked with Talk Talk.

[VIDEO] biggles: "let a new world begin"

never had a brand new start/is it work/or is it trash/or is it art?

from this month's music alliance pact:

Sven Rüf aka Biggles from Zurich is a singer-songwriter with a special talent for making music that sounds simultaneously humorous and fragile. His songs always come with a decent dose of mischief, which is why we love him so much. His fifth long-player Cloudspeaker is released this month, guaranteeing pop music without boundaries.

take a listen to "let a new world begin" from his upcoming album and check out the newly released video below. for more information on biggles, visit his facebook page.

erik hassle: "we dance"

there are some artists with whom you fall madly in love and want nothing more than for them to succeed and for people to take notice. a few years ago erik hassle was one of those artists for me. i was a sucker for his blue-eyed and ginger, spring-coil hair. his debut album hassle, entitled pieces in the US and some parts of the world, was exceptional, as were his follow-up EPs. but, alas, while he had success in his homeland of sweden and throughout scandinavia, the world at large, namely the US, didn't take to him as i did. truthfully, he fell off my radar over the last year-and-a-half but i was thrilled to see that his second LP we dance has been released. it's a softer pop album than hassle/pieces and the hooks aren't as strong this time around. but there are one or two standout numbers, namely the title track.

erik hassle - we dance

cold showers: "BC"

LA-based cold showers will release a new record called love and regret this october and the album track "BC" is making the rounds around the interwebz. it's dark and mysterious, also moody and somewhat heavy-handed, but it's catchy and it's available for a free download. so there's that.

quickbeam: "seven hundred birds"

in the first 90 seconds of "seven hundred birds," even before any lyrics are sung, you are struck by an intense, vivid string arrangement. it's one that instantly conjures up images of a tearful goodbye (or perhaps a reunion). to be sure it's melancholy, but above all it's cinematic. the debut single from glasgow band quickbeam is more than just a song to while away a few minutes; it's an experience. that's quite a unique accomplishment for a sextet that has but this single and it's b-side to their credit. just exquisite.

cherry cherry boom boom: "come back from san francisco" (sven kirchhof remix)

if cherry cherry boom boom sounds familiar you might have heard that sung by lady gaga several times throughout the fame. cherry cherry boom boom, aka martin kierszenbaum, co-wrote several songs with gaga for her debut album. he also co-wrote the classic 2002 t.A.T.u. track "all the things she said." now his debut single, a cover of magnetic fields' "come back from san francisco," is out and is receiving the remix treatment far and wide from some of the industry's best. this one by sven kirchhof is so pop it explodes. check it below ... and no, i'm never come back from san francisco.

nite jewel & nicholas krgovich: "thinking about you" (frank ocean cover)

frank ocean isn't just hype. he's the real deal. channel orange is one of the best albums of the year and the opening track "thinkin bout you," a seductive ballad, sets the mood completely. nite jewel (aka ramona gonzalez) has recorded a faithful and inspired cover of the song, which is reworked as a duet with nicholas krgovich. it completely changes the feel of the piece, adding a heck of a lot more flute, but still maintains a seductive, sexy mood.

malinchak: "beside me"

r&b singer brandy has been in the news lately as she attempts to make another comeback and release a new album. new singles have been released and/or leaked but while everything gets sorted out new york DJ chris malinchak has got the right idea with his brilliant reworking of brandy's song "best friend" from her 1994 eponymous debut album. the new mix, entitled "beside me," maintains that early '90s r&b feel but adds a lot of atmosphere with its slick production and great beats. malinchak is definitely one to keep tuned to your antenna.

[MP3] mckenna frazer: "i'll be your chauffeur"

this is the kind of story no one would believe if it didn't actually happen: a girl records a song for her father as a present for his birthday. the song, "i'll be your chauffeur," is a cover originally done by david j of bauhaus fame. the father likes the cover so much that he emails it to david j, with whom he happens to be friends. david j is impressed by it too so he brings in the girl to record a formally mixed and mastered version. then he calls rob garza of thievery corporation to help produce it. any questions? ask mckenna frazer.

seye: "white noise"

if i were still in high school now would be the time i realized that i did absolutely none of my summer reading. i love reading but i was and still am a slow reader and too fidgety to simply sit down and focus my attention on a book. also "the price is right" was on. one book i never managed to read was white noise by don delillo. had i had some appropriate background music, like seye's "white noise," i might have tackled it. seye's global background -- nigeria, ecuador, bromley, holland -- translates well, and his pedigree of playing guitar for acts like ellie goulding and the noisettes adds panache and fervor to his sound. much more fun than reading a book.

foxes: "youth"

don't tell me our youth is running out/it's only just begun

foxes is one those buzz-worthy acts of 2012 that seem to have escaped my radar until now. though pluralized foxes is only one, a young british babe named louisa rose allen, who is currently signed to neon gold records. this tune, "youth," is the one that got everyone talking. one listen and it's not hard to understand why. gorgeous, swirling synths punctuate foxes' soulful vocals -- and there's even some vocoder voice manipulation à la cher at the bridge. yes. foxes new EP warrior is out now. get it on iTunes.

[THE WIRE] help the limousines fund their sophomore album hush

it's no secret that my favorite local band is the limousines. so you can imagine how thrilled i was that the san francisco bay-area duo today announced their plans for their sophomore album, hush, the long-awaited follow-up to their debut get sharp. the boys have left their record label and are going it alone, but together, independently, but with you. wait. what? 

ok, the short version is they've started a kickstarter campaign to get hush finished and mastered. then they'll release it independently to the masses. every dollar raised helps them achieve their goal and keep their loyal, loving fans like myself from foaming at the mouth for new tunes. at least for a while. (if you don't know the limousines, check out two of their self-made, self-funded and produced music videos below.)

in all seriousness you can donate anything from $2 up and they've got some great incentives for their backers such as your name in the CD booklet, bonus tracks, admittance to the first listening party and even a private concert. these guys are incredibly talented and one of if not the best independent bands out there, so please consider throwing a few extra bucks behind their campaign. and whether or not you're able to donate, please tell all your friends. it's the future.

[MP3] fleetwood mac: "rhiannon" (baron von luxxury dreams unwinding re-edit)

ask and you shall receive. i was just wondering what the hell i was going to post today when i got an email from baron von luxxury featuring his latest remix. it's a stripped-down, laid-back, post-coital reworking of fleetwood mac's classic "rhiannon." (every time i go to type 'rhiannon' i end up typing 'rihanna' instead. gay.)

freelance whales: "spitting image"

freelance whales released a new song today from their upcoming album diluvia, out october 9 on mom+pop music and frenchkiss records. purchase the single on iTunes. the band will be on tour this fall to promote the new LP:

10/04 -Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall*
10/05 – Minneapolis, MI @ 7th St Entry*
10/06 – Madison, WI @ Redamte*
10/07 – Iowa City @ Maintenance Shop*
10/10 – Dallas, TX @ Trees*
10/11- Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald’s*
10/13 – Mexico City, MX @ Capital Corona Festival
10/14 – Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits
10/16 – Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theater*
10/18 – San Francisco, CA @ Mezzanine*
10/20 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir*
10/21 – Seattle, WA @ Chop Suey*
10/23 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court*
10/24 – Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theatre*
10/26 – St. Louis, MO @ Firebird*
10/27 – Nashville, TN @ The End*
10/28 – Atlanta, GA @ The Loft*
10/30 – Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506*
10/31 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club*
11/01 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall*
11/02 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer*
11/03 – Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club*

*with Geographer

[THE WIRE] rihanna: the full oprah interview

[THE WIRE] scott mckenzie, "san francisco" singer, dead at 73

scott mckenzie, the singer whose 1967 hit "san francisco (be sure to wear flowers in your hair)" became an iconic hippie anthem during the summer of love, has died. he was 73. mckenzie, who died saturday in los angeles, had battled guillain-barre syndrome, a disease that affects the nervous system, since 2010, according to his web site.

john phillips of the mamas and the papas penned the tune to promote the monterey pop festival in 1967 and gave it to mckenzie. the song became an instant hit during the summer of love reaching #4 on the billboard hot 100. it became an anthem for the counterculture movement and is said to have inspired thousands of young people to move to san francisco in the late 1960s.

some radio stations banned the song when it was released because it was thought mckenzie was singing "we'll be alone in bed" instead of "we'll be a-loving there."

the chevin: "blue eyes"

the chevin aim to conquer american, i reckon. the leeds band is scheduled to appear on late show with david letterman on august 29. they'll perform their single, "champion," which we featured back in february. the single will be featured on the american version of their debut EP champion, scheduled for release on august 28; the EP was released in the UK late last year. their new UK single, also featured on the US and UK EPs, is this great, harmonic indie rock "blue eyes."

eli & fur: "sea of stars"

what began as two young college friends sharing their musical interests has quickly escalated to two of the most sought-after DJs in london. now eli & fur are stepping out from behind the turntables and to release their first self-penned, produced and programmed track "sea of stars." the song is a wonderful example of EDM done right. lush production, breathy, eerie vocals and a glorious hook. be on the lookout for more from these talented ladies. you can pick up the track here.

MADONNA: the top 10 live performances

madonna's birthday isn't quite over yet. our madonna fan-in-residence, daniel, counts down the top 10 live performances by the queen:

1. "sooner or later," the academy awards, 1991

2. "fever," the girlie show, 1993

3. "hung up," MTV EMA, 2005

4. "holiday," roseland ballroom, 2000

5. "love makes the world go round," live aid, 1985

6. "express yourself," blonde ambition tour, 1990

7. "like a virgin," blonde ambition tour, 1990

8. "vogue," re-invention tour, 2004

9. "little star," the oprah winfrey show, 1998

10. "bedtime story," brit awards, 1995

MADONNA: The 20 best songs you've forgotten

recently two homosexuals got together to talk madonna. one, daniel, is an uber madonna fan. the other, jared, is a sometime uber madonna fan. both know her body of work well. in a storied career whose tabloid fodder has perennially eclipsed her formidable musical strength as a pop singer, and in honor of her 104th 54th birthday, they decided to put together a list of lost gems, great madonna songs that got lost in the shuffle over the last 30 years. no song was off limits -- including hits, album tracks, b-sides, unreleased tracks and demos -- as long as these queens could defend the queen's work. here are 20 reasons why madonna is the undisputed Queen of Pop – and you didn't hear it on the radio. bow down, bitches, bow down!
daniel's picks 1. "dear jessie" (1989) appears on like a prayer i read somewhere that "dear jessie" was written as a lullaby for the young daughter of patrick leonard, madonna's songwriter and producer on like a prayer. disarmingly sweet, madonna paints a neverland-esque dreamscape for little jessie - enlisting the likes of mermaids, flying elephants and other cutesey critters in her lyrics. if i knew anything about the beatles, i may or may not be able to confirm that the music feels truly inspired by sgt. pepper, since i don't -- we'll just say the marriage of strings and madonna's girly fantasyland poetry fill this track with the kind of l-u-v you just can't fake. 2. "rescue me" (single mix) (1991) appears on rescue me 12" mixes never missing a beat, m drops by house music's big coming out party: it's as if she invented the genre. the vocal is a power belter – dipping deep into her devilishly sexy lower register (so sorely missed), and interspersed with signature spoken word verses, "you see that i'm ferocious, you see that i am weak you see that i am silly and pretentious and a freak." the booming thunderstorm backing track is over the top camp and doubtlessly inspired at least a few drops of the panties over the years. 3. "you thrill me" (1991-92) demo i know of at least five different demo mixes for the beast that eventually became "erotica," but "you thrill me" is by far the most evocative. this simple four-track version pairs a sultry groove with a wistful piano loop. neither the bravado of the "jungle boogie" sample, nor dita's scratchy incantations are anywhere to be heard on this version - instead, the beautifully sung chorus smolders with desire, sex, and pain: "you are who you are/wouldn't want to change a thing/in spite of all the pain that love can bring/what can i do? i'm so in love with you…" 4. "sanctuary" (1994) appears on bedtime stories madonna once described herself as the queen of despair, if memory serves it was the 1994 interview for q magazine, not that i am a super fan or remember obscure quotes like that. anyways: living up to that desperado title, m coos "who needs to smile, when a tear's so full of love?" the track throbs – transforming herbie hancock's funky 'watermelon man' into an erotic slow jam – sexy, all consuming – and so weary. inspired by her love for early 20th century surrealist painting – one of madonna's greatest lyrical virtues is her instinct for emotive, resonant metaphors heard to devastating effect on this bedtime stories album cut. 5. "has to be" (1998) appears on the b-side to "ray of light" more of a prayer than a song, has to be is stunning in its ethereal beauty - sung by a creature seemingly other than the one writhing justin timberlake. longing never sounded so lovely. 6. "cyberraga" (2000) appears on the b-side to "music" boasting a guest spot by talvin singh on the tabla, this track beams kinetic energy, never mind the fact we have no idea what the hell, or rather, nirvana she is singing about. it just rules. rumor has it this long forgotten b-side boogie-woogied its bad sanskrit self onto to the mdna tour set list. is it october 5th yet? 7. "impressive instant" (2000) appears on music who doesn't want to "singy singy singly like a bird on the wingy wingy wingy?" madonna proves she is the hardest partying milf in the business, sounding totally cosmic, and showing of her new toy – mirwais ahmadzai on this epic headphones track. 8. "nobody knows me" (live) (2004) appears on i'm going to tell you a secret vocoder fetish! the terminator she has forever been accused of rears its steely head on this clobbering, jerky synthesizer track – standing out as one of the most aggressive tunes in the madonna arsenal. the multi-layered, shrill beats seem to stab: owing more to the industrial grit of nine inch nails than the infectious and kaleidoscopic daft punk-esque electronica heard so brilliantly on her prior album, music. the lyrics are a critique of…we're not exactly sure what! but it's no fun, the damage is, done, we don't want your social disease, and i'm gonna give my treadmill hell! the more rhythmic concert version renders this should-be single strangely danceable - in an angry robot kind of way. 9. "american life" (2003) appears on american life how my best gay boyfriends and i have agonized over the american life debacle – a topic that still manages to come up at drunken dinner parties. her manager chose the wrong singles, the video was yanked off mtv (lest she be dixie-chicked) – even so-called fans didn't get it – the music a troubled marriage of avant-garde dance and somber folk: the list goes on! to be fair, m was woefully out-of step in 2003, a year dominated by teen pop and rap. releasing this off – beat pastiche as a lead single couldn't be seen as anything other than risky. perhaps it's the risk of experimentation with sonically adventurous material, or more likely the novelty value of american life that intrigues me so. either way, this song doesn't sound like anything heard before or since. 10. "future lovers" (2006) appears on confessions on a dancefloor the masterpiece of late-era comeback album confessions on a dancefloor, epic euphoric disco homage to mororder.		jared's picks 1. "justify my love" (Q-sound mix) (1990)  appears on "justify my love" maxi-single the only thing justifiably famous about "justify my love" is the infamous music video. it caused quite a stir 22 years ago but it shockingly tame by 2012 standards. while most focus on the video -- still one of her best -- the song itself is often neglected, but this was madonna at the beginning of one of her greatest and most, um, fertile periods in her career: the sex/erotica years. "justify my love" is madonna stripped down to nothing more than a drum machine, her minnie mouse/little girl-style harmonies and her husky, womanly, diana ross-like speaking voice commanding her lover(s) to do anything and everything possible to and with her. and let's not forget lenny kravitz moaning in the background. yum. 2. "till death do us part" (1989) appears on like a prayer from the album many critics consider to be her first masterpiece, like a prayer, "till death do us part" displays one trait of madonna's that we've seen very little of over the last three decades: vulnerability. the tune, obviously inspired by her recent divorce from sean penn, has a somewhat frenetic arrangement as madonna sings: "the bruises they will fade away/you hit so hard with the things you say/i will not stay to watch your hate/as it grows." it's the single most heartbreaking lyric she's ever delivered, sung with such sincerity, that it's a shame she went back to being so hard. 3. "forbidden love" (2004)  appears on confessions on a dance floor confessions was the last great madonna album chock-full of electronica and dance gems. the record company originally planned five singles to be released after the success of mega-hit "hung up," but after "jump" and "sorry" faltered the plans were scrapped. "forbidden love" would have been an excellent single choice. hauntingly simplistic in its electropop arrangement with evocative vocals. 4. "you'll see" (1995) appears on something to remember for her turn in evita, madonna went through some rigorous vocal training which, for better or worse, changed the way she sounded. one the plus side she used her lower register more which is when she sounds best. the video for "you'll see," a new track for the ballads compilation something to remember, was a supposed sequel to the video for the dreadful "take a bow." i saw madonna perform "you'll see" on the drowned world tour and i was astonished by her vibrato and how utterly gorgeous she sounded. the song is perfectly tailored for her talents. 5. "rain" (1992) appears on erotica a minor single when it was released, "rain," like "you'll see," is one of those songs where madonna truly gets to explore her vocal range and, in this case, some luscious harmonies. 6. "rescue me" (single mix) (1991) appears on "rescue me" maxi-single oh, that speaking voice! equal parts sexy and twitch-inducing, and oftentimes the kind of voice that bend steel, madonna has experimented with speak-singing all of career. sometimes it works ("justify my love") and sometimes it doesn't ("american life") but it succeeds wildly on "rescue me." the best version of the song, which was one of two new ones for the immaculate collection, is the single version. for immaculate she experimented with Q-sound, a three-dimensional sound process, which works well on "rescue me." (if anything this is the song that sounds the most like gaga.) 7. "hanky panky" (1990) appears on i'm breathless remember when madge and warren beatty dated for a hot minute in the early 1990s? and we were gifted with the knowledge that warren was into bondage/S&M and liked to be spanked? and then madonna wrote a kitschy song about it and called it "hanky panky" and featured the lyrics "nothing like a good spanky"? ahh, i miss the '90s. 8. "ain't no big deal" (1986)  appears on the b-side to "true blue" "ain't no big deal" was supposed to be madonna's first single. it was recorded in 1982 but wasn't released until 1986 as the b-side to "true blue" in the US and the b-side to "papa don't preach" in some european territories. the song is laughable as much now as it was in 1982 (or 1986). it features such hard-hitting, deep, meaningful lyrics as "ain't no big deal/uh-uh-uh/ain't no big thing/uh-uh-uh-uh." totally ridiculous, but totally enjoyable and a nice throwback to when madonna was fun. 9. "i want you" feat. massive attack (1995)  appears on something to remember a wonderfully sensuous cover of the marvin gaye song, "i want you" was one of three new songs included on the ballads compilation something to remember. it features a beat produced by massive attack and includes some of the elaborate orchestral elements of gaye's original. but mostly it's just madonna and sensuality. two things that go hand-in-hand. 10. "causing a commotion" (1987) appears on who's that girl bitch can cause a commotion. still.

loon lake: "cherry lips"

there might be a hint of sexual innuendo in loon lake's "cherry lips" and there's a lot of awkward, rhythm-less white people dancing in the video but try listening to this song just once without hitting repeat.

woven bird: "saw you in two"

good hygiene begins with putting things in your mouth.

like a magician i saw you in two

woven bird are a relatively new band from southampton, UK, and they fully acknowledge that they are influenced by the shins, neutral milk hotel and vampire weekend, among others. so if you like those bands you'll likely approve of woven bird. their new single "saw you in two," was released in june and follows a three-track EP released last year. "saw" is the first single from their upcoming as yet untitled debut album on folkwit records, tentatively scheduled for february 2013.

imagine dragons: "it's time" (penguin prison remix)

man, there's a lot of music out there. i'm just catching up on some tunes that i've been meaning to listen to. like this penguin prison remix of imagine dragons' tune "it's time" of which the original version is featured on their EP continued silence. i might have avoided this one because imagine dragons don't do it for me, but penguin prison does and i shouldn't have doubted that for a minute. case in point:

[VIDEO] jens lekman: "i know what love isn't"

swedish crooner jens lekman released the new video for his single "i know what love isn't," the title track from his upcoming album, out september 3 on service.

lykke li and best coast cover fleetwood mac

i know that might prove shocking to some, even sacrilegious, but i would like to go on record as saying that i have never liked fleetwood mac. ever. ok, fine, i like "dreams." but not because it's fleetwood mac; because it's a good song. and i'll take christine mcvie over stevie nicks a-n-y d-a-y. now that that's out of the way i'd like to turn your attention to just tell me that you want me, the recently released tribute album to said uninteresting band. whoever set this up put together one helluva lineup with artists as diverse as marianne faithfull, the new pornographers, washed out, tame impala, the kills and MGMT. two other artists included on the compilation are best coast who cover the "rhiannon" exactly as you'd expect best coast to cover a fleetwood mac song, and lykke li who gives a warm, inviting interpretation to "silver springs."

best coast - rhiannon

lykke li - silver springs

howth: "secret goldmine"

perhaps i should keep a better paper trail because i don't know how i came across this song. the brooklyn quintet howth, currently touring the US, released a three-track EP called secret goldmine just last month. the title track encapsulates their self-described ambient folk-pop; they also call their sound loud space folk though "secret goldmine" is a much more subtle affair.

[MP3] XOV: "stones" and "tomorrow is my day"

i first became acquainted with damian ardestani, better known as XOV, only recently. he did guest vocals on an incredible house track called "young guns" by cantoreggi which was sent to me and i immediately posted. but XOV is accomplished in his own right as a singer, songwriter and producer. two of the swede's singles have been making the rounds in the blogosphere of late and generating a lot of buzz. both "stones" and "tomorrow is my day" are wonderfully dark pop songs with excellent vintage drum tracks and XOV's emotive vocals which carry a hint of sting (the singer). of "tomorrow," released today, XOV said:

When I was just a baby, my parents left a somewhat privileged life in Iran to start over as broke refugees in Sweden where my father slowly became addicted to drugs, destroying almost everything in his path. When I reconnected with him at 11, after years of no contact (I thought he was dead), I had my hopes up in a way only a child can. He fucked up again and that was the first time I experienced real heartbreak. It ignited my everlasting trust issues. My mother, trying to explain to a child how the heart works, said the exact same words she's now saying in english, in the intro of this song. Although this might sound sad, the song is very positive and uplifting. The more shit we overcome, the stronger we become and this song is about that!

both songs are available for free download and will be featured on his upcoming EP clowns II.

neon hitch: "gold" (feat. tyga)

last year neon hitch released the single "bad dog" which had me utterly gobsmacked at the first listen. i thought "this chick's got it in the bag if she keeps releasing songs as good as this one." but her singles, post-"bad dog," have failed to impress. this includes her newest, "gold," a ballad co-written by bruno mars. it's not a bad song, there's just nothing special about it including an unnecessary, tired appearance by a rap star. in this case, tyga. yawn. you can catch neon hitch on jimmy fallon thursday, august 16.

[MP3] highasakite: "indian summer"

san francisco is known for its indian summers. a glorious spell of warm weather greets us every year in late september and october. it's a season of impeccable beauty. the "indian summer" sung about in highasakite's song shares in common that raw, organic beauty of the season. highasakite, the latest norwegian export, has gained some buzz throughout scandinavia and are releasing a four-track EP worldwide next week also entitled indian summer. today norway, tomorrow the world!

[MP3] rihanna: "where have you been" (disco fries bootleg remix)

riri ri-mixed to absolute perfection by the disco fries.

matthew dear: "fighting is futile"

matthew dear might just be the total package: movie star good looks, a respected DJ, a business man, a musician. did i mention he's incredibly good looking? no? oh, well, he's a handsome guy. so yeah, there's that. earlier this year he teamed up with another sexy artist, jonny pierce of the drums, for a wonderful collaboration "in the middle," which easily remains one of the best tracks of the year. 

dear's latest solo album beams, released on his own label ghostly international, is another exercise in avant-garde pop. one that succeeds in spite of itself. some songs are more accessible than others and the entire album is not for everyone. but it sure has its moments, like "fighting is futile," with its seductively eerie vocals, hand claps and a beat that sounds like a demented mash-up of a TV game show theme song and a four-on-the-floor dance beat.

the good natured: "she drives me crazy" (fine young cannibals cover)

one of my favorite current pop bands, the good natured, put their distinctive spin on fine young cannibals' 1989 number 1 hit "she drives me crazy." you can grab a free download in exchange for a tweet here.

the vaccines: "the winner takes it all" (ABBA cover)

the vaccines are set to release their much anticipated sophomore album come of age this october. in anticipation of the LP the band has released a free EP of four covers recorded in various hotel rooms during their 2011 eastern european tour. you can grab it here. the covers include "mannequin" by wire, "the beast in me" by nick lowe, "that summer feeling" by jonathan richman and "the winner takes it all" by ABBA.

[VIDEO] example: "say nothing"

u.k. singer/rapper example unleashed this week the first single from his forthcoming fourth studio album the evolution of man. "say nothing," produced by DJ dirty south, is an electronica-pop record for the masses with a giant hook and example's seductive voice. it will be released by ministry of sound on september 16 with remixes by TC, roska, burns, foamo and hardwell.

nina sky: "bright lights"

nearly a decade ago nina sky stormed the charts with the pop/raggae smash "move ya body." that remains their biggest and best known (and only) hit but identical twins nicole and natalie albino have been consistently working and releasing material, the best of which was an appearance on major lazer's 2009 album guns don't kill people ... lazers do. their latest album, nicole and natalie, is being offered as a free download on their site -- grab it here -- and is filled with radio-ready, dance-oriented pop gems like "bright lights," produced by slimmy neutron. (another of the album's key tracks, "heartbeat," was featured on one of our recent mixtapes.)    

stars: "backlines"

stars have premiered a third track from their upcoming new album the north, due september 4 on ATO records. "backlines" follows "the theory of relativity" and "hold on when you get love and let go when you give it." you can pre-order the north here. and check 'em out on tour with diamond rings, california wives and metric. tickets for some shows include a digital download of the north.

9/20 - Portland, ME - Port City Music Hall ^

9/21 - Boston, MA - Paradise ^ 

9/22 - New York, NY - Webster Hall ^ 

9/23 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club ^

9/25 - Charlottesville, VA - Jefferson Theater ^

9/26 - Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle ^

9/27 - Charlotte, NC - Visulite Theatre ^

9/28 - Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse ^

9/29 - Nashville, TN - Mercy Lounge ^

10/2 - Louisville, KY - Headliners Music Hall ^

10/3 - Cincinnati, OH - 20th Century Theatre ^

10/4 - Indianapolis, IN - Deluxe @ Old National Centre ^

10/5 - St. Louis, MO - Plush ^

10/6 - Columbia, MO - The Blue Note ^

10/9 - Lawrence, KS - The Bottleneck ^

10/10 - Tulsa, OK - Cain's Ballroom ^

10/11 - Little Rock, AR - Revolution Music Room ^

10/12 - Houston, TX - Fitzgerald's Upstairs ^

10/13 - Dallas, TX - Granada Theatre ^

10/14 - Austin, TX - Austin City Limits *

10/17 - San Diego, CA - House of Blues ^

10/18 - Los Angeles, CA - Mayan Theater ^

10/19 - Santa Cruz, CA - Rio Theatre ^

10/20 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore ^

10/21 - Napa, CA - The Uptown Theatre 

11/7 - Portland, OR - The Aladdin Theatre

11/8 - Seattle, WA - The Showbox

11/9 - Victoria, BC - Save on Centre # *

11/10 - Vancouver, BC - Rogers Arena # *

11/12 - Kelowna, BC - Prospera Place # *

11/14 - Calgary, AB - Stampede Corral # *

11/15 - Edmonton, AB - Rexall Place # *

11/17 - Winnipeg, MB - MTS Centre # *

11/19 - London, ON - John Labatt Centre # *

11/23 - Kingston, ON - K-Rock Centre # *

11/24 - Toronto, ON - Air Canada Centre # *  

* - ticket does not include album download

^ - Diamond Rings and California Wives opening

# - with Metric

mumford & sons: "i will wait"

u.k. band mumford & sons today released via youtube their first single, "i will wait," from their upcoming sophomore album babel. the album is scheduled for release on september 25. it's the follow-up to their widely acclaimed debut sigh no more.

the gotye you should know: the singer on his massive breakthrough hit, upcoming tour and the use of proper grammar

if the barometer of success for a musician these days is internet memes, endless YouTube parodies and outrageous rumors, then there's no doubt gotye has hit the big time. the australian singer (real name: wally de backer) and multi-instrumentalist's global #1 smash "somebody that i used to know," featuring kimbra, is inescapable -- on the radio, on television, online; it's everywhere. he's about to embark on a world tour, including numerous stops in north america, to promote his latest album making mirrors. we caught up with him by phone monday to talk about the tour and why you should always avoid him and his crew at bar trivia night.

the Pop Sucker: hey! how's it going? you're in australia right now?

gotye: yeah, right now i'm driving home from a punch brothers show.

tPS: how was it?

gotye: it was awesome!

tPS: i'm based in san francisco and i understand the last time you were here, a few months ago, that you and your crew were not ones to mess with at bar trivia night.

gotye: [laughs] yeah, that was fun. we had people from all different musical backgrounds, lots of different talent [editor's note: it was rock 'n' roll trivia night], and we showed up as "team jean paul gaultier." the people running the bar were really cool. that was a very memorable night. 

tPS: you'll be back in san francisco, well, berkeley, next month but the concert was rescheduled because the original date conflicted with the MTV video music awards. you have a couple of nominations. congratulations! 

gotye: cheers.

tPS: "somebody that i used to know" has blown up this year -- parodies, internet memes -- and has really taken on a life of its own. at what moment did you realize that the song was huge?

gotye: yeah, it's been kind of a mushroom cloud. well, there's been a number of moments.

tPS: have you checked out any of the parodies?

gotye: oh, yeah! i've checked some of them. there's one right now called "that gotye song", with these guys driving, that's become a viral video. they're talking about how the song is seemingly catchy, and it's sort of a backhanded compliment, but i like it.

tPS: i was at a BBQ yesterday and the song came on and someone there said "i know i should be sick of this song by now but i just love it."

gotye: [laughs] that's great! what version was it? was it one of the parodies?

tPS: no, it was the album version.

gotye: see, you get that but it's kind of polarizing. someone else will say "fucking hell, enough of that song!" but then i read that someone said they took a break from the song and recently "rediscovered" it.

tPS: but the song has been around for a while. you've released a couple albums before making mirrors, but it's only blown up here in america recently. was that something you wanted to do? try to make it in america?

gotye: i really wanted to release the last [album] in america, but i couldn't find a label. i tried but after a while i think people considered it an old record regardless of its musical merits. they didn't really expect me to become this weird, pop crossover sensation.

tPS: have you been writing new stuff or recording?

gotye: i haven't let myself write or record just because i've been so busy. but sometime next week i'm going to post something online that i've been working on that really put me back in touch with being creative. i haven't been writing and it was really nice to get that taste of creativity.

tPS: what is it?

gotye: well, i'm going to be quite cryptic about it, but if you go to MSN UK there's a click ad for "save me." that's a video i recently did. i'm not sure if you can see that in america, but it's on MSN in the UK. and that was really fun. i'll be working on stuff next year. and if you come to one of my shows we have new live visuals for you.

tPS: tell me about touring. is it as grueling as some artists say it is?

gotye: i've done a lot of it and when i was with my previous band, the basics, we would sleep on friends' floors, try to find the cheapest flights, get no sleep, and it could be pretty grueling. now, comparatively, it's luxurious. i try to make the most out of the travel side of it. i try to get a good stride going and figure out how to enjoy it. i've also figured out how many shows in a week is comfortable for my voice. and there are other things i've been doing like exercising and trying to eat well. but i have to say i went on holiday and i found that in america there's a lot of fast food options, and a ton of trashy stuff. it's hard to find good stuff.

tPS: what about when you were in san francisco? this is a foodie town.

gotye: san francisco was great. we had great clam chowder and went to an oyster house. we had this great mexican food. we were staying at the clift hotel and it was right nearby.

tPS: i live next door to the clift hotel.

gotye: oh, really? then you must know it. it can't be more than 50 paces from the hotel.

tPS: oh, colibri! yes, i've been there. great food.

gotye: yes, it was wonderful. had amazing flavors.

tPS: do you ever wonder or worry if you'll be able to replicate the success you've had this year?

gotye: well, i wonder "do i want to repeat this success?" it's been great but i like trying new things; it keeps things interesting. i've done the youtube video and big touring this time around. i don’t know if i want to do the same thing. as they say, i’ll step aside and let the music be my guide. [laughs]
tPS: tell me how you experiment with sound. i read that you like to do a lot of sampling with records and tapes, and collaging them all together. so how do you experiment?
gotye: you said it, that’s pretty much it. i collect lots of different things, lots of music. with all the software now there are so many possible sounds. i kind of like experimenting and seeing what happens. experimenting with new vocals, out of context, it gives the sound new meanings, new textures. i never get tired of it. and i dig all the technology.

tPS: i'm going to guess that "somebody" was based, at least in part, on real experiences. do you know if your ex or exes have heard it and what they think of it?

gotye: a bunch of my exes have heard it and they've asked me about it. but it's not so much based on actual memories; it's based more on my musings and self-compounding emotions. and how you recall it and whether or not you recall it the way it actually happened. i recalled different emotions as much as i had to. as confusing and emotionally vacillating as that can be. that probably doesn't answer your question or clear things up.

tPS: no, it's cool. i get it. i know we have to tie things up but before we go i have to ask: have any grammar nazis come up to you and said, "actually, it's supposed to be 'somebody whom i used to know.'"?

gotye: [laughs] i just started to see that online. i didn't consciously realize it when i wrote it to use that. but when you think of it, it's so polite to say whom. it would change the meaning of the song. that implies that the person is just a physical object, and maybe you had some intimate knowledge of it, maybe carnal knowledge or whatever, but it's now just an inanimate object. but we're probably teaching the kids of tomorrow the wrong thing. those grammar nazis or spelling nazis i've found always seem to try to distinguish themselves from others, like they're smarter than everyone else. like they're the last bastions of old language left; but languages mutate and change. so maybe people should be more flexible.

you can catch gotye at the greek theatre in berkeley on september 9. click here to purchase tickets. click here for the full tour schedule. making mirrors is available now. purchase now on iTunes.

aaliyah: "enough said" (feat. drake)

a new aaliyah album? possibly. the late R&B singer has been the subject of many a rumor about a posthumous album since her untimely death in 2001. now drake has resurrected her using an unreleased vocal track for the new tune "enough said," produced by noah "40" shebib, furthering speculation that an album might not be far behind. there would surely be interest. the song was released two days ago and has already racked up over half a million plays. "enough said" is just OK, certainly not very memorable, and while drake's rap section is tired and unnecessary, it's a revelation to hear aaliyah's honey-coated vocals for the first time in a long while. what are your thoughts on the possibility of a new aaliyah album? 

dragonette: "live in this city"

the new single from dragonette's upcoming album, bodyparts, was released today. "live in this city" follows "let it go" and "rocket ship" and is much more rock-driven than those efforts. still the shiny electro-pop dragonette stamp is all over it. bodyparts is out september 25.

check 'em out on tour this fall:

9/11: Buffalo, NY @ Town Ballroom *

9/12: New York, NY @ Webster Hall *

9/13: Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer

9/14: Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club *

9/15: Washington, DC @ Black Cat

9/16: Cleveland, OH @ Ingenuity Festival

9/18: Chicago, IL @ Metro *

9/19: Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock Social Club *

9/20: Kansas City, MO @ Beaumont Club *

9/21: Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge *

9/24: San Diego, CA @ Belly Up *

9/25: Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre *

9/26: San Francisco, CA @ Mezzanine *

9/27: Portland, OR @ Doug Fir *

9/28: Seattle, WA @ Decibal Festival / Neumos *

* = w/ the knocks

the presets: "ghosts"

the presets have released the first single, "ghost," from their upcoming new album pacifica, out in september. check 'em out on tour this fall:

10/13 – San Francisco, CA – Treasure Island Music Festival

10/15 – Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom

10/19 – New York, NY – Terminal 5

10/20 – Boston, MA – House of Blues

10/21 – Montreal, QC – Corona Theatre

10/23 – Toronto, ON – Danforth Music Hall

10/25 – Chicago, IL – Metro

10/27 – Los Angeles, CA – Club Nokia

10/28 – Pomona, CA – The Fox Theatre

dappled cities: "born at the right time"

i've always thought i was born at the wrong time, in the wrong decade. possibly even the wrong century. but the five incredibly handsome australian lads of dappled cities make a strong case for being born at the right time. the tune "born at the right time," from their fourth album lake air, is an incredibly infectious pop-rock tune with a sing-a-long style chorus, bongos, synths... man, you can just file this one under: awesome.

"ashamed to build air castles?": a mix-tape

cover art by daniel schrimshire

peek-a-boo! it's a mix-tape. this friday is my birthday so i decided to give all of you a gift. the last mix-tape came out only a month ago, and there was a lengthy delay between that one and the one preceding it. but this one just came to me. there's no hidden meaning, there's no cohesive theme. it's all about just partying and having a good time. and looking fabulous. with great hair. and low-cut dresses. and getting so drunk you start sputtering nonsensical phrases and posing with your furniture all the while pretending that you're veronica lake. you know, a normal tuesday.

"ashamed to build air castles?": a mix-tape

come for me (mighty mouse remix) - moonlight matters // dancing shoes (kamp! remix) - brodka // she will never know (the 14th minute remix) - polo club // ghost - bodebrixen // young guns - cantoreggi feat. XOV // you spin me upside down (DJ shyboy mashup) - diana ross vs. dead or alive // video games - the young professionals // move in the right direction (CSS remix) - gossip // disco record (original mix) - the 14th minute // january love (royal scams remix) - newtimers // the end - pinballsound

  

daniel bedingfield: "you put me down"

remember daniel bedingfield? in 2002 he scored a massive global success with the tune "gotta get through this." he scored another top 20 hit in the us the following year with the ballad "if you're not the one" and then pretty much dropped off the radar following the release of his second album second first impression. while on hiatus, and working for other artists, he recorded not one but three albums worth of material.

this year he's releasing three EPs the first of which, stop the traffik - secret fear, dropped in late april. it was preceded by the single "rocks off," where he gets bare bottom-nekkid in the video (see below), and a second song, "it's not me, it's you." judging from some of the titles of the other songs on the EP -- "o.v.e.r. u," "don't write me off" and "you put me down" -- it's clear this is his breakup album. "you put me down" is the best of the bunch; a solid pop song which owes more to rock than EDM, with gorgeous harmonies and driving guitars.

no word on dates for the next two, but the first EP is promising and it's nice to hear someone who's so recognized for one genre of music take risks. by the way, partial proceeds from stop the traffik - secret fear benefit bedingfield’s global charity stop the traffik, an organization that fights to prevent human slavery and works to prosecute the traffickers.

[MP3] whomadewho: "below the cherry moon"

there's something seductively ominous about whomadewho's "below the cherry moon," the first single from their latest album brighter. the members of the scandinavian dance-rock band have varied backgrounds. falsetto-voiced bassist tomas hoffding comes from the scandinavian rock scene; singer-songwriter/guitarist jeppe kjellberg is from the avant-garde jazz world; and drummer tomas barford records as tomboy and is one half of filur (along with kasper bjorke). that's quite a pedigree and as whomadewho the trio genre-bending and genre-blending sound is nothing short of exquisite. (their web site has a cool set-up too.)

[MP3]: http://soundcloud.com/whomadewho/below-the-cherry-moon-from/download

royal wood: "i want your love"

royal wood really wants your love. like 69 times. that's not a euphemism either. (OK, maybe slightly.) but the canadian singer says that phrase "want your love" a total of 69 times in the span of three-and-a-half minutes on his tune "i want your love." but one look at him and it's clear he didn't need to say it so many times to convince us to give it up for him. (his porn star name helps too.) the jaunty, maroon 5-esque pop song is from wood's newest album we were born to glory.

royal wood - i want your love