Red Hot Chili Peppers: "Hometown Gypsy"

As a follow-up to last summer's I'm With You, Red Hot Chili Peppers are releasing nine 7" vinyl singles, the first of which arrived August 10. The fourth and latest, released in late November, is "The Sunset Sleeps" b/w "Hometown Gypsy." The latter is a snappy, country-tinged, beer-soaked, broken-jukeboxed rock gem. The fifth installment of the I'm With You Singles Collection comes out in January.


Red Hot Chili Peppers - Hometown Gypsy

The Rumour Said Fire: "Reckless Hearts"

It's been over two years since I last wrote about Danish indie rock band The Rumour Said Fire. On "Reckless Hearts," a track from their newest album Dead Ends, they take more than a page or two from The Smiths' handbook. Dead Ends is the band's second full-length album following 2010's The Arrogant. It's currently only available to download in Denmark so if you live there follow this link.

Hesta Prynn: "We Could Fall In Love" and "All the Right Spots"

It's been over two years since Hesta Prynn released her last EP, the critically-acclaimed Can We Go Wrong. We Could Fall in Love, released in August, aims straight for the dance floor. "I'm a child of the '90s." Prynn (alias Julie Potash) told NewNowNext. "I'm a New York City hip-hop kid inspired by LA dance music. I like to put it all together."

Katy B x Diplo x Iggy Azalea: "Light As A Feather"

A few weeks ago British singer-songwriter Katy B released a free EP called Danger, and while I have zero interest in dubstep these tunes are too good not to post. The four tracks on the EP are all collaborations; "Light As A Feather" pairs the chanteuse with Diplo and Iggy Azalea (who sounds disturbingly like Ke$ha). Luckily the dubstep used throughout the songs, this one in particular, in no way detracts from the pop and r&b aspects of the song. While Iggy Azalea's rap is more throwaway than showstopper the tune benefits greatly from Katy B expressive vocals.

Ace of Base: "Would You Believe"

Anyone who follows Ace of Base on Facebook -- and let's be honest, who doesn't?! -- knows that often they will freely make available various demos, instrumental versions and unreleased tracks from their 20-year career. Even if you're not a huge Ace of Base fan you can imagine the joy of your favorite band so willing to give away songs from the archives that are available for anyone to download. Some songs are pretty good, others are just so-so and still others are so wonderfully constructed pop gems you have to wonder why they were never officially released. Such is the case with "Would You Believe." There are a few different demos available and this one is called the Summer Version. It comes from the Da Capo era, meaning it was written and recorded around 2002, during the time of the last full-fledged album featuring all four original members.

Matt Costa: "Good Times"

"Good Times" could be one of those lost late 1960s/early 1970s AM classics that isn't often played on the radio anymore, makes scant appearances on era compilations but was exceedingly popular in its day. However, the Matt Costa song is very much modern day and is featured on his new EP Sacred Hill. It's got a sing-a-long chorus that's hard to resist and is driven into your brain so much that it becomes inescapable and almost annoying. (Think Stephen Stills's "Love the One You're With.")

[MP3] Van Go Lion: "Words"

Van Go Lion have been sending me tracks for some time now but with all due respect nothing has really grabbed me until "Words." Maybe this song is slightly more nuanced and less bombastic than others I've heard. It builds nicely and hearkens back to early '00s acts like Sin Plomo and Motorcycle in that it's easily accessible yet slightly complex dance music. I may just give their other tunes another spin.

[MP3] Circle: "1 2 3 Faux Leopard"

I'm not exactly sure what "1 2 3 Faux Leopard" means, but Australian band Circle says of their new song that it's "[i]nspired by a few things we've been thinking about these last few weeks." I have no idea what that means either. But imagine that The Killers and Ethel Merman met in the mid-'80s and made a song together. This might be it.

Monarchy: "Disintegration" (Feat. Dita Von Teese) + Mighty Mouse Remix

UK electronic maestros Monarchy have found their perfect muse. It's none other than burlesque extraordinaire Dita Von Teese (yes, that Dita Von Teese) and they've paired up on a new single called "Disintegration." Monarchy wrote the song for her and this marks the first time Dita has ever lent her vocals to a released track. While she doesn't have much in the way of singing talent, her breathy delivery is expressive and fits the tune nicely. 

The unlikely teaming happened last year when Dita started tweeting about the duo after seeing them perform at Coachella. Then they spent Christmas in Paris with Dita at her flat cause that's what famous people do after they tweet about each other. The song is "about losing the self in a moment, in a love affair, in a partner, drawing from a metaphor of "le petit mort," that post sex moment where the mind goes blank, as a symbol of the larger loss of self in a relationship." In other words, this song is about fucking.


Monarchy - Disintegration (Feat. Dita Von Teese) [Original Version]

Jake Bugg: "Broken"

Jake Bugg certainly had a big year in the UK. His eponymous debut album landed at #1 on the charts and Bugg has been touted as a kind of Oasis-inspired wunderkind. The kid's only 18 so he's got a long road ahead of him but his songwriting chops are pretty impressive. Check out "Broken" below.

Robbie Williams: "Candy"

There are certain pop stars both stateside and on the other side of the pond whose charms absolutely escape me. Robbie Williams is one of them. I just don't get it. Why is he so popular? Whatever the reasons -- and I'd be interested in hearing why people like him -- there's no denying the appeal of "Candy," one of the singles from his latest release Take the Crown.

Röyksopp: "Running To The Sea" (Feat. Susanne Sundfør)

Röyksopp can do no wrong in my book. Their melodies are exquisite, the production is always tops and their songs lodge themselves in your brain; you're unable to forget. "Running To the Sea" is their latest and features the porcelain vocals of Norwegian pop star Susanne Sundfør. It's unclear if this collaboration is the first single from a forthcoming album. Right now the single is available only as a download from the band's official site or through Norwegian iTunes.

[MP3] YACHT: "Second Summer"

Second Summer is a state of mind: overcoming obstacles in order to be close to what you love, a temporal place where sun never goes out no matter what season it is in your hemisphere. Like the original Summer of Love and its acid house revival, the Second Summer of Love, our aim is true: to create environments of total freedom.

I don't care what the fuck it means. Just bring on the summer already. Grab a free download here.

Chlöe Howl: "No Strings"

"Is this a 'Pumped Up Kicks' cover?" I thought to myself when I heard "No Strings," the debut single from UK's Chlöe Howl. It sure sounds like the same riff, and perhaps it is, but "No Strings" is something altogether different. The 17-year-old Howl delivers a modern day feminist bad girl anthem. What starts out as a fairly standard see-a-cute-boy-at-the-bar teenage lust song quickly changes at the chorus when Howl gutturally sings "No more crawling in your bed/Fuck your no strings...No strings/And I hope have twins/Come on/Come on/Am I imagining something?" 

The Mary Onettes: "Evil Coast"

For their new single "Evil Coast," Sweden's The Mary Onettes wanted to go for a cross between Vangelis and Whitney Houston. Upon hearing it the Vangelis angle makes sense but the Whitney part seems random (unless they meant that they were doing coke and smoking pot while recording the song). Not that it matters too much. "Evil Coast," from the band's upcoming album Hit the Waves (out March 2013, Labrador), is a brooding sonic wonder. 

GOLDHOUSE: "Nothing To Lose"

Well, here we are... The world didn't end today. I'm a bit disappointed because it's freezing and rainy in San Francisco today and I surely thought a little Armageddon would warm things up a bit. But since it didn't happen all this really means is I have to force myself to go to the gym tonight. Le sigh. At any rate, let's party! Check out this surefire electropop dance floor burner from Chicago-based GOLDHOUSE.

Eagle-Eye Cherry: "Picture Me"

Eagle-Eye Cherry had one of the best singles of the 1990s with "Save Tonight," but for all intents and purposes he's a one-hit wonder stateside. It's a shame really because he's a talented singer-songwriter. His new album Can't Get Enough is chock full of radio-ready tunes like "Picture Me." Sure, it's a bit overblown during the chorus but it's catchy and it's a helluva lot better than some of the songs that pass for hits these days. 

Eagle-Eye Cherry - Picture Me

[MP3] My Radio: "Bricks and Mortar"

Calling themselves a "melodic rock accident," My Radio hails from Roanoke, VA. The four-piece just released their second full-length album Starts In the East, Falls In the West which features the tune "Bricks and Mortar." It's a gritty, radio-ready indie pop-rock tune; an aural orgasm. These lads could be the next stadium rockers.

[MP3] Ra Ra Riot: "Beta Love"

It's been nearly three years since Ra Ra Riot released their last album, The Orchard. "Beta Love," the titular new single from their upcoming album, dives headfirst into the world of electropop and marks a distinctly different direction in sound for the group who heretofore was known for their baroque pop stylings. Beta Love will be the first album of new material since cellist Alexandra Lawn left the group; her departure might account for the musical shift. "Beta Love" is certainly catchy with its falsetto chorus and the violin sets the tune apart from the myriad other similar-sounding electropop tunes out there. Beta Love is out January 22.

The Best of 2012: Songs

I've been putting together "best of" lists for this blog for the last four years but this was by far the most difficult. Unlike in years past there was no clear frontrunner. I can't say whether or not 2012 was a better or worse year for music than, say, 2011 but there are only 50 top songs compared to 100 last year. Maybe I've just become more selective or maybe the pickings were slimmer this year. Either way there were some extraordinary standouts which I've comprised into The Top 50 Songs of 2012.

50// TONIGHT ELI & FUR
49// KNOT IN MY HEART THE ZOLAS
48// THE GAME WILL AND THE PEOPLE
47// BRIGHT LIGHTS NINA SKY
46// HIGH & LOW THE BIANCA STORY
45// DARK BEAT SIRPAUL
44// ORBS SPHYNX
43// AT LEAST I HAVE NOTHING SAINT MOTEL
42// COMING HOME (VICEROY REMIX) VISITOR
41// BEEN THERE BEFORE GHOST BEACH

40// BABY ARIEL PINK'S HAUNTED GRAFFITI
39// SEVEN HUNDRED BIRDS QUICKBEAM
38// GOOD FOR YOU ICONA POP
37// SAD DREAM SKY FERREIRA
36// LOSING YOU SOLANGE
35// WE KNOW MOMOFOKO
34// CIGARETTE LEMONADE ROSHAMBO
33// AMSTERDAM IMAGINE DRAGONS
32// COME FOR ME (MIGHTY MOUSE REMIX) MOONLIGHT MATTERS
31// MARILYN BAT FOR LASHES

30// SOMEBODY THAT I USED TO KNOW GOTYE
29// GHOSTS THE PRESETS
28// FORREST GUMP FRANK OCEAN
27// I'M NOT BAD, I'M JUST DRAWN THAT WAY BARON VON LUXXURY
26// LOVE THIS COSMO JARVIS
25// I'M JUST ME DIAMOND RINGS
24// FOREMOST OF THE WESTERNERS KLIFTON FILENTE
23// SOMEWHERE SCISSOR SISTERS
22// OPEN RHYE
21// BLUE EYES THE CHEVIN

	20// I FOUND A WAY   FIRST AID KIT
	19// BARELY LOVE YOU TOO  FRANK + DEROL
	18// GET ON IT  RUBY GOE
	17// NO WAY DOWN  THE SHINS
	16// ALL I EVER WANTED  ADRIAN LUX FEAT. JOAKIM BERG
	15// HOPELESS BAY  COSMO JARVIS
	14// BULBFORM   TRUST
	13// ON TOP OF THE WORLD   IMAGINE DRAGONS
	12// ALL EYES ON YOU  ST. LUCIA
	11// IN THE MIDDLE (I MET YOU THERE)   MATTHEW DEAR FEAT. JONNY PIERCE

10// HUMAN CONDITION NOVA ALBION

09// THINKIN BOUT YOU FRANK OCEAN

08// I'M NOT TALKING A.C. NEWMAN

07// FRIENDS BAR THE BIANCA STORY

06// WOMEN OF A CERTAIN AGE  
BARON VON LUXXURY

 05// OF THE NIGHT BASTILLE

 04// WINGS HAERTS

 03// PUT ME ON DIAMOND RINGS

02// HURRICANE MS MR

01// YOUTH FOXES

The Best of 2012: Albums

THE15//BESTALBUMS&EPSOF2012

15// ICONIC EP ICONA POP

14// BELLE BIC RUNGA

13// SOMEDAY SUSANNA HOFFS

12// EXOTICA EP POLARSETS

11// EP HYENA

10// ST. LUCIA (EP) ST. LUCIA

09// CHAMPION (EP) THE CHEVIN

08// THINK BIGGER COSMO JARVIS

07// MAGIC HOUR SCISSOR SISTERS

06// PACIFICA THE PRESETS

05// NIGHT VISIONS IMAGINE DRAGONS

04// THE LAST SEDUCTION 
BARON VON LUXXURY

03// CHANNEL ORANGE FRANK OCEAN

02// COMING HOME THE BIANCA STORY

01// FREE DIMENSIONAL DIAMOND RINGS