The lyrics to "Sadness is a Blessing" are pretty heartbreaking; the video, however, is awkward and uncomfortable. For the first two minutes we watch as Lykke Li gets sloshed while actor Stellan Saarsgard looks on disapprovingly. Is he her lover, her father, just some Swedish guy in a restaurant? With Lykke Li, you just never know! Fret not though, Lykke Li fans, she fully breaks into some of her famous flailing dance moves and traipses around the restaurant for the last four minutes of the six minute video.

After just wrapping up a set of shows with The National, Oklahoma band Other Lives are finally ready to release their carefully complied sophomore full length, Tamer Animals, due out on May 10th. The tour continues this weekend with the Decemberists, and then heads west with S. Carey and back through the country in June with The Rosebuds. As a teaser for the release, we have three new track streams for you from Tamer Animals, one of which is also available as a download.

With Thao holstering a can of spray paint, and Mirah wielding knitting needles, they don't exactly symbolize the perfect couple. But when they first shared the stage, in 2010 at the San Francisco Noise Pop Fest, they proved that harmonization is't embedded in ideology. This performance was followed by a tour compiled of rotating set lists of both artists' existing songs. Thao would accompany Mirah's tracks with backup vocals, guitar, banjo, and bongos and the favors were returned. With tUnE-yArDs' Merrill Garbus as their producing muse, the duo has released their first full-length, conveniently titled, Thao & Mirah.

Unless the pizza is fair trade vegan, they won't be applying anyway.

They can always work at the Ryan Adam's pizza joint. But they have nuts on their pizza...

Amidst all the hubbub about Birthers and Truthers, we've connected to an alternative group. Driven by theoretical melody rather than conspiracy, we've opted to side with the Louisiana quintet, Givers. The band's debut album, In Light, is as sonically illuminating as its title.

Back in October we wrote about Canadian indie-rockers and childhood best friends, Hollerado who released a second video for their song "Americanarama" featuring the band energetically performing the track, backed by a group of people in a 4x6 grid of cells dancing, holding up lyrics and bass tab, and fake-playing Pong and Space Invaders with the guys in the band. This video was shot all in one take by Greg Jardin; and for their next go around — the Hollerado guys decided to go with Greg once more. "Got to Lose", also shot in just one take, once again showcases the band's cheeky comedic stylings while front man Menno Versteeg masters choreographed dance moves and drummer, Jake Boyd fully channels Animal in a scene you'd likely see in an indie rock remake of "Singing in the Rain" (sans rain).

Chicago-based indie group, A Lull, released their latest album Confetti this past month, and have been promoting the album's single "Weapons For War". while the frantically paced, horn-screeching single is one of their great tracks, we've got an alternative MP3 stream from the band for you to treat yourself to today. "Some Love" presents a mildly softer side to the group, while still exposing their percussive preferences towards hectic tapping. The next time you're enjoying a sprint through the Serengeti, make sure to add this tune to your playlist; it definitely has that "I'm running with cheetahs" feel to it.

This week's guest mix of music is from Bronze Radio Return, a harmonious troupe of folk rockers from the American North East. It's a breezy combination of classics, encompassing several eras from CCR to Andrew Bird and Spoon (our kind of chronology).

The Wilderness of Manitoba is a five-piece folk set from Ontario that arose randomly one night as five friends casually drank tea and played music in the basement of a house in Toronto. Most of these sessions fostered the establishment of their band and the foundation of their EP Hymns of Love & Spirits, which came out in 2009. Their full-length record When You Left The Fire is out now in Canada, but will be released in the U.S. on May 10. The band just released this performance video for unreleased song, "November"...a Baeble exclusive!

Mississippi garage rock duo Bass Drum of Death began as the solo project of lead singer and guitarist John Barrett, who started playing with just a guitar and a bass drum. Barrett wrote and recorded their debut album, GB City, which recently came out on Fat Possum Records, by himself with only a guitar, drum set, and computer. GB City, which stands for "Gravity Bong City," is saturated with heavy metal riffs and punk undertones that completely compliment Barrett's sporadic howling about chicks and drugs.

This week, our tireless video editors in the secret sweatshop have provided us with some divine original content. They continue to slave through our hours of SXSW footage to perfectly piece together Baeblemusic Takes Texas at The Phoenix. The recent chapter of our family vacation takes you on a trip to Austin for The Rural Alberta Advantage's 30-minute, passionate performance. This is followed by, of course, a post-set interview with the band where they discuss their latest album Departing. We then take you to the roof of Baeblemusic headquarters to catch up with The Get Up Kids' Jim Suptic, who tells all about the band's surprise reformation. The Roundup is closed by a glimpse of Converse's music and arts campaign, as well as a rare video of an unreleased Modest Mouse song.

Twisting indie-rock/anything else into snazzy beats is even more fun with wristbands, trust us. Here's your chance to snag a nifty K.FLAY wristband and signature T-shirt, as well as a copy of her self titled EP.

"You know those vacuum seal bags...where you put your clothes in and smash it?" It seems like a random question K.FLAY (real name Kristine Flaherty) lobs our way...though it actually sets up the perfect metaphor for how the Bay Area emcee explains her highly concentrated approach to rhyming. "That's kind of how I think about it. I'm trying to fit so many words in".

With our latest concert release, it is evident this Stanford educated (and self-professed "wordy") artist has found the perfect medium of expression in hip hop. Often hilarious, always tongue in cheek, her one woman show is an absolute joy ride of quirky observations (check out her satirical take on self-help/therapy on "CRAZYtown", or the tenacity of her flow on "Speed It Up") laced across a sonic landscape of beats, original melodic hooks, and familiar samples. Like the vacuum sealed bags she references, we think you'll want to store this concert performance from one of hip hop's most invigorating new voices away in a place (um, you could just bookmark it) where you can enjoy it over and over again.

In an exclusive video interview Bay Area emcee K.FLAY talks about her roots as a hip hop artist, her approach to various creative processes, as well as some sources of artistic inspiration she feels have made their way into her invigorating brand of "wordy" hip hop.

As a follow up to 2009's Rockwell, Heavy Meadow maintains and perhaps even expands Rossi's use of quirky eccentricities as she shifts further into a lightly synthesized production. Every song operates with a soft, seemingly unassuming rhythm. The effect is very pleasant, yet as a whole, the album does not explore much progression among the eleven tracks. It favors simplicity, but perhaps too much so. While the tunes are all digested quite easily, the completed result suffers the threat of becoming lost within a blur of eccentricities that make it difficult to pinpoint the finer moments. The album is certainly packed with charm, but the focused direction may hinder Rossi's ability to expand her audience. It is doubtful, however, that this was her aim; therefore, in terms of achieving a specific sonic expression, she certainly has found a unique voice.

Sweaty and packed like sardines into the West Village basement joint Le Poisson Rouge, it wasn't hard to feel the boil of Battles legendary live set. With the departure of founding member Tyondai Braxton, who left the group last year, a piece of the Battles legend no longer hit the stage. Their first NY show as a trio was probably more important than any casual fan realized, but that didn't stop them from busting muscles and blowing out ear canals. The omnipotent signature Battles cymbal hung over the crowd as drummer John Stanier was dripping with effort. Rhythm is essential to the Battles aesthetic, and they've got plenty of it.

R.E.M. continue their project of artfully expressive music videos to accompany each song off of their newest album, Collapse Into Now, with latest track "Every Day Is Yours To Win". The elegance and melodic beauty of the song is an extreme contrast compared to the imagery provided in the music video. Most of the adaption appears to be comprised of low-quality webcam-captured clips, which display images that are quite strange, sometimes bordering on uncomfortable. The connecting thread between the track and the video seems to be centered around the melancholy tone belonging to both the song and these clips. While it is definitely an odd pairing otherwise, I will say that I did enjoy the magic trick with the floating card.

For all of you Robyn fanatics out there, the Swedish TV station, Sveriges Television, has compiled a one hour music special this month that documents the celebrated girl-wonder. Yes, it is in Swedish. But don't worry because there are English subtitles provided, which are easy enough to follow and well worth watching to get an intricate look at the strength and perserverance that Robyn demonstrates in her music, and seen in this documentary, in the rest of her life as well.

Art, and more specifically, music, tends to fall into the "subjective" category when we're trying to apply descriptions; "mind-blowing", "life-changing", or "like spending the night in a bus terminal" for example. One man's Herb Albert is another man's Radiohead. (And I don't know who that man is, but yikes.) One thing is for sure, the truly awful music is always bad unless it's ironic, and even then it's bad because hipsters.

There is nothing that saddens me more than when the dreamboats of my childhood are seen through my adult-age eyes, only to reveal them for their truthful existence: seriously sucking. I thought I would always be loyal to the Backstreet Boys. They were my first concert in sixth grade, and you may not be aware but love like that never dies, okay? But now, ten years later, they have teamed up with a boy band group so far past its prime that I (at age 21) don't have any memory of their original music at all. This collaboration, though clearly ridiculous, so far had proven to be mildly successful with their catchy single "Don't Turn Out the Lights". I guess the ten year old in me still allowed Nick Carter's I'm-going-to-pull-off-my-jacket tease blind my ability to sense autotune at its most decieving. Last night, however, everything changed. The wonder group NKOTBSB performed "Don't Turn Out the Lights" live on Dancing with The Stars, and it suddenly became clear how much horror autotune could truly mask.

The Beastie Boys: legends among men, and princes of their genre despite being somewhat indicative of several at once (is it rap? spoken word rock? something else entirely?). Some things never change; the right to party rests not in dubstep or chillwave, but a certain funky sound by three white kids from New York City who cram stadium status into every taunt. And they still got it after all these years, despite the landscape around them changing all the way from Sugar Hill to Odd Future.

Just before playing a pair of sold out shows in NYC last month, The Get Up Kids' Jim Suptic stopped by to shiver through an exclusive interview on our rooftop. Touching on both the sensitive surroundings of the band's initial break-up in '05, as well as the circumstances that inspired both a reunion and a new crop of songs in There Are Rules, our conversation with Jim was surprisingly revealing to say the least. I know I was surprised to learn The Get Up Kids were getting back together. Never would have guessed certain members of the band actually felt the same way.

Last night on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, The Airborne Toxic Event jammed together for a performance of their song "Changing". The band appeared calm as anything, unfazed by their appearance on NBC late night TV, an effect that served the chilled out vibe the song provides via mild quirks of the keyboard and the footstep-paced beat. Maybe their cool demeanor is related to how much the lead singer looks like Daniel Craig; James Bond serving as an undercover indie frontman would obviously not be frazzled by a simple television performance. This is obviously the explanation.

Assemble your 'entourage' and head to the French Riviera. This year, as a part of The Saatchi and Saatchi New Directors' Showcase at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, Moby is teaming up with Vimeo to discover a talented filmmaker in the Music Video Challenge.

Converse is making efforts to unite The UK's creative culture. They are proceeding with their yearlong "Connectivity" campaign, celebrating the nation's diverse music scenes. Most recently, they recruited a handful of notable musicians to create both an an original song and interactive music video for the campaign.

From Maritime's fourth studio album, Human Hearts, comes the track "Paraphernalia", which perfects a surprisingly successful blend of buzzing guitar with a chilled, jamming vibe. The lightly echoed instrumental rhythm and vocal accompaniment smooth out the tone of the song's hurrying beat, creating an entrancing combination of both a catchy and soothing tune.

Oakland, California's Hunx and His Punx is fronted by wild-man Seth Bogart. They stopped by Glasslands this past weekend to share their doo-wop inspired punk music with Brooklyn. The sold out show featured sets by some of California's most influential post-punk bands right now like opener Grass Widow of San Francisco, who played to an already packed audience. The female trio delivered several full-throttle numbers with all members taking turns singing to sonically return in their own tones to one harmony. Also from Oakland California, male and female trio Shannon and the Clams delivered song after song of beach rock soul. Front woman powerhouse Shannon, who also sings and plays bass as one of Bogart's Punx, never lost momentum passionately singing her way into the evening's main attraction.

After taking the stage at our Baeble Takes Texas Showcase at SXSW '11, The Rural Alberta Advantage took some time to discus both their origins as a band and their most recent album Departing in this exclusive video interview with the band.

The Rural Alberta Advantage have a song about a tornado, allegedly inspired by one of the deadliest storms to ever rip through singer Nils Edenloff's native Province (try and guess which one). There, in the cellar of "Tornado '87", a couple battens down the hatch, though it's evident that their shelter may not survive the swirling black skies above. Their relationship lies on the brink...they might not survive the forces bearing down on them.

Like the fateful cyclone spinning through this metaphoric tale, The RAA are an impassioned outfit that place a majority of their songs teetering on the same sort of brim. Theirs is a rough and tumble, folk pedigree; a mix of string snapping acoustics, frenetic percussive rhythms, and gravel dusted vocals that draw genuine comparisons to Jeff Mangum's Neutral Milk Hotel as it cycles through. It's an urgent and enthralling approach, as our latest concert video release can attest, with songs like "Stamp", "Muscle Relaxants", and "Drain The Blood" sounding like the could collapse under the weight of the trio's gale force playing at any moment. Yet there, swirling in the madness, clashing against the band's more aggressive tendencies, is both a woozy glow of keyboards and the endearing stories that they seem to hold in their grasp. Somehow, someway, the songs survive...they aren't blown away, though we won't be able to say the same for you in the wake of our latest concert video release captured from Baeblemusic Takes Texas at The Phoenix in Austin last month.

The Bewitched Hands formerly known as The Bewitched Hands On Top Of Our Heads, are a French sextet whose psychedelic pop music leaves nearly no instrument untouched. Single "Work" is no exception featuring multiple forms of percussion all throughout the track. After a string of EPs, their full-length album Birds and Drums has sold over 25,000 copies in their native France, and will be released in the U.S. on May 24.

To prepare us for their stateside invasion, UK's retro-pop trio, White Lies, is giving away a sample of their latest, sophomore album, Ritual. In addition to providing you with "Holy Ghost", theyll be swinging by NBC to preview their heavily buzzed about live performance on the Late Show with David Letterman, on May 16.

Seattle's Craft Spells debut album, Idle Labor was just released last month via Captured Tracks. With Craft Spell's beach-y feel and a sound reminiscent of The Cure and The Smiths, "You Should Close The Door" gives us a beautiful melody with lo-fi vocals; a beautiful mix of 70s dream pop and 80s synths.

The music festival season is officially upon us. Last week, everyone has to spend their time picking daisy wreaths out of their hair and question whether artfully ripping their favorite shirt was worth the hippie illusion for one weekend at Coachella. But now it's time to shelve those California hipster dreams for a moment so that we can take a trip back to the eighth grade and wander around a reconstructed football stadium in New Jersey to observe what neon headband and converse combo we should be bringing to high school. If you don't know what I'm talking about, then you probably just missed the scenester explosion on our youth and should consider yourself lucky. But despite the questionable crowd that may filter through, the lineup at Bamboozle makes up for it with performances from the guilty pleasures of our iPods.

Wondering what James Blake and his hipster baby-making music have to do with Star Wars?

There's something indisputably charming about male-female musical duos. Maybe it's some form of a subconscious, hormonal attraction. Perhaps it quenches our voyeuristic desires of witnessing the relationships of others. No matter what drives your specific interest, these gendered twosomes continue to emerge, and they do so with great praise. Indie music's latest edition of the performing marriage, Cults, has invaded our iTunes playlists like a loveable pandemic. They accidentally stirred bloggy radars when they put a few songs on the artist platform Bandcamp. Most recently, the duo consisting of former NYC film students (and dating couple) , Madeline Follin and Brian Oblivion, announced the June 7 release of their self-titled debut album (pictured above).

My Morning Jacket extends their Circuital campaign by providing yet another sampling of the May 31 release. Less than two weeks following their offering of the album's freebie title-track, they are allowing a preview of the newest single, "Holdin On To Black Metal".

In case you missed it last week: tour Issac Brock's house with an ongoing video series about Portland, where he introduces us to his love of taxidermy and libraries with wheely ladders. At the 7:56 mark, Brock is joined by other members of his band (you may have heard of them, Modest Mouse) to play an as-of-yet unreleased song, perhaps off their next record (whenever that is happening). Check it out below.

Throughout the week, you witness music sites' announcements about the full streams of impending album releases. There are almost too many to handle, right? To save you the hassle of retracing your steps in order to find that blog's Tweet that you saw in class, work, etc., we've gathered the week's most noteworthy streams.

British folk duo Smoke Fairies make music as mystical as their name. Songstresses Jessica Davies and Katherine Balmire are best friends who craft spot-on melodies that tranverse weaving guitar chords. Back in their homeland, they released a few singles prior to their British debut and were introduced to the American public with their 7" Gastown/River Song through Jack Whites's label Third Man Records. Upon first listening to Smoke Fairies, White offered to both produce and play drums on their first full-length album.

Dawes, the latest folk-rock product of LA's illustrious Laurel Canyon, recently announced the June 7 release date of their second full-length, Nothing Is Wrong. In support of the album, they're giving away its first track, "If I Wanted Someone".

"I was not even three, I don't think". This young age marks the beginning of Ian Axel's dual love and talent for music, an introduction that has now brought the world a loveable one-man band who operates with an optimistic heart and unaffected gift. The building blocks were basic, but a classical foundation in music appears to have resulted in a strength that clearly detects the knowledge and innate enthusiasm expressed in his debut album, This Is The New Year. Even though this album is only his first, Axel excels with the confidence and delivery of a fully formed artist, carrying the charisma of Jason Mraz and delightful quirks of Ben Folds. The unpretentious honesty and piano-pop mastery that the music radiates translates into an effective connection thanks to the budding musician's heartfelt approach.

Post Easter blues? Monday got you down? Just want to crawl back into bed for a few more episodes of your favorite show currently spending eternity in syndication? Well we've got one better: a full gaggle of late night television musical guests, many of which are worth staying up for (and some can just get a friendly DVR). Conan is off this week (he's usually on point), but there are plenty of other goodies to be had.

The first music video from their newest album Whatever This Is, Ruby Coast have released a winter wonderland visual accompaniment to their song "Made To Change". From Humble Mania artists, the video features a figure skating interpretation of the track, intercut with 'artistic beauty shots' of some random geese. Surprisingly, the compiled result actually makes for quite a charming video. "Made To Change" definitely showcases the more magical side of chilling tundra, highlighting the calm and pristine geese-strewn setting with a fun winter-land activity.

While most post-rock groups generate popularity within the confines of their genre, Explosions In The Sky has managed to breach the boundaries. The Texas quartet openly detaches itself from its prescribed musical genus, but they are continually categorized by their use of expansive guitar textures as well as their absence of vocals. I must admit, similar to millions of moviegoers, my first experience of Explosions In The Sky was somewhat ignorant. They captured mainstream fascination (mine included) with their sonically emotional contribution to the score of the major motion picture, Friday Night Lights. They've since continued to astonish with their live performances and most recently, following a four-year drought, their sixth studio album, Take Care, Take Care, Take Care.

As an early Easter gift, The Beastie Boys delivered a full performance of their highly anticipated Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 2 for an entire arena. Unfortunately, that arena was empty, and the performance was nothing more than a giant mythological beast pressing play on a boombox with two microphones. Confused? Watch this video!

It seems silly to start off Monday morning with a band called Weekend, but perhaps their drowsy-eyed remix is exactly how you're feeling. In addition to announcing the May 17 release of their single, "End Times", Weekend has released a Speculator remix of their Sports track, "Coma Summer". Grab it below.

A couple weeks back we introduced you to a promising outfit from the Pacific Northwest. The Head and The Heart; two opposing forces that, when working together, have the potential to pack an emotional wallop...which is obviously what the young flock of folkies aim to do here. Shot by Ryan Mcmackin, this performance of a song titled "Rivers and Roads" touches on a state of flux, possibly for the first time. Families in different states, friends moving away, maybe some reconciliation...there is something awfully lonesome about this tune. Have a look at the video below.

After a week of snippets, leaks, and music video rumors, Beyonce finally unveiled the full track for her newest single "Who Run The World (Girls)". All of this anticipation, however, seems to have fallen flat. First of all, the entirety of the song is focused around a sample of Major Lazer's "Pon De Floor" (pause for head-on-desk break). The remaining elements then proceed to pack an equal amount of ground-breaking sonic excitement. While the song has not reached a "Which seat can I take" level of horrendous, there really is not much to it besides an underwhelming delivery of an over-promoted message in terms of Beyonce's career. The only compeititon this song could have would be if Lady Gaga put out a single entitled "Hey Guys, I'm A Little Weird" to the tune of "Like A Prayer".

A few weeks back, Danish trio Figurines put their European elegance on display with the release of a video for Hanging From Above; their new album's title track. Now, with the release of a video for "New Colors", the band show their weirder side, as an outcast runs wild to the song's oft-kilter, dance grooves.

In support of the forthcoming Sweetlife Festival in Maryland, Toro Y Moi jammed outside the sweetgreen in Logan Circle, DC. You've heard the track before, check out the good lookin' shots of Bundick and co. in their funky element as the band rocks out "Still Sound" from Toro's sophomore LP Underneath The Pine.

The Heavenly States are a Bay Area band with some pretty interesting friends. Their new EP Oui Camera Oui features guest apperances by Eugene Mirman and Britt Daniel of Spoon. It's the later who's featured in the band's stand out track "Berlin Wall". The band's video for the track is a humpy dumpty tale of a different sort, animated and directed by Kristoffer West Johnson.

In following last weekend's Record Store Day trend, Yeasayer released their two-track, limited edition 7", End Blood. Not coincidentally titled, the songs were written for, but not included on, their 2010 full-length, Odd Blood.

"Lady Gaga is Italian and the accordion is an Italian instrument". Based on this profound connection, Massachusetts band Dom decided put together a live cover of Gaga's song, "Alejandro", backed by your pasta primavera's favorite mealtime musical accompaniment. The final product is actually not as bizarre as it sounds; the unique twist is in fact intriguingly catchy in this stripped down state. It appears that full alien transformations, egg capsules, and pulsating pop beats are not completely necessary to enjoy a Gaga song, as is witnessed through Dom's quirky interpretation of "Alejandro" using only the accordion, a tambourine, acoustic guitar, and one falsetto-loving lead singer.

Of Montreal's latest EP, The Controller Sphere leans its focus upon an exploration of smashed up sounds and elongated instrumental moments engaging in artistic expression, as opposed to roughing out the typical confines of our wider known verse and chorus constructed melodies. Though only five tracks, the pure oddness of each creation within the EP deliver enough unique swells and bursts to hold the listeners attention for nearly every moment of electronic bustling. Most curious of all would be the stream-of-consciousness spoken word that is a common element throughout The Controller Sphere. Certainly, it is not a compilation that will be easily swallowed by all. The utter confusion that surrounds ones first listen will either enthrall or repel the audience; it is clearly an instance where you either get it or you don't. Nonetheless, there is certainly an intricately creative mind behind the recordings produced with this mix and is an ideal blend for those currently scouring music's latest releases for their next mind warp.

Wayne Coyne and The Flaming Lips carried out their promise of releasing new songs via edible, gummy, life-size replicas of human skulls. At 4:20pm on 4/20, Coyne delivered the first skeleton to Oklahoma record store Guestroom Records. Within the unusual, edible arrangement was a USB drive containing four Flaming Lips songs.

This week we've got a tape curated by lovable Liverpoolian rockers The Wombats, who may or may not have raided my iPod to bring you this playlist. Seriously, GET OUT OF MY HEAD!

I remember The Wombats being as genuinely wonky as their namesake. As a random release that somehow made its way across my desk some four years ago, the band's self-titled EP was fairly typical in its components; queue the kind of giddy globs of dance floor-ready beats, electrifying fretwork, and melodic hooks that bands like Bloc Party, Artic Monkeys, and Franz Ferdinand all seemed to flaunt the moment the calendar struck 2000. But where the Liverpool trio truly excelled, even then, lay in singer Matthew Murphy's hopelessly self-deprecating tales of woe, primarily in the (failed) pursuit of wooing the fairer sex. Slap-ups on the dance floor, fears of starring in a real life rom-com, pathetic crushes on disastrous women; these were self-confessionals rooted in awkward, teenage fears of beautiful women. I guess some men never seem to shake such social apprehensions.

The Strokes, just coming off of their Coachella performance last weekend, were on TV again last night, only this time it was 4/20, so no one questioned Julian's shades and meandering stage wanderings. The band performed "Games" on Conan in a shroud of green lights and lasers that also (whether knowingly or not) followed the theme of the "holiday." I have an enormous penchant for themes, really.

On Tuesday night, I attended a Rooney show and found myself lucky enough to experience one of those rare moments of being struck by complete infatuation with an opening band. Skybombers, hailing from Melbourne, Australia, are about as enticing as one would imagine indie rockers with accents can be. Ultimately, however, the group is carried by their effortlessly alluring talent. Lead vocalist Hugh Gurnie has perfected a croon as hoarsely seductive as John Lennon's hintingly sexualized proclamations during "Twist and Shout". The music adds a subtle pop blend to their indie rock that can safely deem each track catchy, but focuses on a veering guitar and various quirks (such as a propensity for cowbell) to round up the band's overall sound.

Emily Greene is a beautiful soul with a raw, mesmerizing voice; reminiscent of a young Gwen Stefani, Alison Sudol (A Fine Frenzy), Adele, and the softer side of Florence + the Machine. She effortlessly displayed her vocal range while playing the keys along side a full band at The Living Room the other night (Thursday, April 7th) for SiriusXM Radio's "From the Living Room to the Loft" series. The packed house was completely captivated by Emily's exceptional lyrics, so personal that it felt as if we were privy to reading her diary. Emily truly let the audience into her world and took us all for a little ride, striking different emotional chords with every tune she played.

An Horse formed in 2008 and released their debut album Rearrange Beds a year later. Walls, their sophomore effort, is set to come out on April 26. In support, the band recently released a video for "Dressed Sharply," which was directed by Baeble's very own Alan Del Rio Ortiz. Yeah, we're pretty damn proud of him! The video is steeped in dark tones of city life - riding around in taxis at night, watching New York City life on sidewalks pass by, and peering into closed store fronts. Passing a psychic's shop inspires them to start their own sance with candles, crystals, and tarot cards. The song is almost written as if it's to be heard or read as a letter, and, as luck would have it, ends with lead singer Kate Cooper pulling a note out of her mouth. Perhaps it's from the spirit she was trying to reach.

After "Weird Al" Yankovic was initially denied permission to release his single "Perform This Way", Lady Gaga has personally approved the cover of her hit single.

This week's collection of music videos was quite overwhelming. After minutes upon minutes of tedious deliberation, we finally came to an agreement as to which five should be included in the Roundup. We begin the compilation with The Submarines' charming performance at The Phoenix during our SXSW showcase. Ponytail goes Gallagher on some unsuspecting melons (for smoothie's sake) in "Honey Touches". Alexander Ebert surprises no one as he sings from (and out of?) a mountain in "A Million Years". Lost in the Trees takes you on a trip from bitterness to redemption in less than six minutes, for "All Alone in an Empty House". In honor of April's most notable holiday, we close the Roundup with Garfunkel and Oates' "Weed Card" (Hey! Is that Todd Packer?!).

Mark Mothersbaugh may have gained recognition as Wes Anderson's sonic specialist, but he's most notable as the ringmaster, of the circus known as Devo. Following last summer's release of their ninth studio album , Something for Everybody, they've provided a music video for its track "What We Do". Like every Devo product, the video is satisfyingly wacky, but after a double-decade hiatus, they're displaying 21st Century wit. The video is entirely interactive. The viewer freely navigates throughout the 360 degree set with pan, tilt, and zoom capabilities. If you're sick of Mothersbaugh, whip it over to the enormous baby.

Last night The Beastie Boys premiered their meaty, star-studded Fight For Your Right: Revisited short film on Comedy Central and MTV. In case you were up all night fighting for your rights, you can check out the whole uncensored NSFW version below, starring Elijah Wood, Seth Rogen, and Danny McBride (oh and EVERYONE ELSE YOU CAN POSSIBLY THINK OF). Seriously, even the extras are nameable.

It was only a matter of time until Radiohead purists lashed out against the recent ventures of their favorite group. Who would've thought that Adolf Hitler is not only still living, but also Thom Yorke's number one fan? Neo-Nazi skinheads were way off in their musical taste.

It has been confirmed that The National will once again be partnering up with The Red Hot Organization that fights against AIDS for another compilation album, the second since 2009's Dark Was The Night. While according to The National's management, "Bryce and Aaron Dessner are currently working on a follow up to Dark Was The Night" and "no details can be confirmed at this time", hints have been revealed at what exactly is in the works. During an interview with Scott Devendorf, Spinner procured some possible information that this second contribution is hoping to curate a covers album comprised purely of Grateful Dead tributes.

They would end up a mess of limbs and instruments, an awkward pile up on stage shortly before 1:30AM, with a delirious and (most likely) inebriated gathering of fans rooting them on every step of the way. It was an enthralling moment...one that, in the wake of a rather unruly performance this past Saturday evening at Brooklyn Bowl, apparently got the best of The Go! Team. Leading lady Ninja would end up in the hospital, the victim of an inadvertent body slam from one of her band mates. It was violent, it was scary, it was definitely surreal...oh, and she would be OK!

Antony Hegarty, in service of Record Store Day, released Swanlights, a four-track EP. A bit confusing considering his previous LP was under an identical heading, but the latter contains a remix of the title track performed by Oneohtrix Point Never, as well as two new B-sides.

Those slick Submarines tunes you just can't shake out of your head just got a whole lot more portable. You've got a chance to win signed copy of the CD and a poster when you leave a comment on the new video, which you should, because there are worse things that humming "Fire" all day without the video handy (like not having it to blast in your car). Get to it!

There's something that seems so insanely easy about what The Submarines do. Listening to the neat and tidy bits of indie pop the husband and wife duo crank out, it's possible to imagine John Dragonetti and Blake Hazard's songs spawning from the most casual inspirations; a spontaneous, melodic passage whistled over morning coffee perhaps, or a simple sentiment scribbled on a napkin. As the morning ticks along, the idea gets pollinated just a bit more, and by lunch time, the tastiest of pop nuggets has bloomed. I can see it now, all happening in the most 'ho hum' kind of way. It's nothing really. It's just what The Submarines do.

Of course it's an illusion...my ill-informed imagination running all too wild, high on the band's breezy, head catching creations. In reality, The Submarines, like most bands in their position, have worked their tails off (trips to Austin and Paris for professional inspiration), all while persevering through the kind of difficulties that plague almost every relationship at some point (break-ups, reconciliations, all that). So if the songs that inhabit this concert performance sound effortless, well...consider it the band's great reward for a job well done. Music this cool, this comfortable, this downright charming is always the result of a long road traveled. Enjoying it, however, is a cinch.

With only a week left in their US tour before they head to Beijing and Europe, Rooney stopped by Manhattan's Gramercy Theatre on Tuesday night to kick some much needed energy into yet another rainy day. Only a few minutes inside the venue were enough to forget about the downpour outside as concert goers fed off of each other's feverish chatter during the wait for the opening bands to begin their stage stomping. Without a doubt, the audience got what they wanted.

Portland's Blue Skies For Black Hearts play a room of interesting characters in this live video they cut for a short sci-fi film written by bass player Kelly Simmons. You've probably seen the scene before; a smokey, dim bar, beers and broads, and a suit-clad band wearing sunglasses and bobbing to their tunage. As for the movie, no, it's not an alternate dimension where the Blues Brothers and Weezer exist in one group, but it does pique our curiosity about who that Dr. Wiley looking guy in the crowd might be.

Cat Cam! Superchunk have given "Crossed Wires", from last year's Majesty Shredding, a hilarious new video treatment. Watch what happens when a loving owner outfits her feline in a collar cam. Looks like this pussy's a punk!

Returning with a new set of songs titled Brilliant! Tragic!, our favorite group of goofballs Art Brut are teasing what's to come with their new video for "Lost Weekend". With lines like, "I'm sorry I embarrassed you by saying something stupid like 'I love you'", I would say this song falls in the Tragic! category of songwriting, though it does sort of find Eddie Argos doing something he hasn't done too much of in the past...singing! Apparently it was producer Black Francis' idea. Says Argos, "I'm very proud that I sing on it. Only took four albums to start singing, not bad."

After a successful run at this year's SXSW, Seattle's Thousands are gearing up to release their debut album through Bella Union. The duo's intimate folk is literally saturated with sounds of nature. Thousands' Luke and Kristian are used to performing without microphones to create a harmonious balance of natural reverb with their guitars and voices, so they chose to record their debut album The Sound of Everything outdoors, in a variety of settings.

Big news for people who love big news: Bon Iver has dropped the tracklist, title, and release date for his next record. Change your pants and meet us after the jump.

In case you haven't already noticed, today's date forms a rather infamous series of digits otherwise known as the Bat signal for Spicolis everywhere. And if you are aware of today's pre-planned recreational activities, you're probably skipping the blog to laugh about that thing you can't remember for six hours.

Anyways, here's a song!

A few blogs seem to think we're looking at the cover for the long awaited Tha Carter IV. Doesn't seem too far fetched, based on the chronology.

Last week, we gave you a two-song sample of Danger Mouse and Daniele Luppi's forthcoming Rome. We present to you the second (of three) Jack White-assisted track of the album, "Two Against One".

Low's ninth studio album, C'mon, finds the band in a sonic wasteland of their own thoughts, wandering aimlessly through mid-tempo introspection and the instrumental equivalent of the weather in London (foggy with a chance of rain, always). But despite thin textures and a Fleet Foxes mentality on use of melodic harmonies (although arguably a Low mentality first), the space of the record is infinite and awe-inspiring, with some fantastic production giving even the simplest of passages the feeling of an orchestral blowout.

British outfit Noah and the Whale channel the endless, romantic possibilities of a life spent on the road in their new video for "Tonights The Kind of Night". It's a visual sentiment that plays well with the song. In the case of the video's leading man, "Tonight's the kind of night where anything could change" means an unexpected turn of events. The video was directed and edited by lead singer Charlie Fink.

For as long as there's been fruit, there's been man's most primal of urges; to conquer it...to make the perfect smoothie. It's a drama of the oldest order, a timeless struggle that lies at the heart of this video for "Honey Touches"; the first chunk of sound to emerge from Ponytail's third full-length, Do Whatever You Want All The Time.

Pint sized Romeos behave in mysterious ways. There is the object of affection, and the various strategies one can take at winning her heart. In kindergarten, there's really only one strategy that'll do; stick gum in her hair, ruin her coloring book, steal her lunch, and obliterate her in dodge ball. Works every time...

Alexander Ebert, known by most as his messiah alter ego Edward Sharpe, released his self-titled, solo project earlier this year. Without the accompaniment of the 10-piece Magnetic Zeros, Alexander performed all vocals and instrumentals (from the clarinet to the violin) on the album. To accompany his latest, he has released the music video for its track "A Million Years".

Torquil Campbell the boy-singer in Montreal's Stars is known for his affinity for dramatics, white roses and his love of drizzly Brit-pop. His side project (if you can call it that) of many years with his mate Chris Dumont is on its third record, but it's no less Torquil than it was on day one. Memphis is shimmery and quaint, with hints of the Stars lexicon bursting at the seams. But Torquil's own words top anything we could string together to describe it, that's for sure.

We asked each of our editors to go out and find the most amazing, incredible, rare, special, fantastic, vintage, awesome, secret, b-side-y track they could find for Record Store Day this year. They scoured the far corners of the universe that is New York City and found some really unbelievable things. These are their stories.

In case you were worried that there was NOT a Youtube account dedicated to re-dubbing popular music videos with new and hilarious lyrics, I'm here to alleviate your concerns with this hot new joint by Ludacris, "Magic Man", where he beckons us in with lines like "My life is a macaroni dream" and "you lookin' for a ghetto hobbit with an uzi". Classic street!

With this "Sadness is a Blessing" remix, Gold Panda takes Lykke Li to da club, jazzing up the folksy ballad with some electronic flairs and dancey beats. The combination of this Swedish songstress and British producer definitely cultivates a Eurodance quality within the track, but thankfully does so without heading into any obnoxious Cascada territory, still maintaining its breezy temperment among the fluttering beats and echo-enhanced vocals. The weekend may be over, but check out this Gold Panda remix of Lykke Li's "Sadness is a Blessing" to keep the party going if you're not quite ready to embrace the Monday blues.

It's not too often that a new record stands out as a truly exceptional experience. Merrill Garbus first caught our attention with BiRd-BrAiNs, which was praised for its unique and raw qualities (being captured entirely on a handheld voice recorder). But her latest tUnE-yArDs production, w h o k i l l, is a genre-bending model of sonic enlightenment.

Foo Fighters have been working to restore their garage rock image as literally as possible. Beyond recording their latest Wasting Light in Grohl's garage (albeit a garage probably containing equipment worth more than most houses), the band is actually playing a garage tour for a selection of lucky fans and apparently some pizza man? Check out a fan-made video below from a show last week.

We were lucky to meet Chapel Hill's folk orchestra, Lost in the Trees, a few weeks back at our SXSW showcase. The symphonic band, led by composer and songwriter Ari Picker, has announced their upcoming, West coast tour, beginning April 19 at The Echo in LA. Next week, the band is also scheduled to shoot an episode of "Last Call with Carson Daly".

Two weeks ago, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. released "Morning Thought", the first single of their forthcoming It's A Corporate World. For those of you who didn't make the purchase, or simply didn't catch wind of it, your patience is finally being rewarded in the form of a free MP3.

The dusty, desert-scorched moods that tumble through Spindrift's "When I Was Free" get set to an interesting set of visuals, as the band pair elements of documentary with bits of the surreal. The imaginative video serves as homage to photographer Stanley Sanger; an enigmatic, solitary artist who captured thousands of images of the band, before ultimately disappearing.

Coachella: a magical desert world of booze-addled dehydration and peyote fueled music binges. Among the throngs of people out to see such mega-entertainment-machines as Kanye West and Arcade Fire were a few rambunctious tweeters. We picked our favorite five, which certainly doesn't include anything from the derogatory playground known as Tyler The Creator's feed (but we did love his choice words for the security guard who kicked him out. To tweetfinity, and beyond!

With Paul Simon's new album, So Beautiful or So What, the long-celebrated musician reminds us where the original magic of instrumental excellence finds its inspiration. In a recent behind the scenes look at the construction of the album, Simon treats us to the brilliant intricacies of his process and demonstrates how far true dedication to sacred sounds and endless talent can go.

Well, it is rerun central yet again in the land of late night, so the only musical performances we have to list for you are from Jimmy Kimmel and Conan this week. Luckily, however, both funnymen bring the good stuff to make up for their absent counterparts on other networks. Or at least, Conan does on Wednesday night with a performance from The Strokes. Just like last week, it seems television has partnered up with the season of spring and made a deal to force us all out of our caves after this year's extended hibernation (thanks, groundhog, for all of your lies). Late night takes Friday off again this week, so you can embrace spring's holiday season with some Easter-themed activities or get a jump start on Cinco de Mayo celebrations; your choice!

The second single from Lady Gaga's upcoming sophomore album, Born This Way, fell from Mother Monster's spaceship over the weekend and into our interwebs. This newest track, "Judas", is definitely an interesting one. For one, it's not a Madonna cover. While there are distinctly classic Gaga moments containing the building blocks of 80s dance tracks, "Judas" also inflicts an infectious thump and bizarre melody throughout the song that gives it an explicit edge, making it kind of hard to hate it.

The proposed intention of Record Store Day is to celebrate the unique culture surrounding international, independently owned record stores. Thom Yorke, however, elected to limit the release of Radiohead's 12' to only his native UK. That is, until June 14, when its finally sent to the US and Canada. Though he may be defeating its founding purpose, sometimes, you have to let Thom do Thom.

Colin Caulfield, otherwise known as Young Man, first gained recognition for his Youtube covers of bands like Deerhunter, Beach House, and Animal Collective. Deerhunter's Bradford Cox stated that the redux was, "fantastically superior to the original." Caulfield, no longer mimicking the voices of his idols, is now telling his own, Young Man stories, in his first EP, Boy. Perhaps you've seen the CMJ shindig we invited him to?

Boy's opening track, "Five", begins the tale of the artist's yearning to grow up. The video's adolescent son is mesmerized by the tranquility of his aquarium, whose bubbling flow is complimented by Young Man's psych-infused harmonies. With its tropical, Seu Jorge strums and its "Waterloo Sunset" vibe, Wes Anderson fans should enjoy this unintended, Zissou prequel.

The Arctic Monkeys take their psychedelic themes seriously in the new video for their single "Don't Sit Down 'Cause I've Moved Your Chair" from the upcoming album Suck It and See. The drawn out and lightly accented vocals, shaggy hair, and ever-present sunglasses of vocalist Alex Turner provide us with an uncanny Liam Gallagher impersonation. The rest of the band also do an excellent job of looking like uber cool rock stars who don't give a f*ck as they stand around with their hands in their pockets and perform to an empty concert hall as their images are blurred into colorful smears. But the highlight for me is when they do the macarena.

During The Kills' visit to Conan on Wednesday night, the pair recorded some extra footage in addition to the show's airing of their newest single from Blood Pressures, "Satellite". This bonus backstage performance of track "Pull a U" is a truly intimate affair, completed with a distinctly underground illusion via some nightvision cameras and Alison Mosshart's presentation of being hair-unaware. The effect draws deeper attention towards the jarring hypnotics of their sinister guitar, foot tapping rhythm, and masked vocals. This is definitely the best way to view The Kills in all of their enticing glory, so take a look at the video below and allow yourself to feel jealous of the audience members, all eleven of them.

[We're rerunning this review for the physical release.]

The Fall, the latest "album" by Damon Alburn's shape-shifting Gorillaz project, was recorded entirely on an iPad and released for free. That in itself might discredit its value for some fans, but it shouldn't; recalling a time before the fanfare of guest rappers and vocalists, Gorillaz is at its very core, an electro-carnival, hosted by Albarn's iconic voice. The Fall is just that (and nothing else), and it is reminiscent of the first self-titled album and everything that helped the world fall in love with these cartoon characters in the first place.

The Bieber Fever has officially been declared an airborne hazard. No longer is the illness confined to tweens and middle-aged moms, it's now a threat to bros everywhere. Similar to the Sigourney Weaver Fever of the 80s, which severed male friendships over her questionable hotness, Bieber is infecting best friends worldwide.

Rather than providing a recent episode's guests with brand new KIAs, Oprah introduced the duet of Pat Benatar and Avril Lavigne. Benatar, who evidently caught the hair strain of the "Bieber Fever", performed her acclaimed song, "Love Is A Battlefield". Unlike the song's iconic music video, the Heartbreaker withheld urges of breaking into a choreographed protest (sleazy pimps beware). The pairing with Avril swiftly shed 20 years off of the aging rock goddess. At least she dressed appropriately. Oprah's known for sharing a fan base with Sid Vicious.

French laser-rock outfit Jamaica follow a typical career trajectory in the narrative of their video for "I Think I Like U 2", from two dudes starting a band to stadium status, to drug-induced breakdowns and sad follow-ups. Watch out for the obligatory Bono cameo!

It's easier than ever to lose your mind in the crazy world of Tao Of The Dead with our full length Trail Of Dead show, but now we're taking it one step further by offering you the chance to take the whole package home. Win a free digipak version of the album signed by the band by entering our hookup. Unless you're actually crazy, you probably already know how it works. But JUST IN CASE:

Share the new show with your friends, and you're instantly entered to win one of the prize packs!

Disco — it was the Pop Culture of the late 70s. The word alone activates memories from Saturday Night Fever to Studio 54. The music was about rhythm, often based on Latin dance beats, with lots of percussion from tambourines to kettle drums. Disco introduced the use of Velvet Ropes and Doormen to night life. But in the end, Disco was all about the experience. It was about theatre and fantasy - lighting, props, and scenery. From the Man-in-the-Moon descending over the dance floor at Studio 54 to the iconic Disco Ball hanging in the gym at your prom, it was about love, joy, escape and feeling free. So let the fantasy begin . . . .

All-female rock band Kissing Cousins has released a free MP3 off of their upcoming album, Unfortunate End, and we're psyched to be premiering it. The sexually charged lyrics and evocative melodies combined with boisterous guitars and pulsating beats makes for some damn good rock, regardless of the usual balls-to-the-wall label associated with the genre. Who said chick rock has to be Fiona Apple?

Kelli and Mike weren't happy with just sending out old and busted cards that you could only read, so they had their designer friend Kelli Anderson turn their wedding invitation into A FUNCTIONAL RECORD PLAYER THAT PLAYS A SONG THEY WROTE COME ON!

'Song' should probably be in quotation marks. Earlier today a video popped up on the Bon Iver site with about 51 seconds of guitar noodling. WHAT COULD IT BE??? "Untitled" could perhaps be a sneak-peak at the new album from Justin Vernon's miserable snow-cabin project, or it could be some studio leftovers, or it could be the the saddest piece of indie blog bait since Radiohead farted this morning or whatever. WHO KNOWS. LET'S LISTEN ZOMG I LOVE THE BON IVERS!

The past week was abundant with big-named album releases, and this may have distracted your attention away from its music video yield. Fear not, indie music fanatics, we've compiled the week's finest samplings of visual stimulation. Our latest edition of the Roundup begins with Uncle Jesse cruising in a convertible for Low's "Try to Sleep" (Have Mercy!). We then take you to the SNL stage for the Foo Fighter's performance of their latest album, Wasting Light. Our favorite Aussie's, Cut Copy, provide a Scandinavian performance. Wild Beasts express their vocal brilliance in the gloom of an "Albatross" ballet. The compilation is closed with the riotous trailer for the Beastie Boys' short film, "Fight For Your Right Revisited".

Considering the difficulties that many bands of only three or four members face when trying to agree on writing and recording albums, it's truly incredible the amount of hopeful enthusiasm that is successfully expressed by the Swedish group, I'm From Barcelona, who possess up to 29 individual members. Following positive reception of their past products, the band has delivered yet another brightly coloured compilation of pleasant tracks in their latest upcoming album, Forever Today. Favoring the piano's higher octaves, jittery beats, and flawlessly cheerful hooks, I'm From Barcelona explore indie pop-rock with a refreshing blast of unabashed positivity. The infectious tunes within Forever Today are able to generate instant enjoyment one bouncy track after another, reminding us that jaded cynicism is not the necessary ingredient for credibility.

As this Saturday's big event approaches, the Record Store Day treats are starting to pour in. One of Sub Pop's contributions is a generous compilation of new material from no less than 20 of their artists, politely entitled Terminal Sales Vol. 4: Please to Enjoy. Included on the record are Blitzen Trapper with new track "Maybe Baby", the Fleet Foxes favorite "Helplessness Blues", and Low's "Try to Sleep", for which John Stamos just lended his ever-lasting swoon effect in the song's music video. Many more great names complete the release, including Mogwai, Obits, and Memoryhouse, among others. And for the digital crowd, Sub Pop has provided a full stream of the entire album to test out before the release of the physical copy on April 16th.

Antlers still kind of haunt our dreams with their harrowing album-long tale of a dying friend (Hospice), and we're wondering what kinds of emotional turbulence we're in for with a forthcoming record called Burst Apart (explosions!). We already heard the single "Parentheses" (practically a Radiohead B-side), but this new leak got us really pumped with its swilled, Greenwood riffs. Check out the deliciously titled "Every Night My Teeth Are Falling Out" after the jump.

Thirty Seconds to Mars released their third album This Is War in 2009 and are just now putting out a music video for a track from that album of the same name. At the beginning of the video for "This Is War" there is a disclosure that this is a song about peace. The video would suggest otherwise for it deals with imagery of politics and war form all around the world and during different epochs by posing juxtapositions of good vs. bad. It gets pretty ridiculous halfway through as lead singer Jared Leto, dressed in fatigues, shoots at military tanks falling from the sky. Still, it's pretty clear that they have anti-war/pro-peace sentiments.

"I just want to change the world with my music."
-Jessie J during her recent appearance on The Today Show.

Right... we'll refer you here to see the kind of "change" that this personified blend of pop cliches has impacted on the world.

As Tupac has taught us, artist's music will never fail to crop up even after they take their career to the grave (whether figuratively or not). Although LCD Soundsystem have recently disbanded and many only just began to mourn, it didn't take too long before some new material from the now defunct band found its way onto the web. This track is a cover of Franz Ferdinand's "Live Alone", hailing from an upcoming Record Store Day release that features various covers from Franz Ferdinand's 2009 album Tonight.

While Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen spent the past 25 years growing from infants into adults, John Stamos obviously decided he didn't really feel like aging. Even though Stamos' career arguably peaked during his time on 90s treasure Full House, he proves he is still just as viable a candidate for the smoldering-cool-guy-who-leans-on-cars role in Minnesota band Low's new music video for "Try to Sleep".

Danger Mouse is one half of a lot of duos, but this project with Daniele Luppi is nearly five years in the making and one of the more interesting match-ups. Inspired by "Italian spaghetti western music", and a penchant for black and white shots of the desert, the two created Two Against One, an album of highly stylized tunes. Together they've wrangled in a few guest stars to assist in their efforts, including Jack White and Norah Jones. Hear a few stand-offs below, and watch a trailer as well (no old-timey piano soundtrack, we promise).

For UK fans on Record Store Day, Interpol have compiled a limited release EP of their tracks remixed by various artists, such as Salem, Banjo or Freakout, and others. As the North American release of this vinyl-only EP isn't due out until later this summer, Interpol are offering up a download right now of Salem's remix for their song "Try It On" from their 2010 self titled full length. In exchange for an email, Interpol's website has provided the MP3, which you can also grab below.

Today's ridiculous event to circulate the internets comes from a dating website, which hosted a poll that is almost as creepy as the website's name. Tastebuds.fm is a matchmaking site that pairs couples up according to music preferences, and recently they took a poll compiled of criteria a la your middle school gossip scene. The game is this: rank how likely you would be to "only meet up for a chat", venture "perhaps a kiss", or "go all the way if the mood was right" after an initial encounter with someone, and then match up these results with people's music tastes. Fool proof! Think this couldn't get any more bizarre? Just wait until you hear the results.

Very rarely does a band fully encompass the genre of rock without any accent of a sub-genre to flair their sound, and very rarely does a band ever do it so damn well as the Foo Fighters. Though in previous years there was a slight pop lean in some songs (most notably with singles such as "Learn To Fly"), on this album the Foo Fighters are catering to no audience other than their own passion for music. Wasting Light delivers a straight set of dominating guitars, charged vocals, and percussive beats that drive the album's relentless energy from start to finish. While previous albums have been recorded around an ongoing change of lineups for the band, this seventh LP presents itself with a confident roster of Foo Fighters, and is the first album recorded since the return of original guitarist Pat Smear. With this compilation of talent and experience, the overall sound achieves a very completed feel. Any hint of a pop safety net has been released, and it simply lets the guitars eat the album alive to great effect. It lacks nothing if not for perhaps a quintessential radio hit, but it's clear when you listen to Wasting Light that this is not what this album was made for. At this stage in any band's career, many often try to reinvent themselves in order to gain a larger diversity of success. With Wasting Light, it's clear that the Foo Fighters don't need to prove anything to anybody; they're just showing us what they do best.

Life can certainly pack a wallop sometimes. There are just too many forces - some tragic, some inevitable, some unnecessary - with the potential to send folks flying through the deepest trenches of their own emotions...tests, trials, tribulations, all that. Our friend Ben Lovett would like all those coping through the hard times to know that they are not alone. It's a message that underlies his song "The Fear" like a defiant rallying cry. In the song's video, Lovett gathers a collage of humanity, beating his drum like a call to live. It's an impressive visual, with direction credits going to David Bruckner.

Large music labels may owe up to $2.15 billion to their artists. Following F.B.T Productions' (Eminem's cronies) lawsuit against Universal Music, artists are recognizing the existence of unpaid royalties. The dispute involves the profit that is acquired via the digital music medium. The apparent problem is the distinction between selling music as "copies" and as "license". Copies are the physical products like CDs and vinyl, which provide artists with 10-15% royalty. License, however, is music purchased digitally, which grants artists 50%. This licensing agreement is absent from contracts of many artists who were signed prior to the digital revolution of music (most recent contracts include it).

Baltimore's rapper/beat mastermind, Blaqstarr, is providing his enormous, 25-track, self-titled mixtape for free, in its entirety. His latest project is said to be his exploration of pop music as well as an experimentation with hip-hop. While many of the tracks maintain his inflicting club banging, others branch into alternative musical realms. The mixtape contains multiple collaboration tracks with artists like Mos Def and MIA. In the song "War Of Roses", featuring Talib Kweli, club beats are replaced by hard guitar riffs and distorted vocals, making Lenny Kravitz look foolish (as if he wasn't already).

We're pleased to announce that we have more than doubled the number of videos available on our Roku Channel. This addition includes our library of exclusive artist interviews and our curated selection of some of the most interesting and engaging music videos from a variety of acts. Among the collection of artist interviews are conversations with The Low Anthem, Mumford and Sons, Phoenix and Sara Bareilles.

This past Friday, at Music Hall of Williamsburg, Beach Fossils headlined what is to be their last show in NYC for quite some time. The Brooklyn based band is gearing up to hit the road with Captured Tracks label-mates Craft Spells (originally of Stokton, California by way of Seattle), who also played the hall. It was Craft Spells second show ever, which wasn't evident by the ease that they played their danceable pop jams. Opening up the evening were minimal Brooklyn rockers Crinkles, who played to an eager yet relatively calm crowd because nearly half of the ticketholders were waiting in line for the sold-out show, but the main event was kicking off the tour of the evenings two Captured Tracks acts.

The six-week stipend of My Morning Jacket freebies comes to a close with the final allowance, and first sample of their forthcoming, Circuital, in the form of its seven-minute, title track. For the price of an email address, you can listen to make premature judgments prior the album's May 31 release.

TV On The Radio match poetic verse with a chromatic backdrop of wildly experimental instrumentation, and their creations have already solidified a positioning as the most influential indie group of the last decade. TVOTR is known for creating music that thematically links their subconscious, societal disapproval to a metamorphosis into aggressively sexual beasts. While their earliest works were more suited as soundtracks of a debaucher's Armageddon, their latest product, and fifth full-length, Nine Types Of Light, is far less disorienting and noticeably higher in spirit.

A few months back we teamed up with our friends ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead to give the band's seventh record the kind of boisterous release day party it truly deserved. After all, Tao Of The Dead an extraordinary record; one our own Derrick Wiest recently declared "one of their most engaging albums to date". A celebration was obviously in order.

And so our camera crew, the band, and a flock of their closest 400 fans crammed into the back room of Littlefield in South Brooklyn for an exclusive release day performance/shoot of songs new and old. Slimmed down from the brawny six piece outfit that entertained our cameras a couple years back, Conrad Keely and Jason Reece's newly realigned outfit echoes the more elemental and urgent qualities of the new songs that inhabit Tao. Unlike the highly constructed strides into prog rock the band took with their '09 release Century of Self, the band's latest seems a much more spontaneous animal in make-up; as if getting back to the basics, hell...getting back to just having fun playing, seemed the primary motivation this time around.

From the looks of this exclusive concert release, the band is definitely enjoying themselves. This is one of the first live documentations of material from Tao, and we feel absolutely privileged to have had it happen before our cameras. Check out this special performance from Trail of Dead exclusively on Baeble. Then be sure to pick up a slew of tickets to the bands upcoming tour with Surfer Blood. The tour dates section has all the information you need.

Another new cut off Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 2 is making its way around the interwebs, and boy is it a doozy. Unlike the very typical Beastie banger we heard last week, this one is a little less 80s and a little more "whaaaaaaaaaaa?" Check out "Tadlock's Glasses", a new track that premiered on BBC 1 that sounds like the Beastie Boys put in a blender with some LSD.

Who said that fundamentalists lack good senses of humor?!

Clearly, Heaven hasn't caught wind of Katy Perry's hotness. Then again, I'm sure the big man upstairs knows how to Google search.

Weezer's Rivers Cuomo recently met with pop-punk's reigning leaders of the moment, All Time Low, to work on some material for their forthcoming album Dirty Work. The collaboration's end result is the LP's first single, entitled "I Feel Like Dancing", which is a catchy, riff driven number that takes more than a few stabs at some of today's class acts. You know, like Ke$ha.

There's constant speculation of the existence of subliminal messages in pieces of music. Deep in the darkness of parents' basements, music nerds are shredding their vinyl to uncover secret messages in their favorite tracks. Though it was posted a while back, we recently discovered an example of these coding experiments. This individual reversed the flow of Animal Collective's "Did You See The Words".

Handsome Furs is one half of the Wolf Parade co-front-man dream team (and one of my personal favorite musicians) Dan Boeckner and his wife Alexei Perry. He told us he was working on a new Handsome Furs record, a follow-up to 2009's Face Control, and ZOMG IT'S TIME TO HEAR NEW TUNEZ. Grab the first single, "What About Us" below, plus a tracklist, plus speculation as to how they will expand on their Russian preoccupations to use "Eastern European 1980s Industrial Music" as an influence.

Panda Bear works hard to bridge the gap between Animal Collective's early unintelligible electro-jam sessions and that stuff you hear on the radio. And he does a pretty good job of marrying the two, despite the Montague/Capulet type relationship between them. Although Noah Lennox has a sharp ear for fun and bubbly music for guys with thick-frame glasses and girls who might have used the word "alt" to describe themselves at some point, it's not quite worth the fellatio from Pitchfork.

What's an awards show without musical performances? Finally, we weren't forced to listen to Bette Midler and Celine Dion's latest sonic endeavors. Instead, The Lonely Island performed their viral masterpiece with Akon, "I Just Had Sex", and Charlie Sheen received a sonic warning from his former, sitcom associate, Jon Cryer.

This office manager really knows how to bring the funny.

We then nicknamed the vacuum in the broom closet "This Joke".

Saturday Night Live continues the trend of being a weekly roller coaster ride. It either shines with illustrious humor, or painfully humiliates the iconic, NBC timeslot. This past weekend's episode was one of the more memorable productions of the 36th season. Hosted by Hollywood's most striking geriatric, Helen Mirren, the sketches maintained a heightened level of comic satisfaction. Modern rock's most iconic group, Foo Fighters, blessed the SNL stage with performances of their seventh forthcoming Wasting Light. Frontman and fellow humorist, Dave Grohl, made a fair share of appearances in the evening's sketches.

They flooded Facebook newsfeeds with their adorable cover of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros' "Home", and now the father-daughter, musical duo, Alexa and Jorge Narvaez, take on 4 Non Blondes' "What's Up (What's Going On)". The 24-year-old father of two is a founding member of Reality Changers, a program designed to create first-generation college students, and is a student himself, at UCSD. The duo quickly evolved from playing songs for Alexa's preschool class to a full-blown tour schedule, including enormous musical festivals.

To kick off the excitement for their upcoming album, If Not Now, When? due out on July 12th, Incubus have released the album's first single, "Adolescents". This may be the first full length LP that Incubus has released in five years, but with "Adolescents", it is clear that the band remains strong.

Foster The People continued their hot streak (coming off some buzzy sets at SXSW) by packing The Knitting Factory on Saturday night. These guys perform with a polished focus that is mostly absent from bands at the breaking point of buzz and blowing up, and their songs are the top-est notch. We're guessing FTP may not be just a Brooklyn-household name for much longer.

This week, Jimmy Fallon and Carson only air reruns, but there are still plenty of musical guests on the other late night programs to entertain you. Most notable may be the Foo Fighters appearance on Tuesday's Letterman, the same day that their new album Wasting Light is released. Since Jessie J hasn't seemed to catch on in the United States with, well, any amount of respect, you can choose to spend your Wednesday watching Robyn on Jimmy Kimmel or The Kills on Conan instead. The week comes to a close with Bright Eyes on Leno's Thursday night show, followed by literally nothing on Friday. It's spring now, guys. The snow is finally gone, so no more excuses; you have to do an activity! Or so television is telling us.

Over in Sweden, television that features actual music still exists, as opposed to our treasures here in the US: shows about child-bearing teens and Ed Hardy wearing fist pumpers WHO AREN'T EVEN FROM JERSEY. Anyways. Klubbland is a Swedish television show that provides video footage of arists performing at actual live shows, and recently hosted the Australian group Cut Copy, whose many achievements include creating dance music that isn't annoying. The twenty minute clip shows some great 80s vibing performances by the band, including "Take Me Over", "Hearts on Fire", and "Lights and Music". There is also some footage of the band exploring the city and chatting, so really this video is worth it if just hear them speak in Australian accents.

Kids take the darnedest tests. Reminds me of when I tried to bake a limp biscuit in home economics.

Related: did you know that "Say My Name" is actually about Uranus?

Jamaica's No Problem is like the pop-rock of 2025. Its synthesis of neo-funk and hook driven electro-babble may draw comparisons to another notable group of Frenchies who sing in English, but this sound is far from "1901". It's the future of feet-moving frenzied rock and roll; catchy, quirky, and as infectious as a virus in an elementary school. And this is one bug you probably want to catch.

A few weeks ago, we reported on the astounding success that Adele has achieved across the globe with her sophomore LP, 21, specifically in Britain. The good news hasn't stopped flooding in for Adele, as her album continues to shatter records left and right. 21 is now the longest running album by a female solo artist to hold the top spot for consecutive weeks in the UK, but it doesn't end there. 21 is clearly her lucky number, as she took this record from previous title-holder, Madonna, who has now forfeited the throne after, you guessed it, 21 years. Madonna's 1990 album, Immaculate Collection, was the previous title holder, but lost the honor as Adele's 21 remained at number one for the tenth week in a row.

Ezra Koenig, of Vampire Weekend, is a contributor on the soundtrack of the upcoming Max Winkler film Ceremony. Koenig's cover of Paul Simon's 1972 piece, "Papa Hobo", fits comfortably within the bohemian, bourgeois setting of the film, which is also sonically complimented by Pete Townsend, The Animals, and Star.

Along with their forthcoming album, Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 2, the Beastie Boys have put together a short half hour film that documents versions of the group at different ages having a West Side Story-like face off, except with less finger snapping and more beer throwing. Naturally.

With only a month until the release of their third studio album, Smother, Wild Beasts have created a music video to accompany its first single, "Albatross". The haunting visual atmosphere coincides with Haden Thorpe and Tom Fleming's operatic crooning, and the final product is a multisensory experience of gloom.

Our Austin adventures were made possible by Lexus and our buddies at MOG Music Network. We've teamed up with both to create a mico-site of artist content, with bios and other goodies. The great news: it contains four singles from our multi-day shoot, available AS WE BLOG. Get pumped. Head over right now to preview videos with the Rural Alberta Advantage, The Submarines, The Boxer Rebellion, and The Lonely Forest.

Dallas Green, known by his infatuated faithful as City and Colour, is soon to release his third studio album, Little Hell, on June 7, via Vagrant Records. The latest sampling of the forthcoming is "Fragile Bird", which is recognizably less acoustic and therefore, less personal. But Green's soaring vocals triumph over the increased percussion and lead into a captivating chorus.

Dom's mixtape for us was so influential and unique, we actually went out and bought a few records based on their tracks. Get your fix of interesting, left-of-center music from all walks of the history of recordings, from acid rock to blog bait, it's all here. Jump on it.

With the June 21 release of their seventh studio album, Whatever's On Your Mind looming nearer, Gomez is providing its first single, "Options". The album is being described as the "perfect summer soundtrack", and this single does it justice.

It is confirmed! Justin Bieber really IS a girl! You guys can all high five each other now, and I'm going to go cry to my Jonas Brothers poster and beg them to never do this to me too. Okay, the truth. In actuality, no word yet on whether the real Justin Bieber is a girl or not, but there is another woman out there who has gone to suspicious lengths to look like him considering how confused she seems to be about the similarities. Dani Shay is a regular girl; just hanging out, getting bowl cuts. Except that she is just one purple hoodie away from looking exactly like the Biebs. She also has a talented voice, and decided to use it to vent her frustration over living in a Bieber world where she is just a Bieberial girl. Watch Dani Shay sing her original lyrics about the woes of looking like Justin Bieber, performed to the tune of his hit "Baby", below.

Their name says it all; the spastic ear-assault known as Royal Bangs took their southern/math rock fusion to the Mercury Lounge last night for a royal dose of "what just happened?". They played a variety of tunes, including some of the blistering new numbers from their new album Flux Outside. These boys from Nashville know how to have fun.

LA kids Funeral Party stayed up late to play Kimmel last night, and in contrast to their stripped-down daytime acoustic set from our CMJ sessions at Rockwood Music Hall, they required a few power strips and probably a post-show shower. Check out "Finale" below.

For most, the first week of April is plagued with bleak weather reports and the restocking of allergy meds. But we know that Claritin can't relieve your pre-spring blues, so we're providing you with our favorite remedy, and it comes in video form! This week's collection of videos include an outstanding cover of a Wilco track, by our favorite folk-sters, The Low Anthem. The National provide us with a music video to accompany their song written for the film, Win, Win. Kurt Cobain is remembered on the day of his passing by Jared Leto's eerie impersonation. Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" receives a classical face lift. And finally, we witness the buzzed about "You Are A Tourist" music vid that Death Cab For Cutie produced in a savvy fashion. Enjoy the videos!

Taylor Kirk's ominous foray into other-wordly blues is just as spooky as its always been, but this time, the gimmick is met with a fresh amount of soulful sonic consistency. With a name like Timber Timbre, it's not a shock that Kirk's croon is right at home in, say, the woods at night, and the title Creep On Creepin' On should definitely win an award for some combination punny description category. But beyond the slow chugging train of bluesy progressions, Kirk's dirge-y ballads and echoed cries of rituals and swamp magic are met with intention to derail.

Although the "Hipster Orchestra" is actually comprised of a few of the top dogs at up-and-coming music licensing company Jingle Punks, you can't help but smile at how well "Under Cover Of Darkness" translates to chamber ensemble.

MCA had to beat cancer before we could get to Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 2, so the delays in the album's release were totally understandable. It was worth the wait. First single "Make Some Noise" just leaked, and it harkens back to the good ol' days of the Beastie's finest work, in ways that 2011's other comeback albums can only dream about.

A few months back we teamed up with our friends ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead to give the band's seventh record, Tao Of The Dead, the kind of boisterous release day party it truly deserved. Quite simply, it's an extraordinary record; one our own Derrick Wiest asserted was "one of their most engaging albums to date". A celebration was obviously in order.

And so the band, our camera crew, and a flock of their closest 400 fans crammed into the back room of Littlefield in South Brooklyn for an exclusive release day performance/shoot of songs new and old, taking in some of the incredible artwork ToD's Conrad Keely also had on display for fans to check out ahead of the show.

We'll be releasing the video of the band's full performance next week. Until then, we'd like to whet your appetite with some of our conversation with both Keely and band-mate Jason Reece. It's an intriguing look at the band, their new album, and some of the motivations that drive both of these prolific artists. Have a look and be sure to return to the site next week when we unleash the band's full performance.

In support of their latest effort The King Is Dead The Decemberists hit Jimmy Kimmel Live. On the late night show they performed "This Is Why We Fight" and "Calamity Song" from their new album. Colin Meloy is no longer apologizing for stealing your bicycle, but he still strikes me as a dopelganger for Ben Gibbard (circa short hair/glasses era). Check out videos of both performances below and decide for yourself.

With The Weeknd's debut, House of Balloons, it is clear that they won't be following anybody's rules but their own. They forfeited any concern for beginner's profit by putting the mixtape up online for free, toyed expressively with the classic boundaries of R&B, and opened up about sinister subject matters with unashamed indifference towards any consequences.

Philadelphia string slinger Kurt Vile recently dropped his newest record Smoke Ring For My Halo. The album is a gorgeous collection, inhabiting dual worlds of glassy psychedelic folk and fuzzy electric riff work as it goes along. Kurt recently released a video for "Jesus Fever". The piece was directed by Ricardo Rivera and produced by Klip Collective. Like the counterpoint quality of the album, the video finds Vile inhabiting multiple, urban environments as it plays through.

Dom wants to bring the sunshine to two lucky fans by giving away two tickets to their April 20th performance at The Bowery Ballroom with MINKS, Fergus and Geronimo, and Total Slacker. With a line-up like that you'll regret missing a chance to snatch up free tickets before it's sold out.

It's no secret we're big fans of Rhode Island's The Low Anthem, especially after hosting their ecclectic musical offerings in our Guest Apartment. We were psyched to discover they recently visited the Onion A.V. clubs Undercover series, playing one of our favorite Wilco tunes (totally all spaced out, as they do). Check it out below.

Following their first single, "You Are a Tourist", for which a live online music video debacle just took place, comes the second single from Death Cab For Cutie's new album. The new track, "Home Is a Fire" is one of the softer Death Cab tracks, but maintains the racing presence of urgency that can sometimes be found underneath their peaceful demeanor. There is something hypnotizing about the music this band delivers, and "Home Is a Fire" continues their saga of enchanting material. Their new album, Codes and Keys comes out on May 31st from Atlantic, and you can check out "Home Is a Fire" below, and also watch the new music video for "You Are a Tourist".

Interestingly, it seems that this song sounded less brazen when Rihanna sang it. Perhaps it is the clearly pronounced syllables, the soft voice that deeply contrasts the suggestive lyrics, or maybe we just don't really listen too closely to what Rihanna says. Either way, Anni Rossi's cover of "Rude Boy" is an eclectic take on the song that is usually full of heavier beats and heaps of attitude, but in this case still seems to be more sharply insinuative.

Los Angeles five-piece rock band Rooney are hitting the road again for their Not In My House tour with The Skybombers and Voxhaul Broadcast. They're giving away two tickets to their performance at Gramercy Theatre on April 19th plus a signed copy of their latest album Eureka. All you have to do is enter your email address below for a chance to win!

Headlines pertaining to the "O Awards" are initially terrifying, that is, until it's realized that Oprah has no involvement (my first reaction to this assignment). This inaugural awards ceremony will apparently be MTV's latest contribution to the music industry (it's about damn time). MTV aspires to replicate the effects that their Video Music Awards had on the music video with an awards show championing digital dissemination.

The Garden State may be reputable for its northern smog, and southern grease, but similar to its clandestine beauties of greenery, are vast, hidden music scenes. Bruce left his iconic footprints in the Asbury sands, and a myriad of musicians followed. Scaling the ladder of shore bars, a lucky few migrate northward eventually attaining well-deserved prominence. Hailing from Toms River, NJ, indie-folk, 8-piece, River City Extension experienced their fair share of coffee shops and boardwalk dives. Guided by singer/songwriter, Joe Michelini, the symphonic, folk act is hijacking a national audience during their perpetual interstate voyages.

While we were busy trying to ignore discussing the death of an iconic musician (by still questionable means), 30 Seconds To Mars front-man and Requiem For a Dream star Jared Leto was busy recreating the Kurt Cobain persona on short film as a tribute to his suicide seventeen years ago (yesterday was the anniversary). Although Leto is much more well known for his eye-liner and emo-crooning, he has demonstrating some pretty respectable acting chops (as his junkie character in Daron Aronofsky's drug flick Requiem, for sure). Some might consider this pet project a pitch for a larger work based on Cobain's life, and Leto really does his best to channel the late great Nirvana front-man (and in many cases, succeeds). Check it out below.

Within the first few moments of their session at Rockwood Music Hall, it's fairly obvious as to where The Postelles hang their fedoras. There's just too much downtown boogey bopping about in their street smart grooves to be confused as the product of any other place BUT New York City. These four, stylish young lads are life-long Manhattanites, practically born and raised in the beer drizzled bars of the Lower East Side. Actually, in a musical sense they kind of were, gigging their way 'round the city even before freeing themselves of the shackles of high school.

Diving into their music, the city's pace and influence is obvious and profound, shuffling about in the jangly fuzz of the frets, ready steady drum rhythms, and ear catching vocal melodies that naturally inhabit any song they take to. Nothing too fancy...not need for it, really. The Postelles take queues from the best musical offerings of recent generations - 50's rock and roll, 60's mod, and 70's punk, for example - propping up their plug in and play influences like some noble mission to assure their idols are never truly of a bye gone era.

So The Postelles keep their heroes alive in this Guest Apartment style session captured during our run on Rockwood last Fall. The video serves as a tease of sorts; the band is set to release a long awaited debut album this June via our friends at +1 Records. Produced in part by The Strokes' Albert Hammond Jr, the album is sure to introduce the band's crafty and infectious batch of rock and roll to the masses. Here's your chance to stay ahead of the curve...an endearing introduction to a band we're pretty damn excited about.

Get your fix of New York City brat-pack The Postelles with a chance to win a copy of their shiny new debut record (out in June), as well as some other cool merch. Get the full details (and contest entry instructions for you newbs) below.

Elvis Costello continued his performance hijacking when he ran out to join The Strokes during their April 1, NYC performance. It was his second New York surprise, within a week, following his visit to Further's (Bob Weir and Phil Lesh of the Grateful Dead) gig on March 27.

While I may not share the adoration with our in-house Hanson authority, Siobhan Fludder (who recently spoke with Isaac), I must confess, their latest sonic venture caught my interest. In addition to the release of their newest single, "Give A Little", they've included its remixes, composed by Questlove and RAC (Remix Artist Collective). Hanson is also partnering with Soundcloud for a "Give A Little" remix challenge. The submissions (which were due April 3) will soon be evaluated by the public, and the top remixes will be included on the UK release of the single (along with RAC and Questlove's versions).

Donald Glover is known for his role as the goofy college kid Troy Barnes in NBC's Community, and before that for his stint as a writer on 30 Rock. Add rap-game to his swiss-army knife of talents. A few months ago we discovered Glover's knack for rhyming under the name Childish Gambino (even including him on a mixtape or two, you know, because jamz). His latest track, "Break", is a rehashing of Kanye West's now anthemic stadium-destroyer "All Of The Lights", opening with Gambino's admirable singing efforts and a subtle guitar transcription of the original song (soon after transitioning into banger status). New rap essentials. Grab it below.

The comedic crew who found viral fame via lo-fi creations of ridiculousness, used their Saturday Night Live funds to produce the second Lonely Island album, Turtleneck & Chain. The latest product, a video for the album's track "We're Back!", certainly won't be included in SNL's archive of "Shorts". There aren't any boats, nor are there any concealing boxes in this brashly vulgar parody.

In 1991, the 80s new wave came to a close as Buffalo Bill "tucked" and twirled to Q Lazzarus' "Goodbye Horses". Less maniacal (we hope), but eerily comparable in musical taste and disguising personas, Cold Cave's leading man, Wesley Eisold has revitalized the late, musical movement. His most recent, nostalgic adventure and second full-length, Cherish The Light Years, reinforces the artist's ever-progressing indulgence in nihilism and anguish.

Cake take a stab at the sharply-edged-monkey-town themed music video reminiscent of Gorillaz style animation in their new video for "Long Time". They also add some comically endearing monkeys of their own, who may have come across one of the sinister worlds that you enter through the holiday tree in Nightmare Before Christmas. There are all sorts of ominous shenanigans taking place in this video for "Long Time", including chase scenes, monkey outlaws, and crow-surrounded trees full of falling apples. It takes some mild concentration to follow the video's events, but all I know is I'm rooting for the monkey.

In this turbulent emotional roller-coaster called life, us people tend to put our heads and hearts in direct conflict with one another in all types of situational comedy (or drama, but mostly comedy in retrospect). One thing is for sure, The Head and the Heart (the band) seem to take this push and pull of everyday existence and extrapolate it into glorious, shimmery tunes filled with squishy feelings and other nice stuff, just the way good music should move us from bummed to better.

Odd Future, the fifteen-member hip hop proteges, can't seem to find their way out of the cavernous world of rap feuds. Last week, they received a rhythmic response to Tyler, The Creator's bash of fellow rapper B.o.B., from the artist himself. The latest battle, however, contains fewer C-words and much more irony. A heated competition has surfaced as two former rap icons, now music moguls, Jay-Z and Sean "Diddy" Combs battle with the desire to sign the blunt (pun intended) lyricists.

This intense slice of Mogwai's seventh album Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will brings with it a set of rather haunting visuals, as the crunchy chords of "San Pedro" chase a mysterious, black clad stranger around the streets of New York City.

Elton John hosted and performed on Saturday Night Live, this past weekend. Thankfully, the program surprised with the cameos of Will Forte, Tom Hanks, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Carmelo Anthony. The entire episode was plagued with overused gay comments and crappy British accents, but what else is new? Amongst the simpleton garbage were a few good skits and admirable musical performances.

Three years following the release of Midnight Boom, the duo of Alison Mosshart ("VV") and Jamie Hince ("Hotel"), provide us with another sonic sampling of sexual aggression in Blood Pressures. While VV spent a short stint with the Dead Weather, the brief separation allowed Hince to legally bind himself to supermodel, Kate Moss. The previous products of The Kills were driven by their rough personas and the lo-fi aesthetics of industrial dismay. The hiatus is a proven success, as Blood Pressures exemplifies two maturing artists.

Chad VanGaalen sends J Mascis on an animated journey into a splendid world of colorful psychodelia in this video for acoustic burner "Not Enough", from Js recent Sub Pop album, Several Shades of Why.

The non-cable/broadcast media programming world feels like digital oppression, like we should all be tearing up the pavement outside the traditional media castle and yelling "I want GTV (Google TV)". We should be campaigning to throw the networks and huge cable operators out of their primacy and usher in a new era of everything "On Demand", just like MTV thirty years ago empowered a generation to identify with the slogan "I want my MTV."

Nat Baldwin's got a whole lot of game. The Brooklyn based musician's most distinguished gig to date comes propping up The Dirty Projectors with his tremendous contributions as the group's full-time bass player. You've also probably heard him somewhere in the mix of both Vampire Weekend's Contra and Department of Eagles' In Ear Park.

What could easily (and correctly) be labeled as an extremely desperate attempt at holding on to fame, comes the new single from NKOTBSB. That is the New Kids on The Block / Backstreet Boys collaboration for those of you who were not preteen girls in the 90s. Although the single collaboration (and corresponding album and tour) comes from a sad, sad place, there is no denying that this supergroup delivers exactly what fans of the bands are hoping for. If you are part of the 99% of the population that hates boy band pop, then cover your ears and find a place to hide until it is safe to rejoin a world where your only problem is Justin Bieber. Otherwise, let your fangirl senses ignite.

In support of their upcoming tour and the In Every Direction EP, Junip is providing a free download of the Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. remix of "In Every Direction". The Sweden-based group gained prominent recognition, following a five year hiatus, in 2010 with their debut full-length Fields. Led by the cooling echoes of Jose Gonzalez's vocals, Junip is known for their mellow, spacey grooves.

Ever wonder what it would be like if Lady Gaga's music videos were scored into feature films? Apparently an entire orchestra of people did, as we see here in this mashed up video of Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" music video and a Hollywood orchestra collaboration. Composer Greg Nicolett, who has experience scoring feature films and television shows (he's worked on Smallville, guys!!) led this symphony interpretation of "Bad Romance". The combined result is actually quite interesting, so take a look at the video below!

It may now be April, but the weather lords are determined to live up to the elongated winter they have inflicted upon the Northern parts of the US. Since we may be doomed to stay indoors for yet another week, here is a list of late night television to entertain yourself with. Baeble favorite, Fitz And The Tantrums, will be performing on Tuesday night's Leno, and if you're still up, be sure to catch Oh Land on Carson later that evening. Funeral Party will be the musical guest visiting Kimmel's Wednesday night show. Wednesday also marks the beginning of a two-night Paul Simon appearance on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon. And while Friday normally fails to deliver interesting guests, this week we fair better with Nicole Atkins on Carson and Zooey Deschanel on Craig Ferguson. Check out the full list below!

Cold Cave released the second single of forthcoming, Cherish The Light Years, "Villains Of The Moon". Our first introduction to the album was its opener, "The Great Pan Is Dead", with its aggressive synth. The latest single, which is the album's closing track, contains a much calmer tone with a gripping chorus. These contradicting edges of their latest product only furthers speculation of what the body of Cherish The Light Years will possess.

We know that the world has had more than their fill of Charlie Sheen humor over the past few weeks, so we are sad to inform you that this post is not a joke (although we so dearly wish it was). Apparently, in some universe where Charlie Sheen is taken seriously, some rumors began circulating that the man with Biwinning Disorder would be doing a musical collaboration of sorts with none other than Snoop Dogg. Pause for collective world-wide sigh.

It turns out that Sean Penn isn't alone down in earthquake-devastated Haiti. Arcade Fire performed at Port-Au-Prince's world famous Hotel Oloffson (where Bordain resided while in Haiti). The Grammy-winners are notable contributors in raising funds towards the relief efforts of the 2010 quake.

Shortly following the release of their debut, self-titled album, Yuck let loose their latest single, "Doctors In My Bed". Sonically resembling the indie output of 90s purists, the recent track mirrors the softer sounds of Pixies. Who doesn't enjoy an Adventures of Pete and Pete flashback?!

The Meyrin Fields EP is just a few scraps from the recording studio floor, but some of the quirkier moments find Mouse and Mercer at their absolute best. Broken Bells deliver a welcome digestif to their already excellent debut record, just in time to keep fans interested in this specific pairing (as Brian Burton moves on to other projects).

Born in 1989, Red Hot Organization (RHO) was created as a response to the devastation of AIDS to a generation of New York artists and intellectuals. Since its inception, its 15 compilation albums have generated more than 10 million dollars for HIV/AIDS relief and awareness. The most recent creation, a follow-up to Red Hot + Rio (1996), is the massive collaboration Red Hot + Rio 2.

Continuing with today's theme of Grohl and Cobain, inspired by The Lonely Forest curated Mixtape, we stumbled across this unseen footage of Nirvana's performance at Cow Palace back in '91. For those of us who grew up in the grungey 90s, this is equally warming and eerie as finding an old VHS home video.

Obviously, today's pop stars have learned nothing from the failures of Lady Gaga. The saga of bizarre circle-of-life alien-inspired music videos continues its circulation thanks to Katy Perry and the man who can't let a fad slip through his chokehold of relevance: Kanye West. In all fairness, Katy Perry usually provides catchy enough head-bopping music alongside mildly entertaining videos, and Kanye West has a slight aura of cool that even we can't deny him, but seriously, what were you two thinking?! "E.T." is a good song, and the addition of Kanye West on the track was a somewhat exciting prospect, but this video has one scary flash of deer eye too many to be considered anything but weird for the sake of weird.

This weekend, Elton John is scheduled as Saturday Night Live's dual threat of host/musical performer. One of the most successful musical artists of all time, Elton is an interesting follow-up to the show's most recent host, Zach Galifianakis. Everything Elton touches turns to gold (very sparkly gold), so it's assumed that SNL's ratings will skyrocket (man?) on Saturday evening. SNL released a promo of Elton and Jason Sudeikis that presents the musician's comfort in tantalizing his own image. (Benny Hill? Really?)

Deerhunter hung out and played some tunes on BBC 6 Music DJ Mark Riley's show the other night. In addition to playing some of their notable titles, the Atlanta natives performed their freshest single, "60 Cycle Hum". It's only fair that they provided their UK fans with the first taste, as the song was written during a recent soundcheck in Glasgow. Luckily, the entire program is streaming on the show's site.

This week we've got a tape put together by our buddies The Lonely Forest. Their album Arrows is out now, for all those wispy Washington rock fans out there. And if you like Cobain, Grohl, and other 90s rock Gods, you're gonna drool over this playlist. Get to it.