Michel Gondry's new Bjork Video Crystalline

Bjork will soon be releasing her new album Biophilia. She is taking an album release to a new level with a multi platform media assault. She will be releasing it as a normal album but also as a series of IPad apps! Each app will coincide with each song from the album. The first track released has very much in common to her 3rd album Homgenic. It has the distorted sound scape's mixed with organic instruments. It even has some drum and base/Jungle thrown in. The video is pretty amazing and directed by her friend Michel Gondry. It will be very interesting to see if she tours with this project and how she chooses to present it live.

Check out the sweet video!

St. Vincent new song

St. Vincent, also known as Annie Clark, is one of the truly original musical artists in the last few years. She made her mark with her first album Marry Me and then followed it up with the critically acclaimed Actor. Actor placed her on many "best of" lists in 2009. I really loved Actor. Annie has a beautiful voice, but she backs that with such interesting arrangements that can only be described as her own. Her music can be pretty but also aggressive. She has a interesting way of creating juxtaposition in sounds.

Her new album is set to be released this September. It will be titled Strange Mercy and the first single from the record is titled Surgeon. The new single really shows how Annie is continuing to expand her sound with amazing synths. There is buzz that there will be guitar driven tracks that are more loud and judging by the experimental videos available as teasers, it will be interesting to see what we get.

Here is the first single Surgeon from St. Vincent.

New Song from Bat For Lashes

Bat For Lashes debuted a new song at the Vivid Festival in Australia this week. It gives us a slight preview of the third LP. This is a record that I am in highly anticipating. By the sound of the new song, this next album will continue on with the great work that Natasha has put forth so far. I am also very interested in the look she presented. Much more polished than in previous performances. She is practically wearing a ball gown. I kind of love it.

Fleet Foxes continues their greatness with Helplessness Blues

Fleet Foxes is one of those buzz artist, critics darling, blogger obsession that actually deserve it. Their first album was one of my favorites of 2008. This band is the full package from voice to lyrics to carefully chosen album artwork. The music they present is so simple, yet so literary and poetic. Apparently, there was a almost a full album scrapped and a girlfriend lost through the making of this record. The sacrifice seems to have paid off. Anyway, could go on and on, but judge for yourself. Here are a couple great clips from the new album.

New Wild Beasts lives up to the last and then some.

I'm a little late on this posting. The new Wild Beasts album came out a few weeks ago and its pretty beautiful. This album really holds up to their last album Two Dancers. I really loved Two Dancers and was nervous about this follow up titled Smother. Well, no need for the nerves. They took everything that was great about the last album (the drums, the falsetto vocals, the sexual metaphors) and stripped it down a bit to create something more intimate. I do wish it had a couple more upbeat tracks, but really that is such a soft criticism for what they have given us. I have a feeling this album will unfold with more listens through out the year.

I had tickets to see them live for the last tour, but did not go. I had seen Patti Smith the night before and me and my hangover were not up to another show. I will not miss this next tour. With two great albums behind them now, the live show will be a must see. I also got news from friends in London that caught one of the first shows for the new tour and they reported that it was "beautiful".

Here is a couple samples from Wild Beasts new and third album Smother:

Austra: Dark wave electro pop out of Toronto

I just discovered Austra this week. There was an article about the band in OUT magazine of all places. Austra is led by lead singer Katie Stelmanis and based in Toronto. The band is somewhere between music by The Knife and some vocal similarity to Nika Roza of Zola Jesus. The beats and vocals are pretty infectious. I am just digging into their new album Feel It Break. So far, I'm loving it. Here is a sample:

Lost classic: Bobbie Gentry

Bobbie Gentry is my favorite new "old" country artist. She had a number one single in the 1970's with Ode to Billie Joe. She had a couple more albums that did not quite live up to that first single, or so the critics said. I had a hard time finding one of her records(I think I'm not the only one rediscovering her right now), but once I did, I feel like she is just as good if not better than some of her contemporaries. She has the smoky sound of Dusty Springfield but with a bit more soul.
re soul.