If it were up to us, this week would be officially known as Johnny Cash week. The Man in Black’s birthday is Friday — he would be 79 — and if there’s a better way to celebrate it than to pour some instant coffee laced with whiskey and sidle up to a pile of tunes, we don’t know what it is. So we got him (and you) this great big haul of tracks, from a monstrous black metal ballad from Liturgy to another peek at Lupe Fiasco’s upcoming CD. Enjoy, and don’t forget to right click + save as or scroll down to grab it all.
After the thunderous blast that was Renihilation , Liturgy’s returning this month with Aesthetica, their third album. “High Gold” has enough force to peel the skin off your face, all frantic, euphoric drumming and intricate melodic work overlaid by chants and shrieks.
2. “Do You Believe in Destiny?” by the Fresh & Onlys
“Do You Believe in Destiny?” is a contemplative track from San Francisco psychedelic jangle-poppers the Fresh & Onlys, but its quiet energy is a lovely counterpoint to some of the groups’s more exuberant stuff. You finally feel like you can keep up with them, for once. Plus we dig that “Phantom of the Opera” kick at the end. They’re releasing their EP Secret Walls in April.
3. “Contact High” by Architecture in Helsinki
Australian multi-instrumentalists Architecture in Helsinki are back with Moment Bends , their first new one since 2007’s Places Like This . From the sound of “Contact High,” they’ve gone from pleasantly jingly to seriously synth-y, laying down some heavy grooves topped with falsetto.
4. “Esa Nena Nunca Regreso” by Davila 666
Puerto Rico’s answer to the Black Lips, Davila 666 are about to release their second album, Tan Bajo, and are preparing to criss-cross this fair nation of ours on a tour to support it. We’d say catch them while you can — from the sound of “Esa Nena Nunca Regreso,” they aren’t called the world’s best party band for nothing.
In case you managed to block out all cultural news last week, Radiohead unexpectedly dropped their new album, King of Limbs , on the world last Friday. “Codex” is a cut from it, and it revisits some beloved Radiohead territory: think The Bends , but with a little of the über-melancholy of Kid A.
6. “All Black Everything” by Lupe Fiasco
If you’re having a hard time waiting for Lupe Fiasco album’s new album, Lasers , to drop on March 8th, you’re not the only one. Luckily, we keep getting these great sonic breadcrumbs. Take “All Black Everything,” in which Fiasco swerves between the historical the and political, giving a sweet shout-out to Fred Astaire along the way.
Wavves has been dropping tracks left and right — “Horse Shoes” is the second one in two weeks. We have Nathan Williams’ insatiable blogging to thank for this one. You’ll hear no complaints from us, though, as long as he keeps on with these hyper-garage-punk numbers.
Clipse fans, rejoice. Pusha T, even Malice-less, can still bring some serious flow. He proves as much on “My God,” the first solo track he’s released since signing to Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. records.
9. “Moments Like This” by Bryan Master (click through to download)
LA singer-songwriter Bryan Master is gearing up to release his new album For People Like Us, and he’s nabbed a bunch of great musicians to back him up — including rock’s prodigal daughter, Liz Phair. The record’s fist single, “Moments Like This” is a straight-ahead rocker you’ll want to blast in the car while you’re screaming down the open highway.
10. “Hold But Let Go” by Six Organs of Admittance
Ben Chasny is an impressively busy man, what with the half-dozen bands he regularly plays in, so it’s impressive that he manages to devote any time to his alt-folk project Six Organs of Admittances, let alone enough to keep releasing albums. “Hold But Let Go” is the swoony first single off his most recent release, Asleep on the Floodplain.
Click here to download the entire mixtape.
Radiohead/Kanye West album cover mash-up via.