Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg (who was just arrested after border control agents found marijuana on his tour bus — shocking we know), The Black Keys, and Radiohead are amongst those headlining Coachella this year. Harlem rapper Azealia Banks nabbed herself one of the first official spots at the California music and arts festival just days ago. Other acts have been revealed via Twitter in the weeks leading up to today’s Facebook announcement. Bon Iver, Arctic Monkeys, At the Drive-In (they hinted at their participation in a Tweet today, about breaking their 11-year silence) … who are you missing in this lineup slated for a double weekend celebration, on April 13-15 and April 20-22 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio? [via Stereogum]
About this time last year, we ran an overview of some of the more interesting music videos of 2010, videos that would never have been shown on MTV, but nevertheless represented some fascinating and innovative filmmaking. At the time, we noted that “now that we get so much of our entertainment online, and MTV barely airs music videos anymore, the rules have changed.” In 2011, that’s more apparent than ever — and so, we’ve repeated the dose this year, looking at everything from a short film that barely features and music at all to a video that features men with heads for penises. Some of these are raunchy, some of them are disturbing, and some are just plain weird — but they’re all noteworthy, and they all make for interesting viewing. (And, just in case it’s not clear that a post entitled “The Year In NSFW Music Videos” is NSFW… well, it is. So don’t blame us if your boss catches you watching these.) Read More »
If you’re still struggling with the whole idea of being back at work after the Memorial Day long weekend -– and if so, to be honest, we can definitely relate –- then allow Flavorpill to ease your transition back into reality with a selection of fine music that you can stream online for absolutely nothing. We offer you a choice of post-hardcore rock opera, snappy English lit-pop, pastoral psychedelia, resurgent alt-country goodness, and, um, Eddie Vedder with a ukulele. Get involved after the jump.
A childhood spent in his native Zimbabwe informs the uplifting, intensely personal music of London-based singer/songwriter Tinashé and his debut album, Saved.
Playing modern pop with nods to Arctic Monkeys, Bloc Party, Vampire Weekend, and his original hero, Michael Jackson, the ebullient young artist tempers his guitar-driven tracks with traditional African influences and instrumentation. From the album’s transcendent title track to the longing “Good Times,” it’s a record full of hope, promise, and fantastic tunes.
Sure, there’s something to be said for pushing boundaries, constantly seeking out strange new sounds, and generally compiling the ephemera of the musical universe. But if there’s one thing any music fan with a taste for hooks knows, it’s that the folks at Pitchfork have a habit of often missing the forest for the trees. While the online indie-music kings at the site spend their days approaching music from a nigh-on scientific standpoint, some of the year’s best music can end up getting the shaft, simply because it isn’t weird or progressive enough. So, we weren’t all that surprised to see that a lot of our favorite albums of 2009 were omitted from Pitchfork’s top 10 albums of the year list. However, the fact that many of them not only also failed to appear in the site’s top 50, but even the honorable mentions, was a little too much to let slide.
Finding the common ground between Arctic Monkeys, the Streets, and the Clash, Jamie T encapsulates modern English life on his new album.
The South Londoner initially came to attention in the same scene that birthed Kate Nash, Lily Allen, and Jack Peñate, but with the release of sophomore record Kings & Queens,he sprints ahead of the pack, speaking for a generation of British youth in a much more enduring way. Plus, the single "Sticks & Stones" is the catchiest song you’ll hear all year. Read More »
Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner may have relocated to New York to be close to MTV girlfriend Alexa Chung, but Humbug‘s biggest influence comes from the West Coast. Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age) produced the UK band’s third full-length, and his touch shows up from single “Crying Lightning” onward. Read More »
Noisevox focuses on high-quality artist chats, paired with live sets. The clips go beyond the sound-bite, allowing Japandroids to tell medical horror stories and the Thermals to explain songwriting metaphors. Noisevox also offers interesting live takes, such as Arctic Monkeys‘ snarling cover of Nick Cave’s “Red Right Hand.” Read More »
This past weekend brought the second-annual All Points West music festival to New Jersey’s Liberty State Park — along with a healthy dose of rain to provide the traditional mud-drenched festival experience our friends across the pond know so well. Jay-Z stepped in on Friday night to save the day after the Beastie Boys’ last-minute cancellation, performing to a crowd willing to brave thunderstorms for his high-energy set; both Jay and Sunday headliners Coldplay paid tribute to the Beasties by covering their material, with Chris Martin’s solo piano version of “Fight for Your Right” coming across as especially endearing.
‘s biggest influence comes from the West Coast. Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age) produced the UK band’s third full-length, and his touch shows up from single “Crying Lightning” onward. 
