F

Flavorwire

Arctic Monkeys

Music

10 Great Rock Albums Produced by Electronic Musicians

By Tom Hawking on

It’s nice to be pleasantly surprised once in a while, and Free Reign, the new album by UK band Clinic, has been on high rotation here at Flavorpill of late. We’ve always rather liked Clinic’s work, but we’ll be honest — we didn’t expect to enjoy this record nearly as much as we have been. Perhaps the most notable thing about Free Reign in comparison to Clinic’s other records is just how interesting its production and general sound is, which is perhaps not surprising since Oneohtrix Point Never assumed production duties. There have been plenty of examples of electronic artists producing songs for rock-inclined types over the years, everything from Giorgio Moroder working with Blondie on “Call Me” to Alec Empire collaborating with the John Spencer Blues Explosion and, um, Chris Cornell working with Timbaland on the ill-fated Scream. Here are some of our favorites. Did we miss any? … Read More

Music

10 Internet Music Sensations That Are Actually Worth Your Time

By Tom Hawking on

So, Kreayshawn’s debut album Somethin’ ‘Bout Kreay was supposed to come out this week. But, what do you know, just last week it was pushed back to September 18th. This is no surprise, given that in the year since “Gucci Gucci” was released, she’s already experienced the entire cycle of rapid rise to fame/backlash/naked photos/post-fame slump into “whatever happened to Kreayshawn, anyway?” status, and the record almost feels like an afterthought. The whole thing is a salutary example of how hyper-accelerated and transitory Internet fame can be. Still, it doesn’t have to be that way — there have been some enduringly worthy musicians who got Famous On The Internet and/or have been responsible for bona fide internet sensations over the years. Here are ten of our favorite such artists — as ever, let us know if we’ve missed any. … Read More

Music

5 Albums to Stream for Free This Week: Alabama Shakes, Arctic Monkeys

By Tom Hawking on

Welcome back to another edition of our regular Monday stream-a-thon, wherein we hunt down the best and/or most notable records streaming for free over the Internet. There’s plenty of interesting music to be heard this week — first and foremost, there’s the arrival of the Alabama Shakes album, along with a bunch of b-sides and rarities from Arctic Monkeys, Robert Pollard’s bazillionth solo album, a collaboration between Quantic and Alice Russell, and the original cast recording of the Newsies musical. Click through and listen to your heart’s content! … Read More

Music

Official Coachella 2012 Lineup Announced

By Alison Nastasi on

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… Read More

Music

The Year In NSFW Music Videos

By Tom Hawking on

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

Music

5 Albums to Stream for Free This Week: Fucked Up, Arctic Monkeys

By Tom Hawking on

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. … Read More

Daily Dose

Daily Dose Pick: Tinashé

By Doug Levy on

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. … Read More

Earplug

The Top 10 Albums of 2009 That Didn’t Make Pitchfork’s Top 50

By Doug Levy on

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. … Read More

Daily Dose

Daily Dose Pick: Jamie T

By Doug Levy on

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

Music

Stream It Now: Arctic Monkeys’ Desert-Swept Third Album Out Today

By Jessica Suarez on

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