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A Selection of New Bands for People Stuck in the ’90s

By Tom Hawking on

One of the more chastening aspects of getting older is watching the creeping advent of cultural conservatism laying its clammy hands on your generational contemporaries. We warned against the dangers of such conservatism and its attendant revivalism earlier this week in lambasting Foxygen’s new album, and it’s kinda terrifying to start to hear people say things like, “Oh, all the good albums were made in the ’90s.” If you’re also hearing similar things, we humbly suggest that you introduce your friends to the bands after the jump, bands whose sounds recall various ’90s acts while managing to avoid sounding like tiresome cover acts. Who’d have thought it, eh? … Read More

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Music

A Selection of New Bands for People Stuck in the '90s

By Tom Hawking on

One of the more chastening aspects of getting older is watching the creeping advent of cultural conservatism laying its clammy hands on your generational contemporaries. We warned against the dangers of such conservatism and its attendant revivalism earlier this week in lambasting Foxygen’s new album, and it’s kinda terrifying to start to hear people say things like, “Oh, all the good albums were made in the ’90s.” If you’re also hearing similar things, we humbly suggest that you introduce your friends to the bands after the jump, bands whose sounds recall various ’90s acts while managing to avoid sounding like tiresome cover acts. Who’d have thought it, eh? … Read More

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Music

10 New Tracks You Need to Hear This Week: David Bowie, Suede

By Tom Hawking on

It’s Friday, which means that, yes, it’s time for us to round up the 10 most noteworthy tracks of the week that’s gone by for your listening — and, ideally, downloading — pleasure. It’s been a pretty fantastic week for new music, and thus there’s plenty of goodness to be had after the jump: the return of Suede and that Bowie chap, Jens Lekman writing a song for two big-hearted fans, Thom Yorke doing Thom Yorke things, new solo stuff from Electrelane’s Verity Susman, a kinda interesting Majical Cloudz remix, new songs from Low and La Big Vic… and more! Everything awaits you at the click of a mouse. Get into it, gentle readers! … Read More

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Music

The 10 Albums You Need to Hear in January

By Tom Hawking on

January has historically been a bit of a fallow month for album releases, but that’s changed in recent years with some notable records (most memorably Animal Collective’s Merriweather Post Pavilion ) dropping early in the year, and the first month of 2013 is certainly looking reasonably well stocked for worthy new records. We’ve selected the ten records we’re most looking forward to hearing, along with a roundup of all the other stuff — good and bad — that’s due out over the next four… Read More

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Music

Our 15 Most Anticipated Albums of 2013

By Tom Hawking on

We have good vibes in general about the year to come, and we’re hoping that it holds as much musical goodness as 2012 did. The early part of the year is certainly shaping up well, and we’ve put together a kind of extended edition of our regular monthly album release preview, looking at the 15 albums (with confirmed release dates) that we’re hanging out for in the new year, in addition to a roundup of records that are rumored/don’t have firm release… Read More

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Music

10 MP3s You Need to Download for Free This Week: Mogwai, Lost Animal, Clinic

By Tom Hawking on

It’s Friday, which means that our head hurts after going to the listening session for the amazing new Scott Walker album at the McKittrick Hotel last night — and also that it’s time for another installment of our regular roundup of downloadable MP3 goodness from around the web. This week we are talking very seriously to you about the Lost Animal album, which you need to get hold of ASAP when it’s released in January, and also sharing new tracks by Widowspeak and The Faint, excellent remixes of tracks by Clinic and Mogwai, an entire new Spaceape EP, and plenty more. Since all this action costs precisely nothing, what are you waiting for? All the download links await after the jump. … Read More

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Music

The 20 Best Debut Albums of 2011

By Tom Hawking on

It’s like clockwork. At this time of year, at least one friend who’s stopped paying attention to music climbs on his/her soapbox to proclaim that there are no good new bands any more, and that music’s gone to shit, etc. Inevitably, the situation devolves into an argument wherein you try to sell your friend on the virtues of a bunch of bands he or she has never heard of, and end up going to the bar in despair while they wander over to put Foo Fighters on the jukebox. Argh. But as ever, despite what people might want to tell you, there’s always plenty of great new bands and new music out there — you just need to know where to look. 2011 has been as good a year for debut albums as any, so next time you’re involved in such a discussion, feel free to point your obstreperous friend in the direction of the rest of this post — because after the jump, you’ll find our 20 favorite debut albums of 2011. As ever, suggestions are welcome. … Read More

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Music

10 New Albums You Need to Hear in August

By Tom Hawking on

Early in the week it was books, and today we’re looking at August’s album release schedule in search of the best new music to be had this month. And music lovers will be happy to know that August is shaping up to be a good ‘un — there’s a pretty impressive variety of genres that have noteworthy releases, from hip hop and brainy techno to blissed-out psychedelia and good old-fashioned indie pop. After the jump, we’ve selected the albums that we’re most looking forward to over the next four weeks. Let us know in the comments what’s going to be on your shopping list this month. … Read More

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