Neon Trees – Animal

“Animal” by Neon Trees… I’m obsessed with this song right now. Perfect melodic pop rock cute fun song for your dreary winter days.  I love how uncharacteristically HAPPY this band seems.

Neon Trees’ debut album Habits comes out March 23rd.

Edited: January 23rd, 2010

Priestess ‘Prior To The Fire’ Finally Drops in October!

Montreal’s Priestess will release its sophomore album, “Prior To The Fire”, on October 20. Well, in Canada at least. But that’s good enough! Priestess is one of the best metal bands of the decade that non-metal fans can really get into, but they’ve still managed to stay out of the mainstream (which in this case is not good, because that’s what left them in limbo). The 11 tracks on the effort are:

01. Ladykiller
02. Raccoon Eyes
03. The Firebird
04. Murphy’s Law
05. The Gem
06. Communicating Via-Eyes
07. Lunar
08. It Baffles The Mind
09. Sideways Attack
10. We Ride
11. Trapped In Space And Time

The long overdue follow-up to 2005’s “Hello Master” was recorded in fall 2008 in LA with producer Dave Schiffman (SYSTEM OF A DOWN, NINE INCH NAILS, MARS VOLTA). Americans who want the album legally will still have to wait until early 2010. (Blabbermouth)

Priestess

Edited: September 6th, 2009

Rivers Cuomo Explains Weezer’s “Raditude” Problem

When Weezer announced Raditude as the title of their upcoming album, music nerds far and wide had a serious Raditude problem and thought the band needed a Raditude adjustment. We don’t know what fans expected… this is a band that has released not one, not two, but three eponymous albums so far, the last of which featured their fearless lead Weez-er in a cowboy hat and mustache on the cover. Tongue-in-cheek is the name of the game and album titles are just another place for Weezer’s silliness. Face it: long gone are the heart-on-sweater-sleeve days of Pinkerton.

Nonetheless, Rivers Cuomo explained just where their Raditiude came from in an interview with a Spin… and it turns off The Office’s Rainn Wilson, Cuomo’s sometime collaborator, had a hand in it: “He has a super-rock persona,” Cuomo said. “When it came time to find a title for the Weezer album, I asked him what he thought the ultimate album title would be and he said ‘Raditude.’”

“The sound of Raditude is fun, high energy pop rock,” Cuomo said. “‘I’m Your Daddy,’ has an up vibe with the same, heavy Weezer guitar riff but with a little electro influence. And ‘The Girl Got Hot’ — that’s kind of a witty, party jam.”

Weezer

Raditude strikes October 27.

Edited: August 21st, 2009

Fans Begged, Thrice Delivered

The new Thrice album, Beggars, was released today on iTunes in response to the album’s leak in July – way ahead of it’s planned October release.

The always evolving and label-hopping CA rock band is wrapping up this summer’s Warped Tour before hitting the road this fall with Brand New.

2009 VANS WARPED TOUR

06.26.09 | POMONA, CA @ POMONA FAIRPLEX
06.27.09 | SAN FRANCISCO, CA @ PIER 30/32
06.28.09 | VENTURA, CA @ SEASIDE PARK
06.30.09 | PHOENIX, AZ @ CRICKET PAVILLION
07.01.09 | LAS CRUCES, NM @ NMSU PRACTICE FIELD
07.02.09 | SAN ANTONIO, TX @ AT&T CENTER
07.03.09 | HOUSTON, TX @ THE SHOWGROUNDS
07.05.09 | DALLAS, TX @ SUPERPAGES.COM CENTER
08.19.09| FRESNO, CA @ SAVE MART CENTER
08.20.09 | MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA @ SHORELINE AMPHITHEATRE
08.21.09 | SACRAMENTO, CA @ SLEEP TRAIN AMPHITHEATRE
08.22.09 | SAN DIEGO, CA @ CRICKET AMPHITHEATRE
08.23.09 | LOS ANGELES, CA @ HOME DEPOT CENTER
08.29.09 | NANAIMO, BC @ THE BIG EASY FESTIVAL

FALL TOUR WITH BRAND NEW

10.25.09 | LUBBOCK, TX @ THE LONESTAR AMPHITHEATRE
10.27.09 | AUSTIN, TX @ STUBBS BBQ
10.29.09 | TULSA, OK @ CAIN’S BALLROOM
10.30.09 | DALLAS, TX @ THE PALLADIUM BALLROOM
10.31.09 | HOUSTON, TX @ VERIZON WIRELESS THEATRE
11.03.09 | ATLANTA, GA @ THE TABERNACLE
11.04.09 | LAKE BEUNA VISTA, FL @ THE HOUSE OF BLUES
11.05.09 | TAMPA, FL @ THE RITZ
11.07.09 | NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, SC @ THE HOUSE OF BLUES
11.09.09 | CHARLOTTE, NC @ THE FILLMORE CHARLOTTE
11.10.09 | RICHMOND, VA @ THE NATIONAL
11.11.09 | BALTIMORE, MD @ SONAR
11.13.09 | NORFOLK, VA @ THE NORVA
11.14.09 | PHILADELPHIA, PA @ THE ELECTRIC FACTORY

Edited: August 11th, 2009

The Used Get In On “Blood” Craze!

If there were a Family Feud category that asked contestants to name “Mangy Strung Out Looking Alt Rock Punk Bands of the ’00s”… the survey would say… My Chemical Romance. And in a distant second… The Used. Those would be the only answers worth beans. Glassjaw is down the list somewhere but if you guessed that, your family may just disown you.

My point? The Used have always lived in the dark, dirty shadow of MCR, especially after the 2 bands began a feud of their own around 2005. But with The Used’s new album, “Artwork,” hitting shelves 9/1, and MCR’s still a TBD, they may have a good shot at winning back some fans.

One thing’s for sure… The Used never fall short on the video front. Check out the new video for “Blood on My Hands” after the jump! (more…)

Edited: August 5th, 2009

Band of Skulls: Twilight’s Latest British Import?

Band of Skulls and Robert Pattinson may have more in common than just nationality and disheveled hairdos. The British indie rockers can join the dashing teen idol in thanking Twilight for the generous boost into US stardom. Band of Skulls will join other UK powerhouses Radiohead and Muse on the soundtrack to New Moon which is sure to be pumping in every teen girl’s Prius this fall.

Band of Skulls are far from their epic, high-concept Brit brothers Radiohead and Muse. The most obvious comparisons will be drawn to The White Stripes, with a touch of the Yeah Yeahs Yeahs, and even bluesy overtones that bring to mind The Black Keys or Cage the Elephant. Their challenge will be to maintain some of their distinctly UK atmospheric tone and not become complete clones of the stateside indie blues scene.

All in all, a very deliciously unexpected addition to Twilight… but even if you’re not a sucker for bloodsuckers, suck up some of Band of Skulls “Blood” and don’t hold their vamp ties against them:

Band of Skulls – “Blood” (MP3)

Edited: August 5th, 2009

Sounds Like Sweden…

I loved the last two albums from The Sounds but I’m kinda mixed on their new single “Dorchester Hotel.”

Download: Dorchester Hotel

I’m not saying I reject it.  I just hope it’s not the BEST their new album has to offer. Crossing the Rubicon is out June 2nd and let’s cross our fingers for more gems like “Hurt Me” which you may recall from this fab commercial:

Edited: May 19th, 2009