Pitchfork unveiled Surveillance today: a new series that features bands performing while being filmed by security cameras. It has roughly the same aesthetic as Taxi Cab Confessions.

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Ballsy moves involving whiskey and Jack White seem to pay off in glorious ways. Smoke Fairies are getting a record release courtesy of Third Man Records thanks to their new found pal, and it all happened by chance, in a bar, just like you'd expect it to happen. Rock and roll!

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Damon Albarn has retracted his former statement to NME that the cartoon gang would never make another pop album. The new LP from Gorillaz, Plastic Beach, is out next year and will feature guest spots from Snoop Dog, Lou Reed, and Mos Def. Feel good! [via Stereogum]

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So Friday there wasn't a T.G.I. Mixtape. Sorry friends! We were busy taking long walks and eating leftovers. But to make up for our lack of effort, we have an entire "mixtape" already assembled and ready for listening! OK, so its a rap mixtape, with only one rapper, but it samples beats from Radiohead, Lil' Wayne and more. And you KNOW all you need to sell something is to attach those names.

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Welcome back! While you were eating mashed potatoes, ten-plus beers deep and playing Call Of Duty with your twelve year old cousin, other stuff was happening in the world. Who got hurt? Who is back on their feet? Who made the above picture out of Jell-o? Your time begins now.

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BREAKING NEWS: Because it is that magical time between Thanksgiving and Christmas when news is scarce, and just considering suicide at one point in life is enough to be notable. Still, an unsettling bit of information from an iconic musician. [via Clash Music]

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When I hear Lissie Maurus' music I imagine her walking through the prairies barefoot or sitting on a porch next to a big red barn and a vast expanse of wheat or corn or some other sprawling, hearty crop. That's exactly who she is, and where her music comes from, the land of Lincoln, Rock Island, Illinois. Why You Runnin' the new EP from this mid-western singer songwriter, is a charming morsel of rustic bluegrass folk. Lissie sings about country weddings, broken hearts, and all those good American standards that make for a good American folk song.

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The London based folk quartet Mumford & Sons just released a new single and video "Winter Winds" from their debut album Sigh No More that dropped this October. The mid-tempo track feels a bit more jubilant than their first single "Little Lion Man," but still maintains that cynical edge these guys seem to love.

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There's a dreamy sort of nostalgia to Elizabeth & The Catapult's debut LP Taller Children. Some of the memories are happy and some are not, but each one of them stirs up the very sentiment ETC seems to be attempting to convey: we never really grow up as much as we think.

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For the third time this year, Portland-natives Blind Pilot descended on a boisterously burgeoning fan base in New York City, once more gracing the stage of the Bowery Ballroom. Though the band opted out of entering the venue on bicycles (much to the dismay of those who rode in from Williamsburg), their soothing blend of unusual strings, harmonious vocals, droning accordion and sprinkling of trumpet was the perfect prescription for warming up a very soggy Friday.

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Happy Thanksgiving everyone! We hope your day is filled with Turkey, Stove Top stuffing, and all the family feuding, laughing and crying your drunken stupor can handle. You know those Pilgrims loved their Smirnoff.

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It's more than five this time, you guys. But this is still the beginning.

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An introduction is in order. This is I Was a King: a Norwegian rock band that filter swaggering 70's guitar lashings (with just the right essence of glam coating its' surface) through the more modern screens of today's indie rock for an awfully confident and forceful kind of listen. Got it? Good! Now forget everything we just told you...because their performance at the Guest Apartment is nothing of the sort.

Instead, Frode Stromstad and Anne Lise Frokedal mesh delicate vocals, their harmonies divine, with some glowing acoustic work for a tender, three song set that falls nothing short of charming as it cycles through. To learn the pair call Norway home is not be surprising. This is the cure for the jack frost blues; cold weather comfort that's a refuge from the ice, the snow, the wind, and the rain. Performed here, "So Shy", "Your Name is Wild" and "Step Aside" sound something like a subtle batch of color painted across the canvas of a bleak, winter sky. It's not so intense, it's understated. But pressed against a dominating grey context, is vivid and pops. Something sort of beautiful in the void of dead weather. - David Pitz

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In our interview with members of I Was a King, Frode Stromstad and Anne Lise Frokedal discuss the history of their band, along with thoughts on playing live. It of course is a Baeble exclusive.

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Inspired by the combination of some truly awful records and a recurring feature on Videogum, editor Joe Puglisi proves that even criminally awful albums can inspire us... to seek out which of them is the worst.

We all have ideas. Ideas in our little brains. There are good ideas, and then there are bad ideas. Remember the Animaniacs? What they taught us about ideas?

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The much anticipated debut from Wale is appropriately called Attention Deficit; the DC rapper flows extraneous topics with ease, but when it comes to introspection, the picture is fuzzy. The Mixtape About Nothing taught us the cultural savvy and rap-referential mockery of a rhyme-slinger unafraid to laugh at his own job. The follow-up mixtape was no less sticky but less cohesive, a red flag that we'd never get the complete puzzle picture of Wale as a persona. Instead, he remains a cultural construct, billing producers left and right on his tracks, nabbing guest spots, and never allowing us to peek behind the curtain at the man pulling the levers.

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Yesterday I mentioned Lady GaGa and Big Macs and made some profound conclusions about how pop music sometimes could be considered bad for you in large quantities. NOW, who here would eat a hamburger every day if they could? What if it was made of %100 sustainable beef with a whole wheat bun and Pitchfork might actually talk about it? Well then put on your hemp recyclable shirts and ride your second-hand organic rubber bicycle to Annie-town.

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The grainy iPhone video you've all been waiting for, after the jump.

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From Vampire Weekend's forthcoming Contra record, this video for "Cousins" offers a more spastic piece of pop than the previously surfaced "Horchata". Here Ezra Koenig and Rostam Batmanglij fly around the frets, hopped up on some wicked caffeine buzz, while Chris and Chris (Baio and Tomson, respectively) side step now familiar afro leaning tendencies for rhythms that are a wee bit punkier. Heading down town for the visuals, the video feels like some twisted theme park ride...which, perhaps, they might want to consider concocting after they're done wooing the small small world after all with their latest release.

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Lead singer John Darnielle put his former nursing experience to use by diagnosing himself unfit for tonight's performance in Orlando and tomorrows in St. Augustine. Sorry Florida! At least you have nice weather. Final Fantasy will still play the Florida dates. [via Pitchfork]

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On record, as in their latest Taller Children (Verve Forcast), Brooklyn trio Elizabeth and the Catapult are an inventive young pop group, coveting tales of equal woe and whimsy with irresistible charm, knee jerk spats of wit and wisdom, and plenty of gracious personality. They're a feel good listen, and a recent stay at the Guest Apartment proved one could rob them of some instruments, but not those crafty characteristics that accentuate their wondrous bits of pop.

One part Elizabeth (Elizabeth Ziman), one part Catapult (Pete Woodman), 2/3rds of the band stopped by for a four-song stay. "Race You" is a sprightly sprint to the finish, navigating a field of" ba ba bas", handclaps, and cheapo, Casio key tones (there's a story about this). "Complementary Me" employs an equal spirit and pace; a wicked whistler that throws breezy melodies and lickity split guitar work at you, with little let up. Then come the session's quieter numbers. "I Can Always Dream", an unsurprising lullaby, features enchanting vocals that flutter in a dreamlike ether. Finally, "Apathy" is a simple beauty of poignant melodies and a story of confusion, frustration, and fear. It's a captivating performance; one that showcases an incredible amount of style and various instrumental alignments as it plays through. - David Pitz

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Elizabeth and the Catapult deal in the kind of affecting pop music that could have one person pouncing the streets in utter amusement as easily as it could have another trapped in a tear stained corner of their room. It's music for living, and everything that comes along with the act of. Here Elizabeth Ziman and Pete Woodman sit down and chat about their band, their live performances, and their recently released album Taller Children. Live a little. Pull up a chair with the band in this exclusive interview.

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Evil (genius?) MF Doom is irking fans left and right by continuously sending an imposter to play songs on a laptop at his shows. The latest tomfoolery happened in LA. Quoth an angry fan: "I get what he's goin for herehe's a VILLAIN, but he's ripping off his fans! I was super pissed along with everybody else who came to see him." [via The Daily Swarm]

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Ah yes, the accolades continue! As we grow tired of our long journey down the "best-of" lists drawn up by various publications, websites, pundits, public broadcasters, and fourth-grade classes, twin blogs Stereogum and its sister video site Videogum decided to go democratic with their own list of award winners. Titled "The Gummy Awards," voting is open now and ends 12/2. YOU decide '09, guys. But do we, really? Let's compare this situation to something, Thanksgiving style! Gobbles!

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Grizzly Bear-man and highly valued web 2.0 presence Ed Droste has deactivated his Twitter account, effectively ruining roughly eight percent of Pitchfork's news posts. [Eulogy via Hipster Runoff]

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Jessica Lea Mayfield is tall. That was the first thing I noticed as she approached me on the balcony of Webster Hall two weeks ago; she looked so much shorter on stage. This meeting occurred minutes after her stunning set, consisting mostly of the heartfelt songs from Blasphemy So Heartfelt, her impressive debut record. Being younger than me, I guess I naturally assumed she'd just be shorter. To be fair, I am not a basketball player. I'm more like Billy Crystal. And although young, Mayfield has a rustic, powerful voice. Musical talent always tends to seem taller in person.

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With melodies that run rich like hymnals and imagery ripe with temptation and dread, the self-titled album from Canadian folk-rock group Timber Timbre lingers long after the music has stopped. As one of 2009's most promising artists and Polaris Prize Longlist recipient, Timber Timbre is a macabre patchwork of Gothic and gospel influence. On this, the band's third release, front man Taylor Kirk has fine tuned a sound that is both strange and familiar, drawing from a range of distinctly American genres.

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As many workers are plotting how to efficiently coast until their Thanksgiving half-days this week, the music world is hard at work giving us things to laugh/cry about. Another awards show awarded everyone you would expect it to, a man plead guilty to assaulting a beloved rock star, and worlds collided.

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Set for release January 26th on Merge, Spoon have begun to announce the first set dates in support of the newest release, Transference. Check 'em out after the jump.

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Brooklyn via Queens based Freelance Whales formed only one year ago, that's right December of 2008, and already they have an LP, Weathervanes, a successful run at CMJ, and a solid fan base under their belts; talk about the fast track. These guys literally took to the streets, playing on corners in Williamsburg, at loft parties, and little venues all over the fair city of New York. In an age where self promotion is everything, Freelance Whales definitely have set the bar pretty high, oh and I forgot to mention, their music is really really good.

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Well, I guess that's it. The Mixtape turned forty last week, which means we're officially over the hill this week. Oh no! Luckily we're not balding, we don't own cats, and we have never watched more than five minutes of QVC. Close one! As we move closer to Thanksgiving, I'm starting to think, man, why are there already holiday themed commercials? Soon we're going to be seeing Santa on the Coca Cola bottles in October. Step off, Christmas! Halloween needs its time to shine. Or maybe retailers should make a new holiday called "pre-Christmas," and it can happen on July 31st or something. Or they should just check out list of reasons to celebrate everyday. Come on retailers, this weekend is National Slumber Party Day (11/22). Let's sleep on it until Black Friday.

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If the debut disk from Real Estate seems a little ill-timed for the coming winter, that's because it is. Wrangling the kind of good vibes that conjure steamy images of golden glazed sun spots in the eyes and aqua green sea foam splashing on the toes, the band may have missed their timing on this release. So, I prefer to think of it as a winter survival album; a reminder of what awaits us all on the other side of the coming deep freeze, courtesy of New Jersey's ambassadors for a kinder, gentler side of no-fi.

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Confirmed to take place June 10 - 13, 2010, the four-day festival will once again be held at the same beautiful, 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee, 60 miles southeast of Nashville. Ticket pre-sales for the festival will begin on November 27, 2009 and will last until 11:59pm eastern on December 31st.

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What's up, Beaches? It is tempting to drink the Kool-aid when a certain member (Ed Droste) of your favorite band (Grizzly Bear) loves a band... like Beach House, for example. However, they have two things going for them: Victoria Legrand is a cutie, and they write great music (the latter is the important one). Oh and they are giving away free music!

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Matablog is reporting OK River offshoot Shearwater is preparing to release their third album, titled The Golden Archipelago. The album arrives February 23rd via Matador.

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The first thing that struck me about Columbus'd the Whim was its immediate familiarity. Even though these tracks are far from traditional pop tunes, the initial sound is one of deceiving accessibility. Its as though you can hear faint echoes of so many different bands, from past and present, but just as the names come floating in, the thread dissolves into a cloud of lo-fi reverb. In other words, these guys have a truly unique sound without dangling on the fringe of experimental, automatically likable, but not catchy.

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Part of the late aught Swedish invasion, El Perro Del Mar recently invaded the Guest Apartment. She has a knack for a certain songwriting aesthetic, a gentle melancholy that is perfect in a small acoustic setting. Armed with nothing but a twelve-string guitar and her instantly recognizable voice, one-woman band Sarah Assbring played the catchy lo-fi-pop tunes of her record Love Is Not Pop. Yes, her most recent release is full of bass and a difficult to replicate ambiance. However, this acoustic performance somehow shimmers with the same kind of airy brilliance. It could be the extra six strings, but it's more likely the sheer force of her songwriting. "Change Of Heart" still has an impeccable driving feel, despite the absence of the brilliant bass riff that lines the recording. The simpler "It Is Something" is in essence an acoustic tune, and allowed Sarah to make good use of her wonderfully adorable voice. Sure, Love Is Not Pop, but El Perro Del Mar is both a preoccupation with love and loss, and a stunning pop performer. These two songs are a great cross section of El Perro's diversity, and they are sure to inspire a search for more of her work.

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Sarah Assbring - aka El Perro Del Mar - is an artist who is constantly evolving her way of artistic expression. In this exclusive interview with the Swedish singer/songwriter, Assbring discusses that progression as it relates to her latest album, Love Is Not Pop.

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Anyone who missed two great Texas bands play Music Hall Of Williamsburg must have been off their rocker last week. White Denim and Brazos together was like having my cake and also listening to my cake play an hour of continuous rock music. And let me tell you, this cake rocked! It rocked harder than ice cream cake with the crunchies in the middle, and boy let me tell you, I love those things.

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Don't get too excited, so far its only six bands. But its a start! Let's get excited for next year by watching one of the six live at Pianos (hint)!

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I wish I could tag this post ADVENTURE! Last night, without purchasing a ticket beforehand, I managed to get in to the sold out Dead Weather show, even though I showed up to Music Hall Of Williamsburg just a few minutes before the doors opened. I only spent ten dollars more than face value. This is my story.

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Instead of weighing in on the (kinda silly) argument that will flood the internet for the next few weeks, you can just read it and decide where you stand. We'll make the obvious conclusion that Spin will finally sell more copies this month instead of less. Mission accomplished!

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Another track has leaked from Contra! The highly (perhaps too highly?) anticipated sophomore album from Vampire Weekend isn't due out until January, but we now have two samples to get those gears going in anticipation.

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In between Make Believe and Weezer (Red Album), Rivers Cuomo made the solo recordings Alone and Alone II, and as a keen Weezer expert and friend of mine pointed out, the jumpy transition from Believe to Red makes a lot more sense after listening. However, "Pork and Beans" was not exactly applauded by the music community, I wondered what Cuomo and the bunch would churn out next. It seems that as anyone would expect, they picked up where they last left off: on their journey into new sounds, keeping the lessons they've learned along the way, and changing things up again.

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King Khan & BBQ and tour manager Kristen Klein recently ran into a bit of trouble as we mentioned yesterday, and speculation as to their offending actions was widespread. Now they've released a statement about the exact details.

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Dark Days are ahead of you, guys. Especially if you tweet, and we know you do, so don't try hiding at Grandmas! But Baeble, she can't even work the toaster to make gravy! Huh? Luckily for you, those Dark Days are also Light Years away. Get it? Because Super Furry Animals want you to have free stuff! Like their album Dark Days/Light Years! Details after the jump!

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Solange Knowles! Isn't she great, folks? She is like the "indie music" Beyonce (not at all!) but whatever, just because your older sister is Beyonce doesn't mean you have to live in her shadow while pursuing a strikingly similar career in singing and looking hot (don't quote me). How is such ignorance possible, 13-18/56-plus year old demographic? Go read up and then let's discuss how cool it is that she has the balls to cover a Dirty Projectors song. Take that! To the left! Say my name! Jumpin'! What's that? Who are the Dirty Projectors? .... we have work to do.

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Soon you might need a Priceline Negotiation to get those floor seats at MSG... a tech company in Indiana is doing a lot of math to change the way tickets are priced based on "position of the seat, level of demand for the concert, number of similar or competing shows, and previous pricing history." Read more about SEATS (Sports & Entertainment Analytical Ticketing System) at Digital Music News.

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Ready for a most generic kind of marketing push from our music video department? OK! Here it is...Today we're celebrating TWO FOR TUESDAYS! (queue our best monster truck rally voice), with this buy one get one pair of videos (there is nothing to buy...just watch) from Scott Spiral Stairs' latest release The Real Feel, released last month on Matador. We figured you should probably get your fill of Stairs' most recent solo project. After all, the Pavement co-founder will soon have his hands tied with all those reunion thingies.

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The kooky, bongo infused glitz of Wild Beasts made a big splash this year, both with limited US dates at SXSW and here in NYC, and the release of Two Dancers, out now on Domino Records. The splash was so big, in fact, that we filmed one of their only live State-side shows at Mercury Lounge. Now they're returning for their first full North American tour in early 2010. After the jump you can get a sneak peak of what to expect (like hooting, howling, falsettos, songs about sex...)

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Every band should be so lucky to traverse the kind of path Wales' Super Furry Animals have blazed over the course of the near 15 year career. They first appeared on the Reading Festival's main stage in 1996, have released album after stellar album at an unbelievably steady click (all told, their up to 9 at this point) since that time, and are the beneficiaries of wild packs of devotees the world over. In our latest concert performance, the enigmatic ensemble treat several hundred lucky souls of their NYC contingency to an intimate and lengthy performance at the always spectacular, Highline Ballroom.

Bathed in cool puddles of spectacular light, Super Furry Animals douse their kingdom of fans in beaming rays of day-glo melodies, hazy streams of psychedelic leanings, and the kind of full bodied sing along choruses that get their audience bouncing in impressive waves of over exuberated reveling. Yes, it does seem SFA dial their sometimes beastly behavioral tendencies down a bit for this performance. But it's all in the name of performing the hell out of this "Best Of" kind of set. Clocking in damn near an hour and half, this is an absolute monster of show. Don't worry though. If you get lost, leading man Gruff Rhys has got you covered with his big and bold instructional cue cards.

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Decade best-of fever has spread far and wide, and British rag NME is the latest to insist they've got it right. The Strokes classic This Is It was "voted top of the pile by a panel of musicians, producers, writers and record label bosses." I guess that's it! Head to NME for the Full Report.

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Want to win a free Gibson SG courtesey of Wilco?.

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In the hopes of breathing new life into songs that weren't actually old, let alone dead, orchestral rockers Efterklang partnered with the Danish National Chamber Orchestra in Copenhagen one September evening in 2008 to deliver one of their signature transcendental live performances. Captured on audio and video, the four-to-seven piece Danish outfit performed their second studio album Parades in its entirety, dubbing the effort Performing Parades. The band's first live album promises rich harmonies, energetic musical narrative, anti-climactic build-ups, and of course, everything else you heard on the last album they released.

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In case you missed the pictures go up last Thursday, I had the privilege of seeing moody country-singer Jessica Lea Mayfield do her thing at Webster Hall with mentor Dan Auerbach. Her goofy dancing sidekick/guitarist was a ton of fun, but he seemed a bit contradictory to Mayfield's generally ominous, emotionally charged music. Even though she's young (born in 1989!) she writes a mean ballad about love and relationships... probably the reason Auerbach sought her out a few years ago.

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Let me begin by thinking back to a muddy, dilapidated day in August 2009; the third and final day of All Points West in Liberty State Park, New Jersey. Not only did the last day have a delayed opening, but overall, the organizers just couldn't pull together an impressive lineup. APW 2009 confirmed my suspicions of its lackluster potential. In its first two years of existence, the event lacked a certain charm that other fests around the country enjoy. Aside from the industry-centric CMJ, or small, admirable efforts like After The Jump or Siren Fest in Brooklyn, New York City does not have its own Pitchfork/Bonnaroo. But who cares? We're incredibly fortunate to have something that (most of) the rest of the country does not. Anyone who ignores the small gathering now happening annually at Monticello in the Catskill Mountains is looking in all the wrong places (or not reading the right music blogs). Just a few hours north of NYC is where the real magic happens, and trust the name: it's a party.

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Sometimes you wake up and it is Christmas. Sometimes you wake up and it's time to get a cavity filled. Sometimes you wake up and several of your favorite artists have signed deals to write original material for Twilight: New Moon. Sometimes, you wake up and your favorite pop music blog has a great staff. And sometimes, they leave. That is life, kids. Not all your XBox 360's can come with Lego Star Wars. But I'm not talking about video games, I'm talking about the music blog Idolator.

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On the wildly imaginative album Clangour, Sin Fang Bous achieves a level of palpable elegance when synthetic noise merges with folk sensibility. Following the success of Iceland-based group, Seabear, frontman Sindri Mar Sigfusson departs from standard pop fare, in favor of more experimental composition that is conceptual and highly effective. The artist utilizes a myriad of mechanical sounds and reverberations, outlining every track with any number of frantic clicks, pings and acerbic screeches. The final product however, is hardly a swarm of frenetic noise. Sigfusson's tracks are a whirlwind of excitement and heightened emotional experience.

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Drugs! We all learned a valuable lesson about drug possession, about doing too many drugs in the eighties, and that a twenty year career is apparently a new prerequisite for performing at the Superbowl.

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Photography by David Pitz. Check out more photos from this show and others HERE.
Lissie Maurus - you can simply address her by her first name - hails from a place where the dirt between your toes is probably a good thing. It builds character after all, symbolizes hard work, diligence, and the right kind of outlook in life. Rock Island IL; a tiny outcrop on the edge of the state, sharing a border with the mighty Mississippi. And though the sandy haired singer now calls the mountains of Ojai California home (appropriate, actually), the music of her Fat Possum debut Why You Runnin' channels a born and raised kind of mid-west mystique as it channels through it's 5 tracks.

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There is no explanation for love. It finds you where it finds you, when it finds you. It is instantly recognizable; a titanic force of energy, emotion, and runaway hormones. Of course, it's also impossible to define (please disregard my previous efforts to define it). Why so obnoxiously mushy for the moment? I don't know. Maybe it's the changing of the seasons...that always gets me. Most likely though, it's got more to do with Mum's fifth studio album, Sing Along to Songs You Don't Know (Euphono). Love, it seems, is the very thing that's churning at the center of this Icelandic band's brilliant pop brainstorm.

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Is it November already? Last time I checked my Far-Side pull-away calender from 2002, I was distracted by this. Whoops! Now it's cold again! But who cares about the weather. We've made forty of these things? That is almost a years worth of weekly mixtapes? Oh wait, that makes a lot of sense. The mixtape is old! Luckily, we've got plenty of young peoples music! Like Hot Chip, King Khan and BBQ, and Real Estate.

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We're not sure if its been said, but Brazos are TOTALLY the Austin Texas version of White Rabbits (albeit with more classical piano and less drums). The Texan pop monsters groove on playing with rhythm and vocal harmonies behind their lyrics, and their debut album Phosphorescent Blues is chock full of well constructed ear goodies.

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Every now and then a band comes along that brings with it an entire alternate universe, complete with custom colors, costumes, and a sound to sum it all up. Sufjan Stevens has his wide eyed world of transcendent banjos and fluffy clouds, Beirut is the ex-patriot, eastern euro-sylvania-Brooklyn-vagabond, and The Decembrists, well, they live on a pirate ship and challenge roustabouts to duels. Now enter the newest member of this elite club of musical explorers: Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros.

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Bradford Cox leaked two free Atlas Sound downloads on the Deerhunter blog yesterday, and they're both great tracks.

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Our latest Guest Apartment session marks an interesting new era in the life and times of one James Husband. Here, Husband stands on the cusp of a new adventure; that of a solo musician. Of course it's taken some time for Husband to arrive at this moment. You probably most likely know Husband from his ten plus years of work with the mighty Of Montreal (check out his work HERE). But his recent trip to NYC to play the Polyvinyl CMJ Showcase marked his solo debut; a debut, I might add, that happened a few hours after his performance here. In a way, doesn't that make this segment Husband's actual premier? We think so...

During his stay, Husband played the multidimensional role of singer/songwriter/storyteller, spinning a slew of songs from his recently released album A Parallax I (Polyvinyl) for your viewing pleasures. While performing skeletal versions of "A Grave In The Gravel", "While The Boys Went Down Under", and "Window", Husband's love of lo-fi pop recordings is what's most apparent. Like a spacier Bob Pollard, Husband pumps personality and inventive story lines into the songs; with great effective. Spend a little time with James Husband, in this, his solo debut (seriously, we're still sticking to it).

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Of Montreal's James Husband discusses the release of his new album, A Parallax I during a recent visit to the Guest Apartment. Why does a fellow who's spent more than a decade playing with Of Montreal decide to take the solo route? Find out in this exclusive interview.

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Photography by Alex Salzberg and Genna Al Tai. Check out more photos from this show and others HERE.
Sadly, Ikea is no longer Sweden's greatest export. Now, it's the efforts of such performers as Peter Bjorn and John and El Perro Del Mar that fuel the Swedish economy.

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Set to drop their new album One Life Stand on February 8th, Hot Chip is back with a new single, "Take It In". And I'm trying to do just that, but this single doesn't have the immediate appeal that other singles like "Ready for the Floor", "Playboy", and "Over and Over" have; it starts out really dark and industrial and transitions into a pretty charcteristic Hot Chip chorus, good but not amazing. Anyway, the jury is still out on this one, take a listen for yourself.

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Doe-eyed Swede Sarah Assbring returns with her third studio album under her alter ego El Perro Del Mar. Love is Not Pop encapsulates (from an American point of view anyway) the Swedish inability to ever really sound melancholy. Even throughout her most discerning musings, Assbring treads with her head above the sugar water, mourning with viscous buoyancy, sweetly singing "we both know its better to partso go on, go on". Isn't there some statistic about the Swedes being the happiest people on Earth? Or was that the highest suicide rate per capita, hmm I can't remember

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From one of the great minds behind Menomena, Ramona Falls is Brent Knopf's inaugural solo venture. Like the aforementioned, Knopf's personal project mimics the same kind of melodrama that made songs like "Wet and Rustling" and "Rotten Hell" such a treat. Look no further than first single "I Say Fever", and the stylish new video that accompanies it.

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I caught Islands last Thursday night at The Bowery Balllroom, and being that I was really looking forward to the show, I have to say these guys definitely delivered. Nicholas/Nick Diamonds/Thorburn/ex-Unicorns front man is one cool and very talented guy, and clearly he knows it. Islands took to the stage dressed all in white, with Nick decked out in an Elvis inspired rhinestone cape, sporting some of those plastic shades that the eye doctor gives you when he dilates your pupils. I would expect nothing less.

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Besides vegan restaurants, farming co-ops and microbreweries, many forget that Brooklyn is also a cornerstone of the current trend-setting music world (no one forgets this at all, ever). In a not-so-surprising move, New York has made a note of this fact with its latest issue, including a list of the top forty songs that "define" Brooklyn. Who made the cut? Full list after the jump!

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We're obviously big fans of Thao and the Get Down Stay Down, . We learned awfully fast that the band's newest album Know Better Learn Faster (Kill Rock Stars), is an even better album than the one that proceeded it. We also told you about our little road trip to Philly to film the band yesterday. So yes, we'll jump at any opportunity to get down with Thao, and in the band's newest video for "When We Swam", so too do a bunch of groovy beach goers.

It's an amphibious musical attack here, with the band washing ashore to give all those sunbathers a nice little party in the sand. Why, the band even challenges the kids to a tug-o-war competition. And the results? Well, it's not good.

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Born and bred in NYC, Elizabeth Ziman once used a running clothes dryer as a metronome (granted she was a little younger). Nowadays her quirk is channeled into her band, Elizabeth And The Catapult, as the trio of Berklee grads live in Brooklyn and make happy pop-rock. Recently the band visited the popular Daytrotter sessions and made some cool recordings. We picked our favorite and we're passing the sunshine along.

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Every few months or so (or more frequently, it seemed, in the early aughts), there comes a seemingly harmless, incredibly dumb song that will forever be lodged in the collective conscious of the generation present to watch it rise to number one on terrestrial radio/number one on Bar Mitzvah play lists.

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Cold Cave, a band that started with a few thrift store Casios and a hardcore lead-singer, has come a long way into the realm of odd, droning electro-pop. Wesley Eisold is better known as the front-man of bands like Some Girls and American Nightmare, adding a certain electrified goth angle to the otherwise dance-floor ready tunes. It is kind of like Hercules and Love Affair, in that it supplants a very specific voice into a very different aesthetic without losing said voice and its nuances. Almost every track comes fully distorted and tough to follow; Eisold is blurred beyond understanding behind techno sheets. Head-bobbing ensues; each track generates a hook or two to keep interest dancing despite lyrical confusion.

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The Low Anthem's remarkable sophomore album, Oh My God, Charlie Darwin (Nonesuch) was recorded on Block Island, off the coast of their native Rhode Island, and their beautiful new video for that record's title track appears at first to be a visual ode to that fact. But there's a larger story surrounding the solitary, puppet man at the center of this tale. Paired with Ben Knox Miller's proclamation of, "Oh my God, the water's all around us", the video offers one explanation for how this came to be. Here, our man digs down deep in the dirt, removing a human skull, and springing a leak that eventually floods everything in sight. "Oh my God, it's all around".

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Leading up to Christmas, it might be cold outside. Luckily, we have hot chocolate (delicious!), electric heaters (sort of functional!) and some Friendly Fires burning through our towns all throughout the holidays. What a weird way of relaying this exciting news! Only you can prevent boring, dance-less holiday seasons.

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One of our favorite picks of CMJ, The Happy Hollows, were seen multiple times out and about NYC by our staff. So naturally we were psyched to have them come through the Guest Apartment, and test out their metal as a band by taking away their electricity. Luckily, we only took it away literally; the band had all of its energy in tact when translating their songs.

We often have bands out of their comfort zone in the confines of the intimate Guest Apartment, and The Happy Hollows were no exception. The three-piece usually creates quite a bit of noise during their epic garage rock, but in lieu of the distortion, they improvised an all acoustic set (having never played this way before). The result was a really unique look at the strong songwriting of the group, bassist Charlie Mahoney, drummer Chris Hernandez, and particularly lead singer Sarah Negahdari, who played an old song she wrote as a solo artist. Tracks like "We Will Find You" and "Monsters Room" are interesting on the record because of their sonic variety, and if possible, it is even more interesting to hear them stripped down and deconstructed. And final solo song "Captain Negahdari" is an excellent bonus for fans who haven't heard Sarah's early work.

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Ever think about what it means to be alive? The Happy Hollows' Sarah Negahdari does, and she channels it through the ultra-fun, power pop band she fronts. Other hot topics discussed in this interview at the Guest Apartment include the recording process of Spells, the CMJ experience, and er...that time of the month. Prepare to get to know this band better than you ever thought you would.

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In our ongoing quest for global domination, Baeble decided that Philadelphia needed invading. So we made up a good excuse, and that excuse was not cheese steaks (although they were had), it was a Thao And The Get Down Stay Down show at the First Unitarian Church with Portland Cello Project (what a great excuse).

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It's been an extraordinary year for Australian, pop wonders, The Temper Trap. They've placed this very song on the 500 Days of Summer Soundtrack, snagged themselves standout sort of status at this past month's CMJ Marathon, recently inked what I imagine is a pretty sweet deal with Glassnote Records, recently stopped by to perform in the Guest Apartment (stay tuned), and are racking up a long list of accolade for their recently released album Conditions. In short, they've exploded like a supernova.

So it makes sense that the band give their video for "Sweet Disposition" a stylish, intergalactic treatment. Here, a golden skater streaks across the galaxy, whisking by images of the band radiating elegantly off into the universe, and why not? The galaxy might just be theirs for the taking if they keep up the momentum.

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The Temper Trap turn riffs into exercises in rhythm, referencing the early successes of anthem-creating bands like U2 and Coldplay. Single "Sweet Disposition" really displays quite a bit of this influential noise, the reverberated riff, the driving kick, it all spells out the building blocks of a pop hit. Luckily, the same principles are applied in new and interesting ways all over the record.

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Rapper Wale struck gold with The Mixtape About Nothing, hailed by critics as one of the best hip-hop efforts of last summer, despite it not actually being labeled an album (and it was free). Now the hype is inflated for the go-go rapper's first LP, Attention Deficit, which promises to continue his toungue-in-cheek humor over glitzy beats.

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It wasn't rocker Morrissey hitting the alcohol, it was the other way around... a (presumably drunk) fan took a pretty good shot at hitting Morrissey in the head with half a beer, and Morrissey retaliated by saying "goodnight" and leaving the stage mid-show (presumably pissed). I hope that the offending fan is in stable condition in whatever UK hospital he was promptly sent to after a crowd of thousands beat him senseless. Video after the jump:

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Last week I interviewed Ross Jarman, drummer of the punk infused pop rock band, The Cribs, and chatted about their new album, the upcoming tour, and exchanged a few anecdotal Halloween stories over a transatlantic shoddy cell connection. Fresh off a few gigs in Korea, the band was taking some time off in their hometown of Wakefield, England before heading out on the second leg of the tour to promote their fourth studio album, Ignore the Ignorant.

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Fans of The Appleseed Cast will recognize Chris Crisci, the band's lead vocalist and guitarist. Besides Cast duty, he acts as the front-man and heart behind Old Canes, a solo project started earlier in the decade. His second side-project studio album Feral Harmonic took four years to finish (it was started in '05), and it sounds like it; it is a perfect marriage of simple songwriting, lo-fi, and emotive lyricism.

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This weekend was a melange of both happy and sad as we obtained some free music, and prematurely said goodbye to a young, respected musician.

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In this, the second video from Arctic Monkeys' Humbug album, the band scale back the visuals (BEFORE the entire band were cast at sea in a tremendous storm, sailing to the edge of the world), enlisting only Alex Turner to participate in the video for the Morrisey-esque crooner, "Cornerstone". Filmed with a single shot upon a blank wall, Turner's lonely karaoke performance feels a bit like a pathetic, sad, and awkward personal video (think Mad TV's "Lowered Expectations"). If that's the sort of thing that you're into though, press #437 on your phone's touchpad for Alex.

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Photography by Amelia Trask. Check out more photos from this show and others HERE.
Noah and the Whale finished up their three-night engagement at the Mercury Lounge this past Wednesday to a sold out house. Their New York shows marked the end of the US leg of their tour in support of their most recent album that dropped last summer, The First Days of Spring. Now the band is off to tour with Phoenix all over Europe; what a rough life these guys lead.

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The cool, dark, waves of Cold Cave's synthetic music have a way of massaging the brain to retreat to those areas reserved for the past. They're a soundtrack for nostalgia...like rummaging through some soggy brown boxes in the attic, or stumbling upon a long lost scrapbook. Naturally, the Philadelphia band set their video for "Love Comes Close" - the title track from their recently released debut album - to a flickering stock of video that plays like the grainy montage of a few choice moments (speeding cars, whooshing trains, NYC cityscapes, random social interactions) cut against a low key performance.

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Last month Tim Williams played a guest apartment spot here at Baeble and meeting him lent another angle to his music; he's a really nice guy, articulate, and gentle, like his music. Not that, in order to get good marks, musician have to mesh with their public voice, but that symmetry lends new authenticity to Williams' music for me.

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Hey guys! I know we said "its getting cold out there!" once and then it got warm again for some reason but OK. It is cold again. And I know Greg used to like to say this is the best mixtape ever all the time and I haven't said that yet but THIS IS THE BEST ONE! EVER! Seriously, there is so much to get excited about on this mixtape you will need a cold shower. Which shouldn't be too hard, considering all the frozen pipes around here. We've got new tracks from already awesome Yeasayer and Atlas Sound, plus a slew of debut tracks from some names you might know, and some you probably don't. Epic! This is obvious The Vice Halloween Party of mixtapes. Free beer?... We'll see.-joe puglisi

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The nonsensically named We Have Band are a high energy dirty disco trio. Punchy bass and dance-hall worthy grooves are what they are known for, full of in your face beats and complex vocal layering. Their usual schtick made an acoustic performance a bit of an enygma to us; we didn't know what to expect from these rave-channeling popsters. However, their dancey rock is akin to the Bloc Parties of the world, and like so, they are the band behind their dizzy electro-parts. And like a band, they can take it down to just an acoustic guitar, a tambourine, and a shaker and still get the punch out. First number "Centerfolds and Empty Screens" is a nice little slow pop ballad, and they follow it up nicely with "WHB," a song that works really well stripped down but has hints of the bands preoccupations with chaotic vocals and driving hooks.

We Have Band just played CMJ and may finally avoid being an elusive search engine target. Catch the full performance right here on Baeble.

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Usually blowing speakers in high profile clubs around the world, We Have Band created a definite sense of intimacy when they turned down the volume, and picked up some acoustic guitars for their visit to the Guest Apartment. Now get even closer yet, as the band discuss their live show, their upcoming album, and globe tripping around the world.

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Scratchy, no-fi punk band Little Girls take the tried and true, home video route in this, their brand new visual for "Youth Tunes". Splicing flicker stocked home video - blurred, scratched out, graffitied for your general, viewing pleasure - the video documents some strange misadventures in what I'm guessing is their native town of Toronto.

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Philly's constant hitmaker Kurt Vile gives the demented, Springsteenian vibe of "Freak Train" an equally demented video treatment, shredding gnarly instruments in a wasteland most likely littered with busted glass, dirty needles, and sad folks who have lost their way. Thankfully, Vile has not. Far from it, his most recent album Childish Prodigy flaunts a potent mastery of all things lo-fi and meant to rattle garage walls.

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This past summer, Providence-based quartet Deer Tick released their sophomore album, Born on Flag Day, and ever since I haven't been able to make up my mind about this whole vintage rock n roll country vibe they've got going on. They've been picking up a lot of press on blogs recently, playing at CMJ/touring, and making all around waves, but I still can't help feeling torn.

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photo by Mo Pitz for Gawker Media.
While discussing the recent cultural fiasco that was the Vice Halloween spectacular, one must take many factors into consideration: shoddy, awful security, rumors (probably true) of copious amounts of drugs, everyone intoxicated and impaired, rampant suggestive and insistent sexual behavior, hundreds of thousands of dollars spent, no one could get in. Titus Andronicus was not happy about the ordeal, but you've already heard about that. However, here in the Baeble office, we are wondering... was the vice party the Altamont of the Hipster decade?

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Canadian band Still Life Still play the Franky and Jacky Dance Hour in this, their first video from their recently released album Girls Come Too. Here, an audience of hip young things get excited about their provided entertainment's melodic, dual vocals and fuzzed out walls of guitars. Said excitement is obvious in their anticipation of the performance (a stirring sing and stomp along to the perverted chorus of another Still Life Still Song, "T-Shirts") and their rush of the stage. Lucky boys? Yes. Lucky Girls? Not so sure, though a closer examination of the lyrics should provide the answer. Stay tuned...

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Making one's way through the world can be a treacherous endeavor sometimes, what with the threat of harm coming from about a bajillion different sources at any given moment. Thankfully, there are super heroes in this world. People like Thao (Superpowers: Flight, Super Strength, and Tacos), Adam (Superpowers: Bass, How Low Can He Go? Death Row, What a Brother Know), and Willis (Superpowers: Can Play Drums With His Mind, Can Talk to Fish, Oh Wait - That's Aquaman, Nevermind).

Together they are Thao and the Get Down Stay Down, and in their video for "Cool Yourself", they rescue the planet from run-away asteroids, giant kittens, Twizzlers, the Death Star, and even a heartless attack by legendary musical duo, Hall and Oates. It's comical for sure, but don't you feel better knowing they're out there? I know I do.

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Liars were telling the truth when they, well, they posted a mysterious website which seemed to suggest a new album (we mentioned this on Monday). Today they confirmed it; Sisterworld will be the bands latest full length studio album.

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Julian Casablancas and Bradford Cox... What can I say? These two are totally spy vs. spy material. Casablancas, the pretty boy from the family of immigrants models and living in the yuppie infested cool kid section of Manhattan? You know he is going to hell in a leather jacket (lyric joke!), but at least he'll be in another world. Bradford Cox is an entirely different kind of beast. His personal life is one of strange speculation and uncomfortable social skills/sexuality. He looks weird, and it is because he has a real disease that makes you look weird. But Lincoln had that same disease. So when Phrazes for The Young (the solo project from Julian C.) and Logos (the latest from Atlast Sound) came around almost simultaneously, I had to put them in conversation. They said some weird things to me! Let's review.

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We could handle guest appearances by Kenny G in performances and covering "Viva La Vida" without memorizing the lyrics, but oh boy, Weezer. You guys have really outdone yourselves this time. My Mom is going to kill for one of these (or kill me if I get her one of these). Full commercial after the jump:

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If you are looking for neatly packaged garage rock, then keep looking. White Denim have some serious rock seizures on Fits, a collection of chaotic, aggressive rock. The hyper-active marble-loss might be like a sugar rush to a diabetic; so lo-fi folksters beware. But barring your fragile heart stopping mid-riff, this collection of rocking is a hell of a lot of fun to just nod and bob to, whether getting your face blown off in person or sitting somewhere with headphones (while your brain explodes).

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A few weeks back, rising reggae musician Sean Bones had himself a hell of week at CMJ, playing a handful of gratifying sets, and receiving much accolade as he navigated along the ever exhausting CMJ Music Marathon. No rest for the weary, Bones - aka Sean Sullivan - will embark on a two week trek up and down the East Coast, probably playing your town along the way. Before you hit the "Dancehall", we suggest you bone up on this bombastic performance from Sullivan's birthday, no less. Check out all the dates after the jump.

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During their stay at the Guest Apartment, endearing, indie pop band Headlights take some time to touch on the writing and recording process of their excellent new release, Wildlife. From discussing their own emotional input into the album, to their fan's "teary time" reaction to it, the band are oh so willing to open up in this exclusive interview with Baeble.

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Hailing from Champaign, Illinois (a place as quaint sounding as their music), Headlights spent some time in the Guest Apartment stripping down the already simple (and affecting) tunes of their latest album, Wildlife.

Lead singer Erin Fein faithfully recreates her charming voice on tracks like the fast-paced "Secrets," but the removal of nearly everything save an acordian, keyboard and acoustic guitar riff, adds surprising new depth to the song. "Get Going" sounds brilliant; Tristan Wraight and Erin manage to keep some of the greatest sonic qualities of Headlights in tact through whistling, and the harmonies that permeate through Wildlife are present and stunning. Once you get to the cool-down "Wisconsin Beaches," it is clear that Headlights is a band that gets each other; a level of cooperation and synchronization that only a small, intimate acoustic setting can bring out and allow to radiate.

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There's nothing I like better than some bling and a striped pant suit.

No, I'm not talking about a pimp, this is Elly Jackson!

La Roux, made up of Elly Jackson, and Ben Langmaid, is just what the pop world needs in these trying times. Hailing from Brixton, England, La Roux opened for Lily Allen last march during her tour and even headlined the Samsung NME Radar Tour 2009. The duo performed at the Highline Ballroom last Monday the 26th and gave the New York audience a little taste of what UK top charting sounds like.

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The monsters of hard rock super group Them Crooked Vultures are delivering on their campaign promises with new track "Mind Eraser, No Chaser." Lower taxes! More rocking! Listen after the jump!

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November: the month of realizing how many anticipated releases won't come out until next year. Which bands spent their Monday hinting at new releases for 2010?

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Kids Aflame is a bit of a roller coaster of emotions and attention span. The Harlem Shakes put out one of the most promising records of the year, only to break hearts everywhere with their hiatus. Living in the shadow of an ambitious and promising group of musicians can be a blessing and a curse; the stage is set for certain expectations, connotations, and judgments. For the most part Goldstein answers the supposed nose-turns with poise; his album has highs and lows, missteps and successes, the way an artist's solo record often emerges.

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Our Lady Peace have a new video for "The End Is Where We Begin," and you can take that title anyway you want to, including literally. Actually, we'd suggest you go with literally, it is way more dramatic. Or, just watch the video!

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The supergroup Monsters Of Folk punked an audience of fans by dressing as the best possible group band costume they could think of; make-up clad rock legends Kiss. What a great Halloween!

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A great band drops the news that we can expect a new album for (very) early 2010, Yeasayer fluffs expectations for Odd Blood with a new single, and Ben Gibbard is cheated out of a chart topping spot by a chart topping doppelganger. Oh, and the World Series is in the fourth quarter, or something. Wake up, Monday!

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The Fun And Laughter EP is a continuation in a long line of growth via small releases (and that one big one), but this small collection feels different for several reasons. The songs are more matured; following the full length debut there is a new cohesion in the body of work, a binding element some might refer to as a "fully realized sound" (but that is a boring way of saying it). Fans have plenty to be excited about here: the small, four song EP carries its own weight in songs, and even includes videos for three Some Are Lakes tracks.

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