new Wolf Parade and Sigur Ros, and I'm off to Hawai'i

Aloha.

Above is the cover art for Wolf Parade's forthcoming album, their sophomore At Mount Zoomer. While I'm not crazy about the title, either, I'm super stoked about listening to the rest of this. These are the instant stand-outs.

Soldier's Grin
Call it a Ritual
California Dreamer

If you head on over to InSound and purchase the album now, you'll receive a cool free poster.
Otherwise, download it from iTunes or buy it locally at Strictly Discs.

=
A couple weeks back a new Sigur Ros tune surfaced in blogdom and was immediately, with reason, compared to Animal Collective. I think it's like an AC song with Jon Thor Birgisson on vocal duty in place of Avey Tare. That song, the misguidedly entitled "Gobbledigook" and one or two from the new album, the hardly pronounceable Með suð í eyrum við spilum end, are below.

The album is due 24 June; preorder it from InSound here, or download it from iTunes later.

Gobbledigook
Inní mér syngur vitleysingur
Suð í eyrum

=


Now, seriously, I'm off to to one or two of the wonderful islands of Hawai'i tomorrow. I'll be working for five days and then on vacay the rest of the time, spending the little bit of money I earn in those first five days. Be jealous. Although I'll be in the magical land of Jurassic Park, I'll still find a way to miss Madison.

Oh, and class ends tomorrow! Woot. Three credits in as many weeks equals no complaints.

But before that, I will be celebrating the life of my good freckle-faced friend who lived his last minutes as a Mexican this morning. That was, of course, not because he died but rather he was sworn in as a real life US American. His struggle from Mexican't to Ameriwon't was well worth it. In his honor I fabricated this [the bottom one]. "Hecho en Mexico" of course means "Made in Mexico". "Criado en EEUU" means "Raised in the US".

The Kills - "M.E.X.I.C.O."


Have a wonderful weekend. I hope you hear from me soon. Now I'm on down the coast to h-a-w-a-i-i, see you.

Aloha.

.

The Kills

1st note: it's not the Whites. 2nd note: this is only two people.

London's The Kills haven't put out an album in three years. No Wow was pretty good. I remember getting more and more into The White Stripes at about that same time, and there used to be obvious similarities there. Or at least I thought there were. One girl, one guy, rocking some sound that few others do. Now, though.. jeez, I don't know what to liken their new album, Midnight Boom, to. It's like a.. BOOM.. at.. at night!

Srsly, though.. it's pretty moving. Danceable, that is. I totally wanna play it out at a club. If that sounds good to you, listen first to "Getting Down". But then check out the others, too. They rock. If you're looking for something a little different, or maybe more like the old Kills you may know, steer yourself to "Tape Song" first, which sounds like vocalist VV listened to a bunch of YYYs/Karen O before recording.

Good or bad: the entire album clocks in at just over half an hour; the longest track is still under four minutes, and two are under two minutes each.

The Kills, from their new album Midnight Boom:
U.R.A Fever
Tape Song
Getting Down
M.E.X.I.C.O

And a couple earlier tracks:
Pull a U - one of my favorites from their 2003 album, Keep On Your Mean Side
No Wow [MSTRKRFT rmx] [right-click, save-as] - everyone's favorite, remixed by everyone's favorite [although I think it's most everyone's opinion the original didn't need a remix and is still far better]

Buy the album from Amazon or iTunes [only $7.99 and you get bonus tracks!].

Madisonites: The Kills will be at The Annex on May 10.

I'm going down the coast to M E X I C O, see you.

Oh yeah, and OHWNT needed a new look. Melikes. Youlikes?

.