Still really bummed about the passing of Sky Saxon (lead singer of The Seeds) and, of course, Michael Jackson, yesterday. We’re around and working but I am feeling very little of the joy I normally find in music, it isn’t feeling like much of an escape right now. I am sure that it’s just a temporary thing and I promise I will be back to normal soon. In the mean time, enjoy this new video for “Diamonds on Fire” by Rubies [MySpace], from the debut album Explode from the Center.

[mp3] Rubies - “Diamonds On Fire”

I hope it’s not true, but if it is, R.I.P. King o’ Pop. (Edit: It’s true. Ugh, what a terrible day).

“We’ve just learned Michael Jackson has died. He was 50.

A source tells us Jackson was dead when paramedics arrived. A cardiologist at UCLA tells TMZ Jackson died of cardiac arrest.” [via TMZ]

Great video, right? We’re slowly, but surely being converted into PCP fans (that’s Portland Cello Project [MySpace]) and this video which we found via The FADER, gives a pretty clear indication of what that “project” is all about. …read full article…

Just the other day, we posted the video for Fever Ray’s “When I Grow Up” because the song has been stuck in my effing head. I can’t get over it right now, but now the good folks at Stereogum have the exclusive on her latest video for the song “Triangle Walks”. This one isn’t quite as haunting as previous singles, but she’s just so effing good, I can’t really say that I am going to hold that against her.

The album, Fever Ray, is already out on Mute Records.

Tour Dates “after the jump” …read full article…

12 Most Cursed Video-Game Cover Athletes [Switched]

The Decemberists, Blind Pilot @ The Tabernacle, Atlanta [Concert Review] [HearYa]

Win Tickets To See Toumani Diabate In Cincinnati [Each Note Secure]

Live in NYC? Recommended Wednesday Show: Clues and Drink Up Buttercup at Santos Party House [New York Rock Market]

The Dodos Time To Die Coming This Fall on Frenchkiss Records [Muzzle of Bees]

It’s hard to believe, but this is actually the first video from Jenny Lewis‘ latest, Acid Tongue [Our Review]. Any way you slice it, I will take Jenny’s face “projected over beachy scenes, deserts, Thailand, and weather maps” (as Amrit at Stereogum so aptly put it) and since she’s also a total doll, we like talking about her in a positive way.

Nothing but positives here!

The Story of the Beatles in Two Minutes [Gizmodo via Bowery Boogie]

So…Wired.com did an interview with Frank Black AND are giving away a Limited Edition of the Pixies‘ Minotaur Box set? My life rules (read: I set that up) [Wired]

Polaris Prize long list announcement and NxNE preview, both featuring Woodpigeon [Chromewaves]

The 10 Best ’90s TV Shows that Should Have Gotten Action Figures [Topless Robot]

“American Idol” Gets Bummed, Drenched In Boston [Idolator]

(SMS Note: Long night, last night. That’s why we’re highlighting what we’ve been reading this morning already.)

Even though the band is no more, that doesn’t mean I can’t rejoice at having a copy of Ides Of Space’s long lost sophomore LP - Sleeping Fractures. Ides Of Space was an Australian 5 piece who toured the U.S. on their debut release with The Gloria Record and Her Space Holiday. The album was released recently after the dissolution of the band by Better Looking Records, a follow up to 2001’s There Are No New Clouds, which had only been released in Japan.

Their debut LP received glowing reviews from outlets such as Alternative Press and Mono, but we heard of them from what might constitute our only Australian fan - thanks to JJ for his help and support!

Keep reading to learn more and grab some free mp3s …read full article…

Normally, I don’t have something that we can post from one of my favorite art/design/intelligentsia sites, Boing Boing, but because N.A.S.A. delivered their latest video there, I guess I finally do. The track, “A Volta” was animated by the production team Logan, and featuring the artwork of The Date Farmers.

Check out the clip “after the jump” …read full article…

Our buddies over at HearYa.com do semi-regular features during which an artist sits down in their studio and perform some really amazing sets - the HearYa Sessions. In the past, sessions have been conducted with Eulogies, The Rural Alberta Advantage, Jukebox the Ghost, and many more artists that you could search out and find, but are presented in a setting where the genius of their live performance is allowed to shine. Yesterday, Oz posted his latest session with Oklahoma’s Other Lives [MySpace], so you should definitely check out their performance of “Precious Air” after the jump.

(Track Provided by HearYa.com from their HearYa Sessions - didn’t want to repost without attribution! …read full article…

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The Roots Turn Jimmy Fallon’s Studio Into The Max For A Few Minutes [Idolator]

Sixeyes Mix: June 8th [Sixeyes]

CONTEST - Jeff Buckley’s Grace Around The World [Chromewaves]

You can now listen to the new Major Lazer record, Gunz Don’t Kill People, Lazers Do, in its entirety — a week before its official release — at MySpace. [Gorilla vs Bear]

Why are MLS’ New York Red Bulls So Bad This Year? [I Hate Jon Conway]

Radiohead Announce Digital Music Store [Prefix]

The Plastiscenes [MySpace] are currently on tour with Patrick Wolf and their latest EP is available right now through iTunes [Link Opens iTunes]. The title track, “Barcelona,” is featured above, and if you don’t like this song, you might want to get a bit more rest, Mr./Mrs. Grumpy Pants. It’s pretty “glammy” and awesome and we all know that the RE folks dig chicks with guitars and since I am desperately missing The Long Blondes we needed a fix, so to speak.

Oh man, I am on fire with the puns lately, right? Today, we’re introducing an Athens, GA band, The Ginger Envelope [MySpace], and the latest single from the upcoming album, Invitation Air. The record is dropping on 6/27, so we wanted to share a tune, “All Pinned Down,” with you.

For the record, I don’t think there is a redhead in the bunch, a fact that makes me really, really sad.

Check out the new Ginger Envelope tune “after the jump” …read full article…

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Credit: JesseHora.com

Are you ready for a burlesque interpretation of Watchmen? Yeah, me neither. [Topless Robot]

John Vanderslice Records WOXY Lounge Session [The Music Slut]

Convention Crawl: MoCCA 2009 [Geeks of Doom]

HearYa’s Sunday mp3 Roundup [HearYa]

When we noticed this over at Stereogum, we knew we had to re-post: we just plain like Phenomenal Handclap Band [MySpace] very, very much. So, in honor of how much ass they kick and how very little time we have on our hands today, please check out this rad video, mmm kay?

If you have been around here long enough, you’ll see that we sort of love discovering new stuff that we hadn’t heard of previously. Sometimes, like our friends Salt & Samovar and Murder Mystery, discovery blossoms into blind idolatry.

Okay, we aren’t that bad, but when we hear something that we like or that shows serious promise, we like to get the word out. In this instance, the band in question, The Whipsaws [MySpace] are an Anchorage, Alaska indie foursome (mind…out of…gutter) that have just released an unreleased track, “Dr. Please”. The band aren’t currently on tour due to a chronic injury sustained by lead singer Evan Phillips, we are hoping to hear more from this act in the near future.

Hear more about The Whipsaws and check out “Dr. Please” after the jump …read full article…

Just this past Friday, Jay-Z released a new track to New York’s Hot 97, “Death of Autotune” and I gotta be honest here, I effing love it. This is a great, great track, one that gets me pumped and completely stoked for the upcoming Blueprint 3. Funny to think that the last Blueprint came out when I had first moved to New York and, as I write this, it happens to be the 1st anniversary of my wedding.

Man, time flies when you’re having fun, right?

This is the uncensored version (I had “radio edits”), so it’s full o’ profanity, just the way we like it!

Sure, this song isn’t the newest in the world, but every time this song pops onto my iPod or into iTunes at work, I am blown away. It’s such an amazing track and the use of the pan flute (I think) is really awesome. Consider this the most awesome Enya track ever released by Bjork - the beat sounds like some demo version of “Children” (the Robert Miles tune) I’ve heard, and if you think I am being snobby, let me reiterate that I LOVE THIS SONG.

[mp3] Fever Ray - “When I Grow Up”

With a new album coming out on June 23rd (Letter from New Virginia), Brooklyn’s own Donny Hue and the Colors [MySpace] will soon be up to their eyeballs in adoring fans. Fighting off all the admirers will make for a very busy summer, indeed. To celebrate the release, and drum up some new fans (which they deserve, fo sho!), the band have been releasing songs on a weekly basis up through the release date.

The first three tracks are shiny folk, country-type goodness - “Steps,” “Oh Lord” and “Goodbye Pleasant City” are three tracks that we’re more than happy to share with you all and that we hope you’ll end up digging as much as we do.

Check out the tracks “after the jump” …read full article…

[Photo Credit: Groovish]

June 20th will mark the very first Vinyl Saturday brought to you by the same folks responsible for Record Store Day [Each Note Secure]

Check out the new Eels “Prizefighter” Video [Culture Bully]

Surely One Of You Out There Wants To Try Out For “American Idol” [Idolator]

The REAL Reason Eminem Walked Out on Bruno [Popsense]

White Rabbits Record WOXY Lounge Session [The Music Slut]