The Avalanches returned with Wildflower, earlier this year, marking it their first album in 15 years. It also has been as long since the outfit curated an “Essential Mix” for BBC Radio 1. However, that changed today as The Avalanches took over the radio with a 45-minute playlist that included music from Frank Zappa, Sun Ra, Ratatat, Nina Simone, Betty Everett, The Parliaments, Madlib, The Stooges, Bad Brains, and more. Listen to their mix on the BBC’s website. Their other one came out December 11th, 2001 and can be listened to below.
De La Soul have just shared a documentary called We’re Still Here (now)…, which shows the process the process they went through to create their new album and the Anonymous Nobody… It was directed by J Anders Urmacher and it unfolds the story of the album’s Kickstarter campaign, the trio on tour, and it features interviews with the members of De La Soul, and includes footage from live performances. Watch the documentary below.
and the Anonymous Nobody…is out today, and includes collaborations from Little Dragon, David Byrne, Damon Albarn, Usher, Pete Rock, 2 Chainz, Jill Scott, and more. It was revealed recently that De La Soul recorded parts for the upcoming Gorillaz album.
Led Zeppelin have emptied out their vaults over the last few years as a part of an expansive archival campaign, which has included the reissuing of the band’s nine albums and B-sides. The Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame band will re-release their popular BBC Sessions in a new box set.
The collection even features a lost 1969 session which includes the only performance of a song named, “Sunshine Woman.” Guitarist Jimmy Page spoke to Mojo and said the song “was basically made up on the spot. It was pretty brave, bearing in mind the circumstances. We played it as if we were in rehearsals, starting it around the riff and then working it out. It shows that we were evolving pretty quickly.”
The Complete BBC Sessions makes it the first time “Sunshine Woman” has been commercially released and, according to the Guardian, is “likely the best recording you will ever find of what might be the last previously unheard complete Zeppelin song to get an official release.”
Listen to “Sunshine Woman” below via Draven Crichton, and The Complete BBC Sessions will be in stores next month.
Albert Hammond Jr. appeared on Corden’s show last in February, where he played “Caught By My Shadow.” Last night, Hammond, who is done promoting the Strokes’ recent EP apparently, went back to promoting last year’s solo album Momentary Masters. He and his band, during the song, played the single “Losing Touch,” and you can watch it below.
Momentary Masters is out July 31st through Vagrant.
Porches have released Water, a new EP that is the follow-up to this year’s Pool. It is comprised of stripped-down versions of songs from Pool, the “melodic skeleton,” as the press release puts it, as well as a few of unreleased songs. Stream it here. They also released a video for “Black Dress,” which stars Blood Orange’s Dev Hynes dancing in a studio with a few performers Watch that below.
Porches’ Aaron Maine released a statement about the album:
I spent the first year after releasing Slow Dance In The Cosmos teaching myself how to record music. I ended up with a bunch of pretty realized demos for songs that ended up on Pool during that process. It was a loose and explorative time for me. I wanted to release a select few of these “demos” because I always find the excitement captured by recording a song when you first write it to be almost impossible to recreate later down the line. I chose to rerecord all of the songs that were to be on ‘Pool’ because I felt like by the time I had a batch of songs that I felt would make an album, I had grown as a producer and wanted to give them another pass. Either way, it’s fun to listen back to these earlier versions of the songs and remember how they first existed.
In 2013, Empire of the Sun released their second album, Ice on the Dune. They have announced a follow-up now called Two Vines, and it is set to be out October 28th through Astralwerks. Two Vines was recorded in Hawaii and Los Angeles and was co-produced by Empire of theSun and Peter Mayes, who also produced Sia, the Killers, and Mika. It shows contributions from Lindsey Buckingham, Wendy Melvoin from Prince’s band the Revolution, and pianist Henry Hey and bassist Tim Lefebvre, both from David Bowie’s Blackstar band. The first introduction to the album will be single “High and Low.” Find the full tracklist below.
In a press release, Lord Nick Littlemore said, “There was an image we talked about very early on with this record, before we wrote the title track, ‘Two Vines,’ and that was this image of a modern city overtaken by jungle, almost like mother nature taking back the planet. He continued, “All the buildings will turn back to sand. All it will be is nature again. We wanted to make something that reflected the beauty of that, and the wisdom that plants can give us about living harmoniously on this beautiful planet.”
Emperor Luke Steele added about recording in Hawaii, “Going to Hawaii to record was the best idea. That was the catalyst for me. I’d spend the morning surfing, then roll in and make music into the night.”
Two Vines:
01 Before
02 High and Low
03 Two Vines
04 Friends
05 There’s No Need
06 Way to Go
07 Ride
08 Digital Life
09 First Crush
10 ZZZ
11 To Her Door
12 Keystone
13 Lend Me Some Light
14 Welcome to My Life
15 Walking on a Dream
Koko, the highly intelligent ape who loves cats and knows how to sign language recently met Flea, the co-founder and bass player for Red Hot Chili Peppers. During their meeting, Flea gave Koko a bass lesson.
According to The Gorilla Foundation’s website, “Koko was thrilled by the mellow sounds and a jamming session followed with Koko strumming on Flea’s bass!” The website added, “Watch for more news on future collaborations between the two.”
Car Seat Headrest has released a new song called “Does It Feel Good (To Say Goodbye?).” It was written for a short film called Loudini. The film was directed by Conor Byrne and presented by Ray-Ban Films, Loudini lays out the story of Lou (played by Henry Zebrowski), who is a down and out magician. Will Toledo, Car Seat Headrest frontman, also shows up in the film as a busker playing a portion of the song. Watch Loudini and listen to “Does It Feel Good (To Say Goodbye?)” below.
At this point in his career, Raury has shown his ability to consistently change his genre. The young Atlantian showed this off with his new song “Like A Star”
The track shows Raury collaborating with producer Donnie Trumpet, who puts down a beat the swirls around as Raury sings and eventually starts rapping.
It definitely shows the various sides Raury has, and you can listen to it below.
Singer-songwriter Kristian Matsson, The Tallest Man on Earth, has yet to confirm plans for a new album, but he has still come out this year with two beautiful singles.
“Time of the Blue,” the first, came out in June and the second, “Rivers” arrived today where it shows the delicateness of just Matsson and his guitar.
Stream “Rivers” below. Matsson is touring Europe currently and his last full-length was Dark Bird is Home last year.
The Melodic Tree 