Two high profile albums were offered to listen in full this week. Brooklyn duo MGMT’s ‘Congratulations’, the follow-up to their breakthrough debut ‘Oracular Spectacular’, likely to generate rivers of ink shortly. Two major changes on it: no potential singles, which until now were the band’s greatest asset; and a focus on psychedelic sounds, courtesy of Sonic Boom on production duties. It could have been their ‘Dave Fridmann’ albums as it connects them with all the bands that have benefited from the ex-Mercury Rev arranging magic –from Flaming Lips to Low-. It may sounds less challenging and contemporary, but it’s far superior than its predecessor.
On a more local scale, Spanish most acclaimed band Los Planetas unveiled on Radio 3’s Julio Ruiz Show the follow-up to their groundbreaking ‘La Leyenda Del Tiempo’. ‘Una Opera Egipcia’ carries on merging alt-rock with flamenco and boasts a a few surprises, including collaborations with Spanish chanteause La Bien Querida and their first flirts with electronica.
On British soil, Radiohead’s Johnny Greenwood broadcast ‘Doghouse‘ the twenty minute classical piece that will form the base for the soundtrack of ‘Norwegian Wood’, the adaptation of the popular Murakami novel.
Canadian collective Broken Social Scene offered two new tracks from their forthcoming album, ‘Forgiveness Rock record’.
Beck’s record club showed the world the first track of his new venture, in which he has assembled Annie Clark of St. Vincent; Os Mutantes and Liars to perform the classic album ‘Kick’ by INXS. Its opening track ‘Guns in the Sky’ is the first taster for the project.
New videos for Ted Leo And The Pharmacists ‘The Mighty Sparrow’ and Brooklyn electroduo High Places ‘The Longest Shadows’, second track from their imminent sophomore and album ‘High Places vs. Mankind’, in which they have shaped a more accessible and accomplished work.
After all the uncertainty surrounding the project, it seems that ‘Wu-Massacre’, the collaboration between Wu-Tang greats Raekwon, Method Man and Ghostface under the moniker of Meth, Rae & Ghost will get a release next week. ‘Our Dreams’, their Michael Jackson sampling first single, has got an impressive video that somehow looks inspired by sinister movie ‘Seven’.
On a quiet week for news, the indie festival South By Southwest once more monopolized the attention of the music world. Among the hundreds of bands playing and plugging their stuff we found Macy Gray, surprisingly returning to the spotlight with a cover of Arcade Fire during popular blogger Perez Hilton’s party.
And as an incredible way to put an end to their year-long 10th anniversary celebrations, All Tomorrow’s Parties has just announced that Belle & Sebastian – the band who curated their first ever festival ‘The Bowlie Weekender’- will be back at Butlins Holiday Centre in Minehead for BOWLIE 2, to be held on 10th-12th December 2010. Tickets will go on sale next Monday, when the first batch of confirmed names will also be announced. More details @ http://www.atpfestival.com/
