Consequence of Sound’s Summer Tour Guide will lead you to the darkest, dankest (not every venue has a ventilation system, folks) concerts where you can dance the night away after spending too many hours in the sun. From Dirty Projectors to Phish to the Diplo/Grimes/Skrillex extravaganza that is the Full Flex Express, we’ve listed the best and brightest artists that are touring new or as-of-yet unreleased albums, touring around festival appearances, or just touring because it’s damn fun.

-Harley Brown
Associate Editor

Feature artwork by Mike Zell.

Beach House

Photo by Phillip Roffman

Who: Beach House

When: May-July

Support: Wild Nothing

Key Dates: July 13th at Forecastle Festival // July 23rd at Central Park Summer Stage

What CoS Says: Baltimore dream-pop duo Beach House are supporting their expansive, haunting new LP, Bloom, and the floating, wonder-drenched tunes therein will echo majestically through many concert halls. The disc is likely to hit at or near the top of many best of the year lists, and this will be your chance to see things unfurl in person. -Adam Kivel

Dirty Projectors

Who: Dirty Projectors

When: July – August

Support: Purity Ring and Wye Oak

Key Dates: July 10th at Brooklyn’s Prospect Park // July 13th at Pitchfork Music Festival

What CoS Says: Dirty Projectors may have produced their masterpiece on 2009′s Bitte Orca, but on this tour they’ll be playing tunes from their first attempt to top that, Swing Lo Magellan. The early sounds from the disc suggest we’re in store for more hocketing and other multi-part vocal insanity that needs to be seen produced live to be believed. -Adam Kivel

Fiona Apple

Who: Fiona Apple

When: June – July

Key Dates: June 24th at New York’s Governors Ball Music Festival // July 10th at the Chicago Theatre

What CoS Says: After drawing eyes and ears from critics everywhere at this year’s South by Southwest, Fiona Apple hit the road for a select number of intimate gigs, all to critical acclaim. Most reviews championed this unspoken, newfound energy in her performances, where she twisted and turned some of her older tracks like “Criminal” or “Extraordinary Machine” into urgent personal affairs. With her forthcoming LP – The Idler Wheel... – due out June 19th, Apple will have plenty to get off her chest once and for all. In other words, expect something emotional. -Michael Roffman

Full Flex Express Tour

Who: Skrillex, Pretty Lights, Diplo, Grimes, KOAN, and Tokimonsta

When: July

Key Dates: July 14th at Ottawa Bluesfest // July 15th at Montreal’s Parc Jean Drapeau

What CoS Says: If Grimes is Janis Joplin, would Diplo or Skrillex be Jerry Garcia? The comparisons might not be entirely fitting, but either way, this bumpin’ tour featuring three of the best beat-making songwriters in the game today might just give the original Festival Express a run for its money. -Harley Brown

Hot Chip

Photo by Cap Blackard

Who: Hot Chip

When: July – September

Key Dates: July 14th at Pitchfork Music Festival // September 9th at Hollywood Bowl (w/ Passion Pit & Omar Souleyman)

What CoS Says: Leaving longtime label DFA doesn’t seem to have put a crimp in Hot Chip’s high step, if their dance-tastic new cuts are any indication. Close to the release date of In Our Heads, this extensive summer tour provides the first chance to hear the fivesome’s fifth installment of technolectronica hot off the vinyl presses. -Harley Brown

The Into The Wild Tour

Who: El-P, Mr. Muthafuckin’ Exquire, Killer Mike, and Despot

When: June – July

Key Dates: June 23rd at Austin’s The Mohawk // July 6th at Chicago’s Bottom Lounge

What CoS Says:  All four guys guest on the majority of each other’s tunes so I feel bad for them on this tour — no one’s going to get a break for too long off stage before they have to come and guest on another verse. Bad for them trying to read a book backstage, but incredible for the audience who are sure to see “Tougher Colder”, “Hail No”, “Butane”, and possibly “The Last Huzzah”. Also, do play the “What liquor will eXquire’s crew spray on the crowd?” betting game for kicks! -Jeremy D. Larson

Japandroids

Photo by Karina Halle

Who: Japandroids

When: May – July

Key Dates: May 31st at Primavera Sound // July 13th at Pitchfork Music Festival

What CoS Says: A Japandroids show is essentially that feeling of screaming yourself hoarse to rock music in your car with the windows down and the radio cranked to the max, only everyone at the show is doing that and you’re all on the same page because Japandroids make you feel young again, dammit. Help out Brian King and David Prowse with those “Ohhhs”from the back of the club — you won’t be the only one. -Jeremy D. Larson

My Morning Jacket and Band of Horses

Photo by Ryan Mastro

Who: My Morning Jacket and Band of Horses

When: August

Key Dates: August 3rd-4th at Red Rocks Ampitheatre

What CoS Says: Ask anyone who’s seen them live (Bonnaroo 2008, anyone?): My Morning Jacket is hands down one of the best contemporary live acts on the circuit(al). Band of Horses, who opened MMJ’s MSG show in December, are hard at work on new material with the legendary Glyn Johns. Put the two acts together, and you’ve got a southern rock fan’s wet dream. -Ben Kaye

Phish

Photo by Debi Del Grande

Who: Phish

When: June-September

Support: Only our resident Phan, Rob.

Key Dates: June 10th at Bonnaroo Music Festival // July 3rd-4th at Jones Beach Theatre

What CoS Says: Bust out the tape recorder and Grateful Dead bong, Phish is hitting the road again this summer. The Vermont jam gods are slotted to headline Bonnaroo alongside Radiohead, marking the first time Thom Yorke will have ever smelled Patchouli. –Bryant Kitching

Refused with OFF!

Who: Refused and OFF!

When: July

Key Dates: July 18th at Williamsburg Summer Garden // July 19th at Riot Fest East (Philadelphia)

What CoS Says: It’s been almost a decade and a half since Refused toured America, and that ended with the police breaking up a Virginia basement show. No one ever thought their classic The Shape of Punk to Come: A Chimerical Bombination in 12 Bursts would see the light of a stage again, but after an appearance at Coachella, fans across the map have a chance to witness the songs in all their glory. The fast and furious kick-assery of punk supergroup OFF! is just the sweetest icing this reunion cake could have, so eat up. -Ben Kaye

Sigur Rós

Who: Sigur Rós

When: July-September

Key Dates: August 3rd at Osheaga // August 5th at Lollapalooza

What CoS Says: It’s been four years since the Icelandic export hit the States. That’s a long time for an act as sweeping and majestic as Sigur Rós to be off the map. But, with time comes reason, and their latest album, Valtari, is an agreeable excuse to trot around the globe. The LP expands upon their sound in dense, circuital ways; as a result, the band will come stocked with an arsenal of new melodies and emotions to levitate that heart of yours into any summer night. Actually, it might be the only festival act that has you packing tissues. -Michael Roffman

Sleigh Bells

Photo by Lauren Guagno

Who: Sleigh Bells

When: July

Support: Class Actress, Jel, Hot Chip, James Murphy, Dave P, and Sammy Slice

Key Dates: July 20th at Philadelphia’s Penn’s Landing (w/ Dave P & Sammy Slice) // July 22nd at Merriweather Post Pavilion (w/ Hot Chip & James Murphy)

What CoS Says: Sleigh Bells have come a long, loud way since Treats, building a stadium-sized sound behind their Top Star-earning Reign of Terror with their trademark wall of Marshalls. Good thing as they get bigger, they also get better, so be sure to catch them while you still can. -Harley Brown

System of a Down with Deftones

Who: System of a Down and Deftones

When: August

Key Dates: August 5th at Jones Beach // August 12th at HEAVY T.O.

What CoS Says: With System of a Down fresh off a five-year live hiatus and Deftones gearing up for a new album, this is a prime double-header. In fact, there’s no better bill this summer for anyone who likes their rock hard, loud, and fist-pumpingly furious – and who doesn’t? -Ben Kaye

Wilco

Photo by Heather Kaplan

Who: Wilco

When: June – September

Support: Andrew Bird, Dr. Dog, Lee Ranaldo, Lee Fields & the Expressions, and Blitzen Trapper

Key Dates: July 23rd-24th at Brooklyn’s Prospect Park (w/ Lee Fields & the Expressions and Lee Ranaldo) // September 30th at the Hollywood Bowl

What CoS Says: With no new album to tour behind (they trekked across the globe for most of last year in support of their eighth LP, The Whole Love) you can expect Tweedy & co. to pull out some deeper cuts this time around. Our fingers are crossed for either “Kingpin” off their 1996 folk-rock opus Being There or “I’m Always In Love,” the unsung hero off 1999’s Summerteeth. –Bryant Kitching

Consequence of Sound’s Summer Music Guide contains a comprehensive breakdown of the season’s biggest albums, complete with artwork and audio preview when available. These are the albums that you won’t be able to quit. They’re worthy of deluxe pre-orders, long email chains discussing their place in music today, and soundtracks to balmy summer nights. We hope you find it useful, and please share your most anticipated albums in the comments below.

-CoS Staff

Artwork by David Stanley.

Beach House – Bloom

Fortune surrounds Beach House’s fourth studio offering. Teen Dream producer Chris Coady is back at the helm, the album was mixed at New York City’s legendary Electric Lady Studios, and the already-revealed cuts (“Myth”, “Lazuli”) could be described as no less than divine. It’s far too early to write any year-end lists just yet, but here’s a hypothesis: It’s doubtful we’ll shake off Victoria Legrand’s balmy, dreamy vocals by winter. -Michael Roffman
Due Out: May 15th via Sub Pop 

Beach House – “Lazuli”

Best Coast – The Only Place

With Jon Brion (Kanye West, Fiona Apple, of Montreal) on board as producer, some might be expecting a departure from the endlessly endearing surf pop that earned Best Coast’s 2010 debut our Top Star recognition. Fear not, because while Brion’s more polished and refined touch can certainly be felt on The Only Place (a string quartet actually makes an appearance on a couple of tracks), Bethany Cosentino still keeps her feet firmly planted in her signature fuzzy lo-fi punk sound. -Bryant Kitching
Due Out: May 15th via Mexican Summer

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Garbage – Not Your Kind of People

Nineties alt-pop darlings Garbage go for a surrealist escape in the lead single off their first album in eight years, Not Your Kind of People. The video for the song, “Blood for Poppies”, shot by L.A. cinematographer Matt Irwin, is a shaky, black-and-white montage of space-age black magic and sunny So-Cal scenes. Musically, it’s classic sneer-and-wink Garbage: chainsaw guitars, wonka-wonka bass, and a pop-delicious hook that rushes into the chorus like a gust of wind, and that can only bode well for the rest of the album. -Katjusa Cisar
Due Out: May 15th via STUNVOLUME

Garbage – “Blood for Poppies”

Killer Mike – R.A.P. Music

Some of the first words shot out by Killer Mike on R.A.P. Music reference KRS ONE’s “9mm Goes Bang”. He shouts, “Wa da da dang, wa da da da da dang/listen to my Kimber .45 go bang.” These lyrics could serve as a summary for the whole album: old-school nods that pack more fire power. Killer Mike’s flow keeps it anachronistic like Slick Rick meets Chuck D, but El-P’s production–as always–keeps the whole record avant. It will tear as big a hole in the space-time continuum as it will in your speakers. -Jeremy D. Larson
Due Out: May 15th via William Street Records

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Tenacious D – Rize of the Fenix

After the commercial nonsuccess of 2006′s Pick of Destiny, the greatest rock band in the world is set for the biggest resurgence in music history! In the works since at least 2007, Rize of the Fenix once again sees “Hollywood” Jack Black and Kyle “Rage Kage” Gass teaming up with ex-Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, and despite the sentiments of album track “Rock Is Dead”, the metal is still righteous. The album is replete with the raunchy humor and outrageously spun stories of sex, rock-n-roll, and friendship The D is known for. Hell, Val Kilmer took a bullet for this record. -Ben Kaye
Due Out: May 15th via Columbia

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El-P – Cancer for Cure

No lie: After pressing play on my promo download of Cancer for Cure, El-P’s first album since 2007′s I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead, I stared at my computer screen, practically slack-jawed, for almost 10 minutes. But what does the greatest and most epic left-field rap full-length of the year so far actually sound like? In essence, it’s a full-on assault of sprawling, 22nd-century boom-bap juxtaposed with justly garrulous and truly cerebral 16s that never cease to impress. El Producto es el genio. -Mike Madden
Due Out: May 22nd via Fat Possum

El-P – “Tougher Colder Killer” (feat. Killer Mike and Despot)

Mount Eerie – Clear Moon

Phil Elverum’s haunting brand of black metal proved intriguing on 2009′s Wind’s Poem, and since then he’s kept rather quiet, save for an archival collection and a couple of singles. This year he returns with two albums: Clear Moon and Ocean Roar. Based on the hazy, driving “House Shape”, the former’s first single, Elverum remains in the darkness, but there’s just enough light to keep us moving. -Michael Roffman
Due Out: May 22nd via P.W. Elverum and Sun, Ltd.

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Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros – Here

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros exploded onto the scene in 2009 with their shakable brand of hippie-soaked indie folk. Three years later, they’re ready to return with a vengeance. Here is actually the first of two albums due this year, birthed from exploring “a wide variety of subject and sound” upon their return to the studio. The lead single, “Man on Fire”, burns slow and warm, the kind of comforting, uplifting stuff that made their Up From Below debut so welcoming. -Ben Kaye
Due Out: May 29th via Community Music/Vagrant

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Lemonade – Diver

After sashaying onto the scene with 2009′s self-titled debut, Lemonade return with their long-awaited sophomore effort, Diver. Constructed from “sounds of the past synthesized with contemporary dance music buoyed by the most immediate matters of the heart,” the album arrives just in time for summer. If you’ve already got your toes in the sand, label True Panther Sounds has gone ahead and released first single “Neptune” along with remixes by various artists. -Harley Brown
Due Out: May 29th via True Panther Sounds

Lemonade – “Neptune”

Regina Spektor - What We Saw from the Cheap Seats

Currently embarking on a tour through the U.S. with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Regina Spektor has already revealed to us nearly one-quarter of her upcoming album What We Saw From The Cheap Seats. The cute, earnest “Small Town Moon” and reworked, jumpy “Don’t Leave Me (Ne Me Quitte Pas)” showcase Spektor in her most accessible, but the cryptic (and a tad awkward) video for  “All The Rowboats” may make you wonder why it was chosen to be the lead single. We can expect a solid sixth record from Regina, and we’ll be looking for those gems undoubtedly buried within the songs yet unheard. -David Dililo
Due Out: May 29th via Sire/Warner Bros. 

[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/44365980" iframe="true" /]

The Walkmen - Heaven

The Walkmen, with the help of producer Phil Eck and a guest spot by Robin Pecknold, returns with a rich album, a sound not previously heard from the band. With Heaven, that nervous energy is gone, but what has been left in its wake is a group comfortably growing old. In doing so, they’ve compiled their most personal collection of tunes. As clues into the rest of the sprawling LP, the first single and title track provide insight into the bucket of hooks there to unpack when the album is finally unleashed. -Ryan Staskel
Due Out: May 29th via Fat Possum 

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Sigur Rós - Valtari

Sigur Rós can take their records off the shelf, polish it, repackage it, and send it resounding through the snow fields and white-capped mountains of Iceland until the end of time for all I care. But what sets Valtari apart is its leap into cosmic reflection in contrast with the more neo-natal wonderment of their previous work. It dares to create even larger post-rock expanses and does so without the crutches of tension and release. Instead, Valtari is all about riding for the feeling. Of course it’s still cinematic, but now it’s less Vanilla Sky and more Tree Of Life, which is unequivocally a good thing. -Jeremy D. Larson

Due Out: May 29th via EMI/XL

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Big K.R.I.T. – Live From the Underground

Over the course of some seven years, Mississippi rapper/producer Big K.R.I.T. has manned the boards for everyone from Ludacris to Freddie Gibbs, all while releasing an increasingly influential and captivating series of mixtapes. Though the temptation for change undoubtedly abounds, expect his debut LP to continue on the same trajectory as his back catalog: spiritually aware, socially conscious raps backed by a soulful, retro-centric production style, created by a man who’s never forgotten his Southern roots or sense of duty. In essence, as the album’s title cleverly summarizes, K.R.I.T. will look to entertain throngs of new fans without leaving the confines of the underground bunker he’s worked so hard to fortify. It’s taken nearly a decade to get here, but K.R.I.T.’s more than well equipped to handle the Big Show. -Chris Coplan
Due Out: June 5th via Def Jam 

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Japandroids – Celebration Rock

Fans of Brian King and David Prowse’s Post-Nothing debut shouldn’t have a problem with their second LP. Of course, there’s the previously released single “The House That Heaven Built”, the monstrously fuzzed-up bro-down that doubles as contender for song of the year. But jams like “Younger Us” (also previously released), “Fire’s Highway”, and “Evil’s Sway” will hold up just fine on those long-sought summer nights, too, exuberant and flat-out fun in their catharses. Cheers to post-adolescence, once again. -Mike Madden
Due Out: June 5th via Polyvinyl 

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Liars - WIXIW

Liars have never been predictable, producing over the course of their 12-year tenure both a concept record about creativity and doubt and an album inspired by German legends about witchcraft, among others. Despite these disparate influences, they’ve always hewed to the same dance-inspired punk and drum machine-based songwriting; WIXIW, however, is “simultaneously the most accessible and most challenging release from these iconoclasts, it is both a summation of Liars’ work up to now, and a complete break from anything you’d ever heard the band do previously.” They’ve pretty much covered all the bases with that, leaving listeners with “No. 1 Against the Rush” to guess at what it means. -Harley Brown
Due Out: June 5th via Mute

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Neil Young & Crazy Horse – Americana

Last year’s Buffalo Springfield reunion came sans new recordings, but Neil Young devotees will be satiated when he drops his first album with the complete Crazy Horse lineup (Billy Talbot, Ralph Molina, and Frank “Poncho” Sampedro) since 1996’s Broken Arrow. The material is comprised of classic folk tunes like “This Land Is Your Land” and “She’ll Be Comin’ Round The Mountain”, which will disappoint fans aching for new material. Still, these guys getting back together is nothing to scoff at. Besides, a second record is coming this fall, so let this one tide you over. -Ben Kaye
Due Out: June 5th via Reprise 

Neil Young & Crazy Horse – “Oh Susannah”

PUJOL – United States of Being

With United States of Being, his full-length 12-track debut, Daniel Pujol ropes in his gritty-yet-catchy brand of garage rock. It would be wise to take the title literally, as Pujol states, “love can be a pretty subversive thing. It’s 12 neoliberal love songs for you and the significant Other.” How sweet. -Michael Roffman
Due Out: June 5th via Saddle Creek

PUJOL – “DIY2K”

Guided By Voices – Class Clown Spots a UFO

The classic GBV lineup is back for a victory lap with the album Class Clown Spots a UFO. No doubt, it will be a run through the lo-fi playground that Robert Pollard has called home for more than two decades. Let’s Go Eat the Factory, the inaugural album by the returned classic lineup brought us a sprawling 21 track brilliant mess, and with Class Clown Spots a UFO we have every reason to believe the band of merry drunkards will bring the goods one more time. -Ryan Staskel
Due Out: June 12th via Fire Records

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Hot Chip – In Our Heads

Hot Chip might not be putting out their fifth LP, In Our Heads, on longtime label DFA, but that doesn’t mean things are going to be any different. According to the band, whose myriad side projects (The 2 Bears, New Build) have been shelved for the greater good of dance floors everywhere, the new album will be “an unadultered delight of an album bursting with dynamic dancefloor-movers, instant yet enduring hooks, and verbose synth-fuelled love songs.” That sounds like everything they’ve ever done before, but, fortunately for Hot Chip, they always pull it off with Alexis Taylor’s bittersweet quaver between bumpin’ percussion. -Harley Brown
Due Out: June 12th via Domino

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Redgrave - National Act

It’s a rock renaissance out there in 2012, and Redgrave fills a perhaps unseen vacancy. The Chicago duo takes Sleep’s Holy Mountain, PJ Harvey’s Rid of Me, and The Dead Weather’s Sea Of Cowards and melts them all down into a five song EP that just incinerates everything in its path. Singer Angie Mead’s lupine bellow hits blue note after blue note over her dirge guitars and Stephen Howard’s economic drum work. National Act is a rare moment where something brash and ostentatious creeps slowly in the night, low to the ground, unseen but certainly not unheard. -Jeremy D. Larson
Due Out: June 12th via Lovitt Records

The Tallest Man on Earth – There’s No Leaving Now

Kristian Matsson arrived more or less fully formed when he released his first EP under the Tallest Man on Earth moniker in 2007. Since then, the actually-kinda-short Swede has continued to pump out sophisticated, yet totally natural and happily bare-bones folk that has translated to a pair of great-to-excellent LPs: 2008′s Shallow Grave and 2010′s The Wild Hunt. With There’s No Leaving Now, the usual shtick is to be expected, but so is a little (relative) experimentation; think “The Dreamer”, from ’10′s Sometimes the Blues Is Just a Passing Bird EP, featured some electric guitar, a then-unprecedented move for the usually acoustic-and-pipes Matsson. -Mike Madden
Due Out: June 12th via Jagjaguwar 

Usher – Looking For Myself

Though Usher has proclaimed his seventh LP, Looking For Myself, to be a revolutionary blend of pop, EDM, and R&B, the first three tracks indicate less soul-searching and more rehashing of past hits. There’s a baby-makin’ anthem (the Diplo-produced “Climax”), followed by the always-bangin’ club hit (“Scream”), and the most recent preview, the prerequisite rap collabo (the Rick Ross-aided “Lemme See”). Still, one can’t blame the guy for sticking to what works, with each subsequent effort a shinier, more succinct piece of pop craftsmanship. That, in a way, is far more rewarding than even the most meaningful of personal revelations. -Chris Coplan
Due Out: June 12th via RCA

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Fiona Apple – The Idler Wheel…

The highly anticipated follow up to 2005’s Extraordinary Machine, The Idler Wheel is Wiser than the Driver of the Screw, and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do marks the enigmatic singer’s triumphant return after seven long years of silence. As evidenced by her recent SXSW performances, where she debuted a few tracks off the epically titled new album, Apple’s voice is as strong and emotive as ever. A North American tour—her first in five years—will follow the release. Don’t miss out—history argues that it’ll probably be another half-decade before you’ll get the chance to see her again. -Lainna Fader
Due Out: June 19th via Epic

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A Place to Bury Strangers – Worship

If your ears have a tendency to shy away from these Brooklyn shoegazers, it’s understandable. On their forthcoming LP, however, the band relies less on the reverb, distortion, and crunch, opting for “threads of krautrock, dream-pop, and ’80s goth without ever losing the edge,” according to a press release. Based on the careening first single, “You Are the One”, it’s likely your dancing shoes will shy away this time around. -Michael Roffman
Due Out: June 26th via Dead Oceans

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DIIV – Oshin

Beach Fossils guitarist Zachary Cole Smith carved out 60 tracks before formally crafting DIIV. Now with a full band in tow, Smith’s decided upon 13 tracks that gush with New Wave decadence, complete with glittery guitar work and Peter Hook-inspired basslines, all primed to add unnatural atmospheres to your summer nights. -Michael Roffman
Due Out: June 26th via Captured Tracks

DIIV – “How Long Have You Known?”

Ty Segall Band – Slaughterhouse

Bay Area psych-rocker Ty Segall isn’t routinely labeled prolific for nothing; Slaughterhouse, a collaborative effort from his Ty Segall Band (also featuring Mikal Cronin, Charlie Moothart, and Emily Rose Epstein), is Segall’s second of three albums in 2012. Despite the unrelenting release schedule, each record sees Segall further hone his wizard-like mastery of punk-inspired, psychedelic-colored gems of effervescent fuzz. From the hardcore doo-wop of “Diddy Wah Diddy” to the awkward-yet-unwaveringly furious “I Bought My Eyes”, Segall and co. have gone beyond blending pop, punk, garage, blues, etc. With passion and distortion galore, they’ve transformed the random, rockin’ components into something unequivocally Segall-ian. At this pace, Segall may very well reinvent all of rock just in time for the new year. -Chris Coplan
Due Out: June 26th via In The Red 

Ty Segall – “Wave Goodbye”

Mission of Burma – Unsound

Can we stop talking about Mission of Burma’s comeback already? It’s been 10 years since the seminal post-punk act reunited, and in that decade’s span, they’ve been more prolific than they were during their original 1980s go-around. (Some may even argue that Mission of Burma 2.0 have rocked even harder in their old age.) Jumping from Matador to Fire Records, Unsound will be their fourth record post-reunion, and from the sound of preview track “Dust Devil”, it’ll continue in their tradition of crank-the-volume-til-your-ears-bleed guitar rock. -Austin Trunick
Due Out: July 9th via Fire Records

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Dirty Projectors – Swing Lo Magellan

Spoiler alert: Angel Deradoorian will not be appearing on Dirty Projectors’ sixth studio album, Swing Lo Magellan. It’s definitely in keeping with frontman David Longstreth’s “stripped-down” approach, even if Deradoorian’s supernatural octaves had become one of the defining features of the band since she was brought on board in 2007. But the bare-bones arrangement of “Gun Has No Trigger” allows each classic Dirty Projectors element, from the choral atonalities to Longstreth’s Oberstian quaver, to still make every ear-hair stand on end. -Harley Brown
Due Out: July 10th via Domino Records

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Nas – Life Is Good

Is Lost Tapes II still a possibility? We might not care, because if “Nasty”, “Daughters”, and “The Don” are any indication, the Illmatic One’s 10th album will be one to remember. It’s Nas’ “magic moment” after all, and he’s spared no expense, enlisting both heavy hitters like Common, the late Heavy D, and No I.D., and relative freshmen like Jay Electronica. It even makes sense logically: God’s Son wouldn’t make an album that was even a contender for the “it’s-no-Illmatic” dismissal while touring his seminal first album at the exact same time. It’s definitely a more mature, fatherly Nas this time around, but the MC is still Nasty through and through. -Harley Brown
Due Out: July 17th via Def Jam 

Nas – “Nasty”

The Gaslight Anthem - Handwritten

On their previous releases, Jersey boys The Gaslight Anthem fashioned themselves the torchbearers of Springsteenian songwriting. Singer Brian Fallon has stated he’s moved on from that style, abandoning characters and allegorical storytelling for the more openly personal Handwritten - a fitting motif, as it’s the first album Fallon wrote entirely by hand. While the lead single, “45”, has only just been unveiled, the album promises to be “big, like Tom Petty songs played by Pearl Jam or the Foo Fighters.” The band seems pleased with what they’ve crafted, an album said to delve down a new path of fearlessness and growth for these Garden State rockers. -Ben Kaye
Due Out: July 24th via Mercury Records

[soundcloud width="500"]http://soundcloud.com/thegaslightanthem/45-1/s-iVlvZ[/soundcloud]

Passion Pit – Gossamer

Boston synthpop quintet Passion Pit kept enough momentum behind their Manners debut to headline MoogFest over two years after the album’s release. Scores of top festival spots have already rolled in for this summer, and their followup LP, Gossamer, was formally announced only a week ago. Much of what can be expected from the 12 new tracks comes from an interview with Pitchfork: contributions from composer Nico Muhly (“I’ll Be Alright”) and Swedish a cappella trio Erato; R&B stylings (“Constant Conversations”); and some honest, self-disparaging lyrics. The newfound lyrical bluntness, musical experimentation, and major label backing (Columbia) will attempt to meet some massive anticipation. -Ben Kaye
Due Out: July 24th via Columbia 

Atoms For Peace – TBA

If Thom Yorke’s latest DJ set is any indication, Atoms For Peace’s long-awaited LP may see light sooner rather than later. That being said, as one astute reader points out, it’s hard to read much into a remix. So what we know now remains the same as what we knew back in October when Yorke discussed the project with BBC Radio. “It was initially for fun to play all the Eraser stuff, but it sparked something off. So we ended up at the end of that getting into the studio and generating some new beats.” He added that their collaboration in an album in “the sense that Eraser was an album.” -Scoop Harrison
Due Out: Summer (hopefully)

The Avett Brothers – TBA

Producer extraordinaire Rick Rubin aided the brothers Avett on their last release, 2009’s breakthrough I and Love and You, so popping back in to produce their upcoming LP is a no-brainer. What we’ve heard live and seen on TV appearances is promising, to say the least. Scott and Seth Avett switch off on lead vocals during the string-sweeping “Down With the Shine”, while “The Once and Future Carpenter” features harmonies as strong as we’ve come to expect from the duo. One cause of concern: their trimmed hair. May the Gods keep them off the paths of Kings of Leon. -Justin Gerber
Due Out: Summer via American/Columbia 

The-Dream – Love IV MMXII

The-Dream, a.k.a. Terius Nash, still has yet to announce a release date for his fourth LP, but he couldn’t resist sharing a sneak preview with Rolling Stone back in March. As of right now, mere mortals can only hear (and watch videos for) singles “Roc” and “Kill the Lights” in their entirety. But if those are any indication of The-Dream’s forthcoming effort… ladies, watch out. -Harley Brown
Due Out: Summer via Def Jam

The-Dream – “Roc”

GOOD Music - GOOD Music

Just months after its “definitive” announcement, GOOD Music’s eponymous debut compilation has already reached near-mythical proportions. So far, the album’s sole preview, “Mercy”, is indicative of a very Kanye West-sounding album, with its references to Sarah Palin and Pac-Man and wobbly, bass-heavy production. Factor in West’s obsessive control complex and the fact that it is his label, and it should be an album of non-stop West-ian jams and bangers. Still, for a label looking to reach Wu-Tang Clan levels of influence, there’s perhaps no better way to bring home that coveted Platinum record plaque. -Chris Coplan
Due Out: 2012 via G.O.O.D. Music/Def Jam

[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/42236129" iframe="true" /]

How to Destroy Angels – TBA

In December, Trent Reznor announced to Rolling Stone that the debut full-length from How To Destroy Angels, his project with wife Mariqueen Maandig and longtime collaborator Atticus Ross, would be released sometime during the first quarter of 2012. Alas, that time has come and gone, and summer fast approaches with little more information on the album. However, during the same interview, Reznor mentioned that early stages of production were influenced by the textures and deconstructed rhythms of “early Cabaret Voltaire“, pioneers of the industrial music genre. The LP is yet to receive an official release date or tracklisting, but according to a tweet from Reznor, the album’s final mixed was completed in mid-February. Reznor was notoriously slow at releasing his early NIN work, so here’s hoping for further details soon. -Derek Staples
Due Out: Summer via The Null Corporation

Rick Ross – God Forgives, I Don’t

Following a health scare in October 2011, Rick Ross was ordered by doctors to take it easy, leading to the delay of his long-awaited fifth album, God Forgives, I Don’t (originally slated to drop in December). Yet, despite the trauma associated with the ordeal, Ross took it all in stride, telling MTV’s RapFix that he planned to keep the release tentative until he was certain he could deliver a truly impactful work. Since then, the release of three album tracks (“You the Boss”, “I Love My Bitches”, and “Stay Schemin”) and the Rich Forever mixtape have indicated that Ross may well be steppin’ up his game (not hard considering past gems like “Only fat n***a in the sauna with Jews/Went and got a yacht, I’m talkin’ Carnival cruise”). If going for real, earnest rap gold is the true endgame, you take your time, Mr. Ross; even if we write about this LP in our summer 2013 guide, we’ll forgive you. -Chris Coplan
Due Out: Summer via Maybach Music Group/Def Jam 

Rick Ross feat. Nicki Minaj – “You the Boss”

Swans – The Seer

That conspicuously suspicious 13-year hiatus apparently gave Michael Gira more material than he was able to fit on My Father Will Guide Me up a Rope to the Sky, because Swans’ forthcoming double album is a “complete synthesis of everything I’ve done and everything Swans has done.” It features fellow innovators in equally disparate fields, like Akron/Family, Karen O, and slow-core staple Low’s Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker. For The Seer, Swans continues to move somewhat away from its seminal, defining abrasion toward a more nuanced, “beautiful and pastoral” sound. So far, the only hint we have is Swans performing a new song, “Avatar”, in Moscow. -Harley Brown
Due Out: Summer via Young God

Fiona Apple releases her long-awaited fourth LP, The Idler Wheel is wiser than the Driver of the Screw, and Whipping Cords will serve you more than Ropes will ever do, on June 19th via Epic Records. You’ve already seen her perform the lead single, “Every Single Night”. Now, listen to the studio version, which is streaming below.

[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/43923280" iframe="true" /]

“Every Single Night” will be on iTunes beginning April 24th.

The Idler Wheel is wiser than the Driver of the Screw, and Whipping Cords will serve you more than Ropes will ever do Tracklist:
01. Every Single Night
02. Daredevil
03. Valentine
04. Jonathan
05. Left Alone
06. Werewolf
07. Periphery
08. Regret
09. Anything We Want
10. Hot Knife

Last month, Fiona Apple appeared at NPR’s South by Southwest showcase, where she debuted material from her upcoming studio album. NPR.com is currently streaming three songs from the performance, including her new single, “Every Single Night”, and fan favorites “Extraordinary Machine” and “Fast As You Can”.

“Every Single Night” will be released on April 24th. Apple’s fourth LP, The Idler Wheel is wiser than the Driver of the Screw, and Whipping Cords will serve you more than Ropes will ever do, will follow on June 19th via Epic.

You can see Apple perform live any of dates listed below:

Fiona Apple 2012 Tour Dates:
06/19 – Ithaca, NY @ State Theatre
06/20 – Baltimore, MD @ Lyric Opera House
06/22 – Mashantucket, CT @ MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods
06/23 – Holyoke, MA @ Mountain Park
06/24 – New York, NY @ Governors Ball Music Festival
06/26 – Washington, DC @ Warner Theatre
06/27 – Upper Darby, PA @ Tower Theatre
06/29 – Danbury, CT @ Ives Concert Park
06/30 – Boston, MA @ Citi Performing Arts Center
07/01 – Portland, ME @ State Theatre
07/03 – Montreal, QC @ Olympia Theatre
07/04 – Toronto, ON @ Sound Academy
07/06 – Cleveland Heights, OH @ Cain Park
07/07 – Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore
07/10 – Chicago, IL @ Chicago Theatre
07/11 - Indianapolis, IN @ Murat Theatre
07/13 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
07/14 – St. Louis, MO @ Peabody Opera House
07/16 – Minneapolis, MN @ Orpheum Theatre
07/17 – Kansas City, MO @ The Midland at AMC
07/20 – Denver, CO @ Paramount Theatre
07/21 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kingsbury Hall
07/24 – Vancouver, BC @ Orpheum
07/25 – Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre
07/26 - Portland, OR @ Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
07/28 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater
07/29 – Hollywood, CA @ Hollywood Palladium

Fiona Apple has scheduled an extensive summer tour in support of her upcoming fourth LP.  The trek kicks off June 19th in Ithaca, New York  and concludes six weeks later in Hollywood, California. Along the way, she’ll make a rare festival appearance at the Governors Ball in New York City.

Tickets for many of the dates will be available April 20th. For specific on sale information, visit Apple’s website.

Apple’s new album, The Idler Wheel is wiser than the Driver of the Screw, and Whipping Cords will serve you more than Ropes will ever do, arrives June 19th via Epic Records. According to an issued press release, the album’s lead single, “Every Single Night”, will be available on iTunes beginning Tuesday, April 24th.

Fiona Apple 2012 Tour Dates:
06/19 – Ithaca, NY @ State Theatre
06/20 – Baltimore, MD @ Lyric Opera House
06/22 – Mashantucket, CT @ MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods
06/23 – Holyoke, MA @ Mountain Park
06/24 – New York, NY @ Governors Ball Music Festival
06/26 – Washington, DC @ Warner Theatre
06/27 – Upper Darby, PA @ Tower Theatre
06/29 – Danbury, CT @ Ives Concert Park
06/30 – Boston, MA @ Citi Performing Arts Center
07/01 – Portland, ME @ State Theatre
07/03 – Montreal, QC @ Olympia Theatre
07/04 – Toronto, ON @ Sound Academy
07/06 – Cleveland Heights, OH @ Cain Park
07/07 – Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore
07/10 – Chicago, IL @ Chicago Theatre
07/11 - Indianapolis, IN @ Murat Theatre
07/13 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
07/14 – St. Louis, MO @ Peabody Opera House
07/16 – Minneapolis, MN @ Orpheum Theatre
07/17 – Kansas City, MO @ The Midland at AMC
07/20 – Denver, CO @ Paramount Theatre
07/21 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kingsbury Hall
07/24 – Vancouver, BC @ Orpheum
07/25 – Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre
07/26 - Portland, OR @ Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
07/28 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater
07/29 – Hollywood, CA @ Hollywood Palladium

Right above is the artwork for Fiona Apple’s fourth album, and first in seven years, The Idler Wheel is wiser than the Driver of the Screw, and Whipping Cords will serve you more than Ropes will ever do.

Update: The tracklist has also been revealed.

According to Pitchfork, the album will be released on June 19th via Epic Records. Until then, watch live clips of new cuts  “Anything We Want”, “Every Single Night”, and “Valentine”.

The Idler Wheel is wiser than the Driver of the Screw, and Whipping Cords will serve you more than Ropes will ever do Tracklist:
01. Every Single Night
02. Daredevil
03. Valentine
04. Jonathan
05. Left Alone
06. Werewolf
07. Periphery
08. Regret
09. Anything We Want
10. Hot Knife

Photo by Jeremy D. Larson

As previously reported, Fiona Apple premiered three new songs during her stay at South by Southwest last week. You’ve already seen footage for “Anything We Want” and “Every Single Night”; now check out a high-definition clip of her performing “Valentine”.

Apple’s new album, The Idler Wheel is wiser than the Driver of the Screw, and Whipping Cords will serve you more than Ropes will ever do, is expected to see light in late June via Epic Records. Check out her upcoming tour schedule below.

Fiona Apple 2012 Tour Dates:
03/23 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
03/24 – Atlantic City, NJ @ Music Box
03/26 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
03/27 – Boston, MA @ Royale
06/24 – New York, NY @ Governors Ball Music Festival

Panels

Bruce Springsteen – 12:00 p.m. @ Austin Convention Center

Bruce Springsteen’s keynote speech at South by Southwest was more of a commencent address for the 2,000 or so bands filling the venues and pizza joints in Austin this week. Unfortunately, by Bruce’s own declaration, “every decent musician in this town is asleep – or they will be by the time I finish this thing.”

Hopefully ”some band slugging outside may find a small piece of it valuable,” Springsteen proclaimed as he began the 50-minute speech. One-part history lesson in music, the other an educational seminar on what defines a great band, Springsteen encouraged up-and-comers to do their homework and perform live early and often. “I had nights and nights of bar bands playing behind me to bring my songs home…Those skills gave me a huge ace up my sleeve, and when we finally went on the road we scorched the earth because that’s what I was taught to do by Sam Moore and James Brown.”

Springsteen also fought Lester Bangs’ infamous prophecy that “Elvis was probably the last thing we were all going to agree on… We would never see eye to eye again.” Despite music’s gentrification, “the one thing that has remained consistent,” Springsteen explained,” is the “genesis and power of creativity.” Regardless of the genre, “it’s all about how you’re putting what you’re making together…purity of human expression and experience is not confined to guitars, there is no right way, no pure way of doing it. There’s just doing it.” He continued: ”We live in a post-authentic world, today authenticity is house of mirrors, it’s what you’re bringing when the lights go down. It’s the power and purpose of your music what matters.” -Alex Young

Parties/Showcases

Chairlift – 1:00 p.m. @ 1100 Warehouse (MWTX Party)

For a band playing at least four times in two or three days of South by Southwest (and, let’s be honest, likely hungover around 1 p.m.), you have to wonder how Chairlift lead singer Caroline Polachek is so energetic. Polachek literally twirled herself around on stage, dancing to her band’s bass-heavy, new-wave jams in the sweaty, un-air conditioned warehouse at 1100 East Fifth Street, a grimy retreat from the hustle and bustle of most of SXSW’s action. “Give us your hangovers,” Polachek, who had only a banana and whiskey for breakfast that morning/afternoon, said to the cheering crowd at one point in the show. And while the muted crowd may have been gingerly nursing a few, it was responsive to Chairlift’s joyous synth-pop, particularly lead-off Something single “Amanaemonesia”. -Paul de Revere

Best Coast –  1:50 p.m. @ Google Play Stage

Photo by Heather Kaplan

Tough start for the Google Play Stage, which sported nothing but open concrete, grey skies, and blank stares from the 60 or 70 patrons in attendance. ”You guys are too rambunctious, I can’t take it,” Bethany Cosentino joked. For a gal who shoots the shit on a daily basis via Twitter, she kept the banter to a discomforting minimal, and instead laid on the sarcasm thick. Still, with the band now a quartet, Bobb Bruno and Cosentino have never sounded tighter, and together they previewed a number of tracks off their forthcoming sophomore LP, The Only Place. One of the more smarter, meditative tracks of the bunch was the debut of “Last Year”, a Shellac burner that immediately turns the dial back to the ’50s, specifically to the likes of The Diamonds. She also wrote a song based on Tina Fey’s Mean Girls, but she could have just made that up. Then again, she doesn’t hold back on her pop-cultural tendencies, so let’s roll with that. -Michael Roffman

Youth Lagoon – 3:00 p.m. @ Hype Hotel (Aquarium Drunkard)

Trevor Powers’ voice has this great mix of Alec Ounsworth from CYHSY and something else that is really stirring and emotional. I kept underlining “Blog Soul” in my notebook because, well, I thought it was pretty accurate, but also Youth Lagoon have yet to really take explore other avenues of sound. Their organ-sound was warm, yet it was still kind of cheap bedroom-pop style, and most of their songs fall short of a sunny dance party or a group cry-along and land comfortably somewhere in between, which was a confidence that was very nice to hear. When they went through “17″ and “July”, it felt like comfort food for the forlorn Tumblr users, GIF addicts, and Twitter fiends. So, yeah, I loved it. -Jeremy D. Larson

The Beatles Completion Project feat. Roger Greenawalt  @ Hickory Street Grill

Photo by Heather Kaplan

Brooklyn producer Roger Greenawalt plans on re-recording all 185 songs by The Beatles on ukulele, alongside 185 different singers. At Hickory Street Grill, Irish DJ, author, and photographer BP Fallon stopped by to lend a hand. For more information about the project visit BeatlesCompleteOnUkulele.com.

Clock Opera – 5:30 p.m. @ Latitude 30 (Ben Sherman/CLASH Showcase)

My favorite SXSW pastime is to enter bars or clubs on a whim, perhaps based on vague knowledge of the band or sheer proximity. Sometimes you unearth a musical dud, and other times you find UK’s Clock Opera. This foursome creates baselines of random, almost junky noise, from scratchy samples to the clatter of tin cans. From there, they layer on warm, gushy synths, dance-rock guitars, and Peter Gabriel-inspired lyrical content about anthemic notions of love and meaningful interpersonal connections. Live, they occupy very little space, acting as tight and succinct a unit as possible; their music, though, swells forward, escaping their collective mass with a force that belies the low-key attire and working class demeanor of the group. Lead singer Guy Connelly, who rocks a fierce beard, is an especially gripping site to behold, shaking in spiritual ecstasy as he releases a throaty howl with each lyric. With each cog of this band so shiny and efficient, it won’t be long before it’s their time to shine. -Chris Coplan

Polica – 7:00 p.m. @ Vice Bar (IFC Crossroads)

Flip on a copy of Polica’s debut LP, Give You The Ghost, and the romance and sex appeal will literally pour out of the speakers and into your heart (and accompanying naughty parts). Yet for whatever reason, that same lusty energy was almost nowhere to be found at their showcase for IFC Crossroads. While lead singer Channy Casselle’s vocals were as technically spot-on as they are on record, there was none of that intangible sparkle or warm flood of emotions that really makes their sounds something more than good music to mack to. Maybe it was the choice of venue (Vice Bar is a bit awkward in terms of space and generating a flow for audience), because nerves and overall confidence couldn’t have been a deciding factor. Chalk it up to just a bad night, like when you blew it with that cute girl at spring formal your junior year. -Chris Coplan

Fiona Apple – 8:00 p.m. @ Central Presbyterian Church (Pitchfork Showcase)

Ms. Apple is angry again. She’s not the same “Criminal” or “Shadowboxer” she once was as a teenager, lithe and explicit, cooing velvet out of her mouth. But inside her frail body still courses the same need to squeeze out every last ounce of emotion through her lyrics. With the first slams of opener “Fast as You Can”, Apple tossed and turned standing at the mic, flailing her arms and her scarf around her like a kid throwing a tantrum. Every part of her diminutive physical presence engages in her song from her toes to her hair. She’s fully engaged.

Her new songs were on fire — simple power-dirges alight with self-doubt and loathing. On “Paper Bag” she sang over she’s “too much to love”, which by watching her histrionics on stage I wouldn’t be able to argue with. Her backing band provided sounded less like intricate chamber-pop and more Fiona Apple & Crazy Horse at points. The guitarist would kick into a warm solo, and Apple would bounce behind the grand piano and continue her performance by trying to push her weight against it. She was like an actress on stage, suiting the action to the lyrics and the lyrics to the action, and never breaking her focus on the new pain of her new songs.

The old pain is still there, and Apple looked less comfortable trying to reopen old wounds than she did showing off her new ones. The ostentatious falsetto part in “Extraordinary Machine” was traversed with extra care so as not to miss a single note (she didn’t), and “Criminal” sounded like less like a sultry snake charmer and more like a quavering mess of a person, trying to figure out what pain means when your older, and why the same things keep happening and you don’t know how to get out of the cycles of hurting and getting hurt. She’s older, wiser, sadder, angrier, and more beautiful than ever before. -Jeremy D. Larson

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band – 9:30 p.m. @ ACL’s Moody Theater

What started with a Woody Guthrie cover (“I Ain’t Got No Home”) ended in a Woody Guthrie cover (“This Land Is Your Land”). Clearly, Bruce Springsteen – who only hours beforehand had delivered the festival’s keynote speech – had an agenda here. But, if there’s anything to take away from The Boss (and there is), it’s that he and his E Street Band are highly unpredictable. Their selective ticketing event at ACL’s Moody Theater proved that, as the New Jersey collective not only performed a number of tracks from their exhaustive back catalogue, or off Springsteen’s latest LP, Wrecking Ball, but also worked through a handful of covers and brought out a roster of guests.

“If you’re here and we’re here then they’re here,” Springsteen waxed philosophically, though the “we” certainly has changed. With the loss of Clarence Clemons, the E Street Band has been retooled some, adding in a horn section, which features the Clemmons’ nephew, Jake. The young saxophonist turned heads during “Badlands” and eventually claimed the spotlight for himself during “Waitin’ on a Sunny Day”, and later on “10th Avenue Freeze Out”, the set’s true highlight, which is saying a lot. No one can replace an iconic member like Clarence Clemmons; however, Jake does add some weight to the saxophone solos that were admittedly lacking in Clarence’s later years.

Outside of showcasing new material and the revamped hits, the E Street Band also brought some familiar faces to the frontline. Tom Morello shuffled out for a few newer tracks, though he shined bright with his trademark solo for “The Ghost of Tom Joad”. Later on, Jimmy Cliff fronted the band for a few tracks (“The Harder They Come”, “Time Will Tell”, “Many Rivers to Cross”), while Eric Burdon of The Animals (an act Springsteen admitted during his speech that he cribbed from religiously) lead a rousing cover of his ’60s anti-war anthem, “We’ve Gotta Get Out of This Place”. Because that wasn’t enough, Springsteen also brought out Arcade Fire’s Régine Chassagne, Win and Will Butler, Alejandro Escovedo, Tom Morello, Garland Jeffreys, and members of The Low Anthem for a bright, big ol’ sing-a-long of Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land”.

Oddly enough, they didn’t play “Born to Run”, and it was the only time nobody cared.

Purity Ring – 10:00 p.m. @ Central Presbyterian Church (Pitchfork)

Photo by Harley Brown

Part of me felt guilty about attending Fiona Apple’s Pitchfork showcase just to see the acts going on after her. Having seen Purity Ring upstage Neon Indian last year, I expected they would humble even the staunchest Fiona fans, especially in the venerated Central Presbyterian Church. Things got a little tense when the sound engineer didn’t indulge Megan James in her soft-spoken yet urgent request to kill the lights, but all was forgotten once Purity Ring lit up its signature light bulb keyboards (not altogether unlike Apple’s pianotop candles). Even though songs like “Belispeak” and “Lofticries” adhere to the same general structure, the duo’s viscous dub and womb-like stage setup continually entranced the audience. -Harley Brown

Grimes – 10:45 p.m. @ Central Presbyterian Church (Pitchfork)

Photo by Harley Brown

After Purity Ring’s elaborate setup, Toronto techno-brat Grimes looked almost like a science experiment onstage, surrounded by plastic tables overflowing with wires. Once she launched into the tensile synth hits of “Genesis”, however, I allowed myself to abandon my critical perch and get lost in her ethereal vocal delicacy. (If I could say it was a religious experience and still take myself seriously, I would.) Once she got to “Be a Body”, however, Grimes got visibly flustered on stage, growling with frustration when her vocal loops didn’t sync up with the backbeats. She managed to recover control over the galloping drum machine and improvise, but by that point it was too late: the house lights rose over her, abruptly ending the performance. -Harley Brown

Miike Snow – 12 a.m. @ Lustre Pearl (Dickies/FILTER Party)

Swedish electronica trio Miike Snow hasn’t performed live much recently, and certainly not much in the States. So if it’s delayed 45 minutes, you’ve waited this long, right? What’s another 45 minutes? But at South by Southwest, 45 minutes of waiting can seem like an eternity. Crowds get restless, which they did for Miike Snow on Thursday night. You can’t sleight them, seeing as the band was over an hour late for its set at the Hype Hotel the night before. Part of the blame for the delay may be attributed to the trio’s serious analog gear (its centerpiece bank of synthesizers looked like a doomsday device from Plan 9 from Outer Space); however, the band saved plenty of face when they started. New material off their latest LP Happy to You sounded superb (“Paddling Out”, “Devil’s Work”) and the live arrangements for songs off its self-titled 2009 record were dramatic and almost seamless (“Silvia”, “Animal”). And all that the time setting up was worth it in that the band sounded both tight and succinct. Though there was little to no acknowledgement of the delay from singer Andrew Wyatt, and not much warmth at all, the band won over an impatient crowd. -Paul de Revere

The Jesus & Mary Chain – 12 a.m. @ The Belmont (Paste)

Photo by Chris Coplan

The Jesus & Mary Chain is one of those bands whose work has permeated the very essence of music; as such, they’ve been a part of many people’s musical upbringing and development for years. It’s so ingrained that it’s almost to the point of mythology, like they’re Bigfoot or the Loch Ness monster and not a real band you can wait in line and see. Yet after their 2007 reunion, the legend became a reality for many, and now I can include myself in that lucky bunch thanks to last night’s gig.

From the chunky waves of distortion throughout set opener “Snakedriver”, to the frazzled basslines of “Teenage Lust”, and of course those melancholic heartstrings that tug within “Just Like Honey”, the UK collective melted The Belmont with their timeless shoegaze dream pop. No one does micro-bursts of feedback and distortion as well, literally filling each cycle with intricate layers of emotion and tension, the genesis of the whole noisy aesthetic in action. But that aspect of the circus de JAMC is just a small part of the wonder. What is so devastating about this band isn’t the nostalgia or the harsh sounds; it’s that they don’t need or want either.

Photo by Chris Coplan

Even after all these years of existence, they exude the hunger of a young band willing to fight and scratch for the adulation of the crowd. Their setlist reflects a band not trying to harvest the last bits of gold from old hits, but one rich with sonic variety and varying forms of intent. Tiny moments, like William Reid not being able to turn off a pedal that’s ruining frontman Jim Reid’s speech, show a real band that is continually working on itself. They kicked the set off by proclaiming they were here to ruin our night, but really, they just made so many people’s weekends – especially the guy who jumped on-stage and stripped down. Definitely him. -Chris Coplan

Fiona Apple performed at South by Southwest on Wednesday night and previewed three tracks from her first LP in seven years, the 23-word long The Idler Wheel is wiser than the Driver of the Screw, and Whipping Cords will serve you more than Ropes will ever do. Below, watch footage of “Anything We Want”, via Stereogum, and stay tuned for “Valentine” and “Every Single Night”. Update: Video of “Every Single Night” is now below.

Apple’s new album is expected to see light in late June via Epic Records. Next up on her tour schedule is another showcase at South by Southwest tomorrow night, followed by a stop in Chicago and a string of East coast dates.

Fiona Apple 2012 Tour Dates:
03/15 – Austin, TX @ Central Presbyterian Church (SXSW)
03/19 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
03/21 – Washington, DC @ Sixth and I
03/23 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
03/24 – Atlantic City, NJ @ Music Box
03/26 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
03/27 – Boston, MA @ Royale
06/24 – New York, NY @ Governors Ball Music Festival

Fiona Apple had seven years to come up with a title for her fourth LP, and this is the 23-word end result: The Idler Wheel is wiser than the Driver of the Screw, and Whipping Cords will serve you more than Ropes will ever do.

According to Pitchfork, the album is expected to see light in late June via Epic Records. As previously reported, she’ll support the release with her first U.S. tour dates in five years. Check out those dates below.

Fiona Apple 2012 Tour Dates:
03/15 – Austin, TX @ Central Presbyterian Church (SXSW)
03/19 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
03/21 – Washington, DC @ Sixth and I
03/23 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
03/24 – Atlantic City, NJ @ Music Box
03/26 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
03/27 – Boston, MA @ Royale
06/24 – New York, NY @ Governors Ball Music Festival

With Record Store Day 2012 now just seven weeks away (April 21st), a number of artists and record labels have begun to reveal their plans for music’s new favorite holiday. Here’s a recap of the some the more notable releases already announced:

– The Black Keys will release their latest LP, El Camino, as a deluxe vinyl. This RSD exclusive package also contains a bonus CD, a limited edition poster, and a two song 45 rpm 7″ single featuring previously unreleased live tracks: “Sister” and “Money Maker.”

– Mastodon has two releases planned: A split 7″ single with Feist, which features Mastodon covering the Feist song “A Commotion”, while Feist covers Mastodon’s “Black Tongue. Mastodon also contributes a cover of The Flaming Lips’ “A Spoonful Weighs a Ton”, which will be released on 7″ baby pink vinyl single as part of the Side By Side Series.

– Arcade Fire will release Damian Taylor’s remixes of “Sprawl II” and “Ready to Start” on special edition 12″ vinyl.

– Detroyer will re-release his 2006 album, Destroyer’s Rubies, on vinyl for the first time in the U.S. Available through Merge Records, the package also includes a bonus track “Loscil’s Rubies”, a 20-minute long bonus song remixed by Scott Morgan, and a digital download of the album. The vinyl will be available in ruby red.

– Neon Indian will release “Hex Girlfriend”, b/w a Twin Shadow remix of the song, on 10″ vinyl.

– Metallica will release their new EP, Beyond Magnetic, on 12″ colored vinyl.

– M. Ward will release his new single “Primitive Girl”, b/w “The Twist” and a cover of Chuck Berry’s “Roll Over Beethoven”, on 7″ vinyl.

– The Tallest Man on Earthwill release a 12″ single comprised of “King of Spain” b/w a cover of Paul Simon’s “Graceland” and his own “Where I Thought I Met the Angels”.

– Red Hot Chili Peppers will re-release the deluxe 180 gram vinyl box set of their 2006 album Stadium Arcadium. Specially priced for Record Store Day, the deluxe package was mastered for vinyl by Steve Hoffman and includes two 16-page booklets – “Jupiter” and “Mars”.

– Also from the Side by Side Series, Sara Watkins will release a cover of The Everly Brothers classic “You’re The One I Love”, with guest vocals from Fiona Apple.

– Xiu Xiu and Dirty Beaches will team up for a split 7″, which features Xiu Xiu covering Erasure’s 1994 ballad “Always”, and Dirty Beaches reinterpreting ”Tu Ne Dis Rien” by French pop singer Françoise Hardy.

In addition,Wax Poetic reports the following releases will also see light on Record Store Day (we’ve yet to confirm these releases independently):

– Ryan Adams will release a 7″ single comprised of two Bob Mould covers, “Heartbreak a Stranger”, and “Black Sheets of Rain”, taken from the recent Bon Mould tribute concert in Los Angeles.

– Sufjan Stevens will join forces with Rosie Thomas for a split single, featuring the songs “Where Were You” and “Here I Am”.

– St. Vincent will put out a 7″ vinyl featuring two unreleased tracks: “Krokodil” b/w “Grot”.

– Andrew Bird will release a 7″ single featuring his covers of Alpha Consumer’s “The Crown Salesman” and “Handsome Family’s “So Much Wine”.

– David Bowie’s 1972 single “Starman” will be released on picture disc 7″ vinyl, and will come back with an unreleased b-side from the recently surfaced Tops of Pops performance.

Fiona Apple has added another date to her comeback tour, and it’s the biggest one yet. The acclaimed songwriter will appear at New York City’s Governors Ball Music Festival on Sunday, June 24th. She joins a bill which already includes Beck, Passion Pit, Modest Moust, Santigold, and Chromeo, among others.

Single day, two-day, and VIP passes are currently on sale via the festival’s website. Check out Apple’s updated tour schedule below.

Fiona Apple 2012 Tour Dates:
03/15 – Austin, TX @ Central Presbyterian Church (SXSW)
03/19 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
03/21 – Washington, DC @ Sixth and I
03/23 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
03/24 – Atlantic City, NJ @ Music Box
03/26 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
03/27 – Boston, MA @ Royale
06/24 – New York, NY @ Governors Ball Music Festival

Fiona Apple has scheduled her first U.S. tour in five years. The seven-date jaunts kicks off at South by Southwest on March 15th, and then hits Chicago before ending with five dates along the East coast. Tickets go on sale Friday, February 24th.

Apple is expected to release her first album in seven years sometime in 2012. In the meantime, check out her legendary video for “Criminal”, which is also below.

Fiona Apple 2012 Tour Dates:
03/15 – Austin, TX @ Central Presbyterian Church (SXSW)
03/19 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
03/21 – Washington, DC @ Sixth and I
03/23 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
03/24 – Atlantic City, NJ @ Music Box
03/26 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
03/27 – Boston, MA @ Royale

Due March 27th from 429 Records (a unit of SLG), the record runs the gamut from pop to indie, metal to rap. Gray even touches on ’80s new wave with the first single, a version of the Eurythmics’ “Here Comes the Rain Again”. She goes indie with Arcade Fire’s “Wake Up” and “Maps” from Yeah Yeah Yeahs, hard with “Nothing Else Matters” by Metallica and My Chemical Romance’s “Teenagers”, and shows love to Kanye with “Love Lockdown”. Hell, she’s even got “Two Joints” from Sublime (without Rome) on there. Yeah, it’s gonna be something, all right.

Of course, Ms. Gray will be putting her own soulful spin on the numbers, so don’t expect  to be moshing about, even with the Metallica track. In fact, she’s been playing a few of the songs live for a few years now. Below, you can watch her cover Radiohead’s classic “Creep” – which will be on Covered – at the 2010 North Sea Jazz Festival in the Netherlands. The full tracklist follows. An extensive tour is expected to support the release, so stay tuned for more.

“Creep”:

Covered Tracklist:
01. Maps (Yeah Yeah Yeahs)
02. Wake Up (Arcade Fire)
03. Nothing Else Matters (Metallica)
04. Teenagers (My Chemical Romance)
05. Here Comes the Rain Again (Eurythmics)
06. Creep (Radiohead)
07. Bubbly (Colbie Caillat)
08. Love Lockdown (Kanye West)
09. Two Joints (Sublime)
10. Sleep to Dream (Fiona Apple)
11. Sail (AWOLNATION)

Given his reputation as somewhat of an alcoholic, Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas was an appropriate choice to sing “Rave On” for the title alone. High-pitched and grungy guitars bolster his tragic falsetto for layers of texture, and the minor chords in the chorus tug at the listener’s heartstrings. Similarly, Cee Lo Green of “F-ck You” fame was an apt pick to sing the backhanded compliments on “(You’re So Square) Baby I Don’t Care”. He brings out the song’s sweetness with a calypso beat, but his clear tenor elucidates how, frankly, insulting the lyrics can be: “I wonder why I love you, baby/I guess that’s just because you’re so square”. Karen Elson’s ensuing version of “Crying, Waiting, Hoping” conveys the original song’s insane optimism and desperation with galloping fiddles. Even though she ostensibly recorded this song before her celebrated divorce from Jack White, that fact adds irony that probably never crossed Holly’s aching heart.

His songs almost always address a girl he wants but can’t have; so whenever female vocalists sing Buddy Holly, their versions respond to him. Jenny O. challenges Holly’s futile quest for affection with her sugary “I’m Gonna Love You Too”. By changing the gender in the song—“After all, another girl took you up” instead of “guy”—she wonders if he truly, madly, deeply wants to be with her or if she’s just another song title. Florence and the Machine twists that same sentiment on “Not Fade Away”: Her sexy, borderline sinister voice coaxes, “I’m gonna tell you how it’s gonna be/You’re going to give your love to me.” Backed by tubas and mechanical drum taps, Florence’s version is meaty and compelling (I’m more inclined to listen to her telling me what to do than Buddy Holly). On the more innocent “Everyday”, Jon Brion and Fiona Apple sing the only duet on the album. Their complementary voices mitigate the longing behind the album’s boys versus girls theme. The xylophone and handclaps in the background give one of Holly’s most popular songs a new, almost nursery-rhyme quality.

And let’s not leave the male vocalists out. Kid Rock’s soulful vocals on “Well All Right”, backed by Motown-worthy horns and bass, reminds the listener why Buddy Holly’s music famously won over an all-black audience at the Apollo Theater in the 1950′s. My Morning Jacket’s Jim James trades his full-throated yowl for a sweet warble on “True Love Ways” and Graham Nash takes depression to new heights on “Raining In My Heart”. Both artists eschew contemporary instrumental arrangements for, respectively, romantic 1940’s violins and piano chords that belong in a Nora Ephron montage. All the musicians on Rave On Buddy Holly run such a gamut that it’s hard to dispute Buddy Holly’s continuously far-reaching influence in music. At the same time, if these songs weren’t on a covers album, it would be easy to mistake them for a Lou Reed original or an old Modest Mouse track. Whether that speaks more for Holly’s talent as a lasting songwriter or these artists’ ability to contemporize classic pop will remain unknown. Until the Lou Reed covers album, of course.

Fiona Apple‘s cover of Buddy Holly’s 1957 classic “Everyday” is the latest offering from the forthcoming Rave on Buddy Holly tribute album. It’s also the most anticipated of the 19 tracks included. We are, after all, six years removed from her last LP, Extraordinary Machine, and with the exception of a track on a children’s album and a collabo with Margaret Cho, the 33-year old singer-songwriter has remained out of the spotlight in recent years. So, at least for right now, consider this Jon Brion-featuring cover a rarity.

The track was premiered on the latest episode of 107.7 The End’s “What’s Next”. Just click here and scroll to the :50 second mark (via 24B).

Rave On Buddy Holly hits stores June 28th via Fantasy Records/Concord Music Group.

Rave On Buddy Holly Tracklist:
01. The Black Keys – “Dearest”
02. Fiona Apple and Jon Brion – “Every Day”
03. Paul McCartney – “It’s So Easy”
04. Florence and the Machine – “Not Fade Away”
05. Cee-Lo – “(You’re So Square) Baby, I Don’t Care”
06. Karen Elson – “Crying, Waiting, Hoping”
07. Julian Casablancas – “Rave On”
08. Jenny O. – “I’m Gonna Love You Too”
09. Justin Townes Earle – “Maybe Baby”
10. She & Him – “Oh Boy”
11. Nick Lowe – “Changing All Those Changes”
12. Patti Smith – “Words of Love”
13. My Morning Jacket – “True Love Ways”
14. Modest Mouse – “That’ll Be the Day”
15. Kid Rock – “Well… All Right”
16. Detroit Cobras – “Heartbeat”
17. Lou Reed – “Peggy Sue”
18. John Doe – “Peggy Sue Got Married”
19. Graham Nash – “Raining in My Heart”

Don’t think these artists emailed in recordings of a few Cho lines either. Every artist cowrote his or her track(s). Yes, that means Ani DiFranco played an active role in creating “Captain Cameltoe”. If you don’t find this vaguely distressing, you should.

Several of these songs have seen the light of day, including “Eat Shit and Die” with Grant Lee Phillips and “My Puss”, which became a music video that’s about as classy as you would expect. Listen to those songs at your own risk and check out the full track list below.

Meanwhile, Cho is expected to appear at Bonnaroo this weekend with The Raconteurs Brendan Benson, where they’ll film a music video for their co-written tune, ” Baby I’m With the Band”.

Cho Dependent Tracklist:
01. Intervention (w/ Tegan & Sara)
02. Calling in Stoned (w/ Ben Lee & Tommy Chong)
03. Your Dick (w/ A.C. Newman and Ben Lee)
04. Baby I’m With The Band (w/ Brendan Benson)
05. Hey Big Dog (w/ Patty Griffin, Ben Lee, and Fiona Apple)
06. I’m Sorry (w/ Andrew Bird)
07. Lice (w/ Ben Lee)
08. Enemies (w/ Jon Brion)
09. Asian Adjacent (w/ Grant Lee Phillips)
10. Gimme Your Seed (w/ Garrison Starr)
11. Eat Shit and Die (w/ Grant Lee Phillips)
12. Captain Cameltoe  (w/ Ani DiFranco)
13. My Puss (w/ Diana Yanez & Kurt Hall)
14. Hidden Track: Lesbian Escalation (w/ Rachael Yamagata)

The track, so effervescent and joyous, will certainly fill your need for new Fiona Apple material and as 24B postulates, perhaps will lead to a true Jon Brion/Fiona Apple collaboration, you know, one we could buy this time.

The song will be featured on the compilation Chickens In Love, which again features lyrics written by the kids at 826 LA and features Los Angeles recording artists She & Him, Fiona Apple, Cold War Kids, Tim and Eric, The Submarines, Summer Darling, The Happy Hollows, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Dum Dum Girls, The Growlers, Crystal Antlers, and The Pity Party. I know, right? You can stream all of the tracks over at 826 LA’s Facebook page, and can purchase the album here. All album and merch proceeds go directly back into “The 826 Writing and Tutoring Centers”.

Sure, it does. After all, we are talking about a Grammy winner here. It just that, well, the 31-year-old has kind of been out of the public spotlight for quite a while now – it’s been five year’s since the release of Extraordinary Machine and almost three since Ms. Apple was touting around the east coast with Nickel Creek.

However, now it seems that the New York native is ready to begin the next trek of her career. Either that, or for some odd reason is super into covering Cy Coleman. As part of the upcoming That Was Then And This Is Now: A Tribute To Cy Coleman EP, Apple has offered her offered up a rendition of “Why Try To Change Me Now?”

No word on if a new album is on the way, but then again, it’s only been four years since Extraordinary Machine. Based on history, she’s still got plenty of time.

Check Out: (via Perez Hilton)
“Why Try To Change Me Now?”

Tip of the hat to Jenny Julien!