Neil Young and Crazy Horse will release their first album in nine years, Americana, on June 5th via Reprise Records. Right now, you can stream the entire thing below (via RollingStone.com).

The 11-track effort features rearrangements of classic, American folk songs. Along with the album stream, the band has revealed music videos for “Oh Susannah”, “Jesus’ Chariot (She’ll Be Comin ’Round The Mountain)”, “Clementine”, and “God Save the Queen”.

The band plans to follow up Americana with a second new studio album in September.

Neil Young and Crazy Horse have revealed yet another track and video from their upcoming LP, Americana. This time, it’s the band’s take on the British National Anthem, “God Save The Queen”, which comes accompanied with found footage of — you guessed it — the queen. Check it out below.

Americana, the band’s first of two reunion albums planned for 2012, will be released on June 5th via Reprise Records. If you haven’t already, watch the videos for “Oh Susannah”, “Jesus’ Chariot (She’ll Be Comin ’Round The Mountain)”, and “Clementine”.

Austin City Limits’ 2012 lineup is officially one day old and that means it’s time for some post-reveal analysis. In the pages that follow, we run through the biggest highlights and surprises appearing on this year’s bill, in addition to the most glaring omissions. We also highlight five names worth knowing as you prepare for your October getaway down South.

Highlights

Neil Young & Crazy Horse

If there’s one act to always count on it’s Neil Young. Pair him up alongside Crazy Horse and you’re in for a night full of gritty surprises. Although he’ll be slinging his distortion around San Francisco (Outside Lands) and New Orleans (Voodoo), Young is a great grab for Austin City Limits, and we’re willing to bet he’ll be one of this year’s top headliners by year’s end. Then again, maybe we just dig his new covers album – the forthcoming Americana – too much. -Michael Roffman

The Avett Brothers

Who doesn’t love some good folk? The Avett Brothers are a welcome inclusion to the festival’s lineup; after all, they performed on an episode of Austin City Limits back in 2010. The time, however, the North Carolina brethren should return with a slew of new tunes for fall, all off their long-awaited, Rick Rubin-produced follow up to 2009′s stellar I and Love and You. Just by going off their latest track, “The Once and Future Carpenter”, it’s looking to be a good one. -Michael Roffman

Big K.R.I.T.

Big K.R.I.T.’s inclusion in this year’s lineup is just another validation for the uber talented producer/rapper from Meridian, Mississippi. The last few years have seen him dropping highly-lauded mixtapes yet he’s mostly been ignored by the Dirty South mainstream. With this slot at ACL, in conjunction with his forthcoming debut album Live from the Underground, K.R.I.T. finally gets the chance to shine on a stage that both accommodates his ginormous skill set and showcases him to arguably his most eclectic crowd to date. Meridian, prep your best parade, cause your hometown hero’s about to put you on the map in a very big way. -Chris Coplan

The Afghan Whigs

Every festival needs a reunion act. This year the title goes to Greg Dulli’s The Afghan Whigs. With several European dates in the bag, including hosting duties at ATP, there’s a lot on the singer’s plate at the moment. That’s a good thing for ACL, though. With October several months away, Dulli will have plenty of time to sort through any odds and ends that might come about (as they do with any reunion) – remember, it’s been over a decade since they’ve performed. -Michael Roffman

The War on Drugs

It’s as simple as this: The War on Drugs put on a great show. The band seamlessly incorporates the effects that drench their records into their live performances. Watch in wonder as lead singer/guitarist Adam Granduciel balances his voice with his often eerie, sometimes playful guitar work, never drowning despite the constant rushing wave of keyboards. Here’s to hoping they cover Grateful Dead’s “Touch of Grey” again. -Justin Gerber

Surprises

Iggy and the Stooges

Photo by Debi Del Grande

They’re billed at European festivals throughout the summer, but with the exception of a recent slot at Chicago’s Riot Fest in September, Iggy Pop and his Stooges were nowhere to be seen in the U.S. Quite an amicable surprise since they’ll be working mostly off of 1973′s Raw Power, which c’mon, it doesn’t get better than that. -Michael Roffman

Weezer

Photo by Heather Kaplan

Back in January, Rivers Cuomo & Co. sailed away on their Weezer Cruise, and then they came back a few days later. Since then, they haven’t done much, save for releasing The Pinkerton Diaries. With nothing new to promote (which, admittedly, might not be a horrible thing) and only a couple of small fests booked, these veterans came out of left field on the ACL lineup. -Michael Roffman

Rufus Wainwright

To date, it’s his only U.S. festival appearance, which makes it a pretty good get. It also helps that his latest album, Out of the Game, is pretty swell. Oh, Rufus! -Michael Roffman

Willis Earl Beal

Photo by Drew Litowitz

Usually an artist at his level takes at least a year to hit one of the Big Four. Or, as Chicago bloggers might say, “First Pitchfork, then Lollapalooza.” Kudos to Mr. Beal for changing the game. -Michael Roffman

Stars

Wait, they’re doing stuff right now? -Michael Roffman

Omissions

Bon Iver

Photo by Drew Litowitz

Bon Iver is playing ACL 2012, according to one of the festival’s “lineup lottery” scratch-off cards. Or so we were led to believe. A rep for C3 tells us that the supposed scratchers revealing Red Hot Chili Peppers and Bon Iver were both fake, even though Red Hot Chili Peppers did actually end up on the lineup. Bon Iver, of course, did not. Maybe next time. -Alex Young

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band

Photo by Michael Roffman

Okay, so there weren’t really any strong indications The Boss would be at ACL this year. However, he is touring stateside this fall and he’s yet to return to Austin following that “secret” South by Southwest gig of his back in March. That’s not a whole lot to go on, but really, isn’t Springsteen more or less a shoe-in for ACL? Oh well, we’ll just have to cope with Neil Young. #firstworldproblems -Michael Roffman

Yeasayer

After ACL appearances in 2008 and 2010, the pattern suggests that Yeasayer should be on this lineup. Couple that with the release of one of what is sure to be one of the summer’s most anticipated indie albums (Fragrant World, their third), and their non-appearance seems downright shocking. The psych/prog-rockers have been steadily climbing the ranks of indie royalty, and they’ve already got a handful of European festivals booked, so a big American tour might just have to sate the fans (fingers crossed). -Adam Kivel

The xx

The xx played ACL when xx blew our minds two years ago, so it would have made perfect sense to showcase their upcoming sophomore album with a sophomore appearance. -Harley Brown

Who to Know

Caveman

Woozy folk rockers Caveman seem determined to play as many live shows as possible, from hometown gigs at BAM and the Brooklyn Museum to one of many shows in Austin for SXSW. So, it’s no surprise they’re trucking back to the “live music capital of the world” for the last of the Big Four. Despite their moniker, Caveman are a gentle band that should be filed next to the Dodos with gentle harmonies and tribal rhythms that still, surprisingly, fly under the radar. -Harley Brown

Kishi Bashi

Violinist Kishi Bashi only recently released his debut LP, but he’s been the go-to string guy for Regina Spektor and of Montreal for quite some time. He’s the sonic compliment to both acts, elaborately weaving together strands of psychedelic and electronic music without forgoing his classical edge and pop sensibility. -Chris Coplan

Ben Howard

British surfer/songsmith Ben Howard works from a crowded square of beach with his brand of acoustic music, but the US release of Every Kingdom creates waves aplenty. A UK top 10 album last autumn, Howard’s recent debut shows he has absorbed a refreshingly broad range of musical and lyrical influences, both contemporary (Bon Iver) and past (John Martyn and Paul Simon). These color his work sufficiently so that it can’t simply be labelled alt-folk, folk-pop, or whatever. Still, the folk influence is there in much of the songs’ constructions and agile guitar work, but the Devonian’s warm, soulful, and emotive music reaches far beyond the genre confines. -Tony Hardy

Moon Duo

The droney psych-rock churned out by under-the-radar Moon Duo should make an entrancing impact in Austin. The pairing of Erik “Ripley” Johnson (guitarist for San Fran psychedelic maestros Wooden Shjips) and keyboardist Sanae Yamada blend rough-edged mysticism with blurry soundscapes, hitting upon surprisingly pop structures. The duo may not be as well known as Johnson’s other outfit, but they should win over fans with their groove-friendly washes of sound. -Adam Kivel

Patrick Watson

Canadian band Patrick Watson, named after singer/songwriter and head of the band, has been making a strong name in the crowded, talented Montreal music scene since their surprise Polaris Prize win in 2007 for Close to Paradise. Watson’s brand of orchestral and melodically saturated music has drawn critical praise–and comparisons to Antony and the Johnsons and tour mate Andrew Bird–but for whatever reason, it hasn’t pushed them further into the indie-rock mainstream. With new album Adventures in Your Own Backyard, the songwriter makes a strong case for the band’s rightful place near the top. -Nick Freed

The 11th annual Austin City Limits Music Festival runs October 12-14th at Zilker Park in Austin, Texas. The lineup boasts Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jack White, The Black Keys, Neil Young and Crazy Horse, Florence and the Machine, Avicii, Bassnectar, Iggy and the Stooges, The Avett Brothers, The Roots, The Shins, Weezer, M83, Gotye, The Afghan Whigs, Crystal Castles, Andrew Bird, M. Ward, Alabama Shakes, and Childish Gambino.

Also playing are Tegan and Sara, Rufus Wainwright, Thievery Corporation, Umprhey’s McGee, Metric, Stars, Delta Spirit, Polica, Esperanza Spalding, Steve Earle, Patterson Hood, Gary Clark Jr., Die Antwoord, Big K.R.I.T., Zola Jesus, The War on Drugs, Black Lips, Los Campesinos! Freelance Whales, Caveman, Tennis, LP, Two Door Cinema Club, Trampled By Turtles, Oberhofer, Bombay Bicycle Club, Old 97s, Antibalas, Lee Fields & the Expressions, Father John Misty, Ben Howard, Michael Kiwanuka, and Patrick Watson.

Three-day and single-day passes are now available via the festival’s website.

Neil Young and Crazy Horse will release Americana, their first of two reunion albums planned for 2012, on June 5th via Reprise Records. The 11-track effort features rearrangements of classic, American folk songs. You’ve already seen videos for “Oh Susannah” and “Jesus’ Chariot (She’ll Be Comin ’Round The Mountain)”. Now, Spinner has revealed the video for “Clementine”, which features found footage of gold mining and life in the old west. Watch it below:

Americana Tracklist:
01. Oh Susannah
02. Clementine
03. Tom Dooley
04. Gallows Pole
05. Get A Job
06. Travel On
07. High Flyin’ Bird
08. She’ll Be Comin ’Round The Mountain
09. This Land Is Your Land
10. Wayfarin’ Stranger
11. God Save The Queen

“A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men.” -Willy Wonka

Bear in Heaven – “Sinful Nature”

Pretty Woman probably isn’t too many people’s go-to movie to watch while tripping. That didn’t stop Bear in Heaven in their latest music video, in which they give Julia Roberts and Richard Gere a weird and psychedelic reinterpretation.

Darkside – “A1″

Ever watch Star Wars and wonder what those pesky Sand People do when they’re not terrorizing Luke and Obi Wan? Darkside has got you covered. Spoiler alert: Involves a lot of walking around the desert.

Death Grips – “Hustle Bones”

Well, I guess that’s one way to launder money.

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros – “Mother”

Sure Mother’s Day was last week, but the guys in Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros don’t need an excuse to celebrate the woman who gave them life.

Florence and the Machine – “Breath of Life”

As if the upcoming summer blockbuster, Snow White and the Huntsman, didn’t already look epic enough, Flo manages to cram in a little more with the help of a huge backing choir. What else could possibly be the soundtrack for Charlize Theron bathing in a pool of milk?

Friends – “Mind Control”

The creators of the next James Bond film need look no further for the next Bond villain. The creepy robots from this video not only have video cameras for heads, but they also specialize in mind control.

Grimes – “Nightmusic”

With Claire Boucher (a.k.a. Grimes) as the Mother Nature-esque puppet master, a gathering of naked forest dwellers wander aimlessly through the trees at dusk. Too bad the kids from The Blair With Project didn’t run into these guys out in the woods, it probably would have made for a more interesting movie.

Neil Young and Crazy Horse – “Jesus’ Chariot”

The latest video from the recently reunited Neil Young and Crazy Horse features footage from D.W. Griffith’s controversial, highly racist film, Birth of a Nation. 

Simian Mobile Disco – “Pareidolia”

In their new video, Simian Mobile Disco unleash a laser light show that would even make Dark Side of the Moon-era Pink Floyd jealous.

Young Liars – “Colours”

This video was filmed atop the “Pioneer Cycling and Pedestrian Overpass” in Surrey, BC. The bridge’s lights are programmed to change color and pulse according to the season and even passing traffic. Is anyone else extremely jealous of all those lucky Canadians who gets pass under it on their morning commute?

Neil Young and Crazy Horse will release Americana, their first of two reunion albums planned for 2012, on June 5th via Reprise Records. The 11-track effort features rearrangements of classic, American folk songs. You’ve already heard the band’s take on “Oh Susannah”. Now, check out their reworking of “She’ll Be Comin’ Round the Mountain”, which has been retitled to “Jesus’ Chariot”. The track comes packaged within a video featuring scenes from D.W. Griffith’s Birth of a Nation.

Update: To go along with their appearance at Outside Lands, Neil Young and Crazy Horse have scheduled a pair of dates at Morrison, Colorado’s Red Rocks Ampitheatre for August 5th and 6th. Albama Shakes will open both shows.

Americana Tracklist:
01. Oh Susannah
02. Clementine
03. Tom Dooley
04. Gallows Pole
05. Get A Job
06. Travel On
07. High Flyin’ Bird
08. She’ll Be Comin ’Round The Mountain
09. This Land Is Your Land
10. Wayfarin’ Stranger
11. God Save The Queen

Neil Young and Crazy Horse will release Americana, their first of two reunion albums planned for 2012, on June 5th via Reprise Records. The 11-track effort features rearrangements of classic, American folk songs. As a first listen, stream Neil and co.’s take on “Oh Susannah”, which comes accompanied by found footage of a family listening to their dad play banjo.

 Americana was recorded at Audio Casa Blanca and was produced by Young and John Hanlon with Mark Humphreys. It features the Crazy Horse lineup of of Billy Talbot, Ralph Molina and Frank “Poncho” Sampedro.

Americana Tracklist:
01. Oh Susannah
02. Clementine
03. Tom Dooley
04. Gallows Pole
05. Get A Job
06. Travel On
07. High Flyin’ Bird
08. She’ll Be Comin ’Round The Mountain
09. This Land Is Your Land
10. Wayfarin’ Stranger
11. God Save The Queen

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

[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/40722504" iframe="true" /]

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.

[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/40613992" iframe="true" /]

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

[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/39966234" iframe="true" /]

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 

[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/43420973" iframe="true" /]

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 

[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/40442199" iframe="true" /]

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 

[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/38026739" iframe="true" /]

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

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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

San Francisco’s Outside Lands Music Festival turns five years old this summer (August 10-12th to be exact), and it’s celebrating with some pretty big name talent. Metallica, Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Foo Fighters, Jack White, Stevie Wonder, and Beck top this year’s bill. Other notable acts include Sigur Rós, Justice, Regina Spektor, Norah Jones, Skrillex, The Kills, Dispatch, Passion Pit, and Grandaddy.

Also appearing on the lineup are Big Boi, Bloc Party, Franz Ferdinand, Andrew Bird, Explosions in the Sky, MSTRKRFT, Portugal. the Man, Dr. Dog, The Walkmen, Alabama Shakes, Fitz and the Tantrums, Amadou & Mariam, Reggie Watts, Sharon Van Etten, YACHT, Zola Jesus, Tennis, Die Antwoord, Thee Oh Sees, Tanlines, Caveman, Of Monsters and Men, Father John Misty, Tame Impala, Big Gigantic, White Denim, Yellow Ostrich, wallpaper., Trampled By Turtles, City and Colour, and Two Gallants, among others.

Tickets will go on sale Thursday, April 19th at Noon PDT via the festival’s website.

As previously reported, Neil Young and Crazy Horse have two new albums on the way. The first, Americana, will arrive on June 5th via Reprise Records, according to RollingStone.com. It’ll mark the band’s first album since 2003, and their first album with the full Crazy Horse lineup of Billy Talbot, Ralph Molina and Frank “Poncho” Sampedro since 1996.

According to an issued press release, Americana was recorded at Audio Casa Blanca and was produced by Young and John Hanlon with Mark Humphreys. Young previously said the album comprises rearrangements of “songs we all know from kindergarten” with help from a children’s choir. He wasn’t kidding.

The 11-track effort, described as a “collection of classic, American folk songs,” packs tracks like “Oh Susannah”, “This Land Is Your Land”, and “She’ll Be Comin’ Round The Mountain”. There’s also a reworking of the British national anthem, “God Save The Queen”, which was previously America’s de facto national anthem before the establishment of The Union.

An issued press release offers the following:

“Each of these compositions is very much part of the fabric of our American heritage; the roots of what we think of as “Americana” in cultural terms, using songs as a way of passing along information and documenting our past…

“What ties these songs together is the fact that while they may represent an America that may no longer exist. The emotions and scenarios behind these songs still resonate with what’s going on in the country today with equal, if not greater impact nearly 200 years later. The lyrics reflect the same concerns and are still remarkably meaningful to a society going through economic and cultural upheaval, especially during an election year. They are just as poignant and powerful today as the day they were written.”

The band’s as-yet-untitled second album is “still in the works” as of last February.

Americana Tracklist:
01. Oh Susannah
02. Clementine
03. Tom Dooley
04. Gallows Pole
05. Get A Job
06. Travel On
07. High Flyin’ Bird
08. She’ll Be Comin ’Round The Mountain
09. This Land Is Your Land
10. Wayfarin’ Stranger
11. God Save The Queen

Sir Paul McCartney was honored as the 2012 MusiCares Person of the Year in Los Angeles Friday night. The ceremony featured a number of live performances, including covers of “Jet” by Foo Fighters, “Blackbird” by Alicia Keys, “Hey Jude” by Katy Perry, “We Can Work It Out” by Coldplay, and “I Saw You Standing There” by Neil Young & Crazy Horse, which marked the reunited outfit’s first performance in eight years.

In addition, Sir Paul performed two tracks from his new LP Kisses on the Bottom, “My Valentine” and “I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter”, as well as past classics like “Junior’s Farm”, “Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five”, “Golden Slumbers”, “Carry the Weight”, and “The End”.

Check out a few highlights below (via The Telegraph).

Update: In a new video (via RollingStone.com), Young reveals that he has already finished one new Crazy Horse album, titled Americana, which features rearrangements of “songs we all know from kindergarten” with help from a children’s choir. A second album is currently in the works.

The Neil Young and Crazy Horse news just keeps galloping in (sorry, we had to do it). With plans in motion for one (maybe two) new album(s) and a 38-minute tease already kicking fans into a frenzy, word now comes that Young and his long-time backing band have scheduled their first joint live performance since March 2004.

As Rolling Stone reports, the performance will come as part of the GRAMMY Foundation’s MusiCares Person of the Year Gala in honor of Paul McCartney. Taking place February 10th at the Los Angeles Convention Center, the charity event will also feature Coldplay, Foo Fighters, James Taylor, Katy Perry, Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas, Norah Jones, Alicia Keys, Tony Bennett, the cast of The Beatles’ Cirque du Soleil production LOVE, and of course Macca himself. Comedian Eddie Izzard will act as emcee.

Crazy Horse hasn’t joined Young in public since the ’03-’04 Greendale tour, making the eight-year gap the longest of their careers. Whether this will lead to a full-fledged tour is unknown, though a postponed Buffalo Springfield reunion trek was also intended for this year. Keep as many fingers (and toes?) crossed as you can, and we’ll keep you updated.

As previously reported, Neil Young and Crazy Horse have a new album or two on the way, and what’s happening at neilyoung.com adds plenty of fuel to the fire down at the ol’ rumor mill. Earlier this morning, a new video surfaced that shows in-studio playback of two Neil Young and Crazy Horse jams, “Fuckin’ Up” and the classic “Cortez The Killer”, as Neil Young fansite Thrasher’s Wheat points out.

The footage pans across analog and digital sound boards and recording equipment with amazing teases like “Neil Voc” written on tape in red marker, a screen of an empty recording studio, and needles bouncing up and down to (presumably) Crazy Horse going hard on two old jams. “Fuckin’ Up”, originally from the 1990 album Ragged Glory doesn’t include any vox, but Young comes in right on time during “Cortez The Killer” (which starts at about 19:00).

While there’s no date on the mysterious recording, judging by the sound of Young’s voice, it appears to be very recent.

Also strewn about the studio are what appear to be lyric sheets to previously unreleased songs and old folk standards like “Oh Susanna,” ”Clementine”, “This Land”, “Oh Susanna”. “Gallows Tree,” “Oh My Darling” . What else is there? Tons — audio-tech geeks and Neil-ophiles this is your day.

Head to neilyoung.com to hear these two towering jams.

Though they haven’t played together since 2004, Neil Young and Crazy Horse are currently recording a new album. According to a Neil Young fan site, Thrasher’s Wheat, the acclaimed rocker announced the project over the weekend during Park City, Utah’s Slamdance Film Festival, where he was out supporting the Jonathan Demme-directed film Journeys. Since then, both Rolling Stone and Crazy Horse drummer Ralph Molina (via Facebook) have confirmed the news.

In the same fan report, however, Young was said to have hinted at two Crazy Horse albums in development, one that’s finished and another currently in the works. There may be some truth to this. According to a Rolling Stone interview, which dates back to 2008, Young discussed a Crazy Horse LP recorded in 2000 that he eventually shelved. Titled Toast, the record, according to Young, was “really dark” and featured “everything that the best Crazy Horse albums have had.” So, essentially, Young could be releasing this album, while also working with the band again on a new one. No confirmation on these details just yet, though stay tuned as this story develops.

Since 1985, Neil Young has hosted his annual Bridge School Benefit, bringing together an assortment of artists for a two-day festival that supports the Hillsborough, CA-based school, which assists children with severe speech and physical impairments. This year’s inclusion, set to take place this weekend at The Shoreline Amphitheatre on October 22-23rd, marks the event’s 25th anniversary, and to celebrate Young has tagged the likes of Beck, Foo Fighters, Arcade Fire, Mumford & Sons, Eddie Vedder, and many more. However, unlike previous years, the organizers are ensuring millions witness the event.

To start, Saturday’s festivities will be webcast online for the first-time ever. Thanks to Facebook and YouTube, fans will be able to watch the surefire spectacle from the comfort of their own home. A special landing page has been designed by Facebook that allows users to interact while experiencing the event. In fact, those actually in attendance at the show will be able to upload content and messages to share amongst those watching from home. Visit the respective pages at Facebook or YouTube for more information, and peep the trailer for the event below. An exact webcast schedule is still to be announced.

Then, on October 24th, there’s the CD/DVD release of The Bridge School Concerts 25th Anniversary Edition. This collection digs deep into the benefit’s history, featuring appearances from Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, James Taylor, Simon & Garfunkel, The Who, Band of Horses, Thom Yorke,  Bob Dylan, Brian Wilson, and many, many more musical elite. You can pre-order the DVD set here and the CD set here. NPR Music is streaming the two-disc album portion in its entirety until next Tuesday.

And while your puny 32″ flat-screen and sub-par sound system may be enough to enjoy the all-star footage, the organizers are offering one better: on the day of the CD/DVD release (once again, 10/24), movie theaters across the nation will air the effort’s concert  film. Check out the entire listing of cities and locations below; all showings kick off at 7 p.m. For more information on tickets, head here. The trailer for the release is also available below.

The Bridge School Concerts 25th Anniversary Edition Theater Locations:
Atlanta, GA @ Midtown
Austin, TX @ Alamo Drafthouse Lakecreek
Boston, MA @ Kendall
Chicago, IL @ Century
Dallas, TX @ TBC
Denver, CO @ Mayan
Los Angeles, CA @ The Laemmle Santa Monica
Madison, WI @ Sundance
Milwaukee, WI @ Oriental
Minneapolis, MN @ Edina
New York City, NY @ Sunshine
Philadelphia, PA @ Ritz Bourse
Pleasantville, NY @ Jacob Burns
Portland, ME @ Nickelodeon
Portland, OR @ Hollywood Theatre
San Diego, CA @ Hillcrest
San Francisco, CA @ Embarcadero
Santa Cruz, CA @ Nickelodeon
Santa Rosa, CA @ Summerfield
Seattle, WA @ Harvard Exit
Silver Spring, MD @ AFI Silver Theatre
Washington, DC @ E Street

Each year, Neil Young opens up his Rolodex (and it’s a mighty impressive one) and calls on all his rock star friends to play his charity concert, the Bridge School Benefit. With the shindig celebrating its 25th anniversary this October, Young and the folks behind the event have compiled the concert’s best moments in three-DVD and two-CD sets aptly titled The Bridge School Concerts 25th Anniversary Edition. 

The DVD release includes performances from the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Fleet Foxes, James Taylor, Simon and Garfunkel, Devendra Banhart, and a plethora of other big-name acts. The third disc also includes documentaries on the concert’s history along with a bonus feature on the Bridge School.

The two-CD set features even more classic performances from the concert’s past 25 years. Artists include Willie Nelson, Pearl Jam, Thom Yorke, Metallica, Band of Horses, R.E.M. featuring Young, and much, much more.

The two releases, which also benefit the Bridge School, are in stores on October 24th. Check out a video trailer for both sets below and pre-order the DVD set here and the CD set here.

This year’s Bridge School concert goes down October 22-23rd at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, CA. Acts scheduled to appear include Beck, Foo Fighters, Arcade Fire, Mumford & Sons, Eddie Vedder, and many more. Tickets are available via LiveNation right now.

The Bridge School Concerts 25th Anniversary Edition DVD Tracklsit:

DVD 1
Bruce Springsteen – Born in the USA
Patti Smith – People Have the Power
Pearl Jam – Better Man
David Bowie – Heroes
Ben Harper – There Will Be a Light
Bob Dylan – Girl From the North Country
R.E.M – Country Feedback
Emmylou Harris and Buddy Miller – Love Hurts
Fleet Foxes – Blue Ridge Mountains
Devendra Banhart – At the Hope
Bonnie Raitt – The Road Is My Middle Name
Billy Idol – Rebel Yell

DVD 2
Brian Wilson – Surfin’ USA
Gillian Welch – The Way It Will Be
The Pretenders – Sense of Purpose
James Taylor – Fire and Rain
Simon and Garfunkel – America
Tom Petty – Shadow of a Doubt
Dave Matthews – Too Much
Neil Young – Crime in the City
Tom Waits – 16 Shells From a Thirty-Ought Six
Elton John & Leon Russell – A Dream Come True
Paul McCartney – Get Back
Metallica – Disposable Heroes
The Who – Won’t Get Fooled Again

DVD 3
Backstage at the Bridge School Benefit Concert
The Bridge School Story

The Bridge School Concerts 25th Anniversary Edition CD Tracklist:

CD 1
Bruce Springsteen – Born in the USA
Dave Matthews – Too Much
No Doubt – Magic’s in the Makeup
Jack Johnson – Gone
Fleet Foxes – Blue Ridge Mountains
Neil Young & Crazy Horse – Love and Only Love
Sonic Youth – Rain on Tin
Pearl Jam – Better Man
Gillian Welch – The Way It Will Be
R.E.M & Neil Young – Country Feedback
Willie Nelson – The Great Divide
Nils Lofgrin – Cry Just a Little

CD 2
Sarah McLachlan – Elsewhere
Paul McCartney – Get Back
Elton John & Leon Russell – A Dream Come True
Band of Horses – Marry Song
Metallica – Disposable Heroes
Thom Yorke – After the Gold Rush
Sheryl Crow – The Difficult Kind
Tony Bennett – Maybe This Time
CSNY – Deja Vu
Norah Jones – Jesus – Etc.
Jonathan Richman – I Was Dancing in the Lesbian Bar
Brian Wilson – Surfin’ USA.
The Who – Won’t Get Fooled Again

Neil Young & Crazy Horse might be a household combination when it comes to the legendary folk singer’s backing bands, but The International Harvesters supported Mr. Young in the 80′s producing some truly proto-country results. Released earlier this year on Record Store Day, the quite good collection A Treasure features compiled tour performances from 1984 US tour with the pickin’ ‘n’ fiddlin’ Harvesters, and above you can check out an exclusive performance of “Southern Pacific”, courtesy of Cluster 1, which sees the band chugging along behind Young. The footage is so “raw” that some of it is missing, and is replaced by the album cover in the video.

A Treasure hits stores June 14th. You can pre-order the album here, which comes with all sorts of extra goodies like t-shirts, 180-gram custom artwork vinyls, and Blu-Ray editions that include more live footage such as the clip above.

Update: You can now stream A Treasure in its entirety on RollingStone.com.

Well, if you really dig deep — and squint between the cracks — you’ll recall the “grunge” era. It didn’t last long, maybe two to three years at best, but it happened. Thanks to the media’s liberal practice of labeling, the socially engaging and musically thriving scene of the Pacific-Northwest was referred to as the “grunge scene.” So, despite the scoffs and disgust of “those in the know,” that’s what fans and journalists alike have come to call the music… “grunge.”

The thing is, it really can’t be lumped into a genre. Does Alice in Chains and Nirvana sound similar? No. Hell, they don’t even really come from the same place, either. However, the two just happen to share some obscure genre. What makes this title so important, however, is that it represents a particular sect of time, and much like describing the unique features and characteristics of non-practicing Jews, it’s a “cultural thing.”

With that in mind, we’re tallying up the best of that short era. Agree, disagree, or throw in your own philosophies on why grunge is a nonexistent label. Hell, we’ll probably agree with you. Whatever the case, hopefully this list will help you dust off that crumbling plastic stack of CDs you left on your bookshelf to decay somewhere in your mother’s house.

And if you really feel inclined, you can throw on that flannel shirt of yours, too.

10. Mad Season – Above

Often considered Temple’s little sister when it came to grunge supergroups, Above is one of the last real honest records of the time, debuting around ’95. At this time, Stone Temple Pilots, Bush, Live, and Collective Soul all came to water down the “grunge” label, and while respectable songs, something wasn’t quite the same. For one, the attention wasn’t there anymore. People moved on, flannel was being exchanged for mod suits and the like, and the youth that came to worship Cobain found justice with either Billie Joe Armstrong or Nas. Above was the last gasp and it’s quite the gulp of air. Layne Staley opts for a more seductive tone, which works against Mike McCready’s sultry guitar parts, and as a result, Mad Season offered a benevolent farewell to a time that may have been the last of its kind. If anything, “River of Deceit” remains one of the finest songs of the generation and time, both lyrically and musically. A perfect end of sorts.

09. Nirvana – MTV Unplugged

One of the first times a grunge band really stepped out of its comfort zone, and the result was Nirvana’s best work by far. The real shame is that on record, you can’t see Cobain’s, or the band’s, reaction shots. If you can, try and find a video of “Where Did You Sleep Last Night?”, and focus on the end. There’s a moment when Cobain just lets loose at the end. When he pauses to take a breath, there’s this look on his face, a shocked expression if you will, as if life just left him. Say what you will, but few moments have ever truly been captured and while you can’t see that on record, you can feel it. Each song is dipped with this somber presence, something that lingered even then before the world would come to cry at the infamous shot heard ’round the world. It’s the feeling of a band at its prime, ready to bow out, and yet absolutely complacent with doing so. Think of it like the Beatles’ rooftop performance, if you will.

08. Temple of the Dog – Temple of the Dog

Grunge might have been a bullshit label, but the intentions were there. This was a unified scene, fully realized in one thing: chaos and independence. Temple of the Dog, while not grunge in sound per se, symbolized the hand to hand camaraderie that the Seattle scene capitalized on. It’s also just really damn good, too. Grunge’s first supergroup and big-time collaboration following mainstream success, songs like “Say Hello 2 Heaven”, “Reach Down”, “Call Me a Dog”, and the iconic single “Hunger Strike” all bled with emotion and vitality — in due respect to Mother Love Bone singer Andrew Wood. And though Mother Love Bone were never qualified as grunge per se, it’s this reactive record that scrounges up the parts and assembles something that squeezed into the genre. If there were ever a record that just said “Here’s that Seattle scene I was talking about,” this would be the record to show. Its sound mirrors Ten, but it’s the emotion between the lyrical and musical lines that cries out, “This is more than music, it’s our goddamned life.”

07. Screaming Trees – Sweet Oblivion

Everyone loves Mark Lanegan, which might explain why the guy’s worked with just about everyone in the biz. Even though it’s their sixth record, Sweet Oblivion is the best and most successful offering from one of the most underrated and overshadowed bands of the movement. “Nearly Lost You” may have hit the charts well, shifting 300,000 copies of the album alone, but a song like “Shadow of the Season” proves that Lanegan is as diverse as he is deceitful. Nobody’s pining for a Trees reunion, but one listen through this one, and you’ll realize two things: a.) why they managed to squeak in seven records and b.) why we’re pretty impressed with their sixth effort. It’s hard, but soft, it’s driving, but it’s slow…it’s hard to explain, but hey, it’s Mark Lanegan. ‘Nuff said.

06. Alice in Chains – Jar of Flies [EP]

When “Rotten Apple” opens up the Jar of Flies [EP], few could really make a case to why Alice in Chains were ever part of the grunge movement. It’s haunting, it’s spooky, and it’s melodic. There’s nothing hard or heavy here and it’s not even vocally reminiscent of the material that came out of Seattle at the time. However, it’s probably the most beautiful sound to ever come out of the Pacific Northwest, and with songs like the depressingly introspective “Nutshell”, the reflective yet soulful “I Stay Away”, and the jangly acoustics of “No Excuses” (which Live would go on to steal), it redefined what grunge could be.

05. Neil Young & Crazy Horse – Rust Never Sleeps

If someone wanted to, say, change history and stop the grunge movement (think of the time travel physics behind Back to the Future, Part II), they’d only need to visit one person: Neil f’n Young. The songwriter, responsible for ol’ classics like “Southern Man” and “Heart of Gold”, reinvented himself before the ’80s with the critical smash, Rust Never Sleeps. Nobody knew the influence it’d have, though. However, the biting and crunchy rock n’ roll, coupled with Young’s “don’t give a fuck”-attitude set a precedent for a scene that wouldn’t emerge until 10 years later and about 800+ miles north (this one was recorded largely around San Francisco). If the music didn’t do the job, Young’s flannel-wearing looks gave him the proverbial title, “godfather of grunge.”

04. Sub Pop 200 Compilation (1988)

Shitty label or not, grunge in itself was a scene, and if one record label or group is responsible it’s certainly good ol’ Sub Pop. Long before they fueled today’s modern youth with bubbly indie-rock, the longtime Seattle label issued some of the hardest, heaviest, and rawest collection of work from the very streets that put ‘em in business. This second issue, which followed 1986′s Sub Pop 100, established the scene and precedent for grunge music. A bible, in some respects. From Nirvana’s “Spank Thru” to Green River’s “Hangin’ Tree”, anyone who was anyone could find solace in knowing their emerald city was hard at work again musically.

Good luck finding this baby, especially on vinyl where it belongs.

03. Nirvana – Nevermind

C’mon. This list wouldn’t exist without it. While it hasn’t aged as well as say, Ten, its role in spreading the Seattle sound is undeniable. Everyone had this album…and with good reason. Whereas Badmotorfinger kept the door closed on a few innocent bystanders, in order to retain some of that more honest brutality that made the scene was it is, Nevermind just opened the floodgates, and it held everyone in. What started with “Teen Spirit” continued with “Come As You Are” and by the time “Lithium” circulated on MTV, some of the world’s worst (e.g. fratsters, jocks, and anyone in prison) had already made it their own. Good thing or bad, it’s still the most iconic of its time, and one of the reasons why kids pick up guitars and hang out in garages…well, sort of (thanks Guitar Hero).

02. Soundgarden – Badmotorfinger

If you can ignore the fact that Chris Cornell is a walking joke, then you might be able to recall his former band (no, not Audioslave), Soundgarden. At its inception, critics likened their raw and expansive sound to everyone from Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. Not too far off, but in all due respect, the band were something else entirely. They were brutal, but without some of the piss and shit of hardcore acts surrounding them. With Badmotorfinger, the band’s true breakthrough album, Soundgarden was still raw and hadn’t yet adopted more mainstream song structures. Instead, the album retains the band’s core underground elements,  sort of the old grunge guard meeting commercial success. Cornell also sounds the best here, long before he ever mated with auto-tune and…Timbaland.

01. Pearl Jam – Ten

It’s easy to argue the top of any list, but it’s hard to deny Ten the spot here. While most fans today will spit at the term “grunge” and slam those who consider the Seattle quintet part of that “genre”, Pearl Jam derive from an era scrapbooked in hazy memories and Time Magazines that all were clueless as to what to call the exploding scene. The thing is, Ten still holds up pretty well — better than any release here, actually. Sure, the “Jeremy” video is hardly controversial today, and no, nobody’s really humming “Even Flow” at parties, but it’s still straight up rock ‘n’ roll that at the time proved that grunge could be both rockin’ and introspective. And sorry modern day fans (ourselves included), but the record still stands as the band’s most definitive piece of work.

Honorable Mentions:

1. Melvins – Ozma - Visceral, brutal, and everything that separates grunge from traditional metal or rock.
2. Alice in Chains - Dirt - It’s the dark masterpiece of grunge — dark and haunting… yet hopeful.
3. L7 – Bricks Are Heavy - Grunge for girls. Take note, Courtney Love. Oh wait, she did.
4. Mudhoney – Superfuzz Bigmuff Plus Early Singles - Forget “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, “Touch Me I’m Sick” is the quintessential grunge anthem.
5. Singles: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack – Who would have thought a film soundtrack could do so much damage? Well…