One of my favorite albums of 2010 was the self-titled debut from Fang Island, a grandiose epic-sounding math-rock trio from Rhode Island. They return on July 24th with their sophomore effort Major (that’s the album art above). Take a listen to the first leaked track “Asunder” over at Consequence of Sound and take a peak at the tracklist below.
01. Kindergarten
02. Sisterly
03. Seek it Out
04. Make Me
05. Never Understand
06. Asunder
07. Dooney Rock
08. Regalia
09. Chompers
10. Chime Out
11. Victorinian
Like the rest of the Internet, I’ve become somewhat obsessed all over again with the Beastie Boys after the sudden passing of Adam “MCA” Yauch. As a tribute, director James Winters enlisted the help from a few young relatives to recreate the revolutionary Spike Jones video for “Sabotage,” offering a heartfelt, hilarious, and incredibly adorable spin on the 70’s cop show sendup. It’s without a doubt the coolest thing you will see all week.
Compare it to the original, still awesome after all these years.
Today I embark to Arlington for a couple of days to catch the American Idiot musical and watch my mighty Rangers, who just clinched another series handily, this time against the Baltimore Orioles. In case you missed it, Josh Hamilton made history a few games ago, knocking out four home runs, a double, and 8 RBIs. I look forward to seeing him destroy the red hot Angels, as former Ranger CJ Wilson makes his first trip back to Texas to combat our star rookie pitcher Yu Darvish. It’s gonna be a wonderful evening.
Take a listen to the first single from the upcoming full-length from Texas rock veterans The Toadies. The album, PLAY.ROCK.MUSIC will be released on July 31st. Frenchie Smith, best known for his work with the Meat Puppets and Built to Spill, produced it, and it’s sure to be a fine soundtrack to the sweltering Texas heat we experience around here, like most Toadies albums are.
On Monday, Ben Folds and his reunited Five (who are actually a trio in total) dropped an un-mixed sneak peek into their first album in 13 years. “Do It Anyway” is a quirky sendup to taking risks and reaching new highs, delivered in Folds’ trademark casual piano pop style. Some things never change, and for this fan, that’s a wonderful, wonderful thing.
As I’ve mentioned previously, Passion Pit are set to release their sophomore album Gossamer on July 24th, and today the group has gifted the first leaked track, “Take a Walk.” Similar to the infectious debut Manners, the track is catchy, falsetto-laden electro pop. So basically, if you like Passion Pit, you’ll probably like this new one. If not, then move along, nothing to see here.
Today we’ve lost one of the greats. I’m incredibly devastated at the death of MCA today. I’ve been a Beastie Boys fan since I was ten years old. My love for hip-hop spawned from listening to Ill Communication and Hello Nasty. Paul’s Boutique is one of my favorites of all time. And Adam Yauch was without a doubt my favorite Beastie Boy. His raspy, laid-back delivery shined alongside the more frenetic, high-pitched sidekicks Ad-Rock and Mike D. He was a profoundly gifted lyricist, a dedicated Buddhist, a devoted human rights activist, and a legendary artist and musician.
Naturally, watching YouTube videos of Beastie Boys performances only strengthens my sadness. Knowing that with the loss of Yauch means the loss of the world’s greatest rap group, and knowing I’ll never get the chance to finally see my favorite hip-hop trio perform live puts a significant mark on today’s news. With the untimely death of MCA, the Beastie Boys are no more. All we have now is the music and the legacy they leave behind, which will undoubtedly influence millions for years to come.
