Titus Andronicus: "In a Big City"

New Jersey is represented the right way--the red, white and blue way--in Titus Andronicus' new video for their latest single.
      Jersey rockers Titus Andronicus have released a video for "In a Big City" off their recent LP, "Local Business"; a rollicking battle-cry that pays homage to the boys' homestate and the big city that sits just across the Hudson. The video follows singer Patrick Stickles through the nooks and crannies of Weehawken--a small town right outside the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel--as he wanders aimlessly with the band at his back. "In a Big City" only enhances the "Jersey Pride" that runs deep with so many youth that have grown up there, including myself. It's about time my state got a new anthem, and "In a Big City" provides that with flying colors.

Bon Iver, Whiskey and Guitars: These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

Bon Iver's Justin Vernon is quite the Renaissance man.

From a signature shoe design to a tattoo campaign to celebrate his beloved show "Northern Exposure," Vernon is now overseeing the design of a custom guitar made out of Bushmills Irish Whiskey barrels. Besides becoming one of the faces for the Bushmills ad campaign, Vernon is now the face for a different cause: to erect a community arts center in his hometown of Eau Claire, Wisconsin thanks to online bids for the custom Bushmills guitar nicknamed "the 1608." The guitar is being built by Eau Claire luthier Gordy Bischoff.

You can donate to the building of the community arts center here. In the meantime, here's a video about the building of the guitar and the Confluence Project, the effort working in partnership with Vernon. Cheers.

My Ten Best of All Time

My supervisor at my internship is just as big a music nerd as I am. We got talking one day about some gems and some obvious picks which ultimately landed us at the proverbial question every music fan must confront and face in their lifetime: What are your top ten albums?

I've been asked before, but the task is so daunting I always avoided it. Well, I finally grew a pair. The following are songs from my top ten albums of all time. Each one has a specific memory attached to it, whether it be an album my Dad showed me when I was young or an album that influenced me musically.

I did my top ten. Let me hear yours!

Local Natives Release 'Breakers' Off Upcoming LP "Hummingbird"

Pitchfork has named Los Angeles band Local Natives' newest track, "Breakers," under their Best New Music title. The song, which will be off their new LP "Hummingbird," has all the characteristics that have made Local Natives undeniably one of the most recognized sounds in indiedom today. The segue from their breakout album, "Gorilla Manor," can be easily be heard on "Breakers"; tripped up snare kicks, rattled rims and overarching harmonies that seem to be reaching for something more. The song takes on a cathedral-like quality where the congregation could easily be you.

"Hummingbird" is out January 28, 2013.

OFF! May Have One of the Funniest Videos of the Year

       

BY MIKE MADDEN

 

Punk supergroup OFF! have released a new music video for their song "Wrong" that features Jack Black as a drug-running gang leader set in a 1970s B-movie. Members of the band make up the rest of his cohorts, taking on a mystery man in a street fight. The result is a ridiculous and rib cracking ending.

Underrated Is An Understatement: The Wallflowers

BY MIKE MADDEN
In the spirit of a Wallflowers reunion, Jakob Dylan and the boys appeared on the morning news discussing their choice to record again after several years. That segment had me nostalgic for the days my Dad would play their fantastic debut album, "Bringing Down the Horse." It was one of the first times I could recite a song from the radio--the one being "One Headlight." That song always reminded me of the Fall with gloomy skies and chilly afternoons when there was nothing to do on a Sunday but mope around and bite your lip to do your math homework. The Wallflowers were pure 90s, but not in the sense that everyone thinks. Their sound wasn't kooky, eccentric or raging like many of the late 90s bands would take on. They sounded like the American Heartland with the loneliness of the New York City skyline in their midst.

Here's to the next album. May it be a fine one.

Happy 10th Anniversary to The Libertines classic debut album, 'Up the Bracket'

British band The Libertines have something to celebrate--yes, not dying is one of them--the other is the 10th Anniversary of their debut album "Up the Bracket" which put them on the map as a force to reckon with among British acts. However, in an interveiw with NME, Libertine Carl Barat has mixed emotions about the album.

"It's like a time capsule, bristling. I feel beatific joy twinned with deep sorrow, which was what wrote the songs back then."

Watch the video for 'Up the Bracket' here

The Black Keys Capable of Making Next Album in 'Two Weeks,' Start Work on New Album in Early 2013

BY MIKE MADDEN

According to NME, Akron, Ohio duo The Black Keys will start working on a new album in early 2013. The band, which released their eighth studio LP "El Camino" last year, are looking to set up "out of town" to isolate themselves from friends and family.

"We have a couple of months blocked early next year, like February/March," said Dan Auerback, singer and guitarist. "Pat [Patrick Carney, drummer] and I don't practice or rehearse until we go in to make the record so we won't really know what it's going to be like or what's going to happen till we get in the studio and start working on it."

The band have also claimed that they can record an album all in two weeks.

Auerbach added, "We usually start around 11 and then work till 3 or 4 in the morning and that's everyday. Our favorite place to be is in the studio."

The Kids of PS22 Take on Tame Impala

BY MIKE MADDEN

 

The kids of the PS22 chorus have covered and performed with everyone from Katy Perry and Sinead O'Connor to melting everyone's hearts at the 83rd Annual Academy Awards. In their most recent video, the kids cover Australian psych-pop band Tame Impala and their most recent single, "It Feels Like We Only Go Backwards" from their latest album, "Lonerism." The band has posted the video to their own Facebook page praising the cover as well as garnering over 1500 "Likes." Amazing job, guys.

BY MIKE MADDEN



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