Monday Warming: Two New Arcade Fire Tracks

Good news

Arcade Fire has decided to re-release a deluxe edition of The Suburbs, with two new tracks. Below I have for you the two new tracks.
“Culture War” and a collaboration with David Byrne titled “Speaking in Tongues”

What better way to help your Monday

Culture War by Arcade Fire

Speaking in Tongues by Arcade Fire

Bernard Sumner: Records That Changed My Life

I just came across this article on SPIN by Adrienne Day about Brian Sumner of Joy Division and New Order:

“I picked the records I got before I became a musician, because I listened to music in a completely different way then,” he says. “We just spent seven months making a new record [Waiting for the Sirens’ Call], and the last thing you want to do is hear music when you come out of the studio after a 14-hour day.”

Read the rest at SPIN

New Songs From Beirut

Finally

One of our favorite ‘indie meets world’ groups out there (and loved by the indie press) Beirut are currently wrapping on a new album…their first since 2007 ‘The Flying Club Cup’. These guys are a lot like A Hawk and A Hacksaw” but lead singer Zach Condon’s voice is too beautiful to overlook. They apparently are debuting some of these new tracks on a current tour. Check out the two new ones below and be glad Beirut is Back!

New Explosions In The Sky Album Released Today

Good news for Explosions in the Sky fans.  In addition to being included on the 2011 Lollapalooza line-up (totally forgot to mention them cause I am very excited to see them), their new album, Take Care, Take Care, Take Care that has been four years in the making, is being released in the U.S. and Canada today.  The album is being released in a special box set that is quite literally a box.  The quadruple gatefold vinyl includes a 18-panel full-color double-sided poster and a full-color double-sided postcard and the CD version is the same! (only much smaller of course).  The packaging looks very beautiful, check it out here and watch a teaser for the album below.

Let Me Back In from Explosions in the Sky on Vimeo.

Lollapalooza Line-Up Unveiled

Last night at 1am the 20th Anniversary Lolla Line-Up was finally announced and GypsySphere has the breakdown for ya.

The headliners will be as most of the rumor mills expected: Eminem, Foo Fighters and Muse but in a surprising turn of events, Coldplay is joining their ranks.

The next tier down includes My Morning Jacket, Deadmau5, Cee Lo Green, big shocker: The Cars and the luminous A Perfect Circle.

Other names that I’m personally excited for: Bright Eyes, Atmosphere, Ratatat, Portugal. The Man, Two Door Cinema Club and Phantogram.

One of the most exciting parts of this line up is the Perry’s DJ stage which has outdone itself this year with Girl Talk, Pretty Lights, Kid Cudi, Jay Electronica, Skrillex and The Glitch Mob.

This year will certainly be one to remember. Comment us and let us know who you’re excited for or tweet at us. Check out some tracks below of some of these bands.

Danger Mouse’s New Venture

Spaghetti Westerns, Mopeds and 80 Year Old Italian Musicians

After 2010’s Dark Side of the Soul this upcoming Danger Mouse project is not something most would expect from this genius producer.  Brian Burton, aka Danger Mouse, has been working on a “score” for a spaghetti western film that doesn’t exist and he’s doing it in collaboration with composer and filmographer Daniele Luppi.  Also thrown in to the mix are the soothing stylings of Norah Jones and the raucous howls of Jack White.  According to an article from SPIN, Burton describes Rome as a “very visual album…about love.”  And to help him create these visions of love, Burton explained having to trade bottles of wine with an Italian Moped mechanic in exchange for antique instruments that would be played by some original Italian spaghetti western musicians…who are also antiques.  Burton said there were a few language barriers.

Rome will be released May 17.  Go to the official site to watch trailers and teasers, one of which you can view below RIGHT NOW.

RIP Gerard Smith of TV On The Radio

Yesterday, April 20, 2011, Gerard Smith, long time bassist for TV on the Radio, passed away after fighting lung cancer.

The band made the announcement on their website today along with five tour dates they will be canceling.

Record Store Day This Saturday

The fifth annual Record Store Day is taking place this Saturday, April 16. In case you aren’t aware, Record Store Day is a day devoted to the recognition and appreciation of the fast dying brick and mortar record store business. Several special and rare vinyls are released on this day by several bands and artists in limited quantity to promote the support of local record stores.

Today, Paste Magazine released a story detailing the low down on their top 30 picks for the records being released including such gems as a Flaming Lips box set of their first 5 albums, a Foo Fighters cover album and unreleased music from Radiohead (don’t get too excited, it’s for the UK only). But there are plenty of other releases to enjoy here in the states and even if nothing needles your grooves, why not toddle on over to your local record store anyway and pick up that one Neil Diamond record you still need to complete your collection…I know that’s what I’ll be doing.

New Track From Ben Gibbard – “Where Our Destination Lies”

So we’re not big on Death Cab for Cutie here at the Sphere, but respect is due where needed and lead singer Ben Gibbard deserves some respect. In my personal opinion, “I Will Follow You Into the Dark” off of 2005’s Plans is one of the prettiest songs out there, lyrically and melodically. So it should be to no surprise that he will continue to put these beauties out.

This morning I was happy to discover the one day old “Where Our Destination Lies” and I can’t stop listening to it (partly because it’s too short). But his voice reminds me of Dylan a long time ago, mixed with a little Neil Young here and there. See what you think

Stream “Where Our Destination Lies” now

And for simple musical pleasure, here’s the video with lyrics for “I Will Follow You Into the Dark”

The Sound Strike and The Boycott of Arizona

Almost one year ago, the state of Arizona passed the Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act (SB 1070) which basically allowed Arizona law enforcement to engage in racial profiling to eliminate the emergence of immigration into the United States. At the time the bill was passed, Zach de la Rocha (vocalist of Rage Against the Machine and civil rights activist) put together a benefit concert to raise awareness for the bill and to unite people against the anti-immigration mentality forming in this country. The concert featured Bright Eyes, (singer, Conor Oberst is a huge supporter of the movement) and a band composed of day laborers, Los Jornaleros Del Norte.

Now almost one year later, The Sound Strike is a full fledged organization who’s mission it is to fight the racial externalities of SB 1070. The organization has united hundreds of bands and musicians in refusing to play any shows or concerts in Arizona in hopes to hurt their state economy and make them see how outraged some people are about this bill. The artists include such acts as Nine Inch Nails, Tenacious D, Sonic Youth, My Chemical Romance, Maroon 5, Serj Tankian, Rise Against, M.I.A. and Mos Def. Any band can sign up for the boycott as well. All you have to do it is go to The Sound Strike website and sign up under the ‘Take Action’ heading.

In a recent interview at Aux.tv, Conor Oberst explained why he is a part of The Sound Strike and also comments on this quote: “You really think that us dumb fucking pop stars are going to collapse the economy of Arizona?” which was said by none other than Lady Gaga after refusing to join the coalition.

UPDATE:  I may have jumped the gun on this story by not really taking into consideration the people of AZ that also oppose the law yet are being screwed out of seeing their favorite artists because of governors, senators and legislation they can’t control.  According to a Pitchfork article that I was directed to by one of those said Arizona natives, Charlie Levy of Stateside Presents, a well known promoter in the state, wrote an open letter to artists joining the boycott and urged them to rethink their efforts:

By not performing in Arizona, artists are harming the very people and places that foster free speech and the open exchange of ideas that serve to counter the closed-mindedness recently displayed by the new law.

–Charlie Levy

Maybe it would be more beneficial for artists to not reject an entire state based on some individuals’ actions but rather use their talents to educate and motivate the people of Arizona into fighting against this legislation and others like it because it could literally happen anywhere.

Here’s Oberst’s ‘Coyote Song’ written in protest of the Arizona law.

Exclusive Song for The Sound Strike “Coyote Song” by Bright Eyes. from Producciones Cimarrón on Vimeo.