Local label Dead Oceans is releasing Vanderslice's latest effort today, and fans of the singer/songwriter will be thrilled upon listening to opening track, "Tremble and Tear". A wistful collection of harmonious vocal layers, Fleetwood Mac-ish acoustic guitars and patient percussion open the album with familiar Vanderslice lightness and attention to detail. Recording for the first time in his home studio, Vanderslice left the comforts of his studio, Tiny Telephone (in San Fransisco) to work on this record, and the results are brilliant. "Fetal Horses" oozes early Smiths melody, but its complicated subject matter and happily discordant piano and sudden, jerky guitar accompaniment make the song undeniably JV. "D.I.A.L.O." combines more vocal harmonies, synths and addictive melody, this time against a slightly more robust percussive section. Closer "Hard Times" brings everything back around full circle, its spacious reflections lending credence to the common claim that Vanderslice is writing some of the smartest, most thoughtful and emotionally wrought songs out there. more ›

Chances are pretty good that you’ve heard of The MisShapes – New York's party-throwing trio and current It-kids. Last fall, the New York Times wrote about “the phenomenon known as the MisShapes” and their 15 minutes of fame. They've been in countless pop culture magazines, most of which reference the one time that Madonna dropped in on their weekly residency at Don Hill’s in SoHo. They've been on ads for those Eastport backpacks that kids... more ›

The latest project by the Super!Alright! guys is a viral video for Jarvis Cocker (Pulp), which will attempt to answer that nagging question in the back of everyone's mind: What if, instead of going into politics, George W. Bush had pursued his love of Arena Rock? In order to make this work, they need extras for the "backstage" segment of the video, to be shot in a certain parking lot in South Austin. People are... more ›

Sam Duckworth (aka Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly) just celebrated his 21st birthday by headlining a sold-out 2,000 seat theatre in London. If that's not precocious enough for you, he also has three UK Top 40 singles and made almost all of the major British magazines' Top 100 albums of '06 lists. The emotive and earnest vocals Duckworth employs are a touch emo, often political, and quite radio-friendly, which has earned him comparisons to... more ›

Welcome back kiddos, the year is kicking off with a shotgun bang. Head over to Waterloo or End of an Ear and ask for these albums: as far as we can tell, it's hard to go wrong this week. The Shins Wincing the Night Away (Sub Pop) Well, they're definitely stretching, and they're definitely getting more and more familiar with the studio, as "Phantom Limb" demonstrates: James Mercer is still having trouble falling asleep,... more ›

Death From Above 1979 Heads Up This reissue of the late, great dance-metal duo's first EP represents what little "rare" material there is to be had in the wake of the band's abrupt break-up earlier this year. Everything that made the 2004 triumph You're A Woman, I'm A Machine so massive is here: squalid distorted bass, caveman drumming, soulful shouted vocals, and just a touch of vocoder for old time's sake. DFA79 had the... more ›

Here's what's new this week: The Walkmen Pussy Cats Starring the Walkmen (Record Collection) When John Lennon and Yoko Ono took a break in 1974, the former jumped into the studio with pals Ringo Star, Keith Moon and Harry Nilsson (among others) to produce Pussy Cats, a fascinating mix of classic tunes and originals arranged primarily by Nilsson and Lennon. Misunderstood and bizarre, Pussy Cats is the ultimate buddy album for music geeks with... more ›