SoundOff23 Cults/Arctic Monkeys

This week we discuss the impact of iCloud on the music industry and review new albums by Cults and Arctic Monkeys.

http://interviews.wknc.org/soundoff23.mp3

DJ Ones' Five Music Facts from the past week

1. Singer Nick Cave was involved in a car crash Tuesday December 8. Cave smashed his car against a speed camera on the Hove seafront in Sussex, England. Cave and his two sons who were with him walked away from the collision unharmed. He refused to comment on the incident, and no other cars were involved. (via BBC)

2. After completion of the Tron Legacy soundtrack, Daft Punk will now be getting their own line of merchandise from Disney. The merchandise that Disney will be offering in promotion of the film and soundtrack include a set of light-up headphones, and a set of toys that depict their likeness. (via Pitchfork)

3. Los Campesinos! have announced plans to release a quarterly magazine titled Heat Rash. The publication will include a 7' single, and exclusive tracks to download from the band. The subscription also includes discounts to band merchandise, access to early concert tickets, and music before it gets released. (via LosCampesinos.com)

4. After announcing the process of recording an entire album on an iPad, Gorillaz frontman Damon Albarn is planning on releasing said album for free on Christmas Day. The record, which was recorded exclusively on Albarn's iPad during his latest tour, will be available in its entirety on December 25. (via NME)

5. The British super-group formed out of members of The Libertines and Arctic Monkeys have detailed information about the release of their debut album. The group, named The Bottletop Band, is prepared to release their album in April. (via NME)

The XX Win the Mercury Prize

Every year the Mercury Prize is awarded to an act who is considered to have put out the best British album within the past year. This year, after much anticipation among British music aficionados, The XX have been declared the winner for their album XX. Facing a tremendous amount of competition from acts including Mumford and Sons, Laura Marling, and Paul Weller, The XX came out on top at the end of the wait.

After it was announced that The XX won the prize on September 7, band member Oliver Sim went on to say “Thank you so much, we’ve had the most incredible year." He later added, “Everyday we’ve woken up to something incredible.”

The XX now join a group of artists that include Klaxons, Franz Ferdinand, and Arctic Monkeys.

Now Playing: 3/26/10

Here is a compilation of the latest new music we have received in the past week.

Free Energy- Stuck on Nothing



Sounding closer to Thin Lizzy and Cheap Trick, Free Energy emits a fun, upbeat, guitar heavy album.

[youtube width="425" height="25"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7OE3W0VSZs

Drive-by Truckers- The Big To-Do



Probably the best southern rock album you'll listen to this year. Imagine Dinosaur Jr. with a country slant --if you haven't listened to one of their other nine excellent albums. Get out your lighters y'all.

[youtube width="425" height="25"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Un9jmeLNBqY

Love is All- Two Thousand and Ten Injuries



High energy Swedish pop. Eccentric album with a collage of traditional and not so traditional rock instruments, i.e. saxophone. The female vocals can get annoying at times but the excellent clash of sounds make up for that.

[youtube width="425" height="25"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zl1PqiluWic

Arctic Monkeys- My Propeller (single)



Solid B-sides that play of of the similar down tempo beats from Humbug. Although they don't do anything revolutionary for the band, they are still quite enjoyable for the fans.

[youtube width="425" height="25"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5vZovv8cPk

She & Him- Volume Two



Pop favorite Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward are at it again with another charming album. This time it's more she than him. Really sweet and endearing, although after the first few tracks you start to lose your sugar high.

[youtube width="425" height="25"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZ3cTwI9bIw
Slow Club- Yeah So



This UK indie-duo has sweet lyrics, simple guitar melodies and interesting harmonies. They take turns with lead vocals and never disappoint. Every song is interesting, up-beat and give you that feeling of: I want more more more.

[youtube width="425" height="25"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2dZSHToVGc

Pavement - Quarantine the Past: The Best of Pavement

Well, hot damn.  Listening to this compilation, it's remarkable to hear how genius Pavement's music is--their low-fi aesthetic perfectly melds with Stephen Malkmus's lazy, idiosyncratic wordplay .  This compilation is absolutely essential--it's sequencing is flawless and the track choice balances their singles with album gems.

[youtube width="425" height="25"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoMdkyeZOqE

Jason Collett - Rat A Tat Tat



More good stuff from the Arts & Crafts Label.  Collet's tunes are impassioned with twang and swagger and his music walks the line between alt-country, 60s pop, and the more soulful dispositions of indie rock.

[youtube width="425" height="25"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsQP_1U-sDg

One For The Team- Ghosts

Catchy, unpretentious, and unabashedly fun power pop.  It sounds like Mates of State with punk grit or the New Pornographers playing Something Corporate.  Lots of crunchy guitars and incessant harmonies.

[youtube width="425" height="25"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_16ziKaaWc

Josiah Wolf- Jetlag

I really like this album! Here we have the solo album from the drummer of WHY? Seeing as I am not a huge fan of WHY? I was somewhat skeptical, however  I was totally wrong. I am really into this folky Paul Simon-esque experience.

[youtube width="425" height="25"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjZHiYmbYGg&feature=related

Goldfrapp- Head First

You know I love this. Rocket might be the catchiest song ever. Think Xanadu meets David Bowie, a mixture of '80s glam rock and '70s disco.

[youtube width="425" height="25"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjcTUmipxZY&feature=related

Drink Up Buttercup- Born and Thrown on a Hook

Psychedelic mixture of the Beatles and Man Man. A weird pop experience for sure.

[youtube width="425" height="25"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRaLxVaD5Ic

Let's Wrestle- In the Court of the Wrestling Let's

Scrappy British punk music. They are on Merge Records and have been getting a lot of press.

[youtube width="425" height="25"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc5HnZP5v6s

Dum Dum Girls- I Will Be

This is sort of a mixture between '60s girl pop and shoegaze buzz garage rock. Sort of falling the trend of most of the bands out right now, but this one is surprisingly good.

[youtube width="425" height="25"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bwck4XOp1vQ

Black Tambourine- Black Tambourine

This band has pretty much influenced every popular band out right now. Shoegaze pop that resembles A Sunny Day in Glasgow, but a lot darker.

[youtube width="425" height="25"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wva074MGZi8