What's New(s)?

Listen to a piece of Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross' Gone Girl score now

Trent Reznor has had a more than fruitful collaboration with musical-pal Atticus Ross and director David Fincher, winning an Academy Award for 2010's The Social Network and capturing a Grammy for 2011's Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. That mutually beneficial partnership continues with the score for the Fincher-directed Gone Girl, which Reznor and Ross premiered in part today on the website FindAmazingAmy. The site for the film adaptation of Gillian Flynn's best-selling thriller is designed to resemble local-news coverage of the novel's main-case with clips from the film  and the Reznor/Ross score interspersed throughout.

In addition to the site, the film's first official trailer is now out which can be seen below. In the clip, lead Ben Affleck can be seen arguing with his missing-wife played by Rosamund Pike as Psychedelic Furs' frontman Richard Butler's tender cover of "She" slowly unwinds. It's absolutely gorgeous and fully goes against the grain of the trailer's grim tone.

Gone Girl is out in theaters October 3.

 

G-Side debut new single "Statue"

Huntsville, Alabama's own G-Side make workmanship seem colossally heroic. From 2007 to 2011 they released five albums of increasingly great music, culminating with the dark vibrancy of 2011's iSLAND. That dark-vibrancy wasn't just an artistic creation and in September of 2012 the duo of ST 2 Lettaz and Yung Clova parted ways.

In the time since the split, Lettaz and Clova have mended fences and now they're prepping for Gz to Godz, their 6th official release. To hype the LP, they've debuted the booming "Statue" which has all of the stomp you'd expect from the first single for an album. Produced by frequent-collaborators Block Beattaz, "Statue" mutates from calm horn-laden grinding to an almost gothic, Lex Luger-indebted churn without any growing pains. If they hometown ever does get around to building a statute of the duo, efforts like "Statue" will be the reason why.

Gz to Godz is still without a release date, but you can find "Statue" now through Audio Mack. 




TV's Andy Daly "directs" the video for Real Estate's "Crime

I am an unabashed fan of TV's Andy Daly. From his constant guest-work on show's ranging like The Office, Modern Family, and Eastbound & Down to his generally manic output on the stellar Comedy Bang Bang podcast, there are few (if any) comedic efforts Daly has done that I haven't sought out. He blends blind-confidence and barely togetherness in his characters that you know from the outset is going to end miserably, but you laugh anyway.

That disastrous line-towing is on full-display in the Funny or Die music video for Real Estate's loping "Crime" single, directed by WFMU's Tom Scharpling. In the video, Daly portrays a sad-sack version of Scharpling who is directing the effort because of "money trouble" he's currently experiencing. So to make an extra profit, the "auteur" Scharpling auctions off the "Crime" clip to 24-year-old Jared Frenkel's Blood Lords (about a gang of undead X-Gamers), an Iowa City ceramicist named Valerie Anderson, and senior-citizen Fred Dombrowski Sr. who just wants to see a "tribute to yesteryear." And if the revenue-stream weren't wide enough, Scharpling hooks a Thai restaurant and the Westboro Baptist Church. And though Scharpling rakes in the big bucks at the end, nothing quite goes according to plan.

You can watch the video now through Funny or Die.

(Check back tomorrow for more of the newest in new(s) and follow AllFreshSounds on Twitter for updates throughout the day.)

In Revue- 'Atlas' (Real Estate)

I have a liner notes theory about albums I've carried with me for some time now. In my mind the "lyrical quality" of an album can be predicted by whether or not song lyrics are printed in the liners. While it doesn't help guide your decision to purchase an album, it lets you know how much the artist in question values lyrics. A rapper like Earl Sweatshirt bothers to print his knotty lyrics. The Mountain Goats' John Darnielle goes to great lengths in crafting his character studies and puts those stories front and center. In the height of his 60s fame, Bob Dylan would assure the poetic words he wrote would ring out of the liner notes. None of them are necessarily the greatest of their respective fields because their words are so much better, but because they care so deeply about them.

In hearing Real Estate's third LP Atlas I can't help but wonder how they didn't get around to printing the lyrics. Never mind it would be a tremendous boon to listeners who aren't able to move past the sheets of reverb, Atlas is above all a lyrical album. That sounds like a strange statement to be made about a band that's primarily been lumped into fields of "surf-rock" or "indie-pop" but it's absolutely true. Forgoing the positive pool-lounging vibes of their first two records, the New Jersey quintet has given us an album shading more negative. 

Everything is presented in 1080p HD quality on an LCD TV but now there's a subtle smudge on the screen. Contractions are Atlas' primary currency. Lazily spinning around in "Past Lives"'s centrifuge Martin Courtney worries "I can't see the sky." Opening number "Had to Hear" throws Courtney out the door and he knows "I can't go back." The loping drum beats and guitar strums of "Crime" leave plenty of room to realize whatever has been going on has been "pretend" and the concern "I don't wanna die lonely and uptight" is well-founded no matter what age you are. Even the saccharine sentiment of "I'm glad I'm with you" marking the distanced "Primitive" is prefaced by a direly uncertain declaration, "I don't know where I wanna be." These aren't dense lines to parse for weeks on end, they're more like koans. When struggle comes their importance is revealed.

And the notion of something succinct like a koan is an ideal frame of reference for the music captured on Atlas. Martin Courtney and Matt Mondanile's guitars gently ebb and flow; never feeling forced. Notes in suburban country shuffler "The Bend" perform the titular action without ever snapping. A last second turn to sky-searching guitar rock doesn't break kayfabe; it's earned after 4 minutes of languishing on the ground; wishing to be amongst stars. Closer "Navigator" is another one of those blissful shufflers where the Alex Bleeker/Jackson Pollis rhythm section is content to trot along. The repeated line "I'll meet you where the pavement ends," embodies their style throughout much of Atlas.

Nowhere does the group find better meeting places than in twin-highlights "Talking Backwards" and "How I Might Live". "Talking Backwards" is my early frontrunner for the year's best. Emboldened by a tenderly chugging bass, Courtney is able to untie his tongue long enough to admit "the only thing that really matters is the one thing I can't seem to do." It's a song of quiet obsession, where plans are made well in advance and talking is done for hours on end. Stripped of the band's earlier jangle there's nothing obsessive to find on the surface, just shimmering romantic pop. Cascading cymbal washes and almost silent organ swathes immediately posit "How Might I Live" as the antithesis. We've arrived at the bitter end, when the mute button needs to be switched off and "goodbye" must be said. That moment is never found though; instead the decision is made to just keep "rolling on."

"Rolling on" is the group's modus operandi for Atlas. "April's Song"'s hazy wobble doesn't send the band off-course at all. A mush-mouth on the aforementioned "Talking Backwards" doesn't stymie true romance. Not even landscapes sprawling across rambler "Horizon" can keep Real Estate distracted for long. In stripping past obfuscations, they've reached a greater clarity. Real Estate doesn’t need reverb to communicate; now they can speak for themselves.

"Talking Backwards"

"How Might I Live"

"Talking Backwards"- Real Estate

There's a moment in the video for Real Estate's new single "Talking Backwards" that's too perfectly choreographed in such an off-the-cuff clip. For a scant two seconds, the camera pans heavenward to capture a vibrant blue sky with clouds dotting it. It's a serene happening, seen through a grimy van windshield.

That metaphor, no matter how accidental can be appended to the band itself. On previous outings, tranquility hid underneath soft blankets of fuzz. With "Talking Backwards", the first song off of the forthcoming Atlas, the sheets have been stripped off as the band faces sunlight pouring in from the window. A "rude" descriptor like "jangly" no longer carries water. Martin Courtney and Matt Mondanile's guitars quietly chime as the drums pitter-patter and the bass hums. With this newfound clarity, Courtney's syrup-drenched lines stop sounding as sweet. The title reflects his inability to the say the right thing at the right time to a girlfriend who is "too many miles away." An idyllic walk home is ruined by Courtney's stammering. There's one line he can manage to get out right, "the only thing that really matters is the one thing I can't seem to do."

Atlas, the band's third LP, is arriving stateside March 4 via Domino Records.
 

What's New(s)?

Real Estate announces new album

Since releasing their sophomore album Days in 2011, New Jersey-based indie pop band Real Estate has been relatively quiet. Even the past few months were subdued, the silence only broken by the occasional album tease that never materialized.

Last night that silence was shattered with the announcement of their third LP, entitled Atlas. And in addition to unveiling the album, the group has debuted a new track called "Talking Backwards". With ringing guitars, Martin Courtney's distanced vocals, and restrained drumming, the song furthers the band's bid for jangle-pop royalty. You can find a Charles Poekel filmed video for the lush single below along with dates for a North American tour starting in late February. Look for Atlas to arrive March 4 in the U.S. via Domino.

Tour:

2/28 San Francisco, CA - The Independent 3/1 San Francisco, CA - The Independent
3/3 Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom
3/4 Vancouver, British Columbia - Rickshaw Theatre
3/6 Seattle, WA - Neumos
3/8 Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge
3/9 Boulder, CO - Fox Theatre
3/11 Los Angeles, CA - Fonda Theatre
3/19 Cambridge, MA - The Sinclair
3/20 Cambridge, MA - The Sinclair
3/21 South Burlington, VT - Higher Ground Ballroom
3/22 Montreal, Quebec - II Motore
3/23 Toronto, Ontario - The Opera House
3/25 Madison, WI - Majestic Theatre
3/26 Minneapolis, MN - Fine Line
3/27 Chicago, IL - Metro
3/28 St Louis, MO - Firebird
3/29 Nashville, TN - Exit/In
3/31 Atlanta, GA - Terminal West
4/1 Charlottesville, VA - Jefferson Theater
4/2 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
4/3 Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer
4/5 New York, NY - Webster Hall

The National film Mistaken for Strangers receiving a theatrical release

The National haven't been accused of being comedic, but the band will be unloosening their asphyxiating ties just a bit for the theatrical release of Mistaken for Strangers. Out March 28 in theaters and on iTunes, the documentary filmed by frontman Matt Berninger's brother Tom will follow the exploits of the band while on tour for their 2010 High Violet. As Matt Berninger jokes about is brother in the trailer, "he's more of a metalhead, he think's indie rock is pretentious bulls***." Much of the tension and drama of the film stems from this outsider-view of the indie-rock world, a world where "shredding" is alien, and Tom's struggle to relate to his far-more famous brother.

Mistaken for Strangers is being released through Starz Digital Media and Abramorama. You can preview the film below with the official trailer.

Hear Ty Segall's Fuzz cover the Kinks

The impossibly prolific Ty Segall is something of a garage-rock hero at this point, so it makes sense the San Fran rocker would take to a cover of the Kinks "Till the End of the Day" like a duck to water. The original Dave Davies work was already speeding on high-octane energy, but in the hands of the frenetic Segall the song goes into overdrive. The loveable Britpop harmonies are obscured by Segall's manic wailing and the power-chord fed solos drop like a ton of bricks in this heavyweight setting. In Segall's hand, the song's refrain "we do as we please," comes close to mantra.

The cover is part of an ongoing split 7" series by the Brooklyn label Famous Class, called "Less Artists, More Condos." Segall's contribution is the 10th in the series and will be backed by CCR Headcleaner's "Free the Freaks" on the B-side. The split drops January 21 and all proceeds go to the Ariel Panero Memorial through VH1's "Save the Music" campaign.

Check back in tomorrow for more of the newest in new(s) and follow @AllFreshSounds on Twitter for updates throughout the day.

What's New(s)?

 Yoko Ono & the RZA team-up

In 2010 Wu-Tang masterming the RZA and Yoko Ono took to the stage in Los Angeles to play chess and do duets in what is easily one of the most unexpected collaborative efforts ever. Now that piece of "performance-art" will be permanently emblazoned on a 10'' single commemorating the event. The record will feature live recordings of the lurching fertilization cycle saga "Seed of Joy/Life Is A Struggle" backed by Yoko Ono's Plastic Band's "Greenfield Morning I Pushed An Empty Baby Carriage All Over The City". Reportedly this is round one in a series of collaborative releases from Ono, so I can only imagine the artists we've yet to hear team-up with Yoko.

"Seed of Joy/Life Is A Struggle"

Coldplay contributes to Catching Fire

Catching Fire is bound to see one of the biggest releases of 2013, so it's only appropriate that one of the biggest bands in music (whatever that designation means circa 2013 is up for debate) Coldplay is contributing to the mammoth undertaking. "Atlas" is Chris Martin and company's first new music since 2011's kaleidoscopic "concept-album" Mylo Xyloto. The song begins grounded by Martin's restrained piano and muted vocals before breaking free and ascending for the heavens in typical Coldplay fashion. In other words, it'll sound great during a cinematic experience. 

Catching Fire hits theaters November 22, so look for the soundtrack to hit shelves around the same time.

Arcade Fire...The Plot Thickens

 

  

 
Arcade Fire continues to borrow further down the rabbit hole as the October 29 crawls closer. Wednesday, the blog was reporting the band was definitely doing something at 9pm on September 9 and now it appears their plan is to release a new single entitled "Reflektor" accompanied by a video directed by Anton Corbijn. But that's not all. Arcade Fire Tube is indicating plans to release a "Reflektor" 12'' with the above artwork (a possible callback to the Stones Some Girls) in select record stores throughout the U.S. on September 9. 
 Pictures of a tracklist on the back of the release have also been circulating, and are yet to be confirmed. 

And if all that weren't enough to satiate your appetite, the Canadian septet is believed to have played a secret show at a small salsa club in Montreal on Wednesday. No video/pictures of the set have circulated, though Montreal blog The Main is reporting the band debuted a bevy of new tempo shifting songs that: "Imagine the Talking Heads’ "Once in a Lifetime", but if David Bowie had written it while on vacation." Again much of this is still conjecture at this point, but come Monday a part of this ever-growing mystery will be solved. 

Reflektor trailer
 

Jay Z and Kanye West hit the road

 

In support of their respective new albums, Jay Z (it doesn't get any easier typing that without the hyphen) and Kanye West will be trekking across North American for much of the rest of 2013. Kanye's maiden Yeezus voyage sets sail on October 19 with Kendrick Lamar while Hov' embarks on the Magna Carter World Tour beginning November 30. Tickets for Jay's shows go on sale September 12, just one day before little brother Kanye's. Check out the tour dates for each artist below, as well as the phenomenal "Holy Grail" video and a taste of what Kanye's latest live show could like in a performance from this year's NY Governor's Ball. 

Jay Z tour dates:

11-30 St. Paul, MN - Xcel Energy Center
12-1 Lincoln, NE - Pinnacle Bank Arena
12-2 Denver, CO - Pepsi Center
12-6 Anaheim, CA - Honda Center
12-7 San Diego, CA - Valley View Casino Center
12-9 Los Angeles, CA - Staples Center
12-10 Fresno, CA - Save Mart Center
12-11 San Jose, CA - SAP Center at San Jose
12-13 Las Vegas, NV - Mandalay Bay Events Center
12-18 Oklahoma City, OK - Chesapeake Energy Arena
12-19 Houston, TX - Toyota Center
12-20 San Antonio, TX - AT&T Center
12-21 Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center
12-27 Atlanta, GA - Philips Arena
12-28 Birmingham, AL - BJCC Arena

1-2 Ft. Lauderdale, FL - BB&T Center

1-4 Charlotte, NC - Time Warner Cable Arena

1-5 Greensboro, NC - Greensboro Coliseum Complex

1-8 Cleveland, OH - Quicken Loans Arena

1-9 Chicago, IL - United Center

1-10 Detroit, MI - The Palace of Auburn Hills

1-12 Brooklyn, NY - Barclays Center

1-13 Brooklyn, NY - Barclays Center

1-16 Washington, DC - Verizon Center

1-17 Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena

1-18 Boston, MA - TD Garden

1-19 Uniondale, NY - Nassau Coliseum

1-21 Pittsburgh, PA - CONSOL Energy Center

1-22 Newark, NJ - Prudential Center

1-24 Montreal, Quebec - Bell Centre

1-27 Toronto, Ontario - Air Canada Centre

1-29 Philadelphia, PA - Wells Fargo Center

1-30 Buffalo, NY - First Niagara Center

1-31 State College, PA - Bryce Jordan Center

Holy Grail ft. Justin Timberlake

Kanye West tour dates: 

10-19 Seattle, WA - KeyArena #
10-20 Vancouver, British Columbia - Pepsi Live at Rogers Arena #
10-22 San Jose, CA - SAP Center #
10-23 Oakland, CA - Oracle Arena #
10-25 Las Vegas, NV - MGM Grand Garden Arena
10-26 Los Angeles, CA - STAPLES Center #
11-1 Salt Lake City, UT - EnergySolutions Arena #
11-3  Denver, CO -  Pepsi Center #
11-5  Minneapolis, MN - Target Center #
11-7  Chicago, IL - United Center #
11-10  Detroit, MI - Palace of Auburn Hills #
11-12  Toronto, Ontario - Air Canada Centre #
11-14  Montreal, Quebec - Bell Centre #
11-16  Philadelphia, PA - Wells Fargo Center
11-17  Boston, MA - TD Garden #
11-19  Brooklyn, NY - Barclays Center 
11-21  Washington, DC - Verizon Center #
11-23  New York, NY - Madison Square Garden
11-29  Miami, FL - AmericanAirlines Arena  #
11-30  Tampa, FL - Tampa Bay Times Forum
12-1 Atlanta, GA - Philips Arena #
12-6 Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center #
12-7 Houston, TX - Toyota Center #

Check back in Monday for more of the newest in new(s).