What's New(s)?

Coldplay release new Avicii collabo single "A Sky Full of Stars"/Announce "scavenger hunt"

The two previous singles "Magic" and "Midnight" that Coldplay have shared from their upcoming 6th LP Ghost Stories have both been remarkably restrained. Instead of employing the traditional Coldplay swell, Chris Martin and company have stuck to hushed whispers and somber tones.

That changes with the quartet's third single "A Sky Full of Stars". Granted the swell found here is markedly different thanks to the feature from EDM-staple Avicii. Now Chris Martin's falsetto cries are emboldened by shrieking synthesizers and heart-thudding drums. But rather than stretch the "new direction" to thin, the band eases back into a light acoustic shuffle for the lovestruck verses. Even with heavyweight backing, Coldplay can't resist being tender.

In addition to the new track, Coldplay has announced an "international scavenger hunt" to promote the new LP. According to "The Guardian" the band has hidden the lyrics to all 9 Ghost Stories tracks in libraries around the world. The hunt began yesterday when their Twitter account pointed fans in Mexico City to an envelope Vasconcelos library. Each contains a lyric sheet penned by lead-singer Chris Martin and one specially selected envelope will have a "golden ticket" to the band's July 1 at Royal Albert Hall.

of Montreal releasing documentary The Past Is Grotesque Animal

Having had the fortune to see Elephant 6 members of Montreal at this year's installment of Middle of the Map Fest in Kansas City, I know how cinematic the band's psychedelic presence is. Now the upcoming documentary The Past Is A Grotesque Animal (named for the Hissing Fauna Are You The Destroyer? epic) will capture the Kevin Barnes group in all its blown-out, kaleidoscopic glory.

Directed by Jason Miller, the music doc  will focus both on the band and Kevin Barnes himself out on tour, with appearances by frequent collaborators like Janelle Monáe. The project, initially funded through a Kickstarter campaign, will be released through Oscilloscope Laboratories and also made available on iTunes. View the official trailer below, which features the aforementioned Monáe.

Hear unreleased Arcade Fire Reflektor cut "Get Right"

Arcade Fire found the connector on 2013's towering Reflektor and now fans have found an unreleased effort from the LP. Entitled "Get Right", the song initially appeared on a short advertisement before disappearing into the ether.  Now Exclaim is reporting fans of the Montreal-group have fished out a lo-fi, live recording of the Reflektor outtake. 

There's no word on where the faux 50s rave-up emanates from, but you can find the track here and view the group's recently released behind-the-scenes tour short below.

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

What's New(s)?

Mastodon release "High Road"

It's been two-plus years since prog/sludge-metal band Mastodon dropped their fifth album The Hunter, but soon that will change with the release of Once More Round the Sun. Though details are relatively sparse, the Atlanta-based quartet previewed the upcoming LP today with "High Road". Produced by Nick Raskulinecz, who was at the helm for The Hold Steady's Teeth Dreams, "High Road" is a four minute climb from muddy snarls and churning guitars to ascendant choruses. No word yet if Once More Round the Sun will be a concept record in the vein of Blood Mountain or Leviathan, but "High Road" certainly possesses that same "epic" quality to it.

According to Spin, the record will be out sometime in June on Warner Brothers and include tracks entitled "Ember City" and "Diamonds in the Witch House", which features vocals from Scott Kelly of Neurosis. You can listen to "High Road" here now.



Belle & Sebastian cover "Don't Stop Believin"

I don't think it's any secret that people love to sing along to Journey's "Don't Stop Believin". There are certainly songs that are considered more important musically and are more critically respected, but few if any are performed as frequently as "Don't Stop Believin". Odds are at any given bar in America (on any given night) you'll hear the song sliding out of the speakers. And by the time the chorus hits, at least a few denizens will have set their drinks aside and fully committed to replicating Steve Perry's anthemic vocals. 

But of course the real joy of hearing "Don't Stop Believin" isn't listening to a spot-on replication, but a gloriously sloppy cover. And Belle and Sebastian's take on the tune for Songs For Kids Foundation at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta belongs in that latter category. Stuart Murdoch and company go through an abridged version of the rock classic that sadly excises the signature guitar solo, but replaces it with a cantering acoustic guitar that's hard not to nod along to.

Coldplay announce new tour 

Despite their numerous detractors, Coldplay's live performances are almost unimpeachable. I had the opportunity to see them during their Viva La Vida tour in 2008 and it remains one of the five best shows I've ever seen. And in anticipation of their 6th LP Ghost Stories, the band will hit the road next week for a brief tour run. The six-show stint includes a release day concert at UCLA's Royce Hall, a far-cry from the expansive arenas they often inhabit. You'll find the dates below, along with the stark video for recent single "Magic" featuring Ziyi Zhang of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. 

Tour Dates: 
4/25 Cologne, Germany - E-Werk

5/5 New York, NY - Beacon Theatre 
5/19 Los Angeles, CA - Royce Hall 
5/28 Paris, France - Casino de Paris
6/12 Tokyo, Japan - Dome City Hall
7/1 London, England - Royal Albert Hall

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

What's New(s)?

Jack White announces tour

The always restless Jack White has a new album entitled Lazaretto out June 10, and to support his sophomore solo-release through Third Man Records he'll be heading out on the road this summer. After a tune-up gig in Nashville at Third Man on April 19, White will begin the tour proper on May 29 in Tulsa, OK. Kelley Stoltz and Benjamin Booker will join White, who will trek through Europe and a sizable portion of the Midwest before the summer is up. 

Find the dates below, along with a clip for eerie-scorcher "High Ball Stepper" from the forthcoming Lazaretto.

Tour Dates:
4/19 Nashville, TN - Third Man Records
5/29 Tulsa, OK - Cain's Ballroom (w. Kelley Stoltz)
5/30 Lubbock, TX - Wild West (w. Kelley Stoltz)
5/31-6/1 Houston, TX - Free Press Summer Festival
6/2 Shreveport, LA - Municipal Auditorium (w. Kelley Stoltz)
6/3 New Orleans, LA - Saenger Theatre (w. Kelley Stoltz)
6/5 Charlotte, NC - The Fillmore Charlotte (w. Kelley Stoltz)
6/7 New York, NY - Governors Ball
6/12-15 Manchester, TN - Bonnaroo
6/25-29 Somerset, England - Glastonbury Festival
6/26 Dublin, Ireland - Royal Hospital Kilmainham
6/29 Paris, France - L'Olympia
6/30 Paris, France - L'Olympia
7/3 Amsterdam, Netherlands - Heineken Music Hall
7/4 Gdynia, Poland - Open'er Festival
7/5 London, England - Eventim Apollo
7/19 Louisville, KY - Forecastle Festival
7/20 St. Louis, MO - Fox Theatre (w. Benjamin Booker)
7/21 Milwaukee, WI - Eagles Ballroom (w. Benjamin Booker)
7/23 Chicago, IL - Chicago Theatre (w. Benjamin Booker)
7/24 Chicago, IL - Auditorium Theatre (w. Benjamin Booker)
7/27 Pittsburgh, PA - Stage AE Outdoors (w. Benjamin Booker)
7/28 Detroit, MI - Fox Theatre (w. Benjamin Booker)
7/30 Detroit, MI - Masonic Temple Theatre (w. Benjamin Booker)
7/31 Toronto, Ontario - Air Canada Centre (w. Benjamin Booker)
8/1-3 Montreal, Quebec - Osheaga Music & Arts Festival

Coldplay releases black-and-white video for "Magic"

"Stark" isn't one of the words that tends to leap out at me when I hear a Coldplay song or see one of their videos. But that's precisely the word that comes to mind when I see their new video for "Magic", the first offering from their upcoming Ghost Stories LP. Directed by Jonas Åkerlund and starring Ziyi Zhang (of The Grandmaster and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon fame) as a magician, the entirely black-and-white clip sees lead-singer Chris Martin split time as her overbearing husband and lovestruck assistant. Despite the change in color-schemes, the video still contains plenty of the earnestness people have come to love from Coldplay.

Ghost Stories is out on May 19 via Parlophone/Atlantic.

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