With all the experimental indie rock, hardcore and tons and tons of hip hop out there, sometimes it’s nice to hear an album that’s full of songs.  You know songs: Verse-chorus-verse?  Structure?  Harmony on the chorus or at the end of a line?  That’s what we got here with Grayson Capps.

A little East Coast blues, a little New Orleans horn-bop, lots of Americana in the guitar and vocal, and tons of authentic Southern poetry grace this Alabama singer/songwriter’s fifth album, coming June 7 on Royal Potato Family records.  Song for song, the album feels well-thought-out and stuffed good without filler.  It’s the kind of record I can see myself continuing to listen to years from now.

For fans of: Dr. John, Steve Earle, Waylon Jennings, and Bobby’s “country” Grateful Dead songs.

Highway 42
http://player.groovebat.com/player.swf

Ol Sac
http://player.groovebat.com/player.swf

Seven Nation Army (White Stripes cover)
-Ben l’Oncle Soul
-Kate Nash
-Kelly Clarkson
-Dead 60s

Army Corps of Architects-Death Cab for Cutie

A band is either brand new, desperate, or crazy when it offers all of its music for free.  And New Animal are probably all of the above.

This band from Georgia make ambient pop with lots of echo and moody moaning.  It’s just two guys, but it sounds as big as the room.

Good stuff, and all free.

Get Up for free at Bandcamp.  Get the rest of their catalog, too, here.

I Think It’s Working
Download New Animal I Think It’s Working
New Animal I Think It’s Working

Up!
Download New Animal Up!
New Animal Up!

They’ve released a photo of The White Queen in her panties!  Stop the presses!

Now, don’t get me wrong: I wouldn’t kick her outta bed or anything, but she ain’t no Emma Frost.  She doesn’t have the hips or boobs for the part.

Gang Gang Dance‘s Saint Dymphana coulda and shoulda been the best album of 2008–it was a fascinating blend of beats, sounds of instruments and vocals, world music and indie rock . . . And it was made by a Brooklyn band! Shame on me for not putting it in my top 10. Well, not one to make the same mistake twice, I’m here to tell you that the band’s 5th album, “Eye Contact,” is even better than that last one.

It’s also even more obtuse.

With strong Middle Eastern/India influences, the band has broadened its already vast approach to making music. Few of the songs clock in at under five minutes, and that’s not because the band lacks craft or overstuffs their material: It really takes that long to say what they need to say. Each song transports the listener into a distinct universe, with a sense of movement and time…It’s like M.I.A. swallowed Kate Bush and got Peter Gabriel’s clone, who was raised in India by a cult of LCD Soundsystem-worshipping fans of the movie Trainspotting.

In short: Freaking awesome. Highest recommendation.

Mindkilla

Download Gang Gang Dance MindKilla

Chinese High (from their 4AD session)
http://4ad.com/sessionswidget/4adsessionswidget8.swf?myLoad=http://4ad.com/sessionswidget/playlist8.xml&myImage=http://4ad.com/sessionswidget/ganggangdancestill.jpg

- Comics Alliance‘s weekly review of great art includes Wolverine and Thor pics by Bill Sienkewicz, Mike Deodato’s portrait of Joker, a Nightwing kissing booth(!), and much, much more.  One of my favorite weekly articles.

- The archive has a new Drive-By Truckers show, with a great cover Mavis Staples’ Respect Yourself.  Check out the whole show here.

- Go here for the Heart Shaped Tron mashup.  I’m guessing just based on the title you’ll be checking it out.

-People are still remixing Siqo????

-CD’s write up of Fuel Box is pretty damn funny.

-Illroots has the new Chiddy Bang mixtape, titled “Peanut Butter and Swelly.“  I haven’t heard the whole thing yet, but these dudes tend to be damn good.  Start off with this one:

When You’ve Got Music (feat. The Knocks)

- I love this.  It’s genius.  Genius!  HATE MACHINE.

-AD has a Neil Young boot from 2008.

-And last but certainly not least, Paper Bag Records has (another!) free compilation available for the price of an e-mail address.  Go here.  Here’s the terrific track list:

CFCF – How Bizarre (OMC cover)
Winter Gloves – Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana cover)
Woodhands – Electric Avenue (Eddy Grant cover)
Sally Shapiro – Dying in Africa (Nicolas Makelberge cover)
You Say Party! We Say Die! – Falling Out (Rikk Agnew cover)
Josh Reichmann – Daniel (Bat For Lashes cover)
Laura Barrett – Gamma Ray (Beck cover)
Rock Plaza Central – I Want You (Bob Dylan cover)
The Acorn – Strange Animal (Gowan cover)
Little Girls – Heinz (Artery cover)
Slim Twig – Behold A Lady (Outkast cover)
Under Byen – Du er min øjesten (Peter Malberg cover)

I figured, instead of breaking it up by media type, as I usually do in this column, I’ll do a Kasey Kasem reverse countdown. ‘Cause, I mean, everybody loves a list, right?

Hit the break for news about Thor 2,

But first, as per our new effort to boost trade sales and improve your reading skills, our end-of-the-month feature returns:

TOP 5 TRADES OF THE MONTH

(Month of May 2011):

5. The Stuff of Legend Vol. 2: The Jungle. Simply fantastic. If you think it’s a kiddie book, or if you’re on the fence, jump in. It’s nothing you’d expect, brilliantly written, beautifully illustrated, and simply one of the best indie books around.

4. 5 Ronin. Marvel’s attempt to bring the “1602” concept into feudal Japan. I confess, I haven’t read it yet—just borrowed the 5 loosie books from a buddy, but I can’t wait. It sounds awesome, and the covers are terrific. This was a pretty fast release to hardcover. Don’t know if that means anything, though.

3. Mystique by Brian K. Vaughan: Ultimate Collection. Bound in paperback, all of Vaughan’s spy story about everyone’s favorite bad blue lady. This is another one I haven’t read (yet), but it’s already on my Amazon list.

2. Secret Six: The Reptile Brain. I love this book. Won’t miss a single volume. One of the best—if not the number one—DC books out there.

1. The Sensational She-Hulk Vol. 1 by John Byrne. Green pin ups! Seriously, though, this was a ground-breakingly different series for its time. Very influential, and, of course, beautifully drawn. Oh, and there’s a guest shot by Santa Claus.

Honorable mentions: PunisherMAX vol. 2: Bullseye (hardcover) (I’ll wait for the paperback, but I’ll definitely get it); The Trial of Captain America by Ed Brubaker and Daniel Acuña (on the fence: I kind of want to wait for the next “omnibus” volume); Taskmaster: Unthinkable (hilarious!).

Hmmm. Lots of Marvel this week, eh?

Read more…

99 Problems-Aloe Blacc

Bring the Noize Runners-Public Enemy vs. Dexy’s Midnight Runners

In My Arms (Bette Davis Eyes Remix)-Mylo

You Sexy Thing (Hot Chocolate cover)-Tom Tom Club

Knight Rider-DMX Crew (courtesy of Versions Galore)