This is the only line worth being honest about here: This book fucking sucks. 

Luckily, it will only waste like ten minutes of your time. Sam has degenerated into the atheist version of Mitch Albom, writing retrospectives nobody asked for about topics he’s not qualified to touch upon.

And the basic argument is this: Lying never works out.

His examples range from painfully obvious to fucking retarded. His anecdotes are like, “One time my wife didn’t like this person and said it in front of my kid and then when the person came over and the wife was acting all nice, the kid said: But mommy, u said you didn’t like that person.”

AWKWARRRRRRD.

So, in case this happens to you, don’t even fucking lie.

Yo, fuck sam harris. seriously. Lying is the number one thing that gets people where they want to go. There are like five jobs out there right now where lying does not get you ahead. And those jobs suck. Here’s a list of jobs you can’t have if you are not going to lie:

Mechanic.

Politician.

Entertainment Industry person.

Doctor.

Lawyer.

Manager of anything.

The job you currently have.

Don’t believe me?? Well then. here comes an anecdote! One time I lied about whether or not I liked someone, that person then gave me a million dollars and I’m fucking happy as hell!

See? Because it’s an anecdote, it must carry over to every aspect of my argument.

Have you ever noticed how useless anecdotes are? The only reason we like them is because human beings are constantly creating false narratives. We are pattern seekers, and anecdotes fill in the gaps when things get too complicated, like on the vast subject of lying. It’s not our fault, we just don’t have the mental capacity to take in reality as it is, and in that sense, we are lying to ourselves every minute of every day. Sam Harris should know this, he’s a fucking neuroscientist.

Here’s what the book should be called: Lying is fine, just own up to shit if it fucks you and apologize when you’re wrong or get caught. He tries to argue that it’s harder to maintain a web of lies than a web of truth. Which makes total sense because…there’s like nobody out there doing that. That would fucking stress you out. For every one friend who might appreciate you being honest about their lack of talent or ugliness, there’s ten others who will call you an asshole and won’t speak to you again. Believe me, I call people out way more than anyone I know, and I still am at like 25% truth capacity. Jesus, 100% truth would be fucking miserable. You couldn’t do anything without being punched in the face or fired.

He argues that lying erodes relationships. That’s wrong. What erodes relationships is that people are too ignorant in the first place. I know a ton of people who have cheated on their boyfriends or girlfriends and their significant other does not know about it. So, by the property of “I’m not the fucking exception,” I can safely assume at least one or two of my former girlfriends has cheated on me and I don’t know about it. This is called living in reality. Being honest isn’t going to help you in reality. Being less ignorant will.

Honesty is not a virtue. It is a tool, just like good sex, money, teamwork, and compromise to improve your life. Use it when you need to. It will not set you free. What will set you free is figuring out what the fuck you want out of life and more importantly, avoiding the shit you don’t want. That’s about it.

STAY HOT.

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It seems the internet is one big 24 hour news cycle for Daft Punk and their release of Random Access Memories (I’m looking at you Pitchfork.) If you haven’t heard the ‘robots’ – a term used by every blog since seemingly humans can’t craft epic club bangers – the new trend appears to be the merging of ’70s disco/funk hooks with modern computerized beats and vice versa. One group that was ahead of this was DFA’s Holy Ghost!. Unsurprisingly, they have slipped out new single “Dumb Disco Ideas” amid the hoopla surrounding Random Access Memories. As DFA Tweeted, “dumb disco idea #1 – release brand new single called “dumb disco ideas” day after world gets new daft punk stream. They will also be releasing new album Dynamics assumingly not in the shadow of Daft and are embarking on a tour with New Order this summer. Check out “Dumb Disco Ideas” above and also my favorite track from RAM titled “Doin’ it Right.” Then take a look at the weekly rotation playlist after the jump.

Ryan Hemsworth – “Perfectly”

Ryan Hemsworth, self-proclaimed “CANADIAN PRINCE” and last night’s party DJ, will release a new solo EP, Still Awake, next week on his website. Last week, Hemsworth teased new tracks “Perfectly” and “Road to Viridian” in a mix for New York’s Downtown Festival; today, Mixmag offers a complete version of the former. I hope it works this time, a toe-dipping vocal sample proclaims at the outset, its sentiment of hesitation nonetheless swaddled in an optimistic sound and big, cannonball-into-the-pool build. Hemsworth tours Europe in May and June (dates below), then returns to the US and Canada with Baauer, R.L. Grime and Jim-E Stack in July (dates here). He’s been working on pal Deniro Farrar’s upcoming mixtape The Patriarch II, too. Review via Fader.

MØ – “Waste of Time”

Apparently music doesn’t stop for Daft Punk. And we’re better off for it, too. #PMAVILLAGE alum MØ has just put out her fourth song, “Waste of Time.”

“Waste of Time” is anything but. Its MØ cementing her style, both audio and visual. All of the signatures she’s toyed with in her nascent music career are represented; the r&b-indebted melodies, the programmed arpeggios, the prickly guitar noodling, finger snapping, the charming grunting in the background, and of course, her contra-Lana Del Rey DIY videos. Review via Pretty Much Amazing.

Glass Animals – “Black Mambo”

Neo-soul shivers run up the spine of Oxfordshire quartet Glass Animals’ sultry new single, ‘Black Mambo’.

Sing-songy storytelling slinks across bouncy xylophone notes and slow, jazzy drums, while drips of hollow coo’s dance with the candlelight shadows projected on the wall.

The band that wow’d us in 2012 with their fantastic Leaflings EP, Glass Animals continue to evolve their blend of billowing hip hop beats and inviting tales told after the lights have been turned out, and all tied together by stunningly polished production, and still managing to sounds like nothing else we’ve ever heard. If they’re not on your list of acts to watch in 2013, you’re doing it wrong. Review via Line of Best Fit.

Banks – “Warm Water”

Los Angeles songstress Banks has just released her latest offering “Warm Water,” this time enlisting the producing skills of Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs. The track is a sultry and delicately blissful production that effectively uses Banks’ beautiful vocals as one of the main instruments in the song. The track also shows off the producing range TEED’s Higginbottom possesses, as the subtleness in “Warm Water” is a refreshing change from his signature dance-ready, electronic creations. Stream it above. Review via Pigeons & Planes.

Classixx – “Holding On”

In honor of the album release this week…

Los Angeles-based production duo Michael David and Tyler Blake have built a name for themselves over the last few years as remixers that can turn anything into a slice of summer bliss. Their long-gestating debut as Classixx, Hanging Gardens, is seeing release on May 14 via Innovative Leisure, and lead single “Holding On” continues to refine their yacht-house aesthetic. Anchored by sleazy, lipstick-smeared bass and the kind of four-on-the-floor thump that grabs you by the hand and onto the dancefloor, there’s a lot going on here– strings emerge and then fade, blocky synths gleam from the corners, there’s even whistling at one point– but no matter what elements are added, it’s never at the expense of propulsion.

It also helps that the core components of “Holding On” are its most tactile: bittersweet house pianos and the vocal sample from which the track gets its titular phrase do the heavy lifting, providing physical thrills as well as an emotional heft. “I’ve been holding on,” sings the soulful disembodied voice, “and I can’t take it anymore.” But in the hands of Classixx, holding on starts to feel a lot like catharsis. Review via Pitchfork.

PLOY – “Too Far Away”

Ever since seeing PLOY at DC9 back in March, I’ve been keeping a close eye on them. Their catchy electro-pop  – like last month’s “VRDSNT” — has a way of entering through my eardrums and flowing directly to my heart. Their latest release, “Too Far Away,” is no different, featuring more of those addictive synths and atmospheric vocals that got me hooked from the start. Do yourself a favor and check out the latest from one of DC’s finest below. Review via All Things Go.

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Vampire Weekend and the National both have released new material (and fun videos) this week leading up to their new albums Modern Vampires of the City and Trouble Will Find Me (I’m sure by the titles, you can figure out which is which.) Both are solid releases. Both are typical to each band’s general aesthetic. Vampire Weekend steer a bit from their tried-and-true formula with “Ya Hey” (get it, yahweh, like first single “Diane Young”… dying young…) with some vocal modifications that after a few listens actually become very catchy – which, *spoiler alert*, also feature prominently on the new album.

Anyways, enjoy the new videos above and this week’s playlist for some summery electro-pop to guide you into the weekend.

Postiljonen – “Supreme”

This morning Best Fit premiered the video for “Supreme,” a slice of gorgeous, mood-lifting beach pop by Swedish/Norwegian trio Postiljonen. It makes me want to cannonball off of a light house. Such a head-spinning combination of good vibes: Air France’s dreamy monologue sections, M83′s unabashed solos and the marimbas of last year’s great unsung Polarsets EP. Review via Fader.

Selebrities – “Temporary Touch”

On June 25th, Cascine will put out Lovely Things, a new album by Brooklyn four-piece Selebrities, and the first single is the sugar-dusted “Temporary Touch.” The song, rendered with tender synths and spry New Wave production, seems well-suited for the final moments of a long-lost ’80s romance flick, probably starring Ione Skye and Robert Downey Jr. as a mismatched teen couple clashing with disapproving friends, strict parents and an unforgiving world that just doesn’t understand. You made me look in your eyes like they were mine first, Maria Usbeck sings with a crystalline longing that makes us wistful for a time when conventional, heart-swelling happy endings wouldn’t be called passé. Review via Fader.

MS MR – “Hurricane (CHVRCHES remix)”

CHVRCHES are one of the few bands who’ve successfully brought retrofuturistic electropop out of shadowy SoundCloud nichedom to flirt with mainstream success. This wonderful remix of New York dark pop duo MS MR displays some of the production wizardry that’s contributed to that meteoric rise. The Glaswegians blend glittery Footloose-era synthwave with the original track’s haunting Noir&B to produce a very original remix, replete with crunchy electro whipcrack samples, skittering arpeggios and moon bouncing hooks. Review via All Things Go.

Conics – “This Moment”

Us Aussies have a knack for rocking Summer vibes all year round, and ‘This Moment’ – the latest offering from Sydney outfit Conics – is the sorta tune that just makes me wanna fill my travel mug with piña colada…

Conics are no strangers to Summery-sounding success – their previous tracks ‘Illuminate’ and ‘Habitats’ lit up the airwaves and landed them support slots for the likes Flume, Gold Fields and RÜFÜS. Carving an impressive reputation for their explosive live performances, the Sydney dance-rock collective will be flaunting their wares with a three week residency at the OAF before kicking off their oh-so-fancy national tour this July/August. Excuses? You have none.

‘This Moment’, the first offering from Conics’ upcoming debut EP (set for a June drop), is everything you wanna hear on a crappy Tuesday morning. Its cocktail of infectious synth-layering, tasty percussion and smooth vocal harmonies hits somewhere between sun-drenched slow-burner and dance-floor filler; whatever your persuasion, ‘This Moment’ has it in spades. Review via One Trick Pony.

Misun – “Sun Made”

Me oh my!  Misun dropping some fire today with their newest track “Sun Made.”

The chilled out track comes just in time for the summer, and as the title suggests, this track was sun made and should be listened to out in the sun. If you don’t have the luxury of stepping out into some warm weather, believe me (because I am in cool San Francisco), that won’t hinder you from chilling out to this track. Kudos to the DC trio for nailing this one on the head, once again. Review via Indie Shuffle.

Say Lou Lou – “Fool of Me” [ft. Chet Faker]

Say Lou Lou are all about symmetry: a pair of twins (that’s Miranda Kilbey with the dark hair; Elektra’s the blonde), they split much of their time between their dual homes of Australia and Sweden. On “Fool of Me”, though, the B-side to their excellently moody single “Julian”, they let a third collaborator into the equation, in the form of Australian singer Chet Faker. He and SLL trade off vocal duties during the track’s muted, rain-drizzled verses, but it during the chorus it blooms into something surprisingly defiant: “You made a fool of me, how dare you.” Review via Pitchfork.

Ghost Loft – “So High”

After sharing his debut video for “Seconds” last month, LA producer Danny Choi retruns to the scene with another amazing tune, titled “So High.” The melodramatic track incorporates late ’90s/early ’00s sound elements paired with ambiant melancholy that leaves the listener waiting for more Ghost Loft material, let alone a debut full-length. Review via Hypertrak.

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Spring/summer might just be here. It looks like we have finally turned the corner to consistently long warm sunny days; so what’s better than a new playlist to celebrate? Well, a lot – but check out this week’s rotation after the jump.

The Colourist – “Little Games (St. Lucia Remix)”

Hailing from Orange County, California-based The Colourist recently provides us with the refreshing new single “Little Games,” which is a perfect fit for summertime dance parties to come. It appears the track also caught the attention of St. Lucia’ Jean-Phillip Grobler, who further brightens the shimmery tune. Review via Break on a Cloud.

Lemonade – “Perfect Blue”

Whenever anyone drops the “I liked their early stuff better” groaner (even if its true), I just think of Lemonade, who are perpetually improving on their it’s-3AM-and-the-club-is-winding-down-and-that-magically-illustrates-the-loneliness-of-man vibe to create music that is propulsive as it is melancholy. Along those lines, “Perfect Blue” is something of an outlier, more of a slow stomper than most of their other work. It’s even sort of happy, but there are traces of that crucial sadness still present. Review via Fader.

CRISTALLIN – “Terranea”

Thoughts of summer continue to swirl as we edge closer to those warmer times. Switzerland’s CRISTALLIN is back with another treat to fuel our good-vibed summer musings. ‘Terranea‘ is said treat and free to download. The official video is an apt representation of the track’s overall emotion. The video is by CRISTALLIN himself. Review via Believe in Sound.

Daughter – “Get Lucky (Daft Punk Cover)”

The London folk trio Daughter are really good at a lot of things, but they’re especially good at covers. Rather than stick within constraints one might consider genre-appropriate, they often branch out into the delightfully absurd. This weekend on BBC Radio 1′s Live Lounge, they covered Daft Punk’s massive comeback single “Get Lucky.” In the hands of singer Elena Tosca and her band, the track takes on a brooding, chilly air and soaring, synth-heavy soundscape, but that catchy beat and irresistible chorus are kept pretty much intact. Review via Pretty Much Amazing.

Majical Cloudz – “Bugs Don’t Buzz”

Devon Welsh is a very serious-looking man who makes showstopper ballads with little more than some piano and his booming, masculine voice under the name of Majical Cloudz. The wondrous single “Bugs Don’t Buzz” is defined by its directness– that Devon Welsh is singing to you, or, if you present this song to a loved one, it’s you singing to them. It’s indeed a love song that feels like a confession of a devotion that one wouldn’t feel comfortable sharing with more than one person, that you wouldn’t mind being two roaches in the “slimy, wet darkness” as death approaches. It’s a sentiment that’s matched by the beautifully spartan and abandoned music, which eventually is subsumed by warped noise before Welsh flips the song’s pessimistic introduction: “the happiest songs all end with a smile/this one might end with a smile.” Review via Pitchfork.

Braids – “Amends”

Montreal’s Braids first came on our radar as the Neighbourhood Council, before disappearing awhile and reemerging under this new moniker (and a second BTW designation). The title change came with a more refined electronic aesthetic, though the outfit’s seraphic vocals and contravention of conventional song structure stayed strong in the game. The six-minute single “Amends” is true to that form, a song you may recognize if you caught the band at any of their many CMJ 2012 shows — it’s a showcase of tasteful synth sounds, intertwining vocal arrangements, and the sort of live-manipulated voice efx/cuts that will score with folks who type “Purity Ring” into their Pandoras. Review via Stereogum.

Clams Casino – “Bookfiend ft. DOOM”

While certainly a surprise, this collaboration makes perfect sense. DOOM‘s always been one of the most unique rappers in the game with his instantly recognizable voice and delivery, and Clams’ production is the same way. If not for a slew of impostors and copycats, both Clams and DOOM would be completely in their own world. Hear what happens when those two worlds come together on “Bookfiend.” Review via Pigeons and Planes.

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Phoenix, in a long line of indy crossover success, has managed to follow up the album that made them famous by taking FOREVER to come out with another album that’s ten times as shitty.

This is now happened to Passion Pit, MGMT, Outkast, John Mayer (yes, clarity was a good album, fuck your self-consciousness), Matt and Kim, and many others in the last decade, and there’s a through-line that we should follow to expect more.

The answer is time.

As a rule of thumb, the longer a band takes between their album after the one that made them famous, the shittier it will be. The obvious reason is that they’re completely ignoring the formula that made millions of fans pay for their shit and try way too hard to be artists.

But here’s the thing. we don’t want you to be. we want you to do that thing you did that we like.

Yes, we, the consumer. the people who pay for or steal your content. the people who dance and sing along to your concerts. We owe you nothing, and if you think 45 minutes of entertainment gives you the right to come out with a shitty album four years later, FUCK YOU.

The Beatles became famous in 1963. Depending on how you count it, they had six albums before Rubber Soul. SIX FUCKING ALBUMS of the same shit that made them famous. They didn’t switch it up until they knew the audience was ready to let them. They deserved to change it up. You don’t, fucking MGMT. Hey Phoenix, stop bitching about how weird life is now that you’re famous. We aren’t famous. We don’t give a shit. Play the fucking cool songs you did before and write new ones like it. John Mayer? Fuck you a hundred times. Passion Pit? You bipolar loser, get out of your own head and hit the buttons on the keyboard and make fire jams. WE DON’T CARE ABOUT YOU AS AN ARTIST, WE CARE ABOUT LISTENING TO MUSIC WE LIKE.

When are musicians going to get their fucking heads out of their own asses and realize this? This is the major thing i hate about art. It’s so much a fucking faint so that people can continue doing whatever they want to. They label it “expression” or the “need to create” but in reality, you just want to do whatever the fuck you want to do and that’s it. the biproduct might be some fire jams, but you have no cosmic need to impart your neural connections onto the world. the truth is you just don’t want to lift a finger doing what someone else wants.

So, like i said, fuck you. Musicians always complain about the lack of fan loyalty. THEY ONLY WANT TO HEAR THE SINGLE WAHHHHH.

Yeah. play that single. or how bout this? i listen to your shitty b sides, and then later you come over to my house and sit through my demos. or my math test. What’s that? No deal? okay fucker, i’ll just stay home when your band rolls into town.

One more problem with musicians: They don’t seem to understand how easy music is. You’re not ushering in a new era by playing a Cadd9 and then a G chord. it’s even easy to prove music is easy. Can a beginning architect design the Empire State Building? Can a beginning tennis player hit a 130 mph serve? No? Well, can a beginning guitarist play most of the songs in the top 20? YUP.

Why’s that? Oh, because music is easy. the music that made you famous is a fucking cake walk. I don’t care if you can shred on guitar, I want good songs, and that’s it. If you shred during the bridge, all the better, just don’t fucking shred during a shit walk departure album where you brought in the Nigerian Chorus and made a documentary about it.

Jesus. I sit in a writers room all day and we spend most of the time figuring out what is going to make the show better, and by better I mean more entertaining, more in depth, more interweaving storylines. That’s actual work.

Musicians just play what they like and bitch and moan when we don’t feel the same way. They have this ultra-subjective attitude about everything and wonder why they can only stay popular for five seconds. NEWSFLASH: it’s because you got lucky. At some point, other people liked what you liked to play, and now they don’t. your refusal to realize that is arrogant and fucking bush league. learn how to entertain. you’re a fucking entertainer.

stay hot.

The post The Musician Myth. appeared first on too much fire.

nah, i’m good.

Whatever these guys are doing, I would definitely say it looks harder if you had both your legs, seeing as it looks painful and tiresome. I mean, do we really need to praise people for overcoming the loss of a limb anymore? Look at this thing: It looks fucking dope.

ah shit, lost my leg. guess i can only look forward to trotting this awesome thing around.

At some point we’re going to have to call a spade a spade and not get so googly-eyed when somebody who lost a limb does something amazing. from what i can tell, besides the look of it, everything else seems pretty much workable as far as life goes. What’s the headline then?

BRAVE MAN DEFERS AWKWARD LOOKS TO LIVE NORMAL LIFE. 

For me, this story jumped the shark with Oscar Pistorius, where he proved that amputees can live such a normal life that they even have time to screw it up in some other way. a man who overcame the odds just to fuck it all up!

What are these odds? machines have always out-dueled humans. why would running be any different? people would have a lot more free time if they had less bodily maintenance to do, which brings me to my real point:

WHY THE FUCK DO WE STILL HAVE TO BRUSH OUR TEETH?

We just sent a fucking space ship to mars, we have pants that literally can’t be stained, but we still have to brush our fucking teeth twice a day? AND floss? this sounds like bullshit to me, so i went to the internet. 

google sucks.

anyway, it just seems to me if we can build artificial limbs that we can control with our brains, i think we should be able to replace or coat our teeth with something that, you know, keeps them from decaying. I am not a conspiracy theorist and don’t think cancer was solved 50 years ago by the government, but come ON, it’s fucking HARD TISSUE.

look at this asshole repel basically everything with nanotechnology.

Are you saying we can’t rub this shit on our teeth? this is fucking ridiculous. it’s the 21st century, i should not have to buy toothbrushes and toothpastes with bullshit logos like “ultra-whitening” and “tartar control,” this is flatly bullshit.

The big reason why I don’t want to brush my teeth anymore is because I’m sick of going to the dentist. dentists are weird fetishy assholes and unlike going to a doctor, everything is your fucking fault. tooth decay? your fault. cavity? your fault. root canal? fuck you. then they give the same trope about brushing and flossing and march you off with some goodie bag with no fucking mercury in it. god damn mercury looked cool. that’s probably when dentists because such assholes, when they banned that shit.

STAY HOT BREATH.

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Sometimes I’m lazy, sometimes other people just put things into better words – either way, here is a good wite-up on the new track from everyone’s favorite Icelandic post-rockers, Sigur Rós (above) that came out this week.

Sigur Rós opened and closed their Coachella sets with a booming orchestral din that sounded as hard and harsh as just about anything Godspeed You! Black Emperor has done — a blaring confirmation of their January Reddit AMA promise that their forthcoming seventh album. Kveikur is due June 18 on XL Recordings, and we’ve gotten a chance to preview a couple of songs: the lurching “Brennistein” and the apocalyptic titular track. But following that heavier fare, we’re now offered a little respite in “Ísjaki,” which comes with the lyric video above. While the song is certainly intense in its own way, its true strength comes not from bombast but from the inventive percussion and Jónsi’s beautiful birdcall. Ghostly as the new song is — and as creepy as the critters in the clip are — the song itself offers some real uplift, testifying to the broad dynamism we should expect to hear when Kveikur drops.

Aaaannndddd with that, check out this week’s playlist after the jump.

Wild Nothing – “A Dancing Shell”

My unscientific research shows that Wild Nothing have never once been described as “funky,” and my scientific research of their two wonderful LPs and the solid Golden Haze EP shows that none of Jack Tatum’s songs have mentioned dancing. So, even more than the slap bracelet, “A Dancing Shell” feels like the biggest surprise included in the upcoming Empty Estate EP (out May 14 via Captured Tracks/Bella Union).

Tatum’s artistic transparency has always been a strength, and judging from his baritone-sung promises to be your plaything over a comfortably paced disco strut, I’d say he’s working through his “Bowie phase.” And yet, “A Dancing Shell” is a prototypical Wild Nothing song in that its obvious influences subtly fade into something Tatum’s own, as disorienting synth pinwheels and a dreamy chorus hook brings us right back into his soft-focus, romantic vision. Review via Pitchfork.

No Joy – “Hare Tarot Lies”

Montreal shoegazers No Joy went to an actual studio to record their new album Wait To Pleasure, and first single “Lunar Phobia” nudged them toward a more synthpoppy sound. But on “Hare Tarot Lies,” their latest advance track, they’re back in old-school guitar-kaleidoscope territory, bringing a swoony and echo-happy sense of melody. Review via Stereogum.

Crystal Fighters – “You & I”

About three weeks ago, Crystal Fighters released the first single off their upcoming album, Cave Rave. Titled “Wave,” the song left me feeling a little let down — I really like this band, and had been hoping for something a little more inspirational.

Fortunately they’ve hit it out of the park on the second attempt! “You & I” is an easily digestible pop song with all the right harmonies, build-ups and sing-along refrains. It’s really got me excited for the potential this album holds! Review via Indie Shuffle.

The xx – “Together”

Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation of The Great Gatsby stars Leonardo Dicaprio and the god Amitabh Bachchan and features a stacked soundtrack, executive produced by Jay-Z. It’s an OST notable for injecting contemporary aesthetics into a Roaring ’20s backdrop, which we’ve heard via original contributions from Florence + The Machine and Lana Del Rey and now the xx, who hew close to their golden ratio of one part girl, one part boy, all parts sultry and tastefully skeletal production. There are strings in here, too, for added cinematic effect. Review via Stereogum.

Josef Salvat – “Hustler”

London-based singer Josef Salvat hits us with a delicate ode to the trials and tribulations of a man with “the heart of a hustler playing a dangerous game.” Falling just the right side of twee, Salvat mixes clean-cut, pop-leaning choruses with direct, much darker lyrics, such as the wryly observed opening couplet “It’s not easy on my bed sheets/ It’s not easy on my nerves.” With a couple more really standout lyrics in “Hustler,” and spacious, piano-led production to boot, Joseph Salvat is certainly doing something interesting within the pop format. Review via Pigeons & Planes.

Pure X – “Thousand Year Old Child”

Crawling up the Stairs, that will come as a surprise to longtime fans of the soulful Texas slowburners—their use of synths and vocoded vocals, for instance, and the album’s relatively skronk-free, studio-hewn production sound. But “Thousand Year Old Child” is just classic, gut-wrenching, minimalist-cum-maximalist Pure X, all patient, pillowy snare hits and walking-pace funk bass and tormented, into-the-red guitar. Look for the album on May 14th, when it drops via Acéphale/Merok, and read Sam Hockley-Smith’s 2011 profile on their extended Austin family. Review via the Fader.

Mr. Little Jeans – “Oh Sailor (Strange Talk Remix)”

Mr Little Jeans – AKA Norwegian songstress Monica Birkenes – drew accolades a few years back with her striking cover of Arcade Fire’s “The Suburbs” and a string of impressive Neon Gold releases. Now she’s back with “Oh Sailor,” a hauntingly pretty indie-pop shanty that reflects her youth spent “in the middle of the woods” in the seaside town of Grimstad, with a catamaran builder for a dad. The combination of Mr Little Jeans’ arresting dreampop sound and Strange Talk‘s energetic indie disco makes this dancefloor-ready remix from the Aussie quartet one of our favorites of the year so far. Review via All Things Go.

Classixx – “All You’re Waiting For (ft. Nancy Whang)”

We get a Nancy Whang (of LCD Soundsystem & The Juan MacLean) in the latest single from Classixx’s new LP, Hanging Gardens, scheduled to drop on May 14th via Innovative Leisure. “All You’re Waiting For” is a summer jam in the making with poppy synths and Whang’s Human League-esque vocal delivery. This album is coming together to be a possible best of list contender. Review via My Old Kentucky Blog.

Jagwar Ma – “Man I Need (White Label Version)”

On “Man I Need” (White Label Version), rising Australian duo Jagwar Ma expand on their swirling, psychedelic debut single “The Throw”, unleashed earlier this year. This new cut clocks in at 10 minutes (!) and shows the pair not only playing around with the kind of spacey anthemic rock that might balloon through a smoky arena, but also full-on, punchy party rock for the nights when it just feels right to throw it down on the dance floor. Review via Consequence of Sound.

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You want to learn french? There’s a fucking app for that:

google translate app.

There you go. It’s free. And all you lose was your attempt to be pretentious about how much better your trip to france was because you knew the language. I SO CULTURED NOW. ^^

Meanwhile, for those people who actually want to use their time wisely, and have (not sure how) enough time to actually master a language, they should all be learning this motherfucking talent:

LIP READING is FIRE

here’s a short list of things you can do if you can lip read:

1. figure out what your boss is saying behind your back.

2. listen in on people’s conversations in public.

3. find out what the fuck kobe always talks to the refs about.

4. GET A ONE-UP ON LIFE UNLIKE KNOWING FRENCH.

Seriously, the fact that we learn spanish in grade school and not lip reading is a fucking jokathon. Aren’t you supposed to be acquiring skills to make it in life? this is the single best language skill you can have, better than public speaking, better than being bilingual, better than even learning how to motorboat a bitch.

…and like two people know how to do it that aren’t deaf. nice job america. Stay busy with your night classes!

STAY HOT.

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Ed. Note – We’ll be diverting from the usual brand of crude comedy for the following piece discussing the collective response to the bombings of the Boston Marathon.

Alright, since I live a few miles away from where this shitstorm went down a week ago and have gotten to experience the last week up close and personal, I feel I need to weigh in on the reaction to the Marathon bombing and ensuing manhunt that has taken over the collective mind of Boston, and apparently, the entire World.

First of all it goes without saying (but I will anyway) that praise need to be given to first responders, the authorities that tracked down the perps and, most of all, the families of the deceased and those injured in this whole ordeal – who’s mental and physical fortitude is likely much stronger than mine. These are the true victims of these types of events, and too often the focus gets turned away from them to other trivial, self-serving BS that gets spewed out when things like this happen (see: ‘Sweet Caroline’).

But there comes a time when we all need to put this behind us and move on — and it seems that my city is having a hard time doing this, mostly because the media won’t let us and because of this prevailing jingoistic attitude among some residents here that somehow Boston responded in a way that is better or more unique than the response would have been if this happened elsewhere.

I’ve always been quite critical of the ‘Never Forget’ mantra that surfaced after 9/11. I get the general idea behind the phrase but, in a way, isn’t that what the enemy wants? Don’t they want us to remember the event, remember them, and be fearful that these types of events can happen at any day or time in any place? Don’t they want to stoke feelings of hatred and vengeance against other people? While I’m not saying we should forget lessons or victims of these types of events, to me the best response is to move the fuck on and get back to our normal lives as soon as possible. This is the type of behavior that shows we cannot be shaken, cannot be intimidated by those trying to do harm on innocent people.

Yes, the incessant media coverage is what fans these feelings. I know this is par for the course these days when everyone is a critic, when the media only give a fuck about ratings instead of reporting facts, and  when there is just a level of over-saturation of ‘media’ in general that borderlines on the nauseating – this is only part of the problem.

There is another problem I have with our city — namely, people celebrating over the weekend like something good actually happened. Let’s recap here: we had one of the most iconic events of our city bombed by two twenty-something fuckheads in Cambridge clearly doing little with their lives, we had four people killed, 160+ maimed, an entire region put on lockdown (an unprecedented event in American history) and millions in taxpayer resources spent to catch these assholes. Did anyone ‘win’ in this ordeal??

Yes, we did take one of the alleged perps alive and it was worth acknowledging that the job was complete, the number of lives ruined and the fact this city’s been turned on its head for a week is NOTHING to celebrate, and frankly the pictures and videos from Friday night are a disgrace. I felt the same way after we captured Osama Bin Laden – this is not the example America should be setting.

The correct response from a humble and introspective public should have been one of reserved acknowledgment that we’ve done our job as a city and that its time to move on. Time to get back to our normal lives. No more ribbons, no more catchphrases, no more memorials, no more ceremonies at sporting events. While I encourage charitable donations to help those affected, it should be left at that.

I urge us to get back to normal and for the media to get back to reporting on actual news, instead of milking this story for all its worth.

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Is it real or is it fake? I have asked that question dozens of times this week…Well, it doesn’t matter anymore because Daft Punk have finally released their newest song “Get Lucky!” After much speculation, fakes, and SNL ads, Daft Punk have shared their latest single, which will be on Random Access Memories, due out May 21st. I have to say the song is extremely catchy with its disco-laden grooves and Pharrell’s silky choruses. “Get Lucky” only makes my appetite for new Daft Punk even greater.

Check out this week’s playlist after the jump.

Empire Of The Sun – “Alive”

Last month, with great fanfare, Australian synth-rock stars Empire Of The Sun announced the impending release of their sophomore album Ice On The Sun. That album’s goofily epic trailer might’ve indicated a move toward cosmic prog, but the album’s first single “Alive,” which the band just shared, is actually a peppy and festival-directed blast of chanty, keyboard-streaked euphoria, one not too different from first-album Passion Pit or first-album MGMT. Review via Stereogum.

Young Wonder – “Time feat. Sacred Animals”

Rachel Koeman’s shrill murmurs against the production half of Young Wonder, Ian Ring’s breathy reverbed beats, looped whispers of vocal snippets, and menagerie of painstakingly crafted percussion arrangements create what might be the Irish duo’s best single yet. But the real star of ‘Time’ is the guest vocal work of Irish producer, Darragh Nolan aka Sacred Animals. Lending a richness to the track through glassy falsettos rippling over billowy 808 beats, pitched cymbal clashes and whirling, lofty delays, ‘Time’ becomes so much more than just an hour of the day. Review via Line of Best Fit.

POLIÇA – “Tiff ft. Justin Vernon”

Poliça released one of my favorite albums of the past few years, Give You The Ghost, that was so haunting and had such replay value. The same exact thing could be said about Bon Iver’s self-titled sophomore release too, so of course it’s fitting that Justin Vernon himself is joining Poliça for new single “Tiff”. I didn’t/am not going to Coachella this year so I missed out on their live collaboration Friday but will happily take this recorded gem as a FOMO consolation. Love this jam and cannot wait for their new LP this year. Now, will Channy Leaneagh and Vernon get a room already and make midwestern musical babies? Review via I Guess I’m Floating

Tiger Tsunami – “Antarctica”

Inspired by artists like Flying Lotus, Bonobo and Minus The Bear, Tiger Tsunami makes the kind of instrumental music that fights against the notion of genre. There’s a thick, moody, hip-hop feel to “Antarctica,” but simply calling it “a beat” would be like calling a platypus simple “an animal.” Like, yes, a platypus is an animal, but there’s more to it than that—it’s complicated. Review via Pigeon & Planes.

PLOY – “VRDSNT”

Washington, DC is quickly becoming a city known for more than just politics. The music scene in the nation’s capital is one of the fastest growing in the country. New and incredibly talented acts like Brett, Misun, & PLOY are shaking up our staid image and creating amazing new electro music for us all.

PLOY is the DC based duo of Gil Wojcik & Justin Victoria. VRDSNT is their latest single and is a refreshing mix of electro, sweet indie-pop and unstoppable drum beats. Prepare to fall hard for the District’s newest music makers. Review via Kick Kick Snare.

Thundercat – “Heatbreaks + Setbacks”

Any discussion of bassist/vocalist Stephen Bruner has to mention his astonishing chops, but that’s likely served as a dealbreaker for Thundercat as much as a selling point. After all, the thumb-poppin’, fretless corndogging of Jaco Pastorius, Flea and Les Claypool have largely formed the public’s idea of what “sick bassist, bro” entails. But fortunately, “Heartbreaks + Setbacks”, the first single from his forthcoming Apocalypse (out July 9 on Brainfeeder), portrays Bruner as a grounded human being with astronomic abilities.

“Heartbreaks + Setbacks” is a simply worded and deeply felt emotional plea co-written and co-produced by Flying Lotus, a collaborator as well as a kindred spirit of Bruner; here are two LA-based musical scions with seemingly limitless capabilities for creation and appreciation. Co-written and -produced by Brainfeeder’s Mono/Poly as well, “Heartbreaks” contrasts the vulnerability of the lyrics with an arrangement that’s pure love– rapturous coos and horns, a demanding and rewarding rhythmic swing that’s just off in a way that it takes colossal amounts of practice to get right. Review via Pitchfork.

Joywave – “Tongues feat. KOPPS”

The process behind Rochester based Joywave’s upcoming mixtape, 88888, is an intriguing exercise in self-improvement. Playing upon the idea that no creative project is ever truly finished, the group, led by frontman Daniel Armbruster, created a record that is not comprised of new material, but rather rethinks and reintroduces material from the band’s debut EP, Koda Vista. This idea is rooted not only in the dance and hip-hop tradition of the remix, but also in the paintings of Expressionist painter Edvard Munch, who famously remade the same painting several times, in order to best communicate with his audience. Review via Interview Magazine.

Bibio – “You”

A new track from the forthcoming Bibio album, Silver Wilkinson, which is gonna be released on Warp records later this year. On previous releases, the UK produced showed himself to be a jack of all trades when it comes to influences and musical emulation. On this latest track of his, “You,” Bibio ventures out on a more hip hop-influenced endeavor with a punchy beat and methodically splattered soul samples. The track is seductive and detailed. Review by The Needle Drop.

Apparat – “A Violent Sky”

German electronic engineer Apparat, aka Sascha Ring, will follow up 2011′s The Devil’s Walk with a unique concept album titled Krieg und Frieden (Music For Theatre), due out February 19th via Mute. The album features a collection of music that will score German theatre pioneer Sebastian Hartmann’s forthcoming production of Tolstoy’s War & Peace.

“This is anything but conventional theatre,” Ring explains in a press release. “It’s a free space, where a bunch of freaks can go wild. It starts with the lights and stops with the actual actors. At night, we worked on the music in the empty hall. It was kind of magical.”

The musician holed up in an abandoned factory, where he rehearsed the music alongside a 30-piece ensemble over four weeks. He recorded the pieces alongside cellist Philipp Timm (cello) and violinist Christoph Hartmann, who are both members of his touring band. He adds, “In the studio the material got another twist, it became a real piece of music.”

“A Violent Sky” is the first selection to absorb and it’s a mellow piano-laden track that touches the heart in all the ways Chris Martin attempts to on each and every Coldplay ballad. Sigh, Tolstoy has never sounded so sentimental. Review via Consequence of Sound.

London Grammar – “Wasting My Young Years”

We count ourselves as big fans of (the very young looking!) London Grammar’s first two songs, “Hey Now” and “Metal and Dust,” and their latest release continues what Disco Naïveté aptly calls a “perfect streak.” “Wasting My Young Years” shares the other tracks’ exquisite sense of space and feeling of restrained strength. We’d love to hear an album of such gorgeous sounds, but as of now, there’s no LP or EP release plans. So we’re stuck basking in the light of just their three singles. Review via Pretty Much Amazing.

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