Stream: The Roots - How I Got Over

The Roots new album promises to be something special. It features brilliant, inspired samples, as well as guest performances from a range of acts. You can stream 90 second samples of all the tunes below, including the brilliant Monsters of Folk sampling 'Dear God 2.0' and their take on Joanna Newsom with 'Right On'. the album comes out on Tuesday in the US.

Tracklist:
1. "A Peace of Light" (feat. Amber Coffman, Angel Deradoorian & Haley Dekle of Dirty Projectors) 1:50
2. "Walk Alone" (feat. Truck North, P.O.R.N. & Dice Raw) 3:55
3. "Dear God 2.0" (feat. Monsters of Folk) 3:59
4. "Radio Daze" (feat. Blu, P.O.R.N. & Dice Raw) 4:16
5. "Now Or Never" (feat. Phonte & Dice Raw) 4:34
6. "How I Got Over" (feat. Dice Raw) 3:36
7. "DillaTUDE (The Flight of Titus)" 0:42
8. "The Day" (feat. Blu, Phonte & Patty Crash) 3:44
9. "Right On" (feat. Joanna Newsom & STS) 3:36
10. "Doin' It Again" (feat. John Legend) 2:24
11. "The Fire" (feat. John Legend) 3:41
12. "Tunnel Vision" 0:40
13. "Web 20/20" (feat. Peedi Peedi & Truck North) 2:46
14. "Hustla" (feat. STS) 2:56

Album News: Eels - Tomorrow Morning

Mister E must be the most prolific artist around, it seems every month I'm posting news of a new Eels album. The latest of which is Tomorrow Morning. It's due out on August 24th and ends the trilogy of albums that started with El Hombre Loco. End Times was a pretty good album, so hopefully part 3 of 3 can keep the trend going.

Tracklist:
01 “In Gratitude For This Magnificent Day”
02 “I’m A Hummingbird”
03 “The Morning”
04 “Baby Loves Me”
05 “Spectacular Girl”
06 “What I Have to Offer”
07 “This Is Where It Gets Good”
08 “After The Earthquake”
09. “Oh So Lovely”
10 “The Man”
11 “Looking Up”
12 “That’s Not Her Way”
13 “I Like the Way This Is Going”
14 “Mystery Of Life”

Stream: Ray LaMontagne - Beg, Steal or Borrow

This is the first track we've had the chance to hear properly from Ray LaMontagne's upcoming album with the Pariah Dogs, God Willin' & The Creek Don't Rise. It's a nice tune, and is a good introduction for the record, especially as it features some lovely pedal steel guitar. The album itself is due August 17th.

Tracklisting:
1. Repo Man
2. New York City's Killing Me
3. God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise
4. Beg Steal Or Borrow
5. Are We Really Through
6. This Love Is Over
7. Old Before Your Time
8. For The Summer
9. Like Rock & Roll and Radio
10. The Devil's In The Jukebox

Stream Ray LaMontagne - 'Beg, Steal, or Borrow':

Stream: MIA - MAYA

The new album from MIA, called /\/\/\Y/\, is due for release on July 12th, but can now be streamed in full at the People's Music Store website. The stream allows you to listen to 30 second snippets of the entire thing, so in theory you can listen to all the album. You just have to reload every 30 seconds!

Tracklist:
1 “The Message” 0:57
2 “Steppin' Up” 4:01
3 “XXXO” 2:54
4 “Teqkilla” 6:19
5 “Lovalot” 2:50
6 “Story Told” 3:32
7 “It Takes a Muscle” 3:00
8 “It Iz What It Iz” 3:29
9 “Born Free” 4:07
10 “Meds and Feds” 3:08
11 “Tell Me Why” 4:10
12 “Space” 3:08

Stream:
http://peoplesmusicstore.com/catalogue_items/649539

Album News: RPA and the United Nations of Sound - United Nations of Sound

Good news Richard Ashcroft solo fans (not so sure whether it's good news for Verve fans, but you must admit that Forth was fairly disappointing). He's back with a new project, RPA and the United Nations of Sound. Richard Ashcroft, alongside Steve Wyreman (guitar), Paul ‘DW’ Wright (bass), and Derrick Wright (drums) are to release debut album United Nations of Sound on July 16th on Parlophone. The album is produced by Chicago hip-hop producer No ID (Common, Jay-Z), with string arrangements from Benjamin Wright (Michael Jackson), and engineering by Reggie Dozier (Outkast, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye). Not a bad castlist at all.

Tracklist:
1. Are You Ready
2. Born Again
3. America
4. This Thing Called Life
5. Beatitudes
6. Good Loving
7. How Deep Is Your Man
8. She Brings Me The Music
9. Royal Highness
10. Glory
11. Life Can Be So Beautiful
12. Let My Soul Rest

Watch rehearsal footage:

Album News: Pete Yorn - Self-titled

Pete Yorn is set to release his fifth album on September 28th. It comes out on Vagrant and is self-titled. Biggest news of all is that it was produced by Frank Black (or Black Francis) of the Pixies.

Black had this to say of the record: "Pete told me he wanted to better define himself as an artist. I think he just wanted to rock out. But as we headed down a path of realization I stripped him down a whole bunch. We battled in the best sort of way. I tried to get the session into a fearless and raw place, and to his artistic credit Pete took his songwriting to a fearless and raw place. This listener will find his or herself sitting right next to Pete on the couch. And the record totally rocks out."

Tracklist:
1. Precious Stone
2. Rock Crowd
3. Velcro Shoes
4. Paradise Cove I
5. Badman
6. The Chase
7. Sans Fear
8. Always
9. Stronger than
10. Future Life
11. Wheels

Album News: Iron Maiden - The Final Frontier

Not only will Irish fans get the chance to see Iron Maiden live this summer at the O2 on July 30th, but two weeks later can get the chance to hear brand new studio tracks on the band's fifteenth album, The Final Frontier. Better still, the band are giving away one of the album's ten songs, 'El Dorado', as a free mp3 download on their official site from today.

Tracklist:
1. Satellite 15.....The Final Frontier 8:40
2. El Dorado 6:49
3. Mother Of Mercy 5:20
4. Coming Home 5:52
5. The Alchemist 4:29
6. Isle Of Avalon 9:06
7. Starblind 7:48
8. The Talisman 9:03
9. The Man Who Would Be King 8:28
10. When The Wild Wind Blows 10:59

Download 'El Dorado':
http://www.ironmaiden.com/download/index.html

Album News: David Gray - Foundling

Just a year after releasing his seventh album, David Gray is back with yet another full-length record. This new one is called Foundling and is due August 17th.

The press release states "The first single, 'A Moment Everything Changes' is an upbeat driving force, while songs such as the album opener 'Only The Wine' and the bluesy title track 'Foundling' show David Gray’s understated artistry and hauntingly beautiful vocals that have garnered him fans across the globe. "

Strangely enough, the lead single is from the bonus disc, and not from the main album itself.

Tracklist:
Disc 1
1. Only The Wine
2. Foundling
3. Forgetting
4. Gossamer Thread
5. The Old Chair
6. In God’s Name
7. We Could Fall In Love Again Tonight
8. Holding On
9. When I Was In Your Heart
10. A New Day At Midnight
11. Dave Jones' Locker


Disc 2 - BONUS DISC
1. Fixative
2. Morning Theme
3. The Dotted Line
4. A Million Years
5. Who's Singing Now
6. Old Father Time
7. Indeed I Will
8. A Moment Changes Everything
9. More To Me Now

Stream: Tift Merritt - See You on the Moon

2008's Another Country was a decent country-pop record from Tift Merritt. For her new album, however, Merritt has taken out most of the pop and made a more straight-up country album. It's more of a throwback to her first and second albums, and is sure to please her early fans. See You on the Moon has just been released in America, and can be streamed in full on Merritt's official website. (The album cover isn't great though!)

Tracklist:
Mixtape
Engine To Turn
Things That Everybody Does, The
Six More Days of Rain
Feel Of The World (with Jim James)
Never Talk About It
All The Reasons We Don’T Have To Fight
Live Till You Die
Papercut
See You On the Moon
Danny’S Song
After Today
Bar With A TV On

Stream:
http://www.tiftmerritt.com/discography/see-you-on-the-moon/

Album News: Guggenheim Grotto - The Universe is Laughing

The Guggenheim Grotto's last album (their second), Happy the Man, was one of my favourite Irish albums of 2008. It was a marvellous pop-rock record. So when I saw over on IndieLimerick that there was a new one imminent, I had to find out more.

The Universe is Laughing is the band's third full-length, and has been release online on their official website.

Tracklist:
1. Trust Me I’m A Thief
2. Map Of The Human Heart
3. Wings And Feathers
4. Never Before
5. Concentrate
6. Wisdom
7. Ruby Heart
8. The Spiegel Song
9. The Universe Is Laughing
10. Diamond.

Stream 'Wisdom':

More info/buy:
http://www.guggenheimgrotto.com/

Album News: Feeder - Renegades

After toying with the Renegades side-project, Feeder are back under their original moniker, and have chosen to call their new album Renegades instead. They had released an EP as Renegades, but their new full-length will be a Feeder record. The lead single from the album is 'Call Out', which comes out on June 14th, and had previously been a side-project tune. The album itself is due July 5th.

Feeder are due to play the Academy on August 19th.

Tracklist:
1. "White Lines"
2. "Call Out"
3. "Renegades"
4. "Sentimental"
5. "This Town"
6. "Down to the River"
7. "Home"
8. "Barking Dogs"
9. "City in a Rut"
10. "Left Foot Right"
11. "The End"
12. "Godhead"

Watch Feeder/Renegades 'Call Out' live:

Album News: Rhymefest - El Che

Rhymefest has had a very succesful career so far even though the man born Che Smith has only released one proper album so far. He's a Grammy Award winning songwriter, having co-wrote 'Jesus Walks' with Kanye West, and his Man in the Mirror mixtape (released before Michael Jackson's death) is one of the finest mixtapes I have heard in years. His debut album Blue Collar came out in 2006, and next week he's due to release the follow-up El Che. It's set to be good, the man is damn talented.

Tracklist:
1. "Intro: The Agent"
2. "Talk My Shit"
3. "Say Whassup" (feat. Phonte of Little Brother)
4. "How High" (feat. Little Brother & Darien Brockington)
5. "Chocolates"
6. "One Arm Push Up"
7. "Prosperity"
8. "Truth On You" (feat. Twone Gabz)
9. "Intermisson: Juan Carlos"
10. "Chicago"
11. "Agony" (feat. Glenn Lewis)
12. "Last Night"
13. "Give It to Me" (feat. Saigon & Adad)
14. "Intermission: No Help"
15. "City Is Fallen" (feat. Slique)
16. "Celebration"

Album News: Made in Iceland 3

Compilation albums are tricky things. Most of the time they're not successful, as one act always shines far above the others. On the flip side, compilation albums are great because you get to hear songs and bands you would have never heard otherwise (unless it's a Now That's What I Call Music record). Made in Iceland 3 features some new(ish) tracks from most of Iceland's best loved musicians. As well as a tune from Sigur Rós's Jonsi ('Boy Lilikoi'), there's excellent songs from Olafur Arnalds and Valgeir Sigurdsson.

Made in Iceland III is out now on Iceland Music Export.

TRACKLISTING:
1. For a Minor Reflection // Dansi Dans
2. Jonsi // Boy Lilikoi
3. Hjaltalin // Suitcase Man
4. Reykjavik! // Repticon
5. Seabear // I'll Build You a Fire
6. Ben Frost // Hibakusja
7. Stafraenn Hakon // Temporality
8. Berndsen // Supertime
9. Kimono // Tomorrow
10. Valgeir Sigurdsson // Past Tundra
11. Benni Hemm Hemm // Retaliate
12. Pondus // Not Again
13. Lay Low // Aukalagid
14. Feldberg // Dreamin'
15. Snorri Helgason // Freeze Out
16. Sam Amidon // How Come That Blood
17. SkakkaManage // Now or Never
18. Sudden Weather Change // St. Peter's Day
19. Emiliana Torrini // Beggar's Prayer
20. Olafur Arnalds // Tunglid

Sample:
Olafur Arnalds - 'Tunglid'
Hjaltalin - 'Suitcase Man'

More info:
www.icelandmusic.is

Stream: Muse - Neutron Star Collision

Muse premiered their brand new single 'Neutron Star Collision (Love is Forever)' last night. It's due to appear on the soundtrack for the third Twilight movie, Eclipse which comes out next month. The soundtrack itself is due June 8th.

Tracklist:
1. Metric – "Eclipse (All Yours)"
2. Muse – "Neutron Star Collision (Love Is Forever)"
3. The Bravery – "Ours"
4. Florence + the Machine – "Heavy in Your Arms"
5. Sia – "My Love"
6. Fanfarlo – "Atlas"
7. Metallica - "Blackened"
8. The Black Keys – "Chop and Change"
9. The Dead Weather – "Rolling in on a Burning Tire"
10. Beck and Bat for Lashes – "Let's Get Lost"
11. Vampire Weekend – "Jonathan Low"
12. UNKLE featuring The Black Angels – "With You in My Head"
13. Eastern Conference Champions – "A Million Miles an Hour"
14. Band of Horses – "Life on Earth"
15. Cee-Lo Green – "What Part of Forever"
16. Howard Shore – "Jacob's Theme"


Stream:

Album News: Wolf Parade - Expo 86

The third album from Spencer Krug's excellent Wolf Parade, Expo 86 is due for release in June, and from the previews of it (i.e. it leaked at the weekend), it's going to be mega. If you want to steer on the legal side of things, have a listen to mp3s of two of the songs below (thanks to Pitchfork).

Tracklist:
1. "Cloud Shadow on the Mountain" - 4:22
2. "Palm Road" - 4:41
3. "What Did My Lover Say? (It Always Had to Go This Way)" - 5:42
4. "Little Golden Age" - 5:00
5. "In the Direction of the Moon" - 5:46
6. "Ghost Pressure" - 5:16
7. "Pobody's Nerfect" - 5:50
8. "Two Men in New Tuxedos" - 3:09
9. "Oh You, Old Thing" - 5:46
10. "Yulia" - 3:47
11. "Cave-o-Sapien" - 6:19

Download:
Wolf Parade - 'Ghost Pressure'
Wolf Parade - 'What Did My Lover Say'

Watch: Karen Elson - The Ghost Who Walks

The video for the title track from the debut album of Karen Elson has been released. The album, The Ghost Who Walks, comes out on Third Man Records next weekend, and looks set to be fantastic.

Tracklist:
1. The Ghost Who Walks
2. The Truth Is In The Dirt
3. Pretty Babies
4. Lunasa
5. 100 Years From Now
6. Stolen Roses
7. Cruel Summer
8. Garden
9. The Birds They Circle
10. A Thief At My Door
11. The Last Laugh
12. Mouths To Feed

Watch Karen Elson - 'The Ghost Who Walks':

Watch: The Divine Comedy - At the Indie Disco

The Divine Comedy's tenth album (yes, ten, impressive eh?) Bang Goes the Knighthood will be released on May 31st, and is sure to be every bit as good as their past attempts, especially if lead single 'At the Indie Disco' is anything to go by. Watch the video for it below.

Tracklist:
1. "Down In The Street Below"
2. "The Complete Banker"
3. "Neapolitan Girl"
4. "Bang Goes The Knighthood"
5. "At The Indie Disco"
6. "Have You Ever Been in Love"
7. "Assume the Perpendicular"
8. "The Lost Art of Conversation"
9. "Island Life"
10. "When a Man Cries"
11. "Can You Stand Upon One Leg"
12. "I Like"


Watch The Divine Comedy 'At the Indie Disco':

Album News: RSAG - Be It Right or Wrong

Kilkenny's Jeremy Hickey is back with a new album. The follow-up to R.S.A.G.'s excellent 2008 record Organic Sampler is due June 11th. Rarely Seen Above Ground's second album will be called Be It Right or Wrong and is sure to be every bit as good as the Choice-nominated debut. Wonderful Irish music website State.ie has a stream of the first single 'The Roamer' which was given its first play by On the Record's Jim Carroll last night.

Tracklist:
1. BE IT RIGHT OR WRONG
2. BEFORE THEY MAKE YOU RUN
3. THE MESS WERE IN
4. THE ROAMER 5 MOVEMENT
6. THE BITTER SWING
7. HOTWIRE THE HEART
8. MERCY PLEA
9. HANGING ON A LIE
10. MAKE
11. ROOTS
12. TIME ON TRIAL

Upcoming dates:
Wed 16 June – Cyprus Avenue, Cork
Thu 17 June – Dolan’s, Limerick
Fri 18 June – Roisin Dubh, Galway
Thu 24 June – The Academy, Dublin
Sat 26 June – Spirit Store, Dundalk

Stream:
RSAG - 'The Roamer'

Album News: Phil Collins - Going Back

My love of Genesis knows no bounds. I even own some of those solo albums from Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins. And I don't care what anyone says, but Collins has written and sang some damn fine pop and rock tunes. Thus I'm a little excited for his first release in 8 years (since 2002's disappointing Testify).

Going Back is set for release on September 13th, and will be a covers album of Motown and soul classics. Ahead of the album's release, Collins is to play four shows in June under the banner Up Close & Personal: Phil Collins Plays 60's Motown & Soul. He also said this of the album "You know, I mean, I started it for fun, really, and just chose all the Motown songs, the darker songs that I liked, the lesser known ones. And I ended up with about 40 of them and finished, I’ve actually finished about 29 of them."

This could be amazing. Could be terrible either, but hopefully not.

Tracklist:
1. Girl (Why You Wanna Make Me Blue)
2. Uptight (Everything’s Alright)
3. Blame It On The Sun
4. Never Dreamed You’d Leave In Summer
5. Heat Wave
6. In My Lonely Room
7. Jimmy Mack
8. Standing In The Shadows Of Love
9. Something About You
10. Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever
11. Papa Was a Rolling Stone
12. Some Of Your Loving
13. Talking About My Baby
14. Do I Love You?
15. Going To a Go-Go
16. Love Is Here
17. Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me a Little While)
18. Goin' Back

Stream: The Hold Steady - Heaven is Whenever

The new Hold Steady album Heaven is Whenever is just a few weeks away. However, it was released on vinyl as part of Record Store Day and now can also be streamed in full over at NPR. On first listen, it's decent, but may well be their worst album yet. Where's Franz Nicolay when you need him? (Although come fifth listen, I might love it.)

Tracklist:
1. "The Sweet Part of the City"
2. "Soft in the Center"
3. "The Weekenders"
4. "The Smidge"
5. "Rock Problems"
6. "We Can Get Together"
7. "Hurricane J"
8. "Barely Breathing"
9. "Our Whole Lives"
10. "A Slight Discomfort"

Stream:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126023882