Friday Night News Round Up

The last time TMI did a news round up, it involved Photoshopping a Santa hat on Bob Dylan, so I figure it's about time to do another one.

- Coldplay announced the name of their new album, but sadly did not include a pronunciation guide. [Editor's note: It's my-lo zy-letoe, according to the Coldplay newsletter] Mylo Xyloto is out October 25. There's not a track listing out yet, but you can count on "Every Teardrop is a Waterfall" to be on there. Rolling Stone is reporting that other songs might include "Us Against the World," "Hurts Like Heaven," "Charlie Brown" and "Major Minus," which Coldplay have been playing at shows as of late.

- Louisiana songwriter dude Marc Broussard has a new video out. It's for "Cruel," a song off his new self-titled album. It's pretty amusing and Broussard is as soulful as ever. Check it out.

- Radiohead's going to be on Saturday Night Live September 24. I know. I'm trying to picture the uber complicated and layered sonic textures of Radiohead coming out of whatever miserable sound system SNL uses. We shall see! Maybe they'll get the USC marching band to play with them like they did at the Grammys a few years ago. Also, Alec Baldwin will be hosting.

- If you're interested in more Noah and the Whale, Pretty Much Amazing posted an MP3 of the Brit indie folk rockers playing a cover of Robyn's "Call Your Girlfriend" for BBC Radio 1. Even better, you can download it.

- And finally, Feist debut her new single today. It's "How Come You Never Go There" and it will live on her forthcoming album Metals, out October 4.

Well, that's all I've got. Enjoy.

Noah and the Whale Play NPR

It was happy news from my Google Reader this morning when I saw that the London-based indie band Noah and the Whale stopped by the NPR All Songs Considered office to play a Tiny Desk Concert. In reality, it was only a part of the group, frontman Charlie Fink and violinist Tom Hebden, but they played a great set anyway.

If you never picked up a copy of this past spring's Last Night on Earth, definitely do when you get a chance, and even more so than that, pick up First Days of Spring, which came out in 2009. Absolutely lovely, probably the prettiest break up album you'll ever hear. Not sure if there's something ironic about falling in love with a break up album, but you will. Embrace the irony.

New Music From Frightened Rabbit

Seems like the Scottish rockers of Frightened Rabbit are keeping occupied these days. They're out on tour with Death Cab for Cutie and they just released two tracks from a tour EP, available only at their merch table. (Sorry.)

But the good news is that those tracks, plus one more, are just below for your listening pleasure. Also note the guest spots on the songs, including Tracyanne Campbell from Camera Obscura. (In my opinion, that's the best track of the bunch.) Three cheers for Frabbit.

Frightened Rabbit - Fuck This Place (Featuring Tracyanne Campbell From Camera Obscura) by ListenBeforeYouBuy

Frightened Rabbit - The Work (Featuring Archie Fisher) by ListenBeforeYouBuy

Frightened Rabbit - Scottish Winds by ListenBeforeYouBuy

Catch Beirut's 'Rip Tide' Streaming

I don't know what it's like where you are, but in Syracuse, NY it's rainy and gray. What better use of time could there be than taking Beirut's new album The Riptide for a test run? (And polishing up a final project for my grad program.... but that's my deal.)

NPR has The Riptide streaming as an Exclusive First Listen. So far so good. The title "Riptide" is probably a more forceful thought than anything on the album, which is mostly slower-paced and horn-ladden as usual. It's Beirut's third full-length album. For those of you keeping track at home, you might remember the name from 2009's Top Ten Discoveries list. The band's contribution to the Dessner brother-backed (from The National) charity album Dark was the Night, fit right in with the gypsy rock (or Balkan folk, if you prefer) kick I was apparently on at the time.

Anyway, check it out.

Alexander Hamilton, Hip-Hop Hero

This morning I flipped to the first page of an old reporters notebook and saw scribbled in pencil on the first line "The Hamilton Mixtape -> Lin-Manuel Miranda." Also, apparently I had an advising session that Friday at 10 a.m.

Anyway, in case that line doesn't mean anything to you, let me clue you in. Lin-Manuel Miranda is one of the most talented figures in current-day literary/arts culture. He's a rapper, an actor and a playwrite from New York. He wrote the music and lyrics for broadway musical In Heights, which was nominated for thirteen Tonys. Miranda also worked on a revival of West Side Story that actually featured Spanish in the dialogue between the Puerto Rican characters as well as in the songs they sing.

He's into a million different things these days. If you were paying attention, you might have spotted him on Modern Family a few months ago.

But the Hamilton Mixtape part? I'd forgotten hearing on NPR that he was working on an album about Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton's life, because Hamilton was– and you may not know this – a true embodiment of hip-hop.

I'll let Miranda explain it. Check out his 2009 performance at the White House's Poetry Jam. No word on a release date, but you better believe when that thing drops, I'm going to be the first in line. I have great respect for people that can string together words, especially the way he can. (That's why I hang out with writers.)

Plea From A Cat Named Virtue : The Weakerthans

This week's message from the universe is brought to you by The Weakerthans. It's "Plea from a Cat Named Virtue" and it popped into my world twice in a very shot time frame. First, from a friend, and second, from NPR's always fan-friggin-tastic All Songs Considered podcast.

If you haven't heard it, the song is written from the perspective of a cat (stay with me) whose owner is in a funk. It's sort of sweet and definitely clever in a non groan-inducing way.

My favorite line is "I don't know who you're talking to, I made a search through every room, but all I found was dust that moved and shadows of the afternoon." The song is written in a way that's strangely believable when you think about what pets must witness from their owners.

Anyway. Give it a listen. Oh, and meet the official cat of The Musically Inclined.

Jett

(Like the Paul McCartney song, but with an extra "t" for balance.)

The Shins Sell Out

I am totally kidding. Couldn't be happier that the long-silent New Mexico indie pop band signed to Columbia Records and is hitting the road this fall.

Look for a new album next year on Aural Apothecary, which is a Columbia imprint run by frontman James Mercer. The band split from SubPop in 2008.

Here's the tour schedule.

8/8 – Eugene, Oreg. : W.O.W. Hall
8/9 – Bend, Oreg. : The Domino Room
8/10 – Portland, Oreg. : The Doug Fir Lounge
8/12 – San Francisco, Calif. : Outside Lands Festival

9/22 – Toronto, Ontario : Phoenix Concert Theatre
9/23 – Philadelphia, Penn. : Popped! Festival
9/24 – Boston, Mass. : Paradise Rock Club

10/15 – Pensacola, Fla. : DeLuna Festival

And if they're not coming to a city near you, please enjoy my personal favorite song of theirs (above), also known as the 2nd most played song on my iTunes.