Bump This Newcomer: Two Door Cinema Club

The British really have their way with dancey electro-pop. This Irish trio throws themselves into the mix with a furiously pulsing style that is reminiscent of the more synth-inclined Bloc Party and a different species of Phoenix.

There's a lot of reason to like them. Two Door Cinema Club's got jangly strats, catchy (but) repetitive hooks and rhythms, lyrics spoken towards a certain girl(s), and overall good melodic sensibilities. Alex Trimble's voxbox has brought up Ben Gibbard comparisons, but his singing is a little lighter and smoother, like a Thomas Mars (Phoenix) and a Matthew Murphy (the Wombats). Their short-lived tracks exist like quick lovers: you get captivated, but then it ends, whether you like it or not.

You can listen to their 3 singles over and over, and you don't really tire of them. With each spin, you rediscover the reason why your ears asked you to click the repeat button in the first place. It's like making a PB&J as an 18 year-old.

Peep: "Something Good Can Work", "I Can Talk", "Undercover Martyn".

(I've listened to each of them at least 5 times while writing this, and I'm not done.)

Freeway and Jake One recommend their Stimulus Package

Check out this throwback to Snoop Dogg's "Serial Killa". In addition to the lethal MC and producer combo of Seattle's Jake One and former Roc-A-Fella MC, Freeway, this track brings you a verse from former Young Gunz member Young Chris. Who would have thought this cat could actually rhyme? Check out "Class of My Own" by Young Chris to sample his style a little more. The track below comes from Freeway and Jake One's fresh new collaboration entitled The Stimulus Package. The game could use one.

Libertines Reunion!

Yeeeeeeeeeah! (ref. "Don't Look Back Into The Sun")

According to the Guardian, the bumbling lads are going to reunite for a set at the Reading and Leeds Festivals this August. It's about time right? Babyshambles was cool, and Dirty Pretty Things was all right, but they lacked the magic that best buddies Carl Barât and Pete Doherty shared in the Libertines, who are rounded out by drummer Gary Powell and bassist John Hassall.

If you didn't already know, Petey had/has a drug addiction based around cocaine and heroin, and is still knee-deep in it, via the death of filmmaker/photographer Robin Whitehead. This is exactly the reason why they broke up in the first place, and how this will all roll out we will (hopefully get to) see.

But this probably isn't totally fueled by reconciliation: a source says that the band will be receiving a large sum for playing the set, somewhere around 2.2 American $$$.

For old times, cause these dudes have got some major swag:

LISTEN UP: MGMT's New Record

It's streaming right now on their website. Apparently it's surfing around the internet already because some little studio bugger could hardly keep his hands out and leaked it everywhere. So for that, the ManaGMenT decided to post the album as a better quality free stream. Rather than have you scour for hours for something that doesn't sound like bulls smacking their lips as they charge into piles of pig dookie.

Cheers.

Tasty New: "Swim Until You Can't See Land" - Frightened Rabbit

These mates from Scotland have been picking up a lot of steam lately, especially with their critical darling "The Midnight Organ Fight" (2008) and their latest record "The Winter of Mixed Drinks". I've picked out this track from their most recent, and it's absolutely stunning. They've got a fairly unique sound, mainly because writer Scott Hutchinson's trembly vocals deliver sharp lyrics of hope and misery, and instrumentally they mesh folk-rock with their own tinge of fuzziness.

Contemporaries: Noah and the Whale, Fanfarlo, Mumford & Sons, We Were Promised Jetpacks.

Ridiculous New Lonely Island Video feat. Julian Casablancas

Complete with fingerless gloves and a lotta boiled geese. Andy Samberg puts out another piece of work, and Jules is just the right melodic complement.

So I grab my BOOMBOX and hit the TURBO BASS.

Oh yeah, there's some sexy stuff near the end.

MGMT Wants You to Check Their Sound

They've released for free download a new song from their coming album Congratulations [Columbia] called "Flash Delirium". It's wild. It's like an amalgamation of so many layers of wondrous sound that they prove once again that they can't be categorized.

Get it here. Tell me what you think.

New She & Him Video: "In the Sun"

Check it out. Zooey's completely lovely and M.Ward's composition is just spot on. Feel better 'cause this is irresistibly and inexplicably the bright spot of your day.

Their new album Volume Two [Merge] drops March 23rd.