Pitstop: Hot Club de Paris

Meet Hot Club de Paris. The Liverpool band consists of Paul Rafferty and brothers Alasdair and Matt Smith. The trio manages to combine catchy pop hooks and punky vocals with complex rhythms and technical clarity to create a more accessible type of math rock. Although I doubt that's what they call it because unlike math rock groups that set out to create dazzlingly complex songs, Hot Club de Paris does it pretty much cause they're tired of playing in 4. Releasing the With Days Like This As Cheap As Chewing Gum, Why Would Anyone Want to Work? EP earlier in February, the band is already at work recording another EP set for release at the end of May before beginning to work on a brand new album this summer. The new album will be their third after the 2006 Drop It 'til It Pops and 2008's Live at Dead Lake (which contrary to what it's title may suggest is not a live album). The band certainly is keeping busy as they're also playing a seemingly endless stream of UK shows in what looks like practically everyday of June. I certainly can't wait to hear more from them and hope they decide to do a US tour soon.

Hear what the band sounds like in their video for "Shipwreck" off their debut album Drop It 'til It Pops here:


And if you like what you hear you can check out more of their music on their Myspace:
http://www.myspace.com/hotclubdeparis

The Lodger to release new album

British indie pop rock outfit The Lodger is releasing their third album Flashbacks this April 26th and I for one couldn't be more excited. The band's last album Life is Sweet was released almost two years ago so it's about time the band offered up some new tunes. Hopefully the new album will be a continuance of their subtle and sweet poppy style but I'm sure any new-found change in direction probably wouldn't be frowned upon by fans.

Today the band releases their "Have a Little Faith in People" single on This is Fake DIY Records to ease the burden while fans wait for the album. Enjoy the video for Have a Little Faith in People":

Slash's debut album available for streaming

So this was news to me. Apparently Slash of Guns N' Roses and Velvet Revolver fame went solo. Found out this tidbit while on Spin.com and thought it might be an April Fool's joke only to realize the article was published after April Fool's Day so that would make no sense. Not only that but he's releasing a solo album next week. The album brings in guest vocalists like Kid Rock, Dave Grohl, Iggy Pop, Ozzy Osbourne, and Fergie. The album is available to stream so give it a listen if it sounds like your cup of tea or if you just need to find out that this is real.

Listen to the steaming album here:
http://music.aol.com/new-releases-full-cds/#/15

Justin Bieber to be on SNL

Saturday Night Live, the sketch comedy show is well watched and has had numerous musicians of high caliber on it, even helping to jumpstart the careers of some in the case of British jazz pop artist Adele. Widely popular but still tasteful artists like Beyonce, Rhianna, and Lady Gaga. Stellar musicians and singer/songwriters like Regina Spektor, Fleet Foxes, and Vampire Weekend. So imagine my surprise when I saw for Tina Fey's return episode on April 10th that her musical guest was Justin Bieber. Shock and appalled were only two of the emotions I felt. Especially after seeing Pearl Jam perform not moments before. This is only one example of the ongoing tween invasion as I saw Disney Channel star Demi Lovato on The Soup this past Friday. She didn't sing but the damage was done. As I watched as host Joel McHale let her promote her show on the Disney Channel I couldn't help but notice that my interest in the rest of the show drained. Don't get me wrong, I still finished watching the episode and I'm probably going going to watch that SNL because I love the show and consider them to be legitimate programs despite these small blemishes but chances are when it's time for Bieber to perform I'm going to either change the channel or leave the room. Nothing personal Biebs, I just don't think you're a legitimate musician and don't want to listen to you.

Kate Nash to release sophomore album in April

I hadn't heard anything from her in awhile so I was excited and surprised to hear that Kate Nash is releasing a new album titled My Best Friend Is You on April 19th as well as embarking on a US tour in which several of the dates have already sold out.

The music video for first single "Do Wah Doo" is set aboard a plane in the 1950s and has Nash competing with a fellow stewardess for the love of another flight attendant along with random in the aisle choreography. See it here:

Watch: Gin Wigmore - "Hey Ho"

Seems like it's new video week as on top of MGMT and Janelle Monae's new videos, Gin Wigmore celebrates her newfound residency in the US with the release of "Hey Ho" the third single from Holy Smoke with a video. The video features Wigmore traipsing about a desert in old school western dress with numerous objects of torture like whips, pistols, and even a shotgun accompanying by two reacting fat ladies, and a mariachi band. Don't worry it all kinda makes sense.

Watch: Janelle Monae - "Tightrope"

Janelle Monae released the "Tightrope" single earlier and fans have been eagerly awaiting the video from the quirky but lovable songstress. Now hey no longer have to wait. Monae released the video yesterday. The latest sojourn into Monae's Metropolis sees the revealing of an anti-dancing law and has the singer in a mental hospital called The Palace of Dogs. Monae had said that the new album The Arch-Android would have the heroine Cindi Mayweather acting a more of a rebel and this can be seen when she rallies the hospital patients (whose uniform are actually fancy unisex tuxes) into having a secret dance party before it is subdued by creepy mirror-faced guards. Big Boi of OutKast also features on his young protege's track. The track also features a funky brass section that both provide the music for the dance party and the track itself.
Watch it here:


Also Monae has moved up the release date of her album from the 25th to the 18th of May.