Local Natives release "Wide Eyes" video

California indie folk rock quintet Local Natives are back with a brand new music video for "Wide Eyes". Whereas their last video was bright with vibrant colors and an assortment of delightful scenes on the beach, the new video is considerably darker. In it, a seemingly normal man is stalked by a large rubber shark that interferes with his life just by being there. At least you think he's merely imagining the shark but as it begins to interact with the various people in his life, you're suddenly not so sure. The man's fear finally boils over in the video's climatic end scene. I won't spoil it for you, since it's pretty awesome. Instead watch the video below:

Left With Pictures' September In Time

September is almost over and that means Left With Pictures is serving up another freshly made In Time song. The latest for September "This Light", shot by Ed Christmas, features all five members of the band. The video, unlike their others is more traditional music video with the band performing in front of each other in a fancy chateau-esque building. The song itself, is interesting in the fact that its created from several synthesizers, drum machine, and guitar as opposed to their normal eclectic assortment of instruments. And yet, the song is so deeply rooted in their sunny chamber pop style that you probably won't mind the change. Enjoy Left With Pictures' Ninth In Time composition "This Light":

Wildlife - Strike Hard, Young Diamond EP

If you've ever heard of Wildlife, chances it was through the someone slipping their songs in the leak of The Arcade Fire's The Suburbs or maybe someone (probably Canadian) talking about how good "Sea Dreamer" is. And it is. Probably one of the best new songs I've heard, to be quite honest. Why? Because it's like a piece of contemporary semi-program music. There's a repeated 3-note theme on synth that starts before anything else does and continues pretty much throughout and establishes this mysterious sea scene before the band enters with jangly, ragged, clashing waves of sound. There's an understood sense of balance between more subdued playing and a full out intensity where the vocals are punky and each point driven home with this marvelous ebb and flow that takes you wherever it decides to go. However, while "Sea Dreamer" is quite epic, the EP proves that Wildlife is totally versatile and has more than one-hit wonder potential. Lead track "Stand in the Water" is another strong track, with little subtle things contribute to its greatness. The vocals have this growled out quality sometimes which I found out to be absolutely amazing. Unlike "Sea Dreamer" which crescendos and decrescendos, "Stand in the Water" stays constant pretty much all throughout. The instrumental parts are amazingly well done and move tightly together much like a jam-rock band's would. "When I Get Home" has a bluesy feel mixed with the band's powerpop-like stylings. "American Eyes" is the EP's ballad track, adding in strings to enhance the tracks' emotion-stirring aspects, to brillant effect. "Money From God" with its hand-claps and start-stop jangle guitar plays like a party track, drawing up visions of beach party fun but not sloppy enough to make it into a kegger or something like that. The track refuses to lower itself to mere party music despite its throwback beach-pop inspired sound thanks to great playing, harmony-laden shout vocals, and a carefully maintained sense of self.

Strike Hard, Young Diamond might startle you with its cohesiveness: proving that Wildlife are capable storytellers as well as talented musicians. The EP has a maturity that one wouldn't expect on a debut and yet Wildlife seems to have done this almost effortlessly. Each track seems to have different influences and yet blends together with what can be called the band's sound (it's hard to say since listeners only have these five songs to go off of) and the other tracks seamlessly. If this is what we can expect from the band's full length debut (out Nov. 16), then sign me up pronto.

Now Streaming: Beep! - City of the Future

I found out about Beep! and this album City of the Future from tUnE-yArDs' Merrill Garbus via tweet. Nate Brenner plays bass with her but apparently he also has his own musical endeavors; one of which is Beep!, an experimental jazz trio composed of Nate Brenner on bass, Michael Coleman on piano, and Sam Ospovat on drums (at least according to their Myspace). I had never heard of someone using experimental jazz to define themselves so I was really intrigued (even though I'm vary of anything daring to use the word "experimental"). What listeners can expect is sonic exploration used to conjure up different scenes and even cultures whether they be the Orient in the pentatonic rooted "Golden Chinese Amulet" or"Mbira" which wouldn't be out of place with tUnE-yArDs' African-inspired sound. Beep! is smooth jazz at some points with occasional random points of ragged attention drawing sound. That might sound bad but merely it's music that refuses to be a part of the background, instead drawing attention to itself at key moments. Listen to Beep!'s City of the Future here:
Latest tracks by Beep

If you like what you hear, the album will be available on December 2nd on Third Culture Records.

Pitstop: The Lost Cavalry

The Lost Cavalry is a British five-piece featuring Mark West, former guitarist for Fanfarlo. The Lost Cavalry have similar but not congruent assortment of instruments like glockenspiel, concertina, melodica, ukulele, in addition to the more standard guitar, bass, drums, and vocals but you can expect more than a mere replication of Fanfarlo's style. Instead the songs are brimming with emotion: introspective, reflective, stirring, and yet always triumphant in their own unique way. Though aptly literate, their songs are amazingly folksy and finely tuned adding instrumental ornamentation at just the right times.

The Lost Cavalry just released their debut EP Waves Freezes to Rolling Hills last month. Give The Lost Cavalry a listen with this acoustic recording of their song "Desert Tracks":

Lykke Li releases short film and announces select shows

Sometimes artist do just that: make art. Swedish indie-pop artist Lykke Li starred in a recently released short film by Moses Berkson called Solarium shot in the desert. The film has Lykke Li being all lovely and doe-eyed dancing in a multitude of outfits, in addition to playing with mirrors and digging with shovels. The film is silent except for a primal soundtrack created by Lykke Li and Bjorn Yttling. Of the film Lykke Li says:

A major heart break and a post tour depression drove a very delusional LL out to the desert with some friends and a super 8 camera.

A major sun burn later, some shattered mirrors, I found myself, my ego, my thoughts, my expectations and my image to be a burden, hard to get rid of, if ever possible?

Silence my dear, let the images speak and listen to the sound of my broken drum.

How can one just be?

To celebrate, Lykke Li is playing a small number of tour dates where she promises to play a bunch of new songs:
Nov 1 Berlin, Germany - Heimathafen
Nov 2 Paris, France - La Maroquinerie
Nov 4 London, England - Heaven
Nov 8 Stockholm, Sweden - Kagelbanan
Dec 1 New York City, USA - Le Poisson Rouge

And proving that Americans love their quirky Swedish artists, her NYC tickets have already sold out within about a week of her announcing it. Damn.

Watch the short film here:

Watch - Sleigh Bells - "Infinity Guitars"

Some bands release music videos along with their singles before the actual album release but not Sleigh Bells and when you see their debut music video for "Infinity Guitars" you'll probably find yourself totally ok with the fact that their debut music video comes months after the album. The video, features a uniformed Alexis Krauss sporting a letterman jacket, fancy new car, and swinging a fear-inspiring bat. Combine that with Derek Miller's entrance playing the guitar, cheerleaders, and a pile of guitars on fire and you've got one awesomely badass video. They even throw in a street credible dog for extra measure. Enjoy Sleigh Bells' debut music video for "Infinity Guitars":