Audio

Ghostface, Method Man & Raekwon Dropping Wu Massacre Next Month

Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010

Much like Raekwon’s stunning 2009 release Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… PT. II — One of Neon’s favorites of last yearWu-Massacre, an album that features key Wu members Ghostface Killah, Method Man and Raekwon, has had it’s fair share of pushed back release dates. But good things come to those who are patient.

With a now confirmed set release date of March 30 via Def Jam, Wu Massacre will consist of 12 tracks, featuring guest spots from other Wu-Tang members, Sun God and to my surprise, the awesome Tracy Morgan (for a skit!)

New Song: Cymbals Eat Guitars – “Ballad of Big Nothing” (Elliott Smith Cover)

Monday, February 15th, 2010

DOWNLOAD MP3: Cymbals Eat Guitars – “Ballad Of Big Nothing” (Elliott Smith cover)

Ok, ok, I know you’re probably pretty skeptical about this one, but to my — and most likely yours if you give it a chance — surprise, this cover beyond rocks. Lead singer Joseph D’Agostino croons with jagged temperament and does an applaudable job at not turning this cover into a complete failure. Hell, I even consider it to be a rather respectable success.

*Key moment, the shrieking sound of bending strings, emulating Smith’s more somber acoustic guitar, near the final 35 seconds. These guys are such a great fucking band.

Free Energy Reveal Debut Album Stuck on Nothing Details

Friday, February 5th, 2010

Download MP3: Free Energy – “Hope Child”

Free Energy, a Philadelphia based Rock band, will release their debut album Stuck on Nothing via DFA/Astralwerks on March 9. James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem, and owner of DFA records, produced this amazingly catchy power-pop album and you can stream/download the first single entitled: “Hope Child” above.

Yes, that kickass image above is the album artwork.

Free Energy tour dates can be found here.

Stuck on Nothing Tracklist:

01 Free Energy
02 Dream City
03 Bang Pop
04 All I Know
05 Bad Stuff
06 Dark Trance
07 Young Hearts
08 Light Love
09 Hope Child
10 Wild Winds

Gang Gang Dance Releasing New Album on 4AD

Friday, January 22nd, 2010

Experimental Brooklyn group Gang Gang Dance officially made the jump from indie label Social Registry to the more established 4AD to record their follow-up to 2008’s enticing Saint Dymphna, which is due out at some point before the year concludes. In good company, Gang Gang Dance join a roster that includes: The Pixies, Bon Iver, Blonde Redhead, and more. Further details sure to come.

DOWNLOAD MP3: Gang Gang Dance – “House Jam”

Xiu Xiu Reveal Plans For New Album, Release New Song, Tour Dates, And Blood

Wednesday, January 6th, 2010

DOWNLOAD MP3: Xiu Xiu – “Gray Death”

With an album title as morose as Dear God, I Hate Myself it’s hard to not turn a blind eye and assume that it’s just another release from one of the many emo-core bands occupying the airwaves today. But surpise! It’s the latest album from art-rockers Xiu Xiu! Yet, that’s not to say that morbidity will be far behind. Either way, a lot of planning has been put into the experimenters seventh studio album. Due out on February 23 via Kill Rock Stars, Dear God… will include some rather revolting special editions that will include “hand-made chocolate and real blood” reports Pitchfork, with the eye-catching image above posing as promotion. Scrumptious.

The Knife Premiere “The Colouring of Pigeons”

Wednesday, January 6th, 2010

Download WAV: The Knife – “Colouring of Pigeons”

At a meager 11 minutes, The Knife make their proper reintroduction into the world of music with “Colouring of Pigeons”, the first track set to appear on their double, operatic CD, Tomorrow, In A Year, due out digitally on February 2 and physically on March 9 via Mute. Tomorrow, In A Year is a conceptual record that is centered around Charles Darwin’s On The Origin Of The Species, which doesn’t seem to push too far away from the bands comfort zone, considering their fascination with birds as it is.

Love is All To Release Third LP

Tuesday, January 5th, 2010

In making a move to Polyvinyl records from What’s Your Rupture?, the Swedish post-punk rockers plan to release their third LP entitled: Two Thousand and Ten Injuries on March 23 — which may also prove to be the best album title of 2010 in my most humbled opinion. Two Thousand and Ten Injuries was self-produced, and recorded at the bands studio in Gothenburg last summer. Above, is the album artwork, and below, is the first single from the LP, entitled: “Kungen”, and the tracklist to Two Thousand and Ten Injuries Enjoy.

DOWNLOAD MP3: Love Is All – Kungen

Two Thousand and Ten Injuries Tracklist:

Happy New Year!

Friday, January 1st, 2010

Here are two little goodies to help ring in 2010… A video of The Walkmen at the Guggenheim Museum performing “In The New Year” off of their 2008 LP, You & Me (August 14, 2009) and a song back from 2004’s Bows + Arrows entitled “New Year’s eve”. We all need a little Walkmen in our lives to kick off a new year the right way.

Neon Musical Insight will be back on Monday with full daily reports, reviews, and interviews to come. The latter half of 2009 set the wheels in motion for us here, and 2010 is bound to only get better. Thanks for all the support and see you soon!

jj Signs With Secretly Canadian; New LP ‘Nº 3′ Due in March

Thursday, December 24th, 2009

DOWNLOAD MP3: jj – “Ecstacy”

jj is a hard artist to find any detailed background on here in the U.S. We are aware that jj is a duo that consists of members Joakim Benon, Elin Kastlander, and that their fascination with covering American hip-hop (a cover of Lil’ Wayne’s “Ecstacy” made a few “best songs of the year” lists) and R&B (a recent cover of Akon’s “Trouble” popped up on Fei Zhu Tunes) is beyond noticeable. We are also now aware that they plan to release their second LP, Nº 3 on March 9 via Secretly Canadian in the U.S.