Life or Death

With the release of Killer Mike’s new El-P produced album, R.A.P. Music, comes a whole mess of great coverage from the likes of Pitchfork and Spin. First, Pitchfork selected Mike’s track “Reagan” as last week’s Best New Track, describing it as having “the sweeping clarity of a dissertation, the galvanizing fire of a sermon, and the forcefulness of a hurled brick.” Pitchfork also reviewed the album here, and has a great in-depth interview as well.

Over on SPIN they review R.A.P. Music as well, and then let Mike go through the new record and comment on the individual tracks. Check out these great write ups and go pick up R.A.P. Music.

Blouse recently hit Room 205 to lay down some of their signature dreamworld-haze pop. Directed by Paul Stec and engineered by J. Clark, check out the above video for “They Alway Fly Away.”

Best Coast played a homecoming show of sorts at the Wiltern this past Friday.  The LA Times music blog Pop & Hiss covered the show, praising Bethany Cosentino for her improved vocals and songwriting, citing her new approach as, “grown-woman sadness rather than post-adolescent frustration, and it’s a good look for her.” Read the show review here.

The fat man himself, Fat Tony, recently sat down with NBC to discuss his recent signing to Young One Records and his upcoming mixtape, Double Dragon. The interview, while short, poses questions more interesting than your average rap interview. Fat Tony even speaks on his songwriting process and how he comes up with song concepts. Check out the interview here, and look for Double Dragon, out June 1 on Young One Records.

Last week Life or Death’s very own Graeme Flegenheimer officially launched the label Young One Records, with inaugural signees Children of the Night, Main Attrakionz, and Fat Tony. Along with the launch came the news that Young One’s first big release will be Fat Tony’s upcoming mixtape, Double Dragon, with producer Tom Cruz, due out June 1.

The Young One mission statement reads as follows:

Young One Records deals exclusively in artists who excite youth, inspire movements and break ground. Artists who, like their label, are in it to chase a dream, whose goals are clear and concise. Young One is shaped by the minds it represents in terms of both aesthetic and approach. In this way the label will always stay young, forever the new kid on the block as inspired, driven and original as the vital moments in music that it seeks to amplify. Founded by three young industry professionals beneath the proven banner of Partisan Records, Young One is uniquely positioned to crush tired old boundaries and expectations.

News of the label’s launch premiered on Complex, with Pitchfork and Nah Right also picking up the story. In celebration of the launch Young One released a seven-track mixtape featuring rare and unreleased tracks from Cities Aviv, Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire, Main Attrakionz, and Fat Tony, as well as a song from Children of the Night’s recent Queens… Revisited album. Sign up for the Young One mailing list to enter for a chance to win a limited edition cassette version of their premiere mixtape, and stream the whole tape over on Complex, or download it here.

In celebration of the May 5 date when German forces withdrew from Denmark during World War II (along with objection of another band with the same name), Danish band WAR is officially changing its name to VÅR. Though still pronounced like “war,” in old Norse Vår translates to spring, signifying a new beginning for the band which is shifting into a multimedia project, with sound and image playing equally important parts.

Along with the name change comes a new single as well, entitled, “In Your Arms (Final Fantasy)”. VÅR members Elias Ronnenfelt and Loke Rahbek have said of the new song, ”[it] was recorded in the middle of winter in a small warm room. And it’s about looking for a thing for years and years and suddenly realising that you have there in your own eye and that you can put it onto everything you might look at.”

Check out the video for VÅR’s new track, “In Your Arms (Final Fantasy)” below, and find it for download over at NPR.

2:54 just released the first single, “Creeping”, from their upcoming debut album, out May 28 on Fat Possum. Produced and mixed by renowned alt-rock producer Alan Moulder (Depeche Mode, My Bloody Valentine), the track will be released as a 7” on June 18, accompanied by the non-album cut “The March”. Check out “Creeping” below.

Today marks the release of “Sex With AXE™ On”, the B-side to BODYGUARD’s upcoming single, “Raiden”, on Hippos In Tanks. BODYGUARD is the latest group from James Ferraro, and this particular track sees Ferraro power up the vocoder for a result that’s hazy and unstable, almost like the soundtrack for a scene where an introverted man is roaming around a club, and then maybe the street too.Check out the premiere over on Dummy Magazine.

The boss-man himself, Heathcliff Berru, was featured on last night’s episode of Loiter Squad. During the skit, Lucas from Odd Future has to lick the toe of a man named Lance, and Heathcliff was on hand to witness the whole thing. Check the clip out above and see if you can spot Heathcliff.

Before heading out on their extensive summer tour, Best Coast will be performing a special show at  The Wiltern in Los Angeles May 18th. Full tour dates here