Music Videos: Sia's "Soon We'll Be Found"

I think I've officially decided that Sia is now my favorite source of weird music videos. You can always count on her to come up with some crazy-ass surreal video experience that you've never seen before. Her latest effort is her shadow puppet epic "Soon We'll Be Found".

Music Videos: Elbow's "The Bones of You"

I doubted anything would top "Grounds For Divorce", but this single and video comes dangerously close.

Live Music: Broken Social Scene

"It's All Gonna Break". San Diego. 8/22/08. Fucking perfect.

New Music: Jenny Lewis' "Next Messiah"

Today, Jenny Lewis released the latest video in her sorta hilarious Youtube series in which Ben Gibbard keeps half-stalking her and bribing her with balloons to hear songs from her upcoming new record. This video keeps the Ben-related skit to a minimum, and jumps straight into another "Acid Tongue" song called "The Next Messiah". "Messiah" is completely different from AT's title track, this one being more soulful and upbeat and playful. It's a huge step-up from "Acid Tongue"'s somewhat disappointing and unfinished-sounding studio version, but still miles behind the phenomenal live version of "Acid Tongue". Enclosed: "Next Messiah", followed by the awesome live "Acid Tongue", followed by more Ben Gibbard's balloons.

Music Videos; Oasis' "Shock of the Lightning"

The video for my favorite post-"Morning Glory" Oasis song has just showed up on Youtube, and visually, it's an acid trip worthy of "Champagne Supernova". If you're also one of the fans loyal enough to still love them after all the bullshit, then you need to take five minutes out of your day to watch this, because it's really exciting work.

More As Seen On TV: Decemberists on "Mad Men"

WTF? A 2000s indie-sounding rock band on a 1960s period piece? Unexpected, but nice. A lot of people were annoyed by it, but I thought it was cool. If I were ever to direct a period piece, the music would be purely anachronistic from start to finish. Here's "Infanta" featured on the opening of "Mad Men":

As Seen On TV: Plastic Bertrand

Summer's done, and we're back full time. Finally!

Anyway, "Gossip Girl" might be the only show on television that can put a 70s French pop song in their ads and it seems cool. "Ca Plane Pour Moi" has gotten tons of attention lately from being in that commercial, and they deserve it; the song gets trapped in your head like no other. And say what you will about that hilarious piece of trash show, but the people over there pick some amazing songs to feature. Here's the song+lyrics.

New Music: The Verve

It's finally here. The Verve's long-awaited new album showed up yesterday, and it was worth the wait. The whole album is an enjoyable listen, but "Valium Skies", "Love Is Noise", and "Noise Epic" bring you right back to "Urban Hymns"-era greatness.

Live Music: New Killers

The new Killers single has surfaced in the form of a ton of live videos. It's called "Spaceman", and it sounds like it could be good in the right studio. Brandon always had great ideas and sounded fantastic in the studio (at least on Hot Fuss), but the bottom line is that his voice doesn't hold up well live AT ALL. But the song sounds like it's got a lot of potential behind it, so there's still hope for their new album "Day and Age".

New Music: Ra Ra Riot

After being completely let down by the new Dandy Warhols album, I was lifted back up by a new album that could end up being one of my favorite records of the year: Ra Ra Riot's debut "The Rhumb Line". They're in the indie vein of Broken Social Scene and Rilo Kiley, but with more strings. It's gorgeous work, and they deserve all the indie hype that Vampire Weekend scooped up a few months ago.

Music Videos: Morningwood

I know for a fact that many of you will hate this video. Do I care? Not really. Because I know half of you will love it, and I've never wasted my time shying away from polarizing music before anyway, so yall should be used to it by now. It's Morningwood's new video for "Sugarbaby", and it's as good as ridiculous obscure pop music can be. Warning: this video induces strokes in the brains of hipsters. You've been warned.



Although honestly, even I have to admit that the puppet turning into a real girl at the end was cheesy as fuck.

Live New Music: Jenny Lewis's "Acid Tongue"

I'm already in love with this song and I've only heard the live version. It's called "Acid Tongue", and it's fucking gorgeous. You can call 888-717-2243 to hear the studio version, which I plan on doing as soon as I submit this post.

New Music: The Faint

The best release of the week that you probably have heard nothing about: The Faint, whose new album "Fasciinatiion", is quirktastic all the way through. Check out "The Geeks Were Right" for instant dance rock goodness.

Live Music: RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE

You know a show's good when it requires three police interventions. Rage Against the Machine's Lollapalooza set, by all accounts, was phenomenal, and this vid of their opener ("Testify") should be all the proof you need.

Covers: Joe's "Before I Cheat"

Recently, an R&B artist named Joe (just Joe, no last name of any kind) remixed up Carrie Underwood's "Before He Cheats" to suit his point of view and covered it for Yahoo's music site. His version is called "Before I Cheat", and he sells the hell out of it. Mainstream R&B has been so watered down in recent years, so it's cool to hear an R&B singer with a strong enough voice to show some real depth and emotion.