Obsessively blogging about pop music, pop videos, pop stars, and pop culture from inside the MTV headquarters in Times Square. We also have a slight Jonas Brothers problem. And a little fixation with Tokio Hotel.
Are you getting tired of all the music headlines going to new Brooklyn bands? I bet you the players in Los Angeles' thriving scene are way over it. Why's everybody always talking about Brooklyn when the West Coast boasts a dream team of new talent, turning out a steady stream of polished, moody rock?
Although the rap game gets L.A. plenty of love, lackadaisical, harmony-laden smog-pop hasn't had a true moment since The Beach Boys and The Mamas And Papas ruled the late '60s. But that has been changing, slowly but surely, thanks to the radio dominance of a new class of sun-bleached bands.
Honestly, I had my doubts about the new Cold War Kids video. They've been preparing us for "I've Seen Enough" for weeks around here, promising a new interactive format that nobody has seen before. I thought it sounded gimmicky. I was way wrong.
"I've Seen Enough" (which you may remember hearing during episodes of the current season of The Hills) is on the same level of curious, creative ambition as the very first music videos. It's an art project. And as much as Cold War Kids have put into it, you are responsible for the final brushstrokes. A fully customizable viewing experience, you can alternate between four different sounds for each musician, or choose to turn them off completely.
This means that the Los Angeles indie rockers put in four completely different performances. Straightforward rock, sleazy lounge jazz, mellow acoustic and mild punk. And amazingly, they all work. In fact, I've been listening to different versions of it all morning and I still like the song more each time.
Play around with "I've Seen Enough" for a while, come up with your ideal arrangement of players and share it in the comments below so we can all try out your mix. You can see my favorite combo so far in the photo above. Let's see yours!
Two years after their 2006 debut, Robbers and Cowards, the Cold War Kids are back with their long-awaited sophomore album, Loyalty to Loyalty. And while the West Coast indie rockers still have that edgy Bob Dylan featuring The White Stripes sound, this time they're all about the musical theory. (Like Radiohead! Only with higher-pitched voices and a smidge of Amy Winehouse's anger management issues). In fact, CWK frontman Nathan Willett describes their new album as "structurally, lyrically and musically" superior to Robbers and Cowards, and claims it "has a much more round, warm and darker sound."
So if you're feeling sorta angsty, check out Loyalty to Loyalty on "The Leak" at MTV.com and preview all 13 tracks before the album hits stores. We recommend the jivey-sounding "Something is Not Right with Me" (video below) and the opening track "No Privacy." Then take another look at 2006's "Hang Me Up to Dry" to see whether Robbers and Cowards truly is harder, colder and brighter by comparison.
+ Theresa Andersson: Swedish artist Theresa Andersson is already racking up fans on YouTube with the sunny, '60s-soaked sophisti-pop sounds she recorded in her kitchen. And because she's an overachiever, she hand-crafted 1,500 individual CD jackets for her I the River EP.
+ Defy Tomorrow: Mike Oliver and Marissa Mishelle trade speedy rock licks, angst-driven lyrics and possibly hair products in the vein of Paramore. Catch them this summer on the Warped Tour, and catch Marissa on Exiled this August, when bratty My Super Sweet 16ers you love to hate (and love to watch) go to far-away places where they don't even accept platinum cards!!
Are you getting tired of all the music headlines going to new Brooklyn bands? I bet you the players in Los Angeles' thriving scene are way over it. Why's everybody always talking about Brooklyn when the West Coast boasts a dream team of new talent, turning out a steady stream of polished, moody rock?
