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What to Download: New Music Today

BuzzSugar — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:30:14 -0700

It's one of my favorite days of the week: Tuesday! Which means I get to add DVDs to my Netflix queue, along with some brand new tunes for my iPod. So check out today's music releases for what you should download. (And if you like to review albums, don't forget to take a peek at the Music Review Group in the community.)

A smooth ride: Sufjan Stevens takes a breather from his states project with BQE, an ode to the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. He originally performed the work to accompany a film about the road, but the music stands on its own as a beautiful orchestral arrangement. Warning if you like Stevens's mellow voice: BQE is all instrumental. Still, it proves that he has what it takes as a composer, and I'd like to see him lend his talents to more of this sort of work. My picks: Movement II: Sleeping Invader, which sounds like a ballet dream sequence, and Traffic Shock, which mixes in clashing electronic sounds like a busy gridlock.

Pretty packs a punch: If you haven't heard of Florence and the Machine, get ready. Florence Welch is the latest spunky Brit singer on the scene, and her debut Lungs already went platinum in the UK. Today, it's available to buy stateside. She's the singer I'd want to be if I had my own band - a woman who wails while banging the tambourine - and her album veers between tough-chick anthems and haunting ballads a la Sarah McLachlan. Make sure you try the hand-clapping, feel-good Dog Days Are Over or the romantic Cosmic Love.

See two more releases when you read more.

Freaky fun: If you're a Flight of the Conchords fan - or even if you're not - you'll want to check out I Told You I Was Freaky, a compilation of music from season two (including three previously unreleased tracks). Sure, half the fun is watching the boys act out each song on the show (and Jemaine's wicked dance moves), but when you listen to the music on its own, you realize just how talented they really are. Each selection could qualify for radio-play - or just a ridiculously fun karaoke night. The album includes favorites like Sugarlumps, Hurt Feelings, and the Emmy-nominated Carol Brown.

Lyrical wanderlust: Jay Farrar of Son Volt and Benjamin Gibbard of Death Cab For Cutie team up on One Fast Move or I'm Gone: Music From Kerouac's Big Sur, an ode to the famous author's work. The two musicians met while working on a documentary about Kerouac and decided to collaborate on this album using words from his novel. It's fitting then that the result feels like a cross-country trip - lazy and laid-back with some twangy country, Americana sound. I'll be adding the title track and California Zephyr to my car playlist.

Death Cab For Cutie's "Meet Me on the Equinox" Video From New Moon - Love It or Leave It?

BuzzSugar — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 17:35:40 -0700

Fans everywhere have been anxiously waiting for the video from the New Moon soundtrack, Death Cab For Cutie's "Meet Me on the Equinox." It's the first song off the album, and the video features the band playing between clips from the movie. While it's not among my favorite Death Cab songs, it does seem to fit the bill for New Moon's big breakup between Edward and Bella. Check it out below and tell me what you think - love it or leave it?

New Moon News & On-Set Antics, The Vampire Diaries Flashback, & a Cupcake Car?

PopSugarTV — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:06:35 -0700

Peter Facinelli tells a funny story about a card he gave to Robert Pattinson, Stefan and Damon Salvatore get a 19th century makeover for The Vampire Diaries flashback episode, and the guys of Glee cover Bon Jovi and Usher in tonight's new episode!

New Moon "Meet Me on the Equinox" Preview, Set Secrets, & the Cast's Inside Joke

PopSugarTV — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:00:14 -0700

Death Cab For Cutie says the Twilight saga's love story is more interesting than vampires and werewolves, and Peter Facinelli sends a silly card to his castmates. Coming up later on PopSugar Rush, get a sneak peek of tonight's Glee and see what dessert-inspired vehicle is available at Neiman Marcus this holiday season!

Vampires Take Over TV Shows, Movies, Comedy, Fashion, & Beauty!

PopSugarTV — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:11:17 -0700

In part one of our 6 Reasons Why You Can't Live Without Vampires special, we count down numbers six through four: we've got the latest updates on vampire-related TV and movie projects, we show you all the funny spoofs and jokes taking a bite off the vamp craze, and our editors explain how to wear gothic clothes and makeup without looking like you're ready to go trick-or-treating!

Listen Up: Amy Millan's "I Will Follow You Into the Dark" Cover

BuzzSugar — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 15:30:39 -0700

The Death Cab for Cutie song "I Will Follow You Into the Dark" is heartbreaking no matter how it's performed, but Amy Millan's country-tinged version feels a little less like a sock to the gut than the original. Perhaps it's that her soft, lovely voice is so comforting, but somehow this one doesn't emotionally destroy me quite as much as Death Cab's.

Millan plays with the bands Stars and Broken Social Scene, but this Death Cab cover will appear on Masters of the Burial, her second solo album.

Apparently Millan has performed the cover live a few times, but now there's a studio recording so you can have the sweet, tender song gently - but firmly - squeeze your heart in its fist any time you'd like. To hear a twangier version of "I Will Follow You Into the Dark," read more.

Hat tip to Stereogum for premiering the tune.

Source

Music Video: "Little Bribes" by Death Cab For Cutie

BuzzSugar — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:30:12 -0700

This music video for Death Cab for Cutie's song "Little Bribes" is basically just a series of things spelling out the words to the song as we hear Ben Gibbard sing them, and yet, it's mesmerizing. There's no real visual story going on, but I found that I didn't want to look away from these words flashing onscreen, perhaps because I just wanted to see what objects would be used to spell out the next word. It's so basic, but playful enough to be interesting. And actually, the same could be said for the song itself. To check out the video, read more.

What to Download: New Music Today

BuzzSugar — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 15:30:06 -0700

Tuesdays are big in entertainmentville: not only do all the new DVD releases hit Netflix, but new music also pours into stores. So I take a spin through each week's music releases and pick out some albums and tracks worthy of a download. Here are today's selections:

An ode to California: Jill Sobule's known for her 1995 hit "I Kissed A Girl" (no relation to Katy Perry's song of the same title). I've always liked that song, and I'm excited the talented singer-songwriter is back with her seventh full-length album available online today. I'm already enjoying "San Francisco" (Margaret Cho directed the song's video - watch here) and think "Palm Springs" is beautiful, too.

More Death Cab is good: A year ago, Death Cab for Cutie released Narrow Stairs, and apparently four songs from the band's time in the studio weren't quite right for that album. So today Death Cab is dropping the Open Door EP, which includes those songs plus an extra little gem called "Talking Bird." I really love "A Diamond and a Tether," but the whole thing is very sweet.

One more up next, so read more.

Shooting for the big time: One reviewer described the new album from Metric as having an "unrepentant commercial nature," which may disappoint some of the band's early fans, but I'm already liking what I hear. I'm mixing in "Stadium Love" and "Help I'm Alive" to my morning commute playlist ASAP.

BuzzSugar's Must Haves For April

BuzzSugar — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:30:08 -0700

Yippee! April is here, and that makes me happy because the weather in my part of the country is lovely right now. But this month also contains some great entertainment stuff: one of my favorite annual celebrations, a really cool live radio event, and some buzzworthy new CD and DVD releases. Ready to dive into April (without any foolin')? Just hit "start."

View Slideshow ›

Death Cab For Cutie Releases iPhone App

GeekSugar — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 07:30:09 -0800

I love that bands are starting to get on the iPhone App bandwagon, like Weezer's Tap Tap Revenge App that they made for Christmas.

Now beloved indie rockers Death Cab for Cutie have created their own app. Totally free, it's a guide to all the info about the band, including the latest news, show schedule, and photos.

I also appreciate its beautiful interface - it shows they get what the iPhone can do and are happy to be a part of it.