Monday Music News

01/12/2015

Janice Headley

Well, doesn't that photo look weird? But, it's time to face the new line-up for Death Cab for Cutie: the band will release their first album without founding member Chris Walla, titled Kintsugi. What's a "Kintsugi", you might ask? It's a style of Japanese art where broken ceramics are fixed using resin that's been mixed with precious metals. Does this mean Death Cab are going metal? Er... no. But, the title is symbolic of the fractured line-up, and how the band plans to forge ahead without Walla. Frontman Ben Gibbard explained to Rolling Stone, "This is an opportunity for the band to become something it could only become by losing a founding member. It's our goal to make records that rank amongst the best work we've ever done... And I would hope that as we move forward, people listen with as little prejudice as they can and try to hear the music for what it is and not what they want it to be." Kintsugi hits the streets on March 31st via Atlantic. [Pitchfork]

London group Django Django share a new track today: check out "First Light," a first look at their still-untitled sophomore album. The track features the same psychedelic pop that we loved from their 2012 debut. No release date for the new full-length yet, but we'll keep you posted. [Consequence of Sound]

Beloved Northwest artist Mount Eerie shares a stunning new video to accompany the stunning new track "Here," from the forthcoming double-LP Sauna. Mount Eerie mastermind Phil Elverum takes us on a visual trip of Anacortes, Washington, in this dreamlike clip. Sauna is out February 9th via P.W. Elverum & Sun. [Stereogum]

Having seemingly abandoned his U.S. states project, Sufjan Stevens has announced his first new album in five years, Carrie & Lowell. A press release explains, the release is named for Stevens' mother and stepfather, and the songs are about "life and death, love and loss, and the artist's struggle to make sense of the beauty and ugliness of love." Carrie & Lowell will be released March 31st via Asthmatic Kitty. [Under the Radar]

Related News & Reviews

Local Music

KEXP Q&A: Roan Hartzog of Cabana

Seattle's Cabana is playful and childlike in a raucus, garage-rock way. They're joyous and yet lo fi. In a way, they're all the great things that music is about. Because of this, we wanted to catch up with singer Roan Hartzog and ask him a bit about the band and what's coming up next.

Daily Roundups

Friday Music News

Shabazz Palaces' new video for "Forerunner Foray" takes trippy animation to the next level. While there ins't an obvious answer as to what exactly is happening, the visuals will definitely keep you transfixed. Yes, that is Magic Johnson riding a giant slice of pizza through space. [Stereogum]