Now that the summer is finally heating up across the country, so does goes the fire music being dropped on all of us. Beck, Kacey Musgraves, and Vic Mensa all released clips from albums we can’t wait to get our hands on (check out our summer albums release previews for all the details on those).
But those aren’t the only great videos and songs that premiered this week. Here’s what you may have missed.
Zedd — “Beautiful Now” feat. Jon Bellion
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Despite Diplo’s feelings on the subject, Zedd’s True Colors has already yielded a hit with its first single “I Want You To Know.” Now the wunderkind DJ is back with a new video for his second single “Beautiful Now.” The clip follows several narratives, including a boy avenging his family being robbed, a girl at her lowest point, and even Zedd himself as a criminal with a knife. The visual is actually pretty interesting, and it’s probably best to associate “Beautiful Now” with this visual before it’s in every Red Bull ad on TV.
FFS — “Piss Off”
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Knowing just how to strike that balance between furious anger and foppish fancifulness, the combo of Franz Ferdinand and Sparks released their second single from this week’s new release, FFS. The video for “Piss Off” is almost like a higher-end version of one of those email greeting cards you add your face into, with the band as ninjas who shoot lasers and do power pyramids all over a downtown cityscape. While that sounds strange, and it is, it still somehow works.
Mariachi El Bronx — “Wildfires”
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The hardcore punks of The Bronx have returned with a third helping of their mariachi alter egos Mariachi El Bronx. The first track from the album “Wildfires” has the L.A. band in the sparse desert while, as you might guess, wild blazes burn. The tight and piercing horns are accompanied perfectly with the beautiful visuals of the sun beating down and dusty trails. Most of us may not be near the border, but “Wildfires” will bring you pretty close.
Veruca Salt — “Laughing in the Sugar Bowl”
Back by popular demand, quite literally via crowdfunding, the ’90s grunge rockers of Veruca Salt are releasing their first full-length album with all of the original members since 1997. A lot has changed in 18 years, but the way this group shreds pretty much has stayed the same. Their “Laughing in the Sugar Bowl” video has nothing to do with SEC football, as the group destroys priceless items in an antiques shop. Mark L. Walberg would be disgusted…
(He’s the host of Antiques Roadshow.)
Cayucas — “Moony-Eyed Walrus”
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The surf rock lo-fi dudes of Cayucas dropped a clip this week for the latest from their upcoming album Dancing at the Blue Lagoon. In “Moony-Eyed Walrus,” two unassuming guys carry a surfboard through a dense wooded area looking for a beach that will probably never be found. The scenery is more Portland than Pipeline, but the laidback soundtrack works regardless.
HEALTH — “Stonefist”
The last time we heard from L.A. noise rockers HEALTH, aside from their contribution to the Max Payne 3 soundtrack, was 2009. After a six-year layover, they’re still as urgent as ever with “Stonefist,” the first single from Death Magic coming in August. Almost sounding like a danger alert, the track is a perfect example of how HEALTH has a way of making you feel panicked and empowered all at the same time. “Stonefist” is a welcomed homecoming.
