It’s impossible to cover each bit of new music that comes out during the week, so every Friday, we’ll be doing an end of the week music roundup. It’s called Final Track, and we’ll count off a few songs released during the week that are worth giving a listen to.
Today, we’ve got selections from Vampire Weekend, Crystal Castles, Kendrick Lamar, and more.
“Unbelievers” by Vampire Weekend
There’s no official word on a third Vampire Weekend album yet (just rumors that it might be out by the end of the year), but “New York’s own” performed a new song, “Unbelievers,” on Jimmy Kimmel this week, complete with Halloween-ready face paint. It’s a jaunty little number, complete with assistance from horn and string sections, that doesn’t shake up the band’s previous bouncy sound much. Vampire Weekend might be the preeminent “forget how much you miss them until you’re listening to them” band in indie rock right now.
“Celebration Remix” by Game and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
For more, check out the Smoking Section.
“Affection” by Crystal Castles
The perfect soundtrack for dance parties held in echoing sewers, or renneacting the rave scene from Matrix Reloaded, from the band’s upcoming album, III.
“What the Eyeballs Did” by Atoms for Peace
A glitchy, groovy track from Thom Yorke’s other band, led by Flea’s immediately recognizable bass line.
“The Jig Is Up (Dump’n)” by Kendrick Lamar
As if the triumphant good kid, m.A.A.d city wasn’t enough, Kendrick Lamar continues to prove his superstar-level abilities with “The Jig Is Up (Dump’n),” a swagger-filed, J. Cole-assisted track that most other artists would have released as an album’s first single, not a free online download.
“European Son” by Thee Oh Sees
Somehow even more chaotic and volatile than the original from The Velvet Underground & Nico. This is what going crazy sounds like, I imagine.
“Non-State Actor” by Soundgarden
“We’re not elected/But we will sṗeak,” Chris Cornell sings in the second single from Soundgarden’s first album in 16 years, King Animal, as wonderfully unsubtle a sign as any that even if you didn’t think you wanted a new Soundgarden album, you’re going to get one, and f*ck you if you stand in their way. As long as they keep it up with the meaty hooks, roaring riffs, and Cornell’s yelps, I say: SOUNDGARDEN 2012.
