Mandatory Music: TV On the Radio, Rancid, Deerhoof + More
With summer now just a batch of hazy memories loosely involving a beach, potato salad and Jack White trying to ruin baseball for everyone, it's time to set our sites squarely toward the fall. So, as the concerts move indoors and thoughts turn a little more introspective (that happens to you, too, right?), we've got five songs in this week's Mandatory Music that are perfect for staying inside, blasting through your headphones and contemplating your place in the world -- except for maybe the Rancid song. That one's just fun.
TV ON THE RADIO
'Careful You’ from 'Seeds'
Fans who randomly searched iTunes or Spotify for TV On the Radio earlier this week were probably pleasantly surprised to find a brand new song -- the melancholy 'Careful You' -- available for streaming. 'Careful You' is the second song released from the band's soon-to-be-released fifth album, 'Seeds.' The record will be the first from TV On the Radio since the death of bassist/producer Gerard Smith in 2011. From the sound of 'Careful You' and its synthetic bassline, we can likely look for more of an electronica influence this time around, but the same overall enveloping feel we've come to expect.
DEERHOOF
'Last Fad’ from 'La Isla Bonita'
If you aren't all that familiar with San Francisco noise pop collective Deerhoof, the main thing to keep in mind is that you really shouldn't attempt to dance to any of their songs. 'Last Fad,' the latest song the band have shared from their upcoming album, 'La Isla Bonita,' provides a perfect explanation why that's true: The song, filled with glitchy and twitchy starts and stops, never stays the same for long -- except, of course, for the sugary sweet vocals of Satomi Matsuzaki.
RANCID
'Face Up’ from 'Honor is All We Know'
It's been five years since we've heard from punk's preeminent mainstream crossover outfit, but Rancid are back with an album three years in the making. They're set to release 'Honor is All We Know' later this month, and 'Face Up' features the band in classic form: It's 90 seconds of pure punk antagonism with frontman Tim Armstrong barking about unintentionally inciting a bar brawl. But, really, when you're in Rancid, that sounds a lot like a typical Wednesday.
...AND YOU WILL KNOW US BY THE TRAIL OF DEAD
'The Ghost Within’ from 'IX'
Conrad Keely, singer for Austin's ...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead (or just 'Trail of Dead' if you can't be bothered with those seven other syllables), said the band wrote their ninth album (aptly titled 'IX') after four days of studio improvisation. But 'The Ghost Within' sounds a lot like the band's quintessential work with a sparse, piano-backed verse giving way to a thunderous chorus. Keely said in a statement the song was inspired by "pain" and hopes "that it makes you uncomfortable because you very well deserve to be." We, however, just hope you like the song.
MOGWAI
'Teenage Exorcists’ from 'Music Industry 3. Fitness Industry 1' EP
Scottish post-rock five-piece Mogwai released 'Rave Tapes' only back in January, but the band are already back with a new EP from the same recording sessions featuring three remixes and three brand new songs. One of which, the typically moody 'Teenage Exorcists,' surfaced online and features what amounts to a ton of vocals from the instrumental-heavy outfit. The result is one of the most radio-friendly tracks the band have released during their two decades in the business.