New Music Smorgasbord: Future of the Left, Times New Viking, Solange, and More

(Times New Viking)

Download: Fucked Up - "Twice Born"
Download: Future of the Left - "The Hope That House Built"
Ani Difranco -
Download: Big Sty - "Shoebox Money"
Download: Times New Viking - "Call and Respond"
Download: Solange feat. Wale - "Fuck The Industry" (Remix) (via)

Behold! Another smorgasbord of music. Featured items here include the vocoder-tastic "Shoebox Money" by rapper Big Sty; a newly released pop gem from Future of the Left; and a surprisingly funk-tastic (think Morris Day and the Time) track from Ani Difranco. Check them all out at the top of the post, and tell us what you think!

(Jonathan Graef)

New Times New Viking - "(my head)" and "R.I.P Allegory"

Download: Times New Viking - "(my head)" and "R.I.P. Allegory"*

Apparently, today is catch-up-on-new-music-released-last-week day here at MFR. (Try saying that five times fast with crackers in your mouth.) Times New Viking, a group we blogged about not quite a month ago, have released two tracks from their upcoming full-length, Rip It Off.

Earlier, I wrote this about the TNV:

What intrigues me is what the band will sound like on a bigger label. Matador is a major label, for all intents and purposes, so I wonder to what degree TNV will expand their production capacities.

Now that the MP3s have been posted on the Matablog, I can see the answer to that question is none. None more production capacities. In fact, it sounds as if the fidelity of the new recordings is lower than in the previous records, which were on smaller labels. Color Me Impressed?

Anywho, if you're a fan of groups like The Narrator, Pavement and The Fall, then you'll probably like this. It's bratty, charmingly lackadaisical noise-rock. Although it might not make one excited for any kind of full-length, the songs certainly have their merits.

Rip It Off is out on January 22nd (same day as Jukebox).

MySpace Page

(Jonathan Graef)

*Not a mistake. For reasons unexplained, the two MP3s are on one file.

Times New Viking Annouce Album Title, Release Date, Tracklist

Download: Times New Viking - "Dance Vahalla"
Download: Times New Viking - "TeenageLUST"

Late Friday, Matablog announced the official release date and album title of Times New Viking's debut album for the label. Rip It Off comes out on Jan. 22nd, and it will be Times New Viking's third record overall. Rip It Off follows last year's Present The Paisley Reich and 2005's Dig Yourself.

Those of you who are unfamiliar with the Columbus, Ohio band's lo-fi stylings (similar to Pavement, and The Fall, but with of a more noise-rock influence) can listen to two MP3s (from TNV's aforementioned previous records) at the top of this post.

What intrigues me is what the band will sound like on a bigger label. Matador is a major label, for all intents and purposes, so I wonder to what degree TNV will expand their production capacities. I guess we'll find out if and when an MP3 from Rip It Off is posted.

MySpace Page

(Jonathan Graef)