The editors of Modern Tonic present a weekly music update here on Towleroad. The rest of the week, they scan the pop-culture landscape for movie, TV, book and Web recommendations in their daily email.
NEW ARTISTS TO WATCH AND FREE DOWNLOADS:
We’ve been banging on about Vincent Frank aka Frankmusik since we heard his ‘08 singles “3 Little Words” and “In Step” — mouth-watering slices of juicy synth-pop that kick-started the U.K.’s ‘80’s revival. Now that his debut Complete Me is finally out overseas, we’re going to bang on some more! Those two singles are joined by twelve more potentially chart-topping, booty-shaking capsules of aural happiness. Add to that this FREE DOWNLOAD of “Wrong Time, Wrong Place” — his collaboration with Brit-hopper Tinchy Stryder produced exclusively for Mixmag — and you should be smiling until we bring you more new artists next week.
How strange can the music of an Oregon avant-pop duo who records as YACHT (Young Americans Challenging High Technology) be? Their third album See Mystery Lights, featuring FREE DOWNLOAD "Psychic City (Voodoo City)," locates them somewhere on the corner of Animal Collective Street and MGMT Way.
Now that Modest Mouse have had two big hits, will the indie kids still thrill to the angular jolt of their latest EP, No One's First, and You're Next? Oh, you fickle hipsters!
Gloriana’s single “Wild at Heart” has a John Cougar Mellencamp heartland hook that just might send this self-titled country debut up the pop charts. The four photogenic members — brothers Tom and Mike Gossin (vocals, guitar), Rachel Reinert (vocals) and Cheyenne Kimball (vocals, mandolin) — won’t hurt, either.
Also released: Catie Curtis — Hello Stranger; Japandroids — Post-Nothing; Julian Plenti — Julian Plenti Is Skyscraper (Paul Banks of Interpol’s solo debut); plus singles from Madonna ("Celebration"), Antony and the Johnsons ("Aeon" b/w a cover of Beyoncé's "Crazy in Love"), David Gray ("Fugitive"), and Ledisi ("Everything Changes")
Just Jack: "The Day I Died"
JJ makes a cameo as a paramedic in this narrative clip about an average bloke’s perfect last day on earth. Bittersweet, melancholy, and as moving as The Streets’ “Dry Your Eyes.”
Miike Snow: "Animal"
This Swedish trio – including one-half of production team Bloodshy & Avant (Britney, Kylie) – shape-shift throughout this reggae-propelled pop tune about man’s true underlying nature. (Hint – it’s in the title.)
Paolo Nutini: "Coming Up Easy"
The mop-topped Scottish troubadour romances a rabbit(!) in this lighthearted clip for his soulful stomper from album number two, Sunny Side Up.
Jessie James: "Wanted"
The country-pop singer vamps for her August 11 debut with this dusty romp through the great Southwest in a hot pair of hip-hugging denim shorts. Eat your heart out, Megan Fox. (Also features hunky shirtless road-workers. Hello!)