Eleanor Friedberger - Last Summer

Eleanor Friedberger's Last Summer saw its official release on Monday, so it's high time we gave our thoughts on the vocalist's debut solo album. I'm new to Friedberger's music; my first thought on hitting 'play' is that opener My Mistakes is much faster paced than I expected. And perhaps faster paced than its title suggests, too - this is no mundane introspective, but a more optimistic composition that would not be out of place in an indie movie, perhaps accompanying the montage that leads to the protagonist's moment of revelation and the film's grand finale.

Here, though, it is just the first of ten tracks that demonstrate why Friedberger is well deserving of an album bearing her name. Her vocals have a richness that, at times, nears that most distinctive of voices, Annie Lennox; her delivery is at times measured, at others perfectly hurried. Throughout Last Summer, she acts as an additional instrument, helping to form the musical motifs without simply singing to a tune that's already there.

Cloud Nothings - No Future/No Past

No Future/No Past is the first proper glimpse at Attack on Memory, the Cloud Nothings album due for release on February 6th 2012.

It's an ominous snarl of a song, with more of a backing clash than a backing track, and is just the thing for working through the anger of a bad mood.

Preview No Future/No Past below, then head over to the Wichita Recordings SoundCloud page to get your own copy for free.


Living up to the Free Music Fridays billing in true and proper form, you can currently download No Future/No Past for free via SoundCloud - get over there, and get your free music track today!

Hyde & Beast - You Will Be Lonely

Hyde & Beast's You Will Be Lonely is out as a single on Monday - you may have heard it since mid-August, when their album Slow Down was released.

We've got streams of the track and the video below, so take the chance to acquaint yourself with You Will Be Lonely now if you haven't done so before.


You Will Be Lonely is a typically energetic example of Hyde & Beast's musical style, with strong instrumental and vocal motifs that will have your foot tapping and your lips singing along before your first listen-through is over.


Thanks to the miracles of mp3 downloads, you can already get the album version of You Will Be Lonely in the iTunes store - and look out for the single package from Monday, too.

The Sound of Arrows - Voyage

If you've heard any of the previous tracks from The Sound of Arrows that we've featured on Popsiculture, you'll probably be well aware that they have a fairly specific sound. Not everybody will like them - I realise that - but those who do, I'd imagine, will probably really really love the combination of typically Swedish vocals and space-age electronic instrumentals.

Some songs on Voyage, the new album, would make great dancefloor fillers - and some even sound like boy-band album tracks, to be totally honest - but others are soaring, sound-rich compositions that create a whole new world centred on your eardrums.

Moon Duo - Horror Tour EP

Horror Tour is the new EP from Moon Duo, who you may have seen mentioned on Popsiculture before.

It's a four-track sparkler of a composition, perfectly timed to coincide with Halloween - and it lives up to that billing well, with haunting sustained instrumentals and minor chords aplenty.

However, that doesn't mean this is purely background music for haunted houses - it's also a surprisingly mellow, laid-back EP of chillout tunes. If you've got a dark winter commute and need to pass the time, stick these songs in your ears and you'll soon be home.

The Coathangers - Hurricane/Johnny Flexidisc

One from our friends over at X-Ray Recordings today, the double A-side Flexidisc single from The Coathangers, featuring Hurricane and Johnny.

This is very much for those of you who like your music to come in a physical format. The transparent disc is hand-numbered and limited edition, so you own something truly unique - a far cry from digital downloads that can be reproduced almost at will.

You can order Hurricane/Johnny from X-Ray Recordings now.

Neon Indian - Era Extrana

Neon Indian's new album is actually called Era Extraña, but in case the accented n causes you any web browser issues, we're going to call it Era Extrana. OK? OK, it's a deal.

Now that's out of the way, we can worry about the music. Only, with Era Extrana, there's not much to worry about. It has all the hallmarks of that music designed to send your brain into an alpha-wave rhythm.

If you've never heard of that, it's music you're supposed to listen to on headphones, that directly influences your thought patterns, putting you into a dreamlike state, or a heightened creative state.

Era Extrana has a similarly mellowing-out effect, but without needing the headphones. In fact, I'd say it deserves to be played aloud, to appreciate the nuances of the chilled vocals and electronically charged instrumentals.

Steve Jobs, 1955-2011

We'll steer clear of a lengthy eulogy, but without Steve Jobs, much of this site would be far less interactive than it is.

The iTunes charts to the right would simply not exist without Apple's digital music downloads store.

Our text and image links to albums on iTunes - a common feature of our reviews - would be impossible too, leaving all of our readers facing the journey to their local record shop (like when I was growing up...) to get the latest releases.

As for you lot - your entire record collections fit in your pockets. And half of you have probably never held a vinyl record, anyway.

While many of today's tributes focus on the iPhone and iPad, let's remember, in our little music-centric corner of the internet, that Steve Jobs' legacy will live on in every iPod dock and digital download, from now until - at the very least - the Next Big Thing in the evolution of digital music comes along.

RIP Steve Jobs.

The X Factor 2011 - The Final 16

The X Factor judges have made their decisions, the contestants have mixed things up a bit by choosing to drop out, revealing past criminal convictions and generally adding to the pantomime that is The X Factor, but finally it seems 16 acts have been chosen to go through to the live shows.

So, did your favourite make it through? And who do you think is in with the best chance of taking the title this year?

The Favourites

The girls stand out as a particularly strong category, as usual. Any time there's debate over whether the right people went through, it means some talent got left behind - and this year, that talent is in the form of Jade Richards.

Zola Jesus - Conatus

Conatus is the new album from Zola Jesus, out at the end of September and already finding new fans for the unique vocalist.

Second single Seekir is due for release on October 3rd on Souterrain Transmissions - you can preview it below, or read on for our full take on Conatus.