In Case You Missed Sepomana...

If you weren't at Sepomana this past Friday, I'm going to assume that either: a) You were west of the Mississippi, b) You were in jail, or c) You made a terrible decision and have subsequently learned a valuable life-lesson. In case you missed it, your kind bloggers here at 91.1 WRMC-Middlebury College Radio have decided to round up the best Sepomana-related videos the internet has to offer. Check out Peter's post below for pictures from the event itself.

SEPOMANA Pics!

Only 40 short hours since the final beats of Sepomana 2011 echoed through McCullough Social Space, THE PICS ARE IN!!

Courtesy of Elma Chapin Collins Burnham IV.

Check 'em out, and relive your Friday night...or see what you missed!

Curren$y's New Mixtape

Curren$y, the weed-rap expert from New Orleans has released a new mixtape today. Peep the date--of course he would.Covert Coup features some great guests and showcases Curren$y's flow. The mixtape is a collaboration with producer The Alchemist, from Beverly Hills, who is currently Eminem's touring DJ. The beats on the album are as lazy and laid-back as Curren$y's flow--just make sure to invest is a system with some bass to get the full experience. What really makes the mixtape are the guest artists. While Curren$y's flows are always solid, his laid-back tone fits well against the harsher verses of all his collabs on the mixtape. Check the standout track "Scottie Pippens feat. Freddy Gibbs" for a great guest verse by the Indiana rapper. The beat in "The Type feat. Prodigy" is slow and churning while Curren$y and Prodigy boast about how they "bust these raps like we bust these gats." Scary stuff.

Download or stream the mixtape HERE.

New Friendly Fires Single

St. Albans' dance punk crew, Friendly Fires, have a new album, entitled Pala, coming out May 16th. You can check out the new single, embedded below. "Live Those Days Tonight" fits in well with their previous sound: dancy and synthy with strong beats. The new single feels well produced and is anything but down-tempo. It sounds like a Chromeo lyric met up with the synths from Cut Copy's album Zonoscope and then took Miike Snow's production team out to a futuristic-themed '80's underground club. Maybe you should just listen to it...

Are You Missing Coachella?

Never fear. Check out the live stream HERE. If you click it right now you can watch Best Coast playing a new song--of course it's about dank. "...I wish she was my girlfriend."

TV On The Radio's Movie!

As you probably know, the Brooklyn band TV on the Radio have released their latest LP, Nine Types of Light. This post, however, will skirt around a review of the album. Instead, I would like to focus on the movie that TVotR have released, composed of a separate music video for every song on the album.

Each individual music video was directed by either friends of the band or filmmakers they admire. The general concepts were developed by Tunde Adebimpe, frontman of the band. "The movie is ment to be a re-imaging of the record" states the band's youtube page, and that truly seems to be the case. For example, the song "Forgotten" (34:19) does not immediately bring to mind zombies, celebrities, and guns--but somehow it fits.

The most powerful parts of the film, however, are the interviews framing each song. Local New Yorkers were interviewed and presented in short snippets speaking about such topics as: "dreams, love, fame, and the future." These real-world viewpoints tie together the extreme imagery presented in the musical segments. Overall the video is a great way to get a first or second listen to the album. Even if it does seem claustrophobic and cluttered at times, there are some real gems. Look into "Will Do" (24:47) for a heartbreaking take on virtual reality and "Killer Crane" (39:29) for a documentary-style video of the band touring followed by a haunting scene depicting the band meeting up, post-haitus, for the first time in ten years (45:36).

Everybody's Looking Forward to "The Weeknd"

SO yeah, you liked James Blake? Then you copped that Frank Ocean? Basically, R&B is the hippest genre on indie scene right now and these bros from Toronto are about ONE SECOND from blowing up all over your skinny jeans. They even sample Beach House. And leave out vowels! The Weeknd - House of Balloons

Classics: Dr. Dre-Still D.R.E.

I'm not sure how I feel about Dr. Dre. On the one hand, he is one of the most respected and accomplished rappers and producers in hip hop. On the other, he has a line of overpriced headphones and a collaboration with Hewlett-Packard selling computers. Regardless of his recent questionable exploits, Dre has an ear for production and an eye for style that are only rivaled, if at all, by artists that he signed-Eminen, Snoop Dogg, and 50 Cent to name a few. I'd like to take this time to remind you on the classic "Still D.R.E."

The track serves as an announcement. Proclaiming that Dr. Dre's still the baddest in the game, "Still D.R.E." sits on top of a tight-strung, guitar riff. Featuring lyrics like, "Ladies, pay homage, but haters say Dre fell off / How nigga? My last album was "The Chronic" / They want to know if he still got it / They say rap's changed, they want to know how I feel about it," the track attacks naysayers and doesn't skirt around the fact that hip hop changed since Dre's heyday.

"Still D.R.E." is boastful and filled with the good doctor's well-known bravado. Snoop Dogg, his faithful sidekick, holds down the intro, chorus, and outro. The Hype Williams-directed video's embedded below. Pay close attention to fact that rappers rarely use seat belts. RIP Biggie.

Video: Fun in the station

DJs have the most fun.

Video: "Heart in Your Heartbreak"

New York City rompers, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, have released the music video for their single Heart in Your Heartbreak. It features the band working at a guitar/instrument retailer reminiscent of Guitar Center and involves a plot against a controlling manager who just hates good music. The playful video is definitely worth a watch and is a great introduction to a band reminiscent of Pavement, Yuck, and The Cure. Check it out below.

Live: Cut Copy

Cut Copy can get a crowd moving. Having recently seen them in Montreal, I can attest to their powers. Hailing from Melbourne, Australia, the foursome have three steller LP's under their belts. Their freshman effort, Bright Like Neon Love, feels like a midnight joyride through a futuristic NYC. This is manifested in the album art: a model's face and futuristic sunglasses that reflect a nighttime New York skyline. Its standout opening track, "Autobahn Music Box," features swirling synths layered under accessible lyrics such as, "I watch the sun go down and up again and think of you / You're just too busy seeing red when all I see is blue / I'm sorry baby, for what I did to you." Their second LP, In Ghost Colours, is decidedly more electronic. It's songs build momentum and erupt euphorically, running together as a cohesive set of beats, yearning motifs, and synth layers. Check out the cheesy video for the track "Hearts on Fire" below. Their latest album, Zonoscope, sees the band maturing, not only writing more obscure lyrics but also exploring darker, more pulsing synth patches.

From the album opener "Need You Now," to the fifteen minute synth-epic closing track "Sun God," the album finds Cut Copy in a more grounded and yet ambiguous place. Aiming squarely at the nostalgic '80's resurgence that acts such as Twin Shadow and Toro y Moi are a part of today, Zonoscope is a thumping yet delicate electronic soundscape. The LP shines live, where bass can be felt and attendees are able to vibe off of and dance with those around them. Dan Whitford, the lead singer, is energetic and expressive. He beats his chest and reaches out towards the crowd longingly. At first this came off as contrived, but soon I was won over by the energy he puts out. Tim Hoey, guitarist and backing vocals, was animated and talented, at one point convulsing as be beat his guitar with a drumstick and eventually handing it into the crowd to hammer sounds out of.

Cut Copy are a well versed band with a polished stage presence. They have hit songs that crowds look forward to. They know how to make extended synth-jams feel fresh and important. With lyrics like, "House is burning, she is so cold / Hands of steel, they're hands of gold / Rising from a pyramid / To take you where the pharaohs live," it's impossible not to enjoy a Cut Copy song, but I can attest to the fact that it is even harder not to enjoy them live.