ZU: Don't Feed Me No Baloney

Recalling the sonic fortresses constructed via dizzy deep horns and beefy bass on tracks like Breakout and Swinging the Chain from Black Sabbath's Never Say Die and Drawing Flies and Room a Thousand Years Wide from Soundgarden's Badmotorfinger, Italian outfit Zu are my current go-to recommendation for anyone out there who likes a serious music Manwich with a little intelligence thrown in for good measure. Featuring vocals by Mike Patton on select tracks and a hopscotching rhythm section of bass, drums and baritone sax this band is going up up up. Seriously, this ain't no turkey.

Can't stop listening to: Beata Viscera

Actor ~ St.Vincent

Now's your chance to start your day - or compliment it somewhere in between its beginning and end - with an enjoyably striking follow up to one of the best albums of 2007, Marry Me, by St. Vincent.

Stream St.Vincent's soon to come second album Actor here.

Just trust me.

You'll have to

trust me.

Reason to Believe: Annie Clark/St. Vincent

May 5th will mark the return of St.Vincent aka Annie Clark with second album Actor in hand, just in time to ripen up the spring with her perfectly freckled heart-shaped face, cherubim curls and wide eyes. Last heard duetting Rodgers & Hammerstein, with Amanda Palmer (pictured lower right) on Who Killed Amanda Palmer?, the single Strangers indicates that Annie will be matching,if not topping, her last full-length effort Marry Me(currently on heavy rotation). Listen to this lovely nightingale croon hooky harmonies that transform into a whirligig of mesmerizing melodies juxtaposed by a heavy fuzz guitar. This is a woman who is far more than just a pretty face as is plain to see in the video for Actor Out of Work, another from the new record, below. Look for it May 5th.

The Snow Leopard ~ Shearwater

Gigantic song. Massive video. The changes at 2:30 are magnificent. A brilliant visual companion to the composition. Shearwater's Rooks, released last year, is a must own. Buy it.

Happy Saturday.

K.i.s.s.i.n.g Luke Temple

A brief holiday from Flashback Fridays to indulge in the shameless promotion of the one and the only Luke Temple (Here We Go Magic).I love a man who can pin (see "nail") a medal of honey, piss and vinegar to the soft rush chest of 50's piano plink-plink-plinks, scrape and wah electric, wood blocks and crashing waves of organ. Just have a listen, koz I said so...And remember, it's gonna take more than muscle now to lift that horse.

:)