PRIMAL SCREAM Return with Beautiful Future

Preimal Scream are on the verge of releasing their ninth studio album, Beautiful Future, on July 21st in the UK. The new set features collaborations with Björn Yttling (Peter, Björn & John), Lovefoxx (of CSS), and Josh Homme. The first single is called "Can't Go Back" and is streaming now.

As usual, Primal Scream are wildly unpredictable from album to album. Björn has the described the new album by saying, "It's much more pop and Krautrock than before. It sounds a bit like Alan Vega and Suicide."

Beautiful Future is the follow-up to the 2006 release Riot City Blues.

Primal Scream - Urban Guerilla (link)

LYKKE LI - 'Little Bit'

Thanks to Brooklyn Vegan for this one. Lykke Li is a 21 year-old pop singer from Sweden. In the vein of Robyn and Annie, her music is cute and catchy, with just a dash of edginess to make her cool. She has a new EP available in Sweden and you can buy it here. Her new video 'Little Bit' is below and I love it. She has a free show Monday at The Knitting Factory and a regular show Tuesday at Mercury Lounge. Bjorn (of Peter Bjorn & John) is producing her full length debut.

Lykke Li - Little Bit (music video)

TAKEN BY TREES - New Victoria Bergsman project

VICTORIA BERGSMAN may not yet be a household name, but surely her voice is. Whether it be from her appearance on PETER BJORN AND JOHN's indie anthem 'Young Folks', or maybe from back when her former project THE CONCRETES loaned their song 'Say Something New' to a heavily aired Target commercial, most people, albeit subliminally, have heard Victoria's beautifully sad voice.

And now, Bergsman has a new project, TAKEN BY TREES and will be releasing the new album "Open Field" on June 18 via Rough Trade Records. The first single, 'Lost and Found' is a lovely little slice of bittersweet melancholy, perfectly showcasing that unmistakable voice of Bergsman.

Pitchfork has the picturesque video that makes me wanna go get lost in paradise somewhere, or you can stream a few songs at the Taken By Trees myspace page.

Countdown to Coachella part 4 - 8 Days...

Here goes...round 4 of I Am So Fucking Upset That I'm Not Going To Coachella! Enjoy...


PETER, BJORN AND JOHN
Who doesn't want to see these guys, possibly the most hyped band in the blogosphere in the last year. I have no idea what their live show is like, but I'd go just to see if Victoria Bergsman shows up to do "Young Folks". I'm often disappointed in live guest vocalist appearances when they don't show up, but nonetheless it should be a great (and very crowded) show.

DOWNLOAD Peter, Bjorn and John - Objects of My Affection

*****


BLONDE REDHEAD
I have something to admit...after years of people trying to get me into BLONDE REDHEAD, I've continually resisted, though I have no idea why. To me this is one of those bands that are supposed to be so cool to like, so you say you do, but you never really play any of their albums...well, I've finally gotten past all that and I love the new record. Now if I could only listen to a JOANNA NEWSOM album in it's entirety. We'll see.

DOWNLOAD Blonde Redhead - 23

*****


JUSTICE
This years answer to DAFT PUNK, but without the pyramid and not quite as extensive of a catalog to draw from...I'd be at this one in a heartbeat. Get ready to dance your ass off.

DOWNLOAD Juctice - Phantom (Cashmere remix)

*****


GIRL TALK
Sure to be the party spectacle of the weekend! GIRL TALK has a way of creating happy anarchy wherever he opens up his laptop, inviting the masses onto the stage to the point of sheer frenzy. At least that was what it was like when I saw him in San Francisco last November. If you like to dance do not miss this one. Seriously.

DOWNLOAD Girl Talk - Pure Magic

NEW VIDEO FRIDAY

LCD SOUNDSYSTEM - "North American Scum"


CSS - "Off the Hook"


PETER BJORN & JOHN - "Objects of My Affection"


GRIZZLY BEAR - "Knife"


For a daily dose of music videos by artists you should care about, visit CLIPTIP.

The Sky Report's Best Albums of 2006

1. HOT CHIP - The Warning



2. THE KNIFE - Silent Shout



3. LOVE IS ALL - Nine Times That Same Song (2005, Eur.)



4. GIRL TALK - Night Ripper



5. THE GOSSIP - Standing In the Way of Control



6. C.S.S. - Cansei de ser Sexy



7. CAT POWER - The Greatest



8. PETER BJORN AND JOHN - Writer's Block



9. EL PERRO DEL MAR - Self Titled



10. YEAH YEAH YEAHS - Show Your Bones



11. YO LA TENGO - I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass
12. THE RAPTURE - Pieces of the People We Love
13. LO-FI FNK - Boy's Life
14. FUJIYA & MIYAGI - Transparent Things
15. NEKO CASE - Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
16. ASOBI SEKSU - Citrus
17. GNARLS BARKLEY - St. Elsewhere
18. THOM YORKE - The Eraser
19. SONIC YOUTH - Rather Ripped
20. JUNIOR BOYS - So This Is Goodbye
21. THE PRESETS - Beams (2005, Aus.)
22. MUSE - Black Holes and Revelations
23. GRIZZLY BEAR - Yellow House
24. GOLDFRAPP - Supernature (2005, Eur.)
25. THE STROKES - First Impressions of Earth

PETER BJORN AND JOHN - Writer's Block

What is it about Sweden lately? Maybe it's just my taste, but a vast majority of great albums this year are from the country that brought us ABBA and ACE OF BASE.

"Writer's Block" is the third full length from PETER BJORN AND JOHN, but the first to feature all three of the guys on both songwriting and vocal duties. The first single, "Young Folks" features Viktoria Bergsman of The Concretes. Check out the animated and too-cute-for-words video for the track:



Other highlights from the album include the soaring standout track "Objects of My Affection" and the playful "Amsterdam".

For more information about PETER BJORN AND JOHN, visit their website: http://www.peterbjornandjohn.com/