We get a lot of records sent to us here at The A.V. Club. Fortunately, we end up liking some of them. That’s why we launched Playlisted, to share our latest recommendations of tracks music fans have to hear.
Wye Oak, “Spiral”
Baltimore band and perennial A.V. Club darling Wye Oak is back with a new track, this time for Adult Swim’s Singles Program. It’s a dark, minimalist electronic departure for the band, which has previously rocked pretty darn hard the old-fashioned way. The band is currently on the road doing some solo dates and will be out later this year both supporting Dirty Projectors and playing A.V. Fest, the most essential event to hit Chicago since last year’s A.V. Fest. “Spiral” is available for download now via Adult Swim’s website.
Om, “Gethsemane”
Om isn’t necessarily a metal band, but it’s not not metal, either. While its slow, heavily plodding tracks don’t exactly scream epic thrash session, they’re dark and demonic enough to earn the metal moniker. That makes sense, considering that the group features former Sleep member and Dopesmoker contributor Al Cisneros. “Gethsemane” is off Om’s forthcoming record, Advaitic Songs. A seven-and-a-half-minute gothic epic, it’s the perfect track for zoning out, turning on, and riding a giant sandworm over the dunes of your mind.
Iggy Pop and Bethany Cosentino, “Let’s Boot And Rally”
The previous season of True Blood featured plenty of good collaborations (including a particularly sparkling version of “She’s Not There” by Nick Cave and Neko Case), but this season, Iggy Pop and Best Coast’s Bethany Cosentino really shine—albeit gloomily—on “Let’s Boot And Rally.” Written by KCRW DJ and True Blood music supervisor Gary Calamar, the track will appear on the show’s July 8 episode and is an alt-country creep down a swamp-adjacent lane. It’s equal parts eerie and funky, just like the show which inspired it.
Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen, “Good Time”
From the absolute opposite end of the duet-osphere comes Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Good Time.” Though it’s only a week old, it’s already inspired at least 10 YouTube covers and is spawning a camp-themed music video. Jepsen’s hit single “Call Me Maybe” has reached the breaking point of pop-song ubiquity—it’s now being played at ballparks and on light-rock radio stations—so it’s high time for her to move on. She’s teamed up with the equally inoffensive Owl City for “Good Time,” a bland, albeit mega-catchy, ode to “having a good time.” Listen to it now before you’re forced to hear it just about everywhere.
Dinosaur Jr., “Watch The Corners”
Dinosaur Jr.’s forthcoming record, I Bet On Sky, is its third since its reunion in 2005. While rock reunions sometime yield flaccid material that just serves to remind fans that the past is best kept in the past, Dinosaur Jr.’s second go-around has been pretty solid. “Watch The Corners” is a fine modernization of the trio’s signature style, complete with J. Mascis’ drawled vocals and a shredding guitar solo that fades out to end the track. If the rest of I Bet On Sky is as good as this cut, fans could be in for a barnburner.