Frank YangWhenever I see reviews of Kate Nash’s just-released sophomore effort My Best Friend Is You that put forward the tracks that represent her well-documented discovery of Riot Grrl as the standouts and bemoan the number of pure pop numbers on the record, I have to wonder if the writers of said pieces actually like Kate Nash. Because as commendable as it is that she’s seeking to branch out beyond her precocious piano girl image and explore her interest in louder, rawer sounds, the inescapable fact is is that she’s not very good at it.

In its finest moments, Best Friend finds Nash taking what made Made Of Bricks such a delight – the fast-talking sass and hooky piano-led melodies – and honing them further, exhibiting the growth you’d expect over three years without sounding too grown-up. Tracks like “Paris”, “Don’t You Want To Share The Guilt” and lead single “Do Wah Do” are immediate and indelibly catchy sugar bombs that hold up over repeat listens, and the like thankfully outnumber those where Nash attempts to get her punk on. While “Mansion Song” actually works better than you’d expect, segueing from profanity-laced spoken word intro into a clattering, stomping sing-along, other stylistic forays like “I Just Love You More” find Nash tries to sound angry and guttural but instead comes across as on the verge of laughing hysterically – probably not the desired effect – and the lo-fi “I’ve Got A Secret” just wobbles aimlessly. But missteps aside – Bricks had its share as well – Best Friend is a largely enjoyable listen that gives Nash fans what they want… and sometimes you have to take the crunchy with the smooth...

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The San Francisco Examiner and The Portland Mercury interview The Wedding Present’s David Lewis Gedge.

Under The Radar talks to Ian McCulloch and The Centre Daily Times to Will Sargent, both of Echo & The Bunnymen.

The Music Slut asks eight questions of Los Campesinos!, who’ve finally beat the volcano and made it over to North America.

Camera Obscura, who were already on this side of the Atlantic when Iceland blew up, talked to Under The Radar at Coachella.

The Boston Herald interviews Frightened Rabbit’s Scott Hutchison.

Bear In Heaven and Twin Sister are teaming up for a Summer tour. Spoonfed interviews Bear In Heaven.

MP3: Bear In Heaven – “Bag Of Bags”
MP3: Twin Sister – “Dry Hump”

The xx
PowerHouse Factories, 2010

Those attending Cold Cave’s show at NYC’ Le Poisson Rouge tomorrow night (4/28) will get a chance at grabbing a copy of an exclusive limited-edition cassette, New Morale Leadership, which is limited to 300 copies (100 copies of each cover shown above). Get your ticket here, while you still can.

Stream the new CocoRosie album, Grey Oceans, in its entirety.

At The Awl, Maura Johnston responds to the recent Atlantic article about the decreased relevancy of record stores.

Frightened Rabbit frontman Scott Hutchison talks to the Boston Herald about songwriting.

The Faster Times interviews Horse Feathers frontman Justin Ringle.

The LimeWire Music Blog interviews Tijinder Singh of Cornershop about the band's new album, Judy Sucks a Lemon for Breakfast.

The Guardian Music Blog uses Bret Michaels as an example of musicians reminding us about our own mortality.

The San Antonio Current profiles Cage the Elephant.

Mondrian is streaming a song about subjects close to my heart, "Large Hearted Girls."

NPR is streaming Owen Pallett's recent NYC Webster Hall performance, which is also available as an mp3 download at nyctaper.

Sunglasses -v“Stand Fast” It’s so perfect that a band that would write a song like this would be called Sunglasses. I can’t hear this guy sing without picturing some laid-back, vaguely macho alt-bro in shades. (Not to scare you off or insult him, but imagine the chillwave version of that guy from Smashmouth.) The arrangement is like a venn diagram of groovy coolness — touches of lounge and exotica, some vague hint of hip hop beatmaking, the twinkling hazy keyboard washes of Animal Collective’s Merriweather Post Pavilion. There’s a bit of melancholy and wistfulness to this, but not enough to be particularly moving. You wouldn’t want it to be moving, you know? There’s a suggestion of depth, but it’s mostly just relaxing and fun.

Visit the Sunglasses page at Lefse Records.