Woven Bones – Insound Studio Session
You can also download an MP3 of the new song “Wanna Tell You” right here.

Consequence of Sound reviews the new Arcade Fire album, The Suburbs.

The Detroit Free Press interviews Jack White about his various music projects.

American Songwriter interviews Alexandra Sauser-Monnig of Mountain Man.

PopMatters profiles singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright.

On sale at Amazon MP3: the 26-track Big Star #1 Record/Radio City album for $3.99.

Drowned in Sound interviews Dum Dum Girls' Dee Dee Penny.

Nialler9 Music Blog is streaming six songs from Daft Punk's Tron Legacy soundtrack.

VirginThe short list of nominees for the 2010 Mercury Prize – awarded to what is deemed the best British or Irish album of the past year – was announced this week and somewhat surprisingly, I didn’t find myself immediately hitting up Wikipedia to see who half the nominees were the way I have the last few years. Not only did I know who pretty much all the artists nominated were, but I’d even heard fully half of the records. Come on, Mercury judges, you’re clearly not trying hard enough to be obscure.

I was particularly pleased to see Laura Marling’s sophomore effort I Speak Because I Can get a nod, making her two for two in Mercury nominations in her short but impressive career so far. I was pleased, but not surprised, as the new record is arguably superior to her 2008 debut Alas, I Cannot Swim, and I thought that record was superb. Whereas the debut contrasted Marling’s wise yet youthful words and voice with a folk-pop accompaniment that often tilted toward the jaunty, the follow-up is somewhat starker and with a more traditional folk/Americana aesthetic that might be more conventional, but is perfectly executed and consequently more powerful. By way of example, the opening track “Devil’s Spoke” is darker and more driving than anything on Swim ever hinted at, but it’s offset by the exceptionally gentle and pensive, “Goodbye England (Covered In Snow)”...

Read more at Chromewaves →

Video: Laura Marling – “Rambling Man”
Video: Laura Marling – “Devil’s Spoke”

I don’t think Marling will take the Mercury, so who will? Foals’ Total Life Forever grows on me more with each listen, but I get the sense that The xx are an inevitability. Their momentum has been growing steadily all year and shows no signs of abating. The Telegraph has an introductory profile on the band.

For Folk’s Sake reports that Emmy The Great is nearly done writing her second album and will soon be headed into the studio to record. Those who sign up for her mailing list at Pledge Music can get an MP3 of “First Love” done live and mariachi style for free.

Spin offers a guide to understanding M.I.A..

Kele has released a new video.

Video: Kele – “Everything You Wanted”

The Charlatans have released a video for the first single from their new record Who We Touch, getting a North American release on September 14.

Video: The Charlatans – “Love Is Ending”

Adam Franklin of Swervedriver and Toshack Highway has been driving the Magnet website all week.

Spinner and Spin talk to Spiritualized main man Jason Pierce about the upcoming and final recital of the complete Ladies & Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space happening at New York’s Radio City Music Hall next week.

The Guardian and Clash profile The Vaselines, whose Sex With An X is out on September 14 and will play The Horseshoe on October 30.

Paste catches up with Fanfarlo.

Deerhunter - “Revival” There’s been a long tradition in Christian pop of songs with lyrics that could just as easily be about God/Jesus or some wonderful boyfriend. Bradford Cox seems to be toying with that ambiguity in “Revival,” a brief, tightly composed yet gentle tune about being saved that mostly conveys a sense of hard-earned relief. As usual, Cox plays the passive character — he’s been through some horrible times, but he’s found someone who sets him at ease. At the end, Cox sings “darkness always, it doesn’t make much sense,” and that’s the point really. It doesn’t matter how he found his way out, only that he knows enough to let go of his misery and loneliness.

Visit the website for Deerhunter’s Halcyon Digest.

Assembly Journal interviews Matthew Friedberger of the Fiery Furnaces.

People are just as happy with the talk about the object, or the talk about the processes making the object, being interesting. They don't mind that the object or the processes themselves aren't interesting. There's no difference to them. They’re very happy with having Vampire Weekend in place of Elvis Costello. As the media gets smaller and smaller, because of closer small-worldness I guess, success is the only thing that’s interesting.

Go! Magazine shares a list of essential Old 97's songs.

The Irish Times profiles singer-songwriter Will Oldham.

The Boston Globe delves into the cassette tape revival.

Billboard Business News examines Amanda Palmer's success in self-marketing her Radiohead covers album.

American Songwriter interviews Radiohead drummer Philip Selway.

Help fund the Welcome to Daytrotter documentary.

Drowned in Sound has announced the nominees for its Neptune Music Prize 2010 (an alternative to the Mercury Prize).