Belle & Sebastian - “Write About Love” I’m starting to think that Stuart Murdoch is slowly stockpiling songs for an eventual Belle & Sebastian jukebox musical about the drudgery of office life. Surely we could make one just with what we’ve already got, and this title track from the new album. It’s always been a good setting for Murdoch’s characters — romantics stifled by the limitations of ordinary life — and, well, he couldn’t keep writing songs about teenagers, could he? Even still, the moment guest singer Carey Mulligan says that she hates her job on the chorus, it seems too easy and predictable. “Write About Love” is a good song with modest charms, but it doesn’t sound very inspired to me. It sounds like Murdoch doing his regular thing, which is a step backward from the ambition and craft of the band’s previous album The Life Pursuit, which I maintain is their very best collection of songs.

Pre-order it from Amazon.

Interpol - “Lights”The new Interpol album is depressing in a way that is unlike the sadness of their previous work, or really, most other miserable albums. The music itself sounds like extreme clinical depression. Most sad songs are an invitation for the listener to relate, but this stuff shuts you out. It wants nothing to do with you, but it wants you to pay attention to it. It’s like a rock band marching into the ocean, killing itself in the slowest, most melodramatic way possible. It sounds like Interpol destroying the very idea of Interpol, and the image on the cover echoes that notion. Aside from “Lights” it’s not especially good, but it’s fascinating in a morbid sort of way. I have no idea how they can come back from this — it seems like the only good options are to either break up or completely reinvent themselves.

Buy it from Amazon.

CocoRosie – “R.I.P. Burnface” From Grey Oceans, out now on Sub Pop.

Jess BaumungBy the standards of the inherently attention deficient internet, a year can be an eternity – so it’s remarkable that Diamond Rings has not only managed to sustain the interest that began last Summer with the release of his debut single “All Yr Songs”, but steadily build it on both sides of the Atlantic with just three singles and accompanying videos. While it took those at home a little while to comprehend that this wasn’t just the guy from local rockers The D’Urbervilles in eyeshadow, those abroad seemed quick to embrace his unique brand of DIY-chic glammy synth-pop.

So while the careers of some acts have already arced over the past 12 months, anticipation for his debut album Special Affections is hitting just the right degree of fever pitch as its October 26 release date draws near. But before that happens, there’ll be one more single for “Something Else”, due out on limited edition 7″ on September 28, but more interesting (to me) is the choice of b-side – a cover of a song by Milla – as in Jovovich – in that brief period of time between being a model and actress when she was a pop singer. I liked this song, and not just because the video featured Jovovich wandering around in a nightgown. Partly, but not entirely. But the cover is also interesting as it shows Diamond Rings exercising a little more vocal range than he does on his own material, and it works well.

MP3: Diamond Rings – “All Yr Songs”
MP3: Diamond Rings – “Wait And See”
Video: Diamond Rings – “Show Me Your Stuff”
Video: Diamond Rings – “All Yr Songs”
Video: Diamond Rings – “Wait & See”

Owen Pallett has released a track from his forthcoming A Swedish Love Story 10″ EP, out September 28.

MP3: Owen Pallett – “A Man With No Ankles”

Dose talks to Broken Social Scene’s Andrew Whiteman. Broken Social forebear K.C. Accidental will be getting a reissue of their sole recorded output – Captured Anthems For An Empty Bathtub + Anthems For The Could’ve Bin Pills – as a double LP or CD on October 26.

Pitchfork has got a track from the new Caribou live album Live at ATP New York. It will be on sale on their upcoming Fall tour, which includes a September 17 date at the Phoenix. The Toronto Sun talks to Dan Snaith about his odds of repeating as Polaris winner on September 20.

MP3: Caribou Vibration Ensemble – “Every Time She Turns Round It’s Her Birthday”

The Toronto Sun also talks to The Besnard Lakes about their Polaris Music Prize chances.

Spinner talks to Black Mountain’s Amber Webber about their new album Wilderness Heart, out next week.

The Arcade Fire show at Madison Square Garden is back up and streaming at YouTube for a limited time. Pitchfork talks to the fellow who “directed” the video/online experience for “We Used To Wait”.

Crocodiles – “Hearts of Love”

Twin Shadow – “Slow” From the new 4AD-signing’s upcoming LP, Forget, due out 11/15.

Japandroids – “Heavenward Grand Prix” This is the a-side from the latest installment in the band’s 7-inch series. The b-side on this one is a cover of PJ Harvey’s “Shame.” The record’s out on clear vinyl on 11/16– pre-order it now from the Polyvinyl Store.