STREAM NEW FLEET FOXES

Stream the entirety of Fleet Foxes new album "Helplessness Blues" right now on NPR. The album will be officially released on May 4. I was worried on how their followup album would be, but they have surpassed all of my expectations. I could not be more impressed. You can pre-order the album now! It is worth it, I recommend it!

Spotlight: Gayngs

JAGJAGUWAR is definitely one of my favorite labels. Yet another one of their recently signed bands, Gayngs, is impressive in every way, shape and form. They mix repetitive, enticing beats with the vocals similar to Bon Iver creating a more upbeat, chill sound. It's incredible. Their album, Relayted, is one that you can listen to over and over again. Check out some free downloads here.

endless opportunities this summer at....

The must see bands of the top festivals of the summer. Featuring bands that are well known and those that are generally overlooked.

Bonnaroo- June 9-12

Manchester, TN

Eminem, Arcade Fire, Lil Wayne, Mumford and Sons, Florence and the Machine, Iron & Wine, Freelance Whales, Matt & Kim, Ratatat

Wakarusa- June 2-5

Mulberry Mountain-Ozark, Arkansas

Ghostland Observatory, My Morning Jacket, Mumford and Sons

Coachella- April 15-17

Indio, Californa

Cee Lo Green, Gayngs, The Morning Benders, Arcade Fire, Angus and Julia Stone, Ratatat, The Strokes, Wiz Khalifa

Hangout Festival- May 20-22

Gulf Shores, FL

The Black Keys, Cee Lo, Girl Talk, Xavier Rudd, Civil Twilight

Sasquatch!- May 27-30

George, Washington

Modest Mouse, Flaming Lips, Beach House, Gayngs, S. Carey, Major Lazer, Wavves, Matt & Kim, Iron & Wine, Bright Eyes

Pitchfork Music Festival- July 15-17

Chicago

Animal Collective, Fleet Foxes, Cut Copy (not all bands announced yet. check back later)

Is Dubstep Taking Over?

Today, you can't seem to escape dubstep remixes of popular pop songs like the popular remix of Nelly Furtado's "Turn off the Light" in "Magical Word" by Bassnectar. This music is high energy and exciting, but I can see it being short lived. There is not much differentiation in the way to add massive amounts of bass to song. I think of it as techno on acid. It's fun to dance to, but eventually the listeners are going to want something different and it will be a thing of the past...like disco.

Any thoughts on this matter?

Best Albums of 2010

1. Sigh No More- Mumford and Sons

2. Gorilla Manor- Local Natives

3. Broken Bells- Broken Bells

4. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy- Kanye West

5. The Suburbs- Arcade Fire

6. Recovery- Eminem

7. Contra- Vampire Weekend

8. Teen Dream- Beach House

9. High Violet- The National

10. Catching a Tiger- Lissie

I had trouble picking out 10 albums from this year that were good enough to go on this list. Have my music picking skills been lacking in 2010 or has the quality of music gone down?

Favorite Roo act of 2010

Out of the countless shows I saw in those four days, one performance took me by surprise and ended up being my favorite. The show took place in the Cafe Where? Tent, conveniently located adjacent to the What Stage. While Dead Weather put on what appeared to be a show of a lifetime, I patiently waited for Angus & Julia Stone, a brother-sister duo from Sydney, Australia. The show was more packed than I had anticipated since Weezer was scheduled to play at the exact same time. It was the most intimate, laid back concert I've ever been to. Julia stunned the crowd with the overabundance of instruments she played throughout the hour and Angus mastered the role of the timid, tortured artist. There was not a dull moment, and I was fully immersed in the show. Following the encore, the fans were able to meet Angus and Julia. To me, they embodied everything bonnaroo should be, a time to relax and connect with the music.

Yet another Ben Howard post

While touring all over Europe, he has continued to make new music!

Watch Old Pine and Under The Same Sun on Youtube now!

Also, become a fan of Ben on facebook to be updated on new music regularly.

Eclectic Covers and Originality: Pomplamoose

This is POMPLAMOOSE.

for fans of: She and Him, Rilo Kiley

Homemade videos, original songs, awesome covers, and the stage presence of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. They've just got it.

They cover a variety of genres and make it into their own. They have covered Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Aerosmith, Sound of Music, Simon and Garfunkel, Earth Wind and Fire and more!

Personal favorite cover: Aerosmith's "Dont Want To Miss a Thing"

Close Second: Michael Jackson's "Beat it"

Personal favorite original song: "Expiration Date"

New Portugal. The Man

Titled: American Ghetto

Tracks to listen to before purchasing: All My People, The Dead Dog

Perfect Remixes

Introducing THE HOOD INTERNET. This group brilliantly mixes indie rock with popular rap songs. Some examples of indie bands used are: Passion Pit, Matt and Kim, Phoenix, Grizzly Bear, Modest Mouse, Beirut, Lykke Li, Radiohead and Miike Snow. These songs are remixed with the mainstream rap of today, like Lil' Wayne and Drake. My personal favorite is titled, "Back That Sleepyhead Up" which is Passion Pit vs Juvenile. It is absolutely genius.

You can download their mixtapes and singles on their website.