So, people still make music videos, apparently. That’s neat, although I must admit that my first two thoughts upon watching the new Modest Mouse video for “Whale Song” were “Man, Isaac sure has gotten larger than I remember him being” and “Where the hell is Johnny Marr?” Petty stuff. My less petty side thinks that it’s a cool video for a song that is super awkward to listen to, by design. It’s guitar parts like that that make Pandora liken Modest Mouse to bands like Les Savy Fav and Cursive, although most listeners that aren’t computers would probably not agree with the comparison.

Two of my favorite bands that happen to be on major labels (the same label, in fact) have new releases spaced out by a few days from each other, Built to Spill and the Flaming Lips. After a few days of listening, I declare BTS’ There is No Enemy to be wonderful. I’ve been describing it as the album that should have followed up Keep It Like a Secret for a few days now, and stick by that assessment. Ancient Melodies of the Future was fine enough, I guess, and Secret would be tough for anyone to follow-up… but I’m fairly confident that over-time this will be the 00s BTS album that I pick more than any other. The other album, the Lips’, Embryonic, is insane. F’real. Blips, noises, weird samples. Not Kid-A shit, though. These songs sound even less like songs than those did. It sounds more like the soundtrack to the sequel to Christmas on Mars than it does a new record. But that said, I think I like it. I’m just not sure I’ve found the appropriate time and place to listen to it yet. (too distracting for work, too jarring for relaxing at home, too polarizing to listen to with someone else, too disorienting for the gym). The next time I take a solitary car ride at night should be ideal. Wayne Coyne talks a little bit about the record here, and essentially confirms that its creation was appropriately as weird as you’d guess upon listening to it.

”Expert Herder” by Lemuria is probably the best song you’ve heard this year. And if you’re not listening to Lemuria yet, they’re probably the best band you’ve heard in the last three years. And also, get fucking with it, man! Alex Kearns from Lemuria put up some demos of his solo stuff here, which is pretty damn good, too. I don’t think it’ll sell you on Lemuria, but if you’re clamoring for more, it might help you get through. Goddamn is that dude’s voice amazing.