Friday Bears: Adam Yauch dead at 47

It's been nearly three years since founding Beastie Boys member Adam Yauch was originally diagnosed with a cancerous tumor in 2009. Unfortunately for me, aside from being a fan for a long portion of my life, listening to my brother's cassette copy of Hello Nasty in the late 90s, my first personal interaction with them was when they cancelled their headlining show for that year's Lollapalooza. That being said, I never had my chance to see the group since then, and now never will.

Yauch, better known as MCA, died earlier today in what is suspected to be involved with the aforementioned cancer. He founded the group in 1979, as the bassist for the original hardcore punk version of the band, later reforming into the iconic rap group alongside Adam Horowitz and Mike Diamond. The group's last album, Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 2, was delayed because of Yauch's treatment, but was eventually released last year, alongside Yauch's directed short-film for "Make Some Noise."

For whatever it's worth, with the effective end of the lengthy career of the group, The Beastie Boys now see themselves in a pantheon of great acts that were always great. From 1986's License to Ill, to their directive change of pace in Paul's Boutique, and last year's Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 2, Yauch, Horowitz, and Diamond ended up somewhere ahead of the curve, even if their styles were totally dependent of their 80s upbringing. It's an unfortunate, early ending to the group, despite the veteran longstanding.

It's a sad day all around. Yauch was 47.

Thursday Bears: New A$AP Rocky video - Goldie

Taking a bit of a bump up from his free mixtape days, A$AP Rocky's newest video for his recently released "Goldie" single just looks damn expensive. Filmed in Paris, it features piles of gold, models, and nudity of said models. But more so than anything else, it's befitting of Rocky. Check it out below.

Virals - Gloria and Coming Up With The Sun

I guess it's been kind of a quiet day, but luckily these two streams from former Lovvers band member Shaun Hencher, under his new band Virals, have caught some attention. Check out "Gloria" and "Coming Up With The Sun," the title track to Virals' upcoming EP, which is due for release next Tuesday, May 7. Listen below.

Wednesday Bears: Washed Out on Black Cab Sessions

It wouldn't be fair to ignore this Washed Out performance of "New Theory" that premiered on Black Cab Sessions yesterday. Inside the old-English black cab (going through Athens, Georgia, none the less), Ernest Greene performs the song solely on his iPad with surprisingly good results. Watch the take below.

Andrew Bird on Kimmel

Last night, Andrew Bird made another late night stop in support of March's Break It Yourself, this time with "Eyeoneye" and "Give It Away" on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. Watch both performances below.

Tuesday Bears: New Remix: Hale-Bopp was the Bedouins (Shabazz Palaces Remix)

Ishmael Butler, more well-known around the internet as the headman of super-indie rap act Shabazz Palaces, recently remixed Lushlife's "Hale-Bopp was the Bedouins." The new cut is pretty deconstructed, altering the original Gang Gang Dance and Heems samples in the song with Butler's usual off brand takes. Listen to the awesome remix below.

Nicholas Jaar performs for In My Room (ft. Will Epstein and Dave Harrington)

Here's some fantastic cuts from 22-year-old minimalist virtuoso Nicholas Jaar, alongside Will Epstein and Dave Harrington of MTV Hive, showcasing the subtle depth that comes with Jaar's unsuspectingly immense material. Watch both clips below.

New Tennis video - My Better Self

Here's the newest video from Tennis for "My Better Self," which is slightly odd when you look at it for too long.  Watch below.

Monday Bears: New Sigur Rós - Varúð

A few weeks back, we heard our first bit of Sigur Rós' upcoming Valtari album, which has quickly become the next most anticipated album of 2012, with the seven minute-plus "Ekki Múkk." Today, we get "Varúð," a much shorter cut, which premiered on Shaun Keaveny's BBC Radio 6 show. Listen below.