New Vaccines video - Teenage Icon

The newest video from The Vaccines sophomore release Come Of Age, features the band as its young kid counterparts (the four on the cover of the upcoming album) performing an aptly-titled "Teenage Icon" in an elevator. Check it out below and pre-order the single version here.

Wednesday Bears: Lollapalooza 2011: Day One Review

Four years up, four years down. If there was any hesitation that I had become a festival regular at this point, it's been thoroughly tossed aside. With every new expansion of the park, there's still the staples: That smell from the mud on the south side, the BMI stage being consistently empty, the north side offering crowd size relief, lines at Kuma's, etc.

But with Lollapalooza's 20th Anniversary, there were some notable changes. First and foremost was the newly expanded Perry's Place, which in four years had expanded from a small gathering to the football field-sized cave. Over those years, festival organizers (and notably Perry Farrell himself) have done a lot for electronica music, growing and moving the stage every year, gathering bigger and bigger acts. In addition, with the size growth, the largest Lolla crowd ever (270,000 + fence jumpers over all three days) didn't seem as overwhelming as it had in years past, sans for a few way, way too overcrowded acts (Foster the People).

Day One:

Festival-goers noted that day one was easily the most crowded booking of all three days, with enormous acts laced throughout the schedule, causing numerous scheduling conflicts. For me, it all started with The Vaccines.

The much-hyped UK act had a very early slot on the first day, sitting comfortably on the south side's main stage. I don't quite know what it is, but the first act I see every year usually delivers, and the group was no exception. Pacing through nearly their entire debut album (closing with "Norgaard"), the four-piece put on at the very least a solid show, setting the trend for early Friday afternoon.

Delta Spirit

After a small break, Delta Spirit were set to play on the same stage. Already familiar with the act after seeing them at Lolla two years ago, I knew kinda what to expect - a rowdier than thou spectacle befitting a band with a little more publicity to back up their name. Live, the band is in another world of exceptional, baiting singles here and there with lead-singer Matthew Vasquez easily leading the crowd. Sure, there were a handful of Muse fans here and there, with just permanent frows of disappointment that they weren't listening to Muse yet (they played the same stage later that night), but they couldn't take away from an outstanding show, led by an incredibly enigmatic front-man. With all respect, if you missed this show, you missed one of the best of the weekend - bar none.

What followed next was a series of glory and frustration, all at Perry's. Through Feed Me, Bloody Beetroots Death Crew 1977, and Skrillex, I was immersed in a shroud of deluded assholes, genuinely nice people, and then many more assholes. The Bloody Beetroots Death Crew 1977 proved to actually be one of the weekend's all-around best acts, far and away, but wading through Feed Me and Skrillex's crowd was unbearable. It in itself explained this year's greatest flaw and asset - the Perry's crowd.

Looking around the tent's outside, one could easily see throngs of kids in large groups - far too large to have traveled far distances. It's apt that the bros would only hang around the other local bros, because that was all they cared to see, aside from Eminem the next night. It's no coincidence, however, that because of this the shows outside of Perry's were for the most part very comfortable and easy to manage. Still, it's an absolute shame that the generic Perry's crowd dragged down the atmosphere of the park.

Crystal Castles

After a sweaty stagger away from the tent, I crossed shortly over to catch Crystal Castles' set. After a notoriously poor showing in 2009, the set was plagued with technical problems. Alice Glass' mic was continually cut off or spaced out, with the show ending a few minutes early. Still, the crowd seemed more than pleased, despite the clear difficulties, with the duo ending the set with "Not in Love," one of the best songs of the weekend. It's somewhat apparent that this is more of an indoor, late night band, rather than one playing for an oversized crowd of casual onlookers. Maybe the festival scene just isn't right for them.

For the first time in the festival's Chicago history, four headliners would close out the night. The near 100,000 Friday fans were split among the aforementioned Muse on the south side, Girl Talk at Perry's, Coldplay on the north side, or Ratatat at the smaller Google+ stage. I gladly opted for the smaller act, with a much better guaranteed seat.

Ratatat

Ratatat is truly an act better seen in the dark, as was evident with their performance at Coachella. While the fireworks and light shows were meant for Muse and Coldplay, Ratatat gave a fine light show performance tucked in Grant Park's corner. It likely didn't have the bravado of the two other acts' already well-established shows, but it did prove to be a nice outlet for those who don't really care for them.

Aside from the occasional asshole, Friday was an astounding success, just like the previous years (sans 2009). Tomorrow, I'll be posting my Saturday review.

Best Performances: Delta Spirit, Bloody Beetroots Death Crew 1977, Ratatat
Worst Performances: Crystal Castles

Highlight: "Bushwick Blues," by Delta Spirit. "Warp 1.9," by Bloody Beetroots Death Crew 1977. "Not In Love," by Crystal Castles. "Louder Pipes," by Ratatat
Lowlight: The Skrillex crowd.

Monday Bears: Lollapalooza 2011 Must-See Artists, Pt. I

My annual vacation is almost a week away. But, like always, I give a top ten countdown to my most anticipated acts of Lollapalooza. And, as it is with every year, there are certain preferences that make this list. For instance, regardless who all the headliners are, it's impossible to see them all. So, not every giant act will be here. Let's start with #10.

#10: The Glitch Mob
As I learned last year, Perry's Place has a lot more to offer than the usual festival-goer would suspect. The music is nearly non-stop, with solid fun all the way through the three days. And with the 20th anniversary of the fest, Lolla organizers have made Perry's all the more worth it, expanding the area to literally "the size of a football field."

The Glitch Mob, who recently released their We Can Make the World Stop EP, will be performing at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 6. I think it's fitting that I show the same video that got me into them.

The Glitch Mob - Street Warfare (XLR8R TV)



#9: The Vaccines
I talk about the Vaccines enough as it is, but now that I actually have the opportunity to see them, I'm fairly excited. The group caught on late last year with the release of their Wreckin' Bar (Ra Ra Ra)/Blow It Up 7", they've been steadily garnering more and more attention as the months have gone by, including headlining their own tour in the fall.

You can see the group early on the first day, August 5, at 12:45 p.m. on the main Music Limited stage. The group will also be signing autographs at 2:00 p.m.

The Vaccines - Wreckin' Bar (Ra Ra Ra)



We'll continue with Part II tomorrow ...

New Vaccines video for "Norgaard," tour dates

I remember back a few months ago when I first discovered the Vaccines and was worried that they wouldn't last past fall 2010. Since that time, the English four-piece have blown up, amassing countless tour dates alongside the Arctic Monkeys, and a modestly successful debut album (reaching #4 on the UK charts).

Not even a year later, the group is gearing up for their own headlining tour across North American throughout September and early October. The tour dates include a stop at Philly's Popped! Music Festival Saturday, Sep. 24. You can check out the rest of the band's tour dates below and their newest video for "Norgaard."

Vaccines Tour Dates

9/8       Seattle, WA                 Crocodile Café

9/9       Vancouver, BC            Venue

9/10     Portland, OR                Doug Fir Lounge

9/13     Los Angeles, CA          Music Box

9/14     San Diego, CA             The Casbah

9/18     Austin, TX                    ACL

9/21     Chicago, IL                  Lincoln Hall                                         

9/22     Columbus, OH             Newport Music Hall

9/24     Philadelphia, PA           Popped Festival

9/25     Boston, MA                 Paradise Rock Club

9/27     Toronto, ON                Phoenix Concert Theatre

9/28     Montreal, QC               Corona

9/30     New York, NY            Webster Hall

10/1     Brooklyn, NY              Music Hall of Williamsburg

The Vaccines - Norgaard

Tuesday Bears: The Vaccines on Letterman

Well, that one-day long struggle with malware is apparently out the window, so I'm happy to get back to normal before a possible domain transfer.

The Vaccines made their first appearance on Letterman last night performing "If You Wanna" from the band's debut What Did You Expect From the Vaccines?, set for release next Tuesday, May 31. At this point, if the Vaccines do something and I don't post it, it should be considered a surprise.

The Vaccines - If You Wanna (Live on Letterman, via The Audio Perv)

Friday Bears: New Vaccines video - All In White

The Vaccines premiered their newest NSFW video for "All In White," off the group's What Did You Expect From The Vaccines debut, scheduled for release May 31. The video is an arty mish-mash with a little nipple that's about ... something.

The band's in the middle of their tour with the Arctic Monkeys but will eventually split off for a length European stop before returning back to the states for Lollapalooza.

The Vaccines - All In White

Lollapalooza rumors update

The official Lollapalooza lineup release is a mere four days away, so before Tuesday comes around, I'll give the lineup wrap up of what we already know.

Now, if you've been following my Twitter, you'd see that the folks at the official Lollapalooza Facebook page have been running a daily game. Participants are quizzed on 10 random Lolla history questions per day, receiving three clues (max) about the 2011 lineup, depending on how many questions are answered correctly.

The game has been running every day since Monday, so here are the first batch of artists that we can base the clues off:

Muse

Foster the People

Skylar Grey

The Vaccines

Delta Spirit

Nas & Damian Marley

Lykke Li

Tennis

Ween

Local Natives

Bright Eyes

Smith Westerns

Noah and the Whale

Ratatat

*There's a third clue from earlier today that asks, "This bluesy, rootsy beauty might just be James Brown reincarnated." The probable answers are either Janelle Monae, Adele, or Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. Still unsure.

As for the adds, if those are indeed the correct answers, which the consensus seems to be, there are only a few surprises. Muse, Lykke Li, and Tennis have all been confirmed for some time, and many of the other artists were reasonable to assume that they'd appear. Ween, however, came almost out of left-field and should be a pleasant surprise for many attendees.

The game, as I said, will continue until Tuesday when the official lineup is finally released. Until then, there will be nine more clues released.

Stay tuned here for full Lollapalooza updates ...

All the Lollapalooza rumors so far ... today.

It's been a while since I've filtered the website (and not my Twitter account, which you should be following) with Lollapalooza rumors, so I'll get back on base.

Yesterday, it was pretty much revealed through several sources and suspicious scheduling that A Perfect Circle are set to be one of the six main headliners at this year's festival. So, for those that need a refresher, that makes four confirmed headliners: Eminem, Foo Fighters, Muse (all three completely confirmed), and A Perfect Circle.

With two headlining spots remaining (and three Perry's Place, the electronic/dance stage, headliners still unnamed), there have been speculation for a small handful of artists, including; Coldplay, My Morning Jacket, and now Death Cab for Cutie.

Rumors, however, became even more interesting after Perry Farrell revealed in the March/April issue of Relix that, “I can’t tell you who’s gonna be headlining this year, but one of the headliners is a dance act." Early rumors indicate that the probable act will be either Justice, Deadmau5, who played the festival two years ago, or the Chemical Brothers. Daft Punk was also mentioned, but chances of them performing again seem like a disillusioned dream.

The festival's Last.fm page, which has every artist confirmed or semi-confirmed for the weekend, has also listed Justice. Again, it's not a confirmation, but a reasonable suspicion for the French duo's speculative appearance. From this point, I'd make them the most likely headliner to be named next.

Outside of headlining rumors, several acts have also been added to the billing, including; Arctic Monkeys, Surfer Blood, and Tennis. It may also be within reason to assume that the Vaccines will make the lineup. The group is currently touring with the Arctic Monkeys and have no Chicago dates scheduled around August 5-7.

Stay tuned to Bears and Bullets for any and all rumors and information regarding the annual festival through the coming weeks ...

Wednesday Bears: New Vaccines - We're Happening

Among the impending snow-pocalypse (the new one) on the East coast of the United States, it looks like I'll be housed in a good deal. But before that, I should throw the Vaccines new track "We're Happening" out there.

The track is featured on the B-Side of the UK groups Post Break-Up Sex 7", available here.



Also, for those who don't know; become a fan of Bears and Bullets on Facebook, and there's more than just daily updates. Do it.

Monday Bears: Bears and Bullets Top 25 Songs of 2010 (Pt. I)

Greetings. Now that the Northeast, particularly New Jersey, is covered up in a invariable snowstorm, keeping most of us housed up indoors, this seems more than the perfect time to unleash Bears and Bullets annual list of the Top 25 Songs of the Year. Last year Grizzly Bear's "Two Weeks" ended up toping our list in a year that seemed sweltered by indie music's perennial power houses, like Phoenix and Animal Collective. So this year may be a bit more refreshing, considering 2010's somewhat unpredictable month by month catalog of new music.

As with last year, lets clear up the two rules that qualify music for the list: first, the song must have been released during the calendar year. Second, songs heard prior to 2010, such as Yeasayer's "Ambling Alp" are disqualified because it had been out for a much longer period of time, even though it was released on the band's album Odd Blood, released earlier this year.

So, lets begin.

#25: Stranded - The Walkmen
The first listen to Lisbon yielded "Stranded," an achingly sad and mature bar tome brimmed with some of the most harrowing and enchanting horns heard from the Walkmen in years. Lead-singer Hamilton Leithauser's now well-known voice, once detached and coarse from 2004's "The Rat," seems calmed and skimmed, but still powerful enough to make plaster wilt in "Stranded." The band's work, and specifically Leithauser, always seemed to overflow with stern honesty, but here, as the band continues to grow, it begins to sound too beautiful to capture. Almost.

The Walkmen - Stranded - MP3

#24: Round and Round - Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti
I may still be somewhat amazed at Pitchfork's decision to place "Round and Round" at number one on their songs of the year list, but that doesn't take much away from it. It's a deceivingly well-crafted five minutes staunchly brewed with a buzzing rhythm, sparse sound clashes splashing in the backdrop with Ariel's constantly changing approach. The chorus, where the ghostly tone goes by the wayside, is huge and clamoring, preceded at the end with a high-pitched "sentimental/everything is my fault,"  is where "Round and Round" stands tallest, before blending backward to its creative axis. Na Na Na Na.

Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Round and Round



#23: Post Acid - Wavves
At some point, Wavves must have gotten tired churning out buzzy, lo-fi, messy songs about Mickey Mouse and pot when they made "Post Acid," a quick, almost clean bursting pop-punk protocol with an eschewing chorus that deserves shrill yelling. It's painlessly fun, but not as drab and callously single-minded as most of Nathan Williams' work. In another word, you can enjoy it without trying.

Wavves - Post Acid - MP3

#22: Wreckin' Bar (Ra Ra Ra) - The Vaccines
When we first heard the Vaccines back in October, "Wreckin' Bar" immediately jumped out (and was good enough to make the Our Newest Obsession series). It's a short, endlessly joyous minute and a half surf rock jangle that keeps spinning on constant repeat, much like "Post Acid," but with more of shiny punch. It always happens since I've begun making these year-end lists; that a song like "Wreckin' Bar," with only a little recognition to its name and even less word of mouth claws its way in, and deservedly so.

The Vaccines - Wreckin' Bar (Ra Ra Ra) - MP3

#21: Vultures - The Pass
The list's first official dance track (or easily danceable track) came up a few months ago after the Pass entered their video for "Vultures" into a blogger contest. While the video, with all of its indie blogging references (again, we go unnoticed. Sigh), is pretty enjoyable, the song should truly stand out. It's an infectious dance rock track in a year where the subtle sub genre went largely unnoticed. Oddly enough, when you're listening, it ends up feeling "like the first time," no matter what it was for. The better songs, in the end, usually have that effect.

The Pass - Vultures



Stay tuned, we'll return tomorrow for songs #20 - 16.

Friday Bears: Our newest obsession: The Vaccines

Two in the same week? Bullshit.

No, but really, The Vaccines are blowing up in the best way possible. After the release of their first single "If You Wanna," back in August, The UK band seemed to catch some relatively positive buzz, but nothing terribly remarkable.

With the new release of their upcoming 7" Wreckin' Bar (Ra Ra Ra)/Blow It Up, due out Nov. 29 via Marshall Teller Records, the band seems to have a little more life under them. There's no guarantee that the group can sustain the minimal amount of success they've achieved in such a little frame of time, but for now, "Wreckin' Bar (Ra Ra Ra)" and "Blow It Up" are pretty good bench marks.

The Vaccines - Wreckin' Bar (Ra Ra Ra) - MP3
The Vaccines - Blow It Up - MP3