Media News: Dragon Tattoo, Don't Be Afraid Drop Trailers

So, word on the street is that the Americanized Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, starring Daniel Craig, had a red-band trailer leak earlier today. I finally hunted down a YouTube copy and immediately became at least twice as excited for the movie as I was. I said I'd never support Americanized versions of anything after a string of real hack-job remakes, but Let Me In totally changed my mind about that. This trailer took it a step further and not only can I support Americanizing movies, I can now enthusiastically endorse them.

"Take Care, Take Care, Take Care" by Explosions in the Sky

Released on April 26, 2011 on Temporary Residence Limited

Post rock is a strange animal: hard to describe as a genre without making it sound like elevator music or the backdrop for a nature documentary, yet immediately recognizable whenever you hear it. For years, one of the biggest names in this bizarre little subgenre has been Explosions in the Sky, an instrumental quartet from Austin, TX known for their larger than life crescendos laced with searing effects-driven guitar work that speaks volumes by itself without vocal accompaniment. Explosions in the Sky have risen to prominence in recent years thanks to frequent use of their music in movies and television shows, the raw emotion and epic-minded melodies in their songs a natural fit for world of film scoring.

"i want! i want!" by Walk The Moon

i want! i want!, self-released November 26th, 2010

In the early days of summer, it is always encouraging to stumble across new music that will shape the tone of the remaining warm months. That’s why finding Walk the Moon has been an absolute delight. This album is, for all intents and purposes, one of the best summer records in recent memory. The lead track and first single, Anna Sun, actually made it to the top of Esquire Magazine’s summer songs list. Evoking the early-2000’s indie-pop breakthrough acts (Killers, Thrills, et. al.), Walk the Moon manages to one-up their influences with deftly written synth lines and polyrhythmic beats reminiscent of Vampire Weekend’s world-music bend.

This album grabs you from the beginning with an unassuming intro and then erupts into layers of pulsing bass lines, adroit synth work and the crisp, explosive crunch of guitars. While Anna Sun sets the bar high, this is the sort of album that consistently exceeds expectations.

On The Cusp: Dignan

Image courtesy of Daytrotter

Dignan

Dignan is a band who captured my attention the instant that I heard them, their sound is something unique and sultry, but filled with intensity and and honesty.  Based out of McAllen, Texas, Dignan is a five-piece band fronted by Andy Pena that draws heavily from bands like Radiohead, Broken Social Scene, and Arcade Fire.  I know that throwing around names like that as comparisons draws a bit of an idealistic vibe to the band, but they live up to it without a shadow of a doubt.  Songs like "Whistler" on their 2009 release, "Cheaters & Thieves" take the listener on a sonic adventure with the song ranging from sweet and subtle harmonies, with a catchy whistling melody to boot, to booming chants and resounding drums.  It's not just the way that Andy sings though that draws the listener in, it's what he's saying.