"Suck It And See" by Arctic Monkeys

Suck It And See was released June 7, 2011 on Domino Records.

Arctic Monkeys took the world by storm with the unprecedented overnight success of their first album, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, in 2006, after growing popularity on the internet (specifically Myspace) thrust them into the public consciousness. The band followed up with Favourite Worst Nightmare, which proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that the band was more that a mere viral sensation and has since gone double-platinum in the UK. Sadly, it seems as though the Arctic Monkeys have lost their way since then. Suck It And See, which feels like a followup to 2009's lackluster Humbug, is a collection of faux-vintage guitar rock that feels more like an elaborate Alex Turner solo album than a true Arctic Monkeys outing. That being said, I have greatly admired Turner as a songwriter for quite some time and have enjoyed all of his solo output, but when the band's name is attached, music like this just feels wrong. Gone are the punchy melodies and whip-smart social commentaries that made us fall in love with this British quartet in the first place. In their place, we have more traditional oldies radio fare, albeit with a distinctive Britpunk edge (though this edge is often dulled until it's nearly unrecognizable).

From The 'Net: "Said That, She Did"

Full disclosure: I am a complete Star Wars nerd. That being said, I am incredibly fortunate to have come across "Said That, She Did". The premise is simple: take a Star Wars quote out of context, cut to Yoda saying his broken-English equivalent of "that's what she said." Sure, it seems a bit stupid, but the results are absolutely hysterical. The site just got started on June 1st so there's not a whole lot of back catalog to go through, but judging by the gems that are on here already this will be keeping me entertained for quite some time. Check it: http://www.saidthatshedid.com.

"Cults" by Cults

Cults by Cults was released on June 6, 2011
on Columbia Records

Cults are a band that on paper fit the exact niche that most popular bands of last year fell into, lo-fi with surf-rock influence, male/female harmonies and reverberated vocals, however the band simply is too talented to fall into that blanketed category.  Cults' debut self-titled album is released through Columbia, the steam for this band picked up quickly when they released "Go Outside" back in 2010, it's full of sing-along melodies and catchy synth and bell parts, but this album is incredibly well rounded and knows exactly when to draw back from the poppy side and focus on their brilliant textures and melodies that make this album so enjoyable.

Raleigh's Hopscotch Music Festival Updates Lineup, Adds Venue

Building on an already impressive selection of bands including the Flaming Lips, Drive-By Truckers, Superchunk, The Love Language, and more, today it was announced that Hopscotch Music Festival in Raleigh, NC would be adding 14 new bands, most notably: Titus Andronicus, Times New Viking, and the Vivian Girls. In addition to taking place in several different bars and nightclubs scattered across downtown Raleigh, as well as the outdoor stage set up in City Plaza, Hopscotch also announced an additional venue: a former warehouse known as the Union, conveniently located right around the corner from the brand new city ampitheater. For tickets, information, and a newly posted schedule for Hopscotch, check them out at http://www.hopscotchmusicfest.com/.