New Music from Bloc Party

Bloc Party

The first video from Bloc Party’s forthcoming album, FOUR, is up now on the band’s website.  Filmed for first single “Octopus,” the video follows an exclusive first play of the song on Zane Lowe’s show on BBC Radio One.   Watch “Octopus”

Produced by Alex Newport (The Mars Volta, At The Drive-In, Polysics), FOUR – which will be released on Frenchkiss Records on August 21^st – was recorded and mixed in New York City, and is the band’s first full-length since 2008's acclaimed Intimacy.  First single “Octopus” hits the ground running with a blast of instantly recognizable nervous energy.  The band’s signature angular guitar interplay and driving rhythm section, coupled with singer/guitarist Kele Okereke’s dynamic vocal, make “Octopus” a decisively enticing first taste of the album.

Bloc Party also recently announced a full tour of the U.S.  The dates are below.

    

Pre-orderFOUR now.

The U.S. tour dates:

7/30/12             Honolulu, HI @ The Republik

8/3/12               Los Angeles, CA @ Hard Festival

8/4/12               Chicago, IL @ Lollapalooza

8/5/12               Montreal, QC @ Osheaga Festival

8/7/12               New York, NY @ Terminal 5  *sold out*

8/8/12               New York, NY @ Terminal 5  *sold out*

8/9/12               New York, NY @ Terminal 5  *sold out*

8/11/12             Las Vegas, NV @ The Pool at The Cosmopolitan

8/12/12             San Francisco, CA @ Outside Lands

w/ Ceremony:

9/14/12             Boston, MA @ House of Blues

9/15/12             Philadelphia, PA @ Tower Theatre

9/16/12             Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club

9/17/12             Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club

9/19/12             Royal Oak, MI @ Royal Oak Music Theatre

9/21/12             Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theatre

9/22/12             Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue

9/28/12             Seattle, WA @ Showbox SoDo

New Music from Tame Impala

Tame Impala

West Australian psych warriors Tame Impala will return with their new album Lonerism, to be released globally this October.

Again recorded and produced almost entirely by Kevin Parker in studios, planes, hotels and homes around the world, and mixed by the trailblazing Dave Fridmann (Flaming Lips / MGMT), Lonerism’s sound is not so much reinvented as completely redrafted and stretched way, way out. It’s a quantum leap forward for the band, the seeds of which were sown shortly after their debut album Innerspeaker was mixed.

Featuring twelve new songs, Lonerism’s most apparent advance is in its synthesizers – there’s swathes of them cutting melancosmic shapes across almost every track. There’s still the searing guitar lines, bouldering drums, free bass and of course Parker’s voice, but now there’s heavily mournful pads and sunshine lead lines from an army of analogue explorers in the mix.

In the meantime, Tame Impala give to you a first taste of the new album with a free download of ‘Apocalypse Dreams’



 

TAME IMPALA

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Blur Releases Two New Songs Via Twitter

Blur

We never thought they’d reunite but we’re so excited that Damon Albarn will once again take the stage with Graham Coxon, Alex James and Dave Rowntree. In anticipation of the live shows, Blur has released two new songs via Twitter. And on July 2 the band debuted "Under The Westway" and "The Puritan" through a live stream.

These two songs were written specifically for Blur's upcoming sold-out Hyde Park concert and were performed for the first time for the live video stream. These songs also showcase two different sides of Blur, with "Under the Westway" being an upbeat crowd-pleaser, and "The Puritan" being hymnal.

Following the stream, "Under The Westway" and "The Puritan" will be available for download and as a limited edition double-A 7" single which will be released on August 6 via Parlophone.
 

See Blur events and show dates. And listen to both songs below.

Employee Profiles: Addie P., Lead Receptionist

Addie P., Lead Receptionist at AE, not only interacts with everyone who visits our Corporate Campus in Pittsburgh, but she also helps with all the parts of the AE business, from working with HR to acting in AEO TV episodes! We sat down with Addie to learn more about the cool projects she works on at AE.

Addie P., Lead Receptionist

How did you get your start at AE?
I started at the front desk. When I came here I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, so working at the front desk is a great way to get your foot in the door. From there, I’ve acted in AEO TV episodes, worked in recruiting, and there are lots of projects here and there that I do, so it’s really fun.

What does your job entail?
I am one of the on-boarding partners during every new employees first 90 days. I take them to new hire events and tours. I do a lot with associate recognition as well – High Five Awards, Eagles Elite and service awards. I manage the AE Recruiting Facebook page as well.

The AE Recruiting Facebook Page Addie manages

 
What are your favorite parts of your job?
Getting to meet everyone that comes to the Southside! I get to meet every person on their first day, which is fun. I like the one off projects I get to do from time to time, like AEO TV or setting up for corporate events like the Halloween party or Teammate cookouts.

If you weren’t working at AE, what would you want to be doing?
I would want to be a professional wander luster – I want to travel around the world! Or I’d want to be singing in a band or own my own candy store.

Where are your favorite places to travel?
I’m going to Cape Cod on Wednesday and that’s my absolute favorite place. We have a house in Chatham. I love the Bahamas, too. We used to go to a ranch in Montana called the Bolder River Ranch which was amazing, too.

Oyster Pond in Cape Cod, MA

How would you describe your personal style?
Vintage prep with a bohemian twist.

Do you have any cool hobbies or interests?
I play guitar, I ride my bike and I love photography.

Addie playing guitar.

What are your favorite spots in Pittsburgh?
Shiloh Grill in Mt. Washington is really awesome - their menu is fun to read and their food is great. Hartwood Acres is one of my favorite places to go and take a walk or go to a concert. Tamari is one of my favorite places to eat, too.

Where Has Your AE Been - Italy

Amanda P. spent May traveling throughout Italy as part of a study abroad trip. Amanda packed her AE clothes so she would look super stylish everywhere she went.

Amanda wore her AE Skinny Khakis on Tiber Island in Rome.

Amanda wore her AE Shorts, Cami, and Top at an amphitheater in Ostia Antica, Italy.

Amanda wore her AE Skinny Jeans & AE Scarf in front of the Spanish Steps in Rome.

Amanda wore her AE Skinny Jeans in front of the Pantheon in Rome.

Have AE clothes kept you just as stylish as Amanda on a trip? Submit your photos to social@ae.com and you could be featured on our blog.

The Flaming Lips Set World Record

The Flaming Lips

In a world where the saying “no guts, no glory” reigns supreme, we are mighty glad that Wayne Coyne and The Flaming Lips have more guts than any other band we know. Coyne and the Oklahoma rockers were preparing to dethrone Jay-Z as the Guinness World Record holder for shows in the most cities in a 24-hour period. The Flaming Lips succeeded and can now revel in the glory. Each show featured a different supporting act at each location, which included Gary Clark Jr., Neon Indian, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, Grimes, Hunter Hayes, GIVERS, New Fumes, among others. Here’s to a long reign of King Coyne!

Coyne knew the gravity of their success and understood that he and the Lips would go down in trivia history forever:

"To be able to pick up this silly drinking book—after all, Guinness is a beer—this funny book that when I was growing up was a curiosity. To be published alongside the man who ate 22 pounds of his own boogers, beside the woman with the longest toenails or perhaps even to be published beside an individual who has had maybe 1,000 cockroaches stuffed into their ears... that, to me, would be one of life's absurd joys.”

In addition to their new place in settling-bar-fights history, The Flaming Lips have just released a physical CD version of their newest album The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends which was originally a Record Store Day release, and came out this week on Warner Bros.