In case you haven't noticed, WE RELAUNCHED THRASH HITS . This week on the podcast, Raz and Hugh talk through the fancy new changes that we've made to the site (we're pretty proud of it FYI), as well as giving the lowdown on our team-up with Songkick Detour (help us bring American Nightmare, SikTh, and a load of other awesome bands to London!), as well as talking about the only news story that's mattered over the last week - Tim Lambesis of As I Lay Dying being arrested and charged with attempting to hire a hitman to [...]

During an interview on a Christian radio station in 2010, As I Lay Dying frontman Tim Lambesis said that he and his bandmates' faith "always comes across in our lyrics in some way or another." But maybe not in life? It's too early to tell, says Lady Justice, as the San Diego metalcore band's co-founder was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly hiring a hitman to kill his wife. The San Diego Sheriff's Department charged Lambesis, 32, with solicitation to commit murder and two counts of conspiracy to commit crime, reports the Los Angeles Times. [...]
Camden Crawl Dublin took place last weekend, with tonnes of bands playing across 15 venues in the capital. Brid O'Donovan headed up with camera in tow to capture some of the action. After the jump you can see all the action, from Wife in the Village, through what looked like [Read more]
By Kenny McMurtrie April 08, 2013 The Camden Crawl ( arguably one of the earliest examples of the modern urban music festival) once again comes to Dublin in 2013, over the weekend of 03 – 05 May. Weekend passes come in at £53.21 (incl. booking fee), allowing you access to over 15 venues to see music and comedy including such acts as The Black Lips, PAWS, Dirty Beaches and Big Deal . Local acts on the bill include Squarehead, Cian Nugent & The Cosmos, The [...]

According to multiple sources today on a Houston Radio show, former New England Patriot Ted Johnson, was asked who had the ugliest spouse on the Patriots. “He won’t hear this – Vince Wilfork,” Johnson reportedly responded. Well Johnson thought very wrong and was reminded of how fast word spreads when you are talking about a star players wife. Wilfork responded via twitter: Moments later Johnson tweeted back apologizing for his poor lapse in judgement and an obviously angry Wilfork responded apologizing to his fans and then called out not only [...]
David Bowie - The Stars (Are Out Tonight) Directed by Floria Sigismondi the video accompanies the second single from Bowie’s celebrated comeback album The Next Day . Tilda Swinton and Bowie star as a happily married middle-aged couple living the quiet life in the suburbs. The pair’s striking looks and the stylized setting give the opening minutes a glossy, retro ambience. The calm is interrupted when a band, fronted by what looks like a young Bowie, and a wild celebrity couple invade the neighbourhood. The poised opening scenes soon give way to jittery camera work as the atmosphere [...]
It's a bitter night in Dublin and the Button Factory is dead. The bar staff seem bemused by how much time they have to chat, and tables aren't immediately colonised but are easily shared between strangers. The uniform: full-length winter coat, designer stubble and an XY chromosome, although a few choose to flaunt that final point. Death Cab for Cutie's 'The New Year' plays over the PA system. Yes, it's that bad, and I blame Foals. Just across the Liffey, Yannis and his mob are playing the second of two sold-out shows at the Academy, whereas [...]

I've talked often about being able to foot the bill for several Shorthanded Goals a month. It never really ever works out. Sifting through all the excess tracks and drawing out links and MP32s takes some time. While once a week is easy, more than once is hard. Today I have some time. This iteration of SHG is gonna contain both absolutely brand new tracks as well as some that were passed over in the past month. It's a track or two smaller haul, but still packing the same punch. Shorthanded Goals is a feature that melds the [...]

In the few press shots that have been dotted around the net, Sweden's Nervous Nellie look like some long-lost band from the late-eighties, who probably played a few shows with The Cure before disappearing for good. Funnily enough there is a hint of that bygone era in their songwriting, but the whole thing is brought to life with dazzling Phoenix -like synths and that irresistible pop charm that is seemingly implanted within Scandinavians during childhood. Seriously, the chorus of Gloves alone could make statues dance. The band release the five-track Gloves [...]
More music from Sweden for you all. It's not even worth bringing up the fact that the Swedes continue to dominate the music scene - it's common knowledge at this point. That being said, I'll obviously continue to bring it up every time I come across a new song from ... Read More

At first, "Gloves" doesn't jump out as your typical Swedish pop gem. It teases at something big to come, but doesn't give away what this is. Then at 50 seconds in, the chorus breaks, and there it is: Swedish pop. Ugh, Swedish pop, you did it again. Fans of Miike Snow will enjoy this one. Nervous Nellie is two sets of brothers living in Stockholm, and "Gloves" is their U.S. debut. The band's Gloves EP drops February 12th. "The idea for the song came after hearing an old Tom Petty drum [...]

With common core standards approaching like an Ozzy Osborne conducted crazy train, our school has made a huge push to get kids reading non-fiction texts. In previous years the fact that they were reading would've been enough. Not so much anymore. The vast information, text features and vocabulary incorporated in non-fiction are a necessity for making kids in all grade levels successful. That means the kids in my classroom are connecting and learning things at a ridiculous pace. It is hard to keep up some days. I've got a kid over here experiencing poutine, a kid over there learning about [...]

Meet Bora York. The Minneapolis husband-wife duo are set to break out of the Midwest with their enchanting dream-pop in 2013, starting with "Open Tales." The single comes off Bora York's debut album, Dreaming Free , a release that sees the husband-wife duo shed their folk-pop skin in favor of a shimmering, electronic coat. This transition is on full display in "Open Tales," an enfolding track that plays like Trails and Ways 's twinkling, synth-heavy cousin. Stream it below. Bora York's Dreaming Free will see light [...]

"Gloves" is the title track from Nervous Nellie's forthcoming Gloves EP, which will be released on 12th February.

As the week comes to a close, we gather up the pros and cons with a bit of hope and optimism despite the odds. Chief Keef's gun range Pitchfork interview cost him 2 months in juvie for violating probation while Meyhem Lauren struck back at the 'fork with the diss track, "The Laurenovich Angle (Fuck Pitchfork)". While word has it that Lil B will not be performing at the Grammys, the legions of Radiohead fans can hear unreleased material Thom Yorke dropped via Dazed Digital while...

"Gloves" & "Disease" which come to us from Stockholm indie act Nervous Nellie are previewed here from the band's forthcoming "Gloves" EP. Each track offers a bit different look from NN, the more poppy "Gloves" is anthemic (incl. a chorus that is among 20132s best so far) while "Disease" is intense & severe (but still very hooky). Nervous Nellie are definitely a lot of Swedes you're going to want to keep an eye on in 2013. A+. Nervous Nellie ( Facebook [...]
Kool Thing The Berlin-based Dublin/Australian trio Kool Thing had a pretty good 2012, releasing a few singles, a digital EP of remixes and winning lots of new fans with their live show. They ooze cool - I mean look at that photo up there! Theirs is a laid-back, dark and [Read more]
This list is necessarily all over the map. Heck, in a lot of respects, there's no map at all. You'll find it in tatters down on the passenger-side floorboard. Delving into unsigned bands is like that. Of course, it's not all fizzy delight. Like all treks off of the beaten path, there are dead ends, awful mishaps and moments when [...]

Before we drop what's probably considered to be the ultimate year-end list (ya know, albums), here are some of our favorite EPs of 2012. The only label to appear more than once on this list is, umm, Self-Released. Good job, guys. Arca : Stretch 1 Truly Carrying Vatican Shadow : September Cell Cairo Is a Haunted City Tropic of Cancer : I Feel Nothing / Permissions of Love The One Left [...]