Nylon Blogs

Don’t know Fixers yet?

We have five reasons why you should add them to your iTunes ASAP:

1. The U.K. quintet was named as the 2011 Oxford Band of the Year by BBC, putting them in the company of past winners like ute and Stornoway.

2. They have the same glittery electro vibe as Passion Pit paired with the off-kilter sound of MGMT…all topped off with the seeped-in-sunshine melodies of Polarsets. If that’s not a winning combination, then we’re not sure what is.

3. They’re kicking off their overseas tour with another of our favorites, Kaiser Chiefs.

4. They’ve just released a new music video for “Iron Deer Dream” and are giving away the single “Trans Love” in exchange for a Facebook add.

5. When their debut album comes out in May, all your friends will want bragging rights to discovering this band before everyone else…so jump on the Fixers bandwagon early and get to know them now.

Justin Timberlake turns 31 today!

Aside from listening to SexyBack en route to work today (swear!),
we thought we’d celebrate JT’s special day with a major dose of flashback.

And yes, that is Ryan Gosling on the right.
Oh to have been a member of the Mickey Mouse Club….

P.S. We love you, Justin!

Wiz Khalifa, Mac Miller, and Mansions on the Moon?

It’s an odd combination, considering these Virginia Beach guys have a shimmery nostalgic sound that reminds us of an unexpected mashup of Simon and Garfunkel folk meets ’80s disco (go with us here….).

Even so, it’s a formula that clearly works because after sharing the stage with some of hip hop’s biggest up-and-comers, the trio caught the attention of Pharrell, who signed on to produce their new EP Light Years.

Get a first listen here, and get ready for 3…2..1..blast off.

Feist goes to Mexico in the stunning new video for “The Bad in Each Other.”

According to the singer, it “captures glimpses of something human” with love, loss, and lots of pain….so a warning: prepare to get emotional.

Wild Belle may have only posted their first song on Band Camp a couple of months ago, but already they’ve got people talking.

Want proof?

With just one song available online, this musical duo (composed of brother-sister twosome Natalie and Elliott Bergman) have already booked gigs at Sundance and SXSW, and are about to head into the studio to record their debut album.

It’s a far cry from the band’s early underage beginnings when they snuck into clubs for impromptu performances, that’s for sure.

Their first single, “Keep You” is a contrasting mishmash of thumping drums, reggae-inflected beats, and Natalie’s swoony, ethereal voice, and we can’t get enough.

Until we hear more from Wild Belle- and we will- listen to “Keep You” here!

According to the school website, Rutgers University now offers a course about… wait for it… Beyoncé.

Called “Politicizing Beyoncé,” the class examines the boundaries Bey pushes between stereotypical and empowering with her bootylicious performances, sexy alter ego Sasha Fierce, and commanding aesthetic.

It also compares her videos and songs with readings from Black feminist literature, attempting to provoke a discussion about race, gender, and sexual politics in modern music.

It sounds pretty awesome and way better than any women’s studies course I’ve ever taken.

It also made me think: what if our favorite (or least favorite) musicians became college classes?

Here’s what we came up with:

Kitty Perry: The Feline Symbol in Women’s Culture

The Cloud Nothings: Global Warming 101

The Rolling Stones: Demystifying The Pyramids, Stonehenge, and Easter Island

Nude Portraiture 401: The Naked And Famous

Eminem and M&M’s: Entertainment Advertising and Business Management.

Shiny Toy Guns: Warfare in Children’s Video Games

Iron & Wine: Alcoholism in Industrial Revolution America

Who and what would you study, and why?

–MICKIE MEINHARDT

If you’ve never seen Florence perform live, then this epic video for “Lover to Lover” is almost as good as the real thing….

almost.

First almost a year, we’ve loved the Bleeding Knees Club guys because they’re fun, they’re fresh, and they really don’t give a damn about what anyone else thinks.

Oh, and their music is awesome, too (but that should go without saying).

After a slew of shows both stateside and at home in Australia, they’re gearing up to release their debut album this spring.

We got an early listen of Nothing To Do, and trust us when we say the LP is an instant party.

Until you can hear the full thing yourself, download the title track for free here!

NYC girl group SUPERCUTE! just released a video for their new single “DUMB DUMBS.”

And if the name weren’t enough to get you to watch, here’s one more reason: it features Kate Nash and Andrew W.K.

So what are you waiting for? Check it out above!