My Music Monday: Ceremony

This week I am launching a new feature called "My Music Monday" where I will feature bands I have recently discovered or old bands that already had a special place in my heart. Ceremony is a band that I recently discovered thanks to Sirius XMU. This California based band, usually known for a more hardcore punk sound, are about to release their fifth studio album entitled The L-Shaped Man via Matador Records next month. They recently released the first two singles for the album, "The Separation" and "The Understanding" as one long video directed by Ross Thomas. Both songs  help tell the story of singer Ross Farrar’s recent breakup and features a more stripped down version of the band. When I first heard "The Separation," I immediately thought that their sound reminded me of fellow post-punk band, Wire, along with a little Joy Division, which makes sense as both bands are listed as influences. I am looking forward to hearing more from this band as they do share a label with a few others I like, Interpol and Perfume Genius to name a couple. L-Shaped Man comes out May 19th so check them out. I hope you enjoy their sound as much as I do. Happy listening!

Interpol Fans Rejoice! New Paul Banks Album Coming Soon

For those of us that have been longing for some new Interpol material, it can seem like eons since their 2010 self-titled release.  But fret no more, frontman Paul Banks is going to help quench that thirst with a new solo album set to be released October 23rd on Matador Records.  This time around he's dropping the Julien Plenti moniker and is diving head first into this album full of his familiar intensity.  The first single, "The Base", was released via Matador's web site today and it is fantatic!  You can check it out here.  I can't wait for this album and I hope we don't have to wait too long for more Interpol. 


(photo by Helena Christensen)