[Listen] John Frusciante - 'PBX Funicular Intaglio Zone' (Full Album Stream)

Earlier in the Summer we got the return EP Letur-Lefr from former Red Hot Chili Pepper's guitarist John Frusciante. Now we get our first full length LP from the guitar virtuoso since 2009's The Empyrean, check out the full stream of John's newest entry PBX Funicular Intaglio Zone above which released in Japan today and is set to release next week for everyone else. If you dig it, make sure you pre-order the album at his official website and pick this one up so Johnny can release more music. He did have 400 songs written after all.  Enjoy!

[Download] John Frusciante - "Walls and Doors"

Just when I think im done for the day, the homie Invisible Movement lets me know that the pre-order for the upcoming John Frusciante album PBX Funicular Intaglio Zone has launched as well as the debut of a new song. That's right kiddies, the former Chili Pepper's guitarist's new 9 track album is now available to pre-order at his official website and you can also get your taste of the new LP with the drum break heavy, melody changing, synth pop cut "Walls and Doors" in the player below which is also available as a Hi-Res wav file to download.

This song, recorded in September 2010, marks the point at which I began combining 60s and early 70s production styles with modern electronic production styles. This song was also the first time I successfully balanced pop music with abstract forms of music. This song showed me that the pop parts of myself and the more adventurous parts of myself could blend without one compromising the scope of the other. After this song I did not pick up the ball and run, but rather I continued to challenge myself, experiment and investigate, more from the abstract angle than the pop angle, until March 2011, at which point I’d figured out the things which made it possible for me to consistently make precisely the music I wanted to make, in which I was not restraining any part of my nature, allowing me to begin the recording ofPBX. I might mention that Walls And Doors was also the first time my electronic instruments had begun to convey the visceral energy that one associates with people beating the fuck out of their instruments, in the context of a pop song.

Unlike Frusciante's latest EP Letur-Lefr the album which features guest spots from RZA and more, PBX is contains no guest features on vocals. That's okay, I for one am just happy John is putting out new shit for us to enjoy. PBX Funicular Intaglio Zone will be released in Japan on September 12th, in North America on September 25th and in the rest of the world on September 24th. Like Letur-Lefr, PBX Funicular Intaglio Zone will be available on vinyl, CD, cassette and in 32 bit, FLAC and MP3 digital formats.

[SKOA Presents] Some Kind of Mixtape: July 2012

The heat is ON! Many parts of the US are reaching record breaking temperatures resulting in all sorts of things melting that shouldn't (and obvs many that should). From the sounds of Some Kind of Mixtape: July we were all on the same page and provided you all with some tracks that are perfect for laying around to while beads of sweat collect on your forehead. So sit back, relax, and press play on this month's mix. As always, you can learn more about each track below. Make sure you add us on 8tracks and if you have mixtaps you think we should check out, hit us up on Twitter or Facebook and let us know!

Stay cool (literally)!

kibbe, rocko, shey & adrian

Some Kind Of Mixtape - July from skoablog on 8tracks.

Divine Fits - "Would That Not Be Nice"
Sometimes I feel bad for side projects featuring musicians from multiple different bands because you KNOW that everyone is going to be analyzing every last note to see who has the most influence. Such is the case with indie super(?) group Divine Fits - which consists of Britt Daniel (Spoon), Dan Boeckner (Wolf Parade) and Sam Brown (New Bomb Turks). Admittedly, I fell for "Would That Not Be Nice" for it's obvious Spoon-esque sounds, but I've found the other tracks from the upcoming album titled A Thing Called Divine Fits to tickle my fancy in non-Spoon-loving ways as well. Make sure you pick up the "My Love Is Real" vinyl which dropped this past week and be on the lookout for the full length coming up on August 28th.  - kibbe

Tame Impala - "Apocalypse Dreams"

I've said it multiple times. Tame Impala rules all. These Aussie psych rockers amazed me with their 2010 debut album Innerspeaker. Now the boys are back to do it again with their sophomore effort, Lonerism. The first single "Apocalypse Dreams" continues right where Innerspeaker left off with it's spacey/dreamy landscape of amazing. With their take on the classic psychedelic rock sound, I don't see Tame Impala going away anytime soon.—Rocko

Carnivals - "Departners"

The atmospheric style of Sheffield producer Carnivals has had me completely addicted since hearing his debut Mavi Kara EP last year, and his latest cut has heightened my addiction to whole new levels. "Departners", the first offering from the soon-to-be-released Humility EP, sees the artist embracing the sounds and influences of India, medling them beautifully into his ambient, sprawling soundscapes. This is the kind of music you can put on late at night and fully lose yourself in, the type of song that treads the line between dreams and reality.—Adrian

Bat for Lashes - "Laura"

Taken from her third album, Haunted Man, Natasha Khan aka Bat for Lashes seems to return to form in her new single "Laura". Cast your mind back to 2009 and I must say I wasn't a great fan of Two Suns and her single "Daniel" (what's with all the first names for song titles?) but with this new single she seems revived. A stripped back sound and the results are stunning and certainly something to be excited about in the coming months. Of the sound she's gone for with the new album she says "I really wanted to strip things back in honour of women like Patti Smith." Can we argue with that? The album is set for release on October 15th but I'm sure we'll see more of it before then.—Shey

Dirty Projectors - "Gun Has No Trigger"

Swing Lo Magellan is on the shortlist for my top albums of the year, and rightly so. Each song the Dirty Projectors delivered on their sixth full-length is perfection, but "Gun Has No Trigger" stood out above the rest. As a whole, the song evokes a strange mood, entering a near-Radiohead level of weird, and it's so damn addicting. The atmospheric instrumentation is fantastic, but it is Dave Longstreth's vocals that stand out. The way he bends his voice, contorting it in amazing ways and hitting the oddest of notes, is what makes this song. It's just so good. I. Can't. Stop. Listening.—Adrian

Two Door Cinema Club - "Sleep Alone"

As Olympic fever sweeps not just the nation but the entire world, it's easy to forget that Two Door Cinema Club have to-date only released one album yet last Friday during the opening ceremony of London 2012, lead Alex Trimble performed alongside rocks biggest names. Pretty big for a band that have not long had their training wheels off. Lead single from their forthcoming sophomore album, Beacon, sees the band doing what they do best. "Sleep Alone" features soaring melodies intricately woven around exquisitely placed guitar hooks resulting in a single you want to play again and again. The single drops on September 3rd, the same day as the album.—Shey

Black Moth Super Rainbow - "Windshield Smasher"
For me, what's always been so nice about Black Moth Super Rainbow has been the music's ability to seemingly float around in my head and get into all of the creative nooks and crannies that I sometime forget exists. "Windshield Smasher" from their upcoming album Cobra Juicy speaks well to that same feeling. For more feel-goodness make sure you take part in their Kickstarter to fund the upcoming album, which is slated for an October 9th release. Even though the kickstarter project is already completely funded, it's hard not to pass up the sweet deals that come with each tier in the funding process. - kibbe

Frank Ocean - "Forrest Gump"

With all the hype surrounding Frank Ocean it's easy to get lost in the sea of Orange he's managed to thrust upon the world. That performance on Jimmy Fallon and the surprise release of his album certainly added fuel to the fire but once you hit play you're left reeling of a man haunted by his own past and one that's wise beyond his years. A stand out from the release for me was "Forrest Gump" being as it's a little different, it's playful in its lyrics and it puts a smile on my face when I hear it. Music that evokes emotion is always going to be a winner.—Shey

Flea - "Pedestal of Infamy"

This. This is just amazing. I knew Flea was a great musician but I had no idea he could create something as beautiful as this track from his recently released EP Helen Burns. If the Chili Peppers were to break up and we'd get continuous album's from John Frusciante and Flea, i'd be completely okay with that. If you disagree, just listen to the awesomeness of this track. It's completely mind-blowing.—Rocko

Flying Lotus feat. Earl Sweatshirt & Captain Murphy - "Between Friends"

Adult Swim's Singles Program has delivered some definite gems so far, but Flying Lotus' collaborative track with Earl Sweatshirt and Captain Murphy is easily the top contender. FlyLo never ceases to amaze us with his mesmerizing experimental style of instrumentals, and the added spitfire delivery of Earl Sweatshirt blends seamlessly into that. It's the addition of the anonymous emcee Captain Murphy that makes this track so interesting, though, as he comes across as a more intelligent Tyler, The Creator with a smoother lyrical flow. Who is Captain Murphy? Who the fuck cares, because when Flying Lotus' captivating instrumentals, Earl Sweatshirt's smooth flow, and Captain Murphy's intelligent charisma combine, it makes for an amazing listen.—Adrian

John Frusciante - "In Your Eyes"

I wish I could just limit this blurb to "It's John Fuckin Frusciante. Nuff Said." He's the reason most people got into the Red Hot Chili Peppers and is one of the greatest guitarists of all time, and now he's back for the first time since his departure from the Chili Peppers with a new solo EP titled Letur-Lefr. Frusciante is a master of melodics from his production down to his harmonic vocals and his masterful licks. Although he's no longer part of RHCP it's great to see him back in the driver seat creating beautiful artistry. /fanboy—Rocko 

Snowden - "The Beat Comes"
It's been six long years since Austin-based band Snowden dropped their debut full length Anti-Anti and I fell for their catchy post-punk sound with songs like "Black Eyes", "Counterfeit Rules", and "Like Bullets". I had seen bits and pieces over the past few years that frontman Jordan Jeffares had left his hometown of Atlanta, GA and spent some time in New York City before settling down in Austin, TX, but I hadn't heard anything about new music in the near future until a few month ago. To my delight this past month I finally got to lay my ears on the first single from the upcoming sophomore album, No One In Control. "The Beat Comes" is a great avenue for Snowden to travel down since last we heard from the band with it's dark but inspiring undertones. It could have been because my first listen was by way of its outstanding video directed by John Merizdale when it premiered on Stereogum last week, but I still love it either way. No One In Control is slated for a fall 2012 release on Kings of Leon's label Serpents and Snakes. - kibbe

[Listen] John Fruscinate - "Glowe", New Solo LP Dropping This Fall

A few weeks back we got the surprise announcement of former Red Hot Chili Pepper's guitarist John Frusciante gearing up to release a new EP this July titled, Letur-Lefr. Now we get our first taste of the upcoming EP with the new track "Glowe", as well as more information on the EP and AN EVEN BIGGER ANNOUNCEMENT! According to the JF official website, the upcoming EP will feature 5 new songs written and produced by Frusciante himself and "features a few friends on vocals" (PLEASE BE RZA). Letur-Lefr is set to be released in Japan on July 4th and will be released to the rest of the world on July 16th and 17th. You can preorder the album here and receive an immediate download of the new song "Glowe" which you can listen to as well as check out the album's tracklisting after the jump.

Letur-Lefr Tracklisting:

1. In Your Eyes
2. 909 Day
3. Glowe
4. FM
5. In My Light

However, that is not all that we receiving from Mr. Frusciante this year... According to our friends at Invisible-Movement.net and on the JF official website, John has announced his upcoming 11th Solo LP titled PBX Funicular Intaglio Zone to drop this September. 

The tracks on Letur-Lefr are from 2010 and PBX was made in 2011. Letur is a compilation, a selected portion of music I made that year while PBX was conceived as an album, the songs having been recorded in succession. The records are very different from each other, so prior to the release of the LP, I will make available a free download of a song called Walls and Doors. This song pointed the way towards PBX, but was recorded 7 months earlier. I always took it for granted that Walls and Doors would be part of the record, but as it turned out the record was better off without it.

As you can tell i'm pretty fucking amped for these upcoming releases! PBX Funicular Intaglio Zone will be released in Japan on September 12th, in North America on September 25th and in the rest of the world on September 24th and will be available on vinyl, CD, cassette and in 32 bit, FLAC and MP3 digital formats. Make sure you pick them both up when they release.

[News] Former RHCP Guitarist John Frusciante Returns With New Solo EP, Letur-Lefr

You know what's even better than today being friday? Waking up to the news that JOHN FRUSCIANTE IS RELEASING A NEW SOLO RECORD THIS SUMMER!! Sorry, if I could type this whole post in all caps I would but you guys would be annoyed and I'd feel like I was ranting like Kanye. But anyhow, our good friends over at Invisible-Movement.net (The best website for all John Frusciante news) announced earlier today that the former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist is set to release a new EP titled Letur-Lefr this summer. This marks John's first solo release since 2009's album The Empyrean.

Frusciante fans have been waiting a long time for this news (me especially) after all the rumors from friends around the guitarist like RZA, The Mars Volta's Omar Rodriguez-Lopez (who has an awesome new album out by the way, which he released yesterday) and Share Watson aka Truth Hurts hinted that John was back in the studio working on new music and had about 300-400 unedited songs in the bag. Finally, we get news of a new release is on the way. Ahhhh I'm all over the place with excitement on this one! Like his previous albums, Letur-Lefr is set to be released via Record Collection Music. UPDATE: The new EP will contain five new songs and it will be released the week of July 9th in multiple formats (including cassette!) worldwide.

Tune into Invisible-Movement.net and SKoA for more information as it comes. NOW GO LISTEN TO ANY JOHN FRUSCIANTE SOLO RECORD YOU CAN FIND! I know most of you got Spotify! I recommend listening to To Record Water For Only Ten Days.

[Listen] Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Monarchy of Roses"

Our homies at KROQ, hook us up with another track from the Red Hot Chili Peppers upcoming LP I'm With You titled "Monarchy of Roses". This new song still has that familiar RHCP sound despite the absence of former guitarist John Frusciante and feels a bit more bass driven than the previous albums. Take a listen to the track over at KROQ's site (sorry about the quality) and make sure you check out KROQ full interview with the band discussing the new album here and the full album stream later today over at the Chili Peppers website.

[Listen] Catherine Ringer - "Prends-Moi" Feat. John Frusciante (Produced By RZA)

Truth Hurts isn't the only one who has enlisted the awesome duo of Wu-Tang's RZA and former Chili Pepper John Frusciante for some awesome tunes, French artist Catherine Ringer features the two on the track "Prends-Moi" (Take Me in English) for her latest album Ring'n'Roll. The track is produced by RZA and features John laying down some sick licks on the track. This and the N.A.S.A. track "Way Down" Featuring Barbie Hatch really has me begging to hear more material from RZA & John. Hopefully, one day we'll get to hear the work the two worked on together a couple years back. Thanks to Invisible Movement for the heads up on this.

[Listen] Hear 3 New Songs From Swahili Blonde's 2nd Album Featuring Former RHCP Guitarist John Frusciante

John Frusciante is a weird fellow, but probably the most amazing Guitarist alive today. Back 2009 John teamed up with girlfriend? (dont know if they are still together) multi instrumentalist Nicole Turley to form the experimental punk-funk outfit Swahili Blonde and recorded their debut album Man Meat. Frusciante later quit the band in search of...who knows.

But it appears the former Chili Pepper has once again returned to help the band create their sophomore album, Psycho Tropical Ballet Pink. We previewed the band's first new track off the new album "Etoile De Mer" a couple of months back and now you can check out 3 new songs "Purple Ink", the amazingly awesome cover of A-Ha's "Scoundrel Days" and "Zelda Has It" in the player below. The album is set to release on October 2nd. Now if we could only get another Frusciante solo record this year.