[Watch] Two Door Cinema Club - "Sleep Alone" Live on Conan

We've seen Two Door Cinema hit up a few shows on the late night circuit in the US in the past year. Back in September they played on Fallon, and last October they played Kimmel. (Damn this year has flown by, I honestly thought it was this year they played!) Last night they added Conan to the notches on their bed post with a performance of "Sleep Alone" for the viewers and masses at home. Check out the performance at the top courtesy of The Audio Perv.

Their new album Beacon is out now.

[Reviews Roundup] September 2012

With all the craziness of music blogging, from concerts to press releases to interviews to festivals, it can be hard to find time to sit down, listen to an album and give it an honest, thorough review. With that in mind, we came up with the Reviews Roundup, a way for us to look back at all of the major releases in the past month and give them an on-the-spot review. Whether we like them or not, we'll spout out a quick blurb about the album to give an overall impression of what makes it good or bad along with a score based out of five.

This month, we've had majors releases from Animal Collective, The xx, G.O.O.D. Music, Grizzly Bear, The Raveonettes, Mount Eerie, The Presets, The Vaccines, and many more. After the jump, you can read our quick thoughts on this month's offerings.

September 4th:

Animal Collective - Centipede Hz:

AnCo deliver an elaborate exploration of spacey sounds and psychedelic soundscapes.

SCORE: 4.0

Mount Eerie - Ocean Roar:

Phil Elverum's second album of the year is a beautiful-yet-eerie emotional journey, exploring the ideas of order and chaos.

SCORE: 4.5

Cat Power - Sun:

Chan Marshall returns after six longs years of dark hibernation with a sun-soaked gem.

SCORE: 4.5

The Vaccines - Come of Age:

The UK outfit's sophomore album is a grittier, more raucous outing than their debut, a welcome maturation for the band.

SCORE: 3.5

Stars - The North:

One of Canada's indie stalwarts offers up a catchy blend of electronic sounds and sprawling instrumentation.

SCORE: 3.5

Two Door Cinema Club - Beacon:

The band's sophomore outing retains the catchiness of Tourist History, but feels a bit forced at times.

SCORE: 2.5

September 11th:

The xx - Coexist:

This sophomore effort shows a great progression for the band, who have an incredible talent for evoking vast depth through subtle minimalism.

SCORE: 5.0

The Helio Sequence - Negotiations:

The Portland duo explore the intricacies of themselves and their instruments, building layer upon layer of delicate and engrossing instrumentation.

SCORE: 4.0

The Raveonettes - Observator:

Observator is an intriguing venture into the allure of Los Angeles, a mental journey in despair and loneliness amidst lush instrumentation.

SCORE: 3.5

David Byrne & St. Vincent - Love This Giant:

The ever-lasting talent and creative drive of David Byrne mixes beautifully with Annie Clark's undeniable charisma.

SCORE: 4.0

The Presets - Pacifica:

Pacifica is an electronic gem, weaving grandiose synthesizers around a complex tale of the future.

SCORE: 4.5

Thee Oh Sees - Putrifiers II:

The San Francisco psych rockers put all they've got into this diverse, hazy psychedelic package that shouldn't be missed.

SCORE: 3.5

The Avett Brothers - The Carpenter:

Yet another exploration into the intricacies of death from a band obsessed with the notion. With soft, solemn moments and charming, upbeat arrays of acoustic goodness, fans will feel right at home here.

SCORE: 3.0

September 18th:

G.O.O.D. Music - Cruel Summer:

The G.O.O.D. Music crew feels fairly disjointed here, with a lot of different artists and styles to take in, but a few solid performances help it from falling apart.

SCORE: 3.0

Grizzly Bear - Shields:

Grizzly Bear delves into a myriad of dream-like sounds, moments later being swept into an uproar of chaotic instrumentation. This expansive array constantly tears apart and rebuilds itself, struggling constantly in a beautiful war.

                                        SCORE: 5.0

September 25th:

Django Django - Django Django:

This Scotland quartet knows how to do harmony right, blending their vocal stylings with an addictive and quirky blend of spacey sounds and psychedelic influences.

SCORE: 4.0

[Watch] Two Door Cinema Club - "Sleep Alone" Live on Fallon

Two Door Cinema returned to the television sets of the masses in the US last night with a performance of their track "Sleep Alone" on Jimmy Fallon's slot. The performance was spot on and is in promotion of their newly released album, Beacon. Thanks to The Audio Perv for the video hookup.

The band will also be playing a number of US and European tour dates in the coming months/year. Dates can be seen below.

Two Door Cinema Club 2012

9/27 Music Hall of Williamsburg Brooklyn
9/28 Rumsey Playfield New York
9/29 Electric Factory Philadelphia PA
9/30 House Of Blues Boston MA
10/2 9:30 Club Washington D.C.
10/3 9:30 Club Washington D.C.
10/5 Sound Academy Toronto ON
10/6 Metropolis Montreal QC
10/8 Newport Music Hall Columbus OH
10/9 Riviera Theatre Chicago
10/10 First Avenue Minneapolis MN
10/11 Beaumont Club Kansas City MO
10/13 House Of Blues Houston TX
10/14 Austin City Limits Festival Austin TX
10/16 Ogden Theatre Denver CO
10/18 Commodore Ballroom Vancouver BC
10/19 Vogue Theatre Vancouver BC
10/20 City Arts Festival Showbox SoDo Seattle WA
10/21 Crystal Ballroom Portland OR
10/23 Fox Theatre Oakland CA
10/25 Hollywood Palladium Los Angeles CA
10/26 Soma San Diego CA
10/27 House Of Blues Las Vegas NV
10/28 The Observatory Santa Ana
11/9 Le 106 Rouen France
11/10 Festival Les Indisciplines @ Cosmao Dumanoir
Lorient
11/12 La paloma Nimes (FR)
11/13 Le Rocher de Palmer Bordeaux (FR)
11/14 Stereolux Nantes (FR)
11/15 Zenith Paris (FR)
11/17 Paradiso Amsterdam
11/19 E-Werk Cologne (DE)
11/20 Tonhalle Munich (DE)
11/21 Capitol Offenbach (DE)
11/23 Astra Berlin (DE)
11/24 Gr. Freiheit Hamburg (DE)
11/26 Orangerie Brussels
12/12 Hatch Osaka
12/14 Bay Hall Yokohama
12/15 Studio Coast Tokyo
12/30 Falls Festival – Marion Bay Marion Bay Australia
12/31 Falls Festival – Lorne Lorne Australia
1/5 Southbound Festival Busselton Australia
1/11 Esplanade Concert Hall Singapore
1/19 O2 Dublin Dublin
1/24 Newcastle Academy Newcastle
1/25 Manchester Apollo Manchester
1/26 Manchester Apollo Manchester
1/28 Southampton Guildhall Southampton
1/29 Nottingham Rock City Nottingham
1/31 Cardiff University Cardiff
2/1 Birmingham Academy Birmingham
2/2 Birmingham Academy Birmingham
2/4 Aberdeen Music Hall Aberdeen
2/5 Glasgow Barrowlands Glasgow
2/7 Leeds Academy Leeds
2/8 Brixton Academy London
2/21 X-TRA Zurich
2/22 Magazzini Generali Milan
2/23 Orion Club Rome
2/25 Gasometer Vienna
2/26 Lucerna Music Bar Prague
2/28 Rockhal Luxembourg
3/1 Heineken Music Hall Amsterdam
3/4 Skaters Palace Munster
3/5 DOCKS Hamburg
3/8 Longhorn Stuttgart
3/9 Modernes Bremen
3/11 Bikini Toulouse
3/12 Liberte Rennes
3/13 Aeronef Lille
3/14 AB Brussels
4/27 Alexandra Palace London

[Watch] Two Door Cinema Club - "Sleep Alone" (Official Video)

We loved Two Door Cinema Club's new single so much so that we put it on our latest Some Kind of Mixtape release last week. Today we get to watch the accompanying video which was directed by AB/CD/CD, they've previously worked with the likes of Kasabian and Lilly Allen. Of the video, lead singer Alex Trimble said it was inspired by his marijuana induced dreams that he had when coming off tour. See what you make of his lucid dreams in video form at the top.

Their new album Beacon is set to be released on September 3rd.

[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] Two Door Cinema Club - "Sleep Alone"

Northern Ireland-based indie pop outfit Two Door Cinema Club are set to return this September with the follow-up to their hit debut album Tourist History, which was released back in February of 2010. Our first taste of their sophomore LP Beacon is the lead single "Sleep Alone", which stays true to the energetic pop sound that defined the band's debut album. Frantic percussion and rhythmic guitar riffs drive the song forward, smoothly giving way for calm moments where the vocals of Alex Trimble to push through. Stream and download the song below.

Beacon will be released on September 4th via Glassnote Records, and when recently speaking to NME, this is what Alex Trimble had to say about the album: "Beacon is a much more intimate record than our first, but at the same time, it's much bigger and more inclusive. Trying to find that balance has been our goal for a long time and this record takes us one step closer to the band we've dreamt of becoming."

[Listen] Feed Me - "What You Know" (Two Door Cinema Cover)

Over here in the SKoA camp we love Feed Me and we are fond of Two Door Cinema club so waking up to this lovely re-working from the former of the latter was a very welcome treat. Feed Me has turned "What You Know" from TDCC into a dubstep machine that will definitely liven you up first thing this morning. Seriously, Feed Me needs to release some more stuff soon!

[Watch] Two Door Cinema Club - "Something Good Can Work" Live on Kimmel

Last night, UK boys done good Two Door Cinema Club paid a visit to Jimmy Kimmel Live! on which they brought along some to be expected solid performances from their debut album Tourist History. The few times I've seen these guys live I was impressed with how tight they were and they proved it again on the late night TV circuit in front of the viewers at home and the audience at the performance. Up at the top of the page you can view them going big on the track "Something Good Can Work" courtesy of our party buddy The Audio Perv!