• Heavy Cream by Leigh Metzler

• Odd Future by Suzi Pratt

• Atari Teenage Riot by Mat Hayward

• Bumbershoot by Mat Hayward

• Pentagram by Mat Hayward

• Pentagram by Mat Hayward

• Devo by Leigh Metzler

• Peelander-Z by Shahab Zargari

• Yeasayer by Dave MacIntyre

• Amon Tobin\'s ISAM Live by Heather Schofner

• Monotonix by Chad Elder

• Title Fight by Chad Elder

• Occupy Wall Street by Jammi York

• Lily Verlaine Burlesque by Mat Hayward

• The Kills by Cayte Nobles

• Matt and Kim by Suzi Pratt

• Lemuria by Diana Guay

• Dum Dum Girls by Leigh Metzler

• The Joy Formidable by Cayte Nobles

• Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros by Kevin Rafter

• New York Food Film Fest by Ryan Howell

• Primus by Kris Arnold

• Rage Against the Machine by Suzi Pratt

• The Sounds by Cayte Nobles

• Queens of the Stone Age by Cayte Nobles

• Secret Chiefs 3 by Kris Arnold

• Sick of It All by Peter Borghard

• Tamaryn by Timothy McLaughlin

• The Tubes by Mat Hayward

• Dropkick Murphys by Mat Hayward

• The Devil Wears Prada by Elizabeth McClay

• Mirah by Heather Schofner

• The Jukebox Romantics by Peter Borghard

• Wild Flag by Cayte Nobles

• Yelle by Mat Hayward

Check out some of the amazing photography we’ve featured this year! Impressive, to say the least.

“Happy Halloween everyone! An omelet of disease awaits your noontime meal! In the tradition of doing something we did last year, we’ve got another Misfits cover for you. We recorded it with John Plymale at Overdub Lane. Everyone sings! So it’s festive. Here you go,‘Where Eagles Dare.’“

Visit Superchunk.com to stream and download their cover of “Where Eagles Dare” by The Misfits!

From the opening stomps of lead single “Romance,” these four brunettes prove themselves as a force, not just a quirky one-off get-together of contemporary alt-rockers. Carrie Brownstein (now lampooning the “hip” Pacific Northwest on IFC’s Portlandia) sings with a hint of sultriness on top of “Romance”’s frisky fretwork. Liquid harmonies on “Glass Tambourine” perk up in a quiet bridge to send the song to bed with a full tummy. The distorted-guitar lovemaking of the frantic “Boom” and album-ender “Black Tiles” is plentiful enough to keep the kids jumping around at the show, but it really means something, man. The Mountain Goats’ John Darnielle called this album “timeless” on Twitter, and he might not be mistaken.

Wild Flag is a charming, rewarding listen. Whether it’s Brownstein’s animal howl or guitarist Mary Timony’s soft breaths, the songs chirp with languid carefulness also heard in Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks (which drummer Janet Weiss used to hit the toms for). They operate like a band that’s played together for years.

Wild Flag has plenty of 12-fret exploration, elegant melodies, and downright dancey percussion to keep you satisfied for the rest of the year, and then some.

(Merge Records, PO Box 1235, Chapel Hill, NC 27514)

From just hearing this album, you wouldn’t know much about Buckner at all. His enigmatic lyrics and troubled-troubadour resonations seem even more veiled on this album then on some of his previous ones, most notably 2006’s Meadow. His usual sullen indignation and timid guitar are replaced by more conceptual sounds and ideas, like “Thief” which is driven by a strange, reverse, echoic noise which jumps from left to right stereo. Buckner’s voice seems as confident as ever, and his depressive qualities are less apparent and his sound more optimistic than usual. Even on standout “Ponder,” where Buckner removes his voice entirely from the track, there is a notable adventurous feel, gloomy as it may be, and throughout it seems that hopefulness penetrates each track, a wind of change, which blows Buckner through his own album.

On the uplifting “Witness” he sings, “Wake me like you used to,” as if he’s still asleep, and a subtle urgency persists until he croons, “The sun was slowing down,” with the steady knowledge of a sage. Buckner is a Van Zandtian cult hero, a stoic figure who is musically unclassifiable, will always be underappreciated, and doesn’t really give a shit. His power is the sort that’s unassuming, sang softly in the dark.

On “Confession” he sings, “Within, without/we must have been carried away/and where are we now?” The question isn’t rhetorical — he really doesn’t know, and that brings him closer to us, more human, more alive. If you feel like being reflective for a half an hour, put on this record, close your eyes, and just think. When you open your eyes, you’ll be somewhere else, somewhere only Richard Buckner knows.

(Merge Records, PO Box 1235, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514)

You can also view Verbicide’s photo gallery of Wild Flag’s 2011 SXSW performance, shot by Cayte Nobles.

We’ve packed this mixtape with 15 tracks that will make your head bob and your grandma vomit. Featuring “Flagpole Sitta” by Harvey Danger! “The Way” by Fastball! “Zoot Suit Riot” by Cherry Poppin’ Daddies! Plus tracks by Spice Girls, K-Ci & JoJo, Hanson, Backstreet Bo–what? Wait, really? Serious? Oh…okay.

Sorry, folks. I got our mixtape confused with the first volume of Now That’s What I Call Music. Turns out our compilation features music by Ani DiFranco. And Big Freedia. The Melvins, Melissa Auf der Maur, and Dum Dum Girls. Poly Styrene of X-Ray Spex. Crystal Castles with Robert Smith…I think he was in, like, The Smiths or something.

Meh. I suppose it’ll be okay. I mean, I really thought this mixtape included “Anytime” by Brian McKnight, but I’ll settle for Thao & Mirah, or Atari Teenage Riot. They’re pretty cool, I guess.

Click (right click for pc) to download!

Click Here To Download Verbicide Select 9

1. Ani DiFranco
“Present/Infant”
From the album Red Letter Year
Courtesy of Righteous Babe Records
www.righteousbabe.com

2. Crystal Castles (featuring Robert Smith)
“Not In Love”
From the album Crystal Castles II
Courtesy of Fiction Records
www.fictionrecords.co.uk

3. Big Freedia
“Look At Her”
From the album Scion A/V Presents Big Freedia
Courtesy of Big Freedia/Biz 3
www.bigfreedia.com

4. Poly Styrene
“Thrash City”
From the album Generation Indigo
Courtesy of Future Noise Music
www.futurenoisemusic.com

5. Melvins
“The Kicking Machine”
From the album Sugar Daddy Live
Courtesy of  Ipecac Recordings
www.ipecac.com

6. The Rosebuds
“Second Bird of Paradise”
From the album Loud Planes Fly Low
Courtesy of Merge Records
www.mergerecords.com

7. Melissa Auf der Maur
“Out Of Our Minds”
From the album Out Of Our Minds
Courtesy of Melissa Auf der Maur
www.xmadmx.com

8. Atari Teenage Riot
“Blood In My Eyes”
From the album Is This Hyperreal?
Courtesy of Dim Mak Records
www.dimmakrecs.com

9. Amon Tobin
“Lost and Found”
From the album ISAM
Courtesy of Ninja Tune Records
www.ninjatune.net/us

10. Hail Mary Mallon
“Smock”
From the album Are You Gonna Eat That?
Courtesy of Rhymesayers
www.rhymesayers.com

11. Dum Dum Girls
“He Gets Me High”
From the EP He Gets Me High
Courtesy of Sub Pop Records
www.subpop.com

12. Now Now
“Jesus Camp (Remix)”
From the remixed EP Neighbors
Courtesy of No Sleep Records
www.nosleeprecs.com

13. Thao & Mirah
“Eleven”
From the album Thao & Mirah
Courtesy of Kill Rock Stars
www.killrockstars.com

14. Typhoon
“The Honest Truth”
From the album A New Kind of House
Courtesy of Tender Loving Empire
www.tenderlovingempire.com

15. Red Fang
“Wires”
From the album Murder The Mountains
Courtesy of Relapse Records
www.relapse.com

Merge Records will reissue all four Archers of Loaf studio albums, starting with their acclaimed 1993 debut album Icky Mettle on August 2nd. Click below to download ”What Did You Expect” from an out-of-print Merge 7-inch included on the Icky Mettle reissue.

Click (right click for pc) to download!

Click here to download "What Did You Expect" by Archers Of Loaf

• The Mountain Goats

• The Mountain Goats

• The Mountain Goats

• The Mountain Goats

• Megafaun

• Megafaun

• Megafaun

Citing works such as Go Ask Alice and the 70’s cult classic Burnt Offerings as influences, Darnielle makes it clear that the album is much darker than past works. Still, there is a wonderful mix of sounds and styles.

“Outer Scorpion Squadron” is a beautiful track. Soft strings are paired with melodic piano notes as Darnielle shows a smoother and softer side to his vocal range. “High Hawk Season” relies almost completely on the backing vocals of a baritone choir, and “Prowl Great Cain” blends fast guitar with soulful cello.  “Beautiful Gas Mask” has a more indie melody spurred by Wurster and Hughes’ steady guitar and percussion as Darnielle sings, “Wish I knew where you’d gone/know you’re there off in the shadows somewhere/trying to soldier on.”

Part of what makes this album so enjoyable, despite its at times bleak and dismal atmosphere, are the pieces of familiarity that are weaved with new and interesting compositions. Darnielle’s gravely voice continues to be strangely soothing, and Hughes and Wurster are still creating enticing harmonies. But this time around the band expands their use of strings and piano, creating a more orchestral sound, revealing a darker, more ominous side of themselves. All Eternals Deck is the band’s 18th album and a fine addition to an already impressive discography. It is sure to please first time listeners and longtime fans alike.

(Merge Records, PO Box 1235, Chapel Hill, NC 27514)