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So you’re up around midnight. Browsing the internet, chatting to friends, reading a book, killing time just because you don’t feel like sleeping, whatever. Then you encounter the inevitable question: what do I listen to next?

It’s too late to put on something loud and aggressive. You’re too tired to put on something bouncy or poppy. You’re feeling too apathetic to want to listen to lyrics. You just want something nice to listen to.

I feel it’s times like these where post-rock is the only answer. Or, you know, something classical or orchestral or whatever if you’re into that…

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One of the catchiest songs I’ve heard this year now has a rather messy and confusing video clip. Only confusing until the very end though.

Check it out though, well worth the 2 minutes or so it takes to watch.

MiniBoone: Cool Kids Cut Out of the Heart Itself Music Video from MiniBoone on Vimeo

additional tags: MiniBoone, Cool Kids Cut Out of the Heart Itself

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In order to make up for the carbon footprint that their 2009 US tour had, Pearl Jam have planted $210,000 worth of trees in Washington. Reportedly, this also covers the carbon emissions from not only their own travel, but their fans’ travel as well.

Guitarist Stone Gossard told Reuters: “Pearl Jam is a band but we are also a business. We’re seeing ourselves as a Washington business, a regional business that is acknowledging its carbon footprint and hoping to inspire other businesses.”

Clearly not all bands can afford to make such contributions and to cover their emissions, but it’s…

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On the 27th of March, 2010, On The Tune turned 1 year old! It feels like such a long time ago that I started, but thanks to anyone who has bothered reading what I’ve got to say, not matter how self-indulgent or boring it might have been at times. (Also; we recently got over the 3k hits mark! Not that it’s a massive target but I feel like it’s kinda an achievement.)

I’ve been working on something and sending some e-mails out over the past few days to try and pull something together for the blog, but if anyone…

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It may not be one of the newest songs floating around, but this soft, echoing love song ticks all the boxes for me when it comes to acoustic/folk music. After finishing debut album “For Emma, Forever Ago”, which garnered a positive reception, the Blood Bank EP was released. The title track was originally written during the LP’s sessions, but didn’t feel right, and so was included here with three newer tracks.

The whispery vocals and lightly strummed guitars leave long extended pauses adding to the character of the song, and scratchy whining guitars subtly lay over the…

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“People see rock and roll as youth culture and when youth culture becomes monopolised by big business, what are the youth to do? Do you have any idea? I think we should destroy the bogus capitalist process that is destroying youth culture.” – Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth.

“Heaven’s On Fire” opens with an audio sample of the above quote, before jumping into a blissful poppy jam that you can’t not want to dance to. The seemingly pessimistic nature of the opening quote juxtaposed with the actual song works surprisingly well.

It’s one of those special…

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Phoenix. You know, that French band. The one that sings those insanely infectious synthy pop songs. Yeah, them. Well, they decided that they’d go and do something really nice for us all. They’ve released a live EP featuring songs from “Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix” that they played for us Australians in Sydney. I didn’t catch any of their gigs over here, but I hear they’re pretty good live.

I haven’t grabbed the EP yet, but I will be very soon. Word is the live version of “Love Like A Sunset” is brilliant.

The track-listing is…

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“Bloodbuzz Ohio”, the new track from The National, has been floating around the internet as live bootlegs for a while now, but today it was premiered on BBC 6 Music. Shortly afterwards, it was made available as a free download from the band’s website.

Matt Berninger’s deep vocal melodies are present, as expected, and they don’t disappoint. However don’t expect any “Mr. November” style shouting on this track. The drumming seems to have taken a slightly more off-beat approach than previous material (in a good way), but it’s so subtle that it’s almost not…

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Ironically enough, after MGMT/Sony Records announced they were pulling the plug on the planned full stream of “Congratulations” (which was due to be available on Monday), the reasons for which neither the band nor the label explained, “Congratulations” leaked.

On their website, WHOISMGMT?, the band have said the following:

“Hey everybody, the album leaked, and we wanted you to be able to hear it from us. We wanted to offer it as a free download but that didn’t make sense to anyone but us.”

Below that little message, you can stream the whole album for free.…

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After releasing only one album in 2003, Ben Gibbard and Jimmy Tamborello, a.k.a The Postal Service, still have a large following of devoted fans listening to their music. It turns out that mixing electronica with Gibbard’s vocals isn’t a bad idea at all, which is shown through their dedicated fan base and “Give Up”’s overall positive reception. Tamborello’s electronic beats are well constructed and complex enough to differentiate the band from other artists of a similar nature, and they really add to the band’s sound.

The band began as a collaboration between the two artists when…