Troubled Souls Unite — [Editor's Note: I was asked this week to respond to an article on The Vertex Blog that put forth the idea that Coldplay's most recent album Viva La Vida was an inadvertent soundtrack to the hit TV show Lost. While I have never watched Lost and pr... more info

Idolator — Grammy winner and Armani muse Lady Gaga is gaining more and more little monsters every day, and from the most unlikely of sources. Vampire Weekend’s Rostam Batmanglij recently divulged to SIRIUS radio host Jenny Eliscu that the abstract pop artist ... more info

Stereogum — Brooklyn-based Holly Miranda is about to release the Dave Sitek-produced The Magician's Private Library. You might remember her name from the Jealous Girlfriends. When she opened for the xx in Italy. Or, more close to her home, for Vampire Weekend at... more info

Here Comes The Flood — The 2010 edition of Big Ears Festival in Knoxville, TN, has an interesting mix of indie and avantgarde, often joining forces on stage. Noteworthy events: Band on a Can performing the legendary Terry Riley composition In C (Riley also appears solo -... more info

Stereogum — Despite being in stores for much less than a full week, the recording of Friday's all-star charity telethon has debuted atop the album charts (knocking down Vampire Weekend's Contra and more importantly, Ke$ha). You can watch some performances (e.... more info

Kings of A&R — This Week Sales… Susan Boyle is back on top, well almost.  Hope For Haiti sold 171,026 copies and Boyle sold 85,759 copies of I Dreamed A Dream. The usual suspects top the charts including.. Lady Gaga “Fame” (61,712) Vampire Weekend “Contr... more info

411 Mania — Prince shows the sports fan in him, an in depth look at the lyrical mastery that is "Pants on da Ground," a tribute to Kate McGarrigle, Carl Barat talks The Libertines, Vampire Weekend set indie records, movies about Magnetic Fields, The Tallest Man ... more info

Its Getting Boring By The Sea — January has been a fairly good month all in all. I've started up interviewing bands again, spending some quality time with Alexis Hot Chip, 4/7ths of Los Campesinos, Jack from These New Puritans, Delphic and Vivian Girls too. Gigs have been thin on t... more info

The Late Greats — I’ll be honest, I never got into Georgie James when they were the bee’s knees a few years ago. But I can say I am into former Georgie member Laura Burhenn. She’s releasing a Zen-inspired debut album called “What We Lose In ... more info

Persona Sauna — ...then you might like Magic Man. The Boston-based duo grew out of spare moments and idle hours during a summer spent volunteering on organic farms in the French countryside. Songs written and recorded in the land of wine and cheese were brought bac... more info