The Playlist: Five Songs You Need to Hear Now!

ONE DAY AS A LION: "Wild International"

This, kids, is BIG. Not just because it's a collaboration between Rage Against the Machine's Zack de la Rocha and former Mars Volta drummer Jon Theodore. And not just because it's a Morelloesque effects laden solo away from being a Rage track. It's mostly because this project has been kept so quiet, you probably didn't even know it existed.

"Wild International" is taken from One Day as a Lion's self titled EP, in stores this week.

THE BRONX: "Knifeman"

The Bronx's manic noise rock has garnered them plenty of attention over the last few years; Year in Rock recipients in 2006 may recall the utter insanity of "History's Stranglers". Well, they're back with a new, self titled album (third in a row; this, at least, they have in common with Peter Gabriel) in September. To tide us over, they've offered up "Knifeman", a strikingly normal track as compared to "History's Stranglers", as a free download on their myspace page. Listen to it and snag a copy for yourself here.

As a bonus, the video for "History's Stranglers", because it really is a phenomenal work of art.









MATT MAYS & EL TORPEDO: "Rock Ranger Record"

Upon listening to Matt Mays' previous studio efforts, one got the sense that there was a great rock singer/songwriter hidden somewhere inside the Haligonian, waiting to be unleashed. With "Terminal Romance", his second record with El Torpedo, those expectations are not only realized, but obliterated. Considering the laid back vibes that permeated all of Mays' prior work, it's shocking that "Terminal Romance" rocks with such urgency and consistency. Sure, there are a few more subtle moments to be had, but most of this record finds Mays in overdrive. This is the best example...











THE HOLD STEADY: "Constructive Summer"

While "Stay Positive" might not be the band's creative apex, it's certainly still one of the year's finest records. A little less conceptual, a little further reaching musically, many tracks are off-putting more for their stylistic detours than for their unwillingness to tie up loose ends in the narrative. "Both Crosses", in particular, is unlike anything in the band's canon. I, for one, applaud the Hold Steady's courage in changing things up. Granted, that applause is easier to give when they balance out the experimentation with a rip-roaring throwback to their earlier work like "Constructive Summer". (That's a link to their myspace, it should start playing directly.)






AUSTRIAN DEATH MACHINE: "Get to the Choppa"

Austrian Death Machine is a side project courtesy of As I Lay Dying's Tim Lambesis. The album is out this week. But that's not why you need to hear it. The entire album is a "tribute" to Arnold Schwarzenegger, right down to the song titles (also contains the hits "Come With Me if You Want to Live", "It's Not a Tumor", and "If it Bleeds, We Can Kill It").

What more do you need to know?







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