Luke Top got a wonderful mention in the Fool’s Gold review on CMJ.  They said of our boy,

“Luke Top, who also just put out a warm solo album, Friends, three months ago, shares Zach Condon’s Morrissey-inspired warbling and love of sweeping orchestrations of traditional instruments&mdashin this case drawn from African styles combined with Western pop conventions.”

Read the full article HERE

Let’s put a smile on that face.  Ripped hard and fast off Matt Lessner’s blog Catcakes.org, I present film stills from the upcoming Foreign Born video “Early Warnings.” This promises to be a boner-inducing vid, harnessing male bravado and buffalo meat.  Also, I got a sneak peak at the new FG video and it’s fantawesome.

Fool’s Gold is making a hot new video for their hit, “Surprise Hotel.”  The director of this madness is Matthew Lessner–the man responsible for Dirty Projectors’ video, Stillness is the move.  IFC did a little writeup with photos HERE, which I think you’ll find is an article about nothing.  The stills, however, indicate pastel-infused freshness.  More pics HERE.

So I’ve been sleeping with the turtles, if you know what I mean, for the past month. This has taken its toll on my blogging speed, but I’m back like a vertebra (I think that line is from Insane Clown Posse). Here is a piece of old gold written about our master of ceremonies, Luke Top. The article in by thetapeisnotsticky (a fine lookin’ blog). In the piece they say of Friends, “I can’t say enough good things about this album. I’ve only had it for a couple of days, and it’s been playing constantly in my room. Friends is Slow Death Records first ever release, and I highly recommend you pick it up.” so read the full article HERE and do what it says.

Ya know music coverage is so much the same these days. Every blog interviewer tries to flip the script by making things a little wacky for the ever-tired, ever-over-it interviewees. Tripwire’s coverage of FB at a lower East Side Barber shop should be more of the same; however, the blog team couldn’t have planned for the fat Russians wielding straight razors, the unending anecdote from the Vibe Ambassador, the dubious shape-up on CEO, and a mean-muggin’ guitarist visibly disgusted with the entire affair. The scene is one of chaos and awkwardness not the rainbows and butterflies typical of these sorts of things. Upon second look, I love it.

Here is Foreign Born doing an in-bar performance for the Fader. Two things to note here. For one, that fresh young face fisting the bar in the background is FB’s hot new addition. Second, a profound style upgrade for the Rock Lobster on tambourine. A toast to you guys.

Check out FB’s stellar performance on LA radio station KCRW. It appears the camera man used an 80’s filter to capture the action. I keep waiting to see Animal from the Muppets wailing on percussion. These men are shaking and grooving their way across this great Nation so keep an ear to ground for upcoming shows in your town.

Sad news today as Adam Yauch of the Beastie Boys announced, via youtube, he has cancer in the parotid gland. Wha-wha-wha-wha-what’s it all about?. Its a very treatable form of cancer in the lymph node that will be removed; however, the surgery will cause the cancellation of the Beasties at the upcoming All Points West Festival, which I will be attending–bummer. Read the full article and watch the video here.

Y’all check out the new Foreign Born Video for “Winter Games.” It’s a ghetto brainchild with limbs akimbo. The boys will be playing a free show tonight at the Hammer in Westwood with Warpaint. FB goes on at 9.

“The band [has a] feel for anthemic ’80s rock shaded by complex arrangements and cathartic moments that make the likes of Modest Mouse and Arcade Fire so appealing.” —Los Angeles Times