[Watch] Smith Westerns' Video for "Varsity"

Smith Westerns have always had a carefree attitude about them. Their music gives you the feeling that life is fleeting, so enjoy it while you can. Director Alan Del Rio Ortiz perfectly captures that in the video for the band's new single "Varsity," which follows the dream-like love of two twentysomethings. Watch it below.

"Varsity" is the first single from Smith Westerns' upcoming third album Soft Will, due out on June 25th. The band has also announced 2013 tour dates, which you can check out after the jump.

Smith Westerns 2013 Tour Dates:

07-21 Nashville, TN - Exit In
07-23 Washington, DC - Black Cat
07-24 Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg
07-26 Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer
07-27 Cambridge, MA - The Sinclair
07-28 Montreal, Quebec - Cabaret Mile End
07-29 Toronto, Ontario - Lee's Palace
08-02 Chicago, IL - Lollapalooza
08-05 Kansas City, MO - The Riot Room
08-06 Denver, CO - Bluebird Theater
08-07 Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge
08-09 San Francisco, CA – Outside Lands Festival
08-10 Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theatre
08-11 Pomona, CA - The Glass House
08-12 San Diego, CA - Casbah
08-15 Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge
08-16 Seattle, WA - The Crocodile
08-17 Vancouver, British Columbia - Electric Owl
08-20 Minneapolis, MN - Varsity Theater
10-04 -10-06 Austin, TX - Austin City Limits Festival
10-11 - 10-13 Austin, TX - Austin City Limits Festival

[Watch] The National - "Sea of Love" (Official Video)

The National will later this month release their new album Trouble Will Find Me, the follow up to their highly acclaimed High Violet. Now in preparation for that and to get us all a little excited for the release, they've released the video for "Sea of Love". It see them performing in a tiny room with the help of a little dude on air guitar. It's fun to watch and pays homage "to one of our favorite punk rock videos" as they call it; Zvuki Mu and their track "Grubiy Zakat". You can watch their version below. It's pretty much a spot on replica from The National.

Trouble Will Find Me is due out on the 21st of May via 4AD and you can pre-order a copy now.

[Listen] Queens of the Stone Age - "I Sat By the Ocean" x "If I Had a Tail"

We've already heard "My God Is The Sun" and "I Appear Missing" from Queens of the Stone Age's highly anticipated follow up to Era Vulgaris, ...Like Clockwork. The band also yesterday took part in a little in-studio session for a Belgian Radio station performing two previously unheard cuts from the record. Below you can listen to the radio rips of "I Sat By the Ocean" and "If I Had a Tail", both of which are getting me so excited that I need to take a break and go for a wander in the fresh air. Both feature trademark Homme guitar tones and time signature changes from the band. Both are incredibly moreish too so hit repeat as much as you can. This album is already shaping up to be a highlight of the year.

...Like Clockwork is out on 4th of June via Matador Records. You can pre-order a copy over here.

[Watch] The Lonely Island - "Spring Break Anthem" (Official Video)

They're back and as ridiculous as ever. The Lonely Island are preparing to release their new album The Wack Album, and what better way to get us all excited for the hilarity that awaits that a weekly video range called "Wack Wednesdays". Every Wednesday leading up to the album’s release, the guys will debut new music videos, tracks, and announcements via their YouTube channel. First up we get "Spring Break Anthem" in the shape of a video that starts off as an episode of Zach Galifianakis' brilliant show "Between Two Ferns". Zach is talking to James Franco before musical guest The Lonely Island take to the stage. Booze, boobs, drugs and gay marriage all feature in the video along with another special cameo from Edward Norton. Yup, this video has it all folks and it's great.

The Wack Album is officially released on the 11th of June via Republic Records with guest spots from Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake, Kendrick Lamar, and Pharrell Williams.

[Watch] Deftones - "Swerve City" (Official Video)

Deftones' latest record  Koi No Yokan grabbed you by the neck right from the very start with it's huge sound. The album opening track that did just that, "Swerve City", has now been given the official video treatment with a western style clip. The beautifully shot clip even features a cameo from the band's own Chino Moreno right at the end so stay tuned.

The band will play extensive dates over the rest of 2013, all of which can be found over here.

[Watch] Biffy Clyro - "Different People" (Live in London)

Biffy Clyro this year launched themselves into the stratosphere of UK rock arena status with the release of their double album Opposites. They played their largest headline tour of the UK too playing the likes of Manchester's MEN Arena and London's O2 Arena. The latter of which seems to have been recorded. Stereogum have premiered a live video for my personal favourite track from the new record, "Different People". Rocking the 20,000 strong London arena like no other, they put on a fantastic show and the flashing imagery of the recording gives you a bit of feeling for what their recent tour was like.

If you're still not familiar with the band, we had an exclusive track-by-track chat with them through the release which can be seen over here.

The band will support Muse on some upcoming European Stadium dates along with headlining Reading and Leeds Festivals in August. 2013 is the year of the Bif!

[Watch] Queens of the Stone Age - "I Appear Missing" (Official Video)

So I'd firstly like to apologise for my lack of interaction recently. I've recently changed internet providers and apparently there's a "10 day period" in which you will have absolutely crap coverage that drops and rarely comes back. I know, sounds bogus right? Cause it is! I live in a major UK city and can't even get reliable bloody internet?! Anyway, back to business. Over the weekend while you were probably in a drunken bank holiday rampage (just me?), Queens of the Stone Age dropped a brand new track accompanied by a dark and twisted animated visual. Called "I Appear Missing" it twists and turns in all the right places surely just getting you more excited for the upcoming album from the band, ...Like Clockwork which features guest spots from Dave Grohl on skins, Alex Turner, Trent Reznor, Sir Elton John, Joey Castillo, Nick Oliveri, Mark Lanegan, Scissor Sisters’ Jake Shears, and James Lavelle of UNKLE. 

It's due out on the the 4th of June via Matador Records. You can pre-order a copy over here but before that hit play above.

[Watch] Red Bull Music Academy's Short Documentary on DFA Records

This year marks the 12-year anniversary of the James Murphy, Jonathan Galkin and Tim Goldsworthy-founded DFA Records, one of the definitive record labels of the dance-punk scene over the last decade. Red Bull Music Academy has released a rather fascinating short documentary in honor of the occasion. Titled 12 Years of DFA: Too Old To Be New, Too New To Be Classic, the film chronicles the history of the label and its founders, as well as its artists (including Murphy's now defunct LCD Soundsystem). Watch it below.