Single Survey 04-16-11: Tons of new song streams and free MP3s

Every week, The Tune will publish a survey of the newest songs making their way around the internets and the music world in general. Despite the name, it is not just reserved for newly-released CD singles, but rather for any new songs from albums that have not been released yet. The songs will mostly be ones that have leaked/been published over the former week, but occasionally we will throw in little-known tracks from the last few weeks or months that never made it onto our survey. Again, the only condition is that the album has not been released yet. EPs and singles are okay. We are also introducing a new rating system for singles, one that is somewhat unique. Rather than rating the songs based on a 5-star scale, a thumbs up/down scale, or having no rating system (isn’t that annoying?), we will give them prizes not unlike sporting events: Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Shit.

Here in April, we’re just starting to try out this concept of an entire week’s worth of new songs in one place, with streaming links and our new rating system, so make sure to leave us some feedback and let us know what you think! You can comment at the bottom of the post or email us with the form on the right (and slightly down). This week’s survey includes new songs from Lady Gaga, My Morning Jacket, and Taking Back Sunday alongside Record Store Day releases from Radiohead, Cults, Arctic Monkeys, and Blitzen Trapper. This is our biggest Single Survey to date, so have fun! Look for the red MP3 tag for free downloadable songs!

My Morning Jacket – “Circuital” (Indie Rock) MP3

The lead single and title track from My Morning Jacket’s upcoming May 31 release is nearly seven and a half minutes of groove-driven rock, complete with random howls and a riff as addictive — and stimulating — as coffee.

Lady Gaga – “Judas”(Pop)

If nothing else, Lady Gaga doesn’t shy away from controversy. The video for the second single from her upcoming album Born This Way (the first was a pro-gay anthem) is already upsetting Catholics, even though it hasn’t been released — and the song, complete with the lyric “I’m still in love with Judas,” isn’t much easier to swallow. It’s catchy as hell…there’s just one problem. From the intro to the repetition of “Gaga,” it’s a complete rip-off of “Bad Romance.” 

Radiohead – “The Butcher” (Alternative)

The B-side and new track is by far the better of the two, a little angrier than The King Of Limbs. It’s fun to hear Yorke sing “he’s a little bitch.”

Radiohead – “Supercollider” (Alternative)

A little more difficult to stomach, “Supercollider” is evocative of non-album singles like “Harry Patch,” and not among the band’s best work. 

Arctic Monkeys – “Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I Moved Your Chair” (Rock)

On the first official single from their upcoming June 6 release Suck It And See , the Monkeys (not quite The Monkees) recommend dangerous one-hit-wonder activities — “Kung Fu Fighting on your roller skates” and “the Macarena in the Devil’s lair” — just so long as your don’t sit down, cause they played a prank on you. It’s silly but fun.

Taking Back Sunday – “Best Places to Be a Mom” (Pop-Punk) MP3

It sounds slightly more like an original TBS line-up than previously-released “El Paso” MP3, and might even convince old fans like myself to be fair to their upcoming 5th album. But “Best Places To Be A Mom” doesn’t do enough of what we all want — alternate vocals between Adam and John — while it asks if our “sins” equal those of our parents. Otherwise it’d get a Gold rating.

Cults – “Abducted” (Indie Pop)

The Record Store Day single from Cults, a song from their upcoming debut album, finds the band impressing yet again, in a nostalgic-yet-bitter alternative track that lacks the pop of “You Know What I Mean” but not replaces it with smarts.

Beastie Boys – “Tadlock’s Glasses”(Rap)

The new Beastie Boys track is way too short, way too fuzzy, and way too forgettable.

Santigold – “GO (ft. Karen O.)” (Indie Pop) MP3

Sounding like M.I.A. covering a punk rock song, the new Santigold song laughs in your face as you whisper to yourself: “but…but…’people want my power, and they want my station’ is kind of a stupid lyric…”

The Dear Hunter – “Deny It All“(Indie Rock) MP3

Casey Crescenzo’s The Dear Hunter is a project I can respect: the man plays nearly all of the instruments on his songs, and the pure creativity that went into his last few albums is impressive. The new track sardonically recommends denying everything to “make it all go away” over an edgy rock background.

Sade – “The Moon And The Sky (ft. Jay-Z)” (R&B)

Normally, we avoid remixes at The Tune, but this time, Jay-Z has turned a melancholy and romantic track from Sade’s most recent album into an R&B/hip-hop song worth more than one listen. The rapper’s verse somewhere grounds the listener in an otherwise loosely astronomical experience.

Fucked Up – “A Little Death“(Hard Rock) MP3

The latest from Fucked Up’s upcoming hard rock opera finds the band screaming a little more than on “The Other Shoe.” They are abrasively sexy when they roar “a little death from every touch!”, utilizing a Shakespearian metaphor for an orgasm.

Blitzen Trapper – “Maybe Baby” (Folk Rock)

Under two minutes, this is a Beatles-ish Record Store Day single from the prog/folk/rock band Blitzen Trapper, and possibly one of their best releases to date.

Charlotte Gainsbourg – “Memoir” (Indie Pop)

“I might as well be anyone at all,” acousticy French singer Gainsbourg sings on her gentle new Record Store Day release — but Charlotte, we’re all glad you’re you…because of songs exactly like this.

The Antlers – “Every Night My Teeth Are Falling Out” (Indie) MP3

Even more memorable than the reckless falsetto of “Parentheses,” this new Antlers song is still part Radiohead, but the dominant part is some weird, enjoyably quiet version of Modest Mouse. This makes me itch even more rabidly for the upcoming May 10 release of Burst Apart.

TRIBES - “We Were Children” (Alternative Rock)

Jimi Hendrix – “Cat Talking to Me” (Rock)

LCD Soundsystem – “Live Alone (Franz Ferdinand cover)” (Electronic)

Jonquil - “Get Up” (Indie Pop) MP3

Silverstein – “Intervention” (Screamo) MP3

Man Man – “Life Fantastic” (Indie Pop) MP3

John Talabot – “Families (ft. Glasser)” (Indie Pop)

She & Him – “Winnie the Pooh (cover)” (Indie Pop)

Owl City – “Galaxies” (Electropop) MP3

Christopher Drew – “The Modern Racket” (Acoustic Pop)

Korn – “Get Up (ft. Skillrex)” (Nu-Metal)

You, Me, and Everyone We Know – “Things Are Really Weird Right Now” (Pop-Rock)

The Honesty - “Heart (ft. A.J. Perdomo)” and “Runaway” (Pop-Punk)

The Groundbreaking Ceremony – “What The Hell Is A Jiggawatt?” (Pop-Punk) MP3

Deception of a Ghost – “Firework (Katy Perry cover)” (Pop-Punk-Screamo)

Handsome Furs – “What About Us” (Indie Pop/Electronic) MP3

The Music – “Ghost Hands” (Indie/Alternative Rock)

Clams Casino – “Fakest Year Ever,” “Gorilla,” “I’m God” (Instrumental Hip-Hop) MP3s

Cass McCombs – “The Lonely Doll” (Folk/Acoustic) MP3

Farewell Continental – “Capybara” (Pop-Punk-Rock)

And So I Watch You From Afar – “BeautifulUniverseMasterChampion” (Alternative Instrumental Rock) MP3