The official High Definition trailer for Tron Legacy is online now. Watch it here! 

 Higher Quality versions are available here as well

I'll post a review sometime later in the week, but for now, everyone can listen in.

It's a decent cover. In the very beginning his voice is actually reminiscent of Colin Meloy (of the Decemberists), and as it goes they actually sound like an indie band. This song makes it hard to believe that these are the same guys who wrote "Here (In Your Arms)," and despite not being as good as the original, it’s a good effort.

Check it out here (click on the picture to actually download)

30 Seconds to Mars - This is War
release date: december 8th, 2009
label: Virgin, EMI

"This Is War"

This is the resounding cry of the new album from 30 Seconds to Mars. From the first song "Escape", which ends in a full choir singing/screaming it, through the title track where Jared Leto warns everyone that "this is war", and to "Vox Populi", which is a call to arms from him and a full choir.

With their third studio album, 30 Seconds to Mars have labored to create a sound that is not actually so different from their last two albums, but to create an entirely different feel. Far from the cries of "The Kill" or "Attack", they have crafted an album where the vocals are crisper, and the message is crystal clear. Musically and lyrically, this album is as straightforward as they come. There are no ambiguous lyrics about lost love, no hidden messages about how terrible the government is, and no experimental rhythms or chord progressions. This is an album about war. Rolling off their nearly devastating lawsuit with Virgin Records, Jared Leto and his band mates went into the studio with fresh fire. They "killed themselves to make this record" and you can hear it in his voice.

On first listen, this album can sound boring because it's so simple and straightforward. But upon subsequent spins, it becomes clear how much the music industry is lacking in honest music. It's refreshing to hear someone's voice not tainted by studio effects and to hear lyrics not muddled by mystery and meaningless rhymes. In "Alibi", he repeats the mantra "I fell apart, but got back up again" over and over again until he's almost screaming it. It's simple, and it's straightforward, it sounds almost childish and immature, but it's true. It's honest. It's real. This is the high point of the album as a whole. It's real. 30 Seconds to Mars went "to hell and back" to make this record and they're loud and clear about it.

My biggest problem with this album is that for all it's honesty there are plenty of times when it sounds over-produced. When there's an inescapable droning synthesizer in the background when all you really want to hear is Jared Leto's voice. Although they got it right with "100 Suns." This is the quietest song ever from 30 Seconds to Mars. There's nothing but Jared Leto and his acoustic guitar as he mourns.

Overall I'd give this album 7/10. It's an honest, powerful album. It's clear and concise in meaning. It's big, anthemic and catchy, and I'd recommend it.

30 Seconds to Mars on the web:

http://www.myspace.com/thirtysecondstomars
http://www.thirtysecondstomars.com/

Buy the album:

iTunes
Amazon
Official Store

There are some really incredible shots in this article.

http://gizmodo.com/5411177/74-mesmerizing-slow-shutter-shots

This is incredible. You'd think people would know how to use these by now.

Vampire Weekend's first single off their new record "Contra" will be a song called Cousins

The KROQ website has an exclusive stream of it here

http://kroq.radio.com/2009/11/16/kroq-almost-acoustic-christmas-2009-vampire-weekend/

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Words will come quite soon