Janelle Monáe’s impressive performance of “Tightrope” on the Late Show with David Letterman.

Enjoy the visual dreamyness to go along with the trailing clouds and dappled sun you hear in Beach House’s “Zebra.”

Free Energy debuts new video on MySpace Music for the “Bang Pop” single.

It’s a two-for-one 45 today. Both Mayer Hawthorne and James Pants appear on this Stones Throw “promotional use only” release that first appeared on March 17th at SXSW.

West Coast and East Coast meet at the center as LA-area band Local Natives brings Brooklyn’s Suckers along with them for two sold-out shows at Schubas.

We ride along with Band of Horses to see if its third album, Infinite Arms belongs in the same fancy stable as its first two.

Trent Reznor’s first post-NIN project — How to Destroy Angels — has released a very dark video for the opening track, “The Space in Between,” befitting the king of all that crumbles and decays.

In honor of Local Natives and Suckers playing Schubas Tavern (sold out) in Chicago tonight, take a look at the Local Natives’ latest video to get you in the mood.

Sonoi is an experimental rock trio from Chicago with pop sensibilities.Record release show is May 14 at The Empty Bottle in Chicago.

More vinyl goodness for you on 45 from new correspondent, DJ Chas: Love Me Good b/w If It Ain’t True by Ray Lugo’s L.E.S. EXPRESS featuring Roxie Ray.

We got a preview of the soon-to-be-released album The Winter of Mixed Drinks from Selkirk, Scotland’s own Frightened Rabbit. This is the follow-up to their 2008 breakthrough breakup album The Midnight Organ Fight.

We take a look at the new collaboration between Danger Mouse and James Mercer of The Shins.

We take a listen to the refreshing sounds of up-and-coming Chicago-based band, The Black Tape.

Renaissance Man
Musician, writer, painter, cartoonist, radio personality…beer label designer. Chicago’s Jon Langford does it all. We caught his solo acoustic set last week at Schubas as part of the Chicago International Movies and Music Festival (CIMM).

The UnCool checks in on the iamamiwhoami mystery. We offer you a primer so you can decide for yourself who you think is behind the viral video phenomenon.

The Uncool relives the early 90s with Fire Like This, the second album from Blood Red Shoes, an impressive power duo from Brighton, England.

The UnCool visits the Metro in Chicago to catch The Big Pink and A Place to Bury Strangers.

The 2010 Lollapalooza lineup has been announced.

Mike from Chicago writes that his friend has called one of his favorite records a piece of crap. The UnCool plays musical referee and gives a second opinion.

The Soft Pack and friends rock The Bottle in a The UnCool Lollapalooza preview.

Iamamiwhoami Releases New Video for “O” Single.

Lackluster music lineup for 2010 Taste of Chicago festival announced.

The Smith Westerns is a buzzed-about young band from Chicago that’s playing Pitchfork Music Festival this summer. The UnCool got a small-scale preview at the always-excellent Schubas Tavern.

Our weekend of shows ends with a Lollapalooza double-preview as Miniature Tigers opens for The Morning Benders at Chicago’s Lincoln Hall.

LCD Soundsystem released a new video for the “Drunk Girls” single from the new album “This is Happening” and it’s pretty intense.

The lineup for Do Division 2010 booked by Empty Bottle Presents and Subterranean / House Call Entertainment features interesting and diverse acts.

England’s The Len Price 3 launch a second British Invasion on the Colonies, but they wanna do more than just please please you and hold your hand.

Free download of new single “Factory” from Band of Horses forthcoming album, Infinite Arms. Due to release May 18.

Philadelphia’s Free Energy is playing the 2010 Pitchfork Music Festival. From the sound of their debut album, Stuck on Nothing, you’d swear they were playing Pitchfork 1977. Free single download.

Download the new Stomper, “Tell ‘Em,” From Sleigh Bells’ upcoming album, Treats, due out May 11.

Illinois’ own Kid You’ll Move Mountains is a band to keep an eye on. And you can do so this Friday at Schubas Tavern in Chicago.

Don’t let their name fool you: Lake Charles, LA’s Research Turtles are built for speed.

Leading up to their new album expected this summer, Interpol has leaked a single called, “Lights.” Free MP3 download.

Edible Audible Picnic, the daytime music series returns to Millennium Park’s Jay Pritzker Pavilion this summer. The lineup includes DJs and live bands.

Stream or download free tracks from 4AD label artists Anni Rossi, The National and Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffitti.

Today, MySpace will be live-streaming The Dead Weather performing their latest release, Sea of Cowards, in its entirety.

Iamamiwhoami has released another mysterious video, called U-1.

An army of keyboards and mixers swarm the stage as three electronics-heavy bands embrace their inner-80s.

The UnCool introduces new correspondent, DJ Chas, with his review of a vinyl 45, “Get it Together” b/w “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” from JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound.

The world’s best bar band releases Heaven is Whenever, their fifth record, but the first without a key member. Is Heaven a new road or a dead-end? The UnCool’s new Nerd Bird correspondent Steve weighs in.

Now for something a little different. A downloadable MP3 from Strayfolk — an americana-folk-country influenced band from the southwestern seafront of Sweden. Yes I said Sweden.

Betty White Goes Metalhead on SNL

Four bands descend on Schubas for the record release party of Rockford, IL power trio Geronimo!.

The long-awaited and much-anticipated (and oddly NOT leaked) debut album from Sleigh Bells — Treats — is now available as a streaming First Listen on NPR.

Scotland’s Frightened Rabbit roll into town to show off their new stable of misery anthems with local boys Maps and Atlases and Ann Arbor’s Our Brother the Native.

The National released a new video today from for their single “Bloodbuzz Ohio,” off the much-lauded High Violet album.

Today the good folks over at Sub Pop released a pretty sweet –and free– digital sampler. It contains fresh releases from Interpol, Beach House, Dum Dum Girls, Male Bonding, Foals … and the list goes on.