Clearly inspired by Kill Bill, “Telephone” is an over the top music video with an epic ending. GaGa might be called a lot of things, but who would have known she would try to bring back 9 minute + videos like that of “Thriller”. Music videos were supposed to be dead, but GaGa doesn’t think so.

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The Shins’ James Mercer and Danger Mouse (Brian Burton) form Broken Bells, the duo that has caught nearly everyone’s attention–Dave Letterman being no exception. The late night host invited the two gentlemen (and their backing musicians) to play on his show last night (March 9). Mercer’s voice sounds amazing here, and Burton rocks those drums, albeit with a certain reserved pensiveness. Also, you can watch Letterman act awkward pre- and post- performance, like someone’s out-of-touch grandpa:

This is just speculation, but perhaps the “reserved pensiveness” comes from the duo losing their dear friend and collaborative partner over the weekend, Mark Linkous of Sparklehorse. These guys are troopers for performing in light of such a sad event.

Watch Ted Leo and his gang of musicians play “The Mighty Sparrow” from his upcoming LP The Brutalist Bricks on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.

The new album is available today in North America via Matador.

(Prefix)

Esben and the Witch are a new(ish) three-piece band from Brighton slowly accumulating hype amid the blogosphere. They named themselves after a Danish fairy story and there is plenty of susurrus about their wiccan tendencies. Their music is difficult to categorise: a blend of ambient shimmers, Portishead-influenced indie rock, and Bjork-like glitch, it is ethereal, spooky and often quite breathtakingly good. Currently preparing to tour across the UK with the Big Pink in May, Esben and the Witch has released a new seven-inch single, which includes the stunning “Lucia, at the Precipice”. Here is its eerie video, black and white and jarring and ghostly. This is “nightmare pop”, but I truly mean that in the most complimentary way possible.

For full UK tour details, head to the Esben and the Witch myspace, here.

When I heard the new Foals single was called “Spanish Sahara”, I’ll admit that the title alone had me reasonably excited. The zippy dance punk singles “Cassius” and “Balloons” were – in my mind – markedly preferable to the lengthier math rock treatises that filled much of the rest of debut Antidotes. “Spanish Sahara”, then, could plausibly have signalled a movement towards the current balearic/hypnagogic pop trends, and an extrapolation on the fun of “Cassius” et cetera. I was imagining something distinctly tribal and summery with goofy lyrics. It had potential.

Of course, the aphorism dictates not to judge a book by its cover, and, thus, “Spanish Sahara” proves an ironically moody piece made all the more plaintive by the recently released video. There are no Lacoste references here; this is devoid of silliness. Foals’ version of the Sahara is intriguing and decidedly wintry.

“Spanish Sahara” is the lead single from Foals’ new record Total Life Forever, which is due out on May 10 on Transgressive Records in the UK, and Sub Pop in the US.

Gorillaz debuted “Superfast Jellyfish” today on Radio 1. Simultaneously they posted it officially on their youtube account. You can listen to it here. Plastic Beach comes out March 9th (US) and March 3rd (Japan). Getting close!

Listen: Gorillaz – “Superfast Jellyfish”

I’d be willing to bet that you’d never expect to see Jake Gyllenhaal, RZA, Lil Jon, and Joe Jonas in the same place. Well, doubt it no longer, because now you can see them all engaging in a tennis match (deathmatch?) in this wacky Vampire Weekend video:

Contra, Vampire Weekend’s sophomore album featuring “Giving up the Gun,” is in stores now.

If you haven’t been excited about Liars forthcoming LP Sisterworld, now would be a good time to kick into excitement mode. This new video features strange, stranded-at-sea metaphors and flying rocks, but somehow, it works for the song. Stream it below:

Look for Sisterworld to come out on March 9 via Mute Records.