LISTEN: Hectorina - "Lost Weekend Waltz" // "Jonah, King of the Space Program

Googling the name "Hectorina" won't really tell you much about the name or its significance. Instead, you'll probably learn a lot about baby names. What's a Hectorina? Who's Hectorina? Well, this particular Hectorina is a 3-piece math/psych/surf/indie rock outfit out of Charlotte, NC, fronted by Dylan Gilbert (someone I've failed to write about for roughly 3 or 4 years, forgive me) with ex-members of Dylan Gilbert & The Over Easy Breakfast Machine and Linus Van Pelt. The band's been working on a rock opera, which, based on these two songs, sounds like quite an exciting curveball -- at least in regards to what one might qualify as a "rock opera." Check it.

REVIEW: Nada Surf - The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy

Nada Surf - The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy
MMM1/2

If there’s one thing ‘90s rock stalwarts Nada Surf have proved over the past 15 years since “Popular,” it’s that they are anything but a one-hit wonder band. A journey through their back catalog will provide one album after another of consistently strong power pop rock ‘n’ roll. When plenty of their ‘90s contemporaries have faded or lost their spark, Nada Surf only seem to get better as the years go by. On their seventh studio album, the case is no different as they tackle themes of youthful reminiscing, age, time, and the inevitably of what the future might bring.

Charles Bradley Announces U.S. Tour, Offers to Sing to Your Special Someone

Fresh off an amazing 2011 which saw the release of his debut album, No Time For Dreaming, soul legend Charles Bradley is gearing up for a new U.S. tour -- and he's bringing The Budos Band and Little Barrie with him. Bradley will also being doing a run of dates in Australia. No Time For Dreaming was incredibly well-received here at Mixtape Muse, and it towered over everything as my top album of 2011.

The "Screaming Eagle of Soul" is also running a special contest for Valentine's Day called "Valentine's Day...Gotta Make It Right!" You can enter for a chance to have Bradley call your loved one and sing his romantic ballad "Lovin' You, Baby." Details on how to enter here.

Scope all of the upcoming tour dates and catch live acoustic and electric performances of "Lovin' You, Baby" below.

REVIEW: Cass McCombs @ Ottobar, Baltimore, MD, 1/21/12

Photo by Quinn S.

On Saturday, Cass McCombs performed at The Ottobar here in Baltimore to an almost packed house. The lights were off before McCombs and his four-piece backing band stepped onstage, and they never once came up during the nearly hour and a half set. The only thing illuminating the room was the 10 panel screen standing tall behind the band, displaying an intricate constellation of animated lights. Never seeing a single face onstage might have come across as slightly impersonal initially, but with the room dark and quiet for McCombs' set, it became quite intimate. With the band visible as silhouettes, the show became a heightened aural experience. As a result, it felt like a concert less about the songs and more about their collective, projected mood -- not necessarily a bad thing. McCombs said little in between songs, which made the performance seem all the more unassuming and soft-spoken. Drawing from his extensive back catalog as well as his more recent output, including new single "Bradley Manning," McCombs and his band were tight and well-rehearsed, sharing solos throughout the set. Outside of his voice sounding somewhat strained and reserved, McCombsthe mix of late '60s/early '70s rock and alt-country settled into a natural groove about three songs in that perfectly soundtracked the serene feel of the room. It was certainly a unique, alluring concert experience in which the music truly did do all the talking. McCombs did not have an encore, and he left the stage just as he had entered, quietly and announced -- almost as if he was walking off into the night.

LISTEN: Ava Luna - "Wrenning Day"

Brooklyn seven-piece Ava Luna will release their proper debut LP, Ice Level, on February 28th via Infinite Best. The band is the brainchild of Carlos Hernandez, an occasional producer who has worked with bands like Fucked Up (he produced the U.S. mix of their "Year of the Pig" 7"). Hear a cut from Ava Luna's forthcoming record below. Good luck trying to pigeonhole this band.

Bruce Springsteen Announces New Album 'Wrecking Ball', Hear New Song

At the tail end of last year, it was reported that Bruce Springsteen would be releasing a new album in 2012. Now, details have finally emerged. Springsteen will release his 17th studio album entitled Wrecking Ball on March 5th in the UK and March 6th in the U.S. The album features 11-tracks produced by Ron Aniello, all written in 2011 with the exception of three tracks. The title track was penned in 2009 and has been on recent setlists, "American Land" was penned during the Seeger Sessions in 2006, and "Land of Hope and Dreams" was penned all the way back in 1998. All three of these tracks have been previously released via live recordings, but this marks their studio debut.

And, if you're fortunate enough to be attending SXSW, The Boss will be the keynote speaker at this year's conference. Do it.

Hear a cut from the new album entitled "We Take Care of Our Own" and scope the tracklist below.*

SOPA / PIPA

I might hate politics, but that doesn't mean I'll ignore the possible ramifications of political actions. If SOPA/PIPA are passed and enacted, the freedoms of both expression and communication we are fortunate enough to have here in the U.S. would forever be changed, radically different from what we know today. I don't ever speak out in regards to politics, but I feel as though this is something that could not only affect Mixtape Muse but countless other blog friends and websites/companies/organizations, as well; people and groups that are inspiring/making a difference not only in this country, but the world over. Maybe this won't affect Mixtape Muse and me, but how will it affect things like YouTube, Vimeo, and Twitter? Some of it seems harmless, but a more in-depth read on the matter leads to some scary possibilities.

Everything shared and featured on Mixtape Muse is approved by either publicists, labels, or the artists themselves -- and I have the proof to back me up. But with SOPA/PIPA, it sounds like that won't even matter.

Learn more and sign the petition here. Read up on SOPA/PIPA here.