Listen to Sleigh Bells new song- "Born to Lose"

Sleigh Bells was my favorite new group of 2010, and their upcoming second LP, Reign of Terror (awesome name!) is my most anticipated of an already crowded 2012. I was satisfied for the time being with a simple knowledge of it's existence and a quick glance at the track listing. So when Spin got their hands on the first single of Reign, "Born to Lose", you can imagine my palpable excitement. "Born to Lose" is fantastic, an intoxicating blend of dread and playfulness with Sleigh Bell's trademark devastating guitars playing with slightly quirkier synth and samplers than they usually produce. It's an interesting evolution of the group's dynamic while still capturing the ferocious energy that made them such a blast the first time. Check it out.

Sleigh Bells at the Vogue

Wednesday, May 25 2011

I once mistakenly thought the minimalist and rapid fire lyrics of “A/B Machines” by Sleigh Bells went, “Got my A machines on the table, got my B machines on tour”. Of course I am now more informed and aware that is not how the song goes- there's a point to this, I assure you. Right before I took the trip to the Vogue to see Sleigh Bells, easily one of my most eagerly anticipated shows of the year, I got to thinking about an interview I recently saw with Alexis Krauss and Derek Miller, discussing the group, the new album (!) and touring. They both agreed while touring had its merits, it was a gruelling endeavour that forced them out of the studio for too long, keeping new ideas and songs mostly on the back burner much to their lament. I was thinking about these two things on the way to the show, for the first time, and only for a brief moment, worried that maybe they wouldn't put their all into it, that the visceral and intimidating energy they exude would be at least in part absent from the stage. Such fears were unwarranted; Sleigh Bells was absolutely incredible. To use their own referential and slightly obnoxious tour branding- they slayed it

Watch Sleigh Bells' New Video for "Rill Rill"

Also known as "the one song from the album that won't make your ears bleed", Rill Rill is one of many  stand out tracks from Sleigh Bell's debut album Treats. Directed by Jon Watts, the clip seems to pay homage to a number of iconic American cinema templates- the road trip, the high school romance, you get the idea. Here however, there a few twists thrown in, from blood letting telephones and other flavors of horror, to Derek Miller getting thrown from a speeding car. That part is awesome.