As a recap, the weird rockers – triumphantly returning to the scene after their “controversial” involvement in the furor over the official state song of their native Oklahoma – released their new album Embryonic on Tuesday and celebrated with their very own pop-up store in Hollywood.

A subsequent appearance on The Tonight Show and a MySpace Secret Show (reviewed by the Los Angeles Times here) left them just one last obvious stop on their blitz of greater Los Angeles.

The Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne

This morning’s appearance on KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic (with guest DJ Anne Litt) provides a fitting finale to the whirlwind of activity surrounding the band.  The live performance is just dessert compared to the requisite open book view of the obtuse world of Wayne Coyne and the fellas provided during the interview.

The Flaming Lips are clearly not going to resonate with everyone.  But their greatness becomes all the more apparent as their career continues to evolve and their duration (now past the quarter-century mark) sets them apart from more pedestrian offerings. 

Remember folks, there’s only one band out there willing to take you on a naked bike ride.

At least, that’s the way we see it here.  Soulsavers, currently on tour behind their third release, Broken, might be finding limited success here in the States but it is no reflection on the quality of their most recent works.

Mark Lanegan, Rich Machin, & Ian Glover of Soulsavers

Broken follows up the first collaboration of Rich Machin and Ian Glover with ex-Screaming Trees frontman Mark Lanegan, the brilliantly titled It’s Not How Far You Fall, It’s the Way You Land. 

In a just world, Lanegan would need no introduction, but in case you are not familiar with his work, be sure to read a solid biography from allmusic which details his 2+ decades worth of recorded material.

Check out some of the adjectives used to describe Lanegan’s vocals: “brooding”, “melancholy”, “somber”, and “intense”, just for starters.  All true and maybe that can be mildly off-putting to some listeners. 

But to these ears, Lanegan is one of the best vocalists of his generation.  Criminally overlooked by many, Machin and Glover correctly assessed that he would be the perfect match to their mix of electronica, rock, gospel, soul, and country.

NME gives Broken an 8/10 in its review of the “darkly majestic album”.  And if this snippet from the review doesn’t make you want to check out the record, then nothing will:

A veritable Dante’s Inferno of an album, ‘Broken’ seethes with laconic fury, bittersweet jealousy and self-indulgence, ponders on loss, grief and redemption and aches with love’s labours lost; it’s a record that speaks of dissonance and despondency and as such is instantaneously engrossing and comforting.

For another great opportunity to explore the music of Soulsavers (at the great price of free), click the link for an in-studio live performance on yesterday’s Morning Becomes Eclectic with Jason Bentley at Los Angeles’s famed KCRW.

Treat yourself to a new sound or catch yourself up with the latest in the long, winding career of Mark Lanegan.  You can’t go wrong here. 

And if your immediate thoughts are that this is an acquired taste, you might be right.  But once acquired, you won’t need to worry about a return policy.  Lanegan’s vocals have a way of growing on you.  Might even save your soul.

But I can still appreciate a musical artist who dreams of music as “a soundtrack to an existence and something that brings people together”.  And Emily Haines, the daughter of a poet and the lead vocalist for the band Metric, is coming from a really good place in this NME interview that took place shortly after Metric’s appearance at last week’s Glastonbury Festival.

Her appreciation for the ethos of Glastonbury and Coachella, in contrast with the “cold and exacting business” involved with most other festivals, sheds good light on the spirit of Metric.

Metric

The band is theoretically based in Toronto, but has called so many different places home that it can be hard to keep track.  Most importantly, their fourth studio release, Fantasies, is really growing on me.

Stream the entire album for the moment on Metric’s myspace page and check it out for yourself.  Help I’m Alive and Sick Muse provide one of the best one-two punches leading off any album in a long time.

If you dig it, and I think you will, check out a couple of their appearances from earlier this month in the typical places that all true indies seem to find themselves, NPR’s All Songs Considered (a full 90 minute concert recorded in D.C.) and KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic (interview and in-studio performance).

2009 is slowly shaping up as one of the better years for new music in a while.  Metric may not wind up on many Top 10 lists at the end of the year, but there is something refreshing about their modern take on indie music.  At the very least, this is really good summer music for those of you looking to update your ipods.

And if Haines and company really believe what they say about “the point of music”, then you owe it to Metric to at least give them a shot on principle alone.

Bucking the trend and breaking out is Silversun Pickups, rising up out of the music scene in LA’s hipsteresque Silver Lake neighborhood.

Silversun Pickups

If you are a fan of distortion and overdubs (and who isn’t?), be sure to check out their most recent (and second full-length) release, Swoon, before going back to discover their debut full-length and EPs.

Making the rounds on radio these days, they recently revisited their “home” radio station, KCRW, for a live set and interview where they were greeted by Morning Becomes Eclectic host Jason Bentley with the “bona fide rock star” tag.

An additional recent appearance on NPR’s World Cafe gives you yet another chance to hear the band perform a few songs and answer questions about their humble beginnings and recent success.

The “sophomore jinx” is a tough one for a lot of young bands.  But Silversun Pickups seem to have sailed right through that storm cloud with Swoon.

Of course, just making it out of LA with their integrity intact would have been reason enough to salute them.  Consider it “Mission Accomplished” and then some.

Mark Oliver Everett (or, simply, E) brings a perspective to art that only a son of a renowned quantum physicist could.  Fronting the band Eels for the last 13 years (following the release of two quirky solo recordings), E has crafted a sound that can draw anyone in for repeated listenings.  While a mainstream audience is not likely to ever appreciate Eels’ music, odds are pretty good that E is just fine with that.

He certainly hasn’t spent much time worrying about it over the last few years, penning a well-received memoir, “Things The Grandchildren Should Know”, as well as filming an excellent hour-long BBC television documentary about his father, titled “Parallel Worlds, Parallel Lives”.

But he is back to his first love with this month’s release of Hombre Lobo: 12 Songs of Desire. 

Eels "Hombre Lobo: 12 Songs of Desire"

The album title references the inspiration that his “wolfman” beard provided for the new material on Eels’ seventh studio album.

Says E, “I was working on some other music, and I looked in the mirror one morning and I saw this werewolf staring back at me. And I thought, ‘You know, this beard doesn’t really suit the music I’m working on currently. I should cut it off.’ And then, at the last minute, it occurred to me, ‘Well, why don’t I just make some music that suits the beard, and I’ll keep it.’ “

That should give you some insight into what Eels are all about, but this week provided additional opportunities for even greater perspective with an NPR feature/interview (the source of the above quote), an appearance on KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic (with accompanying video to get a good view of that beard), and a 3-part interview with Filter Magazine .

Eels fans have been eagerly awaiting the music and these promotional appearances are a perfect way to supplement the experience of appreciating a fresh set of tunes.  And while the music may not qualify as “buzz-worthy” anymore, that might be all the more reason for novices to get to know E and Eels without all the noise and preconceptions that come along with the hype.

E is definitely an odd dude, but the bottom line is that the music prevails.  Take some time to experience for yourself what he and Eels are all about.

But he has also been his own worst enemy for, oh, about 40 years now.  If you are not familiar with his tale, check out Joel Selvin’s excellent Sly and the Family Stone: An Oral History, Vol. 4.  Or, for a quicker read, click on this equally insightful Vanity Fair interview from the summer of 2007.

Sly & The Family Stone, circa 1970

The great news is that Stone, with the support of his 27-year-old daughter Novena Carmel, is shaking his reclusiveness and making appearances on stage once again.  He’s also granting interviews and this morning’s 45-minute appearance on KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic with Chris Douridas is a must-listen (as well as a great introduction to some classic Family Stone cuts).

Look, plain and simple, I am a huge fan.  Check out this clip from Sly & The Family Stone’s appearance at Woodstock 40 years ago and the energy still crackles.  It’s hard to believe now, but the thought of a multi-racial, multi-gender band was considered radical (and far out) even during those times.

The band’s discography from the late ’60s to the early ’70s is all pretty much essential for music lovers.  Drugs and demons may have kept Stone from building on his legacy, but there is no question that Sly & The Family Stone’s brand of soul & funk was transcendent and influential on the tones of popular music, both lyrically and musically, to this day.

Sly Stone, circa now

Sly Stone fans take good news, like today’s interview, where we can get it.  Hard to say if these baby steps portend a tour or new music in the future.  In some ways, that’s irrelevant.  The fact that Sly is still around and providing any windows into his world is worth celebrating on its own. 

And if you happen to be in Los Angeles, keep your ears open for Sly making an appearance on stage.  The live show may no longer be life-changing, but it will definitely be worth the effort.

Get to Coachella.  If not this year, then next year.  And if not next year, then the year after that.  Plan it now.  You will not be disappointed.

Coachella co-founder Paul Tollett gave an enlightening interview this morning on KCRW which provides great insight on why the festival is truly a must-see for all music lovers.

This year marks the 10th anniversary and, while the headliners may not match the all-time roster, the fact is that the festival’s lifeblood is in the incredible number of great small- and medium-sized bands and DJ’s that fill the stages and tents over the three days of the festival. 

That coupled with the amazing setting and great care that Tollett and the Goldenvoice staff take in providing the best experience possible.

For a quick glimpse of what it is all about, check out this clip of Arcade Fire at the 2005 festival from the Coachella movie.  Even the excellent overview that the movie provides cannot match the experience of being there in-person.  Do it.

And check out the first issue of the Coachella Digital Magazine.  24 days and counting until this year’s version.

I suppose that it’s not exactly a revelation that there is a lot of free music floating around the interweb.  I make no judgments, but I do suggest that you make yourself aware of the latest legal developments and security concerns associated with file-sharing.

I can, however, offer a different kind of revelation for those of you interested in exploring new music that mainstream radio has no interest in — yet.

There are a few public radio stations across the country that are feeding up a “Song of the Day”, generally available for download and podcast.  I have great respect for the music departments at these stations that are genuinely interested in uncovering new artists and delivering those to music fans without the constraints of commercial radio.

I’ve provided links to some of the best nationwide -

KEXP 90.3 FM (Seattle)

KCRW 89.9 FM (Los Angeles)

KUT 90.5 FM (Austin)

The Current 89.3 FM (Minneapolis)

Each station’s “Song of the Day” rotation includes a little flavor of the local market, as it should be.  But you will find emerging artists from around the world featured on a daily basis.  Each of these stations also present in-studio performances that are generally available for download and that periodically serve as material for that day’s offering.

You’ve got nothing to lose by subscribing or visiting these sites daily.  You might even (gasp!) find some new music that doesn’t yet sit on the shelves of Best Buy or WalMart.