April 4, 2013 – Out-punk saxophone abuser Sam Hillmer, leader of Brooklyn out-punk mainstays Zs, is releasing his second full-length record as his sax-and-electronics alias Diamond Terrifier. The Subtle Body Wears a Shadow is his first for Terrible Records, the label owned by Grizzly's Bear's Chris Taylor. First taste "Triple Gem" is one-fourth of a 30-minute suite that reportedly borrows from drone, ambient, rai, the Ethiopiques series, and even Chicago juke. That's a lot of stuff crammed through a mouthpiece in just these eight minutes, so feel free to deconstruct or just let the warm waves for Braxton-gone-Eno mush float over you.112010:song:Triple Gem:

April 2, 2013 – Mysterious Afrobeat-metal crew Goat have expanded the dates on their very first U.S. tour, adding an Atlanta show and beefing up their Brooklyn presence from the D.I.Y. vibes of Glasslands to the comparatively larger Music Hall of Williamsburg. In addition, the band is dropping two new 12-inches on Record Store Day (limited to 2,000 copies each, on blue vinyl), featuring remixes of the bhangra-inflected album standout "Run to Your Mama." Vol. 1 features mixes from sludgegazers Thought Forms, HighWolf, Invada Records boss Redg Weeks, the Horrors synth player Tom Furse, and Teeth of the Sea. The (also blue) Vol.

March 25, 2013 – Now that Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails have soured on free culture, and David Lowery stays steady ranting at college kids, it's time the notoriously underpaid world of the avant-garde jumps into the fray. Marc Ribot's Ceramic Dog, the art-rocking power trio from one of SPIN's fave guitarists, is set to release their second album, Your Turn, on April 30 via Northern Spy. And if "Masters of the Internet" is any indication, they'd probably prefer if you didn't download it, you freeloader.Over a crunchy, Residents-gone-Battles death-march, Ribot yells, "Download this music for free! / We like it when you do!

March 8, 2013 – After Death Set co-founder Beau Velasco passed away in 2009, his band of electro-punk party-crashers soldiered on with an excellent album (2011's Michel Poiccard) and brave outlook, both of which paid tribute to their dear friend. Finally, "two years in the making," they have released the ultimate tribute to a beacon of energy, a music video for the self-explanatory "I Miss You Beau Velasco." Similar to the Johnny Cash video for "God's Gonna Cut You Down," a parade of faces, famous and otherwise, appear to pay respect — including Santigold, Dan Deacon, Spank Rock, High Places, XXXChange, Japanther, Best Fwends, Trouble Andrew, Vice Cooler of XBXRX, and SPIN photographer Tod Seelie.

March 6, 2013 – It's about to get Hotter than July (in May!) because the Gulf Shores, Alabama beachside bash known as Hangout Fest has just rounded out their lineup with the mighty Stevie Wonder. The seven-billion-time Grammy Award winner and friend to the President of the United States of America is joining Tom Petty and Kings of Leon to headline on May 17-19. In addition, Hangout also announced the mighty Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Imagine Dragons, Afrojack, Big Gigantic, Holy Ghost!, Ra Ra Riot, the Wild Feathers and fucking Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. And, oh, did we mention the guy with the No. 1 record in the country, Baauer.

February 13, 2013 – The sun-soaked, sand-storming Hangout Music Festival has announced the initial lineup for its fourth annual beach blanket blowout. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Kings of Leon and a third headliner (to be announced shortly) will lead the three-day party scheduled for May 17-19 in Gulf Shores, Alabama. In addition, the lineup boasts a selection of SPIN faves both classic ('90s SPIN cover stars Public Enemy and the Breeders will both make appearances) and new (2012 SPIN Essentials Kendrick Lamar, Best Coast, and Dirty Projectors will all be catching some rays). The rest of the lineup features big names from the electronic, indie-rock, and jam-rock spheres; not to mention lots more SPF 50 fun.

February 8, 2013 – The 55th Annual Grammy Awards are almost upon us! Hey, we'd love to help you with your office pools and living-room side bets with some sure-thing, Vegas-ready odds. However, we always seem to be dead wrong about this stuff (we'll get you yet, Esperanza Spalding). So, once again, here are some completely arbitrary critical decisions about who should win, just in case you want to know who we'll be rooting for on the SPIN couch. We already ran down our picks for the nine biggest categories, so here's our picks for the nine you'll actually be paying attention to.Don't forget: SPIN will be live-blogging the Grammys this Sunday (February 10) starting at 8 p.m. ET, and if you tweet along with us, you could win a prize! Come back and watch this mess with us then!

February 7, 2013 – The 55th Annual Grammy Awards are almost upon us! Hey, we'd love to help you with your office pools and living room side-bets with some sure-thing Vegas-ready odds. However, we always seem to be dead wrong (we'll get you yet, Esperanza Spalding!). So, once again, here are some completely arbitrary, critical decisions on who should win the nine biggest categories, just in case you want to know who we'll be rooting for on the SPIN couch.Don't forget: SPIN will be live-blogging the Grammys this Sunday (February 10) starting at 8 p.m. ET, and if you tweet along with us, you could win a prize! Come back and watch this mess with us then! And don't miss Award Tour: 22 Times the Grammys Saluted the Underground.Record of the Year The Black Keys - "Lonely Boy" Kelly Clarkson - "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" fun. ft. Janelle Monáe - "We Are Young" Gotye ft.

February 1, 2013 – I got her when she was three months old. I kept saying, "I want a dog, I want a dog," but I didn't mean it. "I want to get married, I want a dog," but not seriously. But then my mom said, "I got you a dog, come down here and get it." You did what? She said, "She's really cute, a half Yorkie and half Maltese." So I flew down [to Florida] and got her, flew her back to New York, sat her on my bed, and was like, "What the hell?" I didn't have a dog growing up; I didn't know how to play or anything. I didn't know you could push their ears back without hurting them. When I would pet her I would just kind of plop my hand on her head thinking I couldn't touch her ears. I was on the phone with a friend of mine and we're coming up with a name. I said, "I want to name her a cool name, I don't know how to do that.

February 1, 2013 – SPIN welcomes the onward march of Caspian, the emotionally charged, highly cinematic band who made one of the the best post-rock albums of 2012. Their new clip for "Procellous" is five stormy minutes of Isis gone Kid A, full of comforting blues, trippy projections, dreamy slo-mo, and severe close-ups. It's worth watching just to spot the fucking Death Star control panel these dudes use as a "pedal rig."Did we mention they're going on tour? Check out tour dates and a blue-saturated vision of what you can see below. Caspian Tour DatesFebruary 16 - Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506 February 18 - St.