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Give The People What They Want is the entirely spot-on title of Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings newest album, due in August—you’d be hard pressed to find a more universally crowd-pleasing ensemble. The eleven-piece(!) outfit took a year to record in Bushwick after an extended tour of I Learned The Hard Way, and their lead-off single, “Retreat!” is anything but.

The first time I chatted with Fitz & The Tantrums was during the epicenter of SXSW 2011, and the lead-singer duo - Michael Fitzpatrick and Noelle Scaggs - were lying in different positions on a carpeted stage in an underground conference room at Mellow Johnny’s Bikeshop in the Warehouse District of Austin, Texas. An earlier showcase was thumping away upstairs before they were set to go on, and both musicians looked utterly gassed after nearly eleven shows in four days and a week-long European tour starting the following week. However, less than an hour later, they’re on stage giving the performance that landed them their first record deal with Dangerbird for their album Pickin’ Up The Pieces and proved their Motown pop sound belonged on a much bigger stage.

Over the past few years, there have been new museums opening about just about everything, from city history to legendary artists to pizza. This week, even as rumors of a band reunion continue to be quenched over and over again, the city of Stockholm welcomed patrons to a new museum dedicated to one of its most beloved international exports: ABBA.

The Veils - otherwise known as That Indie Rock Band From London Who Shamelessly Performs Like Their Possessed – hit NYC last night, performing a slew of new songs at the very hush-hush Rose Bar Sessions – Rose Bar's secret show inside the Gramercy Park Hotel for a hand-picked 100 people who are generally very good-looking, successful, entrepreneurial, and artistic. Brandy was there (photo evidence here.) 

To South Carolina, where the speed limits are sky-high but nobody seems in much of a rush anyway, being full of rum smoothies and finger-licking BBQ (speaking only from personal experience here, but). The band is Tape Waves, a young duo from Charleston who’ve managed the feat of landing representation from Manchester, U.K.—Box Bedroom Rebels will put out their debut 7” this summer. But why wait?

U.K. producer Bibio’s newest album, Silver Wilkinson, is quite simply the album of the season. It’s the work of an artist in his prime, with a thrilling confidence in the aural environments he crafts. Recently we had a chance to catch up with the hard-working man himself, Stephen Wilkinson, who shared his thoughts on nature, genre, honesty and “Bibio-ness.” And alongside all that, see a gorgeous new self-directed video for the single "À tout à l'heure." 

Los Angeles DJ duo Tyler Blake and Michael David, better known as Classixx, have been remixing their way into the hearts of the masses with their delightful takes on popular tracks like Phoenix’s “Lisztomania” and Gossip’s “Move in the Right Direction.” Now, with a guest star-packed debut album, Hanging Gardens, they’re stepping out on their own, and the results are similarly joyful. Synthy single “Holding On” is an instant arms-up dance-floor classic, but any of these songs would be just as perfect for a summer drive, perhaps down the 101, on your way to somewhere more exciting.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’s Peter Hayes is no stranger to the turbulence synonymous with a long career in rock. The band’s 15-year run seems to have entertained an ever-shifting balance of the good and bad - from great reviews touring the world, to bored critics, substance abuse, and everything between. The band’s most recent hurdle came with the devastating loss of Michael Been, founder of The Call, father of bandmate Robert Levon, touring sound manager, and overall inspiration.