Video Round-Up: New Music Video Edition

Video Round-Up is a recurring post collecting an assortment of videos from around the web. Whether they be music videos, creative viral marketing, just plain cool, or just plain ridiculous, they will all be found on Video Round-Up.

With the flood of awesome music coming out right now, there's also the inevitable influx of music videos to accompany the singles of all of those new albums. Rather than posting each of them individually, I figured I'd resurrect the most-likely forgotten Video Round-Up to feature them all at once. So hit the jump to check out new music videos from the likes of Sleigh Bells, Coheed and Cambria, Sigur Ros, Band of Horses, Riverboat Gamblers, and more.

Music Review: Minus the Bear - Infinity Overhead

After 2010's slickly produced and predominantly poppy OMNI, Minus the Bear's fifth full-length offering finds them getting back in touch with the rock edge of their earlier material in order to deliver their tightest record yet. It's the type of album that bands often choose to self-title.

Leading track, and first single, 'Steel and Blood' kicks things off with a mix of 'Nothing Left to Lose'-era Foo Fighters guitar rock and the Seatle quintet's signature, synth infused pop; and it's imediately followed by the driving funk beats of the equally kicking 'Lies and Eyes.'

The Madden Franchise Continuously Fails by Striving for Realism, Falling Short

I can’t remember the first football game I saw. I'd love to be able to tell you a story about a magical day when the skies opened up and I was touched by some other-worldly being, blessed with football-watching skills, but I can't. I just know that every Sunday from September through January isn't filled with Ikea trips or church, they're filled with wings, friends, and the heartbreak and/or joy of the NFL.

Now, my first football-related video game memory is easy: I went over to an older cousins’ house and for Christmas he had received a Nintendo Entertainment System. This was a great moment in my life, everything about this machine seemed futuristic. It’s safe to to say that for a 4-month period, until my birthday in April, my new favorite cousin and I spent hours shooting ducks and jumping onto goombas.

So, I love video games and football, and logic would dictate that the combination of my two favorite loves would produce the purest form of obsession, right? Sadly, this is untrue. I've avoided the Madden series of games like the plague upon its annual August releases. The lead up to every Madden is virtually the same: the developers and the PR videochat, blog, and press release me to death, saying things like, "This year is the most realistic ever. We've tried very hard to make the game you play at home identical to the game you watch on TV."

This is where, in my opinion, the amazingly-talented people at Tiburon get it wrong. Trying to accurately capture any sport played by real people is an impossible task. When I sit down to play a game of Madden and the players do anything out of the ordinary I am instantly taken out of the experience. Since my love for a game is based on believing in its fiction, once I'm ripped from that moment I can never get it back.

Streetlight Manifesto announce title and release date for new album, book tour to support it

Ska-punk legends Streetlight Manifesto are finally set to release their third proper album, following up 2007's Somewhere in the Between, and a slew of cover CDs and side projects. The Hands That Thieve is due to come out November 6th, and they've booked a North American tour to help support it.

It's worth mentioning that this is the last album they're contractually obligated to release on Victory Records, the label that they've been fighting with for years. This is also the album they've suggested fans should either pirate or buy directly from them at a show so as not to give money to the aforementioned label.

Hit the jump for their tour dates.

Cobra Skulls announce new single release, tour dates with Riverboat Gamblers

When I first heard of Cobra Skulls I was mostly ignoring new punk bands and hiding behind the safe, established groups I already knew and loved. But The Lawrence Arms vouched for them and I liked what I could find on YouTube, so I picked up their album. Now I eagerly follow their career, anticipating each new release.

So, while the announcement of a new single might not be much, it means a new LP is coming, and that's exciting. "Eagle Eyes" features two b-side tracks, and will be released October 9th, via Fat Wreck Chords. Hit the jump for the band's tour dates, both as the headliner and as support for The Riverboat Gamblers.

The Faint to release remastered version of Danse Macabre with bonus material, plan full support tour

It has been over a decade since The Faint put out Danse Macabre, what many believe to be their best album. Now they've announced a remastered, deluxe version of their classic release. The package will include six bonus tracks, a meaty-sized booklet, and DVD stuffed with footage from around that time. It's set for release on October 30th, and the band has scheduled a full tour to help support it.

Hit the jump for the tour dates and to listen to one of the bonus tracks from the album.

Unoriginal Soundtracks #46: From Dust

Every other Wednesday, I share a playlist of songs tangentially related to a single game or series. Songs about alien sex for Mass Effect, world leaders for Civilization, and so on. Searching for relevant terms on Spotify is a great way to discover new music and uncover hidden gems. Make requests to @USPodcast on Twitter.

Lots of games get the "sandbox" label slapped on them, but From Dust is more like playing with a bucket and spade at the beach; you pile up sand to divert flowing water, and you struggle to keep the ocean from washing your creation away. The game inspires an elemental playlist of rock, 2 Tone, and blues.

Listen: Morning Glory release another song from their upcoming album

Morning Glory have put out yet another song from Poets Were My Heroes, set to be released on August 28th via Fat Wreck Chords. "Life's a Long Revenge" joins two other tracks, "Patiently", and "Another Way" as awesome teases for their first proper album as a real, fully formed band. Hit the jump to give the new song a listen, as well as the other two sample tracks. You can preorder the album here.

Minus the Bear release video for "Steel and Blood", stream new album online today only

Indie rock outfit Minus the Bear have put out a music video for "Steel and Blood", off of their upcoming August 28th release, Infinity Overheard. While their last album, OMNI, didn't really do much for me, the two tracks they've released from this one so far are quite catchy and enjoyable. I'm certainly looking forward to hearing the whole thing.

Speaking of, fans should be able to hear the entire album very soon, as the band is set to stream it on their website, today only. Just keep refreshing their site until they put up the stream, and hit the jump to check out the video while you wait.

Morning Glory's Recent Tour Felt Like a Symbolic Farewell to Ezra Kire's Past, Invitation to his Future

Morning Glory has garnered a pretty sizable fan base for not technically having been a real band until just recently. Their earliest demos and first full length were done almost entirely by lead singer Ezra Kire, playing every one of the instruments into an 8-track recorder in his New York apartment, save for the drums which were handled via a cheap drum machine. After that, there was an EP with an actual band, but that all fell apart pretty quickly into years of heroin abuse and empty promises for a proper album.

Now, after nearly a decade of fighting his addictions, Ezra is ready to give his full attention to Morning Glory. The long-anticipated album is due out in just over a week via Fat Wreck Chords, and his newly-reformed band just finished an East Coast tour of the US.

I've longed to see them live for what seems like a lifetime, so, I of course caught the Detroit show a few weeks back. It meant taking a vacation day at work and driving 4 hours round trip, but I made those sacrifices. The thing is, after the show ended a mere half an hour later, I wasn't sure if it was all worth it. But the more I thought about it, the more it felt like the entire concert was a farewell to their fans who might not be so willing to go along with them on this new journey of musical experimentation and discovery. Which, if true, is like having witnessed the death of a band, and the rebirth of a brand new Morning Glory to come.