The National gave a “super early preview” on Jimmy Fallon of the opening track, “Terrible Love,” from their upcoming full-length, High Violet. According to Stereogum, this hadn’t even aired as of yesterday. Nothing shocking to report here. Trumpets dance among a calm sea of guitar and piano as Matt Berninger’s voice scratches through the smooth surfaces gallantly, giving them life.

It’s incredible, or whatever.

Electronic one man band, Derek Vincent Smith, AKA Pretty Lights, is offering up his latest EP, Making Up a Changing Mind, as a free download on his official site. According to his bio, the Colorado based producer’s previous 3 albums have combined for over 500k downloads. Making Up a Changing Mind Track #2, “I Can See it in Your Face,” is sure to rock the desert at this year’s Coachella, much like it just rocked my living room.

PS: That cover art, ftw.

Download: Pretty Lights Making Up A Changing Mind EP

Download audio file (02-i-can-see-it-in-your-face.mp3)

“I Can See it in Your Face” by Pretty Lights

Wow.

MGMT are offering up a track (not the single?), “Flash Delirium,” from their upcoming, long-awaited sophomore album, Congratulations. We were warned, guys. I am still navigating my way through this retro, psychedelic clusterfark of styles, instruments, melodies, and rhythms. That flute solo is confusing me, among lots of other things. Actually, “Flash Delirium” seems almost intentionally confusing and overly structureless. I can’t decide whether that’s endearing or annoying.

I feel like I’m going to have to spend the rest of the day listening to this on a loop before I can even begin to understand it, or form an opinion of any kind (I much prefer the title track, “Congratulations,” which also leaked today).

I need to hear this in the context of the record. I need a drink.

Download audio file (mgmt-flash-delirium.mp3)

“Flash Delirium” by MGMT

These aren’t the best quality, but if you’ve been anxiously awaiting a release date for We Are Lasers for the past 9 months, then these might be of interest. Lupe Fiasco premiered 3 new tracks off of the upcoming [someday?] album at his ‘Steppin Lasers’ Tour kick-off on Friday in Claremont, CA. “Scream,” “State Crime Radio,” and “Beautiful Lasers” are below.

It’s Lupe, so, as always, assume introspective, synthed out hip hop goodness. (LupE.N.D.)

Lasers is due ????? ??.

It happened overnight. It couldn’t happen any quicker.

As promised (well, sort of. Thought this was a mixtape. Oops), Drizzy Drake dropped the first single from his major label debut, “Over,” last night at midnight over at October’s Very Own (file already ‘not found’). The track, produced by Canadian hip hop producers Boi-1da (Clipse, K-os, Kardinal Offishall) & Al Khaaliq, is streaming below/was worth the wait.

As of right now, Thank Me Later is set to come out in May.

What am I doin’? Oh yeah, that’s right. I’m doin’ me.

Download audio file (drake-over-produced-by-boi-1da.mp3)

“Over” by Drake

Spent 10 seconds widening my eyes to this rather transformative Mumford & Sons cover of Vampire Weekend’s Contra stand-out track, “Cousins,” on BBC Live Lounge before I decided it was the greatest thing of all time. OK, more like the greatest thing I’ve heard since 9:15. But still, great.

The UK folk band (hardcore, like, with banjos), are in the midst of a European/US tour in support of their 2009 debut, Sigh No More. (Via Music Slut)

The Morning Benders’ Big Echo is quickly becoming a top 10 contender for Twentyten. It’s already been decided that “Excuses” is the song of the year (after all 10 Teen Dream tracks, of course). Stream the entire sun kissed, Chris Taylor produced Rough Trade debut on their site. It has been heavily Grizzly Beared, and it is extremely of the good. Big Echo is due March 9.

The band is on tour now. See you at Troubadour.

We Were Promised Jetpacks announced today that they will be releasing a 5 track EP entitled The Last Place You’ll Look on Fat Cat Records March 9. The EP features 3 new tracks and 2 alternate takes of songs from 2009’s These Four Walls. “A Far Cry,” yet another incredible Jetpacks track, is streaming below via MOKB.

Download audio file (We%20Were%20Promised%20Jetpacks%20-%20A%20Far%20Cry.mp3)

“A Far Cry” by We Were Promised Jetpacks

Berkeley’s The Morning Benders are gearing up for the release of their album, Big Echo, on March 9 via Rough Trade. Last Friday, the band gave away their lovely single, “Excuses,” for the price of an email address on their website, where you can also stream the abundantly Grizzly Bear’d track “Promises” (the album is not surprisingly produced by Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear).

Morning Benders kick off a North American headlining trek on Friday that will come full circle with two NYC dates on each end (dates below). My Poproks hears they put on an amazing live show, and plans to see you March 25 @ Troubadour.

02/25 - New York, NY @ Housing Works
02/27 - Brooklyn, NY @ Market Hotel
03/10 - Philadelphia, PA @ Jonny Brenda’s
03/11 - Washington, DC @ The Black Cat
03/12 - Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506
03/13 - Atlanta, GA @ The Drunken Unicorn
03/15 - Birmingham, AL @ The Bottletree
03/23 - Phoenix, AZ @ The Rhythm Room
03/25 - Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour
03/26 - San Diego, CA @ Casbah
03/27 - Costa Mesa, CA @ Detroit Bar
03/28 - Santa Barbara, CA @ Muddy Waters
03/30 - San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
04/01 - Portland, OR @ Holocene
04/02 - Seattle, WA @ Crocodile Café
04/03 - Vancouver, BC @ Media Club
04/05 - Provo, UT @ Club Velour
04/07 - Denver, CO @ Hi-Dive
04/09 - Des Moines, IA @ The Vaudeville Mews
04/10 - Ames, IA @ The Maintenance Shop
04/11 - Rock Island, IL @ Huckleberry’s Pizza – Presented by Daytrotter
04/12 - Chicago, IL @ Schubas Tavern
04/14 - Toronto, ON @ The Drake Hotel
04/15 - Montreal, QC @ La Sala Rossa
04/16 - Winooski, VT @ The Monkey House
04/17 - Boston, MA @ TT The Bear’s
04/22 - New York, NY @ The Mercury Lounge

88 Keys, my favorite LOST and Ralph Lauren obsessed rapper just posted up a new track that he recorded for EA Sports’ NBA Live 10 video game. According to 88’s I Heart My Polo Lifestyle blog (obsessed!), the song “was placed within the game but not included in the official soundtrack due to contractual issues.”

“Wake Up Call” ft. Colin Munroe (Canadian singer-songwriter about to release his debut album, Don’t Think Less of Me, on UniversalMotown), streaming below.