The Cold Cut

CSS- Rat Is Dead (Rage) (Link 2) (Link 3)

It seems as if everyone is trying to get a piece of the 'free music' pie nowadays. Radiohead and NIN cashed in, but everywhere you turn, there are more generous bands offering their latest song free, requiring very little effort on our part.

The Long Blondes did it with 'Century'. Coldplay have now done it with 'Violet Hill'. CSS are the latest group to jump on the bandwagon, with much better results than the previous two examples.

CSS have put a new song up for grabs on their website, and it rocks. Hard. Now reduced in numbers (since Ira Trevisan left), the Brazilian five-piece have been hard at work for their second album. I'm predicting a slightly more mellow affair... Lovefoxx's english has really come on, and considering she's now shocked by her lyrics from their debut, the x-rated stuff will no doubt be found in less abundance.

Their new album, entitled 'Donkey' (how very CSS!), is released on 21st June, but this new cut (not the lead single) is a revealing look at how the album will sound. It's very punkish, much less synth focussed, and a little bit less wild; lyrically at least... no 'music is my beach-house' here!

People are quick to disregard CSS as just a party band, but I just can't kick the feeling that they're going to be important- crucial even- to breaking down the barriers for international music. Even since they made it big I've recieved emails from bands like Nancy and Bonde De Role who are receiving far more attention than they would have in previous years.

You can download the track via the band's newly updated website, or above.