A lot of bands loitering at the borders of Pop-land and Noise-bury seem so sheepish about what they’re doing. Why would you be like that? There’s no coy nerdery here. A Place To Bury Strangers are as upfront and as lurid as they always are when they’re simultaneously torpedoing one’s notions of the melodic and the blaring. “So Far Away” arrives as part of brand new EP Onwards To The Wall, out February 6 through Dead Oceans.

Fresh off their second US tour of the year, CSS have released the video for “City Grrrl,” the second single off their latest album, La Liberacion. The eye-popping, colorful video shows Lovefoxxx with the pink hair and black lipstick heralded in the song’s chorus, showing her effortless swagger. The track is one of lead singer Lovefoxxx’s most autobiographical songs to date. She explains: “I revisited my teenage years while living in the suburbs of my hometown. I'd be on the floor of my bedroom making the most ridiculous clothes and glue fake colored hair or x-ray pictures on clothes. I'd be sporting goth make up at 8am and when I hit the streets people would curse me from their cars in the most aggressive way. [Calling me] 'drag queen', 'whore.’ “ The song captures the sentiment of feeling like a true outsider and yearning to escape to a big city to find fellow outcasts. La Liberaciónis out now on V2/Cooperative Music USA/Downtown Records. It features collaborations with Ratatat, Primal Scream’s Bobby Gillespie, and Mike Garson (who played piano on David Bowie’s “Aladdin Sane”).

After the success of Burst Apart earlier this year, The Antlers are taking an odd-and-ends victory lap that includes a few choice covers. Our favorite is their take on The xx’s austere “VCR.” Everyone (well, Drake and Rihanna, at least) has been flirting with and on top of The xx lately, and this is another interesting flip on their work that keeps the ice intact while adding galloping drums and wigged-out soundscapes. Find more on (together), which is out November 22 on Frenchkiss.