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An emo anthem #PrivateJam, the latest Arcade Fire video from Spike Jonze and more in this week's music recap

Connan Mockasin: Caramel Take a psychedelic journey through New Zealand native Connan Mockasin’s second album Caramel, which he recorded entirely in a Tokyo hotel room and has made available for streaming on Soundcloud. Pitch shifting, guitar slides and carefully controlled reverb create the ambience of a softly babbling, cosmic brook. Within the waters, you’ll find echoes of those sex-filled songs of the ’70s and ’80s, …

The Velvet Underground & Nico: I’ll Be Your Mirror

Our brief look at the iconic artist's musical legacy

In lieu of a musical guilty pleasure this week, we looked to the other aspect of our two-fold PrivateJam series; a deeply personal tune. One of music’s most revered critics, the New Yorker’s Sasha Frere-Jones, penned a deeply heartfelt postscript about Lou Reed, which began with how Reed inspired him to propose to his wife. He explains, “I handed over a small mirror with a …

Lou Reed & Laurie Anderson: Halloween Parade

Our brief look at the iconic artist's musical legacy

Lou Reed is survived by his wife, the multifarious artist and musician Laurie Anderson. The pair often performed together, and the holiday-appropriate video of their Parisian performance of “Halloween Parade” showcases their unique collaborative energy. Anderson’s just-published, tear-inducing obituary for Reed elegantly outlines their relationship: “Lou was a prince and a fighter and I know his songs of the pain and beauty in the world …