This week The Uglysuit released their final album, appropriately titled Awwww, Schucks via Everybody Loves Everybody Records.  Stream tracks from the new album on their Bandcamp page.

The Oklahoma band is calling it quits after five years and two full-length albums, the latter of which they say is their best work to date.

“It’s awesome to see all of our thoughts and creativity come to life. It’s amazing how six people can come together and make such fun, intricate, and spiritual tones, to become one, “ said bassist/producer Dustin Maynord.

No word on future projects, but last time we saw the band they told us about their collaborative writing process, which will hopefully be applied to their new creative works.

Brandon Baltzley seems to have it all: a super-tight relationship with his mom who let him drop out of school at 14 years old to work the line at local restaurants and play drums; a stint touring with the metal band Kylesa; landing a gig at the temple to culinary audacity and coolness, Alinea; working as head chef at a hyper-ambitious restaurant in Chicago called Tribute.

Baltzley sports the life and career that would make most 20- and 30-somethings who crave a creative journey over the cubby-hole life blanch with jealousy and rage.

But ready the Schadenfreude: Baltzley’s post-post-mod hipster dream life as a rocker and chef has been blighted by–wait for it–drugs and booze.

The Chicago Tribune did a heart-wrenching study of Baltzley’s downward spiral (he’s currently in rehab). It serves as more than just a documentation of one young man’s crumbling life–it reads as a screed against the too-cool entitlement of an entire generation who believes we can have it all; the parties, the money, the fun and the responsibility.

Male Bonding will release their second full-length album, Endless Now, on August 30 in the U.S. via Sub Pop. The 11-track album also features Frankie Rose of Vivian Girls and Crystal Stilts, and was produced by John Angelo (Sonic Youth). Preview the first single “Bones” here.

Tour dates have not yet been announced, but the band is playing with Weezer on July 6 in London.

We caught up with the English band, who hipped us to another of their creations, the vaguely-sexual-but-definitely-not “whinger.” Spread the word.

There are many challenges involved in being married to a chef: It’s kinda like being married to a professional breather or someone who sleeps for a living.

Like the need for oxygen and Zs, there’s no getting around food. Seriously, can you imagine the stress of simply frying an egg for an accolade-bearing, restaurant empire-running, cookbook-writing hot shot like Jean-Georges?

It would be like strutting around in your panties backstage at Chanel in front of Arizona Muse, telling her you were going to show her a thing or two about a thing or two. It just isn’t done.

So, pity Marja Vongerichten, Jean-Georges’ wife long-suffering wife. Or not.

Girlfriend got her own show on PBS; a food show no less. Marja is re-exploring her (half) Korean ancestry on a madcap family journey through the country. It’s equal parts travel fun, historical exploration, food geekery, tear-jerking biography and recipe.

Hugh Jackman narrates as Marja confidently strides through the roots of her world, betraying just a touch of the skivvies-in-front-of-a-model jitters.

Get a taste of Kimchi Chronicles, below, as Marja semi-neurotically, mostly-charmingly fishes for compliments on her soup (Do you like it? It’s a nice texture. Isn’t it?)

Los Angeles band 100 Monkeys know how to take advantage of their surroundings. Born in various parts of the world, from Singapore to Chicago, the band’s diverse background influences their music with traces of the blues, jazz, zydeco and more.

“Twilight” fans will surely recognize guitarist/vocalist Jackson Rathbone from his role as Jasper Hale in the popular film series, and other members of the band are similarly established in the entertainment industry as cartoonists, producers and longtime musicians.

100 Monkeys will release their second full-length, Liquid Zoo, on July 28. “Wandering Mind” is the first single from the 11-track album.

To celebrate the new album, the band kicks off a U.S. tour on June 28th in Cincinnati that continues through the end of August. An international tour is planned for the fall, and full dates and ticket information are available on their website.

In the meantime, check our extensive interview with the band on moonlighting as a Teletubby, crazy gifts from fans, music industry survival tips and an array of multi-media projects, including their film “Girlfriend.”

Nothing says “eat me” in Seattle quite like a giant crock of cheap, steaming-hot rice noodles with pockets of everything from veggies to tripe, served with bean sprouts, limes, fresh basil and jalapeno peppers. Ah, pho. Pho shops are as ubiquitous as cupcake stands in Manhattan, and the products boast equally variable merits.

Death Cab for Cutie–out with new album Codes & Keys–break it down for us over at Drowned in Sound, providing a much-needed guide to the dirtiest and cleanest Pho in the greater Seattle area. Because nothing ruins a good appetite like dirty tripe.

The boys also have cappuccino-strength opinions about Seattle’s better-known, more celebrated, far more ubiquitous city mascot. Click below for the 411 on the best place to find caffeine, calories and quixotic communications:

Milagres will release a new album, Glowing Mouth, on September 13 via Kill Rock Stars. Download the first single from the record, also titled “Glowing Mouth.”

Inspired by a rock climbing trip in British Columbia, the new album was written while lead singer Kyle Wilson recovered from a subsequent back injury. But the injury didn’t slow him down, and instead he assembled a new crew of musicians to fill out the band.

Wilson stopped by our studio and discussed conquering his fears of rock climbing, and how it inspires his songwriting.