Summer’s just around the corner and there’s a ton of new music coming our way to accompany those road trips.

Brandon Flowers of The Killers has gone solo for now. Interpol has come back from their hiatus and even after some drama that shook them up, they’re definitely back with a tour and some new tracks. Pearl Jam‘s Eddie Vedder has unveiled a new solo song and Jenny and Johnny drop their first track. Details on all these artists and more after the jump!

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Icelandic songstress Björk is releasing a new box set tomorrow – Voltaic. While you countdown the hours until it hits stores definitely check out the music online via the kind folks at NPR and their Exclusive First Listen series.

Voltaic includes tracks from 2007′s Volta, as well as re-recorded tracks from Medulla, Homogenic, Post, and Vespertine.

Happy Monday, BeatCravers. Hope you had a relaxing weekend. Here are some stories you may have missed:

• Bjork announced plans to release a double CD/DVD/Vinyl compilation of live recordings and remixes on June 23rd. Originally announced back in February, the package will be titled Voltaic, it will include highlights from the Volta tour, all of the Volta music videos, a live studio session from the recently closed Olympic Studios, and remixes from Volta by the likes of Simian Mobile Disco, Matthew Herbert, Graeme Sinden, Ghostigital, and Modeselektor. [Spacelab]
• The Flaming Lips‘ song “Do You Realize??” was made Oklahoma’s official state rock song on May 1st. The executive order was signed at 2 PM at the Oklahoma Historic Center by Governor Brad Henry. Rock on, Oklahoma! When will the other 49 states follow suit? [Filter-Mag]
• 30 Second to Mars is back with the Virgin label. The band initially split, declaring their contract with Virgin null and void. The record label responded with a 30 million dollar law suit. No public reason has been given for the band’s sudden change of heart, but a new album is tentatively scheduled to be released in the fall. [Aversion]

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We already reported on Trent Reznor’s joke for April Fools’ Day, but other artists have gotten into the act, as well.

Most prominent among them is Coldplay, who posted on their site that they would record their next album in zero gravity aboard a Boeing 727. Brian Eno would help them to record the album on a 1969 analog cassette player, while the band would wear cosmonaut suits. Chris Martin said that the band had “been searching for the right environment to record the perfect snare drum sound for many years now,” and that zero gravity might just be the place.

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The gay superbowl (aka the Oscars) is hitting television sets everywhere this Sunday. In honor of such a time-honored Hollywood glamour fest, BeatCrave is bringing you our top ten favorite Oscar nominated songs that are worthy of your playlist long after the Oscars have passed. Most of our picks were not winners (in fact, only two of the ten walked away with little golden men) but all of them are excellent songs or, in the case of a one particularly cringe worthy track, were spawned from an awesome movie. Prepare for a night of of over the top self-indulgence with a look at BeatCrave’s 10 best Oscar worthy songs…

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Björk has partnered with a Reykjavik-based venture capital firm to set up a fund that will invest in socially and environmentally responsible companies that will help repair Iceland’s beat-up economy.

The Icelandic singer launched the venture fund with Audur Capital, which has put down the initial investment of 100 million Iceland kronur ($826,000) and is seeking investors to participate in the fund until March 2009.

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I caught Stacy* Clark’s set at The Knitting Factory last week and was so blown away by her performance that I demanded an interview. Clark, a guitar playing singer songwriter, and her band performed a powerful set of guitar-heavy songs and heartfelt melodies from her album, Apples & Oranges. Clark is the Winner of the 2007 Orange County Music Awards for ‘Best Female Performer’ and ‘Best Female Artist’ 2006 Southern California Music Awards. Her music has appeared on the MTV and CBS television networks, and she has appeared on stage with Jacks Mannequin, and the Amsterdams. Thankfully, she took time out to answer a few questions.

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