Patrick Stump in a still from the shoot of Fall Out Boy's new video, "The Phoenix"

Well, give Fall Out Boy the award for most appropriately titled new single, "The Phoenix." Four years after they broke hearts around the world by announcing an indefinite hiatus, the pop-rock group is back with a new album, Save Rock and Roll, due for release April 16.

This isn't the group's first nod to the Valley of the Sun -- their live DVD, Live in Phoenix, was filmed here, so perhaps the name of the new single is more than just a reference to the band's resurgence this year.

The song, like their first single, "My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark," is anthemic, with pounding drums and strings catapulting it beyond basic pop. "Put on your war paint," singer Patrick Stump announces to start the track, and listeners are led through a passionate performance that shows off the group's fervor to reclaim their spot high on the singles charts.

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Haley Grigaitis of Ruca with her "B Family" of Bonnaroo

Pick up a copy of this week's issue of New Times, and you'll learn all about Haley Grigaitis, frontwoman for the feel-good, reggae-infused local band Ruca. Though she and her band are climbing the music ranks now, having played the TMI Radio Showcase at South by Southwest last week, she had never even written a melody before local producer Jack Howell of WilloDisc Production House approached her to collaborate. Grigaitis had just come back from Bonnaroo, where she bonded with strangers who became her second family, and her very first original track, "B Family," was born.

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Paramore doesn't need the Farro brothers to go on. So long, founding brothers Josh and Zac. Frontwoman Hayley Williams is soldiering on, bad haircuts and all.

It looks like the band's big move into maturity might just abandon the sparkly pop that made the band famous. Who cares that it was the poppy "Misery Business" that propelled the band to stardom? Just as Panic! at the Disco never quite recovered after a huge sonic departure that was their sophomore album, Pretty. Odd., Paramore's dark new single and video, "Now," ensures that the band will not achieve the same success it once had. The track is off Paramore's upcoming self-titled album, to be released April 9, and if it's indicative of the rest of the album, a lot of fans are going to run.

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Local DJ and jack of all trades William Reed is a busy guy. When we spoke a couple months ago about the end of the weekly Sticky Fingers dance party, he revealed his plans to start Risky Business, a Thursday night dance party at Gypsy Bar, and his plans to focus on Blaque Panther Disco for a bit. The fruits of his efforts are paying off: his nu-disco/house collaboration with Elise Welch got signed to UK label Re: Sound Records and released its first song, "Pommes Frites" earlier this week.

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It's been almost a year since local rock group The Tremulants played their last show following the death of frontman Marco Holt who succumbed to non-Hodgkin lymphoma. His passing left the music community grieving and family and friends reeling.

Tremulants bassist Isaac Hensleigh stepped away from music in the subsequent months and helped in settling Holt's final affairs, including his last will and testament. Since that time he's found his creative itch again and has returned with a new band called Blanche Beach. Inspired by Holt and an urge for really loud pop rock music, Hensleigh has teamed up with Nathan Leach and Tristan Jemsek of DIYers Dogbreth to form the new triumvirate which is scheduled to open tonight's FMLY Fest-inspired 4xF music gala taking place off of downtown's infamous Roosevelt Row.

See also:

-The Tremulants' Marco Holt Succumbs to Cancer

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By now you've probably formed an opinion about Django Unchained, the controversial new Quentin Tarantino film starring Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Samuel L. Jackson, and Leonardo DiCaprio. But don't let that stop you from diving into Karina Longworth's excellent Phoenix New Times cover story this week, which features the writer/director himself talking about the flick in his characteristically loose style.

Like all of Tarantino's films, the musical score is a hodgepodge of styles and sounds. Featuring spaghetti western sounds from Ennio Morricone alongside hip-hop from Rick Ross, high-lonesome country from Brother Dege, and soul from John Legend and James Brown, it's a fantastic listen.

See also:

Quentin Tarantino on His Most Ambitious Film to Date, Django Unchained
Jason P. Woodbury's 10 Best Things I Heard in 2012
Best Mention of Arizona in a Pop Song - 2012: Frank Ocean, "Thinking Bout You"
Frank Ocean and Michael Kiwanuka Craft Two Different "Traditional" Soul Records

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Local Latin, reggae, and punk peddlers Fayuca have seen their fair share of success as a productive year comes to an end. Now the trio is ready to step up their game with a brand new album that's almost within earshot.

We document the band's 11-year run in this week's issue as the rambunctious group gears up for a gig tonight at Toby Keith's I Love This Bar and Grill in Mesa. In the meantime here's a cut off of their upcoming record, Barrio Slideshow.

See also:
Fayuca Deals in Latin, Punk, and Reggae

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Susan Jordan Anderson

Gospel Claws

There's no way to put it lightly: The men of Gospel Claws have been through the wringer.

Lineup changes. A cancer scare. Most tragically, the suicide of guitarist Mark Erikson. It's been a weird couple of years since the band's last record, 2010's excellent C-L-A-W-S. Given the strife, it's easy to read into the lyrics of the band's brand new effort, Put Your Sunshine Away, released Tuesday, November 20 on Common Wall Media (vinyl copies are available for pre-order from President Gator Records).

See also:

Joel Marquard of Gospel Claws Takes on Testicular Cancer (With His Friends)
R.I.P. Mark Erickson of Colorstore, Roar, and Gospel Claws
President Gator Records Launches This Weekend at Crescent Ballroom

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Chances are some of you slackers are sleeping off a wicked hangover caused no doubt by an overkill of sweetened Halloween libations and tiny boxes of Nerds candy.

If I'm striking a chord, some of you are going to be looking for a remedy to cure your dehydrated bodies. Instead of tangling with the, "hair of the dog that bit you," we're going to prescribe two to three turns of Mr. Miranda's and Hexsagon's new funk-fused downtempo single, "Down." The locally-based emcee and beat maker have hooked up for a new project called the H & M EP which is set to drop at the end of the year.

See also: Mr. Miranda Commemorates Rick James with Tribute Album

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Devon Christopher Adams

Haley Grigaitis of Ruca

There's nothing more annoying than when your boyfriend's ex-girlfriend just can't move on -- especially when it involves her posting adorable animal pictures on his Facebook page. It's that kind of ex-girlfriend misbehavior that inspired local musician Haley Grigaitis, aka Ruca, to write the bluesy song, "Hands Off."

"'Hands Off' is about a ex-girlfriend that could not let go of my man," Grigaitis says. "After he broke off their very brief relationship, she continued to text, call, and post fun things on his Facebook wall, like her cat wearing a princess sweater. It drove me absolutely insane. After a few weeks of this, I let it all come out in my notebook and had most of the song written in one take -- very therapeutic."

Not only does the track serve as a warning to that lady in particular, Grigaitis hopes the song's message is one anyone can learn from.

"This is a story I think a lot of people can relate to and might help someone realize that they need to let go of a relationship," Grigaitis says. "My view is, why waste your time pining over someone that doesn't want to be with you? Live your own life, be happy, find someone that wants you as much as you want them! However, if that someone happens to be my man, keep your hands off!"

See Grigaitis play the tune live this Friday, November 2, at Martini Ranch. Check out the song, along with lyrics, after the jump, and for tickets to the show, go here.

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