FUSE TV - Best of the Rest: Vampire Weekend, RHCP, James Blake & More at Coachella

BEST NEW MUSIC: VAMPIRE WEEKEND
The New York quartet of preppy Ivy Leaguers hit the main Coachella stage with new tracks from their upcoming album, Modern Vampires of the City, and a different, less Tropicalia-tinged indie rock sound. On "Step," frontman Ezra Koenig's lyrics bounced around the U.S. (mentions of New York, L.A., San Francisco, Oakland) to a slow, sweet melody with harpsichord keys, sizzurp-slow warped vocal reminiscent of '90s rap tracks, and an interlude with enchantment-under-the-sea synths. 

"Unbelievers" swayed on another sweet, indie rock melody, sans their signature tropical bounce. And on the 1950s rock n' roller "Diane Young," Koenig delivered his best Elvis impersonation, “Thank you, Coachella. Thank you very much.”

BEST SUNBATHING MUSIC: KURT VILE
The Philadelphia-based singer-songwriter brought the dreamy guitar tones to the Outdoor stage for an early afternoon session under the sun on Sunday, pre sandstorm. Vile wasn't much to watch; he stood still, his long hair concealing his face in the wind. But the sound was gorgeous and blissful, hence the many concertgoers laying in the grass soaking up rays. Hopefully the pasty Vile wore some 70 SPF.

BEST CROWD PLAYTHING: INFLATABLE DINOSAURS AT DINOSAUR JR. Inflatable floaty toys, in the shape of dinosaurs, bounced around the crowd during the Massachusetts trio's Sunday set. "This next song, this next song, this next song is from very first hardcore band [frontman] J [ Mascis] and I had," rambled bassist Lou Barlow. "It's about not going to college." It was a fast, gritty, in-your-face chug that had fans batting the dinosaurs harder than ever.

BEST COVER: JAMES BLAKE DOING FEIST'S "LIMIT TO YOUR LOVE"
The British digital-soul crooner delivered tracks from his new album, Overgrown, with a stripped-down band, but it was his cover of Feist's "Limit to Your Love" that wowed, still. Released on his self-titled 2011 debut full-length, his cover is key-driven, but its melody and structure are true to form. It was the only sing-along during his set, and clearly the highlight for most as the crowd thinned afterwards.