Tag: new music

NEWS ROUNDUP: Princess Nokia a Soup-er Hero, Music Industry Assault Allegations & More

  • Princess Nokia Stands Up To Racist, Goes Viral 

    This week, a viral video showed NYC commuters standing up to a drunk guy on the train when he started yelling racist insults at a group of teenagers. At the end of the video, as he’s pushed out of the train car, someone launches a container of soup at them, covering them in yellow goo. It gets better: the hero in this story is rapper Princess Nokia, who tweeted, “Although painful and humiliating we stood together and kicked this disgusting racist off the train so we could ride in peace away from him… [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][I’ll be] damned if I let some drunk bigot call a group of young teenage boys racist names and allow him to get away with it.”

  • Women Speak out About Sexual Assault in the Music Industry

    No doubt encouraged by the bravery of the many women who have come forward to share their harrowing experiences with powerful film executive Harvey Weinstein, women are coming forward to call out men in other industries who they say have engaged in inappropriate behavior up to and including harassment and assault. Allegations have surfaced in the last week involving Matt Mondanile (a.k.a. Ducktails) who parted ways with former outfit Real Estate over the allegations last year; The Gaslamp Killer, and Alex Calder. A few of the labels and publicists who have worked with these artists have spoken out as well in a show of solidarity. 

  • Other Highlights

    Watch Beyonce’s video for “Freedom,” listen to an unreleased Bob Dylan song, an early listen of Bully’s Losing, Radiohead songs translated through Spongebob, it’s the release day for St. Vincent’s MASSEDUCTION as well as Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile’s Lotta Sea Lice and Beck’s Colors, watch the new Neil Young video for “Hitchhiker,” Japanese Breakfast directed Jay Som’s “The Bus Song” video, Marilyn Manson discusses his onstage accident, Taylor Swift is starting her own social network, Joan Baez is retiring from touring, Sharon Jones’ posthumous album to be released next month, and read this: The Story of Jud Jud. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAST4Ja7uTU[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

PLAYING DETROIT: Folkie May Erlewine Charms with “Never One Thing”

Okay, so she’s not from Detroit proper, but we couldn’t help but feel moved by small-town folk songstress May Erlewine’s video for “Never One Thing,” the first single from her forthcoming record Mother Lion. Erlewine comes from a deeply musical family – her father Michael founded AllMusic – that hails from Big Rapids, and she’s released over a dozen records, both solo and with her husband Seth Bernard, since 2003. Now, she’s signaled her return with a quietly empowering anthem for the ever changing, forever incomparable woman, tinged with a honey soaked sweetness only Erlewine can deliver.

“I’m a streetfighter/I’m a prayer for peace/I’m a Holy-roller/I’m a honeybee” croons Erlewine, praising the many roles that women take on, reminding us that it is never just one thing that defines us. The video follows her delicate reign, perched on various thrones wearing a selection of various floral crowns – perhaps a subtle conjuring of Frida Kahlo. But Erlewine shatters the separation of royalty and commoner with graceful tenacity. A poetically restrained roar, “Never One Thing” is more of a mantra than just a simple folk song.

Feel the power of May Erlewine’s latest below:

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NEWS ROUNDUP: RIP Tom Petty, The Las Vegas Tragedy & More

  • RIP Tom Petty

    The well-loved songwriter passed away on Monday after suffering from cardiac arrest. He was 66, and less than a week before, gave a final interview where he discussed his recent 40th anniversary tour with The Heartbreakers, a new band he was producing, and more (read the full interview via the LA Times). Many musicians who cited him as a huge influence paid tribute to Petty, including Father John Misty, Fleet Foxes, Miley Cyrus, Wilco, Kesha, Emmylou Harris, and more.

  • Shooter Opens Fire on Country Music Festival in Vegas

    On Sunday night, as Jason Aldean played the last few songs of his headlining gig at Las Vegas’s Route 91 Harvest Festival, a shooter opened fire from a suite at Mandalay Bay (located across the street), killing some 58 country music fans and injuring hundreds more before ending his own life. While the incident is still being investigated, the debate on gun control rages on, and many have pointed out country music’s glorification of gun culture. Some stars have spoken out despite the genre’s tendency to stay silent on political topics. Caleb Keeter of the Josh Abbott Band (which performed at the Fest earlier that afternoon), posted a heartfelt statement on his changing views surrounding gun control, while Maren Morris released “Dear Hate” the day after the shooting to benefit victims.

  • Other Highlights

    Happy World Guitar Day, watch St. Vincent on The Late Show, Marilyn Manson was injured during his NYC show, the Needle Drop guy is very problematic, new videos from The Breeders and Tove Lo, Billy Corgan’s Ogilala is out now, updates to Oakland’s Ghost Ship case, Other Music will be replaced by a juice store, and read this: “Should Women Make Their Own Pop Music Canon?“

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jz2EbH3xO_8&feature=youtu.be

NEWS ROUNDUP: RIP Charles Bradley, #TakeAKnee & More

  • RIP Charles Bradley

    Though he was able to tour up until the very end, even after battling stomach cancer, renowned soul singer Charles Bradley passed away over the weekend. He was 68. Nicknamed “The Screaming Eagle of Soul,” Bradley was inspired by James Brown from a young age but didn’t release his first album until six years ago. He made a living as a handyman and by impersonating his idol until being discovered by a Daptone Records founder. Watch him perform below.

  • Musicians Take A Knee To Protest Police Brutality

    After Trump insulted football players who chose to kneel during the national anthem as a protest against our country’s police brutality, encouraging NFL owners to fire them, many musicians expressed solidarity with the players. Stevie Wonder was one of the first, kneeling before his set at NYC’s Global Citizen Festival. Other artists who participated include Pharrell Williams, Eddie Vedder, John Legend, and more. Read more a complete account of the situation here. 

  • Other Highlights

    Watch new videos from Princess Nokia and William Patrick Corgan, Spotify knows your musical secrets, Justin Timberlake will get a second chance at a Superbowl performance, a holographic Frank Zappa is going on tour, Thurston Moore made a techno record, listen to new music from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Angel Olsen, collaborations from Courtney Barnett/Kurt Vile, Michael Cera/Sharon Van Etten, and Radiohead/Hans Zimmer, a concert hall created by an algorithm, and it’s way too early for these artists to release Christmas music. 

NEWS ROUNDUP: RIP Grant Hart, Jessi Zazu & More

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RIP Jessi Zazu

  • RIP Grant Hart, Jessi Zazu and Josh Schwartz

    Grant Hart died on Wednesday, September 13 from cancer. He was the drummer and vocalist of Minnesota rockers Hüsker Dü. After Hart met Bob Mould in a record store, the two quickly became friends and songwriting partners. Their music influenced groups such as Nirvana, the Pixies, and the Smashing Pumpkins. Read a full obituary here.

  • Jessi Zazu, who sang for the Nashville band Those Darlins, died on Tuesday after battling cervical cancer. She was 28. To raise awareness and encourage openness, she made her diagnosis and fight public, including the act of shaving her head during chemo. Read a full obituary, including a tribute by Ann K Powers, here. 

  • Josh Schwartz played guitar for late 90’s bands Further and Beechwood Sparks. He died on Tuesday at age 45 after years of living with ALS. A statement from his friend and bandmate Brent Rademaker describes the musician as “one of those rare people that really brought out the best in others…. He really was magic.”

NEWS ROUNDUP: RIP Walter Becker, Holger Czukay & More

  • RIP Holger Czukay

    Holger Czukay played bass in the groundbreaking Krautrock band Can, which he founded with keyboardist  Irmin Schmidt, guitarist Michael Karoli, and drummer Jaki Liebezeit. He passed away on Tuesday at age 79 at the band’s Inner Space Studio. Can got their unique sound from improvisation that mixed jazz with rock, and during Czukay’s solo career, he explored the use of sound effects and sampling. His last release, Eleven Years Innerspace, came out in 2015.

  • RIP Walter Becker

    The Steely Dan co-founder and guitarist passed away last Sunday at age 67. His songwriting partner, Donald Fagen, described Becker as having a knack for “reading people’s hidden psychology and transforming what he saw into bubbly, incisive art.” The beloved band was highly influential and advanced in terms of songwriting and song structure, though sometimes derisively referred to as the main progenitors of “dad-rock.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_jPs5lUdBc

  • RIP Fat Baby

    The Lower East Side club/venue closed on Saturday, after being bought by an unknown buyer. For the residents of “Hell Square,” a highly concentrated area of nightclubs, venues and bars, this closure was not necessarily unwelcome. Yelp reviews of the hotspot vary from describing a pretty good place for a night out to a crowded pit of despair.

  • Other Highlights

    Lin-Manuel Miranda sings the theme for the “Magic School Bus” reboot, a Prince statue may replace Christopher Columbus, Martin Shkreli is selling his infamous Wu-Tang album, a new Michael Jackson song is coming, meet the Indonesian girls fighting to play heavy metal, NYC’s Power Station recording studio to be restored, new songs from U2, Bill Withers and St. Vincent, how bands are helping hurricane victims, and yes, we’ve established that women are the new face of rock.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jG2Qf-DIofk&feature=youtu.be

 

NEWS ROUNDUP: Bushwick’s New Venue, St. Vincent’s New LP & More

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Elsewhere Photo by Sam Gold

  • Glasslands Founders Debut New Venue, Elsewhere

    When Kent Avenue’s DIY hotspot Glasslands closed in 2014, its founders seemed to hint that they’d open another spot eventually. Turns out that spot will be Elsewhere, a warehouse in Bushwick that will double as a community space complete with an art gallery and rooftop access. Dates have already been announced for shows as early as November. Read what the founders have to say about Elsewhere here.

  • Get Ready For A New St. Vincent Album

    It’s been a busy year for Annie Clark, a.k.a. St. Vincent: she’s directed a horror short (and will soon direct her first feature film), covered the Beatles’ “All You Need Is Love” for the new Tiffany & Co. campaign, and is about to release her next album and embark on a tour. Check out her cover of the Fab Four’s classic, as well as her new video for “New York” below. There’s no official name or release date for her album yet, but according to a recent New Yorker interview, the LP’s main themes will be “sex, drugs and sadness.”

  • Simpsons Composer Alf Clausen Fired

    He’s been using a 35 piece orchestra to compose the wacky, classic songs that make The Simpsons for 27 years, but not anymore. His work won two Emmys (in ’97 and ’98), and received 21 additional nominations, but according to Variety, Clausen was told by the show’s producer that they wanted a different kind of music. Seems like an interesting choice to make.

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NEWS ROUNDUP: Taylor Swift Goes Goth, NYC’s Night Mayor, & More

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Looks like Taylor really loved Bey’s “Formation”

  • Taylor Swift

    Taylor Swift tried to overshadow the eclipse (while one artist was potentially blinded by it), by scrubbing her social media pages clean on Monday. The internet buzzed about the impending announcement of a follow-up to 2014’s Grammy-winning 1989, and by week’s end details were released: Reputation drops November 10th, with first single “Look What You Made Me Do” hinting at a darker, Goth-ier image for the singer-songwriter.

     

  • Soon, NYC Will Get Its Own Night Mayor

    In May, it was announced that New York City was getting a Night Mayor. The person that holds the title is in charge of the “Office of Nightlife,” and is responsible for protecting music venues, particularly the kind of DIY venues that have been shutting down at an alarming rates. Read more about the position here, and one of the people vying for it here.

  • A Fight Over Song Licensing Continues

    Some backstory: the Department of Justice is trying to enforce 100% licensing when it comes to song licenses; currently, the industry allows fractional licensing, which means everyone who “owns” a song must agree about its licensing. However, 100% licensing means that any one of those people can license the song without permission. Both BMI and ASCAP think this will be damaging to songwriters, and have teamed up to oppose the DOJ. Read the whole story here.

  • Other Highlights

    Spotify prepares to go public, hip-hop cookie dough, Solange is playing Radio City next month, RIP John Abercrombie, a new song from Beck, the Village Voice will end its print edition, Beyonce and Laverne Cox are planning a collaboration, Kim Gordon has a new clothing line, and the Allah-Lahs’s name leads to a canceled concert. 

NEWS ROUNDUP: RIP Glen Campbell, A Celebrity Reptile & More

  • Country Star Glen Campbell Dies

    After a tough battle with Alzheimer’s – chronicled publicly in heartbreaking 2014 tour documentary I’ll Be Me – country and pop star Glen Campbell died on Tuesday, at age 81. He was heralded for his songwriting, vocal and guitar abilities, and many stars paid tribute to him this week after the news of his death: unlikely friend Alice Cooper, his fellow country star and former partner Tanya Tucker, Jimmy Webb, and John Mayer. Timely enough, an old Radiohead cover of Campbell classic “Rhinestone Cowboy” was recently unearthed. Listen below.

  • The Crocodile Named After Motörhead’s Lemmy

    The late bass player was recently honored by scientists, who dubbed a prehistoric crocodile Lemmysuchus obtusidens. Apparently, good ol’ Lemmysuchus was a nasty, brutal, violent, animal that was one of the biggest predators of its era with huge teeth and a spiked tail. When Lemmy wrote “Love Me Like A Reptile,” he probably wasn’t thinking of this.

  • Webster Hall Begins Major Renovations

    One of the city’s most beloved venues will be closed for major renovations starting today, after being bought by Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment and AEG Presents. The process, which will include turning one of the hall’s performance rooms into a waiting room, is going to take an estimated 18 months. 

  • Other Highlights

    Taylor Swift begins testimony, learn about the Transparency in Music bill, a new song from Bully, Alice Glass (of Crystal Castles) returns, read about some groundbreaking country artists, MTV is bringing back TRL, Liam Gallagher is very, very sorry,  pop as propaganda, Mean Girls: the musical, and the 20th anniversary of Backstreet’s Back.

PLAYING DETROIT: Nydge x Greater Alexander Release Stunning Visual for “Mask”

 

It’s been a hot minute since we covered an Assemble Sound creation but this recent release in their Sunday Song series was too jarring to ignore. A unique collaboration between New York born, Athens raised, and now Detroit-based artist Alexander Vlachos (Greater Alexander) and synth darling (and Assemble resident) Nigel Van Hemmye (NYDGE), “Mask” is a mystic, misty and powerful exploration of internal and external duality. Showing masterful restraint, “Mask” patiently creates space between the music and the message, building to a perfectly composed panic attack of self-actualization and acceptance that the biggest questions may not have answers. Vlachos sings “There’s a space inside your head/That shuffles in a new beginning/Can you feel what you aren’t seeing?/What aren’t you seeing?/Let the mask come down” with a curious certainty. Directed by Jay Curtis Miller and produced by Corinne Wiseman, the video for the track, though featuring a rather literal mask, is a thoughtful marriage of calm and distress as it bounces from a muted tonal imagery of Vlachos being grabbed by pairs of mysterious hands to vibrant bursts of color, water and flames as the mask is removed, replaced and destroyed. Cleansing and confounding, “Mask” is both a sonic and visual confrontation that offers turmoil you can dance to.

Check out the stunning visuals to the existential crisis that is “Mask” below:

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NEWS ROUNDUP: The End Of The iPod, Required Listening & More

 

  • Read This: The 150 Greatest Albums Made By Women 

    The list was compiled by various writers on NPR. The outlet calls it “an intervention, a remedy, a correction of the historical record and hopefully the start of a new conversation… it rethinks popular music to put women at the center.” Starting with The Roches’ self titled debut and ending with Joni Mitchell’s Blue, the list provides a nearly endless amount of music. Get started here.

  • Apple Is Getting Rid Of The iPod

    Do you remember your first MP3 player, that magical square that gave you instant access to hundreds of your favorite songs and meant that you no longer had to lug around a skipping CD player? They may not be around much longer. Apple has reported that the company will no longer sell the iPod Nano or iPod Shuffle, which were its last devices that could be used solely for playing music. Demand for apps, the rise of streaming rather than owning music, and those weird new headphones are the likely reasons. 

  • Brooklyn’s Rock Shop Is Closing

    After they replaced their live music events with a foosball table, Park Slope’s Rock Shop didn’t really live up to its name anymore. The owners have now announced that the bar will be closing permanently at the end of July, due to the  high expenses of rent and property taxes in the area.

  • Other Highlights

    Listen to a NIN cover of David Bowie’s “I Can’t Give Everything Away,” a heartwarming story about a historical punk couple, Rick Ross’s blatantly sexist statements about female rappers, Charlie XCX’s latest video has A LOT of “Boys,” watch Kesha’s video for “Learn To Let Go,” listen to a new Alvvays track, and watching Billy Joel lose it in Moscow in 1987 is oddly stress-relieving. 

https://soundcloud.com/thisisthenumbernineteen/i-cant-give-everything-away-farewell-mix

NEWS ROUNDUP: Changes at MTV, Rodents + Rush & More

  • MTV Ends Its “Era” Of Longform Journalism 

    The site has laid off a sizable portion of their editorial staff in a (possibly misguided?) effort to give millennials what they really want, a.k.a. “short-form video content.” An in-depth article by Spin breaks down this shift, and reveals MTV News’ troubling loyalty to artists over its writers. Inside sources state that lukewarm reviews of Chance the Rapper and Kings Of Leon were removed from the cite after complaints from the artists’ management. Read the whole thing here. 

  • Meet The Capybara Babies Named After Rush

    Naming animals after rockstars is the best trend to come out of 2017. The latest species to get the eponymous treatment is the freakishly adorable capybara, the world’s largest rodent from South America. The triplets of two well-known capybaras named Bonnie and Clyde, who gained fame after running away from their Toronto zoo for 36 days, were recently named after Rush’s Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart. Look below for what you really came here for: videos of the huge rodents doing cute stuff. 

  • Listen To She Keeps Bees’ Healthcare Protest 

    It’s a somber but fiery track, delivered by She Keeps Bees at a very appropriate time as Republican leaders decide to hold off on voting on the health care bill until after the July 4th holiday. Rather than go the subtle route, “Our Bodies” ends with a very literal, unmistakable message: “Our bodies are our own… don’t control me, we demand autonomy.” Listen below.

 

NEWS ROUNDUP: Goodbye Shea, Spotify Sponsorship & More

  • Shea Stadium Officially Closes

    All we’ll have left of 20 Meadow Street is fond memories, and the new nightclub that the landlord wants to open to replace the beloved DIY venue. Shea Stadium was going to have a few more closing events, but yesterday posted on Facebook that “It now seems impossible to have any more events no matter how small.” The owners raised quite a bit of money on Kickstarter, and hopefully they’ll find a new space to hold Shea Stadium soon.

  • Get Ready For Sponsored Songs On Spotify

    Sponsored content: it’s on your Instagram feed, in your television shows, and in the articles you read (buy Sprite! Just kidding, drink water). Now Spotify treads tricky payola territory by announcing that it will let labels and other entities pay money to have certain songs featured in their wildly popular curated playlists without mentioning that the content is sponsored. TechCrunch reports that the streaming service has already been testing it out on users who don’t pay the monthly subscription fee, though there’s an option to turn off that feature; meanwhile, Liz Pelly’s in-depth, must-read report on The Secret Lives of Playlists ruminates on what the pay-to-play model means for indie labels, among other issues.

  • SXSW Supports Austin’s immigrants

    After the previous controversy over the immigration language used in SXSW contracts, the festival organizers have expressed their support for the lawsuit Austin is filing against the state of Texas. The lawsuit is in protest of Senate Bill 4, which forbids sanctuary cities like Austin. Though they were asked to move the festival to a different city until it was resolved, SXSW CEO Roland Swenson stated that they would “continue to make our event inclusive while fighting for the rights of all.” San Antonio and Dallas are pursuing similar lawsuits. 

  • Other Highlights

    RIP Prodigy, listen to the new Sleater-Kinney/R.E.M. supergroup, a cassette tape caused a New Zealand bomb scare, get ready for a new Foo Fighters album,  this article is kind of blaming Taylor Swift for the death of electric guitars for some reason, Gene Simmons is abandoning his quest to trademark the “rock” gesture, and once again, WTF, Spotify?

PLAYING DETROIT: Ancient Language Share “Until Recently”

There’s something to be said for a track that is suitable for dancing, crying, cutting and running and climaxing. Released earlier this spring, dream-pop trio Ancient Language delivered a well-rounded taste of their forthcoming record with “Until Recently.” Complex, though never overwrought or overthought, “Until Recently” floats, dives and ascends like a time-lapse of a butterfly forming and emerging from its chrysalis (yes, it’s that evocative).

Ancient Language’s brand of drama is not a sullen one – at least not here. It is not bogged down by too many ideas fighting for a spotlight; they prove the weightlessness of letting go by doing just that. Glistening water droplet synths, a saxophone fill that orbits Matthew Beyer’s gravity-defying vocals, perfectly nuanced production and unobtrusive bass paints for us an unassumingly epiphanic moment. It swells, sits and dissipates serving the very purpose I believe Ancient Language set forth to provide – a release and reprieve from Earthly woes.

Ancient Language are slated to play Corktown Strut Saturday, July 1st – find out more info about the Detroit fest here and listen to “Until Recently” below.

NEWS ROUNDUP: Spotify Celebrates Pride, Meet Bot Dylan & More

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Palehound made a Pride playlist on Spotify.

  • Spotify Announces Pride Month Playlists
    From the streaming service’s press release: “In celebration of Pride Month, Spotify is proud to present The Spotify Pride Hub, a series that highlights queer icons and music of hope, self-acceptance and empowerment.” They’re using streaming data to rank the proudest cities, which seems a bit unnecessary, but they’re also offering playlists by LGBTQ activists and queer musicians. Don’t know where to start? We recommend this one, curated by Palehound.

https://open.spotify.com/user/spotify/playlist/37i9dQZF1DX9Ho37OqYz1i?play=true&utm_source=open.spotify.com&utm_medium=open

  • The Future Of Music: A Folk Song Writing Robot?
    Move over, Bob Dylan; the A.I. program Bot Dylan can also write folk songs, though it probably won’t be winning a Nobel prize anytime soon. The bot was put to work analyzing tens of thousands of Irish folk songs, and from that data, has written a staggering amount of its own material. The London scientists who created it were surprised that the tunes weren’t that bad, either. Read more about Bot Dylan here and listen to one of its compositions below.

  • RIP Gregg Allman
    The Southern Rock  legend and member of the Allman Brothers Band died last Saturday due to complications from liver cancer. He was 69. Gregg was a vocalist and keyboardist and formed the Allman Brothers Band with his sibling, guitarist Duane. Even if they weren’t fond of the term, the group is crediting with creating Southern Rock and inspiring later jam bands. Read a full obituary here.

NEWS ROUNDUP: Tragedy In Manchester, Biggie Mural Saved & More

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photo by Raymond Boyd

  • Ariana Grande Cancels Tour After Manchester Attack
    On Monday, Ariana Grande’s concert at Manchester Arena in England ended with explosions, later revealed to be the result of a terrorist attack that killed 22 people. What makes the crime particularly heinous, besides the fact that no one should ever feel in danger just because they want to see live music, is that a majority of the audience was young girls. Grande has since returned home to Florida and canceled her tour, though she’s pledged to return to Manchester to hold a benefit concert for the victims. Read more about the situation here.
  • Nandi Rose Plunkett Responds To Sexist Comments
    How tiring must it be to just be known as “The Girl In The Band?” Nandi Rose Plunkett, the musician behind Half Waif and member of Pinegrove, posted a statement about dealing with fans’ remarks that praise her appearance yet downplay her musical role. “These sentiments are the literal heart of what makes women afraid to shine, what discourages us from even trying,” she wrote. Read the whole thing here.

  • Bed Stuy Will Get To Keep Biggie Smalls Mural
    A three-story homage to the late, great Notorious B.I.G. recently came under threat of removal when the building’s landlord proposed adding windows to the facade featuring the “King of NY” mural. However, after a petition and local outcry, Samuel Berkowitz said he would keep the mural (though he initially proposed that the artists who painted it pay a $1,250 month fee to keep it). When artists Naoufal Alaoui and Scott Zimmerman explained the rapper’s importance to the borough, Berkowitz simply changed his mind. Isn’t it refreshing to read a story that doesn’t end with artists getting screwed over by landlords?
  • Other Highlights
    A modern take on “Feelin Groovy,” a new album by Amber Coffman, a “lost” Neil Young album is coming, Nicki Minaj also funded a village, Pitchfork announces Beats > Bullets project, Deerhoof announce new albums, are the Migos homophobic? & man, the Twin Peaks soundtrack is awesome.

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NEWS ROUNDUP: RIP Chris Cornell, More PWR BTTM Controversy & More

  • RIP Chris Cornell

    Chris Cornell, the frontman of Soundgarden and Audioslave as well as one of the most important figures in the Seattle grunge scene, was found dead yesterday morning. By the afternoon, his death was reported as a  suicide by hanging. Though it seems like an endless stream of musicians have passed since David Bowie’s death in early 2016, Cornell’s was particularly unexpected and left many reeling, as he had performed a concert in Detroit the night before and was active on social media throughout the night as well. He was 52.

  • PWR BTTM Respond To Allegations, But Is It Enough?

    In the week since the allegations of sexual assault and other inappropriate behavior against Ben Hopkins of PWR BTTM, there has been a ton of fallout – the duo was dropped by their label and management, their touring members and opening bands left the tour before it was cancelled for good, Father Daughter Records has stated they will remove their old releases from streaming services, and Polyvinyl is even issuing refunds if former fans send back their brand new record, Pageant. But other than a statement that asked potential victims to email an account that would at some point be monitored by a mediator, a move that was deemed inappropriate for a variety of reasons, the band was silent until yesterday. They’ve released a new statement, but it seems to raise the same questions and criticisms: about consent, about accountability, and the language used to discuss it. Namely, that their statement contains a whole lot of words, but dances around the issue in an unsettling way. You can read both the statement and a thoughtful response here.

  • Chelsea Manning Is Free & Has Her Own Compilation

    Chelsea Manning, the former Army intelligence analyst who came out as transgender after being convicted of espionage for leaking classified information, has finally been released – Thanks, Obama! Now, rockstars are voicing their support for in the form of a benefit compilation. Michael Stipe, Thurston Moore, Against Me!, Tom Morello, Ted Leo, Downtown Boys, Priests, Screaming Females, Talib Kweli, Amanda Palmer, and Kevin Devine have all contributed to Hugs For Chelsea, the proceeds of which go toward her cost of living as she reenters society. Check it out on Bandcamp.

PLAYING DETROIT: Shady Groves Releases Romantic Short Film “Stay Strange”

With their short film “Stay Strange,” Shady Groves gives us the love story we need – a sweetly cinematic tale of new lovers (that likely met by swiping right), refreshing in its lack of cynicism. The film bookends the title track with two other songs (“Me & You” and “Dysthymia”), resulting in a totally pure embodiment of the weightlessness of falling in love without expectation.

Via a mandolin couch serenade, the clumsy uncorking of wine bottles, and living room slow dancing, we are reminded of the quiet beginning of things. Like the suite of songs, the video (created by Elaine Smith) mirrors the anticipation and relief of blossoming romance without a shred of anxiety or sardonic disguise. The video’s red hue shifts into explosions of colors and shapes superimposed like a veil over footage of our adorably smitten twosome as they move from introductory hugs to L-shaped secret-swapping bed dwellers. A hybrid of several genres (and obvious inspiration from bands like The Lumineers), “Stay Strange” reminds us that intimacy is as simple (or as complicated) as looking at someone long enough to note the burst of color around their iris or tracing the outline of scars from childhood playground accidents. Intimacy is an invitation and Shady Groves make it feel pretty damn good. Clean off your couch and light a candle, we’ve got company.

Swoon with Shady Groves’ latest “Stay Strange” below, or stream their debut, Bitzer, via Bandcamp.

PLAYING DETROIT: Mother Cyborg Teases Debut LP

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shot for MetroTimes
Mother Cyborg by Ara Howrani

For Diana Nucera, a.k.a Mother Cyborg, it’s been a long time coming. Her long-awaited debut album Pressure Systems drops this week, and based on the two teaser singles “Earth Dreams” and “3souled Women” we are all wildly ill prepared (but so ready) for the journey.

Cerebral and enlightened, Nucera gifts us with an odyssey via invisible waves of transmission. “Earth Dreams” is, in many ways, an out-of-body experience as Mother Cyborg poses question after question after existential observation; “What will you do/With the information you’ve found/When you realize what you’ve been/what’ve you’ve seen/and how you’ve lived your life thus far?” The percussive synths trip and tumble, mimicking the dance of electricity across wires. The droning key buried in the background could easily be the sound of the mothership approaching. Nucera’s digital fortress is lush, refined, and made all the more omnipotent with her breathy, foreground vocals and sonic exoskeleton.

“3souled Women” is a different beast, entirely. Though still maintaining an atmospheric awareness, Mother Cyborg races here, an unassuming ode to light speed. More erratic than the serene dazzle of “Earth Dreams,” “3souled Women” mimics the sizzle of wires being clipped and fused while administering an intravenous dose of whatever mythical drug makes Earth more easily inhabitable to an extraterrestrial. “Could I pass as your human?” she challenges. “Would you take advantage?/Make your life worth more than mine?” Mother Cyborg does not ask for validation or for permission. Instead, she consistently presents us with a warning disguised as a question for which there is no clear answer. And for that, Mother Cyborg is perhaps more human than the rest of us.

Mother Cyborg plays her album release party at Detroit’s El Club on 4/29 at 8pm.

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PLAYING DETROIT: Will Sessions Tease New Album, Deluxe

The word “fusion” doesn’t begin to skim the surface of the rich and diverse stylings of Detroit’s hardest working band, Will Sessions. Not easily categorized, Will Sessions’ influence spans decades and their accumulative sound swells with an authentically reimagined funk renaissance. Equal parts 70’s jazz, soul, hip-hop and yes, pure, sweet funk, the only thing this recipe calls for is more. The eight-piece, whose output modernizes and anthologizes Detroit’s sonic roots, celebrates the release of their first full length record, Deluxe, comprised of previously released, newly remastered tracks in addition to some fresh collaborations. The first single, “Run, Don’t Walk Away (feat. Coko)” is as sly as it is seductive and embodies what it means to strut. What is achieved here is a sense of empowerment. The marriage between growling funk beats that roll like patient hips and vocalist Coko’s insatiable determination makes “Run, Don’t Walk Away” less of a plea and more of a motivational command.

Deluxe drops 4/21 on Sessions Records. Get your groove on below:

VIDEO REVIEW: Moon Bounce “Drugs”

Unsurprisingly, Moon Bounce’s video for the single “Drugs” is as trippy as its title suggests. Spoofing terrible album art from Wayne Cochran, Grace Jones, Prince, and more, the titillating track takes listeners on a tongue-in-cheek waltz through the aisles of a record store that would make any collector’s head spin.

The campy video seems like it easily could’ve come from the goofy fellas who brought us Flight of the Conchords, an effect heightened by Moon Bounce frontman Corey Regensberg’s groovy falsetto. Here, he plays a hapless crate-digger, as well as the over-the-top characters that come to life on each album cover and sing to him. Perhaps this is an endorsement for taking drugs while vinyl shopping, or perhaps a cautionary tale against it. Regardless of your interpretation, the video is fun and the synth-pop melodies are completely addictive.

Moon Bounce is gearing up to release a new album, Clean House, in March. Mark your calendars now, folks, because it’s sure to be a good one.

TRACK REVIEW: Betty Who “Human Touch”

Betty Who’s latest single “Human Touch” is the pop dream we’ve been waiting to have.

It’s bubbly and upbeat, danceworthy and synthy—pretty much, it’s everything we’ve come to expect from Betty Who at this point. The Australian songstress’ voice is layered in a way that makes it sound both silky and husky simultaneously, dancing between the varying synths. It’s fun, sexy and exultant, and will have you grabbing your dancing shoes, anxious for the weekend.

TRACK REVIEW: Goodman “Hiccup”

With a very Beatles-esque vibe, Goodman is here to bring a bit of sunshine and chill to your dreary winter days with his latest single “Hiccup.”

Singer/songwriter Michael Goodman delivers us this feel-good track that walks the line between pop rock and surf rock, and it’s got us feeling all sorts of feels. Its repetitive beat, peppered with claps and hiccups, will have you grooving in your seat.

Keep an eye out for his full-length album The Vicissitudes, which is expected to drop in February on Invertebrate Records.

NEWS ROUNDUP: 100 Days Worth Of Protest Music

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  • This Protest Album Features Carrie Brownstein, Stephen Malkmus

    Quasi’s Janet Weiss and Sam Coomes organized and contributed to the Battle Hymns compilation. Name your price for the download, which benefits Planned Parenthood, the American Civil Liberties Union, and 350.org. Buy it here.

  • Our First 100 Days Kicks Off With Angel Olsen

    Our First 100 Days is a project designed to counteract a certain someone (hint: evil and orange) who is starting their first 100 days as well. For $30 or more, you’ll get all of the exclusive songs and, according to their website, your money will “go directly to organizations working on the front lines of climate, women’s rights, immigration and fairness.”  Listen to Olsen’s track, “A Fly On Your Wall,” below and get more information about the musicians and organizations involved here.

  • Stand Up For Love With Andrew Bird & Jeff Tweedy

Stand Up For Love is a three hour telethon is happening today, and aims to raise $500,000 to defend civil liberties. It started at 12:30pm, but I’m betting the page will host an archived version.  The website states that celebrities such Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jane Fonda, Robert Reich, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Tom Morello, Adrian Grenier, David Duchovny, Misha Collins, Michael Franti, Andrew Bird, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tim Robbins, and Jeff Tweedy of Wilco will be featured.

  • Covers For A Cause With Littler, Abi Reimold & More

    “Don’t Stop Now” is a collection of covers that benefits the ACLU. From the Bandcamp page: “This compilation is an expression of love, anger, hope and protest on inauguration day… Each dollar donated will help protect the people of the United States, especially those most vulnerable, from the reckless authority of a Trump presidency.” There’s 38 songs in total; stream below and buy it here.