Tag: st. vincent

RSVP HERE: Lydia Loveless Streams Career Spanning Set via NoonChorus + MORE

It’s no question the past four years have drastically changed our lives, and alt-country staple Lydia Loveless is no exception. Last Friday (9/25) marked the release of Loveless’ first album in 4 years, titled Daughter. The making of the record coincided with the parting from longstanding label Bloodshot Records, the divorce from her bassist, and a big move to North Carolina from her hometown of Columbus, Ohio. Created in a more independent mental and physical state, Daughter grapples with the lack of familial feelings, divorce, disconnection, and death. These transformations allowed Loveless to hone her lyrical honestly and a dive into an expansion of her pop sonic palette.

Last week Loveless played Daughter in its entirety with her band for the first time. You can catch her via NoonChorus again this week on Thursday 10/8 performing a career-spanning solo set that showcases all sides of Lydia Loveless. We chatted with Loveless about changes in the music industry, starting her own label, and why you shouldn’t physically exfoliate.

AF: How do you feel now that your new album is out in the world?

LL: Relieved and excited!   

AF: Did being further away from your band and not playing live recently affect the writing and recording process of Daughter?

LL: I think so, yes. It caused me to be more focused on different instrumentation to be alone while I was writing the record. I could hear drums, keys and atmospheres in ways I normally wouldn’t.  

AF: What made you decide to start your own label? Will you be releasing other artists, too? 

LL: It felt like a good time to believe in myself. I don’t think I am anywhere near being able to sign anyone, but eventually I would love to. 

AF: What are some of the biggest changes in the music industry that you’ve seen over the span of your career? 

LL: More acceptance and respect for young songwriters, in a lot of ways. Genre-bending becoming much more acceptable. My age group and younger taking the reins to make weird things more acceptable. 

AF: Are there any genres, sounds, or musical ideas you haven’t explored yet that you would like to in the future? 

LL: Yes, I always want to try something new. Probably not jazz. 

AF: What is something you’ve done and/or learned in the past six months that has surprised you?  

LL: Watched a lot of TV. Played more piano. Not completely broken under severe stress.

AF: If you could give your younger self advice now, what would it be? 

LL: Don’t physically exfoliate – it causes your pores damage. Use a chemical exfoliator. 

AF: What are your plans for the rest of 2020 and beyond?

LL: Stay alive, write music, kick some bad habits. 

RSVP HERE for Lydia Loveless via NoonChorus Thursday 10/8. 9:30pm ET, $10

10/2 St. Vincent, Jason Isbell, IDLES, The Free Nationals, Carlos Santana, Vernon Reid, Joe Bonamassa, and more via Guitar.com. 8pm ET, RSVP HERE

10/2 U.S.Girls, Black Belt Eagle Scout, Cierra Black, Cerena Sierra via Venus Fest YouTube. 8pm ET, RSVP HERE

10/3 JD Samson via Elsewhere Sunstreams. 7pm ET, RSVP HERE

10/3 Sudan Archives, Kadhja Bonet, Okay Kaya, Madison McFerrin, Manon Voice via MidWay Music Fest. 6pm ET, RSVP HERE

10/3 Jose James, Taali via LPR.tv. 9pm ET, RSVP HERE

10/5 Dr. Anthony Fauci, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortex, Margaret Atwood, Chris Rock, Ira Glass, Yo-Yo Ma, & More via The New Yorker (Virtual) Festival. 8pm ET, RSVP HERE

10/6 Faye Webster via NoonChorus. 9pm ET, $12, RSVP HERE

10/6 Courtney Marie Andrews via KEXP YouTube. 4pm ET, RSVP HERE

10/6 + 10/7 The Call Within: Dismantling Racism from the Inside Out with Rev. Jacqui Lewis, PH.D. via Middle Collegiate Church. $20, 7pm ET, RSVP HERE

10/7 Fenne Lily via KEXP. 6pm ET, RSVP HERE

10/8 Come Together: Mental Health Music Festival feat. Smith & Myers, Jason Isbell, Kiiara, American Authors, Jade Bird, Yola, Shamir, Son Little, & More via The Relix YouTube Channel. 8pm ET, RSVP HERE

RSVP HERE: THICK Livestream via The Noise Instagram + MORE

Welcome to our weekly show recommendation column RSVP HERE. Due to live show cancellations we will be covering virtual live music events and festivals.

Photo Credit: Devon Bristol Shaw

When I was a teenager THICK would have been my favorite band just as much as they’re one of my favorite band’s today. This makes double sense after finding that their debut record 5 Years Behind, released on Epitaph Records in early March, is an ode to accepting yourself and whatever phase of life you’re in no matter what your age is. The songs are relatable power pop anthems ranging from politically charged topics to all your mother’s concerns about your current lifestyle.

THICK (comprised of Nikki Sisti, Shari Page and Kate Black) has been a staple in Brooklyn’s music scene since their inception in 2014, landing on Oh My Rockness’ Hardest Working Bands list multiple years in a row. Their live show is energetic and has an inviting vibe that makes you happy just to be there. After releasing three music videos leading up to the release, the pandemic unfortunately curtailed their spring touring plans in support of their highly anticipated debut. Those dates will be rescheduled, but until you can see them again in person, you can catch them this Sunday on May 10th at 8pm via The Noise’s Instagram. We chatted with the ladies of THICK about internet trolls, their quarantine playlists and what venues and other organizations to support during this time.

AF: Your debut record came out on Epitaph Records on March 6th right before the NYC lockdown began. How did the emergency timeline affect the record’s promotion and are you excited for your tour with The Chats and Mean Jeans to be rescheduled?

It was pretty crushing. We planned the release to come out in early March so we could hit the road immediately with dates at SXSW, and we were SO excited to tour with The Chats and Mean Jeans and are really hoping it will be rescheduled.

We dropped the album, then it felt like within the span of a week, everything changed. Everyone is navigating trying to stay healthy and make a living. Before we knew it, SXSW was cancelled, The Chats tour was cancelled… tours for the summer and fall were getting put on hold before they could even be confirmed.

We’re a live band and not being able to tour has definitely had an impact on our ability to promote the album. We’ve had to find creative ways to promote the album, which has been really hard for us, because our process is truly collaborative and we’ve been social distancing from each other. We’ve all had to quickly get better at home recording, figure out the best way to stream live songs, become video editors… everything we’d normally do together has become a lot more complicated and requires a lot more steps.

AF: You filmed three music videos for the 5 Years Behind – do you have any fun behind-the-scenes stories?

We had a blast filming all our videos! Each experience was different. “Bumming Me Out” was a lot of fun – we did the set design ourselves and gathered a bunch of fun props to give it a ’90s bedroom theme. We hung up a bunch of Destiny’s Child and Blink-182 posters. It was so fun going through all our old belongings. Our ’90s/2000s CD and DVD collections are hidden in the video somewhere – it’s weird to think that the stuff we owned growing up is now considered vintage! We didn’t start filming ’til the sun set, so we were up till 4AM getting all the scenes in. Our shirts still smell like whipped cream and it took a few days for the shaving cream smell to wash out of Shari’s hair. It was also amazing to have Kate’s sister, Helen, in the music video – she gave an epic performance.

AF: There are some comments on your “Mansplain” music video that seem to illustrate the point of the video. Did you expect that to happen and how do you feel about the trolls?

We definitely expected some level of backlash. What we didn’t anticipate was that it would be re-posted on an Alt-Right channel. It definitely illustrates the point of the video. There are a lot of people who want to say that mansplaining never happens or that we’re crybabies or whatever, but the criticism isn’t coming from people whose opinions we will ever be able to change. For all the ridiculous comments we got, we had an outpouring of support in our inbox from people who could relate to the experiences and were happy we made that video.

AF: Have you been channeling your energy into any non-musical activities during quarantine?

KB: I’ve been cooking A TON and started a bunch of sewing and arts and crafts projects.

NS: I have been going for long bike rides (staying safe and distancing) as a way to keep sane. I hate being stuck in the house!

SP: I’ve developed a serious Mario Kart addiction!! I’ve been trying to work out every day and watch dance videos on YouTube -which is a new venture for me haha. I also hang out with my cat Billie all day.

AF: What’s been on your quarantine playlists?

KB: My listening habits have been reflecting my mood swings from day to day. In general, I’ve been listening to things that are a little less aggro than my norm: The Beths’ Future Me Hates Me, Fontaines D.C. and anything by Marked Men are all regulars in my apartment.

NS: I have been listening to a lot of my playlists on Spotify. This quarantine has increased my anxiety and I become a very indecisive person when I am anxious, so it’s easy to have my playlist going on in the background without having to specifically choose. I should probably work on that…

SP: I’ve been ordering a lot of records and tapes with my partner. We have been listening to Bowie, Pink Floyd, Sly And The Family Stone, Bill Withers records, etc. I also got Fiona Apple and Radiohead tapes. Right now on Spotfiy, I’m listening to Os Mutantes and Harry Styles’ “Adore You” on repeat.

AF: What venues/artists/organizations would you recommend supporting during the lockdown?

NS: Our Wicked Lady has been working with artists a lot during the lockdown, they are running deliveries and you can buy gift cards or donate on their site! Our de facto clubhouse, The Anchored Inn, has a Gofundme going right now. When it comes to musicians you like, go find their bandcamp page! Everyone could use the help right now. There are also a lot of organizations that are helping unemployed artists and others focused on getting health workers get protective gear and loan forgiveness. Everyone should pick whatever is closest to their heart because every little bit helps while we all struggle through this time.

AF: What’s your livestream set-up like and what can we expect from your performance on Sunday?

NS: Since we’re still in lockdown, we’re streaming from our individual apartments and that creates some challenges. Everything we’ve been doing has been pretty stripped down, since we don’t have the gear to properly mic drums, etc. Since Instagram Live also only lets two people on at a time, we have to rotate to answer questions!

RSVP HERE for THICK 5/10 via The Noise’s Instagram 6pm EST w/ Q&A @ 8.

More great live sets this week…

5/9-5/10 Ash, Diet Cig, SWMRS + more via Homeschool Fest. 12pm est, RSVP HERE

5/9 Erykah Badu, Jill Scott via Instagram. 7pm est, RSVP HERE 

5/9 Lucius via Instagram. 9pm est, RSVP HERE

5/11 Billy Joel, Mariah Carey, Bon Jovi + more  via Robin Hood Benefit on CNBC. 7pm est, RSVP HERE

5/13 St. Vincent, Brooklyn Youth Chorus, Cate Blanchett + more via BAM Virtual Gala. 8pm est, RSVP HERE

5/13 Hazel English via Indie Witches. 8pm est, RSVP HERE

5/13 Krill, Horse Jumper of Love, Anna Altman & more via Twitch. Great Scoot staff benefit, RSVP HERE

5/14 Japanese Breakfast via Noonchorus. 7pm est, RSVP HERE

5/14 Elvis Costello, Sheryl Crow + more via Youtube. 8pm est, RSVP HERE

REVIEW: Sleater-Kinney Isn’t Dead

Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker carry on as Sleater-Kinney despite drummer Janet Weiss’s departure. Press photo by Nikko Lamere.

Sleater-Kinney is dead. Long-live Sleater-Kinney.

I kept thinking these words as two-thirds of my favorite band played Milwaukee’s Pabst Theatre last Wednesday. Sprung from the riot grrrl movement, powerhouse trio Carrie Brownstein, Corin Tucker, and Janet Weiss had become known as one of the best rock bands on the planet, until Weiss abruptly left the band after recording their latest album, The Center Won’t Hold. They’d just begun promoting it, a tour loomed… and then there were two.

I first encountered Sleater-Kinney in 2002. I was a sophomore polisci major in a boring, rural Midwestern city, listening to the university radio station while working in the dingiest gas station imaginable, when I heard “Sympathy,” from their most recent record at the time, One Beat. The post-911 album paired impassioned, unapologetically shrill and howling vocals with precise, catchy guitar riffs and cleverly written songs on topics like wars for oil, thriving through discrimination and patriotic dissent.

Sleater-Kinney sounded how I felt in a way I’d never heard women emote. I was in love. After a few years of fangirling – and realizing I wasn’t skilled or dedicated enough to play most of their songs on guitar – I saw Sleater-Kinney in a bar following the release of 2005’s The Woods. After a nine-year hiatus that ended in 2015, I saw them again at a much larger concert hall in Milwaukee (with Lizzo opening) on the No Cities to Love tour. Each performance was mesmerizing and impassioned. This was my band.

When news broke in January that Sleater-Kinney’s ninth record would be produced by musical genius Annie Clark, a.k.a. St. Vincent, I – and everyone else – rejoiced. Cue choirs of angels. This album, I posited, would make everything in the post-Trump era more bearable. The influence of of Clark’s arty, edgy, experimental rock on Sleater-Kinney’s indefatigable brand of smart poppy punk… What could go wrong? Well… fuck.

In mid-June, the band played its first single, “Hurry on Home,” on Jimmy Fallon. The performance had a dark vibe with costumes, makeup and stage design more reminiscent of St. Vincent’s self-titled record tour than Sleater-Kinney. (Suspiciously, the video of the performance is no longer available.) On July 1, six weeks ahead of the record’s release date, drummer Janet Weiss announced she was leaving the band. The sisterhood-vibey video for “Get Up” flashed in my mind and I cried in disbelief. I had already bought tickets to see them in Milwaukee. I didn’t listen to the new record for fear of being let down.

And then I heard it live last week. Initially, the palpable disconnect between the remainder of the original band and the audience created an air of uncertainty. Touring musicians outnumbered founders on the stage: drummer Angie Boylan of Aye Nako; No Cities touring guitarist Katie Harkin; Toko Yasuda, St. Vincent touring musician and member of defunct electro-indie rockers Enon, on keyboards and percussion. Despite a strong, strobe-light heavy opening with “The Center Won’t Hold,” the audience didn’t recognize or wasn’t excited enough to cheer as new songs began. But intros to tracks from other records were met with applause and dancing. Early in the show, Brownstein noted with a smile, “We know you’re going to dance to songs from [1997 record] Dig Me Out,” before cautioning people in the steep balcony to shimmy with care. I teared up a little when my concert buddy ran out for a drink. Not until about 10 songs in, when they played “Ironclad” from 2000’s All Hands on the Bad One followed by Dig Me Out track “One More Hour” did my inner turmoil relent as I began to feel more at home.

The crowd eventually warmed up too, as more “oldies” were played along with some of the more rockin’ tracks from Center, like “Bad Dance” and “RUINS.” The set and two encores were inarguably dynamic. Yet they passed over three early records worth of material: The Hot Rock, Call the Doctor and 1995’s self-titled LP. Nevertheless, the band and the audience warmed up to each other for an overall excellent event on a tour that was undoubtedly difficult minus a founding member. I left the show feeling partial catharsis. I’d danced and sang along to some of my favorite songs and simultaneously processed some emotions (probably not all Sleater-Kinney related).

A few days later, I found myself singing tracks from the new record, like the semi-boppy “Can I Go On” and the title track. True to the riot grrrl ethos, Sleater-Kinney remains a political band – “Broken” is a reaction to Dr. Christine Blasey-Ford’s testimony a year ago. “The Future is Here” is about life in the digital age. We’re living in an unprecedentedly bleak time and tone of Center reflects that.

It’s undeniable that Clark’s signature style is all over The Center Won’t Hold, and though it still sounds like a Sleater-Kinney record, it probably was not the funnest record to drum on, particularly for someone of Janet’s caliber. The band I knew and loved has changed. And I still love them – but less in that impassioned, idealistic college manner and in a wiser, more experienced, mid-30s kind of way.

Sleater-Kinney (obviously) is a band that’s personal for me. Bands can feel like family and friends – especially when their music comes to you at times when you don’t feel connected to or even have close loved ones. Musicians’ arty renderings of their energy and emotions can help you sort through and understand your own, helping you connect to yourself in the process. And bands, just like people, are allowed to change, even if it’s uncomfortable for their loved ones.

When Janet left Sleater-Kinney, it felt like my aunties were in a fight. These women were and are role models for me, particularly since I was actively discouraged by lame guys from making music as a teenager because of my gender. Initially, I felt like St. Vincent broke Sleater-Kinney. But actually, she challenged them and their fans to try something new. We grow through how we handle change and challenges. Now more than ever, I respect Carrie, Corin and Janet for doing what they do – or deciding not to do it – unapologetically and with heart.

Sleater-Kinney continues their tour through October and November; check their website for dates and locations.

NEWS ROUNDUP: St. Vincent Producing Sleater-Kinney LP, Woodstock Returns, & More

sleater-kinney and st. vincent, hollywood, ca, jan 2019. photograph by jonny cournoyer

New Year, New Music

By Lindsey Rhoades

Sleater-Kinney is in the Studio… Producing an Album with St. Vincent

If this tweet didn’t warm your riot grrl heart, we don’t know what will. Though details are scant (no official release date, no title, no tracklist, no leaked audio) Sleater-Kinney announced via Twitter that St. Vincent mastermind Annie Clark is producing their next record, the follow-up to their return-from-a-decade-long-hiatus-instant-classic No Cities To Love, released in 2015. The tweet came with a photo so amazing we thought we were dreaming: four of our favorite female musicians sitting at a mixing board, their expressions saying only one thing: Y’all are not even ready for this amazingness. Though it’s officially become our most anticipated release of the new year, other artists aren’t slouching – keep reading below for the veritable onslaught of recently released jams. But first…

Woodstock Will Return in 2019… Can it Compete With New Festival Lineups?

Break out the patchouli – Woodstock is coming back for its 50th anniversary. The original founder, Michael Lang, announced Wednesday that he’s planning to book multi-generational artists with an activist bent for a weekend-long festival in August at a racetrack called Watkins Glen; meanwhile, another Woodstock Anniversary fest helmed by LiveNation at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts (the original site of the 1969 gathering) was already in the works. No artists or ticket prices for either fest have been announced, but our heads already ache at the thought of sorting out nightmare radius clauses.

Woodstock, of course, has already had some disastrous anniversaries – most recently Woodstock ’99, which ended in rapes, rioting, and violence. But perhaps the bigger challenge than putting that memory behind them will be simply competing for audience numbers in an over-saturated festival market. Coachella announced its lineup, including headliners Childish Gambino, Tame Impala, and Ariana Grande, onm January 2. This week, Bonnaroo announced they’d also be hosting Childish Gambino as a headliner, along with Post Malone and multiple sets from jam band stalwarts Phish (this prompted Forbes to beg the question: Why isn’t Cardi B’s billing higher?). New York’s own Governors Ball has once again invited The Strokes (who have played the fest before but not headlined), as well as Florence + The Machine and Lil Wayne to play their top spots, with Tyler, The Creator, Nas, Sza, Brockhampton and more rounding out the bill. And though it’s not strictly a festival in the same sense as those mentioned above, SXSW has begun hyping the first handful of buzzworthy acts who’ll play showcases all over Austin in March, including Amanda Palmer, Swervedriver, Ecko, The Beths, and Wyclef Jean.

That New New

Kehlani has a new song featuring Ty Dolla $ign; “Nights Like This” will appear on a mixtape due in February, which is itself a precursor to a new album due sometime this year.

Girlpool have a new album coming out February 1st, and have shared the title track, “What Chaos Is Imaginary.”

Ex Hex is finally releasing a follow-up to 2014’s Rips, called It’s Real (out March 22 via Merge). Their first single is “Cosmic Cave.”

Sharon Van Etten will release her first album in five years, Remind Me Tomorrow, on January 18. This week, she shared a video for “Seventeen,” after previously sharing “Comeback Kid” and the absolutely stunning “Jupiter 4.”

 

Mineral are releasing new music for the first time in 20 years, including this video for “Your Body Is The World.” The song appears (alongside “Aurora“) on a limited-edition 10” that comes with a hardcover book commemorating the Austin band’s 25th anniversary.

Beirut release Gallipoli on February 1; Game of Thrones actor Ian Beattie plays a kind of klutzy knight in the video for “Landslide.”

Pedro the Lion shared “Quietest Friend,” a companion video to “Yellow Bike.” Both singles appear on the group’s first record in over a decade, Phoenix, which you can stream now in full via NPR.

Priests have announced a new album, The Seduction of Kansas, and shared its title track. The LP comes out April 5 and they’re doing a huge tour around it.

FIDLAR ironically manages to Skype in their entire LA crew in a video for “By Myself,” from their forthcoming LP Almost Free (out January 25 on Mom + Pop).

Cherry Glazerr shares “Wasted Nun” from Stuffed & Ready, out February 1 via Secretly Canadian.

Deerhunter released the third single, “Plains,” from Why Hasn’t Everything Already Disappeared? but Bradford Cox is worried no one will listen to the record in its entirety when it comes out January 18.

Also releasing an album on January 18, experimental rock duo Buke & Gase premiered the title track from Scholars.

End Notes

  • Attention Brooklyn! Early aughts rap-rock one-hit-wonders Crazy Town are inexplicably playing Sunnyvale on February 23rd. Sorta wondering if it’ll just be one forty-five minute set of “Butterfly” played over and over.
  • If you’ve got kids, or have simply interacted with one in the last year, you’ve probably had “Baby Shark” stuck in your head at some point. But this week made it official – every toddler’s number one jam appeared for the first time on Billboard’s Hot 100, making it one of the few children’s songs to do so.
  • A documentary on Lifetime called Surviving R. Kelly aired the first week of January, and with it has come some new hope for victims seeking justice. The doc has prompted a kidnapping investigation in Georgia, more victims have come forward, and Phoenix, Lady Gaga, and Chance the Rapper have all recently released statements apologizing for working with R. Kelly in the past. Chance recently appeared on Sesame Street and admitted in an Instagram recap that he saved someone’s life by pulling them from a burning car last April, so we think his karma may be in the clear.
  • In a rare interview, Frank Ocean shared his very respectable skincare routine (and some other stuff) with GQ.
  • Risqué rap sensation CupcakKe (real name Elizabeth Harris) made some worrisome allusions to suicide on social media, prompting her hospitalization – but she seems to be on the mend, having released a single on Friday called “Squidward Nose.”
  • Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody was a big winner at the Golden Globes last Sunday, taking home Best Picture and Best Actor for Rami Malek’s portrayal of Freddie Mercury – all in spite of its negative critical reception. Honors for Best Song went to Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga duet “Shallow,” from A Star Is Born.

NEWS ROUNDUP: RIP X?, Pride @ Ladyland & More…

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LadyFag photographed by Peter Tamlin.

By Jasmine Williams

In Memoriam?

Florida rapper, XXXTentacion, was killed on Monday in his home state when a drive by shooter open fired on him outside of a motorcycle dealer. Born Jahseh Onfroy, the twenty-year-old music rose to hip-hop prominence, thanks in part to his popularity on streaming platforms..

His death leaves a wake of divided opinions and online debates. Facing accusations of repeatedly assaulting his pregnant girlfriend, XXX was one of the only musicians to be removed from Spotify’s playlists and other promotional content as a result of their recently rolled out and since repealed, “Hateful Content and Conduct” policy.

Immediately following his death news outlets such as Rollingstone began publishing articles that seemed to package XXX’s violent actions as just a controversial facet of a complicated personality while referring to his short-lived career as a “legacy.”  Similarly, tributes poured in from music heavyweights such as Kanye West, Questlove, J. Cole, and Diplo. Understandably, their praise was matched by the dissent of those disappointed that such public figures would choose to honor someone with a storied history of violence against women.

XXX’s recent streaming numbers are indicative of the music industry’s complicated relationship with the #MeToo movement and pop culture’s fascination with celebrity deaths. Since the beginning of the week his single, “SAD!” broke Taylor Swift’s global single-day steaming record on Spotify with 10.4 million plays.

Celebrate Pride at Ladyland!

In much, much, happier news – New York City celebrates Pride this weekend! Kicking off the festivities is legendary party host, LadyFag. She’s throwing her first music festival, LadyLand at Brooklyn Mirage on Friday. The massive celebration of queerness features a killer lineup including Eve, SOPHIE, Cupcakke, and more.

For more Pride events, check out Brooklyn Vegan’s rundown.

That New New

This week musicians delivered on tunes worthy of the rainbow celebrations, starting with St. Vincent who transformed Brooklyn bar, St. Vitus, into a club full of gyrating leather daddies for her video, “Slow Fast Disco.”

Leon Bridges joined Dej Loaf for a celebration of self expression and happiness in Dej’s new single and clip, “Liberated.” The rapper started the love fest last weekend by paying for marriage license for gay couples. This week she also debuted the mini documentary, “Stories of Liberated People.”

Nile Rodgers & Chic picked perfect timing to release the debut single off of their upcoming album, It’s About Time. “Till the World Falls” features a bevy of collaborators including Mura Masa, NAO, and Anderson .Paak.

We don’t need to tell you this but Beyoncé and Jay-Z also celebrated love this week. They dropped the album, Everything Is Love, under the moniker, The Carters.

End Notes

After playing the same setlist almost 150 times at his NYC residency, Bruce Springsteen deviated from his usual routine to voice his dismay about the Trump administration’s separation of migrant families crossing into the United States. He also expressed hope that the good would prevail and played the song “The Ghost of Tom Joad.”

Trent Reznor also talked politics this week, telling the New York Times that “It feels like a country that celebrates stupidity is really taking it up a notch.”

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NEWS ROUNDUP: New Releases, Quincy Jones, Festival Updates & More

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Unknown Mortal Orchestra

  • New Tours & Upcoming Releases

    Members of long missed DC band Fugazi are coming out with an album in this spring. A self-titled debut fromThe Messthetics, featuring Brendan Canty and Joe Lally, is out March 23 via Dischord. Johnny Cash’s family will release a music version of his poetry collection, Forever Words. Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, Brad Paisley, T. Bone Burnett, John Mellencamp, Elvis Costello, Chris Cornell, and Jewel are among the artists involved in the April 6th release. American Guilt, Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s new record will also come out that day. The band have announced a tour in support of the follow-up to their 2015 record, Multi-Love; they’ll play Brooklyn Steel on April 25th & 26th. Nils Frahm has announced a tour in support of recent album, All Melody. The ambient musician makes a stop at the Knockdown Center in March. On April 3rd and 4th, rapper Talib Kweli shows his hometown some love, bringing his full band to Brooklyn Bowl. SIR, Fischerspooner’s first album in 10 years, is out on February 16th. They play three dates in California in March. Depeche Mode continue their road run. The legends have announced another round of US dates for their Global Spirit tour. They will play Barclays center on June 6th.

  • Quincy Jones Trashes Michael Jackson, The Beatles, U2 in Latest Interview

    In a recent interview with Vulture, iconic record and film producer Quincy Jones implied (among making claims that he dated Ivanka Trump and knows who killed Kennedy) that The Beatles barely knew how to play their instruments, Michael Jackson stole material for some of his best-loved songs, and that U2 is no longer making good music (despite having very warm words for his friend Bono). Surprisingly, these are not the only shots he fired – he also criticized T-Pain’s work on a 2010 collaboration they did, recalls Cyndi Lauper nearly ruining “We Are The World,” and grumbled about the state of pop music today, saying, “It’s just loops, beats, rhymes and hooks… There ain’t no fucking songs.” Jones is nearing his 85th birthday in March but isn’t slowing down, with a ton of projects in the works, including a Netflix documentary and a CBS special hosted by Oprah.

  • Festival Updates

    Bonnaroo announced its day-by-day roster this week. The fest is still light on women, but compared to much of their competition, the organizers have done a slightly better job at including female headliners, although we’re not clapping yet. Sheryl Crow, Sylvan Esso, Paramore, Dua Lipa, and Alison Wonderland will be there this year. The Friday lineup includes festival EDM mainstay Bassnectar, as well as Khalid and Muse. Saturday gives us Eminem, Bon Iver, Kaskade, Anderson Paak, and Nile Rodgers. Sunday’s finale will showcase The Killers, Future, Broken Social Scene, and Alt-J. The 2018 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival is June 7 to 10th in Manchester, Tennessee. SXSW has announced even more additions for this year’s fest. Princess Nokia, Tennis, Bugzy Malone, and many more will play from March 9 to 18 in Austin, Texas.

  • Other Highlights

    It’s the end of an era! Best Buy, once a major player in national music sales and your favorite high school shoplifting spot, has announced that it will stop selling CDs in stores on July 1st. Meanwhile, Target is attempting to switch its music sales business model to a consignment-based system. The soundtrack for indie coming-of-age movie Call Me By Your Name is having an unexpected sales streak in vinyl. The record is a mix of classical music, Euro pop, and Sufjan Stevens’ originals. The American troubadour penned three songs for the album, including the single “Mystery of Love,” which is up for Best Original Song at this year’s Oscars. Lana Del Rey got emotional on stage at her show in Atlanta following an attempted kidnapping thwarted by Orlando police. Finally, an awards show where Frank Ocean may finally get his due! He’s among the nominees for Music Artist of the Year at the 2018 British LGBT Awards. Speaking of the English, the BBC have released a list of the “12 essential records that capture the spirit of New York City.” Their picks include Wu-Tang and The Strokes. St. Vincent visited Spotify to record two new tracks, a stripped down version of her original song “Los Ageless” and a cover of Rihanna and SZA track, “Consideration.” Black Panther: The Album comes out today as well as new music from Palm, 2 Chainz, Franz Ferdinand, MGMT, Dashboard Confessional, Citrus, and Frankie Cosmos.

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PLAYING COLUMBUS: St. Vincent @ Express Live!

“Columbus isn’t Columbus without you love,” Annie Clark sang, opening her 2017 single “New York” cabaret-style, stripped of her guitar, video projections, and samples. “It’s called ‘New York,'” Clark explained, “but you could substitute Columbus for it, and make your own tune with all of Columbus’ beautiful landmarks.” The crowd laughed.

In 2017, Clark – known by her musical moniker St. Vincent – released Masseduction, a large, conceptually-driven project energized by her singular talent as a guitarist. Live, those aspects were only amplified: the show was choreographed, with a pause half-way through for a set and costume change, and throughout the set Clark was washed over with images and video from the project.

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all photos by Kaiya Gordon

 

It’s a challenging album, made all the more so by the media Clark has paired with it – clips of bugs made to look like sushi, paper which reverses its shred, bodies wrapped with gauze – but that complexity pays off in dazzling guitar riffs and vocal runs. Engaging with Masseduction, in all of its brimming content, is satisfying because it is unnerving and difficult at the same time that it is joyful. In other words, if you wanted to dance with abandon at the same time you were considering the emotional price of physicality, Masseduction is the album for you, and St. Vincent the artist to see live.

It was an exciting show to start 2018 with. St. Vincent is an artist that makes me want to make more art, and I felt present and alive in my pursuit to get a good camera shot of such a dynamic performance. I felt weepy, too: when Clark gave a special shout-out to her aunt and uncle, who opened the show; when she recognized folks who don’t fit into genders of “either category” before launching into “Sugarboy;” when, after a fan shouted “I love you!” to the stage, she responded, with patience and care, “I love you too, very much;” when I walked home, my skin tight with the anticipation of creation.

Watching artists play at large venues can sometimes feel isolating. But last week at Express Live! in Columbus, I felt grateful and happy to be where I was – inside from the snow, surrounded by joyous, glittering fans, watching a performance crafted by deft hands.

https://open.spotify.com/album/4RoOGpdrgfiIUyv0kLaC4e[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

AF 2017 IN REVIEW: Our Favorite Albums and Singles of the Year

While there’s been many a jaded thinkpiece about the import of music critics (usually begging the question What are they good for?) and the ubiquity of year-end lists can feel shallow at times, we can’t stress enough the importance of what it means to share music among friends. It’s a huge part of developing our tastes early in life – everyone has that one super cool bestie who introduced you to your favorite band in middle school – and as we get older, if music remains a source of passion in our lives, it becomes something we bond over as new relationships form.

Here at Audiofemme, we think of our readers as friends, so we made a list too. It’s not definitive, it’s not authoritative, and it’s (hopefully) not pretentious – just a round-up of the albums and singles that soundtracked the year for our regular writers (and, of course, your editors). We hope it will result in discovery as one year becomes the next; perhaps that album you missed back in February will get you through this winter, here and now. Music exists on a continuum, and even though the releases were highlighting now all came out within a particular calendar year, we don’t have to put them aside as we turn the page. Stay tuned for more features over the next week recapping 2017, and in the meantime, take a listen to some of our most beloved tunes.

EDITOR LISTS

  • Annie White (Executive Director)

    Top 10 Albums:
    1) Zola Jesus – Okovi
    2) the xx – I See You
    3) Jlin – Black Oragami
    4) King Krule – The OOZ
    5) Perfume Genius – No Shape
    6) Kelela – Take Me Apart
    7) Julien Baker – Turn Out The Lights
    8) Slowdive – Slowdive
    9) SZA – Ctrl
    10) Priests – Nothing Feels Natural
    Top 5 Singles:
    1) Aimee Mann – “Goose Snow Cone”
    2) Rostam – “Don’t Let It Get To You”
    3) Lorde – “The Louvre”
    4) Cardi B – “Bodak Yellow”
    5) Charlotte Gainsbourg – “Deadly Valentine”

  • Lindsey Rhoades (Editor-in-Chief)

    Top 10 Albums:
    1) Mount Eerie – A Crow Looked at Me
    2) The War on Drugs – A Deeper Understanding
    3) Slowdive – Slowdive
    4) Sophia Kennedy – Sophia Kennedy
    5) SZA – Ctrl
    6) Circuit des Yeux – Reaching for Indigo
    7) Kelly Lee Owens – Kelly Lee Owens
    8) Big Thief – Capacity
    9) Havah – Contravveleno
    10) sir Was – Digging a Tunnel
    Top 10 Singles:
    1) Land of Talk – “Inner Lover”
    2) Xiu Xiu – “Wondering”
    3) The National – “Nobody Else Will Be There”
    4) Jlin – “Holy Child”
    5) Marika Hackman – “Boyfriend”
    6) Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith – “An Intention”
    7) Wolf Parade – “Valley Boy”
    8) Syd – “Body”
    9) Perfume Genius – “Wreath”
    10) Pixx – “Toes”

STAFF LISTS

  • Madison Bloom (Only Noise)

    Top 5 Albums:
    1) Happyness – Write In
    2) Timber Timbre – Sincerely, Future Pollution
    3) Aldous Harding – Party
    4) Kendrick Lamar – DAMN.
    5) Perfume Genius – No Shape
    Top 3 Singles:
    1) Aldous Harding – “Imagining My Man”
    2) Blanck Mass – “Please”
    3) Benjamin Clementine – “Phantom of Aleppoville”

  • Ashley Prillaman

    Top 5 Albums:
    1) Valerie June – The Order of Time
    2) Portugal The Man – Woodstock
    3) Kendrick Lamar – DAMN.
    4) Big Thief – Capacity
    5) SZA – Ctrl
    Top 3 Singles:
    1) Valerie June – “Astral Plane”
    2) Amber Mark – “Lose My Cool”
    3) Big Thief – “Shark Smile”

  • Kaiya Gordon (Playing Columbus)

    Top 5 Albums:
    1) Princess Nokia – 1992 Deluxe
    2) SZA – Cntrl
    3) Paramore – After Laughter
    4) Aye Nako – Silver Haze
    5) Big Thief – Capacity
    Top 3 Singles:
    1) Cardi B – “Bodak Yellow”
    2) St. Vincent – “New York”
    3) Japanese Breakfast – “Machinist”

  • Sara Barron (Playing Detroit)

    Top 5 Albums:
    1) Daniel Caesar – Freudian
    2) Jamila Woods – HEAVN
    3) Moses Sumney – Aromanticism
    4) Kurt Vile and Courtney Barnett – Lotta Sea Lice
    5) Kevin Morby – City Music
    Top 3 Singles:
    1) St. Vincent – “New York”
    2) Snoh Aalegra – “Fool For You”
    3) Cigarettes After Sex – “Sweet”

  • Elizabeth Wakefield

    Top 5 Albums:
    1) Bambara – Swarm
    2) Angel Olsen – Phases
    3) Bjork – Utopia
    4) Surfbort – Bort 2 Death
    5) Liars – TFCF
    Top 3 Singles:
    1) Alexander F – “Swimmers”
    2) Weeping Icon – “Jail Bilz”
    3) Uni – “What’s the Problem?”

  • Tarra Thiessen (Check the Spreadsheet)

    Top 5 Albums:
    1) Francie Moon – So This is Life
    2) The Big Drops – Time, Color
    3) Angel Olsen – Phases
    4) Lola Pistola – Curfew 
    5) Thelma & The Sleaze – Somebody’s Doin Somethin
    Top 3 Singles:
    1) Bizarre Sharks – “Tremendous”
    2) Ty Segall – “Black Magick”
    3) Fruit & Flowers – “Out of Touch”

  • Jamila Aboushaca

    Top 5 Albums:
    1) ODESZA — A Moment Apart
    2) Royal Blood — How Did We Get So Dark?
    3) Cut Copy — Haiku From Zero
    4) Khalid — American Teen
    5) Lana Del Rey — Lust For Life
    Top 3 Singles:
    1) Rostam Batmanglij — “Gwan”
    2) Cut Copy — “Standing In The Middle Of The Field”
    3) alt-J — “In Cold Blood”

  • Natalie Kirch (Pet Politics)

    Top 5 Albums:
    1) Def Grrrls – GRLS
    2) PILL – Convenience
    3) Fruit & Flowers – Drug Tax
    4) THICK – It’s Always Something
    5) Fraidycat – Other Better Places
    Top 3 5 6 Singles:
    1) Holy Tunics – “Victoria”
    2) Alexander F – “Call Me Pretty”
    3) Grim Streaker – “Miami Girl”
    4) Lost Boy ? – “Mr. Dribble Drab”
    5) Haybaby – “Yours”
    HONORABLE MENTION: Bad GP – “The GP Stripes Theme Song”

  • Suzannah Weiss (High Notes)

    Top 5 Albums:
    1) Laura Marling – Semper Femina
    2) Galantis – The Aviary
    3) Robin Schulz – Uncovered
    4) Sleigh Bells – Kid Kruschev
    5) Björk – Utopia
    Top 3 Singles:
    1) Marshmello ft. Khalid – “Silence”
    2) Martin Garrix ft. Troye Sivan – “There for You”
    3) Dua Lipa – “New Rules”

  • Mandy Brownholtz

    Top 5 Albums:
    1) Alvvays – Antisocialites
    2) Waxahatchee – Out In The Storm
    3) Future Islands – The Far Field
    4) Priests – Nothing Feels Natural
    5) King Woman – Created In The Image Of Suffering
    Top 3 Singles:
    1) Alvvays – “NotMy Baby”
    2) Yumi Zouma – “December”
    3) Charly Bliss – “Glitter”

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]

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 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.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhG6crUCY6E[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

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: St. Vincent, Kim Gordon & More

St-Vincent-audiofemme

  • St. Vincent Times Three

    St. Vincent, has been in the news this week for several reasons. First, she’s releasing a line of signature guitars with Ernie Ball. The uniquely shaped guitar has with three humbucker pickups and a whammy bar, and comes in four colors (Clark gives a nod to Bowie by referring to the white model as the Thin White Duke). Here’s what it sounds like. Second, she’s directed a segment of a horror series that feature women directors. Hers is titled “Birthday Party,” and features Melanie Lynskey of Togetherness, Heavenly Creatures and But I’m a Cheerleader. Keep scrolling to watch the trailer for all four short films, but prepare to be creeped out. Third, her new album, which she describes as her deepest and boldest, is due sometime in 2017.

 

  • Watch A Kim Gordon Interview/Interrogation

    Opening with the text “It is well known that Kim Gordon does not like to be interviewed,” the next shot shows the artist, blindfolded. The voice that asks such questions as “When did you know you wanted to be an artist?” and “How many fingers am I holding up?” (too many, she says) is the voice you would use to demand ransom, warped by a computer to be unidentifiable. Some shots place us in the room with her, some show video surveillance of the room. Check it out via Huck:

  • Scientists Are Covering Sigur Rós’

    From their website: “The International Space Orchestra (ISO) is an assembly of star-spangled space scientists from NASA Ames Research Center, Singularity University, and the SETI. The International Space Orchestra is the world’s first orchestra of space scientists… [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”][adapting] science to our creative needs.” They’ve performed with Beck, Damon Albarn, and Bobby Womack and now, by covering the Sigur Rós’ track  “Viðrar Vel Til Loftárása” they aim “to reach the final frontier.” Download the track here and listen to the original below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oI27uSzxNQ[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

NEWS ROUNDUP: St. Vincent, Sharon Jones & Bjork

snowman-with-headphones

  • St. Vincent Makes a Statement On Guitar World Cover

    She Shreds magazine, a publication dedicated to covering woman guitarists and bassists, formerly called out Guitar World for its sexist “Bikini Gear Guide” for featuring scantily clad women on the cover. In a statement on the She Shreds website, founder Fabi Reyna said at the time: “Guitar World’s annual gear guide always reinforced the painful reality of the guitar industry’s historical reputation of using sex and naked women to engage with men—because to a lot of companies the idea of women even playing music was literally unheard of, so how could we be consumers and therefore why would they consider our reactions at all?” Guitar World said they’d discontinue the practice. But this week St. Vincent made a hilarious statement on their former ways when she appeared on the cover in one of those touristy bikini shirts. The guitarist has also announced a new album is on the way.

  • Watch This: Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings’ Xmas Video

    The video is for Sharon Jones’ cover of Charlie Brown’s “Please Come Home For Christmas,” from the Christmas album the singer released last year. The animated video, directed by  Alex Howard & David Drew Hatter, has a stop-motion feel similar to the classic Rudolph TV special and was finished before Jones died last month due to pancreatic cancer. Check it out:

  • Fiona Apple Uses Xmas Music To Diss Trump

    Do you love Christmas music, but hate Donald Trump? Well, Fiona Apple made the perfect song for you. Watch her sing the track with the alluring title of “Trump’s Nuts Roasting on an Open Fire” at a recent “We Rock With Standing Rock” benefit concert:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RdGPYvQcFc&feature=youtu.be

  • Bjork Writes Open Letter To The Media

    Are women entitled to “perform” for their audiences? Some music critics may expect it, and Bjork called out that double standard in regards to the DJ sets she recently played at Houston’s Day For Night festival. Some were disappointed she played a DJ set instead of performing, and she wrote a lengthy response. Highlights include: “Some media could not get their head around that I was not “performing” and “hiding” behind desks. And my male counterparts not… Women in music are allowed to be singer-songwriters singing about their boyfriends. If they change the subject matter to atoms, galaxies, activism, nerdy math beat editing or anything else they get criticized… if we don’t cut our chest open and bleed about the men and children in our lives we are cheating our audience.”

NEWS ROUNDUP: St. Vincent, Led Zeppelin, & Angel Olsen

fireworks4

  • Watch St. Vincent Perform As A Toilet

    During a benefit concert on Tuesday, St. Vincent performed several songs dressed as a toilet. (There’s probably a great potential for puns here, but we’ll let you take care of that). The benefit was for the song of Annie Clark’s drummer, Jasper Johnson, who is recovering from a severe seizure. Father John Misty,  Rufus Wainwright, Martha Wainwright, Elysian Fields, Joan As Police Woman, Nina Persson also performed. Check out footage of “Bring Me Your Loves” below:

  • ICYMI: Led Zeppelin Is Innocent

    Rock legends Led Zeppelin were dragged into a lawsuit claiming that “Stairway to Heaven”’s signature guitar riff was actually a ripoff of Spirit’s “Taurus,” an instrumental song from 1968. Though Led Zeppelin had performed with Spirit before, they denied their song, written in 1970, was based off of “Taurus.” Now, the lawyer on Spirit’s side, Francis Malofiy, is being suspended from practicing law for 3 months. Apparently, Malofiy violated a bunch of rules of conduct during a previous copyright infringement lawsuit, involving Usher’s “Bad Girls.” Read more here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Q7Vr3yQYWQ

  • Watch Angel Olsen’s “Shut Up Kiss Me”

    Angel Olsen dons a sparkly, silver wig once again in the video she self-directed for “Shut Up Kiss Me.” She also gets pretty wild on a roller skating rink. Check out the video below, and pre-order her upcoming album MY WOMAN here.

  • Support Phil Elverum’s Crowdfunding Campaign

    Phil Elverum, of the Microphones and Mount Eerie is currently raising money for his wife Geneviève, who was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer soon after the couple had a daughter. Other musicians are currently helping the cause by auctioning merchandise; Neutral Milk Hotel is offering a signed box set, and Fugazi and Bikini Kill are auctioning several things. Check out the crowdfunding campaign and auction.

THE EXQUISITE INTIMACY OF PRIVATE SHOWS: Fort lean & XNY

XNY so far

As an introvert with a dwindling tolerance for loud noise and crushing crowds (what’s my age again?) I’ve always appreciated the intimacy of a private show or listening party. Music snobs will appreciate them for the suggested silence from the audience and focus on the music. Such events work great for artists to showcase sounds with an unadulterated attention on the performance. Often BYOB (doesn’t hurt to BYO snacks either) and held at coffee shops or private apartments, the events offer a cozy and romantic experience – a terrific date idea, I might add.

“Private” doesn’t have to be equated with stuffy or exclusive. The small setting often allows for ample laughter, musical ad libbing, and often all you have to do for an invite is to sign up. To let you in the know: Enjoy two recent performances from two of our favorite acts at two of our favorite live sessions.

Fort Lean – “Prince Johnny” (St. Vincent Cover)

The Brooklyn-based group Fort Lean recently kicked off New York City’s event series The Closed Sessions with a seductive cover of St. Vincent’s “Prince Johnny.” A bold move to cover a song already so signature, yet they did it with the utmost class.

XNY – “White Wire” 

At Sofar Sounds, the intimate and ever-expanding 100+ city listening movement, the Brooklyn rockers XNY played a bare-boned rendition of “White Wire” in their socks.

BEST OF 2014: 10 Musicians Killing the Fashion Game This Year

Let’s admit it: 2014 has been a rough year for news. Missing planes, police killings and various states’ decisions to limit women’s access to health care (all together now, deep breaths) are just a few things that happened. So, to brighten things up, I’ve rounded up my favorite style icons from the music world. These ladies go outside the circle of accepted streetwear to find their own unique looks that we all should aspire to.

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Zola Jesus/Nika Danilova

Zola Jesus is one of my personal style icons. Her style is dark and minimal, yet still edgy and cool. My favorite of her looks this year was the promotional photo passed around for her album Taiga. In it, she’s wearing a black dress that has what looks like a leather corset and this huge plate that looked like she cut out a circle and stuck her head through. Straight, long dark hair and dark red lipstick. Perfect.

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St. Vincent/Annie Clark

Annie Clark has always had a cool style, but when she died her hair white/lavender/gray to serve as the look for her new album and tour, things got even better. The best way to describe her look is futuristic rocker chic. Even just the album cover of her latest release has her looking regal as she sits on her thrown, wearing a long sleeved, floor length dress. Even when she was featured in Time Out New York wearing a simple crew neck black dress, she still looks dazzlingly otherworldly. If her look is of the future, then I’m on board.

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Grimes/Claire Boucher

No matter her hair color this year, Grimes kept it fresh. From cutting her hair into a super short straight bang to wearing sparkly gold blazers, a Simpson’s themed sweatshirt or a yellow fuzzy sweater, her style is always keeping our attention. She wears what makes her happy and that is that. She’s one of several younger female musicians who aren’t afraid to be adventurous with her outfits. And thank goodness.

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Charli XCX

All I really need to say about Charli and her look is “pussy power.” She’s tough and fearless and sexy, in the best way. She’ll wear bomber jackets and platform heels and whatever the hell she wants. So much black fishnets, leather, choker collars, plaid miniskirts, fringe and two-piece matching outfits. And she has a sour-but-sweet attitude to top it all off. We’re so in love.

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Haim

Lucky for us, when the Haim sisters get dressed, we get three times the style. All of them have different taste altered to their liking, but it’s the same aesthetic: girl rockers who are here to kick some ass. Lots of black leather and denim jackets. You’re likely to find Este sporting either a dress or a skirt/crop combo. Alana has a more edgy look, more likely to pair leather with neon colors. Danielle pulls off the menswear look with button ups and blazers. Each of their looks compliments the others. It’s almost like they have some sort of sisterly telepathic energy that runs through them, keeping their styles together.

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Beyonce

Is there a year that Beyonce doesn’t run the fashion game? This year she kicked it up with her concert outfits with her On The Run Tour with Jay Z. Leotards for days. And Bey is the one to rock them all. The 7/11 music video where she wore variations of underwear and sweatshirts, and even an upside down visor that looked like a crown. Then there was the gold sequin Tom Ford jersey. Really, there’s nothing left to say.

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Rihanna

Do I really need to explain why the 2014 CFDA Style Icon Award winner is on this list? From baring it all at the awards ceremony in an Adam Salman dress to kicking it in a tee and cuttoffs in her ever-changing hair colors, RiRi has a fearless attitude when it comes to how she dresses herself. Vogue praised her style and put her on their March fashion cover and W did the same with the coveted fall fashion September issue. And she was recently named creative director of Puma. She truly shined this year and we should all be paying attention.

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Taylor Swift

I don’t care for Taylor Swift. Not my music, not my thing. But I do have to admit that the girl really upped her style when she ditched her former permanent uniform of sundresses and long curls for a more retro style and long bob. She really came into her own. When she’s not wearing glittery crop tops and high-waisted skirts while performing, you can find her strutting around New York in shirtdresses, button ups, and even… pants. Maybe hanging out with Karlie has rubbed off on her? Whatever it is, it’s working. So props to you, Tay Tay, even if you hold you purse really weirdly.

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BEST OF 2014 LADY FRONTED POP ACTS: Raquel’s Picks

The Used & My Chemical Romance

1. Jenny Lewis – “Head Underwater”

One of the best tracks off of one of the year’s best albums, “Head Underwater” is a

doozy of a pop song. Lewis sings conspicuously dismal lyrics (“My own mortality, I

contemplated”) over a bubbly, dynamic beat (that she also produced herself), creating

interesting tension within a sublime melody. Who doesn’t love a song you can have a

good cry to while also dancing?

Sylvan-Esso

2. Sylvan Esso – “Hey Mami”

It’s tricky to deal with a subject like catcalling, especially through pop music, but Sylvan

Esso pull it off gorgeously. Amelia Meath’s vocals are luxe and silky as she sings

“Sooner or later the dudes at bodegas will hold their lips and own their shit” over Nick

Sanborn’s bass-heavy, booming beat. A very welcomed “hey mami” that I’ll gladly listen

to as I walk down the street.

Jessie-Ware

3. Jessie Ware – “Keep On Lying”

Jessie Ware’s impressive sophomore album contained quite a few pop gems, but “Keep

On Lying” is a standout. The weirdly magnetic song features a dramatic and opulent

choir of voices paired with a rinky-dink keyboard sound that, together, conjure

minimalistic pop magic.

 

alvvays

4. Alvvays – “Archie, Marry Me”

Another powerfully catchy and sunny song that boasts quite a forlorn narrative. The

lyrics of this romantic plea are unassumingly genius in the way they roll off singer Molly

Rankin’s listless tongue (“You’ve expressed explicitly your contempt for matrimony”),

but they also hit a nerve that feels incredibly generationally relevant (“You’ve student

loans to pay and will not risk the alimony”). The push and pull between hopeless

romantic and practical realist has never sounded so blissful.

chumped 2

5. Chumped – “Hot 97 Summer Jam”

Chumped ooze nostalgia for ‘90s and early ‘00s punk pop without ever losing their

originality. “Hot 97 Summer Jam” is a fun and quick listen with endearing “ooh”s over

gritty guitars.

st vincent audiofemme

6. St. Vincent – “Psychopath”

Amongst a roster of outstanding and complex tracks, “Psychopath” is notable for its

slightly more pared down sound. It hooks you instantly, with its quick repetition evoking

an OCD tick that you can’t quite shake, but the spaced-out chorus balances that quality

perfectly.

tops

7. TOPS – “Change of Heart”

TOPS’ music sounds like pure summer. “Change of Heart” dazzles with ‘80s influences,

but it’s also got a slight shoegaze-y sheen to it that allows the infectious ditty to stand

apart from the sea of dreamy indie-pop out there.

sabina

8. Sabina – “I won’t Let You Break Me”

Brazilian Girls’ chanteuse Sabina debuted her solo efforts this year to little fanfare, but

Toujours was a solid record with the catchy “Won’t Let You Break Me” tucked in near its

end. Pulling from French Yé-Yé and rock a la Velvet Underground, this song is proudly

alluring pop rock with worldly charm.


banks

9. Banks – “Beggin’ For Thread”

Banks’ industrial R&B leans most heavily towards pop with “Beggin for Thread.” It’s

confidently aggressive and also playful in both its lyrics (“So I got itches that scratch /

And sometimes I don’t got a filter”) and its sound, making it a perfect dance number.

mr-twin-sister-16

10. Mr. Twin Sister – “Out of the Dark”

After a little musical reincarnation, the new Mr. Twin Sister gifted us this funky electro-

pop banger that begs to be played on a dark, sweaty dance floor. Andrea Estelle adopts

a monotone, robotic voice but, thankfully, nothing can shake her seductive qualities.

BEST OF 2014 ALBUMS: Kelly’s Picks

lana-del-rey-14032160071. Lana Del Rey – Ultraviolence
I’ve been on the Lana Del Rey bandwagon ever since I heard “Dark Paradise” (we’re all just pretending that her second album, Paradise, never happened, right?). Lana delivers all of the slow-burn goodness found in Born to Die and that fans expect from a follow up. She kicks things up a notch with tracks like “Money Power Glory” “Florida Kilos” and “Fucked My Way Up To the Top” but keeps her dreamy California cool reputation with songs like “West Coast,” “Cruel World” and “Shades of Cool.” It’s the perfect combination of what we loved about Lana, but matured and honed to perfection.

 

Tennis

2. Tennis – Ritual in Repeat
In 2013, Tennis released an EP called Small Sounds, which was so good that I couldn’t wait until they released the next full album. In September, they finally obliged, and it was worth the wait. In the last few years, the band has taken themselves from a fun, 80’s girl vibe heard in Cape Dory and honed Alaina Moore’s voice to make an even bigger impression, first on Young and Old and now in Ritual in Repeat. They’ve only gotten better over time, and Ritual in Repeat is the most enjoyable album yet. The catchy and upbeat “Never Work for Free” and “Viv Without the N” pair perfectly with the hopeful “Bad Girls” and “Solar on the Rise” to form a complete, solid album.

BBC

3. Bombay Bicycle Club – So Long, See You Tomorrow
Bombay Bicycle Club has always been a fun rock band, but So Long, See You Tomorrow cemented them as seriously fun (and seriously good) alternative rockers. The standout track is “Home By Now,” which pairs Lucy Rose and lead singer Jack Steadman for a R&B duet, closely followed by “It’s Alright Now,” “Carry Me” “Whenever, Wherever,” and “Luna.” It’s difficult to even pick out a non-catchy track among the listing—a well-rounded, enjoyable collection.

mothxr

4. Mothxr – Various singles
OK, so this isn’t actually an album. But in interviews, the band has said they don’t plan on releasing an album, but rather release singles whenever they feel like it and I’m obsessed with the four they’ve given us this year so they belong on this list. I fell in love with them during a CMJ 2014 performance and can’t stop talking about them now. Frontman Penn Badgley (yes from Gossip Girl) leads a funky, jazzy, sexy soulful band. During their live shows, Penn grooves along to the music, and it’s hard not to do the same when listening.

 

 

lykkeli

5. Lykke Li – I Never Learn
An embarrassing confession: I first heard of Lykke Li from the Twilight: New Moon soundtrack. But thank goodness I did because even though that franchise was a disaster, I was introduced to such a great musician. It had been nearly four years since Lykke gave us Wounded Rhymes, and she didn’t disappoint with a follow up in I Never Learn. The album is definitely an extension of her signature haunting croon, and even feels a bit darker and more melancholy than her previous work. Even though it was released in May, I recently discovered it’s a great album to listen to on dreary winter commutes into the city.

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6. Sharon Van Etten – Are We There
Are there more depressing song titles than “Your Love is Killing Me,” “I Love You But I’m Lost” or “Nothing Will Change”? I doubt it. But Sharon Van Etten makes the depression feel so good—probably because most of us can relate in some way to the mournfulness she projects. And her voice itself doesn’t hurt. A full, sometimes breathy voice gets into our heads and refuses to leave. Luckily, we don’t want it to.

banoffee

7. Banoffee – EP
While not a full-length album, the EP itself has me excited enough for whenever they’ll make their debut. I sadly missed their CMJ performances in October, but I’ll catch them another year because I’m sure Aussie Martha Brown is going to be killing it for a while. The synthetic beats on the tracks combine with R&B melodies and her dreamy vocals to create a fun, funky jam.

SE

8. Sylvan Esso – Sylvan Esso
I first saw Sylvan Esso when they opened for Volcano Choir in 2013. While they performed, I realized that they sounded good, but I was a bit thrown off that a group so focused on synth loops would be paired with Volcano Choir. Given more time to reflect, it makes sense to me now. Their debut album has been topping the charts for best of 2014 lists, and it’s clear to see why. Those synth loops are catchy, as are Amelia Meath’s sweet vocals.

Stvincent

9. St. Vincent – St. Vincent
It’s not surprising the St. Vincent turned out a stellar album this year—Annie Clark has been making them for a while now. I admit to being a little wary of “Birth in Reverse” when it first premiered, but I’ve since come around, and enjoy it just as much as the rest of the album. It’s guitar heavy and sounds like futuristic robots should be performing it. I mean that in the best way.

antlers

10. The Antlers – Familiars
The Antlers came back this year bringing their signature moaning vocals and smooth, swelling beats. The Antlers has always been one of my favorite artists to belt out while driving at night, and I’ll probably test that out with this album next time I get the chance. Peter Silberman’s voice is a kind of lonely moaning that is best projected when you’re by yourself.

TRACK OF THE WEEK 12/9: “Birth in Reverse”

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“Oh what an ordinary day / Take out the garbage, masturbate,” begins St. Vincent‘s brilliant new track, “Birth in Reverse.”  In her typical fashion, St. Vincent (the moniker for multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Annie Clark) manages to entice and electrify with this preview to her upcoming album, St. Vincent, due Feb. 25th.

The song is spastic yet mechanical with its fast-paced pulse and gritty guitar. The first few seconds bring a car junkyard to mind—robotic and metallic—but the song builds up with a kind of anxious energy. It’s confident, almost boastful, and a perfect way to tease Clark’s anticipated fourth album (her first solo album since 2011, following 2012’s collaborative album Love This Giant with David Byrne).

Listen to “Birth in Reverse” here:

And check out the teaser for St. Vincent’s European tour which features a snippet of another similarly crunchy song, presumably one of the other ten tracks on the upcoming record.