Alexander Laurence's Blog, page 195

November 18, 2024

Rosa Bordallo, indigenous artist from Guam, announces sophomore LP & shares "I Feel Numb"

Rosa Bordallo, indigenous artist from Guam, announces sophomore LP & shares first single, "I Feel Numb"
The track is an anti-war song, written as Russia first invaded Ukraine
STREAM: "I Feel Numb" -
Streaming Services / Bandcamp / YouTube

Rosa Bordallo (f/k/a Manett) is a singer-songwriter and a Chamorro from the island of
Guam. She has been living in New York City since the age of 19, and has written,
recorded, and released several albums and EPs as a solo artist and as a member of the indie rock band, cholo. Her second full-length solo album, Isidro, will be released by Bad Auntie Records in January 2025.

"I picked up guitar in high school, and I started writing songs right away. Being a
performer both terrified and beckoned me."

She supported her musical projects with money made working an office job and
moonlighting as a restaurant host, before switching full-time to the service industry.
Between rehearsals, recording sessions, shows, and the day job, she also juggled
being a single parent.

"Music has always been my outlet, my pressure valve. I was a really shy and awkward
kid, but I loved listening to the albums that my older siblings brought back from the
[United] States. Artists like Björk, PJ Harvey, David Bowie and Pixies. I wanted to have
an impact the way those musicians impacted me, on the other side of the world."

It's the other side of the world that concerns her more and more these days. Her
homeland in the Pacific is not just threatened by climate change. The Mariana Islands is one of the most militarized places on the planet - America's so-called tip of the spear-and the people of Guam are facing yet another buildup of the American military bases that occupy over a third of the island.

"I wrote these songs in 2021 and 2022, in the shadow of the pandemic and New York
City's recovery. I was grieving personal tragedies as well as the collective loss. It was
the realization that my ancestors survived their own catastrophic near-demise that gave me perspective. I'm a survivor. We all are."

Bordallo composed all the music and lyrics for the album, but when it came time to
recording it, she enlisted the help of Ben Etter, a recording engineer and producer
based out of MAZE Studios in Atlanta. His work with Deerhunter and Hazel English,
among others, had impressed Bordallo.

"I found Ben from the album credits of one of my favorite albums. I reached out and sent him some examples of my work, and when he agreed to work on the album, I was overjoyed. He gave me the encouragement I needed."

At Etter's suggestion, Bordallo finished writing and recording all her demos in advance of their recording session. Etter and Bordallo tracked the album in eight days at MAZE Studios. Atlanta musicians Sean Zearfoss filled in on drums and Keegan Krogh provided production assistance.

The result is a heady blend of indie pop and lush, psychedelic electro-rock. At turns
grand and intimate, the dulcet tones of Bordallo’s voice thread through a rich and
polyphonic tapestry of shimmering synths, lively rhythms, and searing guitar solos.

The last song on the 10-track album is also its first single, and its ironic tongue-in-cheek title belies the blistering emotionality of its orchestral rock wall-of-sound. Just like the rest of the album, “I Feel Numb” leaves the listener feeling anything but.

Bordallo further explains the origin of "I Feel Numb":

“I wrote this song around the time of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. My friends helped me translate the last verse into other languages. The Russian translation is courtesy of a friend who grew up in Kharkiv. Something can be so awful, it defies any explanation. Music has a way of transmuting that. The guitar solo might be my favorite of any I’ve ever written. One of my inspirations for this song was ‘Miss Sarajevo’ by Passengers.”

FOLLOW ROSA BORDALLO

Rosa Bordallo
Isidro
(Bad Auntie Records)
Street Date: Jan. 31, 2025
Pre-order HERE

Track List:
1. Intro
2. Home
3. Forest Honey
4. Rogue Wave
5. Crasseux
6. Leavetaking
7. Cycads of Micronesia
8. Silk Moth's Revenge
9. Buried Treasure
10. I Feel Numb

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Published on November 18, 2024 10:53

Sub Pop Is the Proud New Home of The Gits

Sub Pop is proud to share the news that we are the new home of The Gits, the ferocious Seattle punk band fronted by the late Mia Zapata. Their entire discography – Frenching the Bully (1992), Enter: The Conquering Chicken (1994), Kings & Queens (1996), and Seafish Louisville (2000) – features newly designed album cover art by Sub Pop’s VP of Creative Jeff Kleinsmith, and have all been remastered by legendary producer Jack Endino. They are available to hear NOW on all DSPs from Sub Pop.

On January 31, 2025, a physical reissue of Frenching the Bully will also be released, and is available to preorder now from Sub Pop Mega Mart in North America, MegaMart2 in the EU/UK, and independent retailers worldwide.

Right now, you can watch The Gits’ official video for Frenching the Bully single “Second Skin,” directed by Doug Pray. The live visual features original film footage courtesy of DC9 and Pray from his 1993 documentary, Hype!.

Read Evelyn McDonnell’s interview with The Gits’ band members Andy Kessler and Matt Dresdner in The New York Times (see November 12th “Critics Notebook”).

The Gits members Andy Kessler, Matt Dresdner, and Steve Moriarity offer this on the reissues:

“It’s been more than thirty-one years since The Gits played our last show. We’re rereleasing The Gits catalog now for the people who loved our music, and hopefully others who have yet to find it. And we’re doing this now for the love of our dear friend, our co-conspirator, our singer, Mia Zapata.”

Sub Pop founder and president Jonathan Poneman says of the signing, “The Gits first knocked me out with their very unadorned, unmacho abandon. Their songs and spirit still kick, inspiring a triumphal racket.”

[image error]

Frenching the Bully; Enter: The Conquering Chicken
Kings & Queens; Seafish Louisville
About The Gits by Tim Sommer:

“Mia Zapata of the Gits was the greatest rock singer of her time. This is not hyperbole; if you ever saw her, you know it’s true. She was likely the greatest singer in punk rock history, the woman who married the 78 and the ’78. Tragedy did not make this true. Mia Zapata made this true, and the ferocious, spring-loaded shrapnel frame built around her by Andy Kessler, Matt Dresdner, and Steve Moriarty made it true.

Mia Zapata (1965 – 1993), the vocalist and front person for The Gits (1986 – 1993), was not the type of voice one usually associates with a punk rock band. She had the sizzle, sass, shriek, grace, rasp, and fury of a classic blues shouter (what if Janis Joplin had fronted Fugazi, we ask?). There was a purity and accuracy to her voice. She could simultaneously point it at the stars and scoop cigarette butts off of the venue floor. It sounded like a voice on fire, desperate and angry, pleading and commanding, all at the same time (what if Amy Winehouse had fronted Fugazi, we ask?). And her onstage persona was utterly devoid of bullshit: Mia Zapata was a rag doll, a stick figure, a sock puppet, alternately bent with sadness and arched with rage. Sometimes, she looked like she was in pain, clawing at an ulcer; other times, like a holy woman on a soapbox, testifying the joy of truth; and still other times, like someone draped in a bedtime t-shirt reading from the margins of her notebooks. The voice and the presence were extraordinary, and there was nothing like it anywhere in punk – it was like finding the missing link between Nina Simone and Johnny Rotten (what if Joss Stone had fronted Fugazi, we ask?).

Much of this story takes place in Seattle during the strange night fog of the early 1990s, but did that matter? No. The Gits were beyond era or place. Maybe that’s why they were one of the most important acts to emerge from Seattle during that time. The Gits defied any categorizations – were they ferocious post-hardcore sideways-metal screw-propellor punk rockers? Some cross between Iron Maiden and an SST band? And although Mia Zapata was undoubtedly a once-in-a-generation talent – a wrapped-tight urchin/ingenue/artist applying a shredded Bonnie Raitt blues-rasp perfect-pitched alto to tight punk rock – the band matched her and inspired her to double down. Andy Kessler (guitar – metronomic and furious), Steve Moriarty (drums – martial and explosive), and Matt Dresdner (bass – fluid, punching, beat-addicted and melodic) wrote and performed with a jaw-tightened fury, a clenched soul that shrieked and stomped with precision. The Gits were an angry, inflamed slinky fully in tune with the Bessie Patti Smith of her time, truly the only singer who could summon Joplin, Poly Styrene, Sam Cooke, Iggy Pop, and Ian MacKaye all in the same goddamn song.

The Gits were formed at Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio in mid-1986. Matt, Mia, Andy, and Steve moved to Seattle in middish 1989, landing in a house on Capitol Hill where they (and fellow travelers) woodshedded and rehearsed for the next few years. The Gits put out three EPs in 1990 and ’91 before signing with C/Z Records and releasing their first full-length album, Frenching The Bully. Soon, Seattle, North America, and the world felt the kind of awe the Gits inspired when peak emotion meets peak grindage.
Now, Sub Pop is re-releasing the entirety of the Gits’ catalog, including all four extant albums (three of which, sadly, were released posthumously): Frenching The Bully (1992), Enter: The Conquering Chicken (1994), Kings & Queens (1996), and Seafish Louisville (2000). All have been remastered by Jack Endino, one of Seattle’s most respected producers and engineers and the band’s closest studio associate.

On July 7, 1993, Mia Zapata died. We leave it at that, not only because you can read the sad details elsewhere but because this is not about death but an extraordinary life. So, friends, please listen to one of the greatest punk rock bands of all time, fronted by the greatest woman rock vocalist of the last half-century (see expanded liner notes here).

Frenching The Bully - Loser Edition

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Published on November 18, 2024 10:42

November 16, 2024

TRENTEMOLLER @ ASTRA Kulturhaus Nov 15th 2024

All photos taken in Berlin by Daniel Murtagh.

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Published on November 16, 2024 11:34

November 15, 2024

DESIRE share new single/video "Drama Queen". New album 'Games People Play' out soon via Italians Do It Better & European tour starts next week!

DESIRE- Share new single/video "Drama Queen"
- European tour starts next week
- New album 'Games People Play' coming soon via Italians Do It Better

Today, Desire share new single/video "Drama Queen " from their upcoming album 'Games People Play', which is coming soon via Italians Do It Better.

The track comes ahead of their upcoming European tour, which starts next week in Lisbon and sees shows in Porto, Vigo, Barcelona, Madrid, Lyon, Paris, London, Leeds, Edinburgh, Brussels, Utrecht, Hamburg, Berlin, Poznán, Prague, Vienna, Zagreb, Milan, Bologna, Rome, Vilnius, Riga, Tallinn & Helsinki.

" Drama Queen" is a high-energy disco anthem built for the dance floor, blending classic piano house with bold, modern production. With the lyric “On The Road... Torture Mode,” Desire delivers unapologetic attitude & sassy edge. Packed with catchy hooks & symphonic stabs, "Drama Queen" combines ethereal ‘70s Disco with a fierce, contemporary twist.

Its accompanying music video, inspired by the end scene of Stanley Kubrick's 2001, adds a cinematic edge, amplifying the track’s bold attitude & setting the scene for "Drama Queen’"s live debut across a 25-date European tour.

"Drama Queen" on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6EQmGll48g
"Drama Queen" on other streaming services: https://idib.ffm.to/dramaqueen

See Desire live:
Nov 19th - Lisbon, PT - Capitólio*
Nov 20th - Porto, PT - Outsite Mouco*
Nov 21st - Vigo, ES - Radar Estudios*
Nov 22nd - Barcelona, ES - Nitsa*
Nov 23rd - Madrid, ES - Panda Club*
Nov 26th - Lyon, FR - Sonic Lyon*
Nov 27th - Paris, FR - Hotel Lutetia *DJ SET
Nov 28th - London, UK - XOYO (w/ System Olympia)
Nov 29th - Leeds, UK - Headrow House (w/ System Olympia)
Nov 30th - Edinburgh UK - Sneaky Pete's (w/ System Olympia) (SOLD OUT)
Dec 2nd - Brussels, BE - Botanique*
Dec 3rd - Utrecht, NL - Ekko*
Dec 4th - Hamburg, DE - Turmzimmer*
Dec 5th - Berlin, DE - Frannz*
Dec 6th - Poznań, PL - Tama*
Dec 7th - Prague, CZ - Café V lese*
Dec 10th - Vienna, AT - Arena*
Dec 11th - Zagreb , HR - Močvara*
Dec 12th - Milan, IT - Arci Bellezza*
Dec 13th - Bologna, IT - Covo Club*
Dec 14th - Rome, IT - Biennale of Marte Live*
Dec 16th - Vilnius, LT - Art Factory LOFTAS*
Dec 17th - Riga, LV - Laska*
Dec 18th - Tallinn, EE - Paavli Kultuurivabrik*
Dec 19th - Helsinki, FI - Kuudes Linja*
*featuring Johnny Jewel and ORION

Tour poster:

Links:
Desire Facebook
D esire Twitter
Desire Instagram
Italians Do It Better Twitter

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Published on November 15, 2024 09:29

Electronic Duo Xeno & Oaklander Release ‘Via Negativa (in the doorway light)’

Electronic Duo Xeno & Oaklander release new LP
Via Negativa (in the doorway light)

Out today on Dais (listen) / Share focus track “Actor’s Foil”

See Xeno & Oaklander on tour - MTL, T.O., CHI, SLC, PDX, SEA, L.A., DEN, NYC, PHI + more

Photo by: Liz Wendelbo.

"the gods of minimal wave gift us with another sleek, spooky collection of synth-pop" - Bandcamp

"...plunges headfirst into an unsettling realm of analog surrealism." - Post-Punk

Today Xeno & Oaklander release their new album ‘Via Negativa (in the doorway light)’ via Dais Records and will kick off their North American tour in support of the LP this Sunday [dates below].

The eighth and latest slate of refined retro-futuristic synth-pop by Liz Wendelbo and Sean McBride (aka Xeno & Oaklander) is named after and inspired by "the study of what not to do, a negative image of a positive, the other side, the other: ‘Via Negativa (in the doorway light)’. Recorded in the Autumn of 2023 at their modernist Connecticut home fashioned into a two-story synthesizer laboratory and mixing studio, the album is uniquely visionary in spirit yet precision in execution, a contrast central to the duo’s enduring chemistry. Embryonic piano sketches were translated to nuanced modular systems, which McBride weighted with "harmonic padding," tuned percussion, and a spectral transfer device capable of "rendering spasms of rhythmic overtonal filigree." Despite the technological complexity of their craft, emotively the songs require no deciphering – these are technicolor widescreen anthems of the cybernetic age.

From the opening track, the record expands and contracts, cycling through a gallery of moods and masks, animated by the band's fascination with drama, "the idea of personae," and theatrical characters. Track by track, a murky, tragic backstory reveals itself: forlorn figures navigating a treacherous mercury mine, alternately poisoned by fumes or buried in collapsing caverns. The tension between Teutonic, utopian synthetic pop and lyrical narratives of ghosts in silos, ruined mills, and the traumas of mineral excavation creates a compelling friction, alternately futurist and obsolete, elevated and subterranean. Wendelbo describes the music’s polarities perfectly: "The heavy machinic din of extraction in contrast with the enchantment of the mined precious gems and metals."

From bilingual odes to bloodstones ("O Vermillion") to cosmic chrome dance floor classics ("Lost & There": "The present tense can never feel real / So many pasts conspire in the burning sun") to strutting EBM sensualities ("Actor's Foil"), Xeno & Oaklander re-prove themselves masters of the axis of technology and poetry, snaking cables and synesthesia, mining melodies and myths across 15 years of focused artistry. Theirs is a muse still gilded and gleaming, burnished red and silver, attuned to "the unobservable, the unfamiliar, that which you don’t see directly."

Listen / share "Actor's Foil" on YouTube

Xeno & Oaklander, on tour:

Nov 17 Pawtucket, RI - Machines with Magnets
Nov 18 Montreal, QC - Bar Le Ritz PDB
Nov 19 Ottawa, ON - House of Targ
Nov 20 Toronto, ON - Ground Control
Nov 22 Cleveland, OH - No Class
Nov 23 Indianapolis, IN - Black Circle
Nov 24 St Louis, MO - The Sinkhole
Nov 26 Chicago, IL - Beat Kitchen
Nov 27 Milwaukee, WI - X-Ray Arcade
Nov 29 St. Paul, MN - Turf Club
Dec 01 Salt Lake City, UT - The International
Dec 03 Portland, OR - Dante's
Dec 04 Seattle, WA - Substation
Dec 05 Vancouver, BC - The Cobalt
Dec 08 Los Angeles, CA - The Paramount
Dec 09 San Diego, CA - Soda Bar
Dec 10 Landers, CA - Retreat Center
Dec 12 Denver, CO - Hi-Dive
Dec 14 Kansas City, MO - MiniBar
Dec 16 Louisville, KY - Whirling Tiger
Dec 17 Chapel Hill, NC - Local 506
Dec 19 Baltimore, MD - Metro Gallery
Dec 20 Brooklyn, NY - TV Eye [Record Release Party]
Dec 21 Philadelphia, PA - Milk Boy

04 Feb UK Newcastle - Xerox
05 Feb UK Glasgow - Audio
07 Feb UK London - Lexington
08 Feb NL Den Haag - Grauzone Festival
11 Feb FR Toulouse - Dernière Neige
12 Feb FR Bordeaux - IBoat
13 Feb ES Vigo - La Fábrica
14 Feb ES Madrid - Maravillas Club
15 Feb ES Barcelona - Sala Vol
16 Feb FR Marseille - Molotov
18 Feb DE Munich - Blitz
20 Feb DE Esslingen - Komma
21 Feb DE Leipzig Moritz - Bastei
22 Feb DE Berlin - Lark

Via Negativa (in the doorway light) cover art:

Via Negativa (in the doorway light) track list:

Via Negativa (in the doorway light)Mercury MindThe Unknown SideLost & ThereActor's Foil Magic of the Manifold O VermillionStrange Fellows

Xeno & Oaklander: Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram | X

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Published on November 15, 2024 09:28

Kylie V Shares "Crash Test Plane" Single via Under The Radar, Releases "Swimming Pool" Video | 'Crash Test Plane' Out Now via Royal Mountain Records

Kylie V Shares "Crash Test Plane" Single via Under The Radar,
Releases "Swimming Pool" Video

Read SPILL and It's Psychedelic Baby Features

Crash Test Plane Out Now Royal Mountain Records

Photo by Cole Schmidt PRESAVE: Kylie V - Crash Test Plane
Presave

LISTEN & SHARE: Kylie V - "Crash Test Plane"
Stream

LISTEN & SHARE: Kylie V - "Year Of The Rabbit"
Stream

LISTEN/WATCH & SHARE: Kylie V - "Wish I Was In Bed"
Stream | Watch

LISTEN/WATCH & SHARE: Kylie V - "Lucky Streak"
Stream | Watch

LISTEN/WATCH & SHARE: Kylie V - Full Performance (Live on KEXP at Home)
Watch PRAISE FOR KYLIE V:
"Kylie V, the indie folk sensation known for their devastatingly honest lyrics and operatic vocal range"
- PSB

"Kylie Van Slyke’s new single is an honest take on life and just how she goes through it. She wrote it show show love to friends. But Kylie V doesn’t stop there. She sings of tough lessons learned, and acknowledges how life can be a lot."
- Riff Magazine

"Crafting a luscious world laden with themes of growing up and discovering yourself, Kylie V is a force to be reckoned with"
- Americana Highways

"We’ve all been in that space where we’re processing a broken heart and a feeling of abandonment. Kylie V offers a fresh take on that overwhelming pain, in a slow paced song of thoughtful, reflective rumination"
- Earmilk

"Because impossibly lovely doesn’t quite do “Wish I Was in Bed” justice, let’s instead go with something a little more evocative like mind-bendingly beautiful. "
- Georgia Straight

"Kylie V demonstrates a keen ability for baring their innermost thoughts and feelings courageously. It’s an aptitude that is sure to find them a loyal audience."
-The Permanent Rain Press

"The album brims with poetic, twilit imagery: birds hum and swim in levees. Luminous full moons hang over bodies of water. Mountains stand tall like a faraway nearby."
-Exclaim!

"Transitioning from a bonafide live music superfan, Kylie V is now pursuing their artistic passion, gracing these very grassroots locations with their haunting melodies and heartfelt performances."
-RangeToday, Kylie V releases "Crash Test Plane". Van Slyke leans further into their country influences on "Crash Test Plane," a song that embodies the album's themes of "putting all of your energy and effort into something and then watching it explode in front of you and then realizing it’s actually totally fine because you didn’t die" in its lyrics as well as its development: Nearly scrapped, the song went through seven iterations before taking on its final shape.

Kylie on the track, "Crash Test Plane" is probably the oldest song on the album, and one that went through many different versions to get to its final dreamy alt-country form. This song, to me, has always been about making peace with something heavy. Letting go of a burden and/or recognizing it shaped you. Whether that is meant to symbolize attachment wounds, generational trauma, mental health struggles, or something entirely different, is ever changing."

Album Art

Kylie V - Swimming Pool (Official Video) Crash Test Plane is the sophomore album from Vancouver-based indie singer/songwriter Kylie V, and their first with storied Toronto label Royal Mountain Records. Crash Test Plane plays like flipping through their diary—an earnest, introspective, honest record full of yearning, poetic emotion, and life lessons. Kylie’s strong vocals, pitch-perfect and haunting, float over intricately assembled instrumentals produced by Josh Eastman on this heart-wrenching addition to the Canadian indie canon. They naturally and seamlessly blend tender indie folk with bright bubblegrunge and twinges of alt-country, vividly illustrating the complexities of life, love, loss, and ennui in ways that are both uniquely personal and universally resonant.

TRACKLISTING:Okanagan Peach Runaway Golden Lucky StreakAnomaly Crash Test Plane Year of the RabbitCatherineWish I Was In Bed Swimming PoolSong in Open D Kylie V BIO:
When it comes to navigating the path to adulthood, there's no flight plan. You have to try things, make mistakes, and learn from them. As singer-songwriter Kylie Van Slyke -- better known under their stage name Kylie V. -- puts it when talking about their second album Crash Test Plane, "I’m 20 years old. I’ve watched so many things in my life happen to me that I thought were going to be the absolute end, and a week after each of those I’m like, 'Oh my god, I’m fine.'" This kind of self-awareness may seem rare in such a young artist, but like Conor Oberst, Samia, and Christian Lee Hutson before them, Van Slyke's version of indie folk pairs lived-in storytelling with an unmistakable knack for soul-baring. Starting at age 14, Van Slyke wrote songs and played local shows in Vancouver, sparking a creative outpouring that led to self-managing their career, the release of their acclaimed 2021 debut album Big Blue, and signing to Royal Mountain Records. Just how much their music has evolved on Crash Test Plane is evident on songs like "Runaway," where they confront the terror of "falling in love for real for the first time" with caressing sounds and imagery that's downright gory ("What if I regret it and you leave me with a gaping wound?"). "Saying brutally honest, borderline gross lyrics is something that can be so beautiful and personal to me," Van Slyke explains. Though plenty of Crash Test Plane's songs deal with the fallout of falling in love, the singer/songwriter is just as unflinchingly honest about mental health and career goals on the flowing "Golden" and self-sabotage on the ambling warmth of "Song in Open D."

Van Slyke pays homage to a dear friend on "Catherine" ("the only truly wholesome and tender song on the album"), which is apt, since friendship provided the bedrock for Crash Test Plane's musical growth. Working with producer/multi-instrumentalist Josh Eastman -- another close friend -- made them feel ready to take risks: "Making this album felt so good. There’s a lot of trust needed for making music with somebody, but especially for me because it’s so personal." That intimacy is heightened by Crash Test Plane's polished-yet-rustic sound. "There’s something about assembling a song entirely from actual instruments, like guitar, mandolin, bass, drums, and violin that just feels really natural and beautiful," Van Slyke says. Playing guitar, banjo, mandolin and bass themself, they're backed by drummer Jess Jones, violinist Tegan Walhgren, trumpeter Gregory Dent, and pedal steel guitarist Alexander Dobson, who lends a late-summer glow to songs such as "Okanagan Peach" and "Year of the Rabbit." Van Slyke leans further into their country influences on "Crash Test Plane," a song that embodies the album's themes of "putting all of your energy and effort into something and then watching it explode in front of you and then realizing it’s actually totally fine because you didn’t die" in its lyrics as well as its development: Nearly scrapped, the song went through seven iterations before taking on its final shape. Van Slyke deftly blends rock and pop elements ("it just feels like different ways of speaking the same language to me") on "Lucky Streak" and "Wish I Was in Bed," a "gay Sheryl Crow song" that they wrote while getting ready to go to somewhere they didn't want to go. There may not be a designated route to growing up and discovering yourself, but on Crash Test Plane, it's a thrilling, moving journey.

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Published on November 15, 2024 09:27

BLOND:ISH Announces New Album 'Never Walk Alone'

BLOND:ISH Announces New Album Never Walk Alone

Uplifting New Project Serves As A Friend In Times of Loneliness

New Single “Can’t Let You Go” with Bantu Out Now via Insomniac Records

Buy/Stream: BLOND:ISH, Bantu - Can't Let You Go
Stream Here

NOVEMBER 15, 2024—Today, BLOND:ISH unveils plans for her compassionate new body of work, Never Walk Alone, her second studio album forthcoming via Insomniac Records on February 14, 2025. Alongside the announcement comes the new single “Can’t Let You Go,” featuring Zimbabwe singer and producer Bantu.

In a world full of isolation and an ever-growing need to focus on mental health, Never Walk Alone (and its title track released this summer) is meant to serve as a friend in times of anxiety and loneliness. The previous single, “Different Way,” reminded us that even though we all endlessly compare ourselves to others, everyone’s journey is unique. With “Can’t Let You Go,” BLOND:ISH explores the bittersweet tug-of-war between hello and goodbye with a loved one.

“Meeting Bantu was a super sweet random encounter. We went deep pretty quickly. I spoke to him about the intentions infused into this album. I wanted it to open up people into discovering they are their own best friend -- and he immediately wanted to add his distinct flavor.”
— BLOND:ISH

BLOND:ISH has woven a thread of positive messaging through her most recent singles, along with masterfully blending a tonic of genres that aim to beam her compassionate transmissions far and wide. While the late summer mood-lifter “Never Walk Alone” called on pop, indie, and soul, “Different Way” combines surf rock, synth pop, and house music. On “Can’t Let You Go,” BLOND:ISH, alongside Bantu, polishes her natural love for Afro-house, a genre that has been a staple in her DJ sets. The goal is that these songs push the planet closer to “Happy Happy World” (an inclusive place of sustainable unity, respect, and nourishment).

NEVER WALK ALONE VINYL
BLOND:ISH is inviting fans to become a part of her new album’s story by submitting a photo with a bestie or loved one. These personal snaps will be woven into a unique mosaic that’s featured exclusively on the limited edition vinyl package. Fans will have the chance to submit their photos on her Instagram Broadcast channel for full info.

ABOUT BLOND:ISH
BLOND:ISH’s unwavering commitment to contributing positivity to the music industry has come to define her as an artist. Whether it’s organizing group hugs before her sets or taking initiative against single-use plastics, BLOND:ISH wants to leave the world a better place than she found it. As a record label head, environmental activist, Web3 entrepreneur, and new mom, BLOND:ISH breaks down traditional barriers between artist and fan, uniting her community through pillars of purpose. Igniting a movement coined “Sustainable Raving,” BLOND:ISH founded Bye Bye Plastic, an initiative that aims to eliminate single-use plastics from clubs and festivals by encouraging artists to use eco-riders that demand alternatives and by providing resources to promoters who want to change. Around her recent label party, Abracadabra, in Los Angeles, she organized a beach cleanup covered by Billboard Dance. Check out the recap here.

ABOUT INSOMNIAC RECORDS
Founded by dance music luminaries and world-renowned events promoter Insomniac, Insomniac Records operates under the umbrella of Insomniac Music Group. Originally launched in 2016, the powerhouse imprint has blossomed into a one-stop destination in which fans from all walks of life can discover and enjoy choice selections from a roster that includes some of the best DJs/producers from the global stage. On top of the 500+ releases since its inception, Insomniac Records has also curated its premier EDC compilation series, featuring numerous EDC Las Vegas and EDC Mexico master soundtracks. Signing a roster of notable talent, including Mau P, BLOND:ISH, Noizu, Matroda, Biscits, Francis Mercier, LP Giobbi, Vintage Culture, John Summit, HoneyLuv, J.Worra, and beyond, Insomniac Records continues to foster unique talent it firmly believes in. The unparalleled track record of success has pushed Insomniac Records to the forefront of established dance music platforms.
BLOND:ISH Upcoming Tour Dates
November 30 – Hipódromo de las Américas – Mexico City, Mexico
December 6 – Factory Town – Miami, Florida
December 14 – Abracadabra Dubai – Dubai, UAE
December 28 – Pachanga – Cali, Colombia
December 29 – Nao Beach Club – St. Barts
December 31 – Reveillon Carneiros 2025 – Prai dos Cameiros, Brazil
January 7 – Abracadabra Cartagena – Cartagena, Colombia
January 12 – Adriatique presents X – Tulum, Mexico
March 21 – Lollapalooza Argentina – Buenos Aires, Argentina
March 22 – Lollapalooza Chile – Santiago, Chile
March 28 – Estereo Picnic – Bogota, Colombia
March 30 – Lollapalooza Brasil - Sao Paulo, Brazil
Connect with BLOND:ISH
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Published on November 15, 2024 09:24

Don't ask Girl Tones to repeat themselves on new single "Again"

DON’T ASK GIRL TONES

TO REPEAT THEMSELVES

ON NEW SINGLE “AGAIN” — STREAM

SUPPORTING CAGE THE ELEPHANT

AND SUNFLOWER BEAN

ON UK/EU TOUR IN EARLY 2025

— SEE ALL DATES HERE

Girl Tones press photo by Kate LaMendola

“It’s a strong debut from a band that’s excited to continue riling up fans and letting them decide which emotion they want to be left with."

“This is no polished debut; it’s an unapologetic, distorted blast of fury that establishes

Girl Tones as a force to be reckoned with.”

Planet Earth’s raging sister duo Girl Tones are fed up with cyclical disappointment on their new single “Again.” Released today via Parallel Vision, the tense, endlessly-building track sees the band angry, but not surprised, when people repeatedly show their true colors. Having been compared to The White Stripes in their performance style, “Again” is the product of a generation that was bred to use rock-and-roll as an outlet for constantly being let down and overlooked — Stream / Watch the video here at 1pm ET.

Produced by Brad Shultz and recorded at the culture-defining Nashville studio Battle Tapes, Girl Tones are establishing their singular sound with these early releases. They’re tired of action as well as inaction, sick of being in their heads and also letting it all out; it’s a contradiction that allows for a raw sense of escapism.

“‘Again’ is desperate, a cry for help,” shares Kenzie. “Just like how the verses repeat, the rhythms and melodies have an obsessive repetition.”

At the end of August, Girl Tones made their debut release with “Fade Away.” Raucously stepping onto the scene, the duo quickly made their presence known. The single was picked up by Spotify’s New Noise and Fresh Finds Rock playlists. Following it up with a rageful pity party of an official video, PAPER Magazine premiered the Casey Pierce directed cut.

The last few months saw Girl Tones out on the road supporting Cage The Elephant on their Neon Pill Tour. So early in their careers, the duo is crossing off bucket list items like playing at Red Rocks. Amidst this, the band has started getting their own headline shows in the mix. Announced earlier this week, early 2025 will also see Girl Tones joining Cage The Elephant and Sunflower Bean for a UK/EU tour. See all dates here and below.

UPCOMING TOUR DATES

November 22 - Nashville, TN - The Basement

2025

February 13 - Glasgow, UK - O2 Academy Glasgow*

February 14 - Manchester, UK - P2 Apollo*

February 16 - Wolverhampton, UK - University of Wolverhampton at The Civic Hall*

February 17 - London, UK - O2 Academy Brixton*

February 20 - Cologne, Germany - Palladium*

February 21 - Berlin, Germany - Columbiahalle*

February 23 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - AFAS Live*

February 24 - Brussels, Belgium - Ancienne Belgique*

February 26 - Paris, France - Zenith*

*supporting Cage The Elephant and Sunflower Bean

All info here

ABOUT GIRL TONES:

Girl Tones, of planet Earth, are a high-energy rock duo brought to life by two sisters named Kenzie and Laila. Both classically trained musicians, Kenzie transitioned from cello to guitar and Laila from piano to drums in an effort to electrify sentient beings from this galaxy to the next. Their debut single "Fade Away" was produced by Brad Shultz of Cage The Elephant and released via his label Parallel Vision.

Their first offering was described by The Luna Collective as “no polished debut; it’s an unapologetic, distorted blast of fury that establishes Girl Tones as a force to be reckoned with,” with Loud Women declaring that “Girl Tones burns bright.” In their short but mighty existence, the duo has toured with Cage The Elephant, already crossing off the bucket list venue that is Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Nashville.com said “Girl Tones are quickly moving from a regional favorite to a force to be reckoned with on a national scene” with Alternative Nation likening the duo's performance style to that of The White Stripes. The coming months will see more music and more shows to keep the earthlings entertained.

###

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Published on November 15, 2024 09:23

Dwight Yoakam's 'Brighter Days' out now, featured in both the NY Times & LA Times

DWIGHT YOAKAM’S
BRIGHTER DAYS OUT NOW ON
VIA RECORDS/THIRTY TIGERSFIRST ALBUM OF NEW MUSIC IN NINE YEARSCOSMIC ROUNDUP & RODEO TOUR CONTINUES,
SETS NEW DATES IN 2025

photo credit: Emily Joyce

READ FEATURE HERE

READ FEATURE HERE READ FEATURE HERE November 15, 2024—21-time nominated, multiple Grammy Award winner and country superstar Dwight Yoakam’s first new album in nine years, Brighter Days , is out now on Via Records/Thirty Tigers. Listen HERE.Leading up to the release Yoakam unveiled three new songs: “ I’ll Pay The Price ”, “ Wide Open Heart ”, and “ I Don’t Know How To Say Goodbye (Bang Bang Boom Boom) ” with Post Malone (watch/share the video HERE).Written and recorded over the last three years, Brighter Days features 12 brand-new songs written/co-written by Yoakam, as well as three seemingly disparate covers—“Keeping On The Sunny Side” by the Carter Family, “Bound Away” by Cake and “Time Between” written by Chris Hillman of The Byrds—artfully woven into the same body of work in the unmistakable style that could only be Dwight Yoakam.At once timeless and timely, Yoakam self-produced Brighter Days, infusing a modern appreciation for country music’s history with the trailblazing rock and roll spirit of California. The result is an album that reflects a sense of craftsmanship and immediacy, capturing the quintessential Dwight Yoakam “cool” that has set him apart from his country contemporaries since the beginning of his legendary career. As always, Yoakam’s lyrics throughout the album are both deceptively effortless and profoundly poignant. The album was mixed by world-class engineer Chris Lord-Alge.Yoakam’s Cosmic Roundup & Rodeo tour continues as he sets new dates for Spring and Summer 2025. Kicking off February 6 and including shows in New York City, Atlanta, Indianapolis and more. See below for complete list of dates.Dwight Yoakam has sold over 26 million albums worldwide, with five reaching the #1 spot on Billboard. He is a 21-time nominated, multiple Grammy Award winner. He has 12 Gold albums and nine Platinum or multi-Platinum albums. Yoakam is the recipient of the Artist of the Year Award from the Americana Music Association, the prestigious BMI Country Awards’ President’s Award and has been inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. He received a Lifetime Achievement Honor at the 2024 Americana Music Awards. He has collaborated with everyone from Beck to Kid Rock, ZZ Top, Hunter S. Thompson and Jack White. He has toured with the likes of Buck Owens, Johnny Cash and Hüsker Dü. Yoakam’s last album, Swimmin’ Pools, Movie Stars… , was released in 2016. Rolling Stone Country raves, “Yoakam sounds right at home on these new versions,” while NPR Music praises, “You can hear Yoakam making masterful choices on every phrase.”In addition to his musical career, Yoakam has appeared in more than 40 feature films including Sling Blade, Panic Room and Steven Soderbergh’s Logan Lucky with Channing Tatum and Daniel Craig, as well as a role in the Amazon series “Goliath.” Over the course of his storied acting career he has worked with the likes of Jodie Foster, Tommy Lee Jones, Jared Leto, Matthew McConaughey and more.In 1977, Yoakam left Kentucky for Nashville to embark on a music career but found that the Music City was moving away from traditional country roots to more pop-country. He found himself better suited to the post-Bakersfield movement and became one of the founding fathers of the L.A. Cowpunk Scene influenced by second-wave rockabilly and punk alongside X, Los Lobos, The Knitters, Rank & File and The Blasters.Praise for “I Don’t Know How To Say Goodbye (Bang Bang Boom Boom)”: [Of “I Don’t Know How To Say Goodbye (Bang Bang Boom Boom)”] “The western
swinging tune is the first new single from country icon Dwight Yoakam in nine years
and, of course, he has country music’s current brightest light on it.” READ HERE

READ HERE

READ HERE Dwight Yoakam— Brighter Days
TRACKLIST
1. Wide Open Heart
2. I’ll Pay The Price
3. Bound Away (Cake cover)
4. California Sky
5. Can’t Be Wrong
6. I Spell Love
7. A Dream That Never Ends
8. Brighter Days
9. I Don’t Know How To Say Goodbye (Bang Bang Boom Boom) (with Post Malone)
10. If Only
11. Hand Me Down Heart
12. Time Between (The Byrds cover)
13. Keep On The Sunny Side (The Carter Family cover)
14. Every Night

TOUR DATES
November 15—Pompano Beach, FL—Pompano Beach Amphitheater*
November 21—Grand Prairie, TX—Texas Trust CU Theatre†
November 22—Beaumont, TX—Ford Park Pavilion‡
November 23—Corpus Christi, TX—American Bank Center Arena‡
February 6—Atlanta, GA—Fox Theatre**
February 7—Tallahassee, FL—Donald L. Tucker County Civic Center**
February 8—Baton Rouge, LA— Raising Cane’s River Center**
February 21—Oklahoma City, OK—Paycom Center§
February 22—San Antonio, TX—San Antonio Stock Show & Radio
February 23—Hidalgo, TX—Payne Arena§
March 20—Evansville, IN—Ford Center§
March 21—Milwaukee, WI— Miller High Life Theatre§
March 22—Duluth, MN—AMSOIL Arena§
March 27—Kalamazoo, MI— Wings Event Center**
March 28—Cedar Rapids, IA— Alliant Energy PowerHouse**
March 29—Bloomington, IL—Grossinger Motors Arena**
April 10—New York, NY—Beacon Theatre§
April 11—Poughkeepsie, NY—MJN Center§
April 12—Salamanca, NY— Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino§
April 24—Saint Charles, MO—The Family Arena§
April 25—Louisville, KY—Iroquois Amphitheater§
April 26—Pikeville, KY—Appalachian Wireless Arena§
May 8—Grand Junction, CO—Amphitheater at Las Colonias Park**
May 9—Colorado Springs, CO—Ford Amphitheater**
May 10—Loveland, CO—Blue Arena**
May 15—Amarillo, TX—Amarillo Civic Center§
May 16—Las Cruces, NM— Pan American Center§
May 17—Tuscon, AZ— Tucson Arena§
May 29—Orange Beach, AL—The Wharf Amphitheater§
May 30—Southaven, MS— BankPlus Amphitheater**
May 31—Camdenton, MO— Ozarks Amphitheater**
June 5—Indianapolis, IN— Everwise Amphitheater**
June 6—LaCrosse, WI—LaCrosse Center§
June 7—Mankato, MN— Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center**
June 19—Wilmington, NC— Live Oak Bank Pavilion**
June 20—Salam, VA— Salem Civic Center**
June 21—Richmond, VA— Riverfront Amphitheater***The Mavericks w/ Drayton Farley
†Joshua Ray Walker
‡Gary Allan w/ Joshua Ray Walker
§The Mavericks
**The Mavericks & 49 Winchester

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Published on November 15, 2024 09:22

070 Shake releases new album 'Petrichor'

070 SHAKE RELEASES NEW ALBUM PETRICHOR

SHARES MUSIC VIDEO FOR “ELEPHANT”

HEADING ON NORTH AMERICAN AND UK / EUROPEAN TOUR IN 2025

Petrichor album artwork

Photography by Bennett Watanabe, Design by Eddie Mandell and Chase Shewbridge

Petrichor

LISTEN: https://070Shake.lnk.to/Petrichor

“Elephant”

WATCH: https://070Shake.lnk.to/ElephantVid

(November 15th, 2024) — 070 Shake releases her highly anticipated new album, Petrichor via Def Jam Recordings. Executive-produced by Shake and longtime collaborator Dave Hamelin, Petrichor is her boldest and most intimate album yet. Acoustic guitars, ornate piano passages, ominous synths, dembow and hip-hop rhythms, with a dash of psychedelia — Petrichor is a project that melds Shake’s personal tastes, lived experiences and limitless creativity showcasing that she is truly in a league of her own.

Alongside the album’s release, Shake formally announces her 2025 headline tour launching January 21st in Atlanta. She will take her catalog across North America with performances in Chicago, Washington D.C, Los Angeles, New York and more before heading across the pond for the EU/UK leg which will see live dates in Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, and finally London. Exclusive fan presale begins Tuesday, November 19th at 10am local time. Sign up now at www.070shake.com/tour. Advance access for Cash App customers begins Monday, November 18th at 10am local time.

Petrichor includes a wide range of guests who lend their voices to the album's epic narrative, including Courtney Love on Shake’s cover of the 1970 Tim Buckley song “Song to the Siren,” with contributions from Melissa Auf der Maur which marks the first recording they’ve shared since Hole. JT of City Girls on the mystical track “Into Your Garden,” and Nashville singer-songwriter Cam on the euphoric “Never Let Us Fade.” Lily-Rose Depp appears on the emotionally charged “Blood On Your Hands,” on which Shake recites a spoken-word passage of devotion to a “fatal lover.” Then Depp enters, reading aloud from a letter she had originally written to Shake that begins with the words: “I cannot begin to untangle myself from you.” The album also includes the previously released single “Winter Baby / New Jersey Blues,” which arrived alongside a music video starring the boundaryless artist and her partner Lily-Rose Depp. With Depp in the role of a classic femme fatale and Shake as her elusive love interest, they defy the public’s judgment and deliriously pursue each other like rebels to the world across the 1950s jukebox feel of “Winter Baby” through the distorted 808 bass of “New Jersey Blues”.

The album’s title Petrichor is a term used to describe the smell that comes after the first rainfall on arid ground. “It brings me to this part of myself where I feel oneness with everything that I’ve ever been through, every age that I’ve ever been,” Shake says of the smell. This latest album displays Shake’s most adventurous and far-reaching compositions to date, as she embarks on a search for salvation while battling the vices of the world and the inner turmoil of her mind.

To accompany the album release, Shake shares the new music video for the standout track “Elephant.” The video, filmed on the day of “A Night at the Ballet” in Los Angeles, showcased Shake’s expansive vision of Petrichor through dance. The night brought the album’s musical textures to life through a Zoi Tatopoulous (FKA Twigs, Banks) choreographed performance and special guest appearance from dancer Violetta Komyshan.

Since her breakout year in 2018, the New Jersey native has become known for her emotional vocal delivery and futuristic production, combining elements of hip-hop, pop and electronic. Shake released her critically acclaimed debut album Modus Vivendi in 2020, followed by You Can’t Kill Me in 2022. In 2023, she appeared on RAYE's hit single “Escapism,” which hit No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart, peaked at No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100, and went double platinum in the US and multiple other countries. Petrichor is an ambitious step forward for the artist, exposing the most intimate parts of her heart and incorporating rich orchestral arrangements and live piano, guitar and drums into her experimental sound palette.

Check out 070 Shake’s new album Petrichor, and stay tuned for more coming soon.