Alexander Laurence's Blog, page 40
August 5, 2025
Freddie Gibbs and The Alchemist announce North American tour
FREDDIE GIBBS AND THE ALCHEMIST ANNOUNCE
ALFREDO: THE TOUR LAUNCHING SEPTEMBER 20TH
SHARE NEW VIDEO FOR “A THOUSAND MOUNTAINS” & LAUNCH ALFREDO II: THE GAME
ALFREDO 2 OUT NOW VIA RABBIT VISION/ALC RECORDS/VIRGIN MUSIC
Freddie Gibbs and The Alchemist by Nick Walker
WATCH: “A Thousand Mountains”
https://youtu.be/k3OTpuNep_o?si=1QwQQjoguE9G75kw
Alfredo II: The Game - https://link.fans/alfredoii-game
Alfredo 2 - https://alfredo.lnk.to/alfredo2
WATCH: Alfredo: The Movie - https://alfredo.lnk.to/alfredo2film
(August 5, 2025) - Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist are announcing Alfredo: The Tour. Beginning in Philadelphia on September 20th, Freddie will embark on his headlining run of US shows in celebration of the release with stops in Brooklyn, Chicago, Atlanta and Los Angeles this fall before wrapping up in the Bay Area on November 9th. The tour will feature The Alchemist at select dates in addition to support from Jalen Ngonda, MAVI and Sven Wunder across various dates. Local presale ticket sales begin August 6th at 10AM local time, with all tickets on sale from Friday, August 8 at 10AM local time.
Alfredo: The Tour
Alfredo 2 tour poster
Alfredo 2 tour poster
North America:
9/20 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore Philadelphia
9/22 - Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Paramount
9/25 - Austin, TX @ Emo’s
9/26 - Dallas, TX @ Gilley’s Dallas - South Side Ballroom
9/27 - Houston, TX @ House of Blues Houston - Music Hall
9/28 - San Antonio, TX @ Aztec Theater
10/3 - Tampa, FL @ Ritz Ybor
10/4 - Fort Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution
10/5 - Orlando, FL @ The Beacham
10/10 - Raleigh, NC @ The Ritz
10/11 - Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle
10/12 - Washington, DC @ Echostage
10/17 - Cleveland, OH @ Agora Theatre
10/18 - Detroit, MI @ Masonic Jack White Theatre
10/24 - Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theatre
10/26 - Santa Ana, CA @ Observatory Orange County
10/28 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Novo
10/29 - Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren
10/31 - Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre
11/1 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The Union
11/6 - Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
11/7 - Seattle, WA @ Showbox SoDo
11/9 - San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield
LA's Swimming Bell shares cover of Beck's "The Golden Age," and announces Australian tour
LA's Swimming Bell shares cover of Beck's "The Golden Age," & announces Australian tour
STREAM: "The Golden Age" -
Bandcamp
Swimming Bell, the project of Katie Schottland, recently returned with Somnia, a mesmerizing five-song EP produced by Rob Schnapf (Elliott Smith, Kurt Vile, Cat Power). Released on May 16 via Perpetual Doom, Somnia invites listeners into an ethereal sonic realm - an underwater dreamworld where melodies drift effortlessly and rhythms pulse like ocean currents.
Schottland, now based in LA, envisioned Somnia as an escape from the weight of reality. Against the backdrop of an increasingly tense world, she sought to create a space where listeners could feel suspended - floating between wakefulness and dreams. Collaborating with Schnapf, she embraced a more percussive approach, allowing textures and rhythms to guide the listener through shimmering soundscapes. Each track unfolds like a dream - buoyant, weightless, yet deeply immersive.
As a bonus, Swimming Bell is now sharing a cover of Beck's "The Golden Age," the first song on his orch folk masterpiece, Sea Change.
"Sea Change has always been one of my favorite albums. I love the production so much. I’ve wanted to cover 'The Golden Age' for a long time, and when my pedal steel and keyboard players lit up at the idea too, it felt right. Rob Schnapf produced this version, and we kept it minimal and open, letting the song unfold naturally." -Katie Schottland
Swimming Bell
The Golden Age
(Perpetual Doom)
Street Date: Aug. 5, 2025
Purchase / Stream it HERE
RELATED LINKS:
August 4, 2025
Debby Friday’s The Starrr Of The Queen Of Life Is Available Today Worldwide Through Sub Pop
The Starrr Of The Queen Of Life, Debby Friday’s luminous and expansive new album, and the follow-up to GOOD LUCK, her Polaris Prize-winning, full-length debut, is out today worldwide from Sub Pop and in Canada from Royal Mountain Records. The album features the highlights “Bet On Me,” “Lipsync,” “All I Wanna Do Is Party,” “1/17,” and today’s offering, the official video for the shoegaze dancehall track “Alberta.”
Friday codirected the somber and tearful “Alberta” visual with returning collaborator Kevan Funk. She says of the song, and the visual’s place in The Starrr Of The Queen Of Life universe, “Alberta encapsulates so much of what I’ve learned about love, grief, forgiveness and what it means to be together with others. I see your heart and I know that I and Thou are the same. In a way, it is the ultimate ethos of the album. I borrowed a little bit from David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive for the video. There’s this hypnotizing transmission of a deep and shared sadness that happens during the Club Silencio scene that really shook me the first time I saw it.”
Debby Friday is also announcing new UK/EU shows for October 2025 in support of The Starrr Of The Queen Of Life. The dates begin October 12th in Warsaw, PL at VooDoo Club and end Friday, October 24th Manchester, UK at Islington Mill. Tickets for these shows are on sale Friday, August 5th.
As for Debby Friday’s previously announced US shows, those include San Francisco’s California Academy of Sciences on Thursday, September 25th; Brooklyn’s Public Records on Thursday, October 30th; Los Angeles at the Moroccan Lounge on Friday, November 7th; And Chicago’s Schubas on Friday, November 21st.
Debby Friday will also appear at Montreal’s Osheaga Festival this Sunday, August 3rd, and at Mexico City’s Corona Capital on Friday, November 14th.
Please find a complete list of dates below.
Sun. Aug. 03 - Montreal, QC - Le Systeme - (Album Listening Party - 8 pm)
Thu. Sep. 25 - San Francisco, CA - California Academy of Sciences
Sun. Oct. 12 - Warsaw, PL - VooDoo Club
Tue. Oct.14 - Berlin, DE - Monarch
Wed. Oct. 15 - Hamburg, DE - Betty
Thu. Oct. 16 - Cologne, DE - Garage
Tue. Oct. 21 - London, UK - Club Cheek
Fri. Oct. 24 - Manchester, UK - Islington Mill
Thu. Oct. 30 - Brooklyn, NY - Public Records
Fri. Nov. 07 - Los Angeles, CA - The Moroccan Lounge
Fri. Nov. 14 - Mexico City, MX - Corona Capital Festival
Fri. Nov. 21 - Chicago, IL - Schubas
The Starrr Of The Queen Of Life is available now on CD/LP/DSPs worldwide from Sub Pop and in Canda from Royal Mountain. LPs purchased from megamart.subpop.com in the US, MegaMart 2 in the UK and EU, Royal Mountain in Canada, Debby Friday’s live shows, and your local record store will receive the following limited color vinyl versions: the Sub Pop Loser editions on Graphite (US) and Bio Light Blue (EU/UK), and Royal Mountain’s edition on White (Canada) (All vinyl colors whilst stock lasts!).
The ninth annual Allman Betts Family Revival Tour unveils dates and initial artist lineup
GIBSON PRESENTS
THE 9TH ANNUAL ALLMAN BETTS FAMILY REVIVAL TOUR
FEATURING:
THE ALLMAN BETTS BAND
ROBERT RANDOLPH, AMANDA SHIRES, JIMMY HALL, CODY & LUTHER DICKINSON, CHARLIE STARR, ERIC JOHNSON, DWEEZIL ZAPPA, G. LOVE, SIERRA HULL, SIERRA GREEN, ALEX ORBISON
AND MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED
*IN SELECT MARKETS
KICKS OFF NOVEMBER 29 IN SAINT LOUIS, MO
GIBSON presents the ninth annual Allman Betts Family Revival Tour.
Today, Devon Allman and Duane Betts are thrilled to announce the ninth annual Allman Betts Family Revival Tour. The 20-date cross-country tour kicks off in Saint Louis, MO on November 29. The tour will make stops throughout the country, including NYC, LA, and San Francisco, as well as new markets like San Antonio and Tucson.
Hosted by Devon Allman and Duane Betts, sons of the founding members Gregg Allman and Dickey Betts, this celebration is infused with the spirit of brotherhood and musical camaraderie that defines the Allman Brothers legacy. Based on the ensemble cast approach of The Last Waltz, the tour features a revolving cast of artists from the realms of blues, Americana, country, and rock, all coming together for a night of soulful performances.
Over the years, the Revival has welcomed an all-star lineup of guests, including Slash, Robert Randolph, Marcus King, Jason Isbell, Sierra Hull, Sierra Ferrell, Robin Zander, Tal Wilkenfeld, Charlie Starr, and many more.
Tickets and all up-to-date information are available at AllmanBettsFamilyRevival.com.
THE ALLMAN BETTS FAMILY REVIVAL TOUR 2025
Nov 29 @ The Factory | Saint Louis, MO
Luther Dickinson, Cody Dickinson, Robert Randolph, Jimmy Hall, Sierra Green, Alex Orbison, The Allman Betts Band
Nov 30 @ The Arcada Theatre | St. Charles, IL
Luther Dickinson, Cody Dickinson, Robert Randolph, Jimmy Hall, Sierra Green, Alex Orbison, The Allman Betts Band
Dec 2 @ The Palace Theatre | Greensburg, PA
Amanda Shires , Luther Dickinson, Cody Dickinson, Robert Randolph, Jimmy Hall, Sierra Green, Alex Orbison, The Allman Betts Band
Dec 3 @ Kleinhans Music Hall | Buffalo, NY
Amanda Shires, Luther Dickinson, Cody Dickinson, Robert Randolph, Jimmy Hall, Sierra Green, Alex Orbison, The Allman Betts Band
Dec 4 @ Toyota Presents Oakdale Theater | Wallingford, CT
Amanda Shires, G Love, Luther Dickinson, Cody Dickinson, Robert Randolph, Jimmy Hall, Sierra Green, Alex Orbison, The Allman Betts Band
Dec 6 @ The Beacon Theater | New York, NY
Sierra Hull. G Love, Luther Dickinson, Cody Dickinson, Robert Randolph, Jimmy Hall, Sierra Green, Alex Orbison, The Allman Betts Band
Dec 7 @ The Paramount | Huntington, NY
Amanda Shires, G Love, Luther Dickinson, Cody Dickinson, G Love, Robert Randolph, Jimmy Hall, Sierra Green, Alex Orbison, The Allman Betts Band
Dec 8 @ Capital One Hall | Tysons, VA
Luther Dickinson, Cody Dickinson, Robert Randolph, Jimmy Hall, Sierra Green, Alex Orbison, The Allman Betts Band
Dec 10 @ Tennessee Theatre | Knoxville, TN
Amanda Shires, Luther Dickinson, Cody Dickinson, Robert Randolph, Jimmy Hall, Sierra Green, Alex Orbison, The Allman Betts Band
Dec 11 @ The Charleston Gaillard Center | Charleston, SC
Amanda Shires, Luther Dickinson, Cody Dickinson, Robert Randolph, Jimmy Hall, Sierra Green, Alex Orbison, The Allman Betts Band
Dec 12 @ Atlanta Symphony Hall | Atlanta, GA
Charlie Starr, Cody Dickinson, Robert Randolph, Jimmy Hall, Sierra Green, Alex Orbison, The Allman Betts Band
Dec 13 @ Sunrise Theatre for the Performing Arts | Fort Pierce, FL
Charlie Starr, Amanda Shires, Cody Dickinson, Robert Randolph, Jimmy Hall, Sierra Green, Alex Orbison, The Allman Betts Band
Dec 14 @ Ruth Eckerd Hall | Clearwater, FL
Charlie Starr, Amanda Shires, Cody Dickinson, Robert Randolph, Jimmy Hall, Sierra Green, Alex Orbison, The Allman Betts Band
Dec 16 @ The Tobin Center for Performing Arts| San Antonio, TX
Eric Johnson, Amanda Shires, Luther Dickinson, Cody Dickinson, Robert Randolph, Jimmy Hall, Sierra Green, Alex Orbison, The Allman Betts Band
Dec 17 @ ACL Live | Austin, TX
Eric Johnson, Luther Dickinson, Cody Dickinson, Robert Randolph, Jimmy Hall, Sierra Green, Alex Orbison, The Allman Betts Band
Dec 18 @ Buddy Holly Hall | Lubbock, TX
Eric Johnson, Amanda Shires, Luther Dickinson, Cody Dickinson, Robert Randolph, Jimmy Hall, Sierra Green, Alex Orbison, The Allman Betts Band
Dec 19 @ Fox Tucson Theater | Tucson, AZ
Luther Dickinson, Cody Dickinson, Robert Randolph, Jimmy Hall, Sierra Green, Alex Orbison, The Allman Betts Band
Dec 20 @ The Orpheum | Los Angeles, CA
Dweezil Zappa, Sierra Hull Luther Dickinson, Cody Dickinson, Robert Randolph, Jimmy Hall, Sierra Green, Alex Orbison, The Allman Betts Band
Dec 21 @ The Fillmore | San Francisco, CA
Dweezil Zappa, Sierra Hull, Luther Dickinson, Cody Dickinson, Robert Randolph, Jimmy Hall, Sierra Green, Orbi Orbison, The Allman Betts Band
Grant-Lee Phillips Shares “Little Men"; 'In The Hour Of Dust' out September 5
Grant-Lee Phillips Shares “Little Men" In The Hour Of Dust out September 5 on Yep Roc Records U.S. and U.K. Tour Dates Confirmed Listen/Share: "Little Men”August 4, 2025 – Acclaimed Nashville-based singer, songwriter, and painter Grant-Lee Phillips shares “Little Men,” the third single unveiled from his 12th solo album, In the Hour of Dust, out September 5 on Yep Roc Records.Of “Little Men," Phillips offers: "Some of the oldest and most enduring songs in the American Songbook are those that express the longing for freedom. It tells us a great deal about the founding of our country and the denial of freedom from its very outset. All these years later, such aspirations are still not guaranteed. This is a song of freedom - a spiritual, based on a firm belief in humanity." The self-produced album is inspired by a painting from India discovered while wandering the Norton Simon Art Museum in Pasadena, CA, and the evocative Indian concept of ‘the hour of cow dust’--“It’s that moment of the day when the cows are led back home, they kick up the dust; that's a cue to prepare the lamps. Night is about to fall,” says Phillips, who is at his most introspective and poetic, channeling his visual and musical sensibilities into a striking meditation on disconnection and grace. “The mood on this album is contemplative,” says Phillips. “It’s about trying to find meaning in an age of confusion, feeling your way through the blinding dust of unreality.”Known for his cinematic lyricism and atmospheric arrangements, In the Hour of Dust spans universal and personal themes. “Bullies,” co-written with pianist Jamie Edwards–the first co-write to appear on any of Phillips’ albums–channels his experience as an outsider into a defiant anthem of resilience. Previously released singles, “Closer Tonight,” reflects on uneasy feelings about this moment and “She Knows Me,” “an acknowledgment of the fears and insecurities that come knocking in the late hours. And being thankful that there’s someone who knows me, better than I do myself at times,” offer Phillips, while “Did You Make It Through the Night Okay” draws Phillips’ heritage as an enrolled citizen of the Muskogee (Creek) Nation, reflecting on hardship and survival.Written and recorded between his home studio in Nashville and Lucy’s Meat Market in Eagle Rock, CA, In the Hour of Dust features intimate solo recordings and collaborative sessions with longtime friends and acclaimed musicians: Jay Bellerose (drums), Jennifer Condos (bass), and Patrick Warren (keyboards). “I don’t see songs of love and songs of protest as being so far apart, really,” Phillips reflects. “It’s all about recognizing the value of connection in a disconnected time.”Since his early days as the frontman of Grant Lee Buffalo, through his role as the town troubadour on Gilmore Girls to his prolific solo career, Phillips has established himself as one of America's most consistent and compelling songwriters. His distinctive voice, poetic lyrics, and masterful musicianship have earned him a dedicated following and critical praise across multiple decades.This fall, Phillips will hit the road in support of the new album with U.S. and U.K. tours beginning in September in the Northeast with a November West Coast run, including just announced shows in Seattle and Portland. Tour dates in the UK, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, and Finland are on tap throughout the fall and winter. A complete list of dates is below and tickets are available here.
Photo Credit: Denise Siegel-PhillipsGrant-Lee Phillips Tour DatesSeptember 7 - Jammin’ Java - Vienna, VASeptember 9 - City Winery - Philadelphia, PASeptember 10 - City Winery - New York, NYSeptember 11 - City Winery - Boston, MASeptember 12-13 - AmericanaFest - Nashville, TNSeptember 20 - Old Town School of Folk Music - Chicago, ILOctober 10 - St. Michael-in-the-Hamlet Church - Liverpool, UKOctober 11 - Hallé at St Michael's - Manchester, UKOctober 12 - Portland Arms - Cambridge, UKOctober 14 - Kitchen Garden - Birmingham, UKOctober 15 - The Lower Third - London, UKOctober 16 - Les Etoiles - Paris, FranceOctober 17 - Reflektor - Liege, BelgiumOctober 18 - Ramblin’ Roots - Utrecht, The NetherlandsOctober 19 - Metropol - Hengelo, The NetherlandsOctober 21 - DR Koncerthuset - Copenhagen, DenmarkNovember 8 - McCabe’s Guitar Shop - Los Angeles, CANovember 9 - HopMonk Tavern - Novato, CANovember 11 - Fremont Abbey - Seattle, WANovember 13 - Polaris Hall - Portland, ORJanuary 14 - The Lantern - Bristol, UKJanuary 15 - The Trades Club - Hebden Bridge, UKJanuary 16 - Celtic Connections - Glasgow, UKJanuary 17 - The Common Room - Newcastle, UKJanuary 18 - Tithe Barn - Carlisle, UKJanuary 20 - Out to Lunch Festival - Belfast, UKJanuary 21 - Whelan's - Dublin, IrelandJanuary 23 - G Livelab - Helsinki, FinlandJanuary 24 - G Livelab - Tampere, FinlandJanuary 25 - Ylläs Jazz & Blues Festival - Lapland, Finland Follow Grant-Lee Phillips Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
August 3, 2025
X THE BAND @ PAC AMP Sunday August 3rd 2025 // THE PORTABLE INFINITE
All photos by Alexander Laurence
LOS LOBOS @ PAC AMP Sunday August 3rd 2025 // THE PORTABLE INFINITE
All photos by Alexander Laurence
August 1, 2025
New Video By The Warlocks Launches Album The Manic Excessive Sounds Of The Warlocks
Los Angeles, California: The Warlocks return with their 14th studio album The Manic Excessive Sounds Of, released today on Cleopatra Records along with their scintillating new video “We Are All Lost."
Frontman Bobby Hecksher says, ”Musically this song is inspired by some of my favorite 90s bands: The Feelies, The Vaselines, Television Personalities and 2000s Ezra Furman.I wanted to capture its East Coast urgency. Quick solos, semi lo fi acoustics and lyrically driven.
“The song is about relationships and making them work in our chaotic times. Our souls get hardened with age and this just amplifies everything. It's not about me or my relationships, but collectively what I see all around me. Loved ones, friends, acquaintances going through the shit."
VIDEO: https://youtu.be/ YIXRvRFh3b0
Veteran purveyors of a relentless, hypnotic wall of sound that suggests a collision between classic psychedelia, Krautrock and The Velvet Underground, the LA band unleash their manic excessive sounds on what might be their wildest, weirdest offering yet!
A journey into the ether and outer limits, The Manic Excessive Sounds Of The Warlocks was written, says Hecksher, in a single day, hence its title.
A gear shifting, mind melting, twist and turn bending of genre and expectations, it is the sound of The Warlocks exploring our paranoid times through huge rock chords and choruses, delicious distortion through a modern psychedelia lens. The opener ‘Its A Fucked-Up World’ says it all!
But, Hecksher continues, “This album is a positive one, and it totally rocks in the best way, too. It’s about cherishing the things that matter – the ones around you, the people you love and dealing with those relationships that are oh so frail. Hopefully this album gives one inspiration, ammunition and hope to navigate the insane backdrop of our modern times.”
photo: Piper Ferguson
The Warlocks are certainly well placed to make such a promise. Having grown up in the swamps of Tampa Bay, FL, Bobby moved to L.A. at age 16. There he swiftly found kindred spirits, jamming with Beck on his Stereopathetic Soulmanure album and moonlighting in The Brian Jonestown Massacre.
The Warlocks’s debut album Rise & Fall, on the legendaryBomp label in 2000, set out their template, but it was the band's signing to a worldwide deal with Mute and the release of Phoenix (2003) that truly kicked everything into gear.
Subsequent albums (including 2005’s Surgery, 2007’s Heavy Deavy Skull Lover, 2009’s The Mirror Explodes, and 2020's The Chain) raised the temperature even higher, whilerelentless international touring and the sheer power of The Warlocks’ gigantic live sound has built a worldwide cult following for the band that has only grown and intensified.
But The Manic Excessive Sounds Of The Warlocks takes everything to an entirely new level. Backed by J.C. Rees (guitar), Earl V. Miller (guitar), Marlena Schwenck (bass), Oscar Ruvalcaba (drums), Rob Campanella (Organ) and Elina Yakubova (tambourine & percussion), Hecksher throws everything bar the kitchen sink into the seething sonic cauldron, emerging with what has to be one of the psych-freak albums of the era.
In other words, he’s completely off his rocker on this one. His mind has melted and his psyche, like Elvis, has left the building. But only in the best possible way. You have been warned.
CD/VINYL: https://cleorecs.com/search?q=the+warlocks+manic+excessive
DIGITAL: https://orcd.co/ykzj8yj
Track listing
1. It's A Fucked-Up World
2. You Can't Lose A Broken Heart
3. We Are All Lost
4. A Duel Between You And I
5. Stars On Sunset
6. The Dotted Line
7. Don't Blame It On The Band
8. Don't Blame It On The Jam
CLEOPATRA RECORDS, INC.
Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | Spotify | Cleopatra Records Store
www.CleopatraRecords.com
New Single, "clue" by Indie-Pop Duo The Two Lips OUT NOW!
LA-BASED INDIE POP DUO
THE TWO LIPS
RELEASE NEW SINGLE “clue” VIA ISLAND RECORDS
SOLD OUT WEST COAST SUMMER TOUR
LISTEN HERE
(AUGUST 1, 2025) After building buzz and gaining traction as an artist-to-watch in 2025, Los Angeles-based indie pop duo The Two Lips (f/k/a The Tulips) share a brand new single entitled “clue” out now. Listen HERE. The track follows “talk,” their official debut for Island Records.
About the single, The Two Lips—Andrea and Jewlz commented, "'clue' is a song about the feeling when you have exhausted all options trying to save a relationship and you feel like you’ve reached a dead end. Both parties can’t seem to figure each other out, and you reminisce on good times before things went sour. Still, there’s hope that the “case” can be cracked and the relationship is worth saving."
After supporting Sabrina Carpenter at her Hyde Park show in London and selling out the iconic Troubadour, The Two Lips added a second sold-out Los Angeles show at El Rey due to popular demand and will be playing a series of sold-out headlining shows on the West Coast throughout August, including Los Angeles, Bakersfield, Templeton, Sacramento, Fresno, and San Francisco.
The Two Lips believe they were destined to work together. The new chapter lands in the wake of their 2024 viral fan favorite “still love you (todavía).” “A lot of our music is our therapy and things we talk about with each other. I feel like that’s why you really see our friendship through our music,” the pair explains. “The breakout anthem is one of the most vulnerable songs the pair have made, as well as their biggest yet, with nearly 25M streams on Spotify, and hitting the Top Ten on the Spotify Viral Chart. .
ABOUT THE TWO LIPS:
As if materializing out of the ether and right before our eyes, The Two Lips sound like a dream projected in widescreen. Hailing from the suburbs of Cerritos, CA, longtime friends and collaborators Andrea and Jewlz, who recently wrapped up their final year as a preschool teacher and a server, respectively, craft evocative and immersive bedroom pop, rich with raw emotion and boundless creativity. Back in 2023, they unassumingly started to make music for fun, processing heavy feelings and pondering what it means to be a woman on tape. At the same time, the musicians also nodded to their respective backgrounds (both girls share Mexican heritage, and Jewlz is also Filipina). Beyond headlining shows on both sides of the Atlantic and playing with the likes of Sabrina Carpenter, The Two Lips launch into their next era with the 2025 releases “talk” and “clue,” signaling big things on the horizon.
TWO LIPS LIVE
August 1–Los Angeles, CA–El Rey Theatre
August 3–Bakersfield, CA–Tremblor Brewing Company
August 4–Templeton, CA–Club Car Bar
August 5–Fresno, CA–Strummers
August 7–Sacramento, CA–Goldfield Trading Post
August 8–San Francisco, CA–Outside Lands Festival
Blake Mills & Pino Palladino Drop "Contour"
BLAKE MILLS & PINO PALLADINO DROP NEW SINGLE "CONTOUR"
THE TWILIT & STARRY OPENER FROM THEIR NEW ALBUM
THAT WASN'T A DREAM
OUT AUGUST 22 VIA NEW DEAL / IMPULSE! RECORDS
LISTEN TO "CONTOUR" HERE
LIVE DATES THIS FALL
Photo by Justin Daashuur HopkinsToday, bassist Pino Palladino and guitarist Blake Mills share "Contour," the twilit opener from That Wasn't A Dream, their new album out August 22 on New Deal / Impulse! Records.
"Contour" builds intentionally, as Palladino’s finger-picked guitar casts a starry scene. It's a gradual introduction to the expansive and mysterious fantasy world of That Wasn't A Dream.
Listen to "Contour" here and pre-save That Wasn't A Dream here.
"Contour" follows lead single “Taka,” which features drummer Chris Dave (D'Angelo, Adele, Robert Glasper). Hearing Things describes it as "mind-bending...well worth the wait," while The New York Times called it "nimble, unpredictable...a global-funk instrumental that seems to take shape on the spot like a Weather Report composition."
Watch the kinetic "Taka" video, directed by Justin Daashuur Hopkins, here.
That Wasn't A Dream is an exploratory work from two singular musicians. The Grammy-winning Palladino has reshaped what bass can be in popular music, performing with everyone from D’Angelo to Nine Inch Nails, from Erykah Badu to John Mayer. Meanwhile, Grammy-winner and two-time Producer of the Year-nominee Mills is one of today’s most sought-after producers and multi-instrumentalists, known for his work with Alabama Shakes, Bob Dylan, Fiona Apple, and Perfume Genius as well as his own acclaimed solo albums.
Pitchfork described the duo's 2021 debut Notes With Attachments as “the sound of consummate collaborators imagining a world where there’s no such thing as a lead performer.” On That Wasn't A Dream, they further dissolve any sense of hierarchy, imbuing their spontaneous compositions with an organic, precisely balanced inner logic. It's quietly audacious, a radical application of their ever-evolving musical chemistry.
That Wasn't a Dream was recorded over a two-month period in the legendary Studio A at Sound City Studios, the room Mills has helmed since 2018. These sessions pulled in collaborators old and new, most notably Sam Gendel, who performed throughout Notes With Attachments and contributed finishing touches for nearly every track on That Wasn’t a Dream. Though ultimately, this record feels like a deepening of the core relationship between Palladino and Mills.
That Wasn’t a Dream finds coherence through restraint. As Palladino explains, some of the compositions grew from harmonically dense ideas that were later reduced to the barest essentials. "It came to light, really, that if we could make something work with the least possible ingredients, space could become the centerpiece," says Palladino.
It was also a chance to innovate; one early Palladino sketch, "What Is Wrong With You?," was Mills’s first opportunity to experiment with the prototype of a new instrument, the fretless baritone sustainer guitar, which Mills helped luthier Duncan Price to develop in 2021, and has since been used on numerous productions, as well as live performances with Joni Mitchell.
"The fretless sustainer can sound almost like a cross between a woodwind, brass, and bowed string instrument,” says Mills. “It’s a tough instrument to control or define.” That undefinable sound, along with a playful approach to minimalism, set the tone for the rest of the album’s writing and recording sessions that would take place almost three years later.
As a result, the music on That Wasn’t A Dream goes from being deceptively intimate to beautifully disordered. It’s music that rewards close listening: subversive but naturalistic, harnessing chaos with intention, unveiling new forms of beauty all along the way.
Mills and Palladino will support That Wasn't A Dream with live dates throughout the fall — see the full itinerary listed below.
"Contour" is out now, listen to it here.
Pre-order / Pre-save That Wasn't A Dream here.
That Wasn't A Dream album art
TRACKLIST
Contour
I Laugh In The Mouth Of The Lion
Somnambulista
Taka
What Is Wrong With You?
Heat Sink
That Was A Dream
LIVE DATES
Sunday, September 21st // Portland, OR // Aladdin Theater
Tuesday, September 23rd // Berkeley, CA // The Freight
Wednesday, September 24th // Big Sur, CA // Henry Miller Memorial Library
Friday, September 26th // Los Angeles, CA // The Ford
Friday, October 3rd // Brooklyn, NY // Pioneer Works
Tuesday, October 7th // Cardiff, UK // Gate Arts Centre Date
Wednesday, October 8th // Utrecht, NE // Hertz at Tivolivrendenburg
Thursday, October 9th // Brussels, BE // Centre For Fine Arts w/ ABRUPT Festival
Saturday, October 11th // Leipzig, DE // UT Connewitz w/ Leipzig Jazz Festival
Sunday, October 12th // Stockholm, SE // Hörsalen w/ Stockholm Jazz Festival
Follow Blake Mills & Pino Palladino:
23 Profile | Website
Follow Blake Mills:
YouTube | Instagram | Twitter | TikTok
Follow Pino Palladino:
Website | Instagram | Facebook
