Wednesday, January 31, 2018

The Voidz on 'Fallon'


Watch Julian Casablancas Strokes-side project The Voidz perform "Leave it in My Dreams" on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

Quick News


Top Dawg Entertainment released the tracklisting to the upcoming Black Panther soundtrack which will arrive next month. Take a look at the cover, above, and the tracklisting, below:
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The Strokes' Julian Casablancas gave a recent Beats 1 interview and said that the band will probably get back together next year. He said: "I think that they don’t. I mean we’re always talking but I think yeah, if anything it would be 2019 – that zone, but nothing now.”

Lord Huron will release his new album, Vide Noir, in April.

The former members of Fugazi, drummer Brendan Canty and bassist Joe Lally, have formed a new band Washington, D.C.-based guitarist Anthony Pirog called The Messthetics. The band will release their self-titled debut in March.

An upcoming book on CAN will arrive called All Gates Open and consists of two books and previously unseen art and photos by Rob Young & Irmin Schmidt.

Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Talib Kweli and BJ The Chicago Kid on 'Colbert'


Watch Talib Kweli and BJ The Chicago Kid perform "The One I Love" on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

Monday, January 29, 2018

Frank Turner Announces New Album


In May, Frank Turner will release his new album, Be More Kind. 


Take a look at the cover, above, and the tracklisting, below:

Listen to Our Essential Frank Turner Playlist on Spotify!

  1. Don't Worry
  2. 1933
  3. Little Changes
  4. Be More Kind
  5. Make America Great Again
  6. Going Nowhere
  7. Brave Face
  8. There She Is
  9. 21st Century Survival Blues
  10. Blackout
  11. Common Ground
  12. The Lifeboat
  13. Get It Right

Sunday, January 28, 2018

VINTAGE CLIP: The Fall on 'Later...with Jools Holland'


Watch The Fall perform "The Blindness" on Later... with Jools Holland.

Quick News


The Voidz, the side project of Julian Casablancas of The Strokes, will release their second album, Virtue, at the end of March. Take a look at the cover, above.

Pedro the Lion are working on their first album in 14 years. The record is due to arrive later this year and frontman David Bazan released a press statement about it: "Today is the first day back in the studio as Pedro the Lion. After writing and arranging a handful of new songs, then rehearsing and arranging them further with the band, we’re ready to record a couple of them for a new album. I didn’t realize what calling my music Pedro the Lion again would mean to me, but it’s re-connected me to parts of myself and my history (both sonic and personal) that I had lost touch with. This re-awakening is making the process so much more enjoyable and I’m grateful for the chance to do this again."

According to Troy Carter, who works for Prince's estate, he said that the late icon will have "mind blowing" and unreleased music coming soon. In an interview with Variety, Carter shed the news. “He was a guy who practically lived in a recording studio, and once we started going through [the unreleased material] we really started finding some gems,” Carter told Variety. “I heard some music the other night that was pretty mind-blowing and we’re getting some stuff mixed right now. We’ve got great projects in the works that I’m excited to talk about.So the answer is yes, there will be unreleased Prince music coming soon." No specific date was given.

Netflix has announced a new hip-hop docuseries called Rapture which will tell the stories of Nas, Logic, Just Blaze, and more. The series is set to come in March but they just released a trailer for it. Take a look:

Friday, January 26, 2018

Migos on 'Fallon'


Watch Migos perform "Stir Fry" on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

Thursday, January 25, 2018

Great Soundtracks: 'Judgement Night'


Before there was "rap rock" or bullshit "nu metal," there was the Judgement Night soundtrack. The music to the 1993 thriller had an interesting concept and one that was far ahead of its time -- take the most popular rock bands of the era and the most acclaimed hip-hop acts and have them do mash-ups together. This album created the cross-genre / mash-up hybrid.

Taking Pearl Jam and Cypress Hill, Helmet / House of Pain, Teenage Fanclub / De La Soul, Living Colour & Run DMC, Dinosaur Jr. with Del the Funky Homosapian, Sonic Youth with Cypress Hill, Slayer and Ice-T, it wasn't something that was done at the time. It was also something that was helping break down racial bariers within 90s sounds. It was mainly white kids from the suburbs getting their teenage angst out with garage rock and grunge and it was mainly black kids relating to what emcees had to say. While Ice-T had already dabbled in metal thanks to Body Count, this wasn't too much of a stretch for him, however, linking up with Slayer was a change.

While the songs may sound dated today, the soundtrack's importance and bravery needs to be applauded. This could have failed miserably both critically and commercially but was a success on all fronts.

Recommended Reading: 'Born to Run'


Most autobiographies feel like a cradle to almost the grave stories of how certain people came to become who they are. Others are about a period in their lives. Then there are the rare ones like Keith Richards' Life, Johnny Cash's Cash, and Bruce Springsteen's Born to Run, which all of them feel as if the author is sitting in your living room telling you their life story in such a way that you can't stop listening. Released in 2016, Born to Run instantly became a best seller and The Boss got candid about how he grew up, how formed the E-Street Band and kept their relationship going as long as they have, as well as his love life as well as the hopes and fears he still has at 68.

Springsteen, like the stories in his music, also chronicles the fine line of the American dream and the reality of America through his experience. Springsteen isn't just one of America's greatest voices, he remains one of our greatest storytellers and Born to Run is a testament to that. It is an enormous collection of stories, memories, and insight that by the end of it will leave you in tears thinking you and The Boss are close friends by the time you close the book.

N.E.R.D. on 'Ellen'


Watch N.E.R.D. on Ellen where they performed "Lemon."

The Avett Brothers on 'Fallon'


Watch The Avett Brothers perform "No Hard Feelings" on The Late Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

The Ghost of Paul Revere on 'Conan'


Watch The Ghost of Paul Revere perform "Montreal" on Conan.

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

Remembering Mark E. Smith


A punk until the very end.

Punk icon and founder of The Fall, Mark E. Smith passed away Wednesday at 60. "It is with deep regret that we announce the passing of Mark E. Smith. He passed this morning at home. A more detailed statement will follow in the next few days. In the meantime, Pam & Mark’s family request privacy at this sad time," a press statement said.

Last year, The Fall were set to play New York City for the first time in over 10 years but had to cancel due to health issues concerning Smith. The shows were later rescheduled then cancelled again.

The Fall formed in 1976 in Prestwhich, England, right outside Manchester, when Smith was just 16. The band formed with Smith, Martin Bramah, Una Baines and Tony Friel, and would have a revolving door of musicians over the years, with Smith being the only constant as the band's singer and guitarist.

Smith was notoriously difficult to work for and with according to accounts of those who had been in the band with him. He would be infamous for firing musicians left and right and hiring new ones on the spot. The Fall's line-up even has its own Wikipedia page.

During their 42 year career, The Fall released 32 albums, most recently was 2017's very solid New Facts Emerge. 

Smith, ever the non-stop musical force, seemed to never looked for the acclaim and popularity that many dive into music but got it any way. In the years he should have called it quits is when The Fall became very interesting. Records like 2008's Imperial Wax Soviet, 2010's Your Future Our Clutter and both of 2013's albums, Re-Mit and The Remainder, were classic Fall albums.

The Fall would be a clear influence on bands like The Smiths, Joy Division, Smashing Pumpkins, Gorillaz, Pulp, among others.

Many artists took to social media to pay respects to Smith.





Quick News


The Dig are leaving New York City and moving to Los Angeles, the band confirmed in a statement. However, they are also releasing 2 EPs in the process -- Moonlight Baby and Afternoon with Caroline. The 2 EPs will be released during the course of the year and will contain 6 songs each. "If there's one thing that ties the two EPs together it's that all the songs are about moving. Moving toward some idea of home but never actually getting there. Moonlight Baby is about moving because you're forced to. A sudden shift in your reality without any advanced notice or preparation. Afternoon With Caroline is about moving of your own free will. Chasing ambition, following your heart and breaking free of toxic situations," they said in a statement.

Elton John has confirmed he will retire from touring with a 300-date world tour that will take three years to finish. "I'm not going to be touring and traveling the world. My priorities have changed. I have young children," he said at a press conference Wednesday. He added that he will be still making music and being "creative" but won't be doing the traveling for it.

Lily Allen will release a new album called No Shame this summer.

Action Bronson is set to appear opposite Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino in Martin Scorsese's Netflix film, The Irishman, according to reports. The Queens rapper raised speculation after he posted a photo of himself with DeNiro and Scorsese on  Instagram.

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Tune-Yards on 'Conan'


Watch Tune-Yards perform "ABC 123" on Conan.

Tuesday, January 23, 2018

Quick News


After 37 headbanging years, Slayer have confirmed they are breaking up by the end of the year and will be doing one last tour. Take a look at the farewell teaser video, above, and all info on tickets and line-up, below:

Sad news to report, iconic South African jazz musician Hugh Masakela passed away at 78. His family released a statement on Twitter. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and bandmates.

In March, Yo La Tengo, will release their new album, There's A Riot Going On. It marks the indie band's 15th studio album.

Common, Robert Glasper, and Karriem Riggins have all formed a new band together called August Greene. The trio will release a self-titled debut album in March. 

The Damned Detail New Album


In April, iconic punk band The Damned will release their new album, Evil Spirits, which was produced by legendary producer Tony Visconti. 

“We deliberately recorded the album retro style,” guitarist Captain Sensible said in a press release. “The same way our debut album was made, basically. There’s something wonderful about the seventies sounds; glam, rock and punk records, they all sound so great and Tony specializes in beautifully crafted old school production. He had us all playing live, bashing it out in the same room with a focus on getting the initial band version of each song as close as possible to the finished thing."
 
“This album is filled with a lot of influences from our earlier, pre-’70s tastes – the ’60s stuff. ‘Standing…’ is really linked into Joe Meek, ‘Telstar’, and that kind of stuff,” continues Vanian. At first, I’d said in an interview before we started writing this stuff that the album would be psychedelic, and maybe a trip through the historical side of The Damned, as in what we like. It didn’t happen in the way I thought it would, but it still does the same thing. It still has all that in there, but it’s not as obvious as it could’ve been, which is good. It’s not like pastiches of songs you remember, it’s more a case of, what was great about something you loved as a kid has somehow influenced a guitar sound, or the way the drums are. You might not even know it if you’re one of our younger fans, but if you’re a little older, you’ll hear it, which is kinda cool," singer Dave Vanian said in the release. 
 
Take a look at the cover, above, and the tracklisting, below:
 
1. Standing On The Edge Of Tomorrow
2. Devil In Disguise
3. We’re So Nice
4. Look Left
5. Evil Spirits
6. Shadow Evocation
7. Sonar Deceit
8. Procrastination
9. Daily Liar
10. I Don’t Care
 
 

Live Pix: Nuclear Assault / Heavy Metal Kings @ St. Vitus


On Saturday night, Nuclear Assault and Vinnie Paz / Ill Bill's side project Heavy Metal Kings headlined St. Vitus with Kings Bounty to perform a benefit and birthday bash for Howie Abrams. 

Our RICH D SMOOV was there to catch the action. Take a look!







Tune-Yards on 'Kimmel'



Watch Tune-Yards perform "Heart Attack," and "Look at Your Hands" on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

War on Drugs on 'Fallon'


Watch The War on Drugs perform "Pain" on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

Friday, January 19, 2018

Grizzly Bear on 'Conan'


Watch Grizzly Bear perform "Loosing All Sense" on Conan.

Glen Hansard on 'Meyers'


Watch Glen Hansard perform "Roll on Slow" on Late Night with Seth Meyers.

Franz Ferdinand on 'Fallon'


Watch Franz Ferdinand perform "Always Ascending" on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

Thursday, January 18, 2018

Hot Snakes Releasing Their 1st Album in 14 Years


For the 1st time in 14 years, Hot Snakes will be putting out a new album. The record, Jericho Sirens, arrives in March. 

Take a look at the cover, above, and the tracklisting, below, and hear the first single, "Six Wave Hold Down."

1. I Need a Doctor
2. Candid Cameras
3. Why Don’t It Sink In?
4. Six Wave Hold-Down
5. Jericho Sirens
6. Death Camp Fantasy
7. Having Another?
8. Death Doula
9. Psychoactive
10. Death of a Sportsman

Wednesday, January 17, 2018

Quick News


In March, Between the Buried and Me will release their new album, Automata. Take a look at the cover, above.

Following the sudden passing of Dolores O'Riordan, members of her side project, D.A.R.K., which included Andy Rourke of The Smiths eulogized the front woman. "I am heartbroken and devastated by the news of the sudden and unexpected passing of Dolores," said Rourke. "I have truly enjoyed the years we spent together and feel privileged to call her a close friend. It was a bonus to work with her in our band D.A.R.K. and witness firsthand her breathtaking and unique talent. I will miss her terribly. I send my love and condolences to her family and loved ones." Band mate and partner Olé Koretsky adds: "My friend, partner, and the love of my life is gone. My heart is broken and it is beyond repair. Dolores is beautiful. Her art is beautiful. Her family is beautiful. The energy she continues to radiate is undeniable. I am lost. I miss her so much. I will continue to stumble around this planet for some time knowing well there's no real place for me here now."


Of Montreal will release their new album, White is Relic/Irrealis Mood, in March. 

After inking a book deal in 2013, surviving Beastie Boys members Mike D and Ad Rock were set to release their autobiography on the band in 2015, however, it never did. Now, in an interview with Beats 1, Mike D. says the book will arrive later this year and is "unlike any other music book." He added: "To tell our story, we have to give the cultural history of where we came from. So New York City in the ’80s, you had all these incredible, exciting music, art, film, all that sort of has to converge to be able to explain. We just had the good fortune of being around all of it so I think that’s No. 1. And the other thing is, I think a lot of times when I read a book or I watch a music documentary, maybe I’m just kind of A.D.D., I get a little bored, but actually I don’t think they do the subject matter justice because it’s kinda surreal what happens in bands’ lives so you kind of have to use all dimensions to tell the story more accurately."

Eels Detail New Album, Share Trailer


In April, Eels will release their brand new album, The Deconstruction. 

Take a look at the cover, above, and the tracklisting, below, and hear the title track and watch the album trailer. 

1. The Deconstruction
2. Bone Dry
3. The Quandary
4. Premonition
5. Rusty Pipes
6. The Epiphany
7. Today is the Day
8. Sweet Scorched Earth
9. Coming Back
10. Be Hurt
11. You Are The Shining Light
12. There I Said It
13. Archie Goodnight
14. The Unanswerable
15. In Our Cathedral

The Decemberists Announce New Album


The Decemberists announced that their new album, I'll Be Your Girl, will be out in March. 

Take a look at the cover, above, and the tracklisting, below:

1. Once In My Life
2. Cutting Stone
3. Severed
4. Starwatcher
5. Tripping Along
6. Your Ghost
7. Everything Is Awful
8. Sucker’s Prayer
9. We All Die Young
10. Rusalka, Rusalka / The Wild Rushes
11. I’ll Be Your Girl

Tracey Thorn Announces 1st Album in 7 Years


In March, former Everything But the Girl singer Tracey Thorn will release her first album in seven years, Record.

Take a look at the cover, above, and the tracklisting, below, and watch the video for the new single, "Queen." 

Queen
Air (feat. Shura)
Guitar
Smoke
Sister (feat. Corinne Bailey Rae)
Go
Babies
Face
Dancefloor

Dashboard Confessional on 'Conan'


Watch Dashboard Confessional perform "We Fight" on Conan.

Tuesday, January 16, 2018

Playlist


We are kicking off the year with 27 random musical musings. Take a listen on Spotify!

Editors Detail 6th Album


Editors will release their sixth album, Violence, in March.

Read Our 2012 Interview with Editors frontman Tom Smith

Take a look at the cover, above, and the tracklisting, below, and watch the video for the new single, "Magazines."

1. Cold
2. Hallelujah (So Low)
3. Violence
4. Darkness At The Door
5. Nothingness
6. Magazine
7. No Sound But the Wind
8. Counting Spooks
9. Belong

MGMT Announce New Album


MGMT will return next month with their first album in five years, their fourth overall, Little Dark Ages.

Take a look at the cover, above, and the tracklisting, below:

She Works Out Too Much 
 Little Dark Age 
When You Die 
 Me and Michael 
TSLAMP 
 James 
Days That Got Away 
One Thing Left To Try 
When You're Small 
Hand It Over

Dr. Dog Announce New Album


In April, Dr. Dog will return and release their new album, Critical Equation.

Take a look at the cover, above, and the tracklisting, below:

Listening In
Go Out Fighting
Buzzing In The Light
Virginia Please
Critical Equation
True Love
Heart Killer
Night
Under The Wheels
Coming Out Of The Darkness

VINTAGE CLIP: The Cranberries on 'Letterman' in '94


Following Monday's sad news about the sudden passing of Cranberries singer Dolores O'Riordan, we look at this VINTAGE CLIP from 1994 as the band were at their peak and performed "Zombie" on The Late Show with David Letterman. Take a look!

Mavis Staples on 'Kimmel'


Watch Mavis Staples perform "Build a Bridge" on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Monday, January 15, 2018

Remebering Dolores O’Riordan



The world was shocked and saddened by the news that Irish singer Dolores O'Riordan passed away in London Monday at 46.

“Irish and international singer Dolores O’Riordan has died suddenly in London today. She was 46 years old. The lead singer with the Irish band The Cranberries, was in London for a short recording session. No further details are available at this time. Family members are devastated to hear the breaking news and have requested privacy at this very difficult time,” the statement read.

The cause of death has not yet been announced.


The band also released a statement on social media.

O’Riordan, who was born in the Irish city of Limerick, gained worldwide fame with her band The Cranberries. The Cranberries would be one of that decades most successful groups with the multi-platinum-selling albums, Everybody Else is Doing It, So Why Can’t We? (1993), No Need to Argue (1994), To the Faithful Departed (1996), as well as the acclaimed Bury the Hatchett (1999) and 2012's Roses.

The band went on hiatus in 2003, but reunited in 2009 where they continued touring and releasing new music. Their 2017 tour, which sadly would be their last, saw them performing with an orchestra in support of the reworking of their greatest hits on the compilation album, Something Else.

During the period of Cranberries hiatus, O'Riordan released two solo albums, 2007’s Are You Listening? And 2009’s No Baggage. In 2014, she started a side project with former Smiths bassist Andy Rourke and musician Ole Koretsky called D.A.R.K. where they released one album.


The "Linger" singer is survived by her three children, Taylor Baxter, 20, Molly Leigh, 17, and Dakota Rain, 12. She had the children with ex-husband and former Duran Duran tour manager Don Burton. The couple was together for 20 years before splitting up in 2014.

Following the shock of the news, many artists took to social media to eulogize the "Dreams" singer.


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Sunday, January 14, 2018

Jack White Details 'BOARDING HOUSE REACH'


Jack White has shared details of his third album, BOARDING HOUSE REACH, which will be out in March. 

Take a look at the cover, above, and the tracklisting, below:

1. Connected By Love
2. Why Walk A Dog?
3. Corporation
4. Abulia and Akrasia
5. Hypermisophoniac
6. Ice Station Zebra
7. Over and Over and Over
8. Everything You've Ever Learned
9. Respect Commander
10. Ezmerelda Steals The Show
11. Get In The Mind Shaft
12. What's Done Is Done
13. Humoresque

Friday, January 12, 2018

Nas / PBS Share 'Illmatic' Concert Film Trailer


In 2014, Nas celebrated the 20th anniversary of his debut, Illmatic, and performed the album in full with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center. Now, next month, PBS, will air the concert in part of their Great Performances series. Take a look at the trailer.

Thursday, January 11, 2018

Erika Wennerstrom of Heartless Bastards Announced Solo Debut


Erika Wennerstrom of Heartless Bastards will release her solo debut, Sweet Unknown, in March.

In a press release, she said the record is "just more of me. It's as simple as that. I was able to get deeper and you get another level of my heart and soul. And, it's really about my journey of self-awareness and healing and finding acceptance and self-love. It's very empowering."

Read Our 2010 Interview with Erika

Take a look at the cover, above, and the tracklisting, below:

1. Twisted Highway
2. Extraordinary Love
3. Letting Go
4. Time
5. Be Good To Yourself
6. Staring Out The Window
7. Good To Be Alone
8. Like A Bird
9. Gravity

Quick News


via GIPHY


Jack White has announced that his new album will be called BOARDING HOUSE REACH. The musician has not given a release date for the record.

Sad news to report as all of the original Motorhead members have now passed away. "Fast" Eddie Clarke, guitarist for the band, has passed away at 67.  Clarke passed away in a London hospital where he was getting treated for pneumonia. Motorhead's management confirmed the news via their Facebook page.



The Distillers have confirmed they are reuniting after over a decade away from music. The band will return at the Shaky Knees Festival in Georgia this spring.

Chromatics Johnny Jewel will release his new album, Digital Rain, later this month.

Cardi B spoke to Beats 1 Radio and discussed her awaited debut album and what could appear on it. "I could really make a song of hurt, because I've been hurt by a lot of men," she said. "I'm talking about, like, how sad I be when a dude curves me. And I never talk about that because I refuse to let people know that I get sad because when a man don't answer my calls."

The Roots on 'Seth Meyers'


The Roots swapped studios on Wednesday night and were the musical guest on fellow NBC late night show, Late Night with Seth Meyers. Take a look at the iconic band performing "It Ain't Fair" with Bilal.

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

A$AP Ferg on 'Fallon'


Watch A$AP Ferg perform "Plain Jane" on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

Tuesday, January 9, 2018

Andra Day and Common on 'Colbert'


Andra Day and Common performed their Grammy nominated song, "Stand Up For Something," from the Marshall soundtrack on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Take a look!

The Breeders Announce 1st Album in 10 Years


The Breeders will return in March with their first album in a decade called All Nerve. 

Take a look at the cover, above, and the tracklisting, below:

1. Nervous Mary
2. Wait in the Car
3. All Nerve
4. MetaGoth
5. Spacewoman
6. Walking with the Killer
7. Howl at the Summit
8. Archangel’s Thunderbird
9. Dawn: Making an Effort
10. Skinhead #2
11. Blues at the Acropolis

Ride to Release New EP


Next month, shoegaze icons Ride will release their new EP, Tomorrow's Shore. 

Read Our 2015 Interview with Andy Bell of Ride

Take a look at the cover, above, and the tracklisting, below, and hear the first single, "Catch You Dreaming."

1. Pulsar
2. Keep It Surreal
3. Cold Water People
4. Catch You Dreaming

The Men Announce New Album


The always evolving New York City indie rockers The Men will release their new album, Drift, in March. 

Take a look at the cover, above, and the tracklisting, below, and hear the first new single, "Maybe I'm Crazy."

1. Maybe I’m Crazy
2. When I Held You In My Arms
3. Secret Light
4. Rose on Top of the World
5. So High
6. Killed Someone
7. Sleep
8. Final Prayer
9. Come to Me

Monday, January 8, 2018

David Byrne Announces New Album

In March, David Byrne will release his new album, American Utopia. 

In a press release, he spoke of the album saying: "Is this meant ironically? Is it a joke? Do I mean this seriously? In what way? Am I referring to the past or the future? Is it personal or political? These songs don’t describe an imaginary or possibly impossible place but rather attempt to depict the world we live in now. Many of us, I suspect, are not satisfied with that world—the world we have made for ourselves. We look around and we ask ourselves—well, does it have to be like this? Is there another way? These songs are about that looking and that asking. This album is indirectly about those aspirational impulses. Sometimes to describe is to reveal, to see other possibilities. To ask a question is to begin the process of looking for an answer. To be descriptive is also to be prescriptive, in a way. The act of asking is a big step. The songs are sincere—the title is not ironic. The title refers not to a specific utopia, but rather to our longing, frustration, aspirations, fears, and hopes regarding what could be possible, what else is possible. The description, the discontent and the desire—I have a feeling that is what these songs touch on. I have no prescriptions or surefire answers, but I sense that I am not the only one looking and asking, wondering and still holding onto some tiny bit of hope, unwilling to succumb entirely to despair or cynicism. It’s not easy, but music helps. Music is a kind of model—it often tells us or points us toward how we can be."

Take a look at the cover, above, and the tracklisting, below:

1. I Dance Like This
2. Gasoline And Dirty Sheets
3. Every Day Is A Miracle
4. Dog’s Mind
5. This Is That
6. It’s Not Dark Up Here
7. Bullet
8. Doing The Right Thing
9. Everybody’s Coming To My House
10. Here

Hear David Bowie 'Let's Dance' Demo


David Bowie would have turned 71 today and in conjunction, Parlophone Records have shared a previously unreleased early demo of his 1983 hit single “Let’s Dance.”

Along with the single, the song's producer Nile Rodgers released a statement about making the song. Read it below:

"I’ve been blessed with a wonderful career but my creative partnership with David Bowie ranks very, very, very high on the list of my most important and rewarding collaborations. This demo gives you, the fans, a bird’s eye view of the very start of it! I woke up on my first morning in Montreux with David peering over me. He had an acoustic guitar in his hands and exclaimed, “Nile, darling, I think this is a HIT!”. This recording was the first indication of what we could do together as I took his ‘folk song’ and arranged it into something that the entire world would soon be dancing to and seemingly has not stopped dancing to for the last 35 years! It became the blue print not only for Let’s Dance the song but for the entire album as well. If you played 2nd guitar or drums let us know who you are! The time we spent mixing it just before Christmas was full of tears as it felt like David was in the room with us. Happy Birthday David, I love you and we all miss you!"

Sunday, January 7, 2018

The Jamaican Mixtape


Our cultural mixtape series returns and as parts of America get pounded by the cold, we look to warmer climates thanks to the music of Jamaica. 

The country that has given us various styles like reggae, dub, ska, as well as brilliant rum, a forward look and push for marijuana, as well as icons like Bob Marley, Grace Jones, and Jimmy Cliff. 

Take a look at our mixtape that we hope encompass the various styles and flavors of the island.

Thursday, January 4, 2018

Titus Andronicus Announce New Album


In March, New Jersey's Titus Andronicus will release their new album, A Productive Cough, via Merge Records.

Read Our 2010 Interview with Titus Andronicus

Take a look at the cover, above, and the tracklistings, below, and watch the 10-minute long short film for the new single, "Number One (In New York)." 

01 Number One (In New York)
02 Real Talk
03 Above the Bodega (Local Business)
04 Crass Tattoo
05 (I’m) Like a Rolling Stone
06 Home Alone
07 Mass Transit Madness (Goin’ Loco)

Quick News



Justin Timberlake will release his new album, Man of the Woods, next month. The record is said to be inspired by his upbringing in Tennessee and his family.

After a five year hiatus, The Gaslight Anthem will return this summer with a series of concerts to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their breakthrough record, The '59 Sound. The band's only confirmed date at the moment is New York's Governors Ball in June.

Kendrick Lamar will produce and curate the upcoming Black Panther Soundtrack which will be made available via Top Dawg Entertainment. The soundtrack will arrive next month.

Ringo Starr and Barry Gibb have been tapped to be knighted by the Queen of England later this year. The former Beatle and Bee Gee will now go by Sir.

Mark Ronson and Diplo have joined forces to form a new project called Silk City. The duo are slated to make their live debut at Coachella. 

After 10 years apart, The Stray Cats will reunite in March at the Las Vegas Car Show. The Long Island rockabilly icons helped reinvest interest in the genre in the 1980s and their leader, Brian Setzer, has since gone on to have a successful big band career.

Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes has formed a new side project called Bermuda Triangle with Nashville musicians Becca Mancari and Jesse Lafser. The trio are set to make their live debut next month in L.A.

Tuesday, January 2, 2018

Rising Artist: Janice



Sweden is known of giving us the best pop music ever. From ABBA to Robyn to The Sounds, the country is a hot bed for fun on the dance floor. Now, here comes a different type of pop but not only fits into the modern cannon however, this Stockholm artist will knock your socks off. Janice, who has released a handful of singles and an EP since 2016, just released her fantastic new single, "Queen," which is a powerful ballad of love and ecstasy. Janice isn't pure pop, the R&B and soul singer has the chops to be your favorite new artist as well as someone who can take the world by storm. As she says in "Queen" -- "I can do anything," and we are certain she will.



Underrated Classic: Madonna 'Bedtime Stories'

Madonna was the single most influential artist of the 1980s by the time the 1990s rolled around, she was the biggest solo artist in the world and the most controversial. By 1994, Madonna wanted to get serious and released the acclaimed record Bedtime Stories, to prove that she wasn't just the queen of pop but could branch out into the alternative and slower tempo ranges to prove that she wasn't just someone who could release radio singles but make serious art. Linking up with producers Dallas Austin, Babyface, Dave "Jam" Hall, and Nellee Hooper, as well as songwriters Bjork, Meshell Ndegeocello, and Massive Attack, Madonna put out the intimate Bedtime Stories. She took influences from Bjork, Massive Attack, Portishead, and the trip-hop sound that was dominating London underground at the time and helped thrust it to the mainstream. The album produced four massive singles -- "Secret," "Take a Bow,""Secret," and "Bedtime Stories" and later went 3X platinum in America. As Madonna's musical cannon goes, it is the most intimate she has ever been and most inviting. There is something for everyone on this record and now, 24 years later, it still sounds as fresh today as it did then.