Alternative Rock
Björk Is Making a Living Room Club Album
Björk is opening up about what fans can expect from her upcoming tenth studio album. In a new interview airing before her livestreamed residency with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, the singer said the coming LP is “for people who are making clubs at home in their living room, restricted to their ‘Christmas bubble.’” Björk’s next full-length release will serve as a follow-up to 2017’s Utopia. And while the Icelandic singer-songwriter is keeping many of the details close to her swan dress, she did hint at its sound in her own unique way — describing it as “a man who was headbanging, then sat down again and had another glass of red wine, and everyone is home by ten o’clock, done with the dancing and everything.” Advertisement Related Video “Most of the songs I made are at 80-90 be...
Coldplay Cover Pearl Jam’s “Nothingman” in Seattle: Watch
Coldplay celebrated the release of their latest album, Music of the Spheres, with a record release show at Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena on Friday night. In addition to playing songs from their ninth LP, Coldplay paid tribute to one of Seattle’s greatest bands: Pearl Jam. “So because we’re here in Seattle we wanted to pay tribute to all of the bands that we fell in love with when we were just young teenagers in the ’90s,” Coldplay frontman Chris Martin told the audience. “This is a 44-year-old man remembering how much he fell in love with Pearl Jam in 1991. And if you told that kid he would be here singing this song, that kid would’ve said ‘Are you sure that’s a good idea?’ And I would’ve said ‘Maybe not!’ But we’re doing it!” And with that, Martin and drummer Will Champion segued into a ...
Parquet Courts Share New Album Sympathy for Life: Stream
Parquet Courts return today with their new album, Sympathy for Life. The post punk torchbearers’ follow-up to 2018’s Wide Awake! is out via Rough Trade, and marks the band’s seventh LP to date. Spanning 11 tracks, Sympathy for Life originated from a series of live jam sessions, inspired by the likes of Primal Scream, Pink Floyd, and bygone live music clubs in their New York City home base. The record was produced alongside Rodaidh McDonald and John Parish, whose credits between them include David Byrne and PJ Harvey, just to name a few. “Historically, some amazing rock records have been made from mingling in dance music culture — from Talking Heads to Screamadelica,” co-frontman Austin Brown explained in a statement. “Our goal was to bring that into our own music. ...
My Morning Jacket Release New Self-Titled Album: Stream
After six long years, My Morning Jacket have finally released a new album. It’s called My Morning Jacket and it’s available to stream below via Apple Music and Spotify. The self-titled record marks My Morning Jacket’s first LP of entirely new material since putting out The Waterfall in 2015. The band recorded their ninth album over two multi-week sessions at Los Angeles studio 64 Sound in the months prior to the pandemic. Leading up to the album’s release today, My Morning Jacket have shared several songs: lead single “Regularly Scheduled Programming,” the heart-eyed “Love Love Love,” and a blistering rock number called “Complex.” All three cuts round out the LP’s 11-song tracklist which was created in hopes of uplifting listeners, old and new. Advertisement Related Video “I hope...
Duran Duran Release New Album FUTURE PAST: Stream
Duran Duran have released their new album FUTURE PAST via Tape Modern/BMG. Stream it below. The band’s milestone fifteenth studio effort is also their first in over six years — since the release of 2015’s Paper Gods — and contains collaborations with a wide variety of artists including Tove Love (“GIVE IT ALL UP”), Ivorian Doll (“HAMMERHEAD”), CHAI (“MORE JOY!”), and Mike Garson (“FALLING”). The LP was preceded by singles “INVISIBLE”, “ANNIVERSARY,” and the Giorgio Moroder-produced “TONIGHT UNITED” — the former of which Simon Le Bon and his longtime bandmates debuted live at the 2021 Billboard Music Awards with a little help from Blur’s Graham Noxon. Advertisement Related Video Speaking to the Los Angeles Times, bassist John Taylor opened up about how the album came together. “Many of the ...
Franz Ferdinand Drummer Paul Thomson Leaves Band, Replaced by Audrey Tait
After 19 years, founding Franz Ferdinand drummer Paul Thomson has left the band. The Scottish rockers made the announcement on Twitter and indicated that he’ll be replaced by Audrey Tait. To show there are no hard feelings, the two drummers posed for a photo in which he symbolically handed her the drumsticks. In a statement, the group wrote, “Paul is leaving the band. It was a bit of a shocker for us when we found out, so it probably will be for some of you too. Paul has been our friend for over twenty five years & we’re looking forward to at least another twenty five. He’s a funny, smart, sensitive guy.” Franz Ferdinand added, “After having played with Paul for so long, it’s obvious that not just anyone could sit behind the kit in FF, so we’re happy to say that one of the other b...
Franz Ferdinand Drummer Paul Thomson Leaves Band, Replaced by Audrey Tait
After 19 years, founding Franz Ferdinand drummer Paul Thomson has left the band. The Scottish rockers made the announcement on Twitter and indicated that he’ll be replaced by Audrey Tait. To show there are no hard feelings, the two drummers posed for a photo in which he symbolically handed her the drumsticks. In a statement, the group wrote, “Paul is leaving the band. It was a bit of a shocker for us when we found out, so it probably will be for some of you too. Paul has been our friend for over twenty five years & we’re looking forward to at least another twenty five. He’s a funny, smart, sensitive guy.” Franz Ferdinand added, “After having played with Paul for so long, it’s obvious that not just anyone could sit behind the kit in FF, so we’re happy to say that one of the other b...
Alex Lahey Shares Free-Spirited New Single “Spike the Punch”: Stream
Alex Lahey returns today with “Spike the Punch,” her first proper solo single of 2021. Self-produced alongside John Castle and mixed by Grammy winner Carlos de la Garza, the power-pop tune arrives with a stunning accompanying music video. Like taking a gulp of jungle juice in the wee morning hours at a house party, “Spike the Punch” feels like an inhibition-free sugar rush. Its lyrics reckon with the euphoria of ditching your morals, while the threat of real consequences always linger in the shadows: “I got my ass kicked, it was fantastic /Kept going back like a hopeless romantic,” Lahey sings in the track’s opening lines before an explosive chorus. “‘Spike the Punch’ is a song about the fun that comes with self-sabotage and reckless abandon,” Lahey wrote in a statement. “It’s big, it’s lo...
Andrew Bird and Lucius Share Live Performance of The Velvet Underground’s “Venus in Furs”: Watch
Andrew Bird and Lucius were among a slew of high-profile acts who contributed to the recently released track-by-track covers album I’ll Be Your Mirror: A Tribute to The Velvet Underground & Nico, and now they have shared an intimate live recording of their take on “Venus in Furs.” Of course, “Venus in Furs” wouldn’t be complete without John Cale’s iconic viola solo. It makes sense that Bird — who’s a bit of a violin legend in his own right — would put his own spin on the track, using loop pedals to fill out the live performance as he then plucks the four-stringed instrument like a banjo alongside Lucius’ flawless vocal harmonies. Though nobody could compete with Lou Reed and company, this is one cover that rivals its original. Check out their living room performance of “Venus In ...
Coldplay, Gang of Four, Animal Collective, and More Tours on Sale This Week
Temperatures are dropping, as are COVID-19 case numbers, and while it sometimes felt like we’d never get to this point, live music is back. With the delayed festival season in the rearview mirror and our sunburns just about healed, it’s time to look forward to what’s next. This week a bracing variety of acts are preparing to hit the road. Coldplay are poised to conquer another set of stadiums, post-punk icons Gang of Four will soldier on without Andy Gill, Peter Hook’s new band will pay tribute to his old band, American K-pop star Eric Nam is set to support a new release, and festival favorites Jeff Tweedy and Animal Collective will stump for their upcoming albums. Read more below. Coldplay: Get tickets via Ticketmaster Advertisement Related Video Coldplay’s 2022 intercontinental tour...
Johnny Marr on Fever Dreams, James Bond, and The Smiths’ Vault Releases
Listen via Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Pocket Casts | Radio Public | RSS Johnny Marr catches up with Kyle Meredith to dig into Fever Dreams, a four-part EP series leading to a full album early next year. Advertisement Related Video The former Smiths member talks about the impossible task of measuring up to past classics; working with Hans Zimmer on the new James Bond film, No Time to Die; the 30th anniversary of Electronic (his post-Smiths collab with New Order’s Bernard Sumner); and which album we may possibly see expanded as the next Smiths’ vault release. The legendary guitarist also touches on wanting to make electro bangers and being influenced by classic soul artists to sing about more person...
Peter Hook & The Light Announce “Joy Division: A Celebration” 2022 North American Tour
Peter Hook & The Light are coming back to the US. The veteran post-punker has just announced a 2022 North American tour called “Joy Division: A Celebration” that will see Peter Hook and his band performing songs by his former band Joy Division. See the full list of dates for it below. The “Joy Division: A Celebration” tour takes place next fall and spans 26 dates in total. After kicking things off on August 11th in Toronto, Canada, Peter Hook & The Light will perform live in major cities like Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Philadelphia, Minneapolis, New York, Los Angeles, and Seattle. The tour will then conclude on September 14th in Vancouver, Canada. Fans can look forward to hearing two of Joy Division’s most seminal albums, Unknown Pleasures and Closer, in full alongsi...
