Alternative Rock
Weezer Announce New Album OK Human Is Coming Next Week
Since 2019, Weezer have been teasing a pair of albums that would be “in mortal combat” with each other. The first, the metal-inspired Van Weezer, was set to arrive last year, but was postponed due to the pandemic. While that LP has now secured a May 7th release date, it looks like the band’s other project, OK Human, will hit first — and soon, as Weezer has announced it’s coming out next week. After forcing fans through a series of captcha on their website to get advanced word on the release date, Weezer confirmed that OK Human is set for release on January 29th. They also revealed the lead single, “All My Favorite Songs”, will arrive this Thursday, January 21st. Frontman Rivers Cuomo previously described the album (a clear play on Radiohead’s classic OK Computer) as “totally different” fro...
The War on Drugs Perform “Arms Like Boulders” on Colbert: Watch
Live shows may temporarily be on pause, but they’ve hardly been forgotten. In fact, The War on Drugs recently released a live album titled LIVE DRUGS comprised of concert recordings from throughout their career. (The 10-track effort was reportedly “culled from over 40 hard drives,” so you can be sure the concert nostalgia was intense.) On Friday, The War on Drugs supported their new effort by playing “Arms Like Boulders” on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The remote performance saw Adam Granduciel, David Hartley, Robbie Bennett, Charlie Hall, Anthony LaMarca all play along on guitar, while Jon Natchez handled a mandolin. Replay the performance down below. Editors’ Picks “Arms Like Boulders” originally appeared on The War on Drugs’ debut album, Wagonwheel Blues, as well as th...
Sheer Mag Share New Song “Crushed Velvet”: Stream
Sheer Mag have shared “Crushed Velvet”, their first new music since 2019’s A Distant Call. The Philadelphia rockers’ latest singles comes from the soundtrack to Hulu’s new original film The Ultimate Playlist of Noise. Out now, the movie finds a teenager (Keean Johnson) traveling to New York City as he tries to experience as many unique sounds as possible before a tumor takes his hearing. That theme is perfect for Sheer Mag’s style, as “Crushed Velvet” trades on soaring guitar riffs, snarled vocals, and some growling background. It’s a smorgasbord of throwback rock sounds, and you can take a listen below. Editors’ Picks The Ultimate Playlist of Noise is streaming now on Hulu. You can sign up for free month of the streaming service here to watch the new movie now. Check out the trailer...
AFI Return with New Songs “Twisted Tongues” and “Escape From Los Angeles”: Stream
AFI have unleashed two new songs — “Twisted Tongues” and “Escape From Los Angeles” — ahead of a new album planned for 2021. Both tracks can be heard in the visualizers below. The two new songs mark the veteran California rock act’s first new music since they dropped the five song EP The Missing Man in December 2018. When a new LP arrives, it will be the band’s first since 2017’s AFI (The Blood Album). “Twisted Tongues” explores AFI’s goth-rock side, while “Escape From Los Angeles” gives off more of a punk vibe — both highlighted by singer Davey Havok’s signature haunting vocals. “As I recall, ‘Twisted Tongues’ came of the Blood era and was the first piece of music we explored on the new album,” Havok explained of “Twisted Tongues” in a press release. “The dreaminess of the music lyrically ...
Corey Taylor Recruits Reality Star, Movie Actors, and Steel Panther for “Samantha’s Gone” Video: Watch
Corey Taylor’s new music video for his solo single “Samantha’s Gone” is a star-studded affair. The Slipknot frontman recruited the likes of Vanderpump Rules reality star Tom Sandoval, actor Dean Cameron (Summer School, Straight Outta Compton), and hair-metal parody band Steel Panther for the humorous clip. The backdrop is the set of the video shoot for the song, a track on Taylor’s recent debut solo album, CMFT. Sandoval appears as a mulleted frontman of an overzealous indie-rock band that also features Greg Grunberg (Star Wars movies), Latin musician Travis Miguel, guitarist Ace Von Johnson (Faster Pussycat, L.A. Guns), and musician Jonah Nimroy. As they deliver a ridiculous performance of “Samantha’s Gone”, the director (played by Cameron) screams in disgust. When he begs them to stop, T...
Limp Bizkit, Mastodon, 311, Filter, The Used, Veruca Salt Members Cover Jane’s Addiction’s “Mountain Song”: Watch
The Kings of Quarantine — a collective spearheaded by Slaves on Dope members Jason Rockman and Kevin Jardine along with Mastodon guitarist Bill Kelliher — are back with an all-star cover of the Jane’s Addiction classic “Mountain Song”. This time around, they’re joined by members of Limp Bizkit, 311, Filter, Veruca Salt, The Used, and In Flames. Kelliher and Jardine are joined on guitar by Limp Bizkit’s Wes Borland, while vocals are handled by Rockman, Veruca Salt’s Louise Post, Filter’s Richard Patrick, and The Used’s Bert McCracken. The rhythm section is made up of 311’s P-Nut on bass and In Flames’ Tanner Wayne on drums. The singers all do an admirable job on the challenging tune, as “Mountain Song” is one of Perry Farrell’s finest vocal moments in Jane’s Addiction. McCracken’s turn is e...
Danny Elfman Shares Creepy New Solo Song “Sorry”: Stream
Halloween may be long past, but Danny Elfman has creepy treat for us. The beloved composer has returned with a new solo song called “Sorry” and an accompanying video. The expectedly eerie offering is only the second solo song Elfman has shared in the last 36 years (!), following last fall’s “Happy”. Like that tune, “Sorry” is being released via the indie labels ANTI-/ Epitaph Records, which feels like an interesting home for the guy who made the Nightmare Before Christmas soundtrack. In a statement, Elfman said “Sorry” is “the first song I’ve written for myself in a long time,” and detailed its “alien” beginnings, “It began as an obsessive choral-chant instrumental work, which at the time I called ‘alien orchestral chamber punk’ and evolved slowly into a song. I was surprised by the a...
The Hold Steady Reveal New Single “Heavy Covenant”: Stream
Next month marks the arrival of a new album from veteran indie rockers The Hold Steady. Their eighth overall, Open Door Policy is being previewed today with a song called “Heavy Covenant”. The follow-up to lead single “Family Farm”, this new cut carefully folds in layers of bright synths, rich horns, and driving percussion in such a way that holds your anticipation. And then there’s frontman Craig Finn’s fascinating tale of travel — one that’s simultaneously dark and funny. In a statement, Finn said the track is about “travel, technology, and human connection. The song came out of two different music pieces that THS piano/keyboardist Franz Nicolay brought in, and with the help of producer Josh Kaufman, we combined them.” “It came together quickly, and when our friends Stuart and Jorda...
Kings of Leon Return with New Songs “The Bandit” and “100,000 People”: Stream
The wait is finally over for Kings of Leon fans: a new album is on the way. It’s called When You See Yourself and is due out in March. In anticipation of their first full-length in five years, the alt-rockers are sharing two new songs, “The Bandit” and “100,000 People”. In the lead-up to today’s unveiling, the Nashville-bred group sent out 10 one-of-a-kind shirts to superfans, each representing a different song on the new album. “Only you, and no-one else, will ever have this collective piece,” read an accompanying note, as American Songwriter points out. “Printed inside of it are the full lyrics to a new song you may hear in a couple of days, a couple of weeks, or maybe even a month or so.” An 11th shirt, featuring “The Bandit” lyrics, will be available for purchase on Kings of Leon’...
PJ Harvey Announces Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea Vinyl Reissue, Shares “This Mess We’re In” Demo: Stream
PJ Harvey has announced a vinyl reissue of her 2000 album Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea. The latest installment in her ongoing archival campaign is due out next month via UMe/Island. The alt-rock icon’s fifth album was originally released just over 20 years ago in October 2000, and the following year it racked up two Grammy nominations for Best Rock Album and Best Female Rock Performance. The 12-song affair was both a commercial and critical success for Harvey, who was then eight years into her solo career, and it remains an essential part of her discography to this day. In 2020, Harvey reissued 1992’s Dry, 1993’s Rid of Me, 1995’s To Bring You My Love, and 1996’s Dance Hall at Louise Point. She’s also marked a re-release for 1998’s Is This Desire? for the...
Robert Pollard Forms New Band Cub Scout Bowling Pins, Shares Debut Single “Heaven Beats Iowa”: Stream
With frontman Robert Pollard leading the way, Guided by Voices released a total of three (!) albums last year, including December’s Styles We Paid For. Pollard is looking to carry that non-stop momentum into 2021 with the announcement of a new side-project, as Rolling Stone reports. Dubbed Cub Scout Bowling Pins, the group is prepping to drop its first-ever EP, Heaven Beats Iowa, on January 22nd through Guided by Voices Inc. The forthcoming collection consists of six songs, including a title track that serves as the lead single. While not much is known about the other personnel behind Cub Scout Bowling Pins, it’s clear Pollard is in control. The 63-year-old handles vocals throughout “Heaven Beats Iowa”, a tune that heartily channels ’60s-era pop-rock. Go retro with Pollard down b...
Billy Corgan Compares Lil Peep to Kurt Cobain
Although his career was short-lived, Lil Peep made a lasting impression on a whole generation of young hip-hop fans. His brand of emo rap also apparently profoundly impacted… 53-year-old Billy Corgan. Since Lil Peep’s death in 2017, the Smashing Pumpkins frontman has compared him to some of the most iconic rock stars in music history. In 2018, Corgan likened the rapper’s music to that of early Metallica. Now, in a recent interview with Upset magazine, the Pumpkins leader has dubbed Lil Peep the Kurt Cobain of his generation. The incredible revelation came during a discussion about CYR, the Smashing Pumpkins’ newly released double album, and how they’ve managed to stay relevant more three decades into their career: “This album is the result of us trying to come into the modern world,” ...
