Alternative Rock
Weezer Share New Music Video for “Grapes of Wrath”: Watch
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-04-14T22:06:45+00:00“>April 14, 2021 | 6:06pm ET Today is the 82nd anniversary of John Steinbeck’s classic Dust Bowl epic The Grapes of Wrath. To honor the occasion, Weezer have shared a new music video for their OK Human ode to literary excellence, “Grapes of Wrath”. The song doesn’t just shout-out Steinbeck, it also finds time for some of the most famous creations by Virginia Woolf, George Orwell, Joseph Heller, Herman Melville, J.R.R. Tolkien, and more. But the music video, which was directed by Brendan Walter and Jasper Graham, is less concerned with exploring these fictional worlds than the real-world problem of finding time to read. The video begins with Ri...
Quicksand Unveil “Inversion”, First New Song in Three Years: Stream
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-04-13T17:10:55+00:00“>April 13, 2021 | 1:10pm ET Post-hardcore legends Quicksand have returned with the one-off single “Inversion”, their first new song in three years. The New York City band surprised fans with the heavy track and a colorful music video animated by Rob Fidel. “Inversion” follows Quicksand’s 2017 comeback album, Interiors, and a 2018 EP, Triptych Continuum, offering up another slab of big riffs and energetic vocals from frontman Walter Schreifels. The song was recorded over a year ago and is finally seeing an official release. “The music to ‘Inversion’ was very squatter punk at first,” Schreifels said of the track’s noticeable hardcore tilt. “To get something going ...
Foo Fighters’ Wasting Light Remains a Late-Career Statement 10 Years Later
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-04-12T15:15:35+00:00“>April 12, 2021 | 11:15am ET Editor’s Note: On April 12th, 2011, Foo Fighters put out their seventh album, Wasting Light. At the time, Dave Grohl saw it as a chance for the band to get back to the project’s humble garage roots. Now, a full decade later, Grant Sharples examines just how successful the band were in achieving Grohl’s aim and what the record ultimately meant for the veteran band and their fans. Starting with 2005’s In Your Honor, alt-rock icons Foo Fighters have adhered to certain underlying concepts for their records. These aren’t narrative concepts but musical ideas by which Dave Grohl and co. creatively orient themselves. On their fifth reco...
Danny Elfman Announces First Solo Album in 37 Years, Big Mess, Shares “True”: Stream
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-04-12T15:28:42+00:00“>April 12, 2021 | 11:28am ET Danny Elfman has reignited his solo career over the last few month with a monthly singles series. Now, the composer and former Oingo Boingo member has announced his first album in 37 years, Big Mess. Due out June 11th via ANTI-/Epitaph, Big Mess is an 18-track double-album that sees Elfman reckoning with “four years of creeping fascism and civil rot” via his uniquely dystopian blend of industrial and orchestral sounds. Helping him create this politically charged stricture in the studio were drummer Josh Freese (The Vandals, Devo), bassist Stu Brooks (Lauryn Hill, Lady Gaga), guitarist Robin Finck (Nine Inch Nails, Guns N’ R...
Barenaked Ladies Share Origins of First Single in Four Years “Flip”: Stream
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-04-12T12:00:23+00:00“>April 12, 2021 | 8:00am ET With our new music feature Origins, artists are given the chance to provide intimate insights into what inspired their latest single. Today, Barenaked Ladies do a “Flip” for their first new music in four years. Canadian favorites Barenaked Ladies have announced their impending return with their first new album in four years, Detour de Force. Arriving this summer, the 14-track effort is the result of both pre- and post-lockdown recording sessions, with the gestation period in between having a major impact on the music’s direction. BNL began the journey to Detour de Force at vocalist/guitarist Ed Robertson’s lake cabin outside of T...
Song of the Week: Tkay Maidza’s “Syrup” Longs for Hot and Sticky Summer Nights to Come
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-04-10T20:55:49+00:00“>April 10, 2021 | 4:55pm ET Song of the Week breaks down and talks about the song we just can’t get out of our head each week. Find these songs and more on our Spotify Top Songs playlist. For our favorite new songs from emerging artists, check out our Spotify New Sounds playlist. This week, rapper Tkay Maidza reminds us of the fun times just around the corner. The rise of streaming has meant many things for the world of music over the past decade: the slow pull away from the power of radio and CD sales, increased accessibility to new artists, and constant questions around payment structures in this model, for starters. It also means that music is an abundance of...
The Wallflowers Announce New Album Exit Wounds, Share New Song “Roots and Wings”: Stream
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-04-09T16:52:07+00:00“>April 9, 2021 | 12:52pm ET Jakob Dylan and The Wallflowers have announced a new album titled Exit Wounds, which marks their first full-length in nearly a decade. It will be released on July 9th via New West Records, one week before the band’s 53-date arena tour. Exit Wounds spans 10 songs and was produced by Butch Walker. Singer-songwriter Shelby Lynne appears on four tracks. In a statement, Dylan explained the meaning of the album’s title. “I think everybody — no matter what side of the aisle you’re on — wherever we’re going to next, we’re all taking a lot of exit wounds with us. Nobody is the same as they were four years ago,” he said. “That, to me, is what E...
AFI Unveil New Songs “Dulcería” (Co-Written by Billy Corgan) and “Far Too Near”: Stream
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-04-09T13:30:52+00:00“>April 9, 2021 | 9:30am ET AFI continue to roll out two songs at a time from their upcoming album, Bodies. The latest singles are “Dulcería”, which was co-written by Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan, and “Far Too Near”. Fans already received a big sample of Bodies ahead of its June 11th release via Rise Records. In January, AFI released the songs “Twisted Tongues” and “Escape from Los Angeles”, and then followed in February by unleashing “Looking Tragic” and “Begging for Trouble”. Speaking on the collaboration with Corgan on “Dulcería”, AFI guitarist Jade Puget commented, “Billy and I have a great creative connection when we’re writing together. It was in...
Sparta’s Jim Ward Announces New Solo Album Daggers, Shares “Paper Fish”: Stream
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-04-08T21:20:19+00:00“>April 8, 2021 | 5:20pm ET Like a handful of other musicians during the coronavirus pandemic, Sparta frontman and former At the Drive-In co-founder Jim Ward spent the past few months hashing out music ideas that quickly turned into songs — and now he has a whole new album to show for it. Ward has just announced a solo full-length titled Daggers. It’s due out June 11th via Dine Alone Records, but you can stream lead single “Paper Fish” right now below. This is Ward’s first solo album under his name since releasing Quiet in the Valley, On the Shores the End Begins back in 2011. Unlike his alt-country project Sleepercar or the full-fledged post-hardcore of At the D...
10-Year-Old Nandi Bushell Gets Pixies’ Seal of Approval for Her “Where Is My Mind?” Cover: Watch
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-04-07T15:58:11+00:00“>April 7, 2021 | 11:58am ET 10-year-old multi-instrumentalist and YouTube sensation Nandi Bushell continues to impress the artists she covers. This time around, she’s earned kudos from the Pixies for her loop version of the band’s classic song “Where Is My Mind?” Last year, Nandi earned respect (and a signature guitar) from Tom Morello for her cover of Rage Against the Machine’s “Guerrilla Radio”, as well as props from Metallica’s Kirk Hammett for her rendition of “Enter Sandman”. Of course, she also made headlines for her epic multi-round drum battle with Dave Grohl after challenging him with a cover of Foo Fighters’ “Everlong”. Her 2021 is already off to a big...
Bully Announce 2021 US Tour Dates
Bully have announced their return to the road. This summer, the Alicia Bognanno-led band will embark on a nine-date US tour in support of their August 2020 album, Sugaregg. The tour kicks off on July 31st at Skully’s Music Diner in Columbus, Ohio before hitting stops in Nashville, Birmingham, Atlanta, St. Louis, Chicago, Milwaukee, and Minneapolis. On September 4th, the trek will conclude at Seattle’s Neumos venue. Bully previously teased the addition of more cities in the future. At this time, the band has not provided any details on COVID-19 safety protocols. Fans can text MEZZI to 31996 in order to get access to presale tickets on Thursday, April 8th. Tickets are open to the general public on Friday. To coincide with the tour announcement, Bully uploaded a new performance video for “Whe...
Faith No More, Beastie Boys, Mastodon, Cypress Hill, 311, Sepultura Members Cover Public Enemy: Watch
The Kings of Quarantine collective have returned with another socially distanced cover song, this time taking on Public Enemy’s “She Watch Channel Zero” to benefit Roadie Relief. The star-studded crew is spearheaded by Slaves on Dope’s Jason Rockman and Kevin Jardine, along with Mastodon guitarist Bill Kelliher. For each performance, the trio are joined by an all-star team of music luminaries, and they recruited some big-time names for the Public Enemy cover. Along for the ride are Billy Gould and Mike Bordin (both of Faith No More), Mix Master Mike (Beastie Boys), SA (311), MC Serch (3rd Bass), Derrick Green (Sepultura), Sen Dog (Cypress Hill), Toby Morse (H2O) and a special cameo from pop-artist Ron English of Popaganda fame. With vocal stylings from veteran hip-hop artists like MC Serch...
