Alternative Rock
Cloud Nothings Surprise Releasing New Album The Black Hole Understands
Surprise! Cloud Nothings have announced a new album called The Black Hole Understands, and they’re releasing it in full tomorrow via Bandcamp. The Black Hole Understands is a 10-song full-length that was written and recorded remotely while self-isolating during the early weeks of the coronavirus pandemic, reports Pitchfork. A 25% cut of the proceeds will be donated to Play on Philly in Philadelphia and Rainey Institute in Cleveland, both of which provide music and arts education to communities that don’t have easy access to such in their respective local areas. “It’s a quarantine album, so like… not actually recorded live,” frontperson Dylan Baldi tweeted. “I’m playing instruments and singing, Jayson is playing drums. It’s poppy and also kind of sad, which is more or less my state of mind....
Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda Announces New Album Created with Fans on Twitch
Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park has announced a new solo album, which he crafted on Twitch along with input from his fans. The new LP, called Dropped Frames, Vol. 1, will arrive on July 10th through his own Kenji Kobayashi Productions label. The album owes its creation to Shinoda’s daily Twitch livestreams, in which he made music four days per week. Instead of making an album on his own, Shinoda reached out to fans on his Twitch channel to get their feedback. “Dropped Frames is just as much about the live channel as it is about the ‘album,’” Shinoda said in a statement. “The collection of songs is a highlight reel of the tracks I make on the channel, but a big part of the experience is the stream itself. When I start, I usually have very little idea of where it will go.” He added, “What ...
Pearl Jam Pay Tribute to Victims of Roskilde Tragedy on 20th Anniversary
On this day back in 2000, nine young men were killed and 26 others were injured during Pearl Jam’s set at Roskilde Festival. To honor those fans who needlessly lost their lives, the band has shared a tribute video online today, taking note of the 20th anniversary and stating that “nothing has been the same since.” The Roskilde tragedy saw eight men, ages 17 to 26, suffocate to death in a crowd crush when Pearl Jam took the stage for their headlining slot. Five days later, a ninth man died from his injuries. An investigation published later that year cited “a chain of unfortunate circumstances” as being responsible for the audience’s rush forward, with many fans eager to get close to the stage so they could hear the music better. Pearl Jam’s tribute includes a lengthy essay and a touch...
James Blake Covers Nirvana Classic “Come As You Are” from Quarantine: Watch
James Blake fans have been treated to a number of special covers during this quarantine season. Over the course of just the last few months, the UK crooner has tackled originals by Radiohead, Billie Eilish, Frank Ocean, and Joni Mitchell. For his newest reimagining, Blake ambitiously rolled out his take on the Nirvana classic “Come As You Are”. The performance was part of an hour-long “piano improv concert” streamed on Instagram Live on Saturday. As requested by a fan, Blake’s rendition of the Nevermind single was “soft” in tone. However, though it was without the angst and volume of the 1992 original, Blake’s cover was still urgent in its own fragile, ivory-tinged way. Watch video of the Nirvana cover below, followed by the full concert (come for the tunes, stay for a glimpse of Blake’s a...
PJ Harvey Announces Vinyl Reissue of 1993’s Rid of Me
PJ Harvey has announced the next installment in her year-long vinyl reissue campaign. On August 21st, she will put out her sophomore album, Rid of Me, on vinyl for the first time since its initial release in 1993. Harvey is also set to reissue its accompanying 4-Track Demos effort that same day. The follow-up to her Dry debut — which is also due for a reissue next month — the original Rid of Me was produced by renowned studio wizard Steve Albini and boasted fan favorites like “50ft Queenie” and “Man-Size”. Compared to its predecessor, the album was known for its more raw and edgy sound. Per a statement, the upcoming reissue is “faithful to the original recording and package” with cutting by Bob Weston at Chicago Mastering as overseen by Albini. As for the original...
Panic! at the Disco’s Brendon Urie Demands Trump Campaign “Stop Playing My Song”
Brendon Urie, photo by Samantha Saturday, and Donald Trump, via YouTube: White House On Tuesday evening, the Trump campaign held a rally in Phoenix, Arizona, during which Donald Trump, Jr., used the entrance song “High Hopes” by Panic! At the Disco. Within hours, Panic! frontman Brendon Urie tweeted out a response, sending a “Fuck you,” to the White House and demanding that the campaign “Stop playing my song.” Trump’s June 23rd rally took place in a tightly packed megachurch, as the state of Arizona reported record numbers of coronavirus hospitalizations. During his speech, Trump referred to COVID-19 by the racist term “kung flu,” and spoke of the need to preserve monuments to Confederate soldiers. “Donald Trump represents nothing we stand for,” Urie wrote. “The highest hope we have is vot...
Hum Surprise Release New Album Inlet, First LP in 22 Years: Stream
Alternative rock band Hum have returned with the surprise release of their fifth studio album, Inlet — their first new music in 22 years. The long-awaited follow-up to 1998’s Downward Is Heavenward comes as a delight to fans who’ve been wondering whether Hum would ever release new material following their ’90s heyday. The band rose to prominence with its 1995 major label debut, You’d Prefer an Astronaut, and the iconic space-faring single “Stars”. The track garnered considerable MTV and FM airplay, to the point where Hum are sometimes erroneously labeled a “one hit wonder.” Downward Is Heavenward would be equally beloved by fans, despite falling short of Astronaut‘s commercial success. Hum would go on hiatus in 2001, infrequently reuniting for shows and small tours, sparking rumors of...
Doves Return with “Carousels”, Their First New Song in 11 Years: Stream
College rock darlings Doves made a name for themselves in the 2000s by churning out poppy alt-rock fit for indie film soundtracks like (500) Days of Summer. After an 11-year-long silence, the Manchester-based trio have finally returned with their first new song in over a decade, “Carousels”, and it doesn’t disappoint. According to a press release, “Carousels” is a standalone single from the original members of Doves: singer-bassist Jimi Goodwin, singer-drummer Andy Williams, and guitarist Jez Williams. Armed with looped drum patterns and grizzly synthesizers, the band forfeits its usual guitar-driven sound for an experimental style that’s built around a sample by the late drummer Tony Allen. “It’s a reminiscence of the times that we’d go to places like North Wales on holiday as kids,” said...
Top 25 Albums of 2020 (So Far)
Welcome to our Mid-Year Report. All week long we’ll be sharing the music, movies, and television that have helped us survive a strange and confusing six months. We start today with our Top 25 Albums of 2020 (So Far). It’d be fatuous to pretend that the first six months of 2020 have been like any other. All of us are facing difficult realities: the pain of injustice, the loss of a loved one, or even just the despair of looking out the window and not knowing what tomorrow will bring or when it will come. For the purposes of this list, then, maybe it’s equally foolish to think music impacted us the same way it always does. Then again, perhaps that’s what makes music so integral to our lives: that no matter what the world or our individual lives look like, music has the magical knack of provid...
Bully Announce New Album Sugaregg, Share Chumbawamba-Inspired “Where to Start”: Stream
Last month, Bully released quarantine-style covers of Nirvana and Orville Peck, as well as teased that a forthcoming album was on the way. Today, the CoSigned rock outfit has formally announced their new record: Sugaregg is due out August 21st through Sub Pop. The new LP is Bully’s third overall and follow-up to Losing from 2017. It was mixed with studio veteran John Congleton (St. Vincent, Cloud Nothings) and represents a shift in approach for leader Alicia Bognanno. “There was a change that needed to happen and it happened on this record,” she told Rolling Stone. “Derailing my ego and insecurities allowed me to give these songs the attention they deserved.” Compared to its predecessor, Sugaregg features “more songs about erratic, dysfunctional love in an upbeat way, like, ‘I’m going down...
Deftones Complete Work on New Album, Eye September Release
Deftones have completed work on their highly anticipated new album. Drummer Abe Cunningham says the LP is currently being mastered, with hopes for a September release. Back in February, just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Deftones revealed that the album was being produced by Terry Date, who helmed Deftones’ first four LPs, including Around the Fur and White Pony. And in April, Cunningham briefly teased a guitar riff from the new album. While mixing had commenced, singer Chino Moreno said last month that the process was going slowly due to the social distancing between band members and Date. He added that the band had originally planned to release the album this summer, but they would “have to figure out” a new release date. Now, in a new interview with Download TV’s Kylie Olsson, as part...
Ocean Alley on How Eric Andre Inspired “Hot Chicken”
Kyle Meredith With… Ocean Alley Listen via Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Play | Stitcher | Radio Public Ocean Alley guitarist Mitch Galbraith speaks with Kyle Meredith about the Australian band’s new album, Lonely Diamond. The record comes on the heels of their single “Confidence” topping the Triple J Hottest 100, which put some pressure on the group going into this new set. Galbraith discusses the record’s themes of exploration, escapism, and creating a dreamworld, especially using landscapes to paint the lyrical picture. The guitarist also talks about the space cowboy, surf rock vibe they were going for and how Eric Andre inspired the single “Hot Chicken”. Kyle Meredith With… is an interview series in which WFPK’s Kyle Meredith ...
