Alternative Rock
Alex Lahey Leaves Herself at the Altar in Video for “Congratulations”: Watch
Alex Lahey has unveiled her first single of 2022 with the semi-celebratory “Congratulations.” The song is accompanied by a music video written by Lahey that features the Australian singer-songwriter playing dual roles in a hysterical wedding farce. “Congratulations” finds Lahey grinning through the pain as she watches her exes find new partners in very quick succession. She expertly brushes off any signs of sour grapes with quips like, “So happy for your perfect life/ There’s something in my eye” despite the palpable emotional strain to get the words out. “Two of my exes got engaged within an improbably short space of time of one another,” Lahey revealed in a statement. “What are the odds? I couldn’t not write a song inspired by it.” Advertisement Related Video In the self-described “deepl...
The National Remix NEU!’s “Im Glück” for NEU! 50! Box Set: Stream
This September, Krautrock pioneers NEU! are celebrating the 50th anniversary of their self-titled debut album with the NEU! 50! box set, which includes a tribute album comprising covers and remixes by an impressive list of artist. One of those names is The National, who have today shared their remix of NEU!’s “Im Glück.” The original version of “Im Glück” appeared on NEU! in 1972, and it’s a nearly-seven-minute drone track that doesn’t share much in common with The National’s typical indie rock. It’s pretty structureless with no rhythm section, almost acting like an intermission on the album. With The National’s touch, however, it becomes a bit of a dance number; the band add a shuffling house beat and layer it with more instrumentals, turning it into a much more active, melodic ...
Gang of Youths Cancel North American Tour Due to “Ongoing Health Issues”
Gang of Youths have canceled the upcoming North American leg of their world tour due to lead singer Dave Le’aupepe’s “ongoing health issues.” The Australian rockers were set to kick off the trek September 13th in Milwaukee, zig-zagging across the US and Canada and ending with an appearance at Ohana Festival before an October 1st concert in Las Vegas. However, Le’aupepe suggests that health concerns are sapping his ability to perform. “In the words of warren zevon, my shit’s fucked up,” he wrote in a social media statement. “I need to take some time off to address these concerns before we pick back up again. i’m so sorry to everybody who is disappointed by this. a lot of the inner shit i feel has a lot to do with letting people down and i’m feeling that more than ever at this poin...
Gorillaz Announce New Album Cracker Island, Share “New Gold” Featuring Tame Impala: Stream
Gorillaz will come in swinging next year with a new album. Cracker Island, the animated band’s eighth studio album, will arrive February 24th, 2023 via Parlophone, and as a sample of what’s to come, they’ve teamed up with Tame Impala today for the new single “New Gold.” Gorillaz rang in their new era in July with Cracker Island’s title track, which included a contribution from Thundercat. Like most recent Gorillaz projects, the album boasts an impressive list of featured guests, including Stevie Nicks, Bad Bunny, Beck, The Pharcyde’s Bootie Brown, and Adeleye Omotayo. The lore of Gorillaz also continues: “Murdoc, Noodle, Russel, and 2D have relocated to Silver Lake, California as they recruit new members to join ‘The Last Cult’, in search of the one truth to fix the world. Report...
PUP Announce New Live EP PUP Unravels Live in Front of Everyone They Know
PUP are sharing the first transmissions from their ongoing 2022 tour (tickets here) on a new live EP titled PUP Unravels Live in Front of Everyone They Know. It arrives on October 12th. The EP consists of six cuts collected from a run of shows earlier this year in the band’s native Toronto. “Hometown shows always kinda [of] trip me out,” frontman Stefan Babcock shared in a statement. ” On one hand, they are the most fun shows to play. Toronto has always rallied behind us and we are so lucky to feel that love. But they are also stressful because you don’t want to screw up in front of everyone you know.” He continued, “All of our families, friends, frenemies, the guy who used to sell me weed at the Wendy’s drive-thru, kids I went to elementary school with, my parents’ neighbors. It’s a lot. ...
Feist Opens for Arcade Fire, Donates Merch Proceeds After Win Butler Misconduct Allegations
Despite the allegations of sexual misconduct that surfaced against Arcade Fire frontman Win Butler last weekend, the band is still continuing with their 2022 tour as scheduled, beginning on Tuesday in Dublin, Ireland. Opening act Feist is still joining them, but she’ll be donating proceeds from her merch sales to Women’s Aid Dublin. At the time of publishing this article, Feist hasn’t posted about her donation plans on any of her social media, but photos of her merch table were posted on Twitter, indicating that all proceeds from her merch sold that night would be going to Women’s Aid, which provides a number of resources to domestic abuse survivors in and around Dublin. On August 27th, Pitchfork published a detailed report about the accusations against Butler. The alleged misconduct took ...
Arcade Fire Receive “Rapturous Applause” at First Show Since Win Butler’s Sexual Misconduct Allegations
Arcade Fire took the stage at Dublin’s at 3Arena in Dublin on Tuesday for their first show since allegations of frontman Win Butler’s sexual misconduct surfaced. According to fans in attendance, the band received a “rapturous applause” as they kicked off the concert with a performance of “Wake Up.” The arena was reportedly close to capacity, with only pockets of empty seats in the upper levels. For his part, Butler kept the stage banter to a minimum and made no mention of the allegations levied against him. Instead, he thanked the crowd “from the bottom of my heart” for coming out. Butler also mingled with the crowd and posed for photographs prior to the concert kicking off. Related Video In a report published by Pitchfork last weekend, four individuals — three women and one person who is ...
Arctic Monkeys Live Their ’70s Dreams in New Song “There’d Better Be a Mirrorball”: Stream
Arctic Monkeys have revealed “There’d Better Be a Mirrorball,” a retro new single from their upcoming album The Car. Drummer Matt Helders previously revealed that Arctic Monkeys’ next album “kinda picks up where” 2018’s loungey Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino left off, and “There’d Better Be a Mirrorball” certainly proves his point. Lush with swelling strings and piano, the song begins on an almost ominous note before fully acquiescing to Alex Turner’s most cinematic, Phil Spector-inspired desires. Even the track’s grainy, sepia-toned music video fits the vibe, as the band track the song in collared shirts and dress pants. Take a trip back to the ’70s below. The Car arrives in full October 21st via Domino, and pre-orders are ongoing. Shortly after announcing the album, ...
Every Wilco Album Ranked From Worst to Best
This article was originally published in 2019 and has been updated in celebration of Jeff Tweedy’s birthday on August 25th. Welcome to Dissected, where we disassemble a band’s catalog, a director’s filmography, or some other critical pop-culture collection in the abstract. It’s exact science by way of a few beers. This time, we sort through the best and worst of Chicago’s rock ‘n’ roll teddy bears. There’s nothing easy about Wilco. Their songs leave plenty for the listener to unpack and digest, from studiously arranged musical touches to frontman Jeff Tweedy’s sometimes sweet and earnest, other times gonzo lyrics. There’s work that goes into getting your head around Wilco, which probably explains why the Chicago band have become one of the most adored acts of their generation. But dissecti...
Moses Sumney Announces Musical Hiatus, Shares Cover of Björk’s “Come to Me”: Stream
Moses Sumney has spent the past two years promoting his stellar 2020 album græ, and now it’s time for him to take a hiatus from music as he focuses on other projects. Before he moves on for the time being, however, the musician is gearing up to release a live concert film called A Performance in V Acts, which will debut in full on Wednesday, August 31st via YouTube. As a preview, Sumney has shared a cover of Björk’s “Come to Me” from his October 31st, 2021 performance at the Ford Theater in Los Angeles. Rocking a suit jacket with ornate ruffles and a skirt, the artist stripped down the 1993 track to primarily a bassline and a smattering of synths. After inducing goosebumps with his vocals, Sumney entered the crowd midway through the performance and made audience members swoon as ...
2022 Zona Music Festival: Beach House, Portugal. the Man, and Bleachers Lead Lineup
Phoenix, Arizona is home to the brand new Zona Music Festival. The inaugural two-day festival goes down on December 3rd and 4th at Margaret T. Hance Park, and boasts a lineup led by Beach House, Portugal. the Man, and Bleachers. Tegan and Sara and Japanese Breakfast are also set to play Zona this year. “We are beyond thrilled to be among this incredible lineup and return to one of our favourite cities in the United States,” the former act said in a statement. “It’s been a long three years, and we are very much looking forward to getting on stage and strutting our stuff at ZONA in December!” Other notable acts include Waxahatchee, Kevin Morby, Bartees Strange, Jeff Rosenstock, Lucy Dacus, Pom Pom Squad, SASAMI, Lucius, The Regrettes, Beach Goons, Chicano Batman, Chloe Lilac, Destroy Boys, f...
Arctic Monkeys Announce New Album The Car
Arctic Monkeys have announced their long-awaited new album. Entitled The Car, the band’s seventh studio effort is due out on Friday, October 21st. The Car features ten new songs written by frontman Alex Turner, produced by James Ford, and recorded at Butley Priory in Suffolk, RAK Studios in London, and La Frette in Paris. A press release describes the album as “running wild in a new and sumptuous musical landscape and contain[ing] some of the richest and most rewarding vocal performances of Turner’s career.” Earlier this year, drummer Matt Helders teased the band’s new album by saying “it kinda picks up where” 2018’s loungey Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino left off. “I mean, it’s never gonna be like [the band’s 2012 single] ‘R U Mine?’ and all that stuff again, you know, the heavy riff...
