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....
While Hollywood is adamant on getting theaters re-opened, Americans don’t exactly share that sentiment. According to a new poll conducted by The Hollywood Reporter, only a third of Americans say they’d go see a movie in 2020. The publication, in conjunction with global data intelligence company Morning Consult, surveyed 2,200 people from June 26th to June 29th. Ultimately, their findings reveal a country that’s much too hesitant on returning to theaters. As the report indicates, 65% of Americans are “very unlikely” to return to theaters immediately with 35% writing off the experience altogether in 2020. In fact, 19% wouldn’t change their minds even if masks are required. However, half of those Americans say they would return within the first few months of 2021. And not surprisingly, t...
More streaming networks means more hours potentially lost to skimming. Consequence of Sound doesn’t want any of that for you (or for themselves), which is why they’ve rounded up the best of the best on all the major streaming networks. Granted, we’ve already shown you everything coming to Amazon Prime, Disney Plus, HBO Max, Hulu, Netflix, and Shudder in July 2020. But, for brevity’s sake, we’ve assembled an easy-to-read guide that you can consult throughout the month. When it comes to strictly flicks, Hulu and HBO Max have everyone beat. For laughs, head to Hulu for Palm Springs, the best of Christopher Guest, the first three Trip films, Liar, Liar, My Cousin Vinny, and the list goes on. For new tentpoles, HBO Max is premiering Midway, Motherless Brooklyn, Harriet, and Last Christmas....
In the early days of the pandemic, Father John Misty released his live album Off-Key in Hamburg to benefit the MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund. As the country continues to face unprecedented health and social challenges, the indie folk artist is back with another charity release, this time aligned with Bandcamp’s final scheduled fee-free event. On Friday, July 3rd, FJM unveils a new covers EP called Anthem +3. The EP’s title is pretty autological: It features a new rendition of Leonard Cohen’s “Anthem” plus three other previously released covers. Father John Misty recorded his take on “Anthem” just a few weeks back, according to a press release, alongside producer Jonathan Wilson at his Fivestar Studios in Topanga, California. Also on the EP are Wilson-produced versions of Cohen’s “One of U...
In 2018, boygenius dropped one of the best releases of the year with their self-titled debut EP. Now, the indie supergroup is offering fans a glimpse at the origins of that stellar project by sharing a collection of demos. Early “voice memo” versions of EP tracks “Bite the Hand”, “Me & My Dog”, and “Stay Down” will be made available to stream exclusively on Bandcamp on Friday, July 3rd. According to a statement, these rough recordings were taped in rehearsal on June 5th, 2018 — the day before boygenius would enter the studio to officially work their magic. The three demos will remain on Bandcamp for just 24 hours, to coincide with the streaming platform’s waiver of revenue share. All proceeds will be divided evenly between three local organizations specifically chosen by each band...
Fender is catering to the ukulele player’s inner rock star with their new Fullerton series. The new hybrid electric-acoustic ukuleles are modeled to look like classic Fender guitars, and they can be played plugged or unplugged. The Fullerton series, which Fender calls one of its “most stage-ready instruments,” features classic body shapes of the Telecaster, Stratocaster, and Jazzmaster, merging the world of electric guitar with the soft plucks of the ukulele. However, when amplified through the built-in Fender-designed preamp system, the Fullerton ukes take on a new life. Plug into a distortion pedal and they allow ukulele players to create fuzzed out garage rock or even heavy metal. The preamp features separate volume and tone controls, as well as a built-in chromatic tuner interface. Ano...
Austin City Limits has officially canceled its 2020 festival amid ongoing concerns over the coronavirus pandemic. The Texas music festival was quietly holding out hope that it could continue as scheduled for this fall, likely because this year marks the 20th anniversary of Austin City Limits and special celebrations were in the works for such. Thankfully, ACL will celebrate that milestone next year when it returns to Zilker Park on October 1st – 3rd and October 8th – 10th in 2021. “We would have loved to put on another memorable show this year, however, with the uncertainty surrounding the current situation in Texas, this decision is the only responsible solution,” ACL organizers wrote in a statement. “The health and safety of our fans, artists, partners, staff, and the entire Austin commu...
Who had Frosty the Snowman played by Jason Momoa on their 2020 bingo card? The Game of Thrones and Aquaman hunk has boarded Warner Bros.’s upcoming live-action adaptation of the children’s holiday classic, according to Deadline. Elf scribe David Berenbaum is writing the film’s script, reuniting with producer Jon Berg. “From his role as a fearsome count in a land of ice and fire to the oceanic success we all had with Aquaman, it felt only right to realize Jason this time out of snow,” Berg commented in a statement. Added co-producer Greg Silverman, “We know Jason’s as a true human being filled with love, compassion and a deep connection to ohana — all of which is the living spirit of Xmas and Frosty.” Editors’ Picks Momoa may be best known for playing Khal Drago, the ferocio...
Amazon Prime Video is a maze. Like its global namesake, the streaming service is a digital jungle of titles. That’s why each month Consequence of Sound puts together a full list of new TV and film titles being dropped into the thick of it. July 2020 is not so good, Al. There’s the second season of Hanna, Vivarium is finally streaming without the VOD charge, and, um, we can all revisit the time Owen Wilson got swallowed whole by a snake in 1997’s Anaconda. In terms of other Flicks We’d Maybe Revisit on Rainy Days During the Summer, there’s Michael Mann’s Ali, Rob Zombie’s The Devil’s Rejects, David Fincher’s Panic Room, and Adam Sandler’s underrated turn in Spanglish. Check out the entire list below and act accordingly. To help round out your streaming sessions, be sure to read our recent g...
Weezer (photo by Ben Kaye), Green Day (photo by Heather Kaplan), and Fall Out Boy (photo by Philip Cosores) The “Hella Mega Tour” is ready to hit the road — for real this time. Green Day, Fall Out Boy, and Weezer have just announced the rescheduled dates of their joint stadium tour for later this fall and into summer 2021. This news arrives just over a month after the bands revealed they would have to delay the tour due to the coronavirus pandemic. The “Hella Mega Tour” now kicks off on November 8th in Perth, Australia and sees the bands perform in various cities across the country and in New Zealand. After that, they will take a break before resuming the stadium jaunt in Europe next summer. That leg kicks off in Paris on June 9th and has the bands playing in London, Glasgow, Dublin, and o...