Indie Rock
Hopscotch Announces 2021 Lineup with Animal Collective, Flying Lotus, Dr. Dog and More
In the spirit of the game for which it was named, Hopscotch Music Festival has leapt over the square marked 2020 and landed on 2021. The event returns to Raleigh, North Carolina from September 9th through 11th with appearances by Animal Collective, Flying Lotus, and Dr. Dog on their farewell tour. Hopscotch built its brand around an experimental and underground vibe, though those adjectives haven’t described this year’s headliners for quite a while. But few will complain about seeing more recognizable names on the roster. In addition to the bold-faced acts, the fest boasts performances by Caroline Polachek, Parquet Courts, and Shannon & The Clams, as well as Archers of Loaf, Body Meat, Bowerbirds, Colin Stetson, Dougie Poole, Garcia Peoples, Hannah Jadagu, Helado Negro, Hippo Camp...
The Joy Formidable Announce US Tour, Share New Single “Interval”: Stream
There’s less than a month to go until The Joy Formidable release their new album Into the Blue on August 20th. To tide fans over until then, the Welsh alt-rockers have just dropped “Interval,” a gripping new single from the record, and they’ve also announced 2021 US tour dates. Whereas their last album, 2018’s AAARTH, dipped into electronic elements at times, The Joy Formidable return to their heady rock roots on this new single. “Interval” quickly grabs the reigns with a thick bassline before singer Rhiannon “Ritzy” Bryan’s vocals enter the frame. Although it sounds relatively controlled and tempered in the first half, it’s clear that “Interval” is building tension early on — and, as such, it eventually explodes in track’s final fuzz-filled minutes. Stream it below. This is the final sing...
Arlo Parks Tests Positive for COVID-19
Arlo Parks has tested positive for COVID-19. The UK singer-songwriter and former Artist of the Month said she found out this morning and has been quarantining at home ever since. Parks took to Twitter this morning to break the news, allegedly right after she got her results. “Despite being as careful as possible, I’m writing to let you know that I tested positive for COVID-19 this morning,” she wrote. “As recommended, I’m now stuck in isolation, sniffling in bed, feeling very upset to have let all you angels down.” “This weekend had three shows in store: a Norwich outstore show, Latitude, and Standon Calling — I had butterflies in my tummy weeks in advance just picturing what it would be like to see your faces again,” she continued. “I’m so sorry to everybody who was looking forward to see...
Illuminati Hotties Links Up with Big Thief’s Buck Meek on New Single “u v v p”: Stream
Illuminati Hotties, the indie rock project of producer-songwriter Sarah Tudzin, has just released a new single from her upcoming album Let Me Do One More. It’s called “u v v p” and it sees her teaming up with Big Thief’s own Buck Meek. Stream the track below. “u v v p” has arrived just in time for summer, with its laid-back beach vibes and sunny steel guitar. So far in her career, Illuminati Hotties has made the biggest waves with punk-leaning pop numbers, but this Beach Boys-style track suits her just as well. By the time Buck Meek kicks in near the end for a verse that sounds like a cowboy reading a melodramatic letter, it’s clear that no matter what Tudzin writes, she can’t help but have fun while doing it. This is the third track Tudzin has shared from Let Me Do One More, her second pr...
Desert Daze Returning with The War on Drugs, Kamasi Washington and Toro y Moi as Headliners
Desert Daze is back! The Southern California-based festival is returning this November with headliners The War on Drugs, Kamasi Washington and Toro y Moi. This year will mark the ninth iteration of Desert Daze after its 2020 festivities were canceled along with the rest of the live music industry due to the coronavirus pandemic. Other acts taking the stage at the eclectic three-day event include Tim Heidecker and Weyes Blood, Japanese Breakfast, Devendra Banhart, Ty Segall, Deap Vally, Yves Tumor, and more. While the festival will be scaled down compared to past years as the world emerges from 16 months of quarantine life, attendees will have the option to camp alongside Lake Perris in the Moreno Valley from Friday, November 12th through Sunday, November 14th. VIP packages and general admi...
Song of the Week: Clairo Questions the Expectations of Womanhood, With Some Help From Lorde, on “Reaper”
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, a highlight from Clairo’s sophomore album, Sling, has us swooning. When announcing her sophomore LP, Sling, last month, Clairo shared a note admitting the album was inspired by her dog, Joanie, who made her consider themes of care, motherhood, and responsibility. These subjects all appear on the excellent late album cut “Reaper,” which features Lorde on backing vocals. Clairo ponders life with and without a child throughout the song, employing a gently-strummed acoustic and ethereal harmonies to create a comforting environment. Ho...
Clairo’s Sling Is a Luminous, Devastatingly Intimate Portrait of Domesticity
Just four years ago, Claire Cottrill was creating lo-fi bedroom pop on a simple keyboard. Then her now-certified-platinum song “Pretty Girl” went viral on YouTube, and the unexpectedly biting track cascaded into a breadth of opportunities for the young artist, who performs as Clairo. After dozens of festival shows, collaborations, and an EP, she released her excellent debut album Immunity in 2019 to widespread acclaim. Although many doubted Clairo’s ability to showcase a strong musical identity due to her age, background, and her viral moments, Immunity was an impressive and personal foray into her unique brand of indie pop. (It also sparked her first Billboard hit in “Sofia,” which enjoyed TikTok attention in the autumn of 2020.) Now, two years later, Clairo returns with Sling, an organic...
Brittany Howard Joins Nate Smith for New Song “Fly (For Mike)”: Stream
Brittany Howard has lent her voice to jazz drummer Nate Smith’s new song “Fly (For Mike).” If you’ve heard Howard, you’ve likely heard Smith, as he brought his ear for percussion to her 2019 album Jaime. But he’s been a well-respected sideman for years, and has previously sat in with modern jazz greats like Dave Holland, Chris Potter, and Robin Eubanks, as well as hitting the kit for Paul Simon on 2018’s In the Blue Light. “Fly (For Mike)” is a single off Smith’s upcoming album Kinfolk 2: See the Birds, out September 17th. The song is soft and cold, like snow falling at dusk. The track comes with a special dedication. “Every time I fly, I think of my late father, to whom this song is dedicated,” Smith said in a statement. “When I wrote it, I wanted the music to evoke a ...
Yves Tumor Surprise Releases New EP The Asymptotical World: Stream
Yves Tumor has surprise released the new EP The Asymptotical World. Stream it below via Apple Music or Spotify. This is the groundbreaking artist’s first studio set since 2020’s Heaven to a Tortured Mind, which was one of the best albums of the year. The Asymptotical World was co-produced and engineered by longtime collaborator Yves Rothman. It features six tracks, including the deliriously delightful single “Jackie,” as well as “Tuck” which boasts guest work from NAKED. Starting in September you can catch Yves Tumor on tour. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster or on the secondary market here. Advertisement Related Video The Asymptotical World EP Tracklist: Advertisement The Asymptotical World EP Tracklist:01. Jackie02. Crushed Velvet03. Secrecy Is...
Gang of Youths Share New Surprise EP total serene: Stream
Today, Gang of Youths surprise released their new EP, total serene. Stream it via Apple Music or Spotify below. The three-track collection marks the Australian band’s first project since 2017’s Go Farther In Lightness and was recorded in their London studio space. Its title references the “universal human desire” frontman David Le’aupepe has “craved for his entire life.” total serene includes “the angel of 8th ave,” which marked the return of Gang of Youths when they released it in June. When previously asked about the group’s next full-length, Le’aupepe told Apple Music’s Zane Lowe that it will be “ready when it’s ready. I’m not gonna rush it.” Advertisement Related Video In August and September, the band will be embarking on a UK headlining tour which will make stops in London,...
Protomartyr Announce US Tour Dates with The Breeders’ Kelley Deal
Last year, Protomartyr was one of countless bands whose tour was cut short due to the pandemic. Now, they’re finally ready to get back on the road. Better yet, on their upcoming US tour they’ll be joined by none other than Kelley Deal of The Breeders on guitar. The 13-date trek will see Protomartyr performing live in the Midwest and East Coast. They kick things off on November 8th in Chicago with a two-night set at the Empty Bottle before they drive to Milwaukee, Detroit, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, and a few other cities. Protomartyr and Kelley Deal will then conclude the tour on November 21st in Pittsburgh at Club Cafe. View the full list of tour dates below. Expect to hear plenty of songs from Protomartyr’s invigorating 2020 album Ultimate Success Today, likely bolste...
Eels Announce Spring 2022 Tour Dates
Eels have detailed a 2022 spring tour in support of their latest album, Earth to Dora, which dropped in October 2020. The European and US trek will take place from March through May. After kicking off the tour on March 11th in Belfast, the veteran indie rockers will travail across Europe while making stops in the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, and more. The US leg starts on May 8th in San Diego and includes cities like Chicago, New York City, and Boston. “We’ve got a lot of pent-up energy from all the time spent cooped-up and unable to rock,” said Eels mastermind Mark Oliver Everett about the tour. “It’s going to be an extra-special treat this time. We always have the greatest time playing live, but this is gonna get crazy. Attendees will want to keep their cameras rolling, becau...
