Indie Rock
Foxing Share New Album Draw Down the Moon: Stream
Foxing, the St. Louis trio whose music spans emo to prog rock and beyond, have just released their excellent new album Draw Down the Moon. Stream it below via Apple Music and Spotify. Draw Down the Moon is Foxing’s fourth album overall and their first since releasing the epic Nearer My God in 2018. Although it only spans 10 tracks, this new record is enormous in scope and sound. It sees Foxing drawing inspiration from everything imaginable—Dungeons and Dragons, Kate Bush, Joe Pera, overwhelming grief, deep gratitude, and more—and fitting it into sprawling, visionary songs that magically work well together. “It’s about the idea of your cosmic significance,” said frontman Conor Murphy in an earlier statement. “The way you feel like a tiny speck in the grand scheme of the universe, that’...
Into It. Over It. Shares Origins of Fugazi Cover “Instrument”: Exclusive
Our ongoing new music series Origins asks artists about the inspirations behind their latest tracks. Now, Into It. Over It. has revealed how his bruising cover of Fugazi’s “Instrument” came together. It’s not often that a classic punk song hits harder after acoustic guitars replace electric, but that’s just what Into It. Over It. has accomplished with the new cover of Fugazi’s “Instrument.” The project from Evan Thomas Weiss contributed the track to Silence Is a Dangerous Sound: A Tribute to Fugazi, which comes via Ripcord Records. All proceeds benefit the Tribe Animal Sanctuary in Scotland. The double-CD release will be available October 1st, and includes 43 Fugazi tracks by admiring artists, including La Dispute, Authority Zero, and even Pet Symmetry, W...
Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst and Waxahatchee’s Katie Crutchfield Trade “Songwriting Slump” Tips and Discuss Returning to the Stage
Katie Crutchfield was destined to be a Bright Eyes fan. The singer-songwriter, who performs poignant folk-rock as Waxahatchee, recalls the music of Conor Oberst as a crucial turning point in her upbringing as a self-proclaimed outcast in suburban Alabama: “I feel like Bright Eyes had one of the biggest impacts of any band at the time,” Crutchfield tells Consequence by phone from her Kansas City home. It’s serendipitous that nearly twenty years after she first became enamored with albums like Letting Off the Happiness, Fevers and Mirrors, and Lifted or The Story Is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground, Waxahatchee would be pegged to open for the Bright Eyes show, along with Lucy Dacus, at New York’s Forest Hills Stadium on July 31st. (The emo-folk titans played their first show tog...
Sharon Van Etten, Jack Antonoff, Fred Armisen Join Beck Onstage at Newport Folk Festival: Watch
For being such a low-key event, Newport Folk Festival sure loves to jam as many star-studded cameos and surprises as possible into their schedule. The latest example of such went down on Tuesday when Beck was joined onstage by Sharon Van Etten, Jack Antonoff, and Fred Armisen for different songs. Because, you know, why not? Normally Newport Folk Festival takes place over the course of one weekend, but the 2021 edition of the event is operating a little differently. They divided their schedule up over two back-to-back three-day chunks, each with a completely unique lineup. To help mitigate COVID-19 risks, Newport organizers also limited the capacity to just 5,000 daily attendees. All of this helps set the scene for the magical reality of a cameo-filled set like the one Beck just p...
Liz Phair Pulls Out of Tour With Alanis Morissette and Garbage, Replaced by Cat Power
Bad news for those who were planning to catch Liz Phair on tour with Alanis Morissette and Garbage this year: Phair announced this week that she had pulled out of the tour. In her place, fellow ’90s icon Cat Power will join the lineup on the Jagged Little Pill 25th anniversary tour. “Sadly, due to unforeseen circumstances, I won’t be able to join Alanis & Garbage on tour this summer,” the singer-songwriter wrote on Twitter. “I’m incredibly disappointed as I was looking forward to seeing all of your beautiful faces. Shoutout to Alanis, Garbage, and Cat Power, who I know will put on an incredible show. Hope to see you all soon!” The “Why Can’t I?” singer has yet to give any indication to what prompted her dropping out of the tour, which kicks off in Austin this August after being delayed...
Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker Sing in Simlish for The Sims 4 Cottage Living: Stream
After lots of hype, The Sims 4 expansion pack Cottage Living finally hit stores yesterday. The release includes songs by Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus sung in in Simlish, the game’s in-universe gibberish language. For Cottage Living, Baker decided to tackle her Little Oblivions track “Faith Healer,” which sounds surprisingly natural despite the fact that she’s singing made-up words. Baker even adds in the trills and falsetto climbs that occur in the original version of the song! It’s creative and fun, and yes, packs plenty of emotion despite incoherent lyrics. As for Dacus, she chose to perform her Home Video song “Hot & Heavy” for the game. Like Baker, she seems to navigate the familiar-yet-not complexities of Simlish surprisingly well. It almost sounds like Dacus has sung “Hot &a...
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...
