music
Marilyn Manson Releases New Album WE ARE CHAOS: Stream
Marilyn Manson is back with his 11th studio album, WE ARE CHAOS, which is now available to stream in full below. The LP follows 2017’s Heaven Upside Down. The 10-song album was produced by Shooter Jennings, and finds Manson exploring his various influences from ’70s glam rock to ’80s new wave. The LP’s release was preceded by two singles — the title track and “DON’T CHASE THE DEAD”. While the album was completed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Manson told us in our recent interview that he hopes the themes of WE ARE CHAOS help people cope during these difficult times: “A lot of people interpret some of the themes or particularly [the song] ‘WE ARE CHAOS’ as being related to what we’re going through right now. But I think the song was probably written a year and a half ago or so, lyrically....
The Flaming Lips Unveil New Album American Head: Stream
The Flaming Lips have released their new album, American Head. Stream it below via Apple Music and Spotify. The effort is the 21st (!) record from the Oklahoma psych-rock heroes, following their 2019 album King’s Mouth and their collaborative album with Deap Valley from earlier this year. As its title implies, American Head is the Lips’ embracing their identity as an American band. When they announced the album back in June, frontman Wayne Coyne published a short essay about how they always considered their homebase to be “Earth”, but that they wanted to see what would happen when they consciously channeled so-called traditional American rock ‘n’ roll. All of the album’s many singles — “Dinosaurs On The Mountain”, “My Religion Is You”, “You n Me Sellin’ Weed”, “Mother P...
Marilyn Manson Masterfully Embraces His Influences on WE ARE CHAOS: Review
The Lowdown: While Marilyn Manson has developed a signature sound over the past 30 years, it never manages to get stale. One reason for this is the revolving door of musicians and producers with whom he has worked throughout his career. Manson is back with his 11th album, WE ARE CHAOS, and he recruited Shooter Jennings — son of legendary country artists Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter — as his new musical compatriot. The two met when Manson was working on the TV show Sons of Anarchy and, according to Manson, have wanted to work together for a while. With Tyler Bates at the production helm on Manson’s critically acclaimed albums The Pale Emperor (2015) and Heaven Upside Down (2017), one might be concerned about this change in the ranks. Have no fear, though, as the resulting collaboration ...
Miley Cyrus Performs “Midnight Sky” and Covers “Maneater” on Fallon: Watch
Even during the era of social distancing, no one does late night like Miley Cyrus. The pop star was a guest on Thursday night’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and from her interview atop a Peter Shire throne to her dazzling, full-stage performance of “Midnight Sky”, it was as glamorous as pandemic entertainment can get. Talking with Fallon from her geometric chair set in a pitch black void, Cyrus discussed keeping herself centered amidst her crazy career and her recent VMAs performance. She also touched on asking Stevie Nicks for permission to sample “Edge of Seventeen” on “Midnight Sky”. “I have the coolest letter ever from Stevie, too,” she revealed. “I sent her the song, and I said, ‘I have an alternate melody. If you don’t want me to pay tribute to you and your greatness and h...
Yusuf / Cat Stevens Reveals New Duet Version of “Father and Son”: Stream
Yusuf / Cat Stevens is celebrating the 50th anniversary of Tea for the Tillerman with a new version of the classic album. Titled simply Tea for the Tillerman², it consists of re-recordings of all 11 of the original songs. Some of the updates are more straightforward, while others, such as today’s rendition of “Father and Son”, have been completely reimagined for 2020. The narrative of this reworking of “Father and Son” remains the same, recounting the strain and discord that often exist in families as a result of a stark generational gap. What makes this version stand apart, however, is that it features Yusuf’s original 1970 vocals alongside voice arrangements recorded in 2020 — in effect allowing for the songwriting legend to “duet” with himself as both father and son. Neat trick, huh? “‘...
Disturbed Cover Sting’s “If I Ever Lose My Faith in You”: Stream
Disturbed have had unquestionable success with cover songs in the past, and now the metal act is trying their hand at the classic Sting song “If I Ever Lose My Faith in You”. While Disturbed were already established as one of heavy music’s biggest bands, their 2015 cover of Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Sound of Silence” took them to a new stratosphere. An accompanying video for the song has racked up more than 600 million views on YouTube. On their Sting cover, Disturbed keep things fairly mellow for the first half of the track, with frontman David Draiman delivering clean vocals to start. At the 2:23 mark, Disturbed turn things up, with Draiman switching over to his powerful rasp and the band kicking in with heavy guitars and drums. “We have loved this song for a long time, and even ...
Growing Concerns Poetry Collective Announce New Album Big Dark Bright Futures
Chicago’s own Growing Concerns Poetry Collective have announced their new album, BIG DARK BRIGHT FUTURES. Due out October 16th, the followup to 2017’s We Here: Thank You for Noticing once again reunites filmmaker, poet, and actor McKenzie Chinn; actor and DIY hip-hop prodigy Mykele Deville; and multidisciplinary visual artist/musical composer Jeffrey Michael Austin. In anticipation, they’ve shared a music video for their latest single “Shout Across Mountains”. Written and composed between 2017 and 2019, the new album offers “an emotional, expansive, no-holds-barred journey through both the shadowed valleys and hopeful peaks of our current moment,” a press release notes. The Collective cites influences of Afrofuturism, Solange, and Frank Ocean, insisting that it “finds the common place...
Miley Cyrus Says Her New Album is Inspired by Britney Spears and Metallica
Miley Cyrus wants her new album to be “reflective” of the music she loves, which ranges from “Britney Spears to Metallica.” The pop singer spoke about the forthcoming LP in an interview with French radio station NRJ. She suggested that her new song “Midnight Sky” is one interpretation of those musical ideas, saying, “I think the first single comes with a lot of pressure because it does kind of show everyone where you’re going.” The combination of pop and metal ruled radio in the glam-rock heyday of the 1980s, and glam is certainly a reference for “Midnight Sky”. But it wouldn’t be a surprise if some other songs are wildly different. As Cyrus emphasized, she has wide musical taste. She said, “But again, in my sets, I cover Britney Spears to Metallica, so my record will be reflective of who ...
Phoebe Bridgers, Beck, Jeff Tweedy Cover Daniel Johnston Songs for Livestream Tribute: Watch
Yesterday mark the one-year anniversary of the death of Daniel Johnston. In honor of his memory, Electric Lady Studios organized “Honey, I Sure Miss You”, a livestream tribute headlined by Phoebe Bridgers, Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, and Beck. But as it turned out, Johnston himself stole the show in a previously-unreleased home video. The event was named for Johnston’s 1991 track “Honey, I Sure Miss You”, and was organized with the cooperation of the Johnston estate. The musical memorial opened with a teaser of Johnston playing piano, followed by a few words from the man of the hour: “Hello, this is a recorded message,” it begins. “I am Dan Johnston. Though I am not with you physically, I am with you in heart. With all my heart. And I am thinking about you in hope that you are doing fin...
Audrey Nuna Uncorks New Song “damn right”: Stream
Emerging singer/rapper Audrey Nuna has uncorked her new song “damn right”. This satirical stunt track is the first single from her forthcoming debut EP. Nuna grew up in New Jersey, releasing Instagram covers that eventually attracted the attention of manager/producer Anwar Sawyer. After high school, she split time writing with Sawyer and attending the prestigious Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at NYU. But soon, her studies had to give way to the real thing. Now 21 years old and signed to Arista Records, Nuna has released a string of buzzworthy singles, of which “damn right” just might be the best. Producer Nate Donmoyer has built a thumper of a beat, but with delicate synth touches which keep the track from sounding overly serious. Nuna kicks off with a slurred, chest-banging flow...
The Flaming Lips Perform “God and the Policeman” in Giant Bubbles on Fallon: Watch
On Friday night, The Flaming Lips appeared remotely on Fallon for a performance of “God and the Policeman”. This standout song from their just-released album American Head originally boasted the clarion tones of Kacey Musgraves. Perhaps her schedule kept her away from The Lips’ studio, or maybe Petco ran out of hamster balls. It wasn’t a matter of social-distancing, because the Lips have been pioneering that long before it was necessary. Their trademark personal bubbles served them well once again, allowing them to get a little closer than would normally feel comfortable. While many recent late night performances feature bands near each other on stage, the Lips seem to be actually playing together. “God and the Policeman” is a meditation on guilt. The words are simple enough...
Song of the Week: James Blake Comforts Listeners with Frank Ocean’s “Godspeed”
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 New Sounds playlist. Cover songs often get a lot of shade thrown at them. That’s nothing new. Don’t we all get at least a little skeptical (and disappointed) when one of our favorite artists announces a covers album or drops a cover instead of an original single? While we may dig the song, it tends to feel like we’re being re-gifted something, and part of us might even suspect that the artist is holding out on us or, worse yet, has nothing else on creative tap. Of course, how quickly we forget that some of the best songs in our collective canon are cover versions and that all musicians (from The Beatles to those assholes who “practice” in your neighbor...
