music
Crowdfunding Campaign Launched to Save Boston Venue Great Scott
Last month, Boston music venue Great Scott announced it was closing due to disagreements with the landlord. Because it’s a local institution, the public reaction was huge, with people working on multiple petitions and fundraising efforts to benefit the staff. Now, a community investment campaign has been launched by Great Scott’s booking agent, Carl Lavin, to save the beloved venue. Earlier this week, Lavin announced he’s partnering with Mainvest — an investment crowdfunding platform focused on helping local businesses — to raise money to re-open Great Scott for good, reports Vanyaland. Frank Strenk, the venue’s longtime owner, came to an agreement with Lavin to transfer the venue’s intellectual property, its liquor license, and the ability to negotiate a lease with Oak Hill Properties — t...
Fiona Apple, Cyndi Lauper, Aimee Mann Wrote Songs for Apple TV’s Central Park
Today brings the debut of Apple TV’s Central Park, the new animated series from Loren Bouchard and Nora Smith’s (Bob’s Burgers). With the first two episodes now streaming, their accompanying soundtracks have also been released. In fact, the songwriting credits for the entire first season has been revealed, and there are some big names attached. Fiona Apple, Cyndi Lauper, Aimee Mann, Sara Bareilles, and Meghan Trainor have all contributed music to the series. Other songwriters include Anthony Hamilton, Darren Criss, activist Rafael Casal, and actor-rapper Utkarsh Ambudkar. That’s in addition to songs from the show’s core writing team (Kate Anderson, Elyssa Samsel, and Brent Knopf), as well as composers for TV, film, and theater such as Alan Menken and Glenn Slater. Unfortunately, ...
Cardi B, Charli Puth, And Lil Nas X Are Vibing To Lady Gaga’s Chromatica
A grand, orchestral composition welcomes you on “Chromatica I,” the opener to Lady Gaga‘s sixth studio album, Chromatica. The song begins with a low rumbling that quickly gives way to a flurry of crying strings, scrambling to a crescendo before leveling out in a soaring, trumpeted melody. Like the theme to a sci-fi flick, it evokes the feeling of flying, of a long and sprawling journey, as the prelude to some dancehall epic. And then it drops, and with a seamless flow into “Alice,” things really get moving. That sonic journey feels almost symbolic for the bumpy road to the album’s release itself, one that was paved by delays and leaks — as well as joyful, pop-futurist music videos and visuals sealed by a sine insignia. ...
Taylor Swift Eviscerates Trump for “Stoking the Fires of White Supremacy and Racism”
Last year, Taylor Swift vowed to be more politically active, especially during the 2020 Election cycle. Keeping her promise, the pop megastar has just eviscerated Donald Trump in her very first public tweet to mention him by name. “After stoking the fires of white supremacy and racism your entire presidency, you have the nerve to feign moral superiority before threatening violence?” she wrote on Twitter on Friday. “‘When the looting starts the shooting starts’??? “We will vote you out in November. @realdonaldtrump” After stoking the fires of white supremacy and racism your entire presidency, you have the nerve to feign moral superiority before threatening violence? ‘When the looting starts the shooting starts’??? We will vote you out in November. @realdonaldtrump — Taylor Swift (@taylorswi...
Dance Music Festival in Kansas City Receives Approval to Take Place in 2020
Despite the coronavirus crisis, at least one major music festival still plans to take place this summer. The electronic music and camping festival Dancefestopia has received approval from Kansas state officials to take place September 10th-13th. Many health care experts had warned that live music wouldn’t be feasible until the development of a vaccine, which is why we heard predictions that concerts wouldn’t return until fall 2021. But in a Facebook post, organizers said they’d gotten the green light from state and county officials. They wrote, “BREAKING NEWS!! State and County guidance enables a #FULLSEND to Dancefestopia 2020. The situation could change; however, as of yesterday, county and state officials approved Dancefestopia 2020. We will continue to work with health and go...
Fleetwood Mac’s Neil Finn, Stevie Nicks, and Christine McVie Team Up on New Single “Find Your Way Back Home”: Stream
New Zealand native Neil Finn has invited his fellow Fleetwood Mac members Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie to join him on a new charity single. Titled “Find Your Way Back Home”, the release benefits Auckland City Mission, a nonprofit that provides support to the local homeless population. Speaking to the New Zealand Herald (via Pitchfork), Finn said the track was partially inspired by an encounter he’d had at Auckland City Mission as a child. “There are all these people in all of our lives, I think, that we drift away from,” he recalled, adding, “I didn’t know them but there was a story there, that was a connection that I made. It just puts it in your backyard.” “I live in a pretty fortunate situation and I move in circles that are not in daily contact with homeless people. So it’s good to...
The Raconteurs Release New EP and Documentary, Live at Electric Lady: Stream
The Raconteurs have shared a new EP and concert documentary, both called Live at Electric Lady. Stream them below via Spotify and YouTube. As the title implies, this Spotify exclusive was recorded at the iconic Electric Lady Studios in New York City. Built by Jimi Hendrix and legendary acoustician John Storyk in 1970, the studio has hosted some of the most celebrated acts of the last fifty years, including one of Jack White’s other bands, The White Stripes. This release is the first in a Spotify-sponsored series that celebrates Electric Lady’s 50th anniversary. Recorded in September of last year, the nine-track EP leans heavily on The Raconteurs’ 2019 album Help Us Stranger, including “Bored and Razed”, “Help Me Stranger”, “Only Child”, and “Sunday Driver”. The rockers also play a pai...
Iron Maiden, KISS, and System of a Down Headline Virtual Download Festival
Iron Maiden and KISS (photos by Kevin RC Wilson) / System of a Down (photo by Raymond Ahner) Iron Maiden, KISS, and System of a Down will headline the virtual Download TV festival, which will stream on YouTube and social media June 12-14th. All three bands were set to headline this year’s Download Festival, a massive annual UK heavy music gathering that was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The virtual fest promises footage from prior Download appearances, socially distant performances, interviews, and exclusive content from the bands that were initially slated for this year’s lineup. The weekend schedule will be divided into day and evening programming. The day content “celebrates the spirit of Download Festival” and the evening will feature two to three hours of “tailor-made prog...
R.I.P. Bob Kulick, Lou Reed Guitarist and SpongeBob Songwriter Dies at 70
Bob Kulick, a veteran session guitarist known for his work with Lou Reed, Meat Loaf, and KISS, has died at the age of 70. News of Bob’s death was revealed by his older brother, former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick. “I am heartbroken to have to share the news of the passing of my brother Bob Kulick,” Bruce wrote in a post to Facebook. “His love of music, and his talent as a musician and producer should always be celebrated. I know he is at peace now, with my parents, playing his guitar as loud as possible. Please respect the Kulick Family’s privacy during this very sad time.” Bob himself actually auditioned for KISS in 1972, but was beaten out for the job by Ace Frehley. Nevertheless, he was an active contributor to the band in an uncredited capacity, playing on albums including Alive II, Unm...
Taylor Swift’s Friendship Dirge, Lil’ Kim’s Girls’ Night Out, And More Legendary All-Female Collabs
Eve ft. Gwen Stefani: “Let Me Blow Ya Mind” (2001) In 2001, Gwen Stefani was still primarily known for fronting No Doubt. Though she’d sung on songs for Sublime, Prince, Moby, and others, she wasn’t yet widely known as a secret-weapon hook-delivery machine. But Eve changed that. “Let Me Blow Ya Mind,” which hit No. 2 in the United States and won the first-ever Best Rap/Sung Performance Grammy, is a minimal masterpiece. Dr. Dre co-authored the skeletal, creeping beat, the perfect platform for a swaggering Eve to start giving commands: “Yo, drop your glasses / Shake your asses.” Her endless star power was only magnified by Stefani, who returned the feature favor three years later on her own solo venture. —Patrick Hosken You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are looking for Dates Online. So...
Orville Peck Announces New Show Pony EP, Shares “No Glory in the West”: Stream
Orville Peck will celebrate the summer season with a new EP dubbed Show Pony. His first collection of music since last year’s Pony debut is officially due out June 12th. According to social media posts, the forthcoming EP features his “Summertime” single from April, as well as “No Glory in the West”, a newly revealed track that’s streaming below. Update: The tracklist also features a collaboration with Shania Twain called “Legends Never Die”. “I loved my experience with Pony. However, Show Pony is a more confident perspective and allows me to share even more both lyrically and musically,” Peck said in a statement. “Like all country albums, Show Pony is a little collection of stories – some sad, some happy – and I am excited for people to hear it. Working with Shania was a dream come t...
El-P Shares Score for Tom Hardy’s Capone: Stream
Josh Trank’s new movie Capone is, as our reviewer Scout Tafoya put it, “one of the most bravely singular and uncommon films you’ll see this year.” Today, we get to hear some of what made the film so unique: El-P’s original score. The Capone (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is out today on Milan Records, and you can stream it below via Apple Music and Spotify. The hour-long, 13-track collection marks the Run the Jewels rapper/producer’s first full movie score since 2004’s Bomb the System. However, El, born Jaime Meline, has contributed music to numerous films over the years, including Ben Younger’s 2016 movie Bleed for This and Trank’s own Fantastic 4, for which he scored the end credits. He also contributed to the Music Inspired by the Film Roma collection...
