New Music
Briston Maroney Unveils Sweeping New Single “Freeway”: Stream
Indie folk singer-songwriter Briston Maroney has released new single “Freeway” and its video, and it’s a breath of fresh air in these dark timelines. The 22-year-old artist takes us on a dazzling journey down the Maine coastline, with caving expeditions and a blissful boat ride from a first-person POV. For a few precious minutes, we can pretend like we’re not locked in our apartments! The clip was directed by Joey Brodnax, who has worked with Maroney in the past. In it, Maroney is every bit the young, curious twentysomething, exploring the gorgeous scenery with dynamic enthusiasm that can’t help but uplift. There are witty moments, too, like when he can’t can’t a hitchhiking ride, and you feel his humor in his lyrics. “Consider this my confession/ Your love’s my obsession/ Go ahead and sen...
Heart’s Nancy Wilson Shares Cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “The Rising”: Stream
Having already shredded her way into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Heart, guitarist Nancy Wilson is finally embarking on a solo career. Her debut album is expected in early 2021, and she’s now shared the lead single, a cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “The Rising”. Written in the aftermath of the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks, “The Rising” arrived as an instant classic. Springsteen wrote from the perspective of a firefighter rushing into the crumbling World Trade Center towers. As only The Boss can do, the song felt simultaneously hyper-specific and universal, with lines like “Can’t see nothin’ in front of me/ Can’t see nothin’ coming up behind,” capturing both an individual’s terrifying ascent and the national mood. When the uplifting chorus appeared, it did so with t...
Alexisonfire’s Wade MacNeil to Release Score to Jay Baruchel’s Horror Film Random Acts of Violence
Alexisonfire guitarist Wade MacNeil teamed up with Andrew Macpherson to create the music for the new Jay Baruchel-directed horror film Random Acts of Violence. Now, the pair are set to release the movie’s score. The album arrives just in time for Halloween on October 30th, and the duo shared the eery “Slasherman Theme Song” to preview the full release. It’s an ominous electronic piece befitting of a slasher movie villain, with some John Carpenter-esque synth spook to boot. “When you’re scoring a film, you are creating a soundtrack for a world that doesn’t exist,” MacNeil said in a press release. “Finding the sounds and melodies for that bleak stretch of rust belt highway in Random Acts was exhilarating. Making music to frighten people is such a unique way to spend your time in a studio. I ...
Bright Eyes Team With Phoebe Bridgers, Flea on ‘Miracle of Life’
After a nearly decade-long absence, Bright Eyes have returned not just with a new album, but today (Oct. 23), they’ve also released a new protest song to benefit Planned Parenthood. The song, titled “Miracle of Life,” is a blend of soothing keys and midtempo rhythm that cushion a lyrically descriptive look at a woman’s experience if places like Planned Parenthood didn’t exist. “Lay down on the hard cold ground / Crying’s such a soothing sound / Get cured with a coat hanger / Girl you’re in America now,” Conor Oberst sings on the chorus. Oberst explains the song’s importance below: “This song should not exist in 2020 America. It is a protest song, I guess. Or maybe just a little story about what was, what still is in many parts of the world and what could be again here in this country if th...
John Frusciante Reveals New Album Maya: Stream
John Frusciante has revealed his new electronic album Maya. Stream it below with Apple Music or Spotify. The once-and-future guitarist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers has had a busy year as a solo artist, despite rejoining RHCP in December. Under his Trickfinger alias, he released Look Down, See Us in April and She Smiles Because She Presses the Button in June. But Maya is different, for two reasons: It’s his first solo effort in six years to be released under his own name; and it is the first album in his esteemed discography to be named for his beloved cat. Unfortunately Maya passed away after 15 years together, but the hope is that Maya will endure. In a statement, Frusciante explained the “self-imposed limitations” that went into his new album. He said, “For a fu...
Sigur Rós Announce Release Date of Odin’s Raven Magic
Since forming 18 years ago, fans have hoped that Sigur Rós would release Odin’s Raven Magic. And today, their wish has been granted. Featuring the Schola Cantorum of Reykjavik and L’Orchestre des Laureats du Conservatoire national de Paris, the Icelandic outfit’s orchestral body of work will be out on Dec. 4 on Krunk via Warner Classics. Reykjavik Arts Festival commissioned the creation of Odin’s Raven Magi in 2002, and it brought the band, Icelandic musical hero Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson and Steindór Andersen, who’s a fisherman and one of the county’s well-respected chanters, together for the project. “Hrafnagaldur Óðins has lots of interpretation and implications that fire up the imagination… It’s a very visual poem, with images all about falling down, and a world freezing from north to sout...
Gorillaz Unveil New Guest-Heavy Project Song Machine: Season 1 — Strange Timez: Stream
Gorillaz have unveiled their new star-studded project Song Machine: Season 1 — Strange Timez. Stream it below via Apple Music and Spotify. Not quite an album or mixtape, the effort is more a compilation of tracks their ongoing audiovisual Song Machine series. There’s an 11-track regular version and a 17-song deluxe edition, and between the two, Gorillaz recruited a cumulative total of 24 (!) different collaborators. Elton John, The Cure’s Robert Smith, Beck, St. Vincent, Peter Hook, ScHoolboy Q, JPEGMAFIA, and slowthai are just a few of the most exciting names on the list. EarthGang, Tony Allen, Georgia, Skepta, and Unknown Mortal Orchestra also appear. Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett have been previewing the endeavor for most of the year with a handful of singles: “Strange Timez”, “PAC-MAN...
Bruce Springsteen Reunites with the E Street Band on New Album Letter to You: Stream
Bruce Springsteen has reunited with the beloved E Street Band for a new album called Letter to You. Stream it below with Apple Music and Spotify. This is the first time The Boss has recorded with the likes of Roy Bittan, Nils Lofgren, Patti Scialfa, Garry Tallent, Stevie Van Zandt, Max Weinberg, Charlie Giordano, and Jake Clemons since 2014’s High Hopes. Letter to You features nine new Springsteen songs, which were written on a guitar randomly gifted to him by a fan, as well as three cuts from the 1970s that have never been released: “Janey Needs a Shooter”, “If I Was the Priest”, and “Song for Orphans”. Mixing was provided by Bob Clearmountain, and mastering was handled by Bob Ludwig. In anticipation of today’s release, Springsteen released two singles,...
Des Rocs Premieres New Song “Nothing Personal”: Stream
Rising New York musician Des Rocs is set to unleash a new EP, This Is Our Life, on December 4th. In advance of its release, he’s teaming up with Consequence of Sound to premiere the new single “Nothing Personal”. Des Rocs broke out as part of the duo Secret Weapons, and is now establishing himself as a dynamic solo act. His brand of rock ‘n’ roll features a frenetic and dramatic edge, with “Nothing Personal” offering up slices of post-punk and art rock. “‘Nothing Personal’ is music of the night,” Des Rocs tells us of the song. “It’s about bad people doing bad things and paying the price in this life and the next. It’s a firecracker of a record that I dare you to sit down to while listening.” Lyrically, Des Rocs paints a vivid scene with the opening lines, “I found you sleeping in my coffin...
New Music Friday: 9 Albums to Stream
Jeff Tweedy (photo by Sammy Tweedy), PUP (photo by Jess Baumung), Adrianne Lenker (photo by Genesis Báez), and Pallbearer (photo by Diana Lee Zadlo) Every Friday, Consequence of Sound rounds up some of the week’s noteworthy new album releases. Today, October 23rd, brings fresh music from PUP, The Mountain Goats, FUZZ, Adrianne Lenker, Jeff Tweedy, Local Natives, Raye Zaragoza, Songhoy Blues, and Pallbearer. Take a listen to each of their new albums below. Also be sure to check out new releases from Gorillaz and Bruce Springsteen. PUP – This Place Sucks Ass EP <img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1070497" data-attachment-id="1070497" data-permalink="https://consequenceofsound.net/2020/09/pup-this-place-sucks-ass-ep-rot-stream/pup-rot-this-place-sucks-ass-ep/...
Saweetie Teams Up With Jhené Aiko on ‘Back to the Streets’
Saweetie has had a year to remember. And now, she’s hoping to continue that hot streak. The TikTok-dominating lyricist dropped her latest single, “Back to the Streets,” on Friday, featuring R&B star Jhené Aiko. The track, produced by Grammy-winning producer Timbaland, hears the pair riding over some smooth piano chords and bouncy percussion. Aiko and Saweetie pass it off to each other throughout, tag-teaming the track’s final addictive chorus with their match-made-in-heaven tones. “Back to the Streets” follows the charting success of the rapper’s hit single “Tap In,” as well as recent tunes “Money Mouf” with Tyga and YG and “Bussin 2.0″ that featured Tay Money. Saweetie’s upcoming album, Pretty Bitch Music, doesn’t have a release date yet, but is set to drop via Warner Records. Li...
Ariana Grande Debuts New Era With Lead Single ‘Positions’
Pop’s biggest voice is once again positioning herself as a force in R&B. Music superstar Ariana Grande officially released her sixth studio album’s lead single, “Positions,” Friday night, a week before the release of the long-awaited record. Grande’s latest single is a production team-up between long-time studio partner Tommy Brown, who first joined forces with the vocalist on her 2013 debut Yours Truly, and hip-hop heavy-hitter London on da Track, who recently teamed up with Summer Walker for her Over It record. As fans anticipated following the single’s announcement last week, Grande finds herself toying with R&B over a trap beat yet again on “Positions,” much like she did throughout 2019’s Thank U, Next. The lead single features Grande sounding at-home as she floa...
