New Music
Public Enemy Takes on Trump In Scorching New Single “State Of The Union (STFU)”: Stream
Public Enemy has long been the soundtrack for the fight against inequality — and that hasn’t changed in Trump’s America. Today, the group returns with a blistering new single for the times appropriately titled, “State of the Union (STFU)”. Chuck D seethes with rage as he calls for the destruction of the current administration: “It’s not what you think/ It’s what you follow/ Run for them jewels/ Drink from that bottle/ Another for years is gonna gut you hollow.” Produced by DJ Premier, it’s a classic Public Enemy track in the truest sense and culminates in the chorus, which finds Chuck D and Flava Flav singing: “State of the union/ Shut the fuck up/ Sorry ass motherfucker/ Stay away from me.” In a statement on the track, Chuck said, “Our collective voices keep getting louder. The rest of th...
BTS Serenade with Sweet “Stay Gold” Single: Stream
BTS are releasing a new Japanese-language album next month titled Map of the Soul : 7 ~ The Journey ~. The 13-track effort expands on the excellent Map of the Soul : 7 from earlier this year, boasting two new original songs. One of those, “Stay Gold”, has been released today and it features the K-pop boyband in full serenade mode. “Stay gold, even in a dream/ Stay gold/ I’ll find you,” BTS sing during the swooning chorus. “Stay gold, gold/ I want to see you/ Stay gold/ You are everything/ Stay gold/ For everyone.” It’s the perfect sweet morsel of love and warmth the world needs right about now. Hear it for yourself below. This new offering comes just as BTS made chart history in Japan. According to Forbes, newly released mid-year reports show that BTS topped the country’s 2020 album ...
Cat Power Pays Tribute to Cassius’ Philippe Zdar with Cover of “Toop Toop”: Stream
Cat Power (photo by Inez & Vinoodh) and Cassius’ Philippe Zdar (photo via Dyane de Serigny) Today marks the one-year anniversary of the tragic death of Cassius’ Philippe Zdar. To honor the late French producer, his friend and collaborator Cat Power has shared a cover of Cassius’ 2006 hit “Toop Toop”. Cat Power (aka Chan Marshall) and Zdar worked together numerous times over the years, with the former appearing on a handful of tracks on Cassius’ 2016 LP Ibifornia. Zdar even worked pro-bono on Cat Power’s classic 2012 album Sun. Their close relationship led Marshall to pay homage to Zdar at his funeral, where she teamed with -M- (French rocker Matthieu Chedid) for a performance of “Toop Toop”. Zdar’s widow, Dyane de Serigny, recalled in a press release how she joined the duo at Cas...
Astronautalis Shares First New Solo Single in Four Years “The Way I Am”: Stream
Rejoice! Astronautalis has returned with his first new solo single in four years, and his first new track since his 2018 collaboration with POS in Four Fists. It’s called “The Way I Am” and the Florida-Minneapolis bard has paired the melancholy jam with a hilarious new music video featuring a deepfake of Tiger King. Produced and mixed by Subp Yao, “The Way I Am” finds Astronautalis doing a little soul searching over balmy beats that sound like the aural equivalent of a meditative stroll. “I’m drunk on whiskey maybe,” he sings, “Passed in the back of the van/ You seen it all now, ain’t i crazy?/ Can you still love me the way i am?” “I was kind of a mess of a man when I met the woman who would later become my wife,” Astronautalis says of the song. “Thankfully, she saw through all my bullshit...
TV on the Radio’s Tunde Adebimpe Rallies the “People” on New Protest Song: Stream
In honor of Juneteenth, aka Freedom Day, Tunde Adebimpe has released a new protest song. Simply dubbed “People”, this offering sees the TV on the Radio frontman instructing his listeners to confront and condemn white supremacy wherever it rears its ugly head. “If you see it’s a Nazi, say it’s a Nazi, and get that Nazi out,” declares Adebimpe on the track. “People” was self-produced by the indie rocker with assistance from friend and TV on the Radio drummer Roofeo. It’s available to stream and/or purchase below via Bandcamp, and all proceeds will benefit the Southern Poverty Law Center, Movement for Black Lives, and the ACLU. For the rest of Juneteenth, Bandcamp, too, will be donating its share of profits to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. Earlier this month, Adebimpe performed TV on the Radi...
TV on the Radio’s Tunde Adebimpe Empowers With New Song ‘People’
TV on the Radio’s Tunde Adebimpe has just released a new song that will get you charged up for the rally you plan to attend this weekend. Entitled “People,” the song starts with a quick-stepping beat and builds up the guitars as Adebimpe brings in the vocals. With lyrics like “If you see it’s a Nazi, say it’s a Nazi, and get that Nazi out,” this is a protest anthem at its core. The song was co-produced with drummer and fellow bandmate Roofeeo. Proceeds from the song will be split amongst the following organizations — the Southern Poverty Law Center, the ACLU, and the Movement For Black Lives. And since you can only get it from Bandcamp, you’ll be doing a double donation because the music streaming and retail platform is donating 100% of its share to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund to honor Ju...
Previously Unheard Version of Aretha Franklin’s “Never Gonna Break My Faith” Released for Juneteenth: Stream
If ever there was a time for new Aretha Franklin music, it would be today: Juneteenth, in the midst of an unprecedented national uprising against racism and police brutality. Miraculously, we’re being gifted just that. A never-before-heard solo version of the Franklin song “Never Gonna Break My Faith” has been released thanks to a collaboration between RCA Recordings, RCA Inspiration, and Legacy Recordings. The original version of the track was a duet with Mary J. Blige that was recorded for the 2006 film Bobby, but this alternate take leaves all the belting to the Queen of Soul, who is backed by The Boys Choir of Harlem. Beyond the excitement of this being a new recording from the legendary singer, its lyrical content is particularly relevant in the current socio-political climate. “You c...
Public Enemy Make Fiery Return With ‘State of the Union (STFU)’
When Public Enemy have something to say, they’ll say it. And they have done just that with their new single, “State of the Union (STFU).” Produced by DJ Premier, Chuck D and Flavor Flav return to the mic to give “Donald Trump and his fascist regime,” a rude awakening and empower those who have been currently fighting societal and racial injustice. “An unflinching statement about the destruction the current administration has unleashed on the country and its people, “State of the Union (STFU)” speaks truth to power while urging people to fight against racism, injustice and oppression with their vote,” the group said in a statement. Chuck D reiterated the message by saying, “Our collective voices keep getting louder. The rest of the planet is on our side. But it’s not enough to talk about ch...
Lamb of God Unveil Self-Titled New Album: Stream
Lamb of God are back with their first new studio album in five years, a self-titled effort filled with poignant tracks that focus on a number of sociopolitical issues. The veteran Virginia metallers’ new effort was lauded as the band’s “strongest album to date” in our review of the LP. Frontman Randy Blythe tackles topics such as mass shootings (“Reality Bath”), immigration (“New Colossal Hate”), the Standing Rock pipeline protest (“Routes”), the Trump administration (“Checkmate”), and more throughout the album. As Blythe told us in a video interview earlier this year, “The best punk rock and hardcore and metal … has always come out of tumultuous times. Right now seems to be an extremely tumultuous time … and it’s not just Trump, it’s not just America — [world leaders in] many different co...
Teyana Taylor Drops Star-Studded New Project The Album: Stream
In honor of Juneteenth, R&B star Teyana Taylor has released her third studio effort, simply entitled The Album, on G.O.O.D. Music/Def Jam. Stream the star-studded project below via Apple Music or Spotify. The follow-up to 2018’s K.T.S.E. is broken up into five distinct parts that spell out the world “album”: “Studio A”, “Studio L”, “Studio B”, “Studio U”, and of course “Studio M”. Each boasts its own selection of special guests, such as Ms. Lauryn Hill on the Kanye West-produced “We Got Love” (an ode to husband and NBA star Iman Shumpert); Erykah Badu on “Lowkey”; and Missy Elliott and Future, who appear together on a track called “Boomin’”. Other artists to feature on the LP are Kehlani, Big Sean, Rick Ross, and Migos’ Quavo. Additionally, Shumpert, who also moonlights as a...
Anderson .Paak Addresses Police Brutality on New Single “Lockdown”: Stream
Anderson .Paak is marking Juneteenth with a new single addressing racism and police brutality. It’s dubbed “Lockdown” and comes with a corresponding music video helmed by famed director Dave Meyers (Billie Eilish, JAY-Z, Ariana Grande). Also known as Freedom Day, Juneteenth celebrates June 19th, 1865, the day the Emancipation Proclamation finally went into full effect throughout all of the Confederate States of America. Legalized slavery may be a thing of the past, but as we’ve seen in just the last few weeks, racism and white supremacy are still very much a(n ugly) fabric of US society, and this is what .Paak focuses on in his latest track. “Sicker than the COVID, how they did him on the ground?/ Speakin’ of the COVID, is it still goin’ around?” says .Paak, referencing the murder of Georg...
Neil Young Finally Releases “Lost” Album Homegrown: Stream
After 45 years, Neil Young has finally unearthed his long-lost album Homegrown. Stream it below via Apple Music or Spotify. Homegrown was recorded between June 1974 and January 1975 with a studio band featuring Levon Helm, Ben Keith, Karl T. Himmel, Tim Drummond, Stan Szelest, and Robbie Robertson. Emmylou Harris also makes an appearance. The largely acoustic project addressed Young’s tumultuous relationship with actress Carrie Snodgress — though it proved to be too emotional to release at the time. “I apologize. This album Homegrown should have been there for you a couple of years after Harvest,” the folk rock legend said in a statement. “It’s the sad side of a love affair. The damage done. The heartache. I just couldn’t listen to it,” added Young. “I wanted to move on. So ...
