Singer-Songwriter
Randy Newman Postpones Tour While Recovering from Broken Neck
Oscar- and Grammy-winning songwriter Randy Newman has postponed his upcoming European tour to recover from a broken neck. “Recently, I noticed I was shrinking,” he said in a statement on his website. “People over whom I had towered now towered over me. Could this be payback for having written ‘Short People?’ Turns out, my neck was broken.” He added, “They operated on me successfully, I think. For even now, I look less like an anteater and more like a folk rock artist from the early sixties. But the doctor said I’m not quite ready to tour. I was really looking forward to coming to Europe to perform. I miss performing a great deal and I look forward to a time when I can come. I’m sorry I won’t see you this time but I will see you soon.” Advertisement Related Video Newman’s mos...
Musicians Remember Mark Lanegan: “One of THE Great Singers of the Last 30 Years”
Following the sad news that Mark Lanegan died at age 57 earlier today (February 22nd), the talented frontman of Screaming Trees and erstwhile member of Queens of the Stone Age is being remembered by his musical peers. Lanegan’s prolific music career — which also saw him release 12 solo albums and collaborate with a number of other musicians — had a profound influence and impact on many artists. Former New Order bassist Peter Hook tweeted, “Mark Lanegan was a lovely man. He led a wild life that some of us could only dream of. He leaves us with fantastic words and music! Thank god that through all of that he will live forever. RIP Mark. Sleep well.” Advertisement Related Video Velvet Underground legend John Cale wrote, “I can’t process this. Mark Lanegan will always be etched in my hear...
Caroline Spence Teams Up with Matt Berninger on “I Know You Know Me”: Stream
Caroline Spence has enlisted The National’s Matt Berninger for her latest single “I Know You Know Me” via Rounder Records. On the romantic ballad, the pair conjure up a sweeping tale of intimacy and connection. “No matter where the storm is in my mind/ It’ll never be a place that you can’t find/ You hold the candle, oh, you hold the key/ I know you know me,” they sing in unison before lush strings cascade into the chorus. “I’m still beside myself that Matt agreed to be a part of this song,” Spence said in a statement. “I recorded my own solo version for my upcoming record, but always saw potential for it as a duet. Matt’s voice brought a new depth to the narrative and the sonic palette of this song.” Advertisement Related Video The song is a follow-up to the Nashville-based singer’s 2...
Neil Young’s Battle with Polio May Have Colored His Stand Against COVID Misinformation
Neil Young has taken a stand against Spotify and Joe Rogan over COVID-19 falsehoods, following through on his ultimatum to leave the streaming giant if it continued to platform The Joe Rogan Experience. This will come as no surprise to longtime fans; Young has long been a proponent of vaccination, going back to his battle with polio when he was about five years old. According to his 2012 memoir Waging Heavy Peace, the “Harvest Moon” singer was diagnosed with polio in 1951 and spent time in Toronto’s Sick Children’s Hospital as he battled the life-threatening disease. He ultimately recovered, though the disease left him with a slight limp. The polio vaccine was first widely disseminated in 1955, and Young was one of the beneficiaries. As he recently wrote on his website,...
Grace Gaustad Unlocks the “Black Box” of Mental Health
Listen via: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Pandora | Stitcher | Google | Pocket Casts | Radio Public | RSS Singer-songwriter Grace Gaustad joins the Going There podcast to unlock that “black box” of mental health, particularly when it comes to the lasting effects of anti-LGBTQ+ bullying. Speaking with Dr. Mike, Gaustad describes how she was bullied because of her sexuality, and how that triggered her becoming severely depressed. Related Video The BLKBX: wht r u hding? musician explains how she started the non-profit organization the BLKBX Project in conjunction with her new album release. This organization focuses on teen mental illness, and addresses the fact that most people face stressful and traumatic issues such as bullying and mental illness in isolation. It’s not uncommon to struggle in...
Natalie Imbruglia on Her New Album Firebird and Being an “Uber Fan” of The Strokes
Listen via Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Pocket Casts | Radio Public | RSS Natalie Imbruglia sits down with Kyle Meredith to discuss Firebird, her first album of new material in over a decade. Advertisement Related Video The Australian-British singer-songwriter tells us about the writer’s block that had her sidelined for the better part of the last decade, having a strong theme of independence on the record, and working with Albert Hammond Jr. A self-professed “uber fan” of The Strokes, Imbruglia also tells us she looked to Bonnie Tyler and the ’80s on “Maybe It’s Great,” and took inspiration from author Echkart Tolle. Listen to Natalie Imbruglia discuss Firebirdon this new episode of Kyle Meredith W...
Tim Heidecker Drops New Single “Dark Days”: Stream
Tim Heidecker has unveiled his new single “Dark Days.” Stream it below. The track finds the comedian-turned-musician reflecting on life through the COVID-19 pandemic over country-leaning instrumentation. “Well the stores are all closed/ Everything good shut down/ So many people had to move out of town/ Some people are taking to praying/ But I ain’t there yet/ Hope is the last thing I hope to forget,” he sings before the chorus kicks in. “I wrote this in the darkest days of the pandemic when things really felt unhinged, and it’s filled with little Easter eggs of the moment… baking bread and all that stuff,” the Bridesmaids alum shared in a statement. “At the last minute I changed the last line to be a question rather than a statement because I didn’t want it to be a total bummer. I hop...
Adele’s 10 Best Songs
It’s sometimes surprising to remember just how long Adele has been part of the pop culture conversation. Her breakout, “Hometown Glory,” was released when she was only nineteen years old, and it’s a track the singer-songwriter penned at just sixteen. Since then, Adele has obliterated records to the tune of fifteen Grammy awards across three full-length studio albums. Her crossover appeal is the result of a unique mix of gifted vocals, vulnerable songwriting, and a personality overflowing with sharp wit. It’s been over five years now since Adele released new music — a curious stint as host of Saturday Night Live in 2020 was more of an opportunity for the vocalist to try her hand at comedy and acting than it was a hint of a musical comeback — but finally, new tunes from Adele are on the hori...
Song of the Week: Mitski Cuts to the Bone with “Working for the Knife”
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, Mitski makes a welcome comeback. When the world needed her most, Mitski disappeared. In her two-year absence from music, from touring, and from social media, fans of the indie rock superstar found solace in her career highlights like “Nobody” and “Your Best American Girl,” which often centered around the fear of not living up to the expectations set by both others and yourself. “Working for the Knife,” her first new music since 2018’s Be the Cowboy, is no exception to the Mitski formula. From the get-go, “Working for the Knife” of...
How Mary Lambert Makes Mental Health More “Legible”
Listen via: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Pandora | Stitcher | Google | Pocket Casts | Radio Public | RSS Musician Mary Lambert shares her struggle with bipolar disorder on the latest episode of Going There with Dr. Mike. Advertisement Related Video The Grammy Award-nominated singer-songwriter speaks with Dr. Mike Friedman about how she experienced both manic episodes — in which she seemed more elated, energized or grandiose — and depressive episodes where she had no energy and was unable to do even basic tasks. These episodes often felt like they come out of nowhere, leaving her feeling trapped by a biological process over which she had no control. Lambert explained that during her manic episodes, she felt at ris...
Tasha Announces New Album Tell Me What You Miss the Most, Shares “Perfect Wife”: Stream
The first leaves in Chicago are beginning to turn, which means it’s the perfect weather to listen to the Windy City’s own Tasha. The singer/songwriter has announced her new album Tell Me What You Miss the Most, out November 5th, and shared the lead single “Perfect Wife.” The follow-up to 2018’s Alone at Last was produced by Tasha alongside Eric Littman. As she tells it, the new album shows significant artistic growth. “When I made Alone at Last, I had only been writing songs for two years. I hardly even knew what kind of song writer I was,” she said in a statement. “But this record feels much stronger as far as a representation of my songwriter and musicianship. I did feel like I was piloting it in a way that I haven’t really felt before.” You can hear some of that...
Neil Young Announces Bootleg Recording of His 1970 Carnegie Hall Performance
Neil Young has announced the first volume in his upcoming series of bootleg recordings. The Neil Young Official Bootleg Series — Carnegie Hall 1970 is set to be released October 1st via Shaky Pictures/Reprise Records. The 23-track collection captures the magic of the singer-songwriter’s near-mythic performance on the night of December 4th, 1970 — the first of two back-to-back shows at the legendary New York City venue. Throughout the evening, Young performed a stripped-back setlist of songs like “Down by the River,” “Cinnamon Girl,” and the then-newly unveiled title track to After the Goldrush. He also played early versions of numerous tracks which, up to that point, had yet to be released — or even recorded — including “Bad Fog of Loneliness,” “Old Man,” and “See the Sky About t...
