Great post from mireillecharper on Instagram.
Read More “Ten Steps of Non-Optical Allyship”What You See Are People Pushed to the Edge
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, writing at the LA Times:
Yes, protests often are used as an excuse for some to take advantage, just as when fans celebrating a hometown sports team championship burn cars and destroy storefronts. I don’t want to see stores looted or even buildings burn. But African Americans have been living in a burning building for many years, choking on the smoke as the flames burn closer and closer. Racism in America is like dust in the air. It seems invisible — even if you’re choking on it — until you let the sun in. Then you see it’s everywhere. As long as we keep shining that light, we have a chance of cleaning it wherever it lands. But we have to stay vigilant, because it’s always still in the air.
The Militarization of the Police
Nick Baumann on the militarization of the American police:
“You create this world where you’re not just militarizing the police — you equip the police like soldiers, you train the police like soldiers. Why are you surprised when they act like soldiers?” Rizer, a former police officer and soldier, said. “The mission of the police is to protect and serve. But the premise of the soldier is to engage the enemy in close combat and destroy them. When you blur those lines together with statements like that … It’s an absolute breakdown of civil society.”
American police officers generally believe that carrying military equipment and wearing military gear makes them feel like they can do more, and that it makes them scarier, Rizer’s research has found. Officers even acknowledge that acting and dressing like soldiers could change how the public feels about them. But “they don’t care,” he said.
Research on How to Stop Police Violence
From Samuel Sinyangwe, a thread about solutions to stop police violence:
More restrictive state and local policies governing police use of force are associated with significantly lower rates of police shootings/killings by police. This is backed by 30+ years of research.
Demilitarization. Police depts that get more military weapons from the federal govt kill more people. You can stop that from happening through local and state policy. Montana (Red state) has gone the furthest on this.
Police Union Contracts. Every 4-6 years your police dept’s accountability system is re-negotiated. Purging misconduct records, reinstating fired officers, dept funding- it’s in the contract. Cities with worse contracts have higher police violence rates.
How Phoebe Bridgers Made ‘Punisher’
Angie Martoccio, writing for Rolling Stone:
“Halloween” is a twisted holiday song, where she playfully sings, “But I count on you to tell me the truth/When you’ve been drinking and you’re wearing a mask,” backed by an upright bass and subtle synths. Her vocals sail through the octaves, producing a chilling effect. “I love how sad it is to throw depression into a holiday,” she says. “I don’t want to do Christmas, because that’s overdone. But I had a voice memo on my phone, because I was trying to get stuff to sample on Halloween one year where I was totally by myself, and it’s children laughing in the background. It’s just so fucked up and weird to me.”
Review: The Injured List – The Difference Between Giving Up & Losing
There aren’t many bands like The Injured List anymore. The Michigan two-piece’s style of pop rock is nearly totally alien in 2020; a listen through the band’s third LP The Difference Between Giving Up & Losing calls to mind giants of yesteryear like The Audition or Valencia (or even the original incarnation of The Injured List themselves). Perhaps that’s the quality that makes it so replayable.
Read More “The Injured List – The Difference Between Giving Up & Losing”Review: Vinnie Caruana – Live At The Black Heart
The new live album from Vinnie Caruana is a career-spanning set of 15 songs that covers material from his great new solo release Aging Frontman, as well as material from his other projects such as The Movielife and I Am The Avalanche. The album was recorded live in the UK at The Black Heart on December 15th, 2019, and the record is a full sounding listening experience to it, making it seem as if Vinnie is performing these songs just for you. Caruana had a nice remark regarding this album by saying, “It was the last show of a life-affirming tour. We took in many a Christmas market, and we drank around 100 Guinness each. Being able to travel around a foreign country, only to see friends, some of whom I met nearly two decades ago, will never be something I take for granted. Every show was special in its own way, and this one was just the cherry on top. The crowd didn’t know we were recording, and the result is a real and organic experience. I fucked up a few songs, but, as you know, that is par for the course. Long live the UK. Long live the connection we share together. Somebody in New York loves you (it’s me). Please enjoy.” The album is streaming now on Bandcamp for a “Pay What You Want” price that directly benefits the artist, or you can pre-order the vinyl here.
Read More “Vinnie Caruana – Live At The Black Heart”Bands on TV (Week of June 1st)
The notable artists on your television this week include Lady Gaga (Fallon; 6/1), Charli XCX (Fallon; 6/2), TV on the Radio (Colbert; 6/3), M. Ward (Corden; 6/2), The Killers (Ellen; 6/1).
Gunna Tops the Charts
Gunna has the number one album in the country:
Gunna grabs his first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart as his latest release, Wunna, debuts atop the tally.
The set, which was released via Young Stoner Life/300 on May 22, launches with 111,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending May 28, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data.
The 1975 came in at number four:
Elsewhere in the new top 10, The 1975’s Notes on a Conditional Form enters at No. 4, marking the band’s third top 10 effort.
Simple Plan Live With the Montréal Symphony Orchestra
Simple Plan have shared the full concert video of their performance with the Montréal Symphony Orchestra. The concert was recorded on September 20th, 2011.
Read More “Simple Plan Live With the Montréal Symphony Orchestra”Sum 41 Share Acoustic “Catching Fire”
Deryck Whibley of Sum 41 has shared a new acoustic version of “Catching Fire.”
Read More “Sum 41 Share Acoustic “Catching Fire””Hawthorne Heights Announce “Get Emotional” Podcast
Hawthorne Heights are launching the “Get Emotional” podcast, the first episode will be recorded next Monday. For $5 you can watch the podcast taping live via Zoom.
TWIABP Auction Off Test Pressings
The World is a Beautiful Place… are auctioning off some rare test presses and donating proceeds to the Philadelphia Bail Fund.
Read More “TWIABP Auction Off Test Pressings”NOFX and Frank Turner Announce New Split
NOFX and Frank Turner will release West Coast Vs. Wessex, a split album featuring both artists covering each other, on July 31st. Today NOFX has shared a video for “Thatcher Fucked the Kids” and Frank Turner has released a video for “Bob.” The full press release can be found below.
Read More “NOFX and Frank Turner Announce New Split”Zane Lowe Interview Series as Podcast
Zane Lowe’s interviews are now available via a podcast. (Overcast link.)