Month: June 2026

June was fun.

A trip to a wine cave to celebrate Hannah’s birthday. A trip to New York for work. And just like that it’s come and gone.

June 2026

Jason Tate Photo Blog

Review: gracie – Miss Misfortunately

gracie - Miss Misfortunately
Adam Grundy

On the debut full-length record from gracie, called Miss Misfortunately, she weaves a slick narrative between songs heavily influenced by artists like Paramore and Olivia Rodrigo, but with a twist of ingenuity that is unmistakably her blueprint. “I’m not making music because I want to be successful; I’m making music because I have to,” gracie affirms. “I need to tell an authentic story. Sonically, it’s a collection of everything that’s influenced me. I’m ready to express so many thoughts I hadn’t been given permission to express before. The record is about being human, laughing at yourself, telling scary stories, and holding nothing back. It’s who I am as an artist.” Miss Misfortunately might not be the record you’d expect a label like Tooth & Nail Records to put out, but the songs found here are undeniably catchy, dripping with purpose, and gracie proves that her topical sound is poised for the next big breakout moment in the music scene.

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Ilan Rubin Makes Statement Regarding Probate Lawsuit

Ilan Rubin
Jason Tate

The legal dispute surrounding Q Drum Co. has seen new court filings. These filings have also renewed interest in Ilan Rubin’s response to the allegations, which he originally shared in 2023.

Booth accuses Rubin of selling company property without her consent, taking control of Berman’s email and financial accounts, withholding company books and records, manipulating tax filings, allowing company tax obligations and loans to lapse, and obtaining federal trademark registrations tied to the company without her knowledge.

Olivia Rodrigo To Release LEGO Sets

Olivia Rodrigo
Jason Tate

Olivia Rodrigo has teamed up with LEGO for some new sets.

Olivia Rodrigo is the first ever music artist to receive multiple dedicated LEGO sets, including five LEGO minifigures. Created in collaboration with Olivia, the collection features custom detailing inspired by some of her most iconic on-stage moments through the years and nods to her Filipino heritage. Each minifigure features her unmistakable expressions and showcases some of her favourite looks, just as all five characters come with dual facial expressions, revealing different sides of Olivia’s personality.

Review: Snarls – In Heaven There’s Rainbows

Snarls - In Heaven There's Rainbows
Adam Grundy

The new EP from Snarls, called In Heaven There’s Rainbows, opens up soaked in a mysterious cloud of distorted vocals, hauntingly gorgeous melody undertones, and vibrant guitars from the Columbus, Ohio band. For a band that stormed onto the indie rock scene with a cheery sound on Burst, this latest EP’s first chorus on “Chemical Control (Spill Your Blood) basks in the darkness with the lyrics of, “If you spill your blood / You’re mine to keep (Never letting go) / I’m the chemical control / I’ll see you in your sleep / Pray you come to me.” It’s crystal clear that Snarls are not content with staying the same band as their debut, and they make remarkable leaps of faith that largely pay off in their favor on In Heaven There’s Rainbows. The world around the band is dark, and yet Snarls remain a beacon of light and hope in the indie rock realm.

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Interview: Molly Grace

Molly Grace
Adam Grundy

Recently I was able to schedule a Zoom call with singer Molly Grace after she wrapped up a stint of tour dates during June’s “Pride Month” in support of her debut album called Blush. The tour dates were called “Lovergirls: A Sapphic Soiree” and showcased Grace’s impressive vocals, showmanship, great choreography, and fan interactions. If you’re enjoying the interview, please consider streaming Blush here.

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‘Stop Eating Lady Gaga’s Oreos’

Jason Tate

Adam Mastroianni, writing at Experimental History:

Once the attention economy built out its financial infrastructure, however, overnight fame suddenly went from painful to profitable. The YouTube Partner Program (2007), Stripe (2010), and Patreon (2013) all made it easier to turn eyeballs into dollars. The first wave of internet celebrities peaked too early to cash in, but subsequent waves became icons rather than pariahs. Just as the Americans who lived through the Gilded Age watched industrial moguls build business empires, we watched tweens become millionaires in their bedrooms. They got Andrew Carnegie; we got Mr. Beast.11

As a result, the attention economy is the one corner of the overall economy where people are still feeling upwardly mobile. 57% of Gen Z (and 41% of older adults!) saythey would like to be influencers. And why not? You are not going to escape the underclass by driving an Uber or dusting the server racks at a data center, but you might be able to do it by posting mukbang videos.

I think this is why we now tolerate such blatant greed among famous people: we think we have a chance of becoming one of them. We once saw ourselves as temporarily embarrassed millionaires; now we see ourselves as temporarily unknown celebrities.

Thought provoking. Still working out just how much of this I agree with, but it left me thinking.