Anchor & Braille will release the new album, Tension, on May 22nd. You can stream the new song “Closer & Farther” and pre-orders are now up.
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Wet – “Come to You”
Wet have shared the new song "Come to You."
Introducing Chorus 3.0
I started designing the new version of Chorus.fm before the COVID-19 shit hit the fan. My initial sketches were in the middle of last year, and I began playing around with things in Sketch not long after that. My first commit, for the version I’m calling 3.0 of the website, was on February 19th, 2020. However, it was this last month or so of quarantine where the vast majority of the work got done. With not a whole lot else to do beside buckle down and attempt to turn anxiety about the world into productivity, I put together the new website you’re looking at now.
April of this year was the fourth anniversary of this website, and I’ve been itching to take another run at the design and feel of the website for a while. When I first launched the site, it was my first real foray into the world of WordPress, and it was done on a very tight timeline as I knew I needed to make the transition from AbsolutePunk.net by a specific date. I’ve always been happy with what I put together, but I also knew it was never quite right. This new version of the site is virtually everything I’ve always wanted my website to be and was written from the ground up to fulfill my vision of what a music website or blog should be. My design goals were to keep a similar aesthetic to the current website so that things felt familiar while also focusing on new features, simplicity of use, and an obsession with speed and a great mobile experience. I’m proud of what I came up with, and I’d like to highlight a few of the changes.
Liner Notes (May 8th, 2020)
This week’s newsletter revisits Fall Out Boy’s discography after realizing it’s been fifteen years since the release of From Under the Cork Tree. I also share some things I enjoyed around the internet this week, as well as my thoughts on music and various entertainment I consumed. And, as always, there’s a playlist of ten songs I loved and your usual sarcasm and snark mixed within. This week’s supporter Q&A post can be found here.
If you’d like this newsletter delivered to your inbox each week (it’s free and available to everyone), you can sign up here.
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Interview: O’Brother
O’Brother has never been an easy band to pin down. I’ll leave it to them, as they explain it best: they’re a “borderline metal band that’s heavily influenced by Radiohead and Sigur Ros”. Their debut album, 2011’s Garden Window embraced chaos and mystique, featured vocals from Andy Hull (Manchester Orchestra) and introduced the band’s experimental nature. O’Brother quickly amassed a loyal following through clever, brilliant music and non-stop touring. Disillusion (2013), their sophomore effort, expanded on the post-metal influence the band only teased beforehand. In 2016, O’Brother released one of the best albums of the year in Endless Light.
Last week, O’Brother put up their new album, You and I on Bandcamp for a pay-what-you-want price. On April 7 2020, first single “Killing Spree” was unveiled to the world, following a few days of teasing online. Where Endless Light touched the surface of using space as an instrument, their fourth album, You and I revels in ambience. Guitarists Jordan McGhin and Johnny Dang go back and forth between classical guitars and staring at the computer. Anton Dang still plays the bass guitar, of course. Michael Martens hardly plays the drums. In the meantime, vocalist Tanner Merritt reaches for the piano. I caught up with O’Brother this week from their respective homes over a surprisingly non-lagging Zoom call. Martens chatted from his living room, McGhin from his bedroom, Anton Dang from his porch, and Johnny Dang and Merritt from their offices/home studios.
The Front Bottoms Announce Twitch Schedule
The Front Bottoms have announced a new Twitch schedule. Oh, and the band plans to have a new album expected later this year.
Ben Platt – “So Will I”
Hayley Williams – “Dead Horse” Video
Hayley Williams has released a video for “Dead Horse.”
Spanish Love Songs Launch Patreon
Spanish Love Songs have launched a Patreon.
More Covers of The 1975!
The Face has shared the full set of covers from their The 1975 livestream.
Taylor Swift’s ‘City of Lover’ Concert Special Airing This Weekend
ABC will be airing the Taylor Swift “City of Lover Concert Special” this weekend.
ABC announced on Friday (May 8) that it will air the brand-new one-hour concert special Taylor Swift City of Lover Concert on May 17 at 10 p.m. following the season finale of American Idol.
The special, which will be available the next day on-demand on Hulu and Disney+ was filmed in September at the L’Olympia Theater in Paris.
Jason Isbell Guests on The Daily Show
Jason Isbell was on the latest episode of The Daily Show. He also performed “Only Children” with his wife, Amanda Shires.
Butch Walker Shares ‘American Love Story’ Film
Butch Walker has shared a video version of his new album, American Love Story.
Billie Eilish and Her Father Launch New Radio Show
Billie Eilish and her father will start a new radio show, “me & dad radio,” on Apple Music.
Drew Beringer Launches: Bad Zine, Everyone’s Fault
Good friend Drew Beringer, you know him, has started a new newsletter. His first issue has fourteen essays all about Hayley Williams and how her music has impacted lives:
Now that the generation who loved Paramore and saw what Hayley meant at the time are the professional critics, and also probably owing to the increased accountability for blatant sexism within this music scene, we’re seeing a shift in critical evaluation of Paramore, finally some recognition of how brilliant they’ve always been. That might play a part in Hayley’s shedding that shame, but probably it’s mostly that she’s grown older, has been through some shit, and is ready to claim the confidence in her role that she has always deserved. It seems to me that that is what has allowed even for her to not have to utter the phrase ‘solo record’ as if it’s a dirty word, let alone to create one, and one that is this honest, expressive (both emotionally and musically) and unapologetic. It’s a triumph, one that is deeply rewarding to witness.
This was an instant subscribe for me.