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Apple Acquires Classical Music Label

Jason Tate

Techcrunch:

More than 80% of the music we listen to today is delivered over streaming, according to figures from last year. But when you look at classical music, it’s been a stubborn hold-out, accounting for just a tiny fraction of that, with just 0.8% of streams (and that’s in the stream-friendly market of the U.S.). Apple’s bet is that this percentage will grow, though, and it wants a piece of that action.

Robert von Bahr, founder of BIS:

We thought long and hard on how to maintain and build upon our prestigious history and looked for a partner who would further our mission, as well as an increased global platform to bring classical music to new audiences all over the world. Apple, with its own storied history of innovation and love of music, is the ideal home to usher in the next era of classical and has shown true commitment towards building a future in which classical music and technology work in harmony. It is my vision and my sincerest dream that we are all a part of this future.

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Review: MS MR – “Saturn Return”

Adam Grundy

Goodbyes are hard to do. Whether it’s saying goodbye to a close friend moving to a different part of the country, or losing someone permanently due to death, it’s always a tough process to go through. MS MR have returned with their stunning final single, called “Saturn Return,” that is a fitting tribute to all of the work that vocalist Lizzy Plapinger and Max Hershenow have accomplished over the tenure of this project. Having first stormed onto the indie rock scene with the fittingly titled “Hurricane” in 2012, MS MR captured lightning in a bottle with their first two albums Secondhand Rapture and How Does It Feel. This latest dual-sided single features the atmospheric “Saturn Return” and a beautiful cover of Harvey Danger’s “Flagpole Sitta.”

”Saturn Return” opens with a soft, keyboard-laced sound that eventually breaks the spacey feel to it with Plapinger’s breathy vocals to allow the single to reach its heavenly intentions. The chorus of, “Two souls / So close again / And again, and again,” marks the connection that Plapinger and Hershenow have with each other in this band in such a majestic way. The only flaw of the song is that I wish it would’ve been longer, as it wraps up just after the two-minute mark before it could fully take off. The cover of “Flagpole Sitta” is a worthy tribute to the Alt-Rock classic track, and fits well within the realm of MS MR’s discography. They really make the track their own, and leave a memorable final artistic statement with this final release. Saying goodbye to MS MR isn’t easy, but the music that they have left behind will stand the test of time.

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Ursa Major Revelation – “Big Baby” (Video Premiere)

Ursa Major Revelation
Adam Grundy

Today I’m excited to introduce everyone to Ursa Major Revelation, and their new single/video for “Big Baby.” The band is Ursula Rose (vocals) and Dylan Rau (production/guitar) and you may remember Rau’s name from his work in the indie rock band, Bear Hands. The title track from their forthcoming EP is a glowing mix of memorable sounds that mesh well over Rose’s breathtaking vocal performance. While speaking on their new EP, Rose shared:

By the time I turned 30, I had a major revelation. I looked back on my life and saw a map. My life was a map of the men I have loved. Some of them were pretty cool, others less so. I let the map guide me through the creation of three songs, one for each of the major loves of my life. Dylan Rau made these instrumentals in various west coast closets and I wrote most of the vocals at an Airbnb in Joshua Tree. Additional recording was completed at a fishing cabin on the Oregon Coast. The songs feature production and mixing from dear friend and colleague Chris Chu (The Morning Benders, Pop ETC). Original artwork for each single by my grandmother Sara January Price.

I was also able to catch up with this talented band for an interview below.

Read More “Ursa Major Revelation – “Big Baby” (Video Premiere)”

Rolling Stone Detail Allegations Against Anti-Flag’s Lead Singer

Rolling Stone
Jason Tate

Rolling Stone has run a new article where 13 women speak out against Anti-Flag’s Justin Sane:

Sarhadi’s claim, however, is echoed by an additional 12 women who spoke to Rolling Stoneabout their alleged encounters with Geever, going back to the 1990s and as recently as 2020. These allegations include predatory behavior, sexual assault, and statutory rape, including sexual relations with a 12-year-old when Geever was a teenager. (Geever did not reply to multiple requests for comment after Rolling Stone sent him a detailed list of allegations for this article.)

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Review: Yawn Mower – “Stagnant Lake”

Adam Grundy

The latest single from NJ indie rock/punk band, Yawn Mower, is a tasty slab of guitar-heavy rock that showcases the band’s ability to mix in hip-hop elements, paired with crisp pop sensibilities to make themselves stand out from the pack. The band’s core lineup is comprised of Mike Chick and Biff Swenson, while they have some key contributions from others on their debut LP, called To Each Their Own Coat, and their unique style of fuzzy, doom pop plays off pretty well on songs like this. Yawn Mower will be performing at this year’s Sea.Hear.Now. festival in their hometown of Asbury Park, NJ with other marquee bands like Foo Fighters, The Killers, Weezer, and more.

The single, called “Stagnant Lake” features fuzzed-out guitars that embrace the hip-hop elements in the verses, while still leaving room for creativity in their musical delivery. The second verse of, “Ideas in the cannon for years / Got bullets that are ready to shoot / Went fishing in a stagnant lake / Found a tire, a bike and a boot,” explore lyrical wordplay to tie in to the track’s title. What the band does best on this particular single is to hone in on their musical chemistry while allowing the song to breathe a bit in the closing moments with an extended guitar solo. This is just a small taste of the possibilities Yawn Mower can take their music to in the future.

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