Review: Father John Misty – Pure Comedy
“I think most peoples’ idea of authenticity is pork pie hats and vests and banjos and whatever else, but real authenticity is just empathy, because everyone views their own experiences as being the golden standard for authenticity. If you can empathize with people and make them feel like what you’re talking about is somehow reflective of their own experiences, then you’ve won their vanity, and thus achieved authenticity.”
This is a quote from Father John Misty’s episode of Pitchfork’s Over/Under series, a series Josh Tillman jokingly referred to as a “twisted game” as he and his wife were asked to rate such concepts as self-control, marriage, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. This was Tillman’s explanation of “authenticity,” and though he never formally “rates” the concept, his answer may outline the biggest problem with Pure Comedy, his third album under the FJM moniker. It’s not necessarily Tillman’s polarizing personality (or character, as some call it). It’s not the album’s excessive 74-minute runtime, or even its questionable sequencing.
Put simply, it’s hard to empathize with someone who’s talking down to you.
Halsey – “Now or Never”
Halsey has debuted her new single “Now or Never.”
Review: Third Eye Blind – Third Eye Blind
Third Eye Blind’s self-titled is simultaneously one of the most joyful albums I’ve ever heard and one of the most heartbreaking. The first half of the record is stacked with infectiously catchy pop-rock songs—most of which became hit singles. The latter half is more jagged and mid-tempo, with songs that sound noticeably darker and more subdued. Half the songs wouldn’t sound out of place on a summertime party playlist. The other half are songs that ache with such profound loneliness that listening to them with a group of people almost seems sacrilegious. And, as is the trademark of frontman Stephan Jenkins, even some of the songs that sound happy are actually crushing.
Third Eye Blind is a much more complex record than I thought it was when I first heard it, and I’d reckon that something similar holds true for most people. Frankly, early on, it was easy to hear Third Eye Blind’s music as little more than catchy radio rock. In the summer of 1997, “Semi-Charmed Life” rode the infectiousness of its “doo doo doo” hook to the number one slot on Billboard’s Mainstream Top 40 chart. At six years old, I thought it was the catchiest song I’d ever heard. At 26 years old, I still think it’s the catchiest song I’ve ever heard. There might not be a single song that makes me think more of summertime than that one.
The “Affordable” Version of “Good Riddance”
Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong and Stephen Colbert sang an “affordable” version of “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” for a bunch of online bonus content.
Björk – “Notget” Video
At the Drive In – “Hostage Stamps” Video
At the Drive In have released a video for “Hostage Stamps.”
Mew – “Twist Quest”
Mew have released their new song “Twist Quest.”
Say Anything and Bayside Swap Songs
Bayside covered Say Anything’s “Night’s Song,” and Say Anything covered Bayside’s “They’re Not Horses, They’re Unicorns.” You can stream those below.
Albums in Stores – Mar. 30th, 2017
Today sees new releases from Aimee Mann, Bob Dylan, and Mastodon. If you hit read more you can see all the releases we have in our calendar for the week. Hit the quote bubble to access our forums and talk about what came out today, what albums you picked up, and to make mention of anything we may have missed.
Bleachers – “Don’t Take the Money”
Bleachers will release their new album, Everybody Lost Somebody, on June 2nd. The new single “Don’t Take the Money” is up on Apple Music.
Goddamn can this guy write a pop song.
Pet Symmetry Announce New Album
Pet Symmetry will release their new album, Vision, on May 26th. Today they debuted the new track “Stare Collection.”
All Time Low Perform on Live Lounge
All Time Low performed for BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge. They performed “Dirty Laundry” and a cover of Lorde’s “Green Light.”
Blink-182 to Start Writing Next Album This Year
Mark Hoppus of Blink-182 talked with Zane Lowe over at Beats 1 about the band’s plans for the rest of the year:
We’ll take a little bit of time off, and then at the end of this year we’ll go back in the studio and start writing the next album. We have such a positive energy going on right now … a creative flow. Everybody has a bunch of ideas and we want to capture that. We’ll get in the studio as soon as possible
It’s nice to live in a world where Blink-182 want to put out music on a regular basis.