W♥M

Christmas 2023: Last Christmas

Read More Wham! Wham!'s "Last Christmas" song is possibly one of the best Christmas pop song. Released in 1984, it dominated the charts and is still very popular even today (especially in Japan and ...

Last Christmas
lastchristmasmovie.com

Longtime readers of W♥M knows that we have a soft spot for Wham!’s “Last Christmas”. The song has been a staple in our holiday playlist since 1984, but semi-recently the song has been making a comeback.

During the start of the pandemic, in November 2019, the romantic comedy Last Christmas, starring Game of Thrones’ Emilia Clarke. The story is about a Christmas shop clerk who falls in love with a mysterious man (Henry Golding).

Obviously, based on the movie’s title, the story was inspired by George Michael and Wham!’s song of the same name.

The official soundtrack includes 14 Wham! and solo George Michael songs, as well as a previously unreleased song, “This Is How (We Want You to Get High)”… so for George Michael completist, this soundtrack is a must for their collection.

The soundtrack album debuted at number one on the UK Official Soundtrack Albums Chart and at number 11 on the UK Albums Chart in 2019.

P.S. Enjoy a new 4k master of the original “Last Christmas” video on YouTube!

Read More Alanis Morissette The Tony and GRAMMY Award-winning new musical is about a perfectly imperfect American family, based on Alanis Morissette’s memorable ...

Alanis Morissette
alanis.com

The 90s angst You Outta Know singer Alanis Morissette recently covered “Last Christmas” live on the broadcast of “Christmas at Graceland” on NBC. You can watch it on YouTube if you missed it. She’s playing in front of Elvis Presley’s airplane.

Morissette’s latest single “Last Christmas” came out November 3, 2023, on Epiphany / Thirty Tigers.

Tour dates:

Jun 9 2024 Phoenix, AZ, US Talking Stick
Jun 12 2024 Austin, TX, US Moody Center ATX
Jun 14 2024 Dallas, TX, US Dos Equis Pavilion
Jun 16 2024 The Woodlands, TX, US Cynthia Woods
Jun 19 2024 Tampa, FL, US MIDFLORIDA
Jun 20 2024 West Palm Beach, FL, US iTHINK Financial
Jun 22 2024 Alpharetta, GA, US Ameris Bank
Jun 23 2024 Nashville, TN, US Bridgestone Arena
Jun 26 2024 Charlotte, NC, US PNC Music Pavilion
Jun 27 2024 Raleigh, NC, US Coastal Credit Union
Jun 29 2024 Columbia, MD, US Merriweather Post Pavilion
Jul 2 2024 Camden, NJ, US Freedom Mortgage Pavilion
Jul 3 2024 Holmdel, NJ, US PNC Bank Arts Center
Jul 5 2024 Bethel, NY, US Bethel Woods
Jul 6 2024 Hartford, CT, US Xfinity Theatre
Jul 9 2024 Mansfield, MA, US Xfinity Center
Jul 10 2024 Wantagh, NY, US Northwell Health
Jul 13 2024 Toronto, ON, Canada Budweiser Stage
Jul 14 2024 Toronto, ON, Canada Budweiser Stage
Jul 16 2024 Clarkston, MI, US Pine Knob Music
Jul 17 2024 Cuyahoga Falls, OH, US Blossom Music Center
Jul 23 2024 Maryland Heights, MO, US Hollywood Casino
Jul 24 2024 Cincinnati, OH, US Riverbend Music Center
Jul 27 2024 Noblesville, IN, US Ruoff Music Center
Jul 28 2024 Milwaukee, WI, US American Family
Jul 31 2024 Denver, CO, US Ball Arena
Aug 1 2024 West Valley City, UT, US USANA Amphitheatre
Aug 3 2024 Auburn, WA, US White River Amphitheatre
Aug 4 2024 Portland, OR, US Moda Center
Aug 7 2024 Mountain View, CA, US Shoreline Amphitheatre
Aug 8 2024 Palm Desert, CA, US Acrisure Arena
Aug 10 2024 Inglewood, CA, US Kia Forum

Read More Coco & Clair Clair Coco & Clair Clair knew from the moment they met that they were meant to make music together. Similarly, listeners are immediately drawn to the Atlanta-bred duo through their clever …

Coco & Clair Clair
cocoandclair.com

“Last Christmas” is the new holiday single from duo Coco & Clair Clair. The song is reimagined as a trap bass song with an 80s snare. I think my favorite part of the song is the whispering of “Happy Christmas” that starts every line of the start of the song.

It’s short and to the point, but it’s pretty good, I had to rewind to listen again.

We wrote about the duo in March 2023 and said that the “Atlanta-bred duo Coco & Clair Clair is on tour in support of their debut album SEXY. The album’s title actually doesn’t describe their music, as they explained, “It's impactful, but it's a really silly word… And then, none of the songs are actually that sexy.” The duo is fairly new, having met through mutual friends on Twitter in 2014. “We really rely on the other person,” Clair Clair says. “We'll both go write our verses, and then we share them with each other and let the other person edit them. Everything is very much both of our brains combined, which we couldn't do with someone who wasn’t a very good friend because it's such a vulnerable process.” ”

Their debut album got a special Deluxe Edition, which re-released on November 10th, 2023.

ASTN
astnofficial.com

Breakout TikTok singer ASTN released his “Last Christmas” in November 2023. Obviously, listening to his song, it’s done in an R&B style… complete with auto-tune and gospel backing response vocals.

“Last Christmas” follows this year’s acclaimed Where Do We Go From Here? EP, which pop music critics loved. VIBE describing the EP as “a solid introduction into ASTN as he breaks ground in the R&B world,” and V Magazine writing “catchy hooks and captivatingly personal lyrics.”

ASTN will be playing the Warfield, in San Francisco, on December 16, 2023… I’m sure he’ll be singing “Last Christmas”. If he doesn’t play it, it’s a missed opportunity!

Disconnected Souls
disconnectedsouls.com

Cinematic metal band Disconnected Souls recently offered their 2023 rendition of “Last Christmas”. Their version is a little synthy, with some industrial elements thrown in at the end.

Band leader Fletch explains his choice in cover: “If you've followed DS for any length of time, you'll probably know that we love doing reinterpretations of Christmas classics, and therefore it was kinda inevitable that at some point we would find ourselves faced with 'Last Christmas'. To be brutally honest, none of us are big fans of the original! However, we wanted to see what we could do with it and were particularly keen to make one of our friends happy (who had been repeatedly suggesting it). We ended up staying surprisingly accurate to the original music, but focussed on vocal FX / reducing the tempo and adding some more melancholy instrumentation. As always we hope you enjoy and happy holidays!”

Read more Christmas.

vu ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Remakes and Reboots

Read More Zatoichi The Zatoichi series ran 26 movies (1962-1982) and a television series ran for five years (1974-1979). Twenty years later, Takeshi "Beat" Kitano reinvented Zatoichi with his version of the character. ....

DEFIANT (2022)
douban.com

Defiant (目中无人), aka Blind Sword, a 2022 Chinese movie, is clearly a rip off of Zatoichi. You know me, I love Zatoichi, I own all of Toho’s films on DVD and Bluray (thanks to the Criterion boxset), and even owning the television series and later stories: Zatoichi (2003), Ichi (Zatoichi’s blind daughter!), and Zatoichi: The Last (the final film in the official Zatoichi series).

Of course, the new Chinese film isn’t the first to copy Zatoichi, in America, we had Blind Fury in 1989, about a blind Vietnam Vet with a cane sword and in Italy, we had Blindman, a Spaghetti Western about a blind gunman.

Defiant is about a blind master swordsman and ex-military general. It has all the traits of Zatoichi, for example you find him in a gambling den at the start of the film. Of course, he has the advantage, despite being blind. Then you have the goons at the establishment trying to rob the blind gambler of his money - big mistake!

The whole thing really felt like a Chinese version of a Zatoichi movie. The only difference is that instead of a pretense of a bumbling blind masseur, the Defiant character is a blind bounty hunter by day. And he seems sure of himself, walking around, with his horse, like a normal person.

I think the writer/director of the film counted on their audience to not know Zatoichi, so when Defiant reveals the swords in the cane, it was no surprise to me… but I bet everyone in China thought that was a really cool reveal.

Defiant has some cool fight scenes, especially the big throw-down finale, but it also has some typical, cheesy moments (any scenes with the young bride).

There’s nothing wrong with Defiant, especially if you know it’s a Chinese version of Zatoichi, but I wish it would do a little more to set it apart from the source material. For example, a few years ago, South Korea released The Swordsman, about the country’s best swordsman, who became blind. No one could accuse the film of copying Zatoichi, as the South Korean film is very different than a typical Zatoichi adventure.

My other complaint about Defiant is that the main character is so sure of himself, so confident in his Kung Fu abilities, that, you, as an audience, never thought he could be in any real danger. Even during the scenes with him being hit with arrows… I never thought he could die. With the original Zatoichi, he let others thinks his blindness is a disadvantage… so he plays the bumbling idiot. It’s only in a real fight does Zatoichi shows his true deadly sword skills… and by that time, it’s too late for the villains.

Maybe it is unfair to compare Defiant to Zatoichi, but given how much material the Chinese film stole from the source, I think it’s fair game to criticize it a little.

Read More Stephen King Anyone captivated by the latest Stephen King adaptation to hit the screen, Lisey’s Story (currently streaming on Apple TV+) will undoubtedly notice the soundtrack music and second single ....

FIRESTARTER (2022)
firestartermovie.com

Like Carrie and Pet Sematary, no one asked for a remake of Firestarter… yet, here we are, with the 2022 horror film, based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King.

I actually like and enjoy the original 1984 film starring a young Drew Barrymore, so I was highly skeptical that this new version could be better than the first film. The main problem is that it was produced by one of the worst writer/producer, Akiva Goldsman. Goldsman is responsible for the terrible Batman & Robin, and he’s also responsible for ruining Star Trek. Yes, I used to be a massive Star Trek fan, but the modern Trek stuff is absolutely terrible.

Anyway, due to the pandemic, Blumhouse Productions and Weed Road Pictures put Firestarter on hold until Universal Pictures finally released it in May 2022, simultaneously in theaters and on Peacock.

Naturally, the film received negative reviews from critics. Rotten Tomatoes, shows only 10% of critics’ reviews were positive.

I think the worst part of the movie are the villains. The new person in charge of the government tracking down Charlie the Firestarter is now played by a woman. While women can be as evil as men, I didn’t understand why it was necessary to make the original white man into a black woman? The bounty hunter is now played by an American Indian named Michael Greyeyes (the original 1984 film featured an assassin named John Rainbird).

Perhaps you’re not meant to “hate” the villains, but, to me, to make the film effective, you have to make the villains evil, so you don’t feel bad when they are nuked by Charlie.

Read More Liam Neeson Based on Lawrence Block’s bestselling series of mystery novels, A Walk Among the Tombstones stars Liam Neeson as Matt Scudder, an ex-NYPD cop who now works as an unlicensed private investigator operating just outside the law. ....

MEMORY (2022)
memorymov.com

Liam Neeson plays a hitman with a heart of gold in Memory. The hitman, suffering from early stages of Alzheimer, decides to make things right after declining a contract to kill a young girl. The 2022 film is based the Belgian film The Alzheimer Case.

Maybe it is because it is based on the film (turned novel De Zaak Alzheimer by Jef Geeraerts), but I did not like any of the characters in the film (except, of course, the incredibly smart hitman). Guy Pearce plays a really dumb detective/policeman, Monica Bellucci plays a wealthy mother, covering up her son’s crimes.

What I do love about Memory is just how amazing Liam Neeson is on screen. Even though the actor is in his 70s, he was still an action star, to me. For example, his brutal, brutal fight scene with the hitman in the parking lot is just so gritty and real. I really did believe Neeson could destroy a man with his bare hands.

As amazing as Neeson is, he really couldn’t save the movie. The story is predictable, and all the other characters, such as the cops, are portrayed as idiots and not well written.

As a big Neeson fan, I really hope this is not his last film, as his career will end on a bad note.

I’ll just say that Memory is a forgettable film.

Read more Movies and Television.

vu ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

R.I.P. Paul Ryder (Happy Mondays)

Read More The Happy Mondays From old English, meaning "Day of the Moon" (kind of an oxymoron if you ask me!) Band Names: The Happy Mondays, Monday Morning (NC band), and Monday Massacre (Screamo band) …

Happy Mondays’ bassist Paul Ryder has died at the age of 58.

Despite being fans, we’ve never seen the band live, as they rarely tour to the midwest… and their recent reunion 2012 tour only took place in the UK.

Their music can be found on various films we love, including 24 Hour Party People (Britpop on Films) and The World's End (by Edgar Wright).

Details about Paul Ryder’s death, from The Guardian:

Paul Ryder, the bass guitarist who helped power the hugely popular “baggy” funk sound of the Happy Mondays, has died aged 58.

A message posted on the band’s social media said:

The Ryder family and Happy Mondays band members are deeply saddened and shocked to say that Paul Ryder passed away this morning. A true pioneer and legend. He will be forever missed. We thank you for respecting the privacy of all concerned at this time. Long live his funk x

No cause of death has been made public.

Ryder, whose brother Shaun fronted the group, was a founder member since their formation in 1980 and had rejoined for the group’s most recent reunion in 2012.

Read more Musicians who died in 2022

vu ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Strangest Things

Stranger Things: Season 4 It's been eight months since The Battle of Starcourt, which brought terror and destruction to Hawkins. Struggling with the aftermath, our group of friends are separated for the first time - and navigating the complexities of high school hasn't made things easier. In this most vulnerable time, a new and horrifying supernatural threat surfaces, presenting a gruesome mystery, that if solved, might finally put an end to the horrors of the Upside Down. Read More Stranger Things For me, synthwave started with Stranger Things. In late July I went on a date with a fellow dungeon master who mentioned this show which started with some kids playing D&D (Dungeons & Dragons). …

Read more Television.

STRANGER THINGS
netflix.com

I’ve been enjoying Stranger Things since it debut in 2016, and, personally speaking, I think Season 4 is one of their strongest season yet. The show’s really matured, and that’s not to mention how all the child actors have all really grown up in the four years we’ve known them. I mean in both story and, the fact that the real actors have really grown up. Just look at the actor Finn Wolfhard, he looks like a fully grown young man. It’s clear to me that the Duffer Brothers couldn’t possibly continue telling their stories forever.

The story of Season 4 goes back to the first time we meet 11. We’re reminded that 11 killed everyone in this secret base in a flashback. The story goes deeper, and you’re given more back stories. Somehow, at least how I perceived it, that it was that 11 created “The Upsidedown”, a twisted version of Hawkins, Indiana. It’s really cool, I bought it.

Season 4 also has some of the most horrific death scenes, featuring some gruesome body breaking/eyeballs destroying moments. I feel like sometime the show borders on Rated R and PG, especially with some of its goofy moments, like the Suzie’s mad house or the crazy greedy Russian pilot.

My biggest complaint about the new season is that they’ve introduced (or focused more on) a lot of new characters. I wish they just stick to the original group of fans. Instead, we’re seeing characters like Hellfire Club’s Eddie, Robin (who was introduced last season and plays a bigger part this season), and Argyle. With so many characters, it just seems like the writers tried to devote more time to everyone… making for very long episodes. In fact, the last two episodes (which just released by Netflix) are one and half hour, and two plus hours, respectively. They are movie length!

Stranger Things Soundtrack Stranger Things: Soundtrack from the Netflix Series, Season 4 includes essential music tracks evoking various classic eras and styles as featured in "Stranger Things 4." The soundtrack album is conceptualized and produced by The Duffer Brothers and Nora Felder.

STRANGER THINGS: SOUNDTRACK
legacyrecordings.com

As you know, one of the best thing about Stranger Things is their amazing 80s soundtrack. With Season 4, the soundtrack helped Kate Bush back on the music charts, over 35 years after “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)” was originally released!

I actually own a few Stranger Things Soundtrack, so I’m looking forward to Legacy Recordings’ release of Stranger Things: Soundtrack from the Netflix Series, Season 4. The soundtrack is available now on digital and CD.

If you’re a vinyl collector, like I am, be on the look out for the double LP 12” on November 4th. The vinyl will come in standard black (with 12inch poster insert), or exclusive retailers’ editions.

Walmart will have a Creel House cover and puzzle, Target will have a California cover and diorama, Barnes & Noble will have a Russia cover and stickers, and Amazon will feature a Lab cover with a 12x12 Butcher Billy lithograph (details here).

Surfer Boy Pizza Surfer Boy Pizza Pepperoni Pizza, 23 oz. Each mouth-watering variety contains rich tomato sauce, delicious mozzarella cheese, and a gnarly range of toppings.

SURFER BOY PIZZA
palermovillainc.com

The first time I saw Surfer Boy Pizza, I was so confused. This is an imaginary pizza brand from Stranger Things… yet, here it is, in real life at my local Walmart. I decided to try one out.

To my surprise, it was really good. Especially for only $7. Don’t believe all the food snobs on the internet, I really like the pizza. I would cut it in thirds and air fry a piece for about 9 minutes, and it’s crisp and tastes great.

The frozen pizza is made by Palermo Villa Co. and comes with a fake pair of punch-out 3D glasses. There are four types of topping available: supreme, multi-meat, pepperoni, and pineapple & jalapeno. I’ve tried them all, they’re all pretty good, except for my least favorite, the pineapple & jalapeno. It’s just the topping, the crust is still good. The best value is the supreme, so I would recommend trying that first.

At the moment, I believe the pizza is only available from Walmart. Right now, they are phasing out the pizza, since the show is over… but you can still buy a 4-pack from their website for a high price of $50.

If you can find it for $7, it’s worth checking out.

vu ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

The Moon and stars

Read more Moon Madness, To the Moon and Back, Howling at the Moon, Over the Moon, Blue Moon, Moon River, and The Moon and the Stars.

The Lone Bellow: Half Moon Light   Read More The Lone Bellow Brooklyn based country trio The Lone Bellow are returning to a sold out show in Minnesota's The Turf Club. The band are touring in support of their second album ...

The Lone Bellow
thelonebellow.com

Nashville by-way-of Brooklyn Americana trio The Lone Bellow has been a favorite since their very beginnings as a band and in May ,released an expanded two-disc edition of their latest album Half Moon Light (on Duotone Records).

The band has returned to the road as well, scheduled to play the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis on November 4, and returns to the main stage at Knuckleheads in Kansas City, MO this Tuesday. You may remember we covered their March 2020 show at the same venue, one of the last area shows before the global lockdown.  Expect a joyous return to live music.

Tour dates:

08/05 - North Truro, MA - Payomet Performing Arts Center *
08/06 - Westport, CT - Levitt Pavillion *
08/09 - Kalamazoo, MI - Bell's Eccentric Cafe
08/10 - Indianapolis, IN - Vogue Theater
08/11 - Louisville, KY - Headliners Music Hall
08/12 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium
08/13 - Birmingham, AL – Saturn
08/14 - Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse
10/15 - Austin, TX - 04 Center *
10/16 - Dallas, TX - Granada Thater *
10/17 - Houston, TX - The Heights Theater *
10/19 - Lafayette, LA - Acadiana Center for the Arts *
11/04 - Minneapolis, MN - Varsity Theater
11/05 - Madison, WI - Majestic Theatre
11/06 - Milwaukee, WI - Shank Hall
11/07 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall
11/08 - Ann Arbor, MI - The Ark
11/10 - Cincinnati, OH - Ballroom at The Taft Theatre
11/11 - Buffalo, NY - Asbury Hall at Babeville
11/12 - Homer, NY - Center for the Arts Homer
11/13 - Holyoke, MA - Gateway City Arts
11/14 - Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club
11/16 - New York, NY - Webster Hall
11/17 - Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer
11/20 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
11/21 - Saxapahaw, NC - Haw River Ballroom

*Early James not appearing

Moon Taxi: Silver Dream   Read More Moon Taxi Moon Taxi is an indieprog rock band based in Nashville, Tennessee. The band features singer/guitarist Trevor Terndrup, bassist Tommy Putnam, guitars/programmer …

Moon Taxi
ridethemoontaxi.com

Nashville-based alt rock band Moon Taxi returns to the road including an August 27 stop in Kansas City, MO at The Truman w/Sparkle City Disco opening) on their Silver Dream Tour.  Their latest album of the same name (on BMG Records) was released in January and the band has been organically and gradually building a bigger fan base after appearances at Bonnaroo, Coachella,and Austin City Limits festivals and we’ve kept our eye on them since at least 2012 so are glad for their success.

Tour dates:

8/7 Louisville, KY Iroquois Amphitheater %
8/13 Wilmington, NC Greenfield Lake Amphitheater $
8/14 Island of Palm, SC The Windjammer < $
8/15 Island of Palm, SC The Windjammer <
8/25 Fayetteville, AR. George's Majestic $
8/26 Oklahoma City, OK The Jones Assembly $
8/27 Kansas City, MO The Truman $
8/28 Denver, CO Ogden $
8/29 Aspen, CO Belly Up $
9/02 Dallas, TX Granada Theatre $
9/03 Austin, TX Emo's $
9/04 Houston, TX Warehouse Live $
9/05 New Orleans, LA Joy Theatre $
9/10 Columbus, OH Newport Music Hall $
9/11 Covington, KY Madison Theater $
9/14 Washington, DC 930 Club $
9/15 Boston, MA Royale $
9/16 New York, NY Webster Hall $
9/18 East Aurora, NY. Borderland Festival
9/19 Asbury Park, NJ Sea Hear Now Festival
9/22 Columbia, SC The Senate $
9/23 North Augusta, SC Sharon Jones Amphitheater $
9/24 Huntsville, AL Mars Music Hall $
10/02 Memphis, TN Mempho Music Fest
10/08 Birmingham, AL. Avondale Brewing !
10/09 Asheville, NC Salvage Station ^ $
10/28 Lexington, KY Manchester Music Hall $
10/29 Detroit, MI The Majestic $
10/30 Bloomington, IL The Castle Theatre $
10/31 St. Louis, MO Delmar Music Hall $
11/26 Atlanta, GA The Eastern < %
11/27 Atlanta, GA The Eastern < @

< Two unique nights of Moon Taxi
$ w/ Sparkle City Disco
% w/ Illiterate Light
^ w/ Futurebirds
@ w/ AFTM
! w/ Olympic Music

Insomnium insomnium.net Celebrating almost a quarter-century as a band, melodic death metal band from Finland Insomnium is prepping a new EP, Argent Moon (on Century Media) for a September 17th release, featuring first single. “The Antagonist”.  Frontman Niilo Sevänen  comments, “We wanted to try something a bit different so all the four songs on this release represent the softer side of INSOMNIUM. The ballads and the mellow tunes. Acoustic guitars and clean vocals.” Touring commences in late November, but only in Europe for now, so start planning those air reservations.

Clark facebook/throttleclark Anyone captivated by the latest Stephen King adaptation to hit the screen, Lisey’s Story (currently streaming on Apple TV+) will undoubtedly notice the soundtrack music and second single, “Boo’ya Moon” (on WaterTower Music) from longtime composer Clark (aka Chris Clark).  While not the most internet search-friendly moniker, he does record for esteemed classical label Deutsche Grammophon and counts previous remixes for Thom Yorke, Massive Attack, and Depeche Mode among previous successes.

Sophia Knapp facebook/sophiaxknapp LA-based singer/songwriter Sophia Knapp returns with new single, “Desert Moon” a collaboration with Swedish band Dungen (who W♥M's Vu first wrote about way back in 2008) for a unique mix of Swedish folk, ethereal mysticism tinged with country western, and angelic vocals.  Anyone familiar with Twin Peaks-era Julee Cruise will gravitate towards Knapp’s vocal stylings.

Stay Lunar facebook/staylunar W♥M loves UK bands and this Bristol-based five-piece may be among the next wave to hit it big. New single, “Immediately” is turning heads, with outlet Indie Shuffle describing their sound as “A bit like Bombay Bicycle Club meets Al Bairre” so are ones to watch on your radar.

Moon Kissed moonkissedmusic.com NYC synth-pop female trio Moon Kissed returns with their follow-up to 2019’s debut I Met My Band at a New Years Party with I’d Like to Tell You Something Important, another self-explanatory album title due October 22, with first single, “Bubblegum” out now.  The band’s Khaya Cohen says, “Bubblegum” is an anthem about using the patriarchy to get what you want. If men are going to think of us as tiny and harmless, we can harness that into a power to “use them then eclipse them” in the words of my friend Zoey. The mix of punk and adorable digital is a resistance to being boxed in.”

Michael Lane michaellanemusic.de Speaking of Europe, German-American folk pop singer/ songwriter/ producer Michael Lane released his latest single last month, the life-affirming “Moon & Sun” (on Greywood Records). Lane describes he song, “When I sing, I am the Moon and I am the Sun“ I mean it spiritually. The sun and the moon are a part of ourselves and not just things that move in space.”

john ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ facebook.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic

It's the little things in life

Read More Small Black Small Black is back on tour, and stopping by St Paul's Turf Club next Saturday, April 5th. The band will likely play tracks from their latest Limits Of Desire and upcoming EP Real People …

SMALL BLACK
small-black.com

Chillwave pioneers Small Black will be back on tour this August 2021. All USA dates are supported by Korine.

The tour is in support of their new album Cheap Dreams , which came out in April 2021.

We previously caught Small Black in November 2015 and wrote, “we've seen the band before and said they sounded like 80s dance keyboard. Some people have described the band as chillwave, but I really don't agree with that term. They aren't calm or "chill", particularly when they start up the fog and strobe lights... making for a fun dance party.”

Small Black 2021 Tour Dates:

08/05 - COLUMBUS, OH @ Ace of Spade
08/06 - CHICAGO, IL @ Lincoln Hall
08/07 - MINNEAPOLIS, MN @ 7th Street Entry
08/10 - DENVER, CO @ Marquis
08/11 - SALT LAKE CITY, UT @ Urban Lounge
08/13 - PORTLAND, OR @ Doug Fir
08/17 - SAN FRANCISCO, CA @ The Independent
08/20 - LOS ANGELES, CA @ Echoplex
08/21 - SAN DIEGO, CA @ The Casbah
08/22 - PHOENIX, AZ @ Valley Bar
08/25 - AUSTIN, TX @ Antone's
08/26 - DALLAS, TX @ Tulips
08/28 - NASHVILLE, TN @ High Watt
08/29 - ATLANTA, GA @ Masquerade
09/01 - WASHINGTON, DC @ Union Stage
09/08 - PHILADELPHIA, PA @ Foundry
09/09 - BOSTON, MA @ Brighton Music Hall
09/11 - BROOKLYN, NY @ Elsewhere

Read More Little Dragon The last time we saw Sweden’s Little Dragon was in May 2015 and we said, “I'm happy to report that Little Dragon is all grown up. Since we last saw the Swedish band in November 2009 …

LITTLE DRAGON
little-dragon.net

Sweden’s Little Dragon will be releasing New Me, Same Us Remix EP on August 6, via Ninja Tune. The release features remixes from Ela Minus, Octo Octa, Midland, Andrés, Lil Silva, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Poté, FKJ and Little Dragon themselves (on “The Other Lover”).

We caught the band in May 2015 and noted, “With the larger stage of First Avenue's mainroom, the band had custom diamond light setup with a massive backdrop image. Musically, the band is doing more dance club, even tribal, sound. This music appeal to a new larger legion of club music ... only a little more diverse with various ethnic groups. This newfound fanbase may have been steadily building throughout the years, but it probably didn't hurt that Little Dragon's Nabuma Rubberband got nominated for a Grammy for best Dance/Electronic album of the year (2014).”

Track listing

1 Hold On (Ela Minus Remix)
2 Rush (Lil Silva Remix)
3 Another Lover (Octo Octa's River Flow Mix)
4 Hold On (Georgia Anne Muldrow Remix)
5 Rush (Midland Remix)
6 Hold On (Andrés Remix)
7 The Other Lover (Little Dragon Vocal Celebration Mix)
8 Water (FKJ Remix)
9 Hold On (Poté Remix)

Read More Michael Kiwanuka UPDATE: The entire USA Michael Kiwanuka tour has been cancelled. Stay tuned for details. Michael Kiwanuka Live: 11/30, Webster Hall, New York, NY …

SMALL AXE
bbc.co.uk

Director Steve McQueen (not that Steve McQueen) teamed up with Motown Records UK for the official soundtrack to the five-film anthology Small Axe.

McQueen personally curated curated all the songs on the The Small Axe Official Soundtrack, which featured an original score by award-winning composer Mica Levi.

Other tracks will include a rendition of “To Be Young, Gifted And Black” by Michael Kiwanuka and a rework of Janet Kay’s classic “Silly Games” by Tiana Major9.

Tracklisting

1. Mica Levi – Protest
2. Toots & The Maytals – Pressure Drop
3. Prince Far I – Throw Away Your Gun
4. Linton Kwesi Johnson – New Crass Massahkah
5. Sheyi Cole – Uprising
6. Marvin Gaye – Got To Give It Up
7. Tiana Major9 – Silly Games
8. Rochenda Sandall – Dread Beat An' Blood
9. Mica Levi – Old Bailey
10. Michael Kiwanuka – To Be Young, Gifted And Black
11. Imagination – So Good, So Right
12. Junior English – After Tonight
13. Mica Levi – In God You Must Trust
14. Shaun Parkes – Inglan Is A Bitch
15. Janet Kay – Silly Games (Lovers Rock Edit)
16. King Tubby, Augustus Pablo & The Aggrovators – More Warning

THE TINY MEAT GANG tmgpod.com The Tiny Meat Gang Podcast announced “TMG Live In Space”', a special upcoming live episode presented by the premium digital live platform Moment House. Hosted by comedians Cody Ko and Noel Miller, they highlight the funnier side of pop culture, social media, and the growing technological landscape. The hour-long show will go live Thursday, July 29th at 5:00PM PT / 8:00PM ET. Tickets are available in person or on VOD.

MINI TREES minitreesband.com Los Angeles based Lexi Vega’s solo musical project Mini Trees announced that she will be releasing a debut album on Run For Cover Records. The yet-to-be titled album is set to release this fall. To celebrate the news, Mini Trees released the new single “Spring”. Mini Trees will be appearing at The Moroccan Lounge in Los Angeles, on September 30, 2021.

LITTLE SIMZ littlesimz.com British rapper/singer Little Simz will be releasing Sometimes I Might Be Introvert in September 2021. Little Simz talked about one of her songs from the new album, “I Love You, I Hate You,” and said that it was a difficult song… because it was about her absent father. In the end, she concludes, “I’m not forgiving for you, man, I’m forgiving for me.”

LIL BABY facebook.com American rapper Lil Baby will embark on a nationwide tour with Lil Durk performing hits off their recent collaborative album, The Voice of the Heroes (which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart). The fall tour will kick off September 1st in Mansfield, MA, and will end October 15 in West Palm Beach, FL. See his website for full listing

vu ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ facebook.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic

TV: Bosch and Lisey’s Story

Read More Television The pilot does an incredible job of setting the tone and style of the show. This was a police procedural crime drama with two parallel storylines: Detective Bosch on trial for the murder of an alleged serial killer …

BOSCH
amazon.com

Out of nowhere, I got notification that the new Season 7 of Bosch just dropped on Amazon Prime!

I was so excited that I launched the pilot and after viewing the “Last Season on Bosch” recap… I realized I had totally missed the entire Season 6. Basically, I had to binged through Season 6 so I can start on Season 7.

Since these Bosch seasons are based on the Bosch novels, the mysteries are all really well-crafted. The characters are wonderful and unique… and it’s the great writing that kept me interested since I watched the pilot in Feb 2014.

In Season 6, the storylines are based on The Overlook (Book 13) and Dark Sacred Night (Book 21). The FBI/radioactive storyline wrapped up mid-season, but the aftermath (and court trials) would take a backseat as other stories (such as the serial killer copycat) surfaced and resolved.

Overall, Season 6 was solid. I do have some issues, like I didn’t particularly enjoyed the Jerry Edgar/The Butcher storyline. The story felt unsatisfying. We, along with Harry Bosch, knew the truth behind the fatal shooting of the Butcher, but what was the point… and why go in this direction? I suppose, it’s all to setup Edgar’s actions in Season 7.

Season 7 is the final season of Bosch. The storyline was based on The Burning Room (Book 17). Once again, Detective Harry Bosch is doing all he can to solve the death of a 10-year-old girl in an arson fire. This season also heavily focused on Bosch’s daughter, Maddie, who is on a hitlist.

The Inter-Police Division fighting Plot B of Season 7 was just plain silly, in my opinion. I understand that they want to spotlight the other supporting characters in the police department… but it just felt like it was time-consuming and going nowhere.

While it’s true that this is the final season of Bosch, Variety wrote that there will be a spinoff series… From what I’ve read, it seems like the new spinoff series will be focused on Maddie Bosch. Which makes sense to continue the story in this new direction, considering that Maddie was such a main focus in Season 7.

Since Harry Bosch is such a jazz enthusiast, you can expect that same music language in the upcoming spinoff series.

While there’s no official soundtrack for Season 7, Titus Welliver (who plays Bosch) curated his Bosch Playlist, which includes The Soul of John Black and Etta James.

Read More Television The concept is pretty cool, especially because it’s based on the characters and stories of Stephen King... but the execution is just not that great. The same can be said for all of Stephen King’s TV …

LISEY'S STORY
apple.com

Stephen King’s favorite novel that he’s ever written, Lisey’s Story, is being adapted to a limited series on Apple TV+. I’ve previously mentioned that I did not enjoy any of King’s stories to television, based on the horrible Under the Dome and The Mist. It’s the same for Lisey’s Story… the pilot was down-right boring to me, that I gave up. For a pilot, you really need to hook the viewer, and the first episode did nothing for me.

The only Stephen King television I like are Creepshow and, I will admit to liking The Outsider (except for that ending).

Critics are also hit or miss on the new Lisey’s Story show, citing that it’s very slow-paced. I can agree with that, but given that it is based on a long novel, that it would make sense to let the show interpret the story to television form. Even though some people hated the show, they all agree that actress Julianne Moore is doing a great job, playing the lead character.

If you were interested, the Lisey’s Story Apple TV+ Original Series Soundtrack is available on Loud Robot and WaterTower Music. The soundtrack was composed by Clark (aka Chris Clark) and he wanted the music to sound threatening and uneasy: “The idea was to capture the demented threat of Long Boy's presence in a way that made it sound beautiful, like the maws in an H.R Giger painting. So much detail and there's a visceral shock factor that works on screen, but the malevolence is crafted with love and care.”

vu ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ facebook.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic

Go, go, go!

Read More Quicksand The co-headlining Glassjaw and Quicksand tour is coming to the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis this Monday, July 9th. …

QUICKSAND
quicksandnyc.com

This is a true story, but I used to be a pretty massive The Smiths devotee. I was hellbent on collecting everything Smiths… including cover songs. That’s when I first discovered Quicksand. Their album Slip contained a hidden track… their cover of “How Soon is Now?”

Anyway, it actually brought a smile to my face when I read that the New York City post-hardcore band was still around. In fact, their upcoming record Distant Populations will be out August 13 on Epitaph Records. If you’re a vinyl collect, you’ll have to wait until September 24.

The band will be promoting the album with a post-pandemic tour…. Stopping by the Fine Line Music Café in Minneapolis this “Rocktober”.

9/28 Boston, MA Paradise Rock Club
9/29 Asbury Park, NJ The Stone Pony
10/1 Lancaster, PA Tellus 360
10/2 Albany, NY Empire Live
10/4 Detroit, MI El Club
10/5 Chicago, IL Metro
10/6 Minneapolis, MN Fine Line Music Cafe
10/8 Denver, CO Bluebird Theater
10/9 Salt Lake City, UT Urban Lounge
10/11 Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom
10/12 Vancouver, BC Rickshaw Theatre
10/13 Seattle, WA Neumos
10/15 San Francisco, CA Great American Music Hall
10/16 Los Angeles, CA Troubadour
10/18 Phoenix, AZ Valley Bar
10/19 Santa Fe, NM Meow Wolf
10/21 Austin, TX Mohawk
10/23 Houston, TX Studio @ Warehouse Live
10/25 Atlanta, GA Masquerade (Hell)
10/26 Charlotte, NC The Underground
10/27 Washington, DC Black Cat
10/29 New York, NY The Bowery Ballroom
10/31 Philadelphia, PA Theatre of The Living Arts

Speedy Ortiz It'll be a regular Popfest over at the 7th Street Entry on Saturday, May 2nd, with headliner Speedy Ortiz and special guests, Krill, Two Inch Astronaut, and Bitter Canon. …

SAD13
sad13.horse

Whatever happened to Speedy Ortiz ? We last saw the band, touring and promoting their record Twerp Verse … and we wrote Sep 2018 : “Northampton, MA alt rock quartet Speedy Ortiz opened the evening’s proceedings with a crunchy but melodic forty-five set of songs, in support of their new record released this spring, Twerp Verse (Carpark Records). Any band taking their name from a character in the Los Hermanos Hernandez comic Love and Rockets and who had comedian Hannibal Buress as a one-time drummer, can already count us as fans before even playing a note.”

Good news, Speedy Ortiz’s bandleader, Sadie Dupuis, is concentrating on her pop-oriented solo project Sad13. The new album Haunted Painting will be out September 25.

How is it that Dupuis had time to write songs for the upcoming solo album? She said, “I worked on Haunted Painting throughout 2019, writing, arranging and recording from home, then finishing the songs in studios around the country in between Speedy's fly-in dates. It's maximalist, and more true to me and my tastes than any record I've done.”

Read More Taylor Swift Universal Pictures announced that global music icon Taylor Swift (who will also play Bombalurina in Cats) and legendary composer Andrew Lloyd Webber have collaborated on a new, original song “Beautiful Ghosts”. …

TAYLOR SWIFT
taylorswift.com

So, I’m sure you all know the Taylor Swift saga about how she tried to get rights to her music from Scooter Braun. Braun eventually sold the masters of Swift’s first six albums to a private company. I don’t know all the details, but basically Swift was very upset over this deal and she made it very public.

I think it all worked out for Swift, she’s been re-recording her albums and releasing to great success. In fact, her latest, titled Fearless (Taylor’s Version landed at #1 in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia’s charts – making it the world’s biggest first week debut of any album this year.

Here all all the details, according to her record label, Republic Records:

In addition to capturing #1 on the Billboard Top 200, #1 on the Billboard Top Album Sales chart and #1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart, it went #1 in the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland. It debuted Top 5 in Belgium, Norway and the Netherlands and in Germany it was the biggest debut by a country album in the history of Germany’s album chart. Fearless (Taylor’s Version) charted at #1 on the iTunes Top Overall Albums Chart in 61 countries.

JULIET QUICK facebook.com/julietquickmusic Brooklyn’s Juliet Quick has a new EP called Glass Years on Substitute Scene Records. Talking about her latest single, “No Future” (taken from Glass Years), Quick explains, “The song is not a measured political comment, it’s a snapshot of a moment when the enormity of ecological crisis feels too overwhelming to conceive with sophistication—when despair temporarily blots out reason and political intention. I wrote this song in the worst depression of my life, when I was essentially trying to decide whether it was still worth trying to be alive. Putting that absolute torrent of despair into the shape of this little pop song made it liveable and, eventually, even a little bit funny.”

F9: THE FAST SAGA thefastsaga.com We tried to get advance screening for the lastest Fast & Furious film, F9, but obviously tickets went… too fast, too furious. I honest don’t even like these type of movies, they’re just too over-the-top and ridiculous, but they know that and we know that… it’s just a big dumb summer popcorn film. And sometime that’s what you want. The film will be officially showing on June 25, 2021, but you can get the soundtrack right now. Soundtrak features “Rapido” by Amenazzy, Farruko, Myke Towers & Rochy RD and “Furiosa” by Anitta.

EMMA SWIFT emmaswift.com Australian Emma Swift is committed to release a song a week in 2021. She’s calling it “52 Songs: An Adventure into the Unknown”. Last year, her cover-lover Bob Dylan cover album Blonde on the Tracks was on numerous Best Of lists, including The Guardian’s ‘Best Australian Albums of 2020’ and The Big Takeover’s “#4 Album of the Year.”

TURBO turboofficial.com Country crossover talent Turbo released his debut EP Cocaine & Fireworks on 10K Projects/Homemade Projects. The record came out June 11, 2021. Turbo is described as combining the gritty authenticity of outlaw country with hip-hop’s hard-hitting beats and rhymes and pop’s sticky melodies… as evident by the success of his single, “Bo Exotic”.

RAPID STRIKE rapidstrikeband.com Croatian melodic heavy rock band Rapid Strike released their self-titled album in May 2021 via Wormholedeath. The band is scribed as a cross between Metal and Rock. Their lead guitarist and primary songwriter Hrvoje Madiraca doesn’t actually sings – instead vocals are provided by English vocalist Bexie James. As the COVID pandemic subsides, the band hopes to return to the road and play live shows.

A SWIFT FAREWELL aswiftfarewell.com Sydney’s pop/punk band A Swift Farewell recently released their new single called “Mousetrap.” The single came out June 18, 2021. Bassist Sarah Bonnet talks about the song, “'Mousetrap’ is about feeling trapped in a relationship in which you are not able to give some-one the time and attention they demand from you and feeling burnt out from trying. In the end, the person doesn't notice they are asking too much from you and you feel yourself grow emotionally distant from them.”

vu ([email protected]) ♥weheartmusic.com ♥facebook.com ♥twitter.com/weheartmusic

Soundtrack 2020

Midge Ure: Soundtrack: 1978-2019 Read More Visage Typical musical proponents of the New Romantic movement were Spandau Ballet, Visage, Japan, Ultravox, Landscape, Adam & The Ants, Culture Club, and Duran Duran - especially during the period from mid-1979 to mid-1983. ....

MIDGE URE
midgeure.co.uk

Playing familiar classic songs like 'Vienna', 'Dancing with Tears in My Eyes', and 'One Small Day' in an intimate storytellers formatted show, Midge Ure’s current Songs, Questions & Answers Tour is shaping up to be one big night at your local venue and a show not to be missed.

The legendary Ultravox/Visage singer draws from over four decades of music and associated stories from his early days (i.e. turning down an offer to join the Sex Pistols and touring live with Thin Lizzy) to the commercially successful 1980’s and his historic Live Aid/Live 8 involvement, as well as more recent solo ventures.

Ure’s latest is last fall’s Soundtrack 1978-2019 (on Chrysalis Records), a 32-song collection that re-visits classic Ultravox and solo/collaboration tracks, as well as adds previously unreleased material.

Midge Ure Us Tour Dates

Jan 22 - Seattle, WA - Recital Hall @ Benaroya Hall
Jan 24 - Salt Lake City, UT - State Room
Jan 25 - Denver, CO - Soiled Dove
Jan 27 - Kansas City, MO - Record Bar
Jan 28 - St. Louis, MO - Off Broadway Tap Room
Jan 29 – Chicago, IL – City Winery
Jan 30 – Hamilton, ON – The Casbah
Jan 31 – Toronto, ON – Hugh’s Room 1H
Feb 01 – Pawling, NY – Daryl’s House
Feb 03 – Boston, MA – City Winery
Feb 04 – Sellersville, PA – Sellersville Theater
Feb 05 – Washington DC – City Winery – Wine Garden
Feb 06 – New York, NY – Iridium
Feb 07 – New York, NY – Iridium
Feb 08 – Long Island, NY – My Fathers Place
Feb 09 – Bordentown, NJ – Man Cave (2 Shows)

Sex Education by Ezra Furman Read More Ezra Furman Last night's show opened with Ezra Furman. The crowd was sparse to begin with but trickled in throughout the night. Ezra's performance had a raw, garage band…

EZRA FURMAN
ezrafurman.com

Ezra Furman (from Ezra Furman and the Harpoons announced her record Sex Education Original Soundtrack on Bella Union (available to purchase on January 24, 2020). The original soundtrack can be heard throughout season 1 and 2 of the hit Netflix television show.

The filmmaker asked Ezra Furman, “We want you to be the Simon & Garfunkel to our The Graduate.” As a result, Furman’s more tender songs were put in Sex Education rather than putting it on her normal record (Twelve Nudes at the time of her songwriting).

Furman said, “Making music for a TV show was a new experience for me. As a fan of many a high school comedy, for example The Breakfast Club and 10 Things I Hate About You, I knew how fun the music can be, and also how emotional. I wanted to rise to the challenge.”

See Furman on tour:

Jan 23 - Saskatoon, SK - Winteruption Festival
Jan 25- Edmonton, AB - Winteruption Festival
Jan 26 - Calgary, AB - Big Winter Classic Festival
Jan 28 - Somerville, MA - Once Somerville
Feb 15 - Santa Rosa, CA - Arlene Francis Center
Feb .16 - San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
Feb. 17 - Arcata, CA - Richard's Goat
Feb. 18 - Portland, OR - Aladdin Theatre
Feb. 19 - Seattle, WA - Crocodile Cafe
Feb 20 - Boise, ID - Neurolux
Feb. 22 - Denver, CO - Bluebird Theatre
Feb. 23 - Albuquerque, NM - Sister Bar
Feb. 24 - El Paso, TX - Lowbrow Palace
Feb. 25 - Tucson, AZ - 191 Toole
Feb. 26 - San Diego, CA - The Casbah
Feb. 27 - Los Angeles, CA - Teregram Ballroom

Servant: Season 1 (Apple TV+ Original Series Soundtrack) Read More M. Night Shyamalan It's more Mary Shelley than Steven King, more Tim Burton than M. Night Shyamalan. There's no gruesome blood-bath here, more an overcast sense of foreboding. A requiem, not a murder. ....

SERVANT
tv.apple.com

I accidentally got Apple TV+ last Black Friday. You see, if you bought an Apple product, they just gave you Apple TV+, which is kind of a nice bonus. Unfortunately, the content for Apple TV+ isn’t very good…. With one exception: the excellent, creepy television show called Servant. This is an new Apple Original series from Academy Award-nominated director and executive producer M. Night Shyamalan, and created and executive produced by Tony Basgallop.

The show is about a couple that hires a nanny. If you watch the trailer, you soon discover that the baby is actually a doll. I won’t say much more, but it’s a weird psychological story… with some supernatural elements (at least that’s the impression I got based on some things that happened throughout the series).

If you love the show, like me, you’ll be happy to know that you can buy the soundtrack from four-time Grammy-nominated independent record label Lakeshore Records. The soundtrack features music by composer Trevor Gureckis, and will be available on digital platforms on March 6, 2020. Apple does have a timed-exclusive, so you can purchase the album on iTunes right now.

New episode of Servant will be available on Friday.

john + vu ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ facebook.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic

Cat Attack

Taylor Swift: Beautiful Ghosts (From The Motion Picture "Cats") Read More Taylor Swift Artists and digital music sites: U2 uploading new album Songs of Innocence to all iTunes users, Morrissey's music is not online, Taylor Swift pulls hers from Spotify, …

Read more When Animals Attack.

CATS
universalpictures.com

Tom Hooper’s Cats (based on Andrew Lloyd Webber’s long-running Broadway play) is coming out in theaters this December 20th. Universal Pictures announced that global music icon Taylor Swift (who will also play Bombalurina in Cats) and legendary composer Andrew Lloyd Webber have collaborated on a new, original song “Beautiful Ghosts”.

The new song was created especially for the film, as composer Lloyd Webber mentioned, “When I first read the screenplay, the first thing I said was, ‘We have to have a song for Victoria.’ [Beautiful Ghosts] is an incredibly important and central part of the whole film.”

Director Tom Hooper reacts, “What I couldn’t believe was the extraordinary beauty of these lyrics that Taylor had written. It was as if someone had come into the film I was in the middle of making and … had reflected back to me a profound understanding of what we are trying to do with the movie. It was utterly thrilling.”

Synopsis

Oscar-winning director Tom Hooper (The King's Speech, Les Misérables, The Danish Girl) transforms Andrew Lloyd Webber's record-shattering stage musical into a breakthrough cinematic event. Featuring Lloyd Webber's iconic music, an all-star cast and world-class dancers under the guidance of Tony-winning choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler (Hamilton, In the Heights), the film reimagines the musical for a new generation with spectacular production design, state-of-the-art technology, and dance styles ranging from classical ballet to contemporary, hip-hop to jazz, street dance to tap.

Shopping: All Or Nothing Read More Shopping One of the opener was London's Shopping. Their music did not mesh well with Shannon & the Clams' beachy music. Shopping was more dance art, post-punk, as described by all the popular critics (Pitchfork, Stereogum, etc.) …

SHOPPING
fat-cat.co.uk/artist/shopping

FatCat Records announced that UK band Shopping will be releasing All Or Nothing on February 7, 2020.

Currently, Shopping features guitarist Rachel Aggs (Trash Kit, Sacred Paws), drummer Andrew Milk (Current Affairs) and Billy Easter (Wet Dog). With the new album, there’ll be a promotional tour… starting in February:

Feb. 7 - London, UK @ Rough Trade East
Feb. 9 - Bristol, UK @ Rough Trade Bristol
Feb. 10 - Nottingham, UK @ Rough Trade
March 5 - Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios *
March 6 - Seattle, WA @ Sunset Tavern *
March 7 - Vancouver, BC @ The Biltmore *
March 9 - Reno, NV @ Holland Project *
March 10 - San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop *
March 11 - Los Angeles, CA @ 1720 *
March 12 - San Diego, CA @ UCSD *
March 14 - Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress *
March 16 - March 21 - Austin, TX @SXSW
March 23 - Tallahassee, FL @ The Bark *
March 24 - Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade *
March 25 - Durham, NC @ The Pinhook *
March 26 - Washington, DC @ DC9 *
March 27 - Philadelphia, PA @ Boot & Saddle *
March 28 - Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere *
March 29 - Portsmouth, NH @ The Press Room *
March 31 - Toronto, ON @ The Monarch *
April 2 - Detroit, MI @ Deluxx Fluxx *
April 3 - Fort Wayne, IN @ The Brass Rail *
April 4 - Chicago, IL @ Subterranean *
April 5 - Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry *
April 7 - St. Louis, MO @ Sinkhole *
April 8 - Lawrence, KS @ White Schoolhouse *
April 9 - Denver, CO @ Hi Dive *
April 10 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court *
May 5 - London, UK @ The Lexington
May 6 - Paris, FR @ Supersonic
May 8 - Utrecht, NL @ ACU
May 9 - Hamburg, DE @ Molotow
May 10 - Copenhagen, DK @ VEGA Ideal Bar
May 11 - Berlin, DE @ Urban Spree
May 14 - Vienna, AT @ Fluc Café
May 15 - Prague, CZ @ Meetfactory
May 16 - Munich, DE @ Milla
May 17 - Bern, CH @ Reitschule
May 19 - Winterhur, CH @ Albani
May 21 - Luxembourg, LU @ De Gudde Wellen
May 23 - Offenbach, DE @ Hafen 2

* = w/ Automatic

Cashmere Cat: PRINCESS CATGIRL Read More Cashmere Cat Norwegian producer Magnus August Hoiberg performs under the name Cashmere Cat. He is releasing his four track Wedding Bells EP this January 2014 on Lukyme Records. ...

CASHMERE CAT
cashmerecat.com

Globally acclaimed artist and producer Cashmere Cat recently released Princess Catgirl, via Mad Love/Interscope Records

Since the release of his debut album 9 in 2017, Cashmere Cat has worked with several pop stars (including Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello on their current smash hit “Señorita”, Kanye West, Kid Cudi, Halsey, etc.)

Tour dates:

12/7 A.I Washington, DC
12/10 Danforth Toronto, ON
12/11 Skully’s Columbus, OH
12/12 The Majestic Detroit, MI
12/13 Concord Chicago, IL
12/14 Liquid Room Madison, WI
12/17 Ready Room St. Louis, MO
12/19 Gothic Theatre Denver, CO
12/20 Meow Wolf Santa Fe, NM
12/21 Van Buren Phoenix, AZ
12/27 Yost Santa Ana, CA
12/28 Warfield San Francisco, CA
01/2 Fortune Sound Club Vancouver, BC
01/3 Wonder Portland, OR
01/4 Showbox Seattle, WA
01/7 The Catalyst Santa Cruz, CA
01/8 Fremont Theater San Luis Obispo, CA
01/9 Soho Music Club Santa Barbara, CA
01/10 SOMA San Diego, CA
01/11 1720 Los Angeles, CA

Thundercat Tour Read More Thundercat Grammy-winning bassist & singer Thundercat (not to be confused with the cartoon ThunderCats) is touring in support of his new album Drunk. The sold is show at …

THUNDERCAT
ninjatune.net

Los Angeles’ Thundercat (not to be confused with Thundera’s Thundercats) will be heading out on his biggest North American tour to date, this Spring 2020.

If you didn’t know, GRAMMY Award winner Thundercat is the alter ego of virtuosic bassist / singer Stephen Bruner. He took the name Thundercat based on the beloved animated series ThunderCats.

He’s worked with the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Pharrell, N.E.R.D., Erykah Badu, Herbie Hancock, Childish Gambino, Mac Miller, Anderson .Paak, Janelle Monáe, Travis Scott, BADBADNOTGOOD, Moses Sumney, Michael McDonald, Kenny Loggins, Wiz Khalifa, Robert Glasper, Kamasi Washington, Little Simz, Louis Cole, Shabazz Palaces … but importantly has worked with longtime writing partner Flying Lotus (who we caught in August 2019).

Thundercat 2020 tour dates:

02/28/20 – Vancouver, BC – Vogue Theatre
02/29/20 – Portland, OR – PDX Jazz Festival
03/01/20 – Seattle, WA – Showbox SoDo
03/03/20 – Arcata, CA – Van Duzer Theatre
03/04/20 – Chico, CA – Senator Theatre
03/06/20 – Oakland, CA – Fox Theater
03/07/20 – Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern
03/08/20 – Santa Ana, CA – Observatory
03/10/20 – Phoenix, AZ – The Van Buren
03/12/20 – Denver, CO – Ogden Theatre
03/13/20 – Omaha, NE – Slowdown
03/14/20 – Minneapolis, MN – The Fillmore
03/15/20 – Chicago, IL – Riviera Theatre
03/17/20 – Detroit, MI - Majestic Theatre
03/18/19 – Toronto, ON – Queen Elizabeth Theatre
03/19/20 – Montreal, QC – Corona Theatre
03/21/20 – Boston, MA – House of Blues
03/22/20 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore
03/24/20 – New York, NY – Webster Hall
03/28/20 – Silver Springs, MD – Fillmore Silver Springs
03/29/20 – Knoxville, TN - Big Ears Festival
03/31/20 – Nashville, TN – Marathon Music Works
04/01/20 – Asheville, NC – The Orange Peel
04/02/20 – Atlanta, GA – Variety Playhouse
04/04/20 – New Orleans, LA – The Joy Theater
04/05/20 – Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall
04/06/20 – Dallas, TX – House of Blues Dallas

Pussy Riot 2020 Tour Read More Pussy Riot A similar story happened with Russian punk group Pussy Riot being jailed for performing "Virgin Mary, Please Drive Putin Away" song in front of a church…

PUSSY RIOT
xxpussyriotxx.com

Our favorite Russian protest art collective Pussy Riot announced a new 19-date headlining tour across American starting this March 2020.

One dollar of each ticket sold will go directly to the local Planned Parenthood affiliate in each tour market. Pussy Riot first worked with the Planned Parenthood organization after staging a sold-out benefit show in Birmingham, Alabama to protest the anti-abortion legislation in that state.

We saw the group at a rare appearance in St Paul in March 2018 and said, “… the main Pussy Riot show started. Nadya is joined on stage by another Pussy Riot member. Both, in their icon Pussy Riot homemade masks. Their show is more of an art performance, rather than a traditional rock show.”

Pussy Riot North American tour:

3.13 - Los Angeles, CA @ 1720 LA
3.14 - Berkeley, CA @ The UC Theatre
3.18 - Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
3.19 - Vancouver, BC @ Fortune Sound Club
3.20 - Seattle, WA @ Neumos
3.24 - Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theatre
3.26 - Chicago, IL @ Metro
3.27 - Detroit, MI @ El Club
3.28 - Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop
3.31 - Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair
4.3 - Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
4.4 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
4.8 - Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West
4.10 - Houston, TX @ White Oak Music
4.11 - Dallas, TX @ Trees
4.12 - Austin, TX @ The Mohawk
4.14 - Santa Fe, NM @ Meow Wolf
4.15 - Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom
5.19 - Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre

Kid Nobody: discretion Read More Wildcat! Wildcat! Los Angeles trio Wildcat! Wildcat! started the evening with a well-received set of chilled, harmonic indie pop. Bassist Jesse Taylor and keyboardist Michael Wilson backed …

KID NOBODY
kidnobody.com

From the ashes of Wildcat! Wildcat!, bandmates Michael Wilson and Jesse Carmichael have formed Kid Nobody. The debut album discretion will be coming out February 28, 2020.

We caught Wildcat! Wildcat! in Sep 2013 and wrote, “Los Angeles trio Wildcat! Wildcat! started the evening with a well-received set of chilled, harmonic indie pop. Bassist Jesse Taylor and keyboardist Michael Wilson backed by drummer Jesse Carmichael, used their tenor voices and bristling melodies to incite the receptive crowd to songs from their just released self-titled ep (Downtown Records). Mentioning it was their “first trip east” and wisely postponing their own dates to act as tour opener, expect the band to return and headline on their own sometime next spring.”

Hear the first two songs on soundcloud.com

Tracklisting

1. ms. stress (4:55)
2. watch the world as its ending (4:25)
3. ready or not (4:22)
4. fantasy (4:21)
5. indiscretion (dream soundtrack) (22:46)

Meow Meow: Vamp Read More Meow Meow My favorite of the night was clearly Meow Meow and her crazy comedy cabaret. I think she's quite famous in Australia, and I can see why, she's absolutely mesmerizing to watch. …

MEOW MEOW
meowmeowrevolution.com

Meow Meow and Thomas Lauderdale (founder of Pink Martini) teamed up for their album Hotel Amour.

Talking about Hotel Amour, Meow Meow says, “The sound will be both familiar and exotic to both my fans and those of Pink Martini—a true collaboration between two passionate artists with converging and diverging inspirations, but above all an obsession with the joy of sharing special music. I think it really is a collection of songs—both originals and covers—that range from little historical gems we have polished to others that we have written our hearts and souls into.”

We actually accidentally caught Meow Meow in June 2011 and said, “My favorite of the night was clearly Meow Meow and her crazy comedy cabaret. I think she's quite famous in Australia, and I can see why, she's absolutely mesmerizing to watch. The highlight of her show was when she asked for three volunteers to help her do "the greatest love song".”

Upcoming Meow Meow shows:

12/27/2019 Hult Center Eugene, OR
12/28/2019 Newmark Theatre Portland, OR
02/20/2020 Perth Concert Hall Perth, WA, Australia
04/04/2020 The Washington Center Olympia, WA
04/09/2020 Montalvo Arts Center Saratoga, CA
04/17/2020 UCCS Presents Colorado Springs, CO
04/24/2020 Hering Auditorium Fairbanks, AK
04/25/2020 Alaska Center Anchorage, AK
05/08/2020 Koerner Hall Toronto, ON, Canada
05/28/2020 Virginia Arts Festival Norfolk, VA

Pussycat Dolls 2020 UK Tour

PUSSYCAT DOLLS
pcdmusic.com

Global megastars Pussycat Dolls have reunited and will be touring the UK and Australia (starts 22 April 2020) for the first time in 10 years.

Having sold more than 54 Million records worldwide and streamed over 1 Billion times, the Dolls’ Nicole Scherzinger is excited to be back: “I love all my girls so much and cannot wait to show you what we've got in store for you. It’s been a long time coming but this feels like the perfect time to remind the world what it means to be a Pussycat Doll”.

The Pussycat Dolls 2020 Tour

05 April 2020 Dublin, IR 3 Arena
06 April 2020 Cardiff, U.K. Motorpoint Arena
08 April 2002 Birmingham, U.K. Resorts World Arena
09 April 2020 Nottingham, U.K. Motorpoint Arena
11 April 2020 Glasgow, U.K. The SSE Hydro
12 April 2020 Newcastle, U.K. Utilita Arena
14 April 2020 Manchester, U.K. Manchester Arena
15 April 2020 Leeds, U.K. First Direct Arena
17 April 2020 London, U.K. The O2

Doja Cat: Hot Pink

DOJA CAT
dojacat.com

Los Angeles producer / songwriter / rapper Doja Cat recently released her sophomore album Hot Pink via Kemosabe/RCA Records.

Hot Pink features plenty of collaborations with other superstars, like Tyga (“Juicy”) and Gucci Mane. The former is permanently on Elle’s “Best Songs of 2019 (so far)”, citing, “it’s three minutes of pure magic…The airy, bubbly synths and Doja’s flirty lyrics about her, well, booty, have the power to make me shake what the good Lord gave me.”

Hot Pink Tracklisting

1. Cyber Sex
2. Won’t Bite feat. Smino
3. Rules
4. Bottom Bitch
5. Say So
6. Like That feat. Gucci Mane
7. Talk Dirty
8. Addiction
9. Streets
10. Shine
11. Better Than Me
12. Juicy with Tyga

PURR purrband.com New York’s Purr (featuring songwriting partners Eliza Barry Callahan and Jack Staffen) will be releasing their debut album Like New on February 21, 2020 via ANTI-. Like New was written in the band’s basement studio in downtown Manhattan, a repurposed storage space beneath a restaurant in the building where Callahan once lived as a young child.

MADCAT soundcloud.com Parisian producer Madcat (formerly known as Cheshire Cat) recently released Queens of Sand, a 4-track EP. If you’re in Paris on January 4th, you can check him out at Rex Club for Madcat’s EP release party with DJ Gregory.

CAT BURNS twitter.com Emerging British pop artist Cat Burns recently released her single track “I Don't Blame You” on RAW Records Label. The song is a follow-up to her EP Naïve. The 19 year old singer describes the song as, “‘I Don't Blame You’ is about my childhood and the strained relationship with my Dad. I had a lot of resentment mixed with anger and hurt. I found that it was stunting my mental growth and emotional maturity. I needed a way to say exactly what I was thinking to him in an honest yet vulnerable way. This song is my way of healing, and I hope it can help others who are in similar situations find peace within their own lives & relationships.”

BAMBARA wharfcatrecords.com Wharf Cat Records will be releasing post-punk Bambara’s Stray on February 14th, 2020. Formed in Athens, Georgia, the band features the Bateh brothers, Reid and Blaze, singer / guitarist and drummer respectively, and bassist William Brookshire. We saw the trio in November 2016 … but it appears that currently the band is based in New York. When the new album comes out in 2020, expect the band to do a world tour. For live shows, the trio will add Bryan Keller Jr. and Sammy Zalta on additional guitars.