Oregon Alt-Pop Trio We Three Announce Brand New Album "Love Me" and Headline Tour

Oregon alt-pop trio We Three have announced their brand new album Love Me, out July 21st via Palawan Productions. Alongside the announcement of their eagerly awaited fourth album, the band have also announced headline tour dates for 2023.

The band will play eight dates across the UK and Ireland, starting at Newcastle Riverside on October 22nd and finishing at The Academy, Dublin on November 1st. The tour will include a London headline show at KOKO on October 30th. Tickets went on sale 19th April via https://www.wethreemusic.com/

Love Me is the richest, rawest and hardest-hitting work yet from the Humlie sibling trio – Manny (vocals, guitar), Bethany (bass) and Joshua (drums). The first taste of the record is the vulnerable lead single ‘In Therapy’, which upon its release in March proved an instant hit with fans and has achieved over a million streams.

The acoustic-led pop ballad finds frontman Manny admittedly singing, "I'm a jealous little piece of shit," after telling us that he saw The 1975 live and couldn't help wondering whether his partner liked Matty Healy more than him, inspiring Manny to look inward and address his insecurities. ‘In Therapy’ is a snapshot of the frank and intense themes explored in Love Me.

The devastating opening track ‘Hell As Well’ sees Manny confront the biblical abuse he experienced as a child raised according to the strict code of Evangelical Christianity. "Even as a 10-year-old, I didn't understand why I was being told that women weren't allowed to speak in that community – and I still don't understand that now," he says. ‘Hell As Well’ is firmly rooted in Manny's own experience of the church, but also contains lyrics that reference the sexual molestation suffered by one of his peers.

"That isn't my story, but it felt important to include it in the song even though I was a little scared to do so," he says. "If you feel uncomfortable listening to this song, that because it is uncomfortable. And if people don't like it for that reason, I can live with it."

Love Me is also packed with big-hearted pop songs that will provoke similarly strong reactions. ‘If I Loved A Boy’ is inspired by the upbringing that Manny is still grappling with, one he describes as "very religious and very loving – as long as you fit the mould". He says of its unflinching lyrics: "It's almost me doing my 10-year-old self a favour by asking all the questions I wanted to ask back then. Like, would you still love me if I loved a boy? Would you still love me if I didn't enjoy being married? I hope it's an anthem for everyone out there who didn't get to ask those questions or asked them and didn't get the answers they needed."

The album title might be a small phrase, but it gives huge insight into the records themes. "There are love songs on the album, but none of them are a perfectly happy love song," says Manny.

‘Love Me In A Circle’, on which Manny pleadingly sings "just love me, love me, love me, love me, love me...", is very much a case in point. "I wrote that section of the song after I had been drinking a bit and felt ready to try something different," he recalls. "The next day, I thought it was going to sound too crazy, but even sober me was like: 'There's something about this, because that sense of desperation was coming across.' And that is an important theme on this record.

"You know you shouldn't be begging for love in that way, but it's like you can't see past that in your moment of desperation," he says. "It was actually Bethany who first suggested that we should call the album Love Me. And I was like, 'That's so cool, because "love me" can be taken in so many different ways.' Like, are you saying you should love me? Or is it more of a question – like, 'do you love me?'"

There is a deep sense of togetherness running intrinsically throughout both the band and their audience. We Three have built a passionate global fanbase with their anthemic, emotive and life-affirming songs: they have over a million TikTok followers, an audience they cultivated during the pandemic, and their music has received more than 250 million streams. Forever prompting complete honesty, their music has helped the lives of many and the new album Love Me is set to capture the hearts of millions more.

UK & IRELAND 2023 HEADLINE TOUR DATES

22/10 – Newcastle, Riverside

24/10 – Glasgow, St. Luke’s

25/10 – Edinburgh, La Belle Angele

26/10 – Manchester, Academy 2

28/10 – Birmingham, O2 Institute 2

29/10 – Brighton, Concorde 2

30/10 – London, KOKO

01/11 – Dublin, The Academy

Connect with We Three: Website | Instagram | Twitter

HOT 97 Summer Jam Returns to New York After Two Decades With Blockbuster Lineup on June 4th

HOT 97, the New York-based global culture-setting hip-hop brand, unveils the lineup and details for the 2023 HOT 97 Summer Jam. After over 20 years, the iconic hip-hop music festival is back in New York at UBS Arena in Belmont Park, NY boasting a star-studded lineup with headliner Cardi B and some of the hottest names in hip-hop. Joining Cardi B on stage will be GloRilla, Ice Spice, Coi Leray, Fivio Foreign, French Montana, Lil TJay, and more. The LOX will also hit the stage to salute the 50th anniversary of hip-hop.

Tickets officially go on sale April 8th at 10:00 AM EST at hot97.com/summerjam and Ticketmaster. American Express® Card Members can purchase pre-sale tickets before the general public April 4th 10:00 AM – April 6th 10:00 PM. Download the HOT 97 App for more opportunities to win tickets, exclusive content, and hip-hop news and updates. The highly anticipated 2023 HOT 97 Summer Jam will offer two stages featuring some of the biggest names in hip-hop, while putting a spotlight on the recent rise of women to the forefront of the hip-hop movement. The Main Stage performers include Cardi B, GloRilla, Ice Spice, Coi Leray, Fivio Foreign, French Montana, Lil TJay, Lola Brooke, and a number of exciting, surprise guest performances, which will make the night even more unforgettable. The show will also feature a dynamic performance by legendary group, The LOX, celebrating 50 epic years of hip-hop and culture.

“HOT 97’s Summer Jam is a hip-hop staple and we are excited to bring the most electric show of the summer back to NY for hip hop’s 50th anniversary.” says Bradford Tobin, President, Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel.

In addition to the main event, the Warner Records Stage at HOT 97 Summer Jam will kick off the afternoon pre-show with host French Montana and feature some of the hottest emerging artists including, NLE Choppa, Kenzo B, 2Rare, Sha EK, McVert and TQ. From the Main Stage to the Warner Records Stage, the star-studded music celebration is guaranteed to be one of the best Summer Jams thus far.

“The show is all about bringing hip-hop’s biggest stars to the stage and we are honored to have New York’s own, Cardi B, as our headliner this year. I am so proud of the strong female presence in our lineup, which represents women’s dominance over the airwaves this year.” TT Torrez, Multi-Media Personality and VP of Artist and Label Relations.

Listeners can get more details about this year’s lineup and the Hip Hop 50th anniversary on the HOT 97 app, which allows them to enjoy the hottest hip-hop station and all of its amazing content from anywhere in the world. The app keeps fans up to date on the culture with breaking news, exclusive articles, video content, features from Ebro, Laura Stylez & Rosenberg, Nessa Funk Flex, TT Torrez, and other HOT 97 personalities, as well as access to a library of podcasts including Summer Jam Through the Years, Ebro in the Morning, and Tap in with TT.

“This year we reimagined Summer Jam in order to make sure it stays fresh, while still bringing the talent and excitement our fans expect,” added Rahsan-Rahsan Lindsay, Chief Executive Officer. Anticipation for the show is illustrated by a number of partners that have already signed on to sponsor the 2023 HOT 97 Summer Jam, including Smirnoff, Black Girl Sunscreen and Warner Records as the pre-show sponsor, among others.

Connect with HOT 97: Website | Instagram | Twitter

Shame Gang Announces Tour Dates and Reveals Track List For His "Better Late Than Never" Album

Since releasing his lauded sophomore album No Safe Haven in 2021, Shame Gang has caught the attention of Jay-Z's nephew, opened for Griselda's Benny The Butcher and Rap legend KRS-One, and toured with Little Brother's Rapper Big Pooh. Roughly two years later, the rising North Carolina-based emcee-- formerly known as simply Shame --prepares to release his third full-length album “Better Late Than Never”, and announces a string of upcoming show dates.

Shame Gang recently shared the album's track list, which revealed guest features from Skyzoo, Smoke DZA, Lute, Little Brother's Rapper Big Pooh, Oswin Benjamin, and more. Featuring the single "Get It Started", “Better Late Than Never” will hit all major digital streaming platforms via Manifest Destiny/Roc Nation's Equity Distribution on Friday, April 7.

Pre-order/save Better Late Than Never here.

Shame is set to perform at the Dreamville Fest kickoff event Goldmouf Garage this Friday, March 31st. The event is completely free, and more info can be found here.

Shame has also announced the following show dates:

April 7 - Charlotte, NC

April 11 - Portland, OR (w/ Rome Streetz)

April 22 - Raleigh, NC

MORE ABOUT SHAME GANG:

As a creative lyricist with catchy flows, rugged rhymes, a nimble vocal cadence, and a knack for storytelling, Shame Gang imbues the ethos of Hip-Hop's throwback era as well as its promising future. Born in the tough streets of Capitol Heights, Maryland and raised in Landover, Maryland, Shame drew inspiration from Rap artists such as Q-Tip, Biggie Smalls, A Tribe Called Quest, Tupac, Big L, Nas, Mos Def, Eminem, and Rakim. Like many these artists, Shame got his start to fame by competing in Rap battles and distributing his music through local college radio stations. Before his quest to conquer the music world began, Shame had to decide which parts of life were going to make or break him. Determined not to become a statistic or victim of gang violence or drugs, Shame used music to inspire and keep himself busy. “I got my name from my grandmother because I was hooked on the movie A Low Down Dirty Shame as a kid, but it stuck with me when I grew up in the battle rapping era. People used to say I put shame to the rappers I battled, hence, Shame.”

Shame has lived in Raleigh, North Carolina since 2013, where he continues to create music, and dropped his first project, The Sequence, in February 2016, featuring the lead single “Still Ballin.” He has performed at top venues throughout the Triangle (Raleigh/ Durham/ Chapel Hill) and beyond, amassing new fans along the way with his high-energy stage presence and dynamic delivery. Shame has also graced the stage opening for big names such as Bone Thugs & Harmony, Twista, Dave East, Yo Gotti, Ghost Face Killah, Raekwon, Slum Village, Nappy Roots and many more. His 2018 breakout album and first officially distributed project Genesis 98’ earned him an opening performance spot for Wu-Tang's reunion tour stop in NC.

Connect with Shame Gang: Instagram | Twitter

Monstercat Announces Back-To-Back Monstercat Silk Showcase Live Performance Events

Monstercat is pleased to celebrate the upcoming 700th episode of its weekly radio show & podcast, Monstercat Silk Showcase. To mark the occasion, Monstercat will bring Silk Showcase to Seattle for two nights of live performances from label greats Shingo Nakamura, BT, and Jacob Henry. Monstercat Silk Showcase Live will take place at Ora Nightclub on May 12th & 13th, with tickets now on sale to the general public here.

Silk Showcase has been a weekly staple for the Silk fan community since 2008. Featuring an hourlong mix of emotive and intelligent house, progressive, trance, & chillout, residents Tom Fall, Terry Da Libra, A.M.R, Sundriver, and Monstercat Silk Lead A&R Jacob Henry take turns co-hosting the broadcast. Following Silk’s strategic acquisition by Monstercat, the re-branded broadcast has since been syndicated globally, reaching over 2.8 Million listeners monthly.

Monstercat Silk Lead A&R Jacob Henry shares, “I founded Monstercat Silk Showcase nearly 15 years ago and never dreamed that we’d reach 700 episodes, let alone present our milestone with BT as a headliner. It has been equally extraordinary to work with Shingo Nakamura over the past 15 years and to witness his rise in the global melodic house & progressive scene. As both a performer and fan of these two extraordinary talents, I absolutely can’t wait for this event and to reconnect with Silk fans from Seattle and beyond.”

Dan Scarcelli, Head of Live Programming for Monstercat, adds, “Monstercat’s legacy - and our future - have always been about community. Monstercat Silk Showcase is the perfect place for us to share our music globally and bring our community together. This moment is just one of many ways we aim to blur the lines between online and in-person events, in a truly unique ‘Monstercat’ way."

Both of Monstercat Silk Showcase Live’s back-to-back nights will be headlined by two of Monstercat Silk’s most prominent acts. Friday, May 12th will be an evening of melodic house headed by Tokyo-based phenom Shingo Nakamura, whose latest release “Foggy Morning” released on Monstercat earlier this month. Nakamura entered 2023 as a full-time musician, quitting his day job to record and travel the world performing; this show will mark his Seattle performance debut. Nakamura will be supported by Lead A&R Jacob Henry. On Saturday, May 13th, iconic label contributor BT will command the space with a progressive set, supported by Shingo Nakamura returning for a deep set.

Tickets for each event start at $25 USD while supplies last, with additional packages available, including a two-day pass for both evenings as well as limited VIP Booths.

Both evening performances will be rebroadcast on Monstercat Silk's YouTube channel, and will also be available to stream and download starting March 24th. In addition, a special opening night livestream will be broadcast directly from the venue to the community on InCrowd. Stay tuned for more information about this on Monstercat’s Discord channel.

MONSTERCAT SILK SHOWCASE LIVE

Friday, May 12th

12:00am-Close Shingo Nakamura

10:30pm-12:00am Jacob Henry

9:00pm-10:30pm WEB x Johnny Monsoon (B2B)

Purchase tickets for Friday, May 12th here

Saturday, May 13th

12:00am-Close BT

10:30pm-12:00am Shingo Nakamura (Deep Set)

9:00-10:30pm WEB x Johnny Monsoon (B2B)

Purchase tickets for Saturday, May 13th here

Listen to Monstercat Silk Showcase: Spotify | Apple Music | Soundcloud | Amazon Music

Pitchfork Music Festival Announces 2023 Lineup | July 21-23 at Chicago’s Union Park

The coveted Pitchfork Music Festival returns to Chicago’s Union Park this summer, Friday, July 21 through Sunday, July 23. The Pitchfork Music Festival has announced its full 2023 lineup, including headliners The Smile, Big Thief, and Bon Iver.

The Festival commences on Friday with the US festival debut from The Smile, comprised of Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, and Tom Skinner, Alvvays, Perfume Genius, Leikeli47, Nation of Language, Roc Marciano & The Alchemist, Youth Lagoon, Ric Wilson, Grace Ives, Jlin, Axel Boman (Live), Mavi, Sen Morimoto, and Contour.

Programming continues on Saturday with Big Thief, Weyes Blood, King Krule, Snail Mail, Panda Bear + Sonic Boom, Julia Jacklin, Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul, Vagabon, MJ Lenderman, Yaya Bey, Black Belt Eagle Scout, 700 Bliss, Palm, and Deeper.

The festival closes on Sunday with Bon Iver, Kelela, Koffee, Killer Mike, JPEGMafia, Hurray For the Riff Raff, Mdou Moctar, ILLUMINATI HOTTIES, Jockstrap, Soul Glo, Florist, Lucrecia Dalt, Rachika Nayar, and Ariel Zetina.

“We’re excited to be back at Union Park with a lineup of artists responsible for some of the very best music of the past year—Alvvays, Kelela, Yaya Bey, Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupil, Grace Ives, 700 Bliss, and more—alongside a few special moments with indie icons,” said Pitchfork editor in chief Puja Patel. “For one, this year will mark the very first time that Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood (as The Smile) and Bon Iver will perform at the Chicago festival. And Big Thief will complete their tour of the fest's stages over the years with a headlining set, their first at a festival this size.”

Since 2006, the Pitchfork Music Festival has consistently proven to be one of the most welcoming, accessible, and rewarding festival experiences, hosting 60,000 music fans of all ages from across the globe. Each year, the Festival showcases the best up-and-coming acts, as well as special performances from touring stalwarts and legends alike. It’s this unique blend of discovery and tradition that makes the Pitchfork Music Festival one of the most cherished music events of the year. With a wide range of vendors and a specialty record fair, the Pitchfork Music Festival works to support local businesses while promoting the Chicago arts and food communities as a whole.

Pitchfork Music Festival tickets are on sale now. Currently, three-day passes are $219 and single-day passes are $109. The Pitchfork PLUS upgrade, including a range of exclusive amenities, is $419 for a three-day pass and $209 for a single-day pass. Tickets are on a tiered pricing system for this year's festival. Payment plans are available for all ticket types. More details are available here.

FRIDAY

The Smile

Alvvays

Perfume Genius

Leikeli47

Nation of Language

Roc Marciano & The Alchemist

Youth Lagoon

Ric Wilson

Grace Ives

Jlin

Axel Boman (Live)

Mavi

Sen Morimoto

Contour

SATURDAY

Big Thief

Weyes Blood

King Krule

Snail Mail

Panda Bear + Sonic Boom

Julia Jacklin

Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul

Vagabon

MJ Lenderman

Yaya Bey

Black Belt Eagle Scout

700 Bliss

Palm

Deeper

SUNDAY

Bon Iver

Kelela

Koffee

Killer Mike

JPEGMafia

Hurray For the Riff Raff

Mdou Moctar

ILLUMINATI HOTTIES

Jockstrap

Soul Glo

Florist

Lucrecia Dalt

Rachika Nayar

Ariel Zetina

For more information, including lineups, event news, and the latest updates, please visit PitchforkMusicFestival.com, facebook.com/pitchforkmusicfestival and follow Pitchfork Music Festival on Instagram and Twitter.

The Mars Volta Will Unveil Their "Que Dios Te Maldiga Mi Corazon" Album on April 21st

On April 21st, The Mars Volta will release ‘Que Dios Te Maldiga Mi Corazon’ via Clouds Hill.

Much more than a simple “un-plugged” version of ‘The Mars Volta’ - the bands self titled seventh album and return as a band - this acoustic rendition furthers the mission of the source music, which drew into sharper focus the traditional Latin influences that have always inspired Omar Rodríguez-López and Cedric Bixler-Zavala. This is, says Rodríguez-López, The Mars Volta’s version of a “folk record”, tracing the melodies and rhythms of the parent album back to their traditional Caribbean roots and chal- lenging listeners to hear the group in an entirely new light.

Fans can now stream “Blank Condolences (Acoustic)” via this link: https://themarsvolta.lnk.to/BlankCondolences

The upcoming new album isn’t simply more content, but a bold, radical, political album, and one that recontextualizes the music of the group’s powerful last album within the lineage of the Latin and Caribbean sounds that Rodríguez-López has been mining his entire career, only many ears couldn’t hear past the distorted guitars to know what was going on. The songs are re-orchestrated and set to the traditional Caribbean rhythms that Rodríguez-López grew up on. Here, “Black Condolences” becomes an object lesson in this music, segueing between three different traditional rhythms across its three-and-a-half minutes.

Pre-order for ‘Que Dios Te Maldiga Mi Corazon’ is now available at this link: https://gtly.to/ghq-H4_iz

‘Que Dios Te Maldiga Mi Corazon’ tracklisting

Blacklight Shine (Acoustic)

Graveyard Love (Acoustic)

Shore Story (Acoustic)

Vigil (Acoustic)

Que Dios Te Maldiga Mi Corazon (Acoustic)

Cerulea (Acoustic)

Flash Burns From Flashbacks (Acoustic)

Palm Full Of Crux (Acoustic)

No Case Gain (Acoustic)

Tourmaline (Acoustic)

Equus 3 (Acoustic)

Collapsible Shoulders (Acoustic)

The Requisition (Acoustic)

For Rodríguez-López, ‘Que Dios Te Maldiga Mi Corazon’ is a long-held dream, finally coming true. “I realized I could finally make a record like this now, I just had to make it happen,” he says. “That was the experiment. And it was super-fun. I feel like The Mars Volta is finally beginning – that’s why the last album was self- titled, because we’ve finally stripped everything away and arrived at what the whole concept was at the beginning. And this acoustic version comes from a profound place, with its own meaning and philosophy, and its own reason for being.”

‘Que Dios Te Maldiga Mi Corazon’ is out April 21, 2023 via Clouds Hill Pre-order it here: https://gtly.to/ghq-H4_iz

Their previous release - the critically acclaimed - ‘The Mars Volta’ is out now and available to stream wherever you consume music. It was the first new music in almost a decade from the band and signified their return. Listen here: https://themarsvolta.lnk.to/TheMarsVoltaPR

The Mars Volta recently announced a string of upcoming headline tour dates that will take place this May and include performances at Shaky Knees Festival in Atlanta, Welcome To Rockville Festival in Daytona, FL and a show supporting Red Hot Chili Peppers in San Diego, CA. Tickets on sale now at www.themarsvoltaofficial.com

The band has also announced an additional show taking place ahead of Shaky Knees Festival at The Masquerade on May 5th. Tickets are on sale now.

The Mars Volta – Upcoming headline tour dates

May 5 - The Masquerade - Atlanta, GA (Shaky Knees pre-show)

May 6 - Shaky Knees Festival – Atlanta, GA

May 9 – The Criterion – Oklahoma City, OK

May 10 – Revel - Albuquerque, NM

May 12 – Snapdragon Stadium - San Diego, CA w/ Red Hot Chili Peppers, Thundercat

May 13 – Marquee Theatre - Tempe, AZ

May 14 – Abraham Chavez Theatre - El Paso, TX

May 16 – Tech Port Center & Arena – San Antonio, TX

May 18 – Orpheum Theatre - New Orleans, LA

May 19 – 713 Music Hall - Houston, TX

May 21 – Welcome To Rockville Festival – Daytona Beach, FL

Connect with The Mars Volta: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

Massachusetts Power-Pop/Emo Band Cape Crush Will Release Their Debut EP "San Souci" on April 14th

Cape Crush is a power-pop/emo band hailing from the North Shore of Massachusetts. The band consists of scene-veterans Ali Lipman on guitar and vocals, James Christopher on guitar, Jake Letizia on bass, and Cody Rico on drums.

The band will release its debut EP 'San Souci' on April 14 via Ancient Injury Records.

The title track is now streaming everywhere; listen to it now.

"San Souci" deals with the bittersweet emotions of leaving behind people and places you’ve begrudgingly learned to love.

Known for their catchy hooks, relatable lyrics, and high-energy performances, Cape Crush is poised to make waves in the music scene.

Cape Crush was but a twinkle in her eye when James Christopher approached Ali Lipman in the winter of 2021 about putting a band together. With shared influences like The Get Up Kids, and the Weakerthans, they started writing and arranging songs that explored themes of heartbreak, hardship, and change. They were soon after joined by friends Jake Letizia on bass, and Cody Rico on drums both of whose love of emo music influenced the overall sound of Cape Crush.

In 2022, Cape Crush entered the studio to record their debut EP, 'San Souci' which is set to be released in April of 2023. The EP is a collection of six songs recorded at God City Music in Salem, MA that showcase the band's infectious energy and heartfelt lyricism.

Another single from the EP ("Sandwich Wars") will be available on streaming platforms in the coming weeks.

"Sandwich Wars" is an ode to the age-old rivalry between Philly cheesesteaks and New England’s roast beef three-way.

Other tracks on the EP include "Sunny & Boone," a poignant reflection on the feelings of homesickness and growing apart from friends, and "Del Water Gap," a raw and emotional exploration of addiction and its impact on relationships.

With their debut EP on the horizon, Cape Crush is ready to take the music world by storm. Their infectious energy and heartfelt lyrics have already earned them a dedicated following, and fans are eagerly anticipating what the future holds for this exciting new band. San Souci - released on Ancient Injury Records is available everywhere music is streamed on 4/14/23.

Pre-save the band’s “San Souci” EP HERE, and connect with them on IG.

Connect with Cape Crush: Instagram

Pop Artist Joanie Will Releases Her Debut EP "Neurotica" on March 10th

Joanie will release her stunning debut EP - Neurotica - on March 10 via Permanent Creeps Records. Produced by the fast-rising Jessica Winter (Jazmine Bean, Walt Disco, Metronomy, it follows the success of previous singles ‘Schadenfreude’ and 'Kerosene' as well as the most-recent 'Your Kind Of Freak'. All receiving support via the likes of DAZED, Wonderland Magazine, DIY Mag, Alfitude, God Is In The TV, Still Listening Mag and more. Not to mention heavy playlisting support from VEVO and Apple Music.

NEUROTICA is a record that pulls you into the darkness, captivating the listener with its siren songs. Drown out the floods and slowly scorching earth with disco decadence and melodic hooks, all grounded in the unique, spellbinding charisma of Joanie. The modern world can feel dystopian, but Joanie invites you to dance away the fear with glitter and excess..

Schadenfreude - Joanie says – “Schadenfreude interrogates the sickness of the modern age, where the downfall of celebrated women is entertainment. Kind of a female take on what Ballard talks about.

I was listening to a lot of late 70s disco songs when Schadenfreude was born. I felt this frustration about our culture of deriving pleasure from the downfall of others and at the same time, being house-bound during the pandemic I was compelled to dance and move and make music which would accommodate that need, in others.”

Kerosene - Joanie says “Kerosene takes inspiration from the dark, salacious world depicted in homoerotic 70’s movie ‘Pink Narcissus’. It’s a song about intoxication, obsession and escapism.’

The incredible Kerosene video was directed by Ash K Halliburton who has previously directed videos for Piers James, Crawlers and Katy B and worked with FKA twigs, Maneskin and Caroline Polachek.

Casino – With its driving bass line pushing the track forward from start to finish, Casino (the shortest track on the EP) takes the listener on a journey down into the dark and sweat-filled basement venues, where Joanie’s silhouette can often be found on stage only visible through the smoke and dry ice, with a suitably riled up crowd eating out of the palm of her hand.

Your Kind Of Freak - YKOF is a dark dancefloor track recalling classic electro pop. Joanie’s theatrical vocal builds throughout the track, as stabbing synths and guitar lines inject the track with a pulsing late-night energy.

Be on the lookout for “Neurotica” this Friday, March 10th; in the meantime, connect with Joanie on her IG.

Connect with Joanie: Instagram

Hannibal Buress and Skyzoo to Join Little Brother's Phonte and Rapper Big Pooh for 20th Anniversary Tour

Legendary Hip-Hop group Little Brother released their seminal debut album The Listening on February 25th, 2003. Ranked among Rolling Stone's "200 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums Of All Time", The Listening helmed a pre-social media era where Alternative Rap found its audience through online message boards, and helped pioneer "grown man" or "every man" Rap relating to the working-class and everyday person.

This year, Little Brother co-founders Phonte and Rapper Big Pooh will celebrate the masterwork's 20th anniversary with a special four-city tour stopping in San Diego, California on Friday, March 3rd; Santa Ana, California on Saturday, March 4th; Boston, Massachusetts on Thursday, March 16; and Brooklyn, New York on Friday, March 17.

The San Diego show on March 3rd will feature a special opening DJ set by Soulection's AbJo, while comedian Hannibal Buress (aka rapper and instrumentalist Eshu Tune) will open in Santa Ana on March 4th. Brooklyn's own Skyzoo will join the the March 16 and March 17 shows in New York and Boston, respectively.

Tickets can be purchased here.

The group's new documentary May The Lord Watch: The Little Brother Story is coming later this year.

Connect with Little Brother: Website | Instagram | Twitter

The Dimitris Kakavoulis Quartet Will Unveil Their Debut Album, "Curves", on March 3rd

There are no straight lines, only curves — This is the conceptual basis of the debut album from the Dimitris Kakavoulis Quartet, captured in the recording studio over a decade ago, now released officially in collaboration with Thinkbabymusic Collective.

The quartet’s discernible style stems from several musical traditions, while undoubtedly derived from mid—to—late 20th century African American idioms, which themselves are an amalgamation of earlier and more traditional genres of various forms, there is a paradoxical element that renders through their sound; one that could be studied in the Western and European sense i.e. through music notation and theory, as has been the case in the academic industry, but also one that can be perceived as an oral tradition via the African culture. A live bearer of meaning and custom that is only communicated orally like it has been shown to occur in the wider African region in tribal culture, where written word has been absent for millennia and yet the cultural norms and existential suppositions survive in a vivid way, seemingly intact.

Composition is the vehicle through which one can unleash their creative potential and, though musical traditions, can serve to differentiate themselves from what has already been, and find their own voice. In improvised music, it is often thought that there is endless freedom and choice of what one may play at any given time, whether a progression, vamp, or orchestration; but in the true search for meaning, one will invariably choose the musical structure that they’ve committed to as its’ foundation, almost in a religious or ideological sense. For Dimitris Kakavoulis, this was communicated through original compositions finding their own unique means of expression.

The recording session came about unbeknownst to its members, having set out to record a demo in order to book a few live performances. One single studio session was booked for this purpose, a six-hour session in June of 2011, where they set up and tested for two hours, and left the remaining time purely to play and run takes. The band had only been together for a few months before that, but all the members had worked together before in various projects, the chemistry was there.

The session featured Dimitris Kollias on tenor saxophone, Dimitris Kakavoulis on piano, Pericles Trivolis on double bass and Leandros Fratnik on drums. In a meeting leading up to the session, the band was going over key points relating to the structure of the compositions where drummer Leandros, a man of few words, proclaimed: “I think we all know what to do”. This statement ultimately wrapped up what may be described as the main preparation for the session. Eight tracks were intended to be recorded that day, and one or two takes were eventually done of each composition, except for “Conviction in Blue” which was played three times. It was important to the band not to go through repetitive takes, not only did the time available not permit it, but the improvised sections would lose their most vital elements such as spontaneity, the element of surprise or self, and the creative energy of novel exploration.

The vibe was amazing and the execution was great. Shortly afterwards, it was decided this experience was to be turned into a release and include 7 of the 8 tracks recorded on that session. With no artistic or commercial direction, and no involvement from a record label or producer, the result was a self—produced and self—funded CD in 2012, with the cover art based on photographs by Fotini Romaliadou, shot in a strange cave somewhere in Cyprus. Ironically, the band never booked too many shows after this, and never managed to get the artistic support necessary to maintain the momentum created by this project. Other factors that contributed to this was the expatriation of Dimitris Kakavoulis for not less than 20 months.

However, a strange curve in the time—space realm would indeed become visible, despite the interval between the recording of this project and the present time, it appears that a meeting point was approaching between two separate entities without any previous knowledge of one another, preconception or foresight. The artist, Dimitris Kakavoulis, and Thinkbabymusic Collective; a label that has shown a true appreciation of the work, an honest comprehension of the musical and aesthetic concept, and a taste for sound. This release marks the beginning of a new collaboration that will serve as the springboard towards new projects of similar and diverse productions in the near future.

Pre-order the album on Bandcamp HERE, and connect with the Dimitris Kakavoulis Quartet on the Thinkbabymusic Collective website.

Connect with Dimitris Kakavoulis Quartet: Website

NxtNow Unveils Its Independent Artist and Music Producer Focused Music Accelerator

NxtNow is excited to announce the launch of its pioneering new platform, which is the world's largest directory of free and low-cost tools and resources for independent artists and music producers. NxtNow’s Music Accelerator is a cutting-edge website designed for music creatives that makes it easier for them to find what they need by gathering everything in one convenient location.

According to the website's co-founder, Carlton Boyd, "We created the Music Accelerator to make it as simple as possible for artists and producers to find relevant tools and resources for their musical careers. Time is money, and they should be focused on making the best music possible rather than spending hours online searching."

What is the Music Accelerator?

The revolutionary Music Accelerator is a collection of growing databases that contain extremely valuable information that a musician, band, or music producer would require to begin making music, establish themselves as a brand, grow a fan base, and generate revenue from their musical creations.

Furthermore, the carefully curated directory is designed to generate a wide range of useful searches, as well as a music submission list that is filtered by music genre and lists 500+ platforms.

The need to manually search through traditional search engines for hours on end is now a thing of the past thanks to NxtNow's Music Accelerator, which provides musical creatives with the tools and resources they require quickly, effectively, and easily.

How does the Music Accelerator work?

The Music Accelerator is simple to use, and musical creators can get started in four simple steps.

1. Users can choose to pay a one-time fee for all databases or subscribe to a low-cost monthly subscription.

2. Gain access to the live Airtable databases.

3. Search and discover the tools, resources, services, and music platforms they will need.

4. Users are notified via email when updates are made to the databases.

By musicians for musicians, NxtNow’s Music Accelerator was developed to centralize and streamline the search for essential resources. The Music Accelerator has "All the Best Music Tools and Resources You Need to Take Your Music Career to the Next Level," as the company motto puts it.

The NxtNow Music Accelerator team invites music creators to browse their website for more information on this exclusive directory of cost-effective and free tools and resources.

About NxtNow: NxtNow was founded by Charles Shaw, Carlton Boyd, Muhan Song, and Josh Whyte to drive connectivity throughout the music industry, particularly with music fans, emerging artists, producers and relevant brands.

Musical creatives are able to showcase their music on the NxtNow Music website, and will be able to connect directly with music fans, brands and other musicians through the NxtNow mobile app, which is currently in development.

Connect with NxtNow: Website | Instagram | Twitter

French Sisters Ibeyi Make Their American Live Return With March and April Tour

French sisters Ibeyi will start their highly-anticipated North American headline tour dates in Los Angeles on March 10th. Following their third album Spell 31 released last May and the unfortunate postponement of their American tour, Lisa-Kaindé and Naomi Diaz will finally bring their powerful new show, including a full live band, to fourteen major American cities. See all live tour dates on their website: https://ibeyimusic.com/tour/

Ibeyi’s latest release Spell 31 included songs “Lavender & Red Roses” featuring Jorja Smith, the beautiful “Sister 2 Sister”, and the phenomenal “Made of Gold,” which features Gambian-British rapper Pa Salieu. “Ibeyi’s Spell 31 is Ibeyi’s boldest offering yet, an antidote to apathy in a divided world,” explains activist and storyteller Janaya Future Khan in an essay on Spell 31. Read the full essay here.

After tackling subjects like womanhood, racism, and activism on their 2017 release Ash and familial history, death and origins on their 2015 self-titled release, on Spell 31 the twins set out to remobilize the power of their birth given destiny as Ibeyi, which has led them on a path to restoration in pursuit of true harmony, healing and magic. Featuring 10 new songs, written by Ibeyi, who worked again with their long-time producer Richard Russell (Ash, Ibeyi), over the course of 2021 in London, Spell 31 features appearances from Jorja Smith, Pa Salieu, BERWYN, Ibeyi’s father and mother and a reimagining of Black Flag’s “Rise Above.”

Ibeyi North American Spell 31 tour:

Fri 3.10 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Regent

Sat 3.11 - San Diego, CA @ Music Box

Sun 3.12 - San Francisco, CA @ August Hall

Tue 3.14 - Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theater

Wed 3.15 - Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile

Sat 3.18 - Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater

Sun 3.19 - Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall

Thu 3.23 - Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel

Fri 3.24 - Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall

Sat 3.25 - Philadelphia, PA @ World Cafe Live

Sun 3.26 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club

Tue 3.28 - Chapel Hill, NC @ Cat’s Cradle

Wed 3.29 - Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West

Sun 4.02 - Miami, FL @ Miami Beach Bandshell

More on Ibeyi:

Since the release of their critically-acclaimed sophomore album Ash and the duo’s globally acclaimed, eponymous debut album, Ibeyi’s music has garnered fans and collaborators in some of the most iconic artists of today including Beyoncé, Residente, Alvin Ailey, JR, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Prince, Roy Hargrove, Adele, Kamasi Washington, David Byrne and Emicida; a result of Ibeyi’s uniquely, captivating blend of Yoruban music with modern jazz, pop, electronic, soul and hip-hop. Their music and original compositions have been featured in the films ROMA and How to Stop a Recurring Dream, and in campaigns for Chanel, Nike, and Louis Vuitton.

Connect with Ibeyi: Website | Instagram | TikTok | Twitter | Facebook

Stream "Dead Reckoning", the New Album by Canadian Singer-Songwriter Kate Fenner

Canadian singer-songwriter and lionhearted truth teller Kate Fenner's new album "Dead Reckoning" carries the existential weight of life, death and shared trauma on it's shoulders, and as such becomes a challenge to sum up in words. It's the palpable and unprecedented depth of the emotion and raw energy that is Kate Fenner's currency here. When facing genuine hardship, wisdom may rear it's elusive head and all else seems trivial compared to it's looming presence. Out of struggle and self-reflection, Kate Fenner has created an album beyond simplistic definitions and worthy of study. Kate's uniquely powerful voice is both haunting and fragile throughout. For anyone dealing with loss, death or the relentless struggle in between, there are ample gems to discover throughout "Dead Reckoning". In the tradition of artists like Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen and Patti Smith, this is indeed serious music dealing with intensely human themes.

Warren Zanes on Kate Fenner’s Dead Reckoning: "Dead Reckoning approaches the territory of popular music as a notably wide territory, establishing outposts in a number of traditions without ever settling anywhere. Perhaps because this type of nomadism is a liability in the marketplace—where in the shop do we put this recording?--we don’t see it as much as we once did, and it’s music’s loss. The sheer scope of Dead Reckoning struck me. As pianist Jason Moran so rightly puts it, Kate Fenner’s songs “think beyond region.” It’s an arresting effect that found me unable to place this music and grateful for that.

Dead Reckoning has elegance about it. While it has moments that are elemental, just voice and piano, it also goes big when a song’s emotion calls for it. At times there’s a grandeur in the layered sound that reminds me of Dusty Springfield’s best, some of Leonard Cohen’s most memorable, even if it resembles neither. In the way Dead Reckoning suggests certain musical pasts (even as it dislocates them), whether girl group harmonies or nineties drum loops, the recording has a sophistication to its knowingness. There’s a hauntedness to the beautiful, almost Beatles-like madness of “Soul-maker,” the distant background vocals on “Cautionary Tale” and “Son of a Gun,” producer Scotty Hard’s piano and string arrangements animating “Received Wisdom”. And while the cast of musicians includes several of New York’s most notable players, at the center of it all is Kate Fenner’s voice, as singer and writer. As Hard puts it, “Her voice is so powerful, in both subtlety and dynamics. As I kept saying to the band while we were tracking the basics, ‘Just follow Kate’s voice. She’ll show you the way’.”

Unsurprisingly, Kate's singing style falls outside the easy categorizations by genre that so often organize voices, particularly women’s voices: R&B, Americana, Pop. There’s a homelessness to her singing style. She’s in very good company in this regard. Like the handful of singers who faced the “what is this?” reaction to their individuality as singers--Dylan being the most notable, but Morrissey, Joni Mitchell, and Tom Waits being others--Kate sounds too much like herself to be stored under any other name. There are beautiful swells, emotional peaks, just as there are moments of an almost spoken, confessional intimacy. Her wide vibrato conveys an unmistakable sense of the voice-as-instrument. But the singing always hangs on the word, reminding me of the song’s place as a poetic form. This is a writer gifted with a singing voice.

Thinking of Dead Reckoning as a literary thing, I see it as work written in the face of life’s accumulations. Meaning, it’s a recording that could only be made after the other records were done, after first and second and third apartments were frail memories, after years of touring and eating shitty food on the road, after raising children in the city, after saying goodbye to lifelong friends who once seemed like they might cheat death. People throw out words like “mature” and “adult,” but I’m not sure that’s what I’m after. Dead Reckoning doesn’t lose itself beneath the weight of seriousness, though. Musically or lyrically. It’s punctuated by a spirit that has humor, acceptance, even joy. It’s the kind of record you can bring to many people and many places. As collaborator Tony Scherr adds, “Kate is one of my small stash of artists whose music I need near wherever I go.” So take Dead Reckoning with you. It will probably follow you there regardless."

Kate Fenner on Dead Reckoning: "When my friend Mike was dying in December of 2019, I came across an Amy Hempel poem about the failure of language when faced with things like death— “

At the end, I wanted to comfort him.

But what I said was, Sing to it. The

Arab proverb: When danger approaches, sing to it.”

Mike was not the first loss, nor was he to be the last, in the past few years of my life. My parents went, naturally; but it was the consecutive losses of my friends—bandmates, soulmates, mentors—that stung and bewildered; each one barely fifty years old when cruel variations on cancer made their way through my friends’ bodies, turning off all the lights.

In some cases, I was fortunate enough to be with them through this process, allowed to love and care for them at this most intimate juncture. In every case, I was tempted by the idea that I could make it better for them. That I could give them something to take with them, and they could leave something behind for me to hold, something slight but durable to set me in my life. In the end, all I felt I did was walk them to the threshold and watch them disappear. The term “dead reckoning,” apart from it signifying in this case just what it sounds like, is a navigational strategy to recalculate your position by estimating the direction, the drift, and the distance you’ve travelled.

I know life by definition is contoured by the loss of it. This time feels particularly burdened with loss, real and impending; maybe every time has felt that way. I’m left with love as the only defense—loving people and letting them know they were loved by you. Dead Reckoning really is a reckoning during a period of seemingly endless loss and an attempt to determine a “way of living that is not waiting,” as I recently heard poet Jorie Graham say in an interview. Singing is my way of loving, loving even danger. Here I sing to my friends, my parents; their ghosts; and to you. I hope you can hear it."

Check out “Dead Reckoning” now, and follow Kate on her social media.

Connect with Kate Fenner: Facebook | Instagram

Cinematic Rock Project Globus Release Their New Album "Cinematica"

Cinematic Rock project Globus craft a dense, headphone-ready experience on a mesmerizing new full-length album, appropriately titled "Cinematica". "Cinematica", released via the artist-run Imperativa Records, Inc, finds band founder, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Yoav Goren joined by a stellar cast of guest musicians.

Yoav Goren is no stranger to the music industry. As a composer working in Hollywood, he got the chance to score film trailers for franchises such as Spiderman, X-Men and Harry Potter with real live orchestras in large lush-sounding halls. This experience of working with soundtracks on an grand scale became a gateway to his current artistic expression which could be classified as Epic or Cinematic Rock.

Globus’ brand of music focuses on storytelling within various social and historical backgrounds, and as principle songwriter, Goren felt this was best accomplished via multiple and distinct vocal stylings. So the Globus body of work purposefully features many unique vocalists. Lisbeth Scott, whose voice has graced many enduring film scores (Passion Of The Christ, Munich), and is an accomplished film composer herself, is regularly featured on several songs. Anneke Van Giersbergen, whose had a long and storied career as a singer-songwriter in her native Netherlands, is a frequent collaborator. Dann Pursey from the UK and Ryan Hanifl of the US are the primary male rock and alternative vocalists, while Goren himself sings lead on a few of the more personal tracks. Legendary musicians Robert Fripp and Gregg Bissonette have lent their talents to the band lineup, which otherwise has remained a steady roster throughout the production of three studio albums - Epicon, Break From This World, and Cinematica.

Thematically, "Cinematica" covers a massive amount of ground telling deeply human stories, thematically drawing from war, peace, religion personal healing, inner politics, mystical, life-affirming wisdom and a healthy dose of the abstract unknown. The result is a truly monolithic, forceful expression worth a listen from any serious fan of progressive rock, psychedelic rock or soundtrack music in general. To top it off, there is a superb, rather cut-throat cover of David Bowie's standout 90's track "I'm Afraid Of Americans" Bowie fans should find original and worthwhile. "Cinematica" is musically grand, but manages to immerse the listener rather than overwhelm. Every element is carefully pre-meditated, with nothing out of place.

"With Cinematica, I wanted to create a musical journey, much like the best of cinematic experiences, which takes the listener through a myriad of visual landscapes and deep connections to the essential fibers of the human condition. The album contains a diverse representation of musical genres, with lyrical explorations of complex relationships, mental health, tyranny, war, unifying struggles, healing and hope. Much of the inspiration came from a familiar production process for Globus - using original orchestral instrumental compositions to evoke and inspire new melodies and additional arrangement elements, creating new Cinematic Rock songs. It’s vital to me that the intended result is a visceral, immersive, bigger-than-life aural experience for the listener." - Yoav Goren

Listen to “Cinematica” below, stream it on Bandcamp and connect with Globus on their website and social media.

Stream and Share “Cinematica” on Bandcamp

Connect with Globus: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Los Angeles Punk Band Get Out Release Their New Album "The Violation of Terms and Conditions"

Los Angeles punk band Get Out showcase their knack for heavy hooks, pummeling rhythms, devilish lyrical wit and an unfiltered rebellious spirit on new full-length album cheekily titled "The Violation of Terms and Conditions". Founded in the mid-90's, Get Out have had a long and storied career thus far, having released 8 albums and shared the stage with bands like Voodoo Glowskulls, Streetlight Manifesto, and Suburban Legends. With song titles like "Six Feet Apart", "The Right is Wrong" and "The End of Florida", Get Out have no shortage of grievances to air out on this dynamic new collection.

The band expand on the album's title theme: "When we released our last album “We Were Here First” in 2019 it was taken off Apple Music after one week because Apple claimed our album art “violated the terms and conditions”. After we changed the artwork and resubmitted, Apple Music listed it as Metal (it is not) and placed it under a different artist of the same name (we’ve had this name since 1994). We have tried to contact our distributor as well as Apple music so many times and no one will respond to us about it. The first song written for the album Rotten Apple is a criticism of a corrupt corporation that only cares about the elite. Other tracks were inspired by the pandemic of 2020 as well as the state of affairs in our country and society."

Listen to Get Out’s new album right now, watch the music video for “The Right is Wrong” HERE, and connect with Get Out on their website and social media.

Connect with Get Out: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, Usher, 50 Cent, and More to Perform at Lovers and Friends

Following enormous success with its inaugural year, Lovers & Friends returns May 6, 2023 to the Las Vegas Festival Grounds with a massive collection of hip-hop and R&B’s biggest artists, highlighting the ongoing evolution of the genres. The incredible lineup will treat fans to over 45 artists with impeccably curated and nostalgia-fueled performances from female powerhouses including Missy Elliott, marking her first billed performance since 2019, Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, alongside Usher, 50 Cent, Nelly, Pitbull, with additional performances from contemporary fan-favorites Miguel, Jhene Aiko, Summer Walker, Bryson Tiller, PARTYNEXTDOOR and many more.

GA, GA+, VIP and VIP Cabana presale tickets will go on sale Friday, January 20 at 10 AM PST at www.loversandfriendsfest.com and any remaining tickets will go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, January 20 at 2 PM PST. Layaway payment plans start at $19.99 down. VIP packages include preferred viewing areas, charging stations, a dedicated entry lane at the festival entrance, air-conditioned restrooms and more. VIP Cabanas are available with exclusive viewing areas with VIP service including food vouchers and select complimentary beverages, expedited entry and more. Hotel and ticket packages are available with discounted rates at select Las Vegas hotels, 24/7 hotel concierge, and exclusive add-ons including access to the Lovers & Friends Official Open Bar inside Zouk Nightclub and brunch packages from Resorts World Las Vegas. For tickets and the full list of amenities available in each ticket package, please visit www.loversandfriendsfest.com.

Sign up for official Lovers & Friends SMS and email lists to be the first to receive new information and follow along on social media.

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