Is Mac DeMarco Growing Up?

May 27, 2019

Still mourning the death of his friend Mac Miller and nursing a two-day hangover, the yacht-rock guitarist dropped by “The Tonight Show” and reflected on Michael McDonald, Volvos, and bone broth.

Ezra Furman Announces New Album Twelve Nudes, Shares New Song: Listen

May 21, 2019

Ezra Furman has announced a new “spiritually queer” album called Twelve Nudes. It’s out August 30 via Bella Union. Today, he’s dropped the LP’s lead single “Calm Down aka I Should Not Be Alone.” It arrives with an animated video directed by Beth Jeans Houghton (aka Du Blonde).

Mac DeMarco featured in LA Times

May 10, 2019

“...“Here Comes the Cowboy” is the gap-toothed troubadour’s first album to be distributed through a major label, the Universal Music Group-owned Caroline. After issuing EPs and three low-key, psychedelic-tinged albums for the Brooklyn indie Captured Tracks, and accumulating an enviable fan base through relentless touring and endearing live shows, DeMarco is now calling his own shots via his new imprint, Mac’s Record Label…”

Ada Lea Previews Her Saddle Creek Debut what we say in private with "the party"

May 8, 2019

Montreal-based artist and new Saddle Creek signee Ada Lea has announced her debut album, what we say in private, coming July 19. She’s also invited us to “the party,” sharing an oddly mesmerizing video for her LP’s lead single.

The visual (dir. Monserrat Muro) opens on Lea strutting into an empty house, where she heads upstairs, sheds her gold astronaut blanket and sips purple liquid in front of a mirror. After removing her earrings, she turns to face the camera and then holds eye contact for the remainder of the video, stepping onto a stationary bike, casting her jacket aside and picking up speed as the song crescendos. Meanwhile, Lea looks back on a fleeting evening over muted guitar and slow-building piano, singing, “And that night was a pure shade of honest / or something / Was I wrong because I couldn’t tell the difference at all?” After “the party,” we’re left feeling like Lea: half-empty in the quiet, certain that we missed something and wondering what it would have felt like to experience it fully.

PREMIERE: ADA LEA – THE PARTY

May 8, 2019

Montreal songwriter and visual artist Ada Lea shares the haunting lead single from her excellent forthcoming debut LP what we say in private, coming this summer on Saddle Creek. “the party” is a stark and intimate introduction to Ada Lea’s vivid, often mercurial sound, starting and fading out with a whisper-soft ASMR-inducing white noise, as Ada’s hushed lament for an elusive love softly flickers and slowly builds into a beautiful, cathartic release.

Ada Lea releasing debut LP on Saddle Creek, touring with Angelo de Augustine

May 8, 2019

Saddle Creek continues to be on a roll with new signings and the latest artist they’ve picked up is Montreal singer/songwriter Ada Lea (real name Alexandra Levy). Her debut album, what we say in private, comes out July 19 via the label, and Ada explains how she and co-producer Tim Gowdy captured its intimate sound:

Mikal Cronin shares Origins of airy new single “Breathe”: Stream

May 8, 2019

Origins is a recurring feature that lets artists dig into the various inspirations behind their latest music.

At the end of the week, Mikal Cronin will release a new two-song 7-inch, his first solo effort in some time. His last album was 2015’s MCIII, but that’s not to say that the California rocker has been absent from the scene since then. Rather, the “Weight” crooner has always been a prolific creator, though he frequently shares his talents with his collaborators like Ty Segall and Kim Gordon.

Mac DeMarco Wants to Ride Off Into the Sunset

May 7, 2019

Mac DeMarco is hanging out at home in Los Angeles, playing video games on the couch, when he picks up the phone. “I don’t really know what’s going on, but let’s rock and roll!” he says.
This might be the most Mac DeMarco way possible to begin a conversation. His unflappably chill folk-rock tunes, laced with a surreal sense of humor, have made the Canadian singer-songwriter an unlikely star. Since breaking through with 2014’s Salad Days, he’s gone from a cult hero to a bankable live draw with hundreds of millions of Spotify streams — all despite making virtually no effort to keep up with contemporary music. (He’d rather listen to “Japanese music from the ’60s and ’70s, and The Beatles.”)

Mac DeMarco on Mac Miller, Mitski, and making a 'cowboy’ record

May 7, 2019

When Mac DeMarco announced the title of his fourth studio album, Here Comes the Cowboy,  it seemed like he was following in the footsteps of Kacey Musgraves and Cardi B in the recent trend of the “yeehaw agenda.” Despite the name, the Los Angeles-based indie rocker doesn’t think the record has any cowboy or outlaw themes embedded in it. Honestly, he says, he just made some songs.

Mac DeMarco in NME's "Big Read" cover story

May 3, 2019

“Once known for his outrageous onstage antics and cult-leader-like effect on his followers, Mac DeMarco has, of late, settled into a hermit-like existence in Los Angeles. The result is ‘Here Comes The Cowboy’, an album of minimal, sparse and intimate songs, which is out next week…”

Riot Grrrl United Feminism and Punk. Here’s an Essential Listening Guide.

May 3, 2019

A recent resurgence of punk-powered feminism — or is that girl-powered punk? — raises the question: What was, or is, riot grrrl? A movement, a genre, an era, a scene?

Bikini Kill, Then and Now: A Front-Row View of a Punk Revolution

May 3, 2019

When Bikini Kill took the stage at a packed Palladium in Hollywood on April 25, the band reclaimed a podium it had left 22 years earlier. For much of the audience, the show was a first chance to see the band they had discovered through books, or movies, or maybe even their mom’s record collection. For others, including myself, it was a jolt back to a defining moment in our lives. Time accordioned, and I realized: Bikini Kill is as vital as I remembered.

Ty Segall Plans New York, Los Angeles Residencies

Apr 23, 2019

Ty Segall makes a lot of noise. Since 2008, the California garage-rocker has released nearly a dozen solo albums, plus quite a few collaborations, EPs, one-off singles and more. This summer and fall, Segall will explore his back catalog with a series of multi-night residencies in Los Angeles and New York at which he’ll perform several of his best-loved albums in full.

Ty Segall Announces Full Album Concert Residencies

Apr 23, 2019

Ty Segall and his Freedom Band have announced a series of residencies in a few U.S. cities and across Europe. The concerts will feature Segall, alongside Mikal Cronin, Charles Moothart, Emmett Kelly, and Ben Boye, performing select albums from Segall’s discography, including 2010’s Melted, 2011’s Goodbye Bread, 2014’s Manipulator, and 2016’s Emotional Mugger in full on select nights.

Ty Segall Announces Residencies Featuring Full Album Renditions

Apr 23, 2019

Beginning July 26, Segall will perform at Los Angeles’ Teragram Ballroom for 10 consecutive Fridays. The first three he’ll play 2010’s Melted, the fourth and fifth he’ll play 2011’s Goodbye Bread, the sixth and seventh he’ll play 2016’s Emotional Mugger and the final three he’ll play 2014’s Manipulator.

In early October, Segall heads to Brooklyn’s Warsaw for five consecutive nights. He’ll play Melted on Oct. 1 and 2, Goodbye Bread on Oct. 3, Emotional Mugger on Oct. 4 and Manipulator on Oct. 5.Both American venues are familiar turf for Segall, who headlined the Teragram six times and Warsaw five times over 2017 and 2018.

Ty Segall To Perform Full Albums in Concert Residencies

Apr 23, 2019

Ty Segall and his Freedom Band have announced a series of residencies in a few U.S. cities and across Europe. The concerts will feature Segall, alongside Mikal Cronin, Charles Moothart, Emmett Kelly, and Ben Boye, performing select albums from Segall’s discography, including 2010’s Melted, 2011’s Goodbye Bread, 2014’s Manipulator, and 2016’s Emotional Mugger in full on select nights.

Ty Segall announces 2019 concert residencies in LA, New York, London, Paris, and more

Apr 23, 2019

Thanks to a consistently busy release schedule, Ty Segall has established himself as one of the most prolific rockers in the game. Now, the California native has announced a series of concert residencies highlighting his jam-packed catalog.

Ty Segall announces NYC, L.A. & European residencies playing albums in full

Apr 23, 2019

Ty Segall and The Freedom Band has announced multi-night residencies in Los Angeles, NYC, Paris, London, and Haarlem, NL where they will play select albums in full, including Melted, Goodbye Bread, Emotional Mugger and Manipulator. (There will be an additional set at these shows where they’ll play “???” still to be announced.) There are 10 Los Angeles shows (Teragram Ballroom on July 26, August 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, September 13, 20 & 27) and five NYC shows (Warsaw on October 1-5).

Pitchfork Reviews Raw Honey

Apr 22, 2019

L.A.-based auteur Michael Collins crafts a pristine portrait of early-’70s AM radio by taking inspiration not only from the period’s definitive artists, but its discarded pop detritus, too.

Vinyl Me Please Reviews Raw Honey

Apr 22, 2019

The way our musical economy works right now is that artists have little time to make a first impression: Their first album needs to be as perfect as possible so that they have a chance to make a second one. Collins’ arc — from a couple joke-heavy bands with bad names to a band making ironclad earnest soft rock — bucks that; Raw Honey is the album he’s been working toward, in some manner or another, for 10 years.

Live: Chris Cohen at The Hideout

Apr 21, 2019

Feeling nostalgic I walked in and about 10 minutes later Chris Cohen humbly took the stage. He played five songs from his latest album (including my favorite, “Green Eyes”) and it only went up from there. Gentle drums lulled the crowd and rolling bridges filled our ears. The most calming part, of course, was the smooth vocals from Chris that had always paired well with warm nights and lonely feelings.

A brief review of 'Raw Honey' by The Guardian

Apr 19, 2019

A sun-drenched collection of hummable guitar melodies and optimistic lyricism from dreampop songwriter Michael Collins.

Under the Radar's 10 Best Songs of the Week

Apr 17, 2019

This week Drugdealer (the project of Michael Collins) announced a new album, Raw Honey, and shared a video for its first single, the ‘70s rock sounding “Fools.” Raw Honey is due out April 19 via Mexican Summer. The album was engineered by Mac DeMarco and features Natalie Mering (aka Weyes Blood), among others. Check out the album’s tracklist and cover art, as well as Drugdealer’s upcoming tour dates, here.

LISTEN TO THE RAGING NEW METAL ANTHEM FROM ZIG ZAGS “KILLER OF KILLERS”

Apr 16, 2019

Are you fucking ready to experience your new Heavy Metal Anthem? If you are, then the ZIG ZAGS have exactly what you need! To say I am impressed with this band would be an understatement, because their songs make feel like I’m 13 again getting my head bang on to the first Metallica record.

Interview With Ambrose Kenny-Smith of The Murlocs

Apr 15, 2019

The Murlocs are an Australian quintet specializing in bright-eyed, gritty, late-60s-style psychedelia with a dash of soulful garage rock. Their recently released fourth album, Manic Candid Episode is a powerful record, roaring through squealing guitars, blazing harmonica, surging rhythms, and hazy, sun-in-your-eyes grooves. Recently, I caught up with front man Ambrose Kenny-Smith as the group hauled their way up the West Coast. He was kind enough to answer just a few questions about the new material, touring, Captain Beefheart, and more.