Cage the Elephant have returned with a new song, ‘Neon Pill’ their first in five years. Reuniting with producer John Hill, the band recorded the track at Sonic Ranch in Tornillo, Texas. Listen to it below.
Cage the Elephant’s last album was 2019’s Social Cues, which won the year’s Grammy for Best Rock Album.
Nell Mescal has announced her debut EP, Can I Miss It For A Minute?, which arrives May 3 via LAB Records. Along with the announcement, Mescal has shared the new song ‘Killing Time’, which she says was “written about looking back on a relationship and wondering if the other person was just as invested or just killing time.” Check it out below.
“Can I Miss it for a Minute? is a concept EP written about growing up, moving away, friendship breakups and trying to navigate between current emotions and negative memories,” Mescal explained in a statement. “Each song tells a part of the same story with a beginning, middle and an end. Some songs written in the moment and some written in retrospect. It talks about my life and how I deal with experiences that have shaped me. Most importantly I think it’s about moving on from things that used to have a hold on me.”
Freelancing is becoming an increasingly popular option for those looking for part-time work as the gig economy grows. Though it might be flexible and provide you the freedom to work for yourself, freelancing has drawbacks as well, especially when it comes to figuring out the intricate web of small company grants and quarterly taxes. This post will discuss the challenges freelancers have when it comes to filing their taxes and optimizing their tax savings. It will also discuss how these challenges may be met with the use of resources like tax deduction calculators and knowledge of self-employment taxes.
Making sure they are optimizing their tax savings and aware of their duties regarding taxes is one of the major issues that independent contractors have. For the most part, freelancers are self-employed tax payers as well as income tax payers; typical workers have taxes deducted from their paychecks. People who are unfamiliar with freelancing or have never managed their own funds before may find this to be too much to handle.
Tax deduction calculators are a useful tool for freelancers to overcome this obstacle. With the use of these internet resources, independent contractors may calculate their prospective tax savings and ascertain which costs are deductible. Freelancers may see their tax obligation more clearly and find chances for deductions by entering their revenue and allowable costs. By doing this, independent contractors may guarantee that they are in compliance with 1099 tax laws while also saving money.
Tax payments on a regular basis provide another challenge for freelancers. Freelancers have to pay estimated taxes on a quarterly basis throughout the year, in contrast to regular workers who pay taxes yearly. For many independent contractors, estimating their revenue and IRS tax obligation on a quarterly basis may be a confusing and stressful task. Penalties and interest costs may arise from missing these payments or from underestimating your tax obligation.
Freelancers need to become knowledgeable about self-employment taxes in order to handle this difficulty. Calculated based on a freelancer’s net earnings, self-employment tax comprises Social Security and Medicare taxes. To prevent any surprises when it comes to paying their taxes, freelancers must have a thorough understanding of how self-employment taxes are calculated and how they operate.
In addition to self-employment taxes, freelancers should also be aware of various deductions they might claim. By keeping track of these costs and employing tax deduction calculators, freelancers may guarantee they are maximizing their tax savings and decreasing their total tax burden.
Freelancers should take advantage of the small company grants that are accessible to them, even if managing the world of quarterly taxes could be difficult. Government agencies, nonprofits, private foundations, and other organizations all provide small business grants, which are monetary resources intended to assist small businesses—including freelancers—in expanding and developing.
Freelancers may get much-needed funding from small business grants to grow their offerings, buy new equipment, or invest in other company-related expenses. Finding the right grant opportunity, researching it, writing a strong grant submission, and proving the grant’s benefits to the community and the company are all necessary for freelancers hoping to get a small business grant, which may be a competitive process.
Freelancers should carefully investigate the prerequisites and accessible grant programs in order to improve their chances of being awarded a small business grant. A well-written grant request that expresses their company’s aims, objectives, and intended use of the funding is another thing they should make sure of. Furthermore, in order to bolster their grant application, freelancers should be ready to provide supporting documents including financial records, company strategies, and references.
Finally, in order to maximize their tax savings and file their taxes, freelancers have particular difficulties. Self-employed individuals may determine their deductible costs and calculate their possible tax savings by using tax deduction calculators. To prevent fines and interest charges, freelancers must understand self-employment taxes and make quarterly tax payments. Further, in order to get funding to expand their businesses, independent contractors want to look into small business grants. By negotiating the minefield of quarterly taxes and small business grants successfully, freelancers may assure their financial success and long-term viability in the gig economy.
In this segment, we showcase the most notable albums out each week. Here are the albums out on January 19, 2024:
Green Day are back with a new album called Saviors. The follow-up to 2020’s Father of All… is out now via Reprise/Warner, and it includes the previously released singles ‘The American Dream Is Killing Me’, ‘Look Ma, No Brains!’, ‘Dilemma’, ‘One Eyed Bastard’, and ‘Bobby Sox’. The band recorded Saviors with producer Rob Cavallo, who also helmed 1994’s Dookie and 2004’s American Idiot, in London and Los Angeles.
glass beach have released their sophomore album, plastic death, today via Run for Cover. The follow-up to 2019’s the first glass beach album was previewed by the singles ‘rare animal’ and ‘the CIA’. It was recorded in Los Angeles, engineered and mixed by frontperson J. McClendon and lead guitarist Layne Smith, and mastered by Grammy-nominated producer Will Yip. “This album is the Pacific garbage patch, cultural trash strewn together seemingly by accident, standing in stark juxtaposition to each other,” McClendon explained in a press release, noting that their songwriting approach “shifted from trying to tell a story to trying to subtract everything but the emotion, whatever words get to the emotion.” Read our track-by-track interview with glass beach.
Sleater-Kinney have returned with a new album, Little Rope, out now via Loma Vista. The follow-up to 2021’s Path of Wellness was produced by John Congleton and recorded at Flora Recording and Playback in Portland, Oregon. It was largely written after Carrie Brownstein’s mother and stepfather were killed in a car accident while vacationing in Italy. “I don’t think I’ve played guitar that much since my teens or early twenties,” Brownstein said in a statement. “Literally moving my fingers across the fretboard for hours on end to remind myself I was still capable of basic motor skills, of movement, of existing.” The album was preceded by the singles ‘Say It Like You Mean It’, ‘Hell’, and ‘Untidy Creature’. Read our review of Little Rope.
Less than a year after their last LP, Crispy Crunchy Nothing, PACKS have come out with a new effort, Melt the Honey, via Fire Talk. Ahead of its release, the Madeline Link-led project shared the singles ‘Honey’, ‘HFCS’, ‘Paige Machine’, and ‘Missy’. Melt the Honey was recorded over 11 days just before the release of its predecessor; the band gathered in Mexico City to practice the new songs in a rented studio space before taking a bus to Xalapa, where they worked as artists-in-residence at a house known as Casa Pulpo. “The house has no straight lines, it puts you in a creative mindset,” Link explained. “Plus, it was really warm, we were there for three weeks enjoying the weather and self-recording with minimal equipment.”
French psychedelic rock trio SLIFT – brothers Jean and Remí Fossat plus Canek Flores – have dropped their third album and first for Sub Pop, ILION. Featuring the previously shared singles ‘Ilion’, ‘Nimh’, and ‘Weavers’ Weft’, the record is named after the Ancient Greek word for the city of Troy and, thematically, picks up where 2020’s UMMON left off. “This is an album constructed in the manner of a Homeric story,” the band stated in a press release. “Where the two records differ is that ILION is about human emotions and feelings, whereas UMMON was telling an epic story with a distant view. ILION represents the fall of humanity and the rebirth of all things in time and space.”
Eliza McLamb has issued her debut full-length, Going Through It, today on Royal Mountain Records. The album was recorded with producer Sarah Tudzin (Illuminati Hotties) at Bear Creek Studio in rural Washington. “I sit down to write when I’m feeling a certain way and I don’t know why,” McLamb said in a statement. “It’s a process of translating an emotional reality into a musical one, something that can be easily shared.” Citing Sufjan Stevens’ Carrie & Lowel as a reference, McLamb added: “That really deep dive into his childhood and the relationship to family was a major inspiration on this record. You don’t often hear those kinds of songs.”
Mary Halvorson, Cloudward; Brittney Spencer, My Stupid Life; Conchúr White, Swirling Violets; Vemod, The Deepening; The Fauns, How Lost; Neck Deep, Neck Deep; Chemtrails, The Joy of Sects; Selmer, Body Wash; Donato Dozzy, Magda.
1999 WRITE THE FUTURE have shared a new song, ‘SLOPES’, featuring Indonesian rapper Warren Hue and Offset. It’s the latest offering from the collective’s debut project, which is due out this year and has so far been teased with the tracks ‘MiNt cHoCoLaTe’, featuring BADBADNOTGOOD, Westside Gunn, and Conway the Machine, the Eyedress collaboration ‘rUN tHE FaDE’, and ‘LiGhT rAiLs’ featuring Rich Brian and Rick Ross. Check out ‘SLOPES’ below.
Poor Things follows Bella Baxter (Emma Stone), a young woman resurrected by the unconventional scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe). Under Baxter’s protection, Bella is eager to learn. The worldliness Bella lacks, she sets off across continents on a whirlwind adventure with Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo). In spite of the prejudices of her time, Bella becomes steadfast in her commitment to stand up for equality and liberation. Despite the prejudices of her time, Bella becomes steadfast in her commitment to stand up for equality and independence.
Here are some great quotes from Yorgos Lanthimos‘ latest film Poor Things.
Defending is challenging; it requires many great physical attributes, tactical awareness, and abilities like man-marking and composure. From Van Dijk to Vidic, the FIFA video game franchise has seen some fantastic talent in the centre-back position over the years, but how does it compare now? Let’s take a look at the best centre-backs in EA FC 24.
Rúben Dias (Overall 89 – Potential 90)Manchester City’s Rúben Dias has had a superb time playing for Manchester City since 2020, winning the Premier League title and the Champions League title. All were accomplished under the age of 26. In EA FC, Dias possesses an excellent skillset for a centre-back and attributes that make him the best-ranked CB in the game.
Dias has tackling, tactician, strength, and complete defender among his specialities. These specialities are nicely combined with his defensive attributes, where he ranks 91 for defensive awareness, 91 for standing tackle, and 87 for sliding tackle. He also boasts Bruiser +, Power Header, and Block play styles within the game.
Sadly, if you want to sign him in EA FC 24, you’ll have to splash out. Dias has a release clause of 205 million euros and a wage bill of 250k euros.
Virgil van Dijk (Overall 89 – Potential 89)The well-experienced van Dijk has been playing for Liverpool since 2018 and has made 179 appearances, scoring 17 goals in that period. With the club, he also won the Champions League title in the 2018-19 season and the Premier League title in the 2019-20 season. Here are van Dijk’s EA FC 24 stats.
Speciality-wise, van Dijk has Tackling, Tactician, Strength, and Complete Defender specialities, making him a well-rounded defender that fits in any formidable defensive squad. When it comes to overall, he ranks 91 for standing tackle, 90 for defensive awareness, and 86 for standing tackle. He also has 88 interceptions and 93 strengths, his most vital attributes.
Among his play styles, van Dijk boasts Aerial +, Power Header, Long Ball Pass, Jockey, Block, Anticipate, and Bruiser. He has a wage bill of 220k euros and a release clause of 130.4 million euros.
Marquinhos (Overall 87 – Potential 88)Brazilian star Marquinhos has made waves since joining PSG in 2013, where he won the Ligue 1 title eight times and became the UEFA Champions League runner-up in the 2019-20 season.
As an in-game player, Marquinhos has Tackling and Tactician player specialities. His most assertive attributes are 90 defensive awareness, 89 standing tackle, 88 sliding tackle, 89 interceptions, and 88 heading accuracy.
He has Intercept +, Power Header, Jockey, Anticipate, and Aerial play styles within the game. Marquinhos can be obtained from PSG for a price tag of 141.5 million euros.
Ronald Araujo (Overall 86 – Potential 91)With heaps of potential, the 24-year-old wonderkid Ronald Araujo can do without an introduction to football fanatics. Since making his debut for Barcelona’s main team in 2019, Araujo has stacked up over 132 appearances in which he scored seven goals as a defender. He has helped the team win the La Liga in the 2022-23 season and the Copa del Rey in the 2022-23 season.
Within EA FC 24, Araujo is a force to be reckoned with. Tackling-wise, he shares the 86 overall for defensive awareness, standing tackle, and sliding tackle. His most formidable attributes are jumping at 92, strength at 87, and aggression at 87. Weirdly, he only possesses one Tacking speciality.
Araujo has a release clause of 197.6 million euros and a hefty wage bill of 175k euros.
Laura Jane Grace has put out a new single, ‘Birds Talk Too’. It will appear on her forthcoming album Hole in My Head, out February 16, alongside the previously released ‘Dysphoria Hoodie’, the title track, and ‘Cuffing Season’. Give it a listen below.
“10 years ago I started getting tattooed by a Japanese tattoo artist named Gakkin,” Grace explained in a statement. “I traveled all around the world getting the work done literally starting with my feet and ending with getting my head tattooed in Amsterdam in July of 2022. At the end of our session, Gakkin gifted me a hand-painted Gretsch guitar, covered in beautiful, intricate, swirling design. I took the guitar back to my hotel room and immediately wrote ‘Birds Talk Too’. The lyrical references are all Amsterdam: Schipol is the airport, Rookies is my favourite cannabis cafe and Champagne Haze is my favourite strain.”
CHAI are calling it quits. “We are sad to let you know that, following our upcoming Japan tour, CHAI will eternalize NEO KAWAII (=parting ways as a band),” the band wrote on social media. “To continue our journey of self-love, as CHAI have always said, and to continue to fulfill our own personal visions, we have decided to go our separate ways. We are so sorry to surprise you with this news.”
“CHAI would never have been able to travel the world without all of your support, and we cannot thank you enough for the love and courage you have given us,” they added. “Each of the members will continue to represent and spread NEO KAWAII in our own individual ways, so we would greatly appreciate your support in the future too. TEN-KYUUUU so much for everything!”
Identical twins Mana (vocals/keys) and Kana (guitar) formed CHAI in 2012 with drummer Yuna and bassist/lyricist Yuuki, when all four members were still in high school. Following their debut EP, ほったらかシリーズ (Hottaraka Series), in 2015, they put out four albums: PINK, PUNK, WINK, and CHAI, the latter two released via Sub Pop.
CHAI’s farewell tour begins in Sapporo, Japan on January 28 and is set to wrap up on March 2 in Koriyama.
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Indiana producer Jlin has announced a new album, Akoma, her first since 2017’s Black Origami. Out March 24 via Planet Mu, the LP features collaborations with Björk, Philip Glass, and Kronos Quartet. Glass co-wrote two trakcs on the album, including the closing track and lead single ‘The Precision of Infinity’. Listen to it below, and scroll down for the Akoma‘s artwork and tracklist.
“To all the incredible collaborators on this record, your brilliance shines through every sound,” Jlin wrote in a statement. “Philip Glass, your mastery left an indelible mark; Bjork, your genius uniqueness inspired unparalleled creativity; Kronos Quartet, for your constant drive and virtuosity; [artist, sculptor, and designer] Florence To, for your ethics in family, honesty, vision and understanding.”
“The inspirations for this album were diverse and profound,” Jlin added. “The electric energy of the HBCU Marching Bands; the artistry of Philip Glass and Third Coast Percussion; the mentorship of Elaine Martone; the genius of Kyle Abraham; and the enduring influence of legends Eartha Kitt and Nina Simone – among countless others.”
Last year, Jlin shared the Perspective EP, which made our best EPs of 2023 list.
Jlin Cover Artwork:
Jlin Tracklist:
1. Borealis [feat. Björk]
2. Speed Of Darkness
3. Summon
4. Iris
5. Open Canvas
6. Challenge (To Be Continued II)
7. Eye Am
8. Auset
9. Sodalite [feat. Kronos Quartet]
10. Grannie’s Cherry Pie
11. The Precision Of Infinity [feat. Philip Glass]
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