Jessica Winter is the latest artist to sign to the independent label Lucky Number, accompanying the announcement with the new single ‘Choreograph’. “’Choreograph’ was born out of frustration, and from the desire to fully experience life and love in the present moment,” the artist explained in a statement. The track arrives with a James Ogram-directed music video that nods to Singin’ in the Rain. Check it out below.
Luna Li Shares New ‘jams 2’ EP
Luna Li has shared her new EP jams 2, the sequel to 2020’s jams EP, today via In Real Life. Give it a listen below.
“I wasn’t sure what to expect releasing the first jams EP – it felt unconventional to be releasing a collection of short looping instrumentals and it certainly wasn’t like anything I’d ever released before,” Li explained in a press release. “This time around, I’m glad to know that these jams have a home, somewhere to land. This second short collection also features Amaria and Aaron Paris, two artists and producers I admire a lot.”
Luna Li dropped her debut album, Duality, earlier this year.
Old Fire Shares New Song ‘Dreamless’ Featuring Adam Torres
John Mark Lapham has shared a new track from his upcoming Old Fire album, Voids. Following the Bill Callahan collaboration ‘Don’t You Go’, ‘Dreamless’ features singer-songwriter Adam Torres as well as Semay Wu on cello, Christian Madden on keys, and Joe Ryan on drums. Check out its Nathan Driskell-directed video below.
“‘Dreamless’ was the last piece of the puzzle for this album,” Lapham explained in a statement. “It came together spontaneously from some guitar recordings given to me by Alex Hutchins, who sent me a lot of improvised takes that I cut down and sequenced into something resembling a traditional pop structure (at least as ‘pop’ as Old Fire ever gets). As I was imagining a vocal, I heard someone like Peter Gabriel singing and looked for someone who could give me the shivers like he could. Enter Adam Torres. Thor Harris and Bill both worked with him so it made a lot of sense that he would join our family. I gave him only a few directions on lyrical content, we talked about the themes of loneliness, isolation and what it feels like to live without love. He put together some beautiful words and really brought the song to life.”
Voids comes out November 4 on Western Vinyl. It also includes collaborations with Julia Holter, Emily Cross, and more.
Watch Blackpink Perform ‘Shut Down’ on ‘Kimmel’
Blackpink were the musical guest on last night’s episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, performing their latest single ‘Shut Down’ live for the first time. Watch it below.
‘Shut Down’ is lifted from Blackpink’s second album Born Pink, which came out Friday via YG Entertainment/Interscope Records. In addition to ‘Shut Down’, the record features the promotional single ‘Pink Venom’. The K-pop group will embark on their Born Pink World Tour later this year.
The Smashing Pumpkins Announce New Album ‘ATUM’, Share New Single ‘Beguiled’
The Smashing Pumpkins have announced a new album called ATUM, a 33-song rock opera in three acts that serves as the sequel to 1995’s Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness and 2000’s Machina/Machine of God. The band has previewed the record with the new song ‘Beguiled’, which they will perform on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon this Friday (September 23). Check it out below.
ATUM: A Rock Opera In Three Acts will be released in installments over the next seven months. Act 1 will arrive on November 15, while Act 2 will follow on January 31, and Act 3 is set to come out on April 21. Frontman Billy Corgan is also launching a podcast called Thirty-Three With William Patrick Corgan, every episode of which will feature an unreleased song. A special edition vinyl box set will include 10 more unreleased tracks, which won’t be unveiled on the podcast.
The Smashing Pumpkins’ most recent album was 2020’s Cyr.
ATUM: A Rock Opera In Three Acts Cover Artwork:
Pierre Kwenders Wins 2022 Polaris Music Prize
Pierre Kwenders has won the 2022 Polaris Music Prize, which is presented annually to Canada’s best album of the year by a jury of journalists and broadcasters. The Congolese-Canadian artist’s José Louis and The Paradox of Love was selected over albums such as Charlotte Day Wilson’s ALPHA, Destroyer’s LABYRINTHITIS, Lisa Leblanc’s Chiac Disco, and Ouri’s Frame of a Fauna. The win comes with a $50,000 prize.
“This is for all the kids from the diaspora, the African diaspora, moving in Canada,” Kwenders said in a statement. “Sometimes you feel like you don’t know what you’re running into, or what you’re coming into. But there is hope, there is a place to live and dream and be yourself. This album, especially, is about being yourself and telling your own story. José Louis And The Paradox Of Love is there for you, you know, if you feel you can connect, connect! Let’s talk! Let’s have fun! Let’s be ourselves! Let’s love each other, while we are alive. Bisou!”
Last year’s Polaris Prize winner was Cadence Weapon.
Snail Mail and Mac DeMarco Share New Single ‘A Cuckhold’s Refrain’ as Peppermint Patty
Snail Mail and Mac DeMarco have collaborated on a new song called called ‘A Cuckhold’s Refrain – Peppermint Patty’ under the name Peppermint Patty. According to Pitchfork, the song was recorded in DeMarco’s garage two years ago, and it also features JD Beck, Domi, and Deaton Chris Anthony. “I got the beef, you got the cheese/ I’ll be the cuck, you be the tease,” Jordan sings on the track. Check it out below.
Snail Mail released her most recent album, Valentine, last year. DeMarco’s latest LP was 2019’s Here Comes the Cowboy.
Album Review: Rina Sawayama, ‘Hold the Girl’
Artists have always used music as an outlet for repressed feelings, which means they often don’t come to light until long after you’ve put pen to paper. Rina Sawayama, though, clearly understands the value of studying your own emotions. As she did on her riveting 2020 debut, the pop singer continues to wear her wildly eclectic influences on her sleeve, but she admits that Hold the Girl‘s biggest inspiration was therapy – and the album goes as far as to reflect her effort to “reparent” herself. So even as her music still revels in huge choruses that channel childhood trauma, rage, and guilt in uncompromising fashion, the perspective of her songwriting has evidently shifted, becoming more measured without shedding off too much weight. It scans as the work of a musician who has done the underlying work and is both careful and playful in bringing it to the surface, finding as much power in vulnerability as in the broad universality of pop.
Just about every aspect of Hold the Girl feels more purposeful than SAWAYAMA. That album’s fusion of Y2K pop and nu-metal was deliberately messy and bombastic, but it barely held itself together; Hold the Girl draws from an even wider array of styles but appears more cohesive by keeping a solid framing. Its shapeshifting pop presents healing as the turbulent but rewarding process of holding on and letting go, of cultivating empathy for those who have caused you pain and showing up for the people who matter – including one’s own self. If that all sounds a bit generic, that’s because it is – and it can feel frustrating, but Sawayama is usually self-aware enough to make it land. She proves early on that she can balance weighty concepts with over-the-top theatricality, as ‘Minor Feelings’ – which takes its title from the poet Cathy Park Hong’s collection of essays of the same name – offers a nuanced exploration of the collective feelings of marginalization Asian Americans harbour as a result of systemic racism. Though she doesn’t disregard their sociopolitical origins, the singer makes a point of embracing excess as a liberatory response to all kinds of repression – even if it occasionally leads to clunky lines about being “busy cleansing my soul.”
Because of the scope of Sawayama’s ambition, it’s easier to gauge Hold the Girl‘s impact on a song-by-song basis. But as with her debut, her ability to succeed in more than one lane is a testament to her versatility. ‘This Hell’ may sound less urgent than the similarly luxurious and cheeky SAWAYAMA single ‘XS’, but the country-inspired tune is at least catchy and well-executed enough to sell you on the path to “eternal damnation.” Hold the Girl comes closest to being devilishly fun when it sticks to a single idea, even if that means using Frankenstein’s monster as an obvious yet effective metaphor. And while it doesn’t quite share SAWAYAMA‘s rebellious spirit, it can be exhilarating to hear her swerve between sounds with the same voraciousness, from the ominous Eurodance track ‘Holy (Til You Let Me Go)’ to the bustling two-step garage of ‘Imagining’.
But try to take in it as a whole, and much of Hold the Girl starts to come off as shallow and tedious, even if it never veers into unpleasant territory. There’s nothing inherently wrong with its earnest approach to lyricism – that kind of sincerity gave us SAWAYAMA’s most enduring ballad, ‘Chosen Family’ – but the album packs so many sentimental ballads that if you can separate the good (‘Forgiveness’) from the bad (‘Phantom’), you still might not be able to remember much from either camp. But that might have less to do with weak songwriting than another one of Hold the Girl‘s problems, which is that it suffers from overproduction. When you’re not baffled by genre experiments like ‘Your Age’ (Sawayama’s most cloying attempt at evoking Linkin Park’s glory days), you’re left with songs that prioritize extravagant production over the strength of Sawayama’s vision, her technical skills over her emotional range, and sweeping, ambiguous gestures over meaningful ones.
Hold the Girl might have fared better with a tighter tracklist, but its taste for the saccharine is put to good use as the album draws to a close. Awkwardly sandwiched between ‘Phantom’ are two of Sawayama’s most poignant songs, driving home the record’s overarching message of triumph over hardship. ‘Send My Love to John’ is unlike any other song on the album, a subdued acoustic ballad sung from the perspective of an immigrant mother who begins to acknowledge her son’s queerness. ‘To Be Alive’, by contrast, is the opposite of subtle, anchoring in a pulsating beat, plenty of lyrical cliches, and a soaring chorus that seeks acceptance from within. Even though its hopeful sentiment has been expressed time again and again – in Hold the Girl and pop music at large – the reason it still makes for an exuberant conclusion is pointedly simple: “Feels like the first time.”
Soulside Announce First Album in 33 Years, Release New Songs
Soulside are back with news of their first album in 33 years. The post-hardcore band will issue A Brief Moment in the Sun, the follow-up to 1989’s Hot Bodi-Gram, on November 18 via Dischord. Today’s announcement comes with the release of two new songs, ‘Reconstruction’ and ‘Runner’, which is accompanied by a video from the band’s drummer Alexis Fleisig. Check it out below.
Back in 2020, Soulside released their This Ship EP. Speaking about the making of the new LP, the band shared the following statement:
We started writing the songs for A Brief Moment in the Sun in late 2020. It was daunting at first trying to make music virtually from four separate locations (NYC, Los Angeles, North Carolina, Austria) in the middle of a global pandemic, but we quickly found a songwriting groove and we added biweekly video conference calls to keep ourselves on track. By early 2021, we realized that there was something very special and passionate (and urgent) happening in these songs, and in November we met up for four days of in-person rehearsals in Brooklyn before heading down to Magpie Cage Studio in Baltimore to record the album with our old friend J. Robbins. It was pretty incredible working with J., who inspired some crucial changes to the songs, and Ian MacKaye came to the studio for two days to help make them even stronger.
A Brief Moment in the Sun is a narrative LP, full of stories: some based on Bobby’s personal experiences and others addressing volatile sociopolitical themes, including an historical perspective on racial oppression in the United States. In both the music and the lyrics, this new album picks up where Soulside left off years ago – but with zero nostalgia in the mix.
A Brief Moment in the Sun Cover Artwork:
A Brief Moment in the Sun Tracklist:
1. Times Like These
2. Day 2
3. Every Clover
4. Reconstruction
5. Runner
6. Walker
7. Tambourine
8. 70’s Heroes
9. Resolved
10. Rediscovery
11. Survival
12. It’s All About Love
A Guide to Choosing a Major for Aspiring Journalists
Becoming a journalist can have many benefits. Jobs in this field can be quite well-paid and incredibly interesting. So, if you have a passion for writing, pursuing this career could be a good idea. But, before you can do this, you will first need to acquire the right education. Most journalist jobs (even entry-level ones) require at least a BA degree in a relevant area. It shouldn’t be a problem to get a degree. The only question is – what exactly should you study?
According to College Factual, aspiring journalists can choose between over 2,000 related subjects. So, picking the right specialization in such a wide variety of options can be rather hard. But we are here to help you make the right choice! If you are also dreaming about becoming a journalist, read this guide to learn how to select the right major.
When Do You Declare a Major?
Before we tell you what to keep in mind and how to choose the right major, the first thing you have to know is when exactly you’ll need to declare one. All in all, most four-year colleges don’t require you to decide on your primary subject area until you finish your sophomore year. This basically means that if you are currently in high school and are just getting ready to apply to college, you are not obliged to have a specific subject area in mind right now. In most cases, you will have time to try different classes and decide on your specialization later. But there is a catch.
First and foremost, the first years at college are incredibly stressful. You will be loaded with a huge amount of schoolwork, so trying a large number of different classes will be impossible without some extra help. Luckily, you can enlist the help of a trusted paper writing service to rest assured that your homework is taken care of by professionals. This way, you will get enough time to try different options and choose a major. And at the same time, you will be able to keep your grades high.
Another catch to keep in mind is that certain programs require an early commitment. Simply put, they require a certain number of credits and classes in order for you to graduate on time. If you choose a program like this, losing a year or two of college to trying different classes can eventually play a bad joke on you. So, one way or another, it makes pretty good sense to start thinking about your specialization early on.
4 Main Steps to Choosing the Right Major
Now that you know when you’ll have to declare a major, let’s move on to the most responsible part.
Below are the main steps you have to take before making your choice:
Identify Your Interests
The choice of specialization should be made based on your personal interests. So, the first thing you need to do is define what exactly you love doing. A good way to dig deeper into your interests is to make a list of the top 10 things you love. Obviously, you must be interested in writing. But, we bet that there must be other interests too. It should help you understand which area of journalism will suit you best. Also, you can list your key strengths and weaknesses.
Pro tip! If you are not well-versed in career paths, try using a Roadmap to Careers in order to link your interests and strengths to suitable jobs.
Research Career Requirements
After you link your interests to the right job(s), you can use this knowledge to define the right major. Research job listings for careers that suit you and study the top majors employers require for them.
Define Your Career Goals
Another important step in choosing the right major is determining your future career goals. Who do you want to be in, let’s say, 10 years? The answer to this question should help you understand what level of college degree you will need to acquire. And it will also affect the choice of specialization.
Get Professional Advice
If you are having a hard time making a decision, it’s never a bad idea to get professional advice. Talk to career advisors or counselors in your school. Talking to professionals can help you ensure that you’ve chosen the right option for you. And, sometimes, it can even give you some new ideas to consider.
Top Majors Related to Journalism
So, you already know about the steps you need to take in order to pick a suitable specialization. Now, to help you get started, we’ve gathered the top seven majors for aspiring journalists:
- General Journalism,
- Broadcast Journalism,
- Photojournalism,
- Public Relations & Advertising,
- Communication & Media Studies,
- Radio, Television, & Digital Communication,
These are some of the most common and popular areas of study selected by students who seek careers in journalism. Each of these specialties can help you acquire the knowledge, skills, and experience required for building a successful career.
Using the simple steps we shared with you earlier, you should be able to identify your own interests, goals, and needs. Assess the ideas above with this knowledge to see which of these areas will suit you best.
Bonus tip. After you select a suitable major, take an extra step and pick a few backup options. Many colleges recommend doing this in order to be able to easily change your specialization later if necessary.
The Bottom Line
If you have a passion for writing and dream about building a career as a journalist, the best way to start getting closer to your goal is to apply to a college and receive a relevant degree. However, as you already know, the options for aspiring journalists are so broad that making the right choice of a major can be a real challenge.
Hopefully, after reading this article, you will be able to get on the right track and make the right first step towards your goal. Use the tips from this guide to pick the best major and set yourself up for success!
