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This Week’s Best New Songs: Kendrick Lamar, Julia Jacklin, Stella Donnelly, and More

Throughout the week, we update our Best New Songs playlist with the new releases that caught our attention the most, be it a single leading up to the release of an album or a newly unveiled deep cut. And each Monday, we round up the best new songs released over the past week (the eligibility period begins on Monday and ends Sunday night) in this best new music segment.

On this week’s list, we have Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Mother I Sober’, the longest and most resonant song on his new album, a heart-wrenching meditation on collective trauma that slowly builds intensity, over somber pianos and with gentle accompaniment from Portishead’s Beth Gibbons; the tenderly devastating new track from Bartees Strange, ‘Hold the Line’, which was inspired by George Floyd’s daughter, Gianna; ‘Welcome to Hell’, the nightmarish, shape-shifting lead single from black midi’s third album; Julia Jacklin’s sparse and meditative ‘Lydia Wears a Cross’, which leads her upcoming LP PRE PLEASURE; ‘Thin Thing’, a captivating, jazzy highlight off the Smile’s debut album; Stella Donnelly’s danceable yet lyrically complex ‘Lungs’, the opening track off her recently announced LP Flood; and ‘Ptolemaea’, a horrific, Chelsea Wolfe-esque standout from Ethel Cain’s debut album that sets distorted vocals against thrashing guitars.

Best New Songs: May 16, 2022

Song of the Week: Kendrick Lamar feat. Beth Gibbons, ‘Mother I Sober’

Bartees Strange, ‘Hold the Line’

black midi, ‘Welcome to Hell’

The Smile, ‘Thin Thing’

Julia Jacklin, ‘Lydia Wears a Cross’

Stella Donnelly, ‘Lungs’

Ethel Cain, ‘Ptolemaea’

Watch Janet Jackson Present Mary J. Blige With Icon Award at the Billboard Music Awards

Janet Jackson presented Mary J. Blige with the Icon Award at the Billboard Music Awards last night (May 15). “Mary J. Blige represents truth. Her work has always given us comfort because she sings me, she sings you,” Jackson, who received the same award in 2018, said in her introductory speech. “Mary has made a commitment to her fans to always be her authentic self. Now that’s real love.” Queen Latifah, Gabrielle Union, and Taraji P. Henson, and more honored the artist during an accompanying video montage. Watch it below.

Accepting her award, Mary J. Blige thanked her fans and a slew of collaborators who have contributed to her success. “The way the world is now, I think people think icons are born that way, they become a legend overnight, but that is definitely not the case,” she said. “It takes a lot of time, a lot of hard work, and a lot of survival, trial and error to achieve greatness. I’ve been on this journey for a long time, one that didn’t always look the way you see me now, one that is filled with a lot of heartache and pain. God helped me to channel those emotions and experiences into my music.”

Watch Wet Leg Perform ‘Wet Dream’ and ‘Ur Mum’ on ‘Later’

Wet Leg rolled through Later… with Jools Holland to perform two singles from their self-titled debut: ‘Wet Dream’ and ‘Ur Mum’. The Isle of Wight duo made their debut on the show in October, playing ‘Chaise Lounge’. Watch their performance below.

In recent months, Wet Leg have made several television appearances, including on Late Night with Seth Meyers, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and The Late Late Show with James Corden. Wet Leg’s debut LP came out in April.

13 Best Quotes from All Quiet on the Western Front (1979)

Based on the German novel by Erich Maria Remarque, All Quiet on the Western Front is an English language TV movie adaptation set in World War I. Despite the television release, the 1979 adaptation has an epic, cinematic quality about it, thanks to the large-scale scenes in trenches and bombed villages, as well as the main character’s poignant narration. Paul Baumer (played by Richard Thomas) is a young German soldier who enlists to fight for his country. At the beginning of the war, he and his classmates are filled with idealistic, patriotic ideas about Germany and warfare, and these ideas are reinforced when they attend a rigorous training camp in preparation for battle.

Over the course of the war, Paul and his friends come to realise that much of the information they have been fed was propaganda. An older veteran, Ernest Borgnine’s Stanislaus Katczinsky (affectionately called Kat), is a key player in the boys’ disillusionment. Kind and patient, he treats them like people rather than soldiers, and helps them learn the harsher truths about war. Ironically, Remarque’s book was banned in his own country during the Second World War, which now gives the story an added layer of authenticity and urgency. Here are the best quotes from the 1979 film adaptation.

  1. “You still think it’s beautiful to die for your country. The first bombardment taught us better. When it comes to dying for country, it’s better not to die at all.”
  2. “And our bodies are earth. And our thoughts are clay. And we sleep and eat with death.”
  3. “In the training camp, they filled you with fancy information on how to be a soldier. We’re going to work hard to forget all that. I’ll teach you practical things. Like how to put your diapers on in the front lines.”
  4. “Shoot the wounded horses! Shoot them! Shoot them, can’t you? Shoot them … What have they done? They haven’t done anything … It’s wrong killing horses.”
  5. “They brought us delicious Edammer cheese. We eat and drink of course but there is no joy in it because they always feed us like this before they send us into hell.”
  6. “How long is it? Days, weeks, months, and years. Attack, counterattack, and the dead pile up. Winter, summer. The days are hot and the dead lie unburied. The shells will bury them. But when the wind blows towards us it brings the smell of blood, which is heavy and sweet.”
  7. “I didn’t want to kill you. But you just jumped in here like that. What would you have done? It’s just I’d never met you before like this face to face. I just saw your rifle, your bayonet, grenades. If we threw all those away we could be brothers. But they never want us to know that, do they? They never want us to know. We each have mothers, fathers, the same fear of death. The same pain. The same everything. Everything. Forgive me, comrade.”
  8. “Be careful with these uniforms, boys. They have to be handed down to the next bunch of heroes that get reviewed by the Kaiser.”
  9. “Kat, why do you think we’re in this war?”
    “Protect the Fatherland.”
    “What are the French fighting for?”
    “Protect the Motherland.”
    “And who’s right?”
    “Whoever wins.”
  10. “Can you imagine that little peacock (Himmelstot) getting a medal from the Kaiser?”
    “He behaved like a true German soldier. He ran ahead when he was told to run ahead. And he ran back when he was told to run back. The only thing he didn’t do like a German soldier was die.”
    “Do you think that’s what we’re fighting for? Just to die?”
    “Do you know what we’re fighting for? Does anybody know what we’re fighting for? Does the Kaiser?”
  11. “I used to live in this room. All my things are here, all my books. My beloved books. But they no longer speak to me as they used to, for I am no longer what I was when I lived in this room. I am a soldier. My business is not reading; it is killing. My knowledge of life is limited to death.”
  12. “Out there all men think as I do; there’s no argument about the meaning of life because it has no meaning.”
  13. “He was talking. Ten minutes ago. We were talking.”

18 Beautiful Stills from Jane Eyre (2011)

The 2011 film adaptation of Charlotte Brontë’s Gothic novel Jane Eyre is a gorgeous piece of cinema, thanks partly to Adriano Goldman’s incredible cinematography. Throwing the moors into sharp contrast against the sunny, floral grounds of Thornfield, the film follows Jane’s tumultuous journey from childhood to her role as governess to almost marrying her employer, the mysterious Mr. Rochester. While in Brontë’s novel Jane speaks directly to the reader, the film is framed by her mad dash through the foggy wilderness after she learns that Rochester has lied to her about his past. The plot will be familiar to readers of the book, but this film adaptation is a brilliant, vivid journey that shines fresh light onto Jane’s character.

Portrayed by Mia Wasikowska, Jane is haunted by her dark, lonely, and abusive past – something she’s trying to escape in her new position as governess to the cheerful Adèle (Romy Settbon Moore), Rochester’s “charge”. Edward Rochester (Michael Fassbender) is not present when Jane first arrives at Thornfield Hall, and when she does finally meet him, he remains just as much of a mystery to her. Though Thornfield is an isolated place, rumors swirl about Rochester, about Jane, and eventually about their relationship. A series of unsettling events – strange noises in the night, a sudden fire, and Rochester’s random outbursts – doesn’t seem to affect her opinion of him, which gives the viewers clues about Jane’s own character.

Though this classic book has been adapted numerous times, the 2011 adaptation stands out, as do its memorable visuals. Here are some of the best stills from Jane Eyre.

The Best Songs Featured in HBO’s Euphoria (So Far)

HBO’s hit teen drama Euphoria has a distinctive visual aesthetic, which has made the show easy to distinguish from others like it – the characters wear glittery makeup and bright outfits, the lighting is alternately colorful and stark, and the camera maneuvers draw the viewer right into this hyper-stylized world.

Plot-wise, the series follows teenager Rue (Zendaya), who struggles with addiction following her father’s death. She has drifted away from her best friend Lexi (Maude Apatow), so the only company she finds is with her mother Leslie (Nika King), sister Gia (Storm Reid), and dealer Fez (Angus Cloud). These three characters are often the ones to deal with Rue’s lies and overdoses – until Jules (Hunter Schafer) moves to town. Jules befriends some of the other girls in Rue’s circle, including Kat (Barbie Ferreira), who is on a journey of self-discovery and reinvention. This is influenced by Maddy (Alexa Demie), who is dating the violent Nate (Jacob Elordi). In season 2, Lexi’s self-absorbed sister Cassie (Sydney Sweeney) becomes involved in a messy love triangle with Nate and Maddy, who is her best friend.

Each episode focuses mostly on one of these characters but always returns to Rue, who is also the (unreliable) narrator. Every character has their own distinctive traits, and some even have their own theme song. Along with the vibrant visuals, Euphoria is also known for its shimmery soundtrack. The show is scored by English artist Labrinth, who brings a unique sound to the series. Here are some of the best songs featured in Euphoria‘s first two seasons.

  1. All For Us – Labrinth, Zendaya
  2. All My Heroes (The Tox Avenger Remix) – Naeleck, Sarah Rebecca
  3. Champagne Coast – Blood Orange
  4. Dirty Work – Steely Dan
  5. Don’t Be Cruel – Billy Swan
  6. Gangster – Labrinth
  7. Formula – Labrinth
  8. Haunted – Laura Les
  9. Holding Out for a Hero – Bonnie Tyler
  10. Hot – The Last Artful, Dodgr
  11. How Long – Tove Lo
  12. I’m Tired (with Zendaya) – Labrinth
  13. Jump Into The Fire – Harry Nilsson
  14. Liability – Lorde
  15. Me in 20 Years – Moses Sumney
  16. Mount Everest – Labrinth
  17. Nate Growing Up – Labrinth
  18. Never Tear Us Apart – INXS
  19. Right Down the Line – Gerry Rafferty
  20. Run the Road – Santigold
  21. seaside_demo – SEB
  22. She Sells Sanctuary – The Cult
  23. Snow Flake – Jim Reeves
  24. Stand by Me – Ben E. King
  25. Still Don’t Know My Name – Labrinth
  26. Stuck In The Middle With You – The Sometimes Island
  27. Vitamin C – CAN
  28. Watercolor Eyes – Lana Del Rey
  29. When I R.I.P. – Labrinth
  30. Work – Charlotte Day Wilson

19 Best Stills from The Grand Budapest Hotel

American director Wes Anderson is well-known for his quirky, colorful films. The Grand Budapest Hotel continues his track record of offbeat humor, highly stylized settings, and deadpan characters. Inspired by Stefan Zweig’s novel, Beware of Pity, the film takes place in a fictional Eastern European country in the twentieth century. As per the film’s title, the primary setting is a hotel, whose concierge Monsieur Gustave H. (Ralph Fiennes) is framed for murdering a wealthy dowager (Tilda Swinton), who has left him a priceless painting in her will. Accompanied by one of his new employees, Zero (Tony Revolori), Gustave embarks on an adventurous journey to find the painting while fleeing the police.

Though the film takes place in winter, its color palette is bright and vivid, and the settings are gorgeously framed. The Grand Budapest Hotel won Academy Awards for production design, makeup and hairstyling, and costume design. Along with meticulous cinematography by Robert Yeoman, these elements come together to create a pleasant viewing experience and a visually stunning cinematic world. These are some of the best stills from The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Watch Post Malone Perform With Fleet Foxes’ Robin Pecknold, Roddy Ricch on ‘SNL’

Post Malone was the musical guest on Saturday Night Live last night (May 14), where he performed songs from his new album twelve carat toothache. Making his debut on the show, the rapper brought out one of his favorite artists, Fleet Foxes’ Robin Pecknold, for the song ‘Love/Hate Letter to Alcohol’. Pecknold sang in a choir behind him while the stage was enveloped in smoke. Posty was also joined on stage by Roddy Ricch for a live rendition of ‘Cooped Up’, which they shared earlier this week. Watch it below.

Pecknold previously appeared on Saturday Night Live in 2009. Roddy Ricch was scheduled to perform earlier in the season but ended pulling out due to a COVID exposure, with Bleachers taking his place.

twelve carat toothache, Post Malone’s first album since 2019’s Hollywood’s Bleeding, is set to arrive on June 3.

Britney Spears Reveals She’s Suffered Miscarriage

Britney Spears has revealed that she has suffered a miscarriage. A month after announcing she and fiancé Sam Asghari were expecting their first child together, Spears shared the tragic news on social media in a post signed by both her and Asghari. “It is with our deepest sadness we have to announce that we have lost our miracle baby early in the pregnancy,” they wrote. “This is a devastating time for any parent. Perhaps we should have waited to announce until we were further along however we were overly excited to share the good news.”

They continued: “Our love for each other is our strength. We will continue trying to expand our beautiful family. We are grateful for all your support. We kindly ask for privacy during this difficult moment.”

Spears has two sons, 16-year-old Sean Preston and 15-year-old Jayden James, both with former husband Kevin Federline. She and Asghari have been together since 2016 and the pair announced their engagement last September. This would have been Spears’ first child since being freed from her conservatorship.

“We are grateful for what we have in the process of expanding our beautiful family,” Spears captioned her post on Instagram. In the comments, Asghari wrote, “We will have a miracle soon.”

 

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Watch Kendrick Lamar’s New Video for ‘N95’

Kendrick Lamar has shared a new music video for ‘N95’, a track from his brand new album Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers. Following the deep fake visual for ‘The Heart Part 5’, the clip was directed by Lamar and Dave Free and sees the rapper floating above water while holding his hands up in a Jesus-like pose. Baby Keem, who co-produced the song, also makes an appearance in the video. Check it out below.