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Album Review: IDLES, ‘CRAWLER’

When IDLES released ‘The Beachland Ballroom’ as the lead single from their new album, it felt like a grand reintroduction to a band that had seemingly pushed themselves into a corner. After the riotous punk of their 2017 debut Brutalism towered over 2018’s breakout Joy as an Act of Resistance and then tumbled into its natural breaking point on 2020’s Ultra Mono, the Bristol post-punks took a hard turn that, in typical IDLES fashion, still felt equal parts violent, overpowering, and sincere. In less than a year since their last full-length effort, the band that fired back at their detractors not only seemed open to the criticism that had been thrown at them, but ready to grow from it. Guitarist Mark Bowen told NME that Ultra Mono was “a caricature of who we were, and we wrote that caricature intentionally to kill it,” while frontman Joe Talbot called it an “amazing live album, with a few songs where I was really lost.” Though they always appeared self-aware about their antics, now they seemed to be openly questioning how much of it was actually working.

Those quotes may speak to the ideological spirit of the band more than their sonic identity, but the shift is largely evident in the sound of CRAWLER, the band’s fourth LP. ‘The Beachland Ballroom’, named for the Cleveland, Ohio venue, is a prime example of how the group hasn’t so much distanced itself from its defining characteristics as found more resonant ways of channeling them. A rock n’ roll waltz of simmering intensity, the song is proof that when they sing about feeling lost rather than casting their gaze outward, they can sound more driven than when aiming for righteous positivity. It’s a soulful, revelatory moment for a band that has always championed vulnerability but never so forcefully shown it: “Damage! Damage! Damage!” Talbot howls, sounding more like himself after delivering some of his most refreshingly tender vocals to date.

Throughout CRAWLER, IDLES adjust their relentless approach by bringing more nuance and dynamics into the mix. In addition to ‘The Beachland Ballroom’, Talbot also sings – like, actually sings – on the opener, ‘MTT 420 RR’, which builds on dissonant, moody electronics. Though it’s hard to discern how Kenny Beats, the prolific hip-hop producer who co-produced the album with Bowen, has left his mark on its palette, you can probably hear his influence on ‘Car Crash’, which fuses post-punk and grime to exhilarating effect. On ‘When the Lights Come On’, which recalls a hedonistic night through the lens of discomfort and regret, the band deals in dark atmospherics that suit its ambiguous, unsettling narrative. Much like the song’s protagonist, CRAWLER isn’t afraid to confront the core of the band even at its most exhausted and unrecognizable, using that as a form of defiance.

More than any attempt at musical experimentation, though, CRAWLER succeeds because of its introspective focus, which gives the album a strong emotional arc. Talbot writes compellingly about his struggles with addiction and trauma, reflecting on how one can find themselves trapped in their endless cycles. Though tracks like ‘Car Crash’ tactfully approach the subject matter and allow it to take center stage, others that follow a more familiar formula can hinder some of Talbot’s most potent imagery. “I got on my knees/ And I begged my mother/ With a bottle in one hand/ It’s one or the other,” he sings on ‘The Wheel’, but the song’s scruffy riff blunts the force of the lyrics. Though the album doubles down on the singer’s anthemic proclamations, immediacy is still a primary concern for IDLES, and some of CRAWLER’s most cloying moments find them trying to throw a straightforward refrain into a song that doesn’t always need it. Give it enough time, and it might again sound like an amazing live album with a few underwhelming cuts.

Most of those are stacked towards the end of the tracklist. For an album that stands as IDLES’ most musically diverse, CRAWLER seems to run out of ideas really fast, with songs like ‘Meds’ and ‘King Snake’ reverting back to by-the-numbers, frenetic post-rock. There are interesting ideas in between bursts, but they aren’t given the space to develop. While these decisions may be conceptually sound, like the release of ‘The Beachland Ballroom’, it can feel like starting all over again when you haven’t even had time to catch your breath. Even when they go as far as naming the final track ‘The End’ and tying it all together with a Trotsky quote (“In spite of everything, life is beautiful”), IDLES stay true to the spirit of the album title, using everything in their power to crawl through the noise even if they’re not quite ready to stand on their feet.

Turnstile Announce 2022 North American Tour

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Turnstile have announced a run of North American tour dates in support of their latest LP Glow On. The tour will kick off with two California shows in February 2022 before picking up in the spring, featuring special guests Citizen, Ceremony, Ekulu, Truth Cult, and Coco & Clair Clair. Check out the band’s itinerary below.

Turnstile 2022 Tour Dates:

Feb 23 – San Francisco, CA – The Regency Ballroom
Feb 24 – Los Angeles, CA – The Novo
Apr 26 – Englewood, CO – Gothic Theatre
Apr 27 – Salt Lake City, UT – Soundwell
Apr  29 – Vancouver, BC – The Rickshaw Theatre
Apr  30 – Seattle, WA – The Showbox
May 2 – Portland, OR – Roseland Theater
May  4 – Albuquerque, NM – El Rey Theatre
May  6 – Austin, TX – Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater
May 7 – Dallas, TX – Amplified Live
May  9 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade
May 10 – Nashville, TN – Brooklyn Bowl
May 12 – Milwaukee, WI – The Rave
May 13 – Minneapolis, MN – Varsity Theater
May 14 – Lawrence, KS – The Granada Theater**
May 17 – Detroit, MI – Majestic Theatre
May 18 – Cleveland, OH – Agora Theatre
May 19 – Toronto, ON – The Phoenix Concert Theatre
May 21 – Worcester, MA – Palladium
May 23 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Steel
May 24 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore Philadelphia
May 26 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club

Taylor Swift Shares Blake Lively-Directed Video for ‘I Bet You Think About Me’

Taylor Swift has shared a new music video for ‘I Bet You Think About Me’, her Chris Stapleton duet from Red (Taylor’s Version). Directed by Blake Lively, the clip stars Swift and Miles Teller and features a cameo from Aaron Dessner. Watch it below.

Swift released her re-recorded version of Red last Friday, accompanying the release with a short film for the 10-minute version of ‘All Too Well’ starring Sadie Sink and Dylan O’Brien. Over the weekend, she performed the track on Saturday Night Live while the short film played in the background.

Emma Ruth Rundle Unveils New Video for ‘The Company’

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Emma Ruth Rundle has unveiled a new video for ‘The Company’ from her new album Engine of Hell. Check out the self-directed visual, which was made on the Isle of Skye, below.

“I dreamed this visual poem about innocence of the spirit, sadness and the dark deceiver I spend my life trying to run from,” Rundle explained in a statement. “Or is it a friendly entity? What does it mean? Upon waking – I acquired the equipment and made a plan to film it. I enlisted the help of my dear friend, Blake Armstrong, who helped shoot and plays part in the video as well. It was edited by Brandon Kahn. Written, directed and shot by me.”

Engine of Hell arrived on November 5. Rundle previously shared videos for the album tracks ‘Blooms of Oblivion’ and ‘Return’.

Squid Remix Falle Nioke and Ghost Culture’s ‘Leywole’

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Squid have shared their first-ever remix, reworking Falle Nioke and Ghost Culture’s track ‘Leywole’. Listen to ‘Leywole (Squid’s Let’s Get Trancy Mix)’ below.

Squid shared the following statement about the remix:

They say limitation is a source of inspiration. Who are they? I don’t know! But they… are right! This remix was made after many failed attempts. After these failures we went back to basics with a pedal-board, two synths and the vocal stems to create this take on the original tune inspired by our favourite electronic minimalist composers.

Remixes are a fun way for us to zoom in on our inspirations, let loose with DIY living room table setups and pretend that we are proficient music producers. A Squid remix wouldn’t be a Squid remix without sounding nothing like Squid, right? Thanks to Falle Nioke and Ghost Culture for making such a fun track to play with. We hope you enjoy the ride.

‘Leywoke’ appears on Falle Nioke and Ghost Culture’s new Badiare EP. “I was inspired just by watching men and women in the street, in particular an interaction between a strong woman rejecting an approach from a bold man,” Nioke explained in a press release. “‘How can this man have the audacity to talk to me?!” she says and asks him questions like ‘and you are the son of who?!'”

Watch Adele Debut New Songs ‘I Drink Wine’, ‘Hold On’ and ‘Love Is A Game’

Adele: One Night Only aired last night (November 14) on CBS, and it featured the singer debuting three tracks from her upcoming album, 30. Watch Adele sing ‘Hold On’, ‘I Drink Wine’, and ‘Love Is A Game’ live for the first time below.

The TV special also included a sit-down interview with Oprah Winfrey, who described ‘Hold On’ as an “anthem throughout the world for anybody struggling with anything.” Adele performed the track in full after teasing it in an Amazon Christmas commercial and a trailer for the special.

Following its premiere, Adele: One Night Only is now streaming exclusively on Paramount+. It will be followed by a UK TV special, An Audience With Adele on ITV, which will air on November 21. Adele’s new album, which includes the single ‘Easy on Me’, is out this Friday, November 19.

Peach Pit Announce New Album ‘From 2 to 3’, Share New Single ‘Look Out’

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Vancouver indie rock band Peach Pit have announced their new album, From 2 to 3, which arrives on March 4 via RCA. They’ve also shared a video for the new single ‘Look Out’ to accompany the announcement. Check it out below, along with the album’s cover art and tracklist.

Produced by Robbie Lackritz, the LP “is a collection of songs that were written late at night, alone in a small apartment with a hushed voice so as not to wake anyone,” lead singer Neil Smith said in a statement, continuing: “We’re excited to be releasing one of our favorites from the record called ‘Look Out!’; it’s a nod to the apartments and neighborhoods where we wrote these songs, and to the corner store attendants that sold us junk on those late nights. The guys and I and our long-time collaborator Lester also went on a road trip this summer and filmed some videos that we really feel capture the spirit of the music perfectly’.”

From 2 to 3 will mark Peach Pit’s third studio album, following their 2017 debut Being So Normal and 2020’s You and Your Friends.

From 2 to 3 Cover Artwork:

From 2 to 3 Tracklist:

1. Up Granville
2. Vickie
3. Lips Like Yours
4. Pepsi on the House
5. Look Out!
6. Everything About You
7. Give Up Baby Go
8. Last Days of Lonesome
9. Drips on a Wire
10. 2015
11. From 2 to 3

This Week’s Best New Songs: Taylor Swift, Mitski, Beach House, Shamir, 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 Mitski’s ‘The Only Heartbreaker’, which trades the creeping desperation of previous single ‘Working for the Knife’ for vibrant, blazing synth-pop; Taylor Swift’s ‘Nothing New’, one of nine ‘From the Vault’ tracks from Red (Taylor’s Version), an emotionally striking duet with Phoebe Bridgers that tackles the music industry’s treatment of young women; the sweepingly hypnotic ‘Superstar’, a stand-out from the first chapter of Beach House’s Once Twice Melody rollout that might be one of their best songs ever; Jenny Hval’s new track ‘Jupiter’, which unravels with a warm, cosmic beauty; Shamir’s ‘Cisgender’, the spine-chillingly good lead single off his upcoming album Heterosexuality; Camp Cope’s gentle, engagingly layered new single ‘Blue’; Nilüfer Yanya’s ‘stabilise’, which works both towards and against its title by conjuring a tightly controlled nervousness; and Gang of Youths’ ‘tend the garden’, a more upbeat but no less stunning offering from the band’s newly announced album.

Best New Songs: November 15, 2021

Mitski, ‘The Only Heartbreaker’

Taylor Swift feat. Phoebe Bridgers, ‘Nothing New’

Song of the Week: Beach House, ‘Superstar’

Jenny Hval, ‘Jupiter’

Shamir, ‘Cisgender’

Camp Cope, ‘Blue’

Nilüfer Yanya, ‘stabilise’

Gang of Youths, ‘tend the garden’

Kanye West Releases Deluxe Edition of ‘Donda’: Listen

Kanye West has released a new deluxe edition of his latest album Donda. The expanded version features five new songs, including the much-hyped André 3000 collaboration ‘Life of the Party’, and a completely re-sequenced tracklist. The other new tracks are ‘Up From the Ashes’, ‘Remote Control Pt. 2’, ‘Never Abandon Your Family’, and ‘Keep My Spirit Alive Pt. 2’. Stream Donda (Deluxe) below.

After multiple delays, Donda finally arrived in late August, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. A new Kanye West docuseries titled Jeen-Yuhs is set to premiere on Netflix in 2022.

Watch Adele Sing ‘Hold On’ in Clip From New CBS Special ‘Adele: One Night Only’

Adele shared another preview of her new song ‘Hold On’ in a clip for Adele: One Night Only, a two-hour concert special filmed last month at the Griffith Park Observatory in Los Angeles. Premiering tonight (November 14) on CBS, the special will feature the singer debuting several songs from her upcoming album 30which arrives next Friday, November 19. It will also include a new sit-down interview with Oprah Winfrey, which is billed as the “first televised wide-ranging conversation about her new album, the stories behind the songs, life after divorce, weight loss and raising her son.” Watch clips from the special below.

Adele previously teased ‘Hold On’ in an Amazon Christmas commercial. So far, the singer has released album’s lead single, ‘Easy on Me’.