Open Mike Eagle has shared a new freestyle in tribute to the late MF DOOM, whose death was announced on New Year’s Eve. Over a beat produced by Illingsworth, Eagle reflects on collaborating with DOOM (they joined forces on the Czarface and MF DOOM song ‘Phantoms’ as well as ‘Police Myself’, a track from OME’s NewNegroes). Watch the freestyle, simply titled ‘for DOOM’, below.
“Got two songs with you, but only spoke to a go-between/ Was still proud as fuck to reach ground zero/ ’Cos who the fuck ever gets to rock with their heroes?” Open Mike Eagle raps.
According to his wife Jasmine, DOOM, passed away on October 31. Since the news of his death, tributes to the legendary rapper and producer have poured out across the internet. Tyler, the Creator, Questlove, Jay Electronica, El-P, Denzel Curry and Kenny Beats, Danny Brown, and more shared words of remembrance for DOOM.
Loretta Lynn has announced her 50th studio album, Still Woman Enough. It arrives on March 19 via Legacy. Below, watch the music video for single ‘Coal Miner’s Daughter (Recitation)’ and check out the album’s cover artwork and tracklist.
The 13-track LP includes new compositions as well as reinterpretations of songs from throughout Lynn’s catalog. A celebration of women in country music, Still Woman Enough also features appearances from Margo Price, Tanya Tucker, Reba McEntire, and Carrie Underwood.
“I am just so thankful to have some of my friends join me on my new album. We girl singers gotta stick together,” Loretta Lynn said in a statement. “It’s amazing how much has happened in the 50 years since ‘Coal Miner’s Daughter’ first came out and I’m extremely grateful to be given a part to play in the history of American music.”
Loretta Lynn’s previous studio album was 2018’s Wouldn’t It Be Great.
Still Woman Enough Cover Artwork:
Still Woman Enough Tracklist:
1. Still Woman Enough [ft. Reba McEntire and Carrie Underwood]
2. Keep on the Sunny Side
3. Honky Tonk Girl
4. I Don’t Feel at Home Any More
5. Old Kentucky Home
6. Coal Miner’s Daughter Recitation
7. One’s on the Way [ft. Margo Price]
8. I Wanna Be Free
9. Where No One Stands Alone
10. I’ll Be All Smiles Tonight
11. I Saw the Light
12. My Love
13. You Ain’t Woman Enough [ft. Tanya Tucker]
Jack Tatum of the dream-pop outfit Wild Nothing has collaborated with Austin-based musician Molly Burch on a new song called ‘Emotion’. Check it out below.
Speaking about ‘Emotion’ in a statement, Molly Burch explained: “Working with Jack was a dream. It was a new experience co-writing with someone and he made it really comfortable for me. I knew I wanted to transition into more of a pop sound and production, and I had already been working on new music that reflected that. When it came to this co-write, I wanted to go even more pop than what I was working on. I sent Jack my demos and a playlist of strictly fun dance songs by artists like Dua Lipa, Ciara, and Mark Ronson. We were both down to just push it to that level. For me, the theme of the song is about feeling a spectrum of emotions, embracing that sensitivity, and using it as fuel to create something positive. “Emotion” is a celebration of being alive.”
In addition to ‘Emotion’, Burch has also announced a 7″ featuring a cover of Ariana Grande’s ‘needy’, out January 15 via Captured Tracks. Following her first two albums, 2017’s Please Be Mine and 2018’s First Flower, Burch released a holiday album titled The Molly Burch Christmas Album in 2019.
Madlib has shared a new single called ‘Hopprock’. Following their recent collaborative track ‘Road of the Lonely Ones’, the new song was edited, arranged, and mastered by Four Tet’s Kieran Hebden. Check it out below.
This month, Madlib is set to release a new album called Sound Ancestors through his Madlib Invazion label. “He is always making loads of music in all sorts of styles and I was listening to some of his new beats and studio sessions when I had the idea that it would be great to hear some of these ideas made into a Madlib solo album,” Four Tet said of the album’s creation. “Not made into beats for vocalists to use but instead arranged into tracks that could all flow together in an album designed to be listened to start to finish. I put this concept to him when we were hanging out eating some nice food one day and we decided to work on this together with him sending me tracks, loops, ideas and experiments that I would arrange, edit, manipulate and combine. I was sent hundreds of pieces of music over a couple of years stretch and during that time I put together this album with all the parts that fitted with my vision.”
Florian Delalee, a photographer currently based out of Shanghai, China, unveiled a stunning aerial photography series titled Red Forest. The magnificent series features autumn scenes in Anhui, where redwood trees stand out against the calm waters of the Qinglongwan Reservoir.
In recent years, we have seen the players in the NBA take a fashion stance. High-profile sneaker distributors in Nike and Adidas, as well as luxury brands like Louis Vuitton and Dior, are finding ways to work together collaboratively to make the most stylish product on the planet. Fans love to see the rare and vintage styles bA tip-off. Why do you think the cameras always follow the players into the tunnels? That’s because to some seeing what LeBron James is wearing is more important than the flashy dunk.
We have seen the NBA fashion model evolve. Walt Frazier wore suits in the ‘70s. Magic Johnson wore fur coats in the ‘80s. Dennis Rodman dyed his hair and wore the most eye-popping gear that sometimes made you scratch your head at times during the ‘90s. In today’s league, Stephen Curry and Russell Westbrook are always trying to show off their clothes. However, which team, or members, owns the best fashion statement?
Boston Celtics
Not only are the Celtics a title contender among online sports betting applications, but they also possess some of the best threads too. Jayson Tatum, Kemba Walker, and Tristan Thompson know how to create an ensemble. For Tatum, he has a deal with the Jordan Brand, which has placed him with the best Air Jordans we have ever seen.
Tatum is also pretty loyal to brands that we haven’t seen before, such as Do Not Disturb and Believe in Yourself. As for Walker, he is known for his colorful trench coats. Thompson is known for brands such as Chrome Hearts, Gucci, and Prada.
Los Angeles Lakers
While many wanted LeBron to bring a Lakers championship to town, the rest of the fan club wants to see what he is wearing before the game. James has a deal with Nike, but he is pretty good about mixing up streetwear and luxury items. Just Don, Better Gift Shop, and RRL are just a few brands that stick out. He has been engulfed in taking a stand against social justice, so some of his clothes feature Black Lives Matter references.
As for others, Kyle Kuzma mixes articles like Fear of God and Rhude. Kuzma is good friends with designer Rhuigi Villasenor. Dennis Schroder wraps up the team’s fashion line, who is known for sticking out with his bright clothes. An honorable mention goes out to Anthony Davis and Jared Dudler, who both own a collection of sneakers.
Phoenix Suns
When the Suns traded for Chris Paul, their odds to win the NBA championship went up, but their spot in the fashion rankings also surged. Paul is widely known for looking good before games. Paul has a strong look in a blazer, but he also will switch to a T-shirt with sneakers.
Blink and you’ll miss it. Yes, the New Year has arrived, so now is the time to make promises you might never keep! Only joking. Resolutions are fantastic tools because they encourage you to be better, which is always a healthy thing.
For musicians, 2021 is the perfect opportunity to take your musical prowess to the next level. After all, setting goals and targets will propel you from a casual player into a semi-professional and professional player. Yes, creating goals can be challenging, yet it doesn’t have to be with the following advice.
Here are four targets you should attempt to hit this year.
Create A Practice Routine
To practice playing an instrument should be the easiest thing in the world. You pick it up, play, and don’t stop until you feel like stopping. Sadly, practicing is not as straightforward as it appears, not when life gets in the way and prevents you from investing the necessary time into your hobby. As well as establishing a routine, you should set out how long you plan on playing each day or week, too. Then, you’ll have a framework you can refer to that highlights your progress.
Start Taking Lessons
If you don’t think you have the time to practice, or you lack the motivation, there are other ways to fine-tune your musical skills. The best option is to take lessons again as you can benefit from a formal class with a professional instructor. Many musicians need a push in the right direction since doing everything from home gets samey. With a teacher, you can pick their brains, ask for advice, and fix problems before they escalate out of control. Plus, it’s a smart and more exciting way of boosting your motor skills and knowledge of music as you have another person to bounce off.
Compose & Record Music
Copying music is a good place to start as it gets you in the groove. However, it’s only a beginning point. If you want to go to the next phase, it’s essential to compose and record original songs because the composition is what sets the weak from the strong. As a songwriter and musician, you can curate music for yourself or others and use songs to make money. All you have to do is run Garageband on Windows and you can kick start the process. Songwriting is a type of therapy. You’ll love the sensation when you play a melody you have created.
Perform
Lastly, it’s time to leave the house and perform. Only by performing on stage, in front of people, do you hone your skills. And, this doesn’t only mean your ability to play an instrument and sing. It also includes how you deal with a crowd and create a fluid set that flows from the first song to the last. Covid makes performing in public tough, although you can busk on the street, while Zoom and Microsoft Teams are excellent programs for aspiring musicians to spread the word.
Are you a musician? What are your New Year resolutions?
Alexi Laiho, longtime frontman for the Finnish metal outfit Children of Bodom, has died at the age of 41. The acclaimed guitarist passed away last week at his home in Helsinki, Finland, after suffering from “long-term health issues,” according to a statement from his label, Napalm Records.
“We are crushed by the sudden passing of our dear friend and band member,” the surviving members of Bodom After Midnight – a band he formed with Daniel Freyberg, Mitja Toivonen, and Waltteri Väyrynen after Children of Bodom disbanded in 2019 – wrote. “Words cannot describe this shock and the profound sadness that we feel.”
Born in Espoo, Finland, in 1979, Laiho grew up in a musical household; his dad played piano and organ, while his mother played flute and sang in a choir. Laiho’s first instrument was the violin, but he was eventually drawn to the guitar, and he credits his sister for introducing him to the world of heavy metal. He formed the group Inearth as a teenager, before the group changed its name to Children of Bodom in 1997. They released a series of successful albums, beginning with their 1997 debut Something Wild and including the critically acclaimed LPs Hatebreeder, Follow the Reaper, and Hate Crew Deathroll. The group’s most recent album was 2019’s Hexed.
In addition to Children of Bodom, Laiho also played in Sinergy, Warmen, Kylähullut, and the Local Band. Prior to his death, Bodom After Midnight recorded three songs and a video that will be released posthumously, according to their publicist.
Laiha’s three longtime Children of Bodom bandmates — Jaska Raatikainen, Henkka T. Blacksmith, and Janne Wirman — published a statement via Facebook: “More than 25 years of friendship. We lost a brother. The world lost a phenomenal song writer and one of the greatest guitarists of all time. Memories and Alexi’s music will live forever. Our thoughts are with Alexi’s family during this difficult time.”
Laiho’s wife, Kelli Wright-Laiho, wrote in a statement: “Alexi was the most loving and magnificent husband and father. Our hearts are eternally broken.”
Palestinian DJ Sama’ Abdulhadi has been released on bail after being arrested and detained for eight days for hosting a rave near a West Bank mosque. Palestinian authorities arrested Abdulhadi on December 28 after she pre-recorded a performance as part of Beatport’s The Residency series.
The dance event was held at Maqam Nabi Musa in Palestine’s West Bank – which is partly a place of worship but has also been operating as a cultural centre and tourist site since 2019 – and specifically in the courtyard of a hostel on the site, separate to the mosque and shrine. According to a press release, the performance was private and attended only by a total of 30 friends and production crew members. However, despite the Palestinian Ministry Of Tourism having previously granted permission, the event was shut down by authorities who claimed it was inappropriate for it to be taking place on a holy site. The police went to Abdulhadi’s house the following day, where she was taken to the general attorney’s office to be detained.
With Palestinian rights groups demanding her freedom as well as 100,000 signatories to an online petition, Abdulhadi has now been released from the Jericho jail where she was held on bail. However, she has been banned from travelling outside of Palestine and is subject to further investigation on the charges of desecrating a religious site and religious symbols as well as violating COVID-19 emergency protocols. If indicted, Abdulhadi could face up to two years of imprisonment.
“I am safe and well and would like to thank everybody who has spoken out in support of my situation and called for my immediate release,” Abdulhadi said in a statement (via NME). “I am overwhelmed by the support from my fellow musicians, artists, activists and the entire music community. I want to thank anybody and everybody who has made me feel so supported. At this moment, I just want to spend time with my family.”
In their own words, NewDad are “fun, easy-going and desperately trying to sound cooler than we are.” Hailing from Galway in West Ireland, the quartet have been making moves in the resurging indie scene currently occurring across the Irish Sea. With their debut EP Waves set to be released early this year, they already have an impressive following and a handful of genuinely exciting singles in their repertoire. Their debut single ‘How’ and follow-up ‘Swimming’ channel the bass-driven, dark energy of a grunge song, which, when melded with Julie Dawson’s vocals, calls to mind No Doubt, while ‘Cry’ – unsurprisingly considering their cited influences – reeks of Pixies in the scuzzy, ringing guitar. Single ‘Blue’ conjures a more introspective sound, reminiscent of The xx in the resounding guitar riffs; it’s in these eclectic soundscapes that the old and the new mix, where NewDad’s ethos of bringing “a fresh take to an old sound” comes to life. Their latest track, ‘I Don’t Recognise You’, is driven by the kind of slacker guitar and killer drum beat that immediately sounds like a Garbage song, recreating the raw dynamism of Shirley Manson’s voice and Duke Erikson’s throbbing guitar work. For a band that for all intents and purposes are just starting out, NewDad are already well on their way to success.
We caught up with NewDad for this edition of our Artist Spotlight Q&A series, where we showcase up-and-coming artists and give them a chance to talk about their music.
Hello! Hope you’re all staying positive and testing negative. This may seem like an odd question, but do you heavily identify with being an “Irish” band? By that I guess I mean do you think you’re influenced by where you’re from and do you think that’s reflected in the music you make?
We think there is something great about being an Irish band right now. The Irish music scene has always been amazing but until very recently didn’t get the attention it really deserved. There’s almost a sense of mystery and introspection behind being an Irish band because of the lack of coverage. In the past few years however a spotlight has really been shone on Ireland due to some really great acts emerging such as Fontaines D.C. and Girl Band, and we think an Irish perspective is something that comes from a really unique position.
We’ve got to talk about the name.. NewDad… where did that come from?
It’s very funny actually. NewDad comes from a random band name generator. It was between NewDad and Pants Two and I think we made the right choice in the end. It does also hopefully work on some level because we like to say we share the same awkward humour and scared enthusiasm that a real new dad would face with the task of raising their first child.
Who do you class as your biggest musical influences? Not necessarily the people who you think you sound similar to, more who resonates the most with you and in turn inspires you to create music?
We are all massive fans of bands like Pixies and The Cure and have been for a long time! So definitely their music was a huge influence and sparked our love for a lot of other alternative rock bands old and new! We don’t particularly try to sound like any of the bands we love but definitely hearing Doolittle for the first time is what made a lot of us want to be in a band in the first place!!
How did you all meet? What’s the story of your formation? Did it happen organically or did you set out with intent to form a band?
We all went to school together! One day a few of us were actually out mitching school and we bumped into each other in a cafe and just started talking about it how we all love playing music and wanted to start a band so we thought we would give it a shot! We also needed something to do for our music practical because none of us liked performing alone and it’s nice to have people do a scary practical with 🙂
What was the first song you ever penned, including unreleased tracks? How was the first writing experience, what was the process like?
I can’t even remember the first song we wrote – it was so long ago and we have probably all blocked it from memory at this stage! Our very early songs were definitely not as focused as what we are writing now, I suppose we have just matured a bit since then. The title track of our debut EP, Waves, was actually written way back when we were still practicing in a shed in the early days but it’s gone through changes along the way to make it the tune it is today.
The music video for your latest single ‘I Don’t Recognise You’ is pure feel-good nostalgia. The pink big block TV genuinely is a delight to see and Jaffa Cakes against the backdrop of a campervan, it’s the stuff of British childhood holidays and I’m here for it. Talk me through the inspiration for it, how did the vision come about?
We took a lot of the initial vision for the video from the ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ music video. We loved how it was able to play off the props and scenery around it and create a narrative around them that left a lot of interpretation to the people watching it. We had another idea that fell apart because we went into a stricter lockdown, so it was a little bit of a rush getting everything together for the shoot, but we are so happy with how it came out. We let the set deteriorate and get messier as the visuals got more erratic and frantic. We had this idea as it ties in with the theme of someone slipping away. We had a lot of fun filming with Wojciech and Jamie and just made the most of the day. We thought if we were having a good time, it would be expressed through the video!
And finally, what’s a track you’re currently all listening to, something that’s managed to get you through 2020?
Oh definitely ‘Smile Like You Mean It’ by The Killers. Absolute banger! We have just been singing it and playing it so much it’s such a feel-good song and I suppose that’s exactly what we all need this year with everything going on.
NewDad’s Waves EP is set for release in early 2021.
