Following their take on Beastie Boys’ ‘Sabotage’, Dave Grohl and producer Greg Kurstin have covered Drake’s ‘Hotline Bling’ as part of their Hannukah Sessions series. Grohl is once again on drums and vocals, while Kurstin plays keyboards and other instruments. Check it out below.
“You might be surprised to learn that this superstar is… Canadian,” a statement on the Foo Fighters’ social media channels reads. “He’s never hidden the fact that he was M.O.T. … so a generation of Jewish parents could tell their kids ‘if Drake took the time to study for HIS Bar Mitzvah, you can too.’ Ladies and gentlemen…challah at your boy….DRAKE!”
Kurstin produced the Foo Fighters’ upcoming record, Medicine at Midnight, which is set for release on February 5. The band recently debuted the first single from the record, ‘Shame Shame’, on an episode of Saturday Night Live.
Warning: This article contains descriptions of alleged assault.
FKA twigs has filed a lawsuit against her ex-boyfriend, Shia LaBeouf, over allegations of sexual battery, assault, and infliction of emotional distress. According to The New York Times, the lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday, accuses the actor of “relentless” physical and emotional abuse, including one incident in 2019 in which LaBeouf allegedly assaulted her outside of a gas station in California during a road trip. twigs also claims that the actor knowingly gave her a sexually transmitted disease.
“I’d like to be able to raise awareness on the tactics that abusers use to control you and take away your agency,” FKA twigs told The Times. “What I went through with Shia was the worst thing I’ve ever been through in the whole of my life. I don’t think people would ever think that it would happen to me. But I think that’s the thing. It can happen to anybody.”
LaBeouf responded to the allegations in several emails to The Times. “I’m not in any position to tell anyone how my behavior made them feel,” he wrote. “I have no excuses for my alcoholism or aggression, only rationalizations. I have been abusive to myself and everyone around me for years. I have a history of hurting the people closest to me. I’m ashamed of that history and am sorry to those I hurt. There is nothing else I can really say.”
He also claimed that “many of these allegations are not true,” but that he owed twigs and Karolyn Pho, a stylist who previously dated LeBeouf and also detailed similarly abusive behavior, “the opportunity to air their statements publicly and accept accountability for those things [he has] done.” He added: “I am not cured of my PTSD and alcoholism, but I am committed to doing what I need to do to recover, and I will forever be sorry to the people that I may have harmed along the way.”
dodie has previewed her upcoming debut album Build A Problem with a new single called ‘Rainbow’. Check it out below.
The singer-songwriter wrote of the new song on Instagram: “this is the beginning of the six songs on this album that are tied together seamlessly by this beautiful 13-piece string section I composed for! Scoring! Wow.”
She continued: “so grateful to Will Harvey for knowing p much every string player in London ahahah – curating the most beaaautiful selection of musicians and for being my mentor in arranging!!! Thank u to said gorgeous players for bearing with my terrible conducting skills and adding their souls and skill to each part.”
Build A Problem, the follow-up to 2019’s Human EP, is set for release on March 5. It includes the previously released single ‘Cool Girl’.
My Ugly Clementine, a four-piece rockband out of Vienna, released their latest single ‘I’m Boring — just today. The ear-pleasing single follows up on the band’s well-respected ten track album Vitamin C which received positive reviews and a large influx of streams.
‘I’m Boring’ carries on the band’s voicing of long-hidden truths, this time relationships, whilst maintaining their liberating, and energetic sound.
Fall is in full swing, and even though we may be enjoying fall differently this year, there are still plenty of ways to celebrate the changing of the seasons, whether that means a socially-distanced hike, an autumnal feast a wedding with corsages and boutonnieres or my personal favorite: a festive arrangement of fall flowers
Go-to flowers for autumn are the ones that mirror the reds, oranges, browns and yellows of the leaves falling outside. Here’s our selection of the best flowers for the season:
Goldenrods
Goldenrod (also known as Solidago) flowers are perfect for bringing a little sunshine into your home, especially as it starts to get dark out earlier and earlier. These tall plants, with puffs of blooms in a gorgeous sunshiney yellow, add some height and texture to any bouquet you arrange. And here’s some encouragement to place a vase of them on your patio: they’re known to attract butterflies.
Caffe Latte Roses
Everyone knows that fall is for lovers, so of course I had to include a romantic rose on my list. But not just any rose; the caffe latte rose is the perfect pick for fall. A far cry from the bright red roses you see everywhere on Valentine’s Day, the Caffe Latte rose is a soothing brown-blush color that reflects all of autumn’s pretty earth tones. I like these paired with other roses and some greenery for those sweet fall evenings spent with someone special.
Orange Carnations
The gorgeous carnation comes in tons of colors, but orange is the obvious choice for all of those fall vibes. Some say that orange carnations are a sign of warmth, which is certainly welcome as the days get chillier. This floral is the perfect highlight to your bouquet due to its bright hue, so I recommend keeping any other flowers in your arrangement on the subtle side. Another plus to carnations? They smell bright, fresh and a little bit spicy — perfect for reviving you after one too many hot chocolates.
Hypericum Berries
Okay, this one may not technically be a flower, but since it adds a brilliant shock of red to any bouquet, I had to include it. Hypericum berries, also known as St. John’s wort, are round, clustered berries on a long stem. They turn a beautiful dark pink or red color, and look stunning paired with the yellows and oranges of the other flowers on this list. Like Goldenrods, the stems of hypericum berries are tall, so bare that in mind when you’re creating your floral arrangements.
When you’re picking out blooms for your home this autumn, the most important thing is to choose what you like best. But if you want flowers that radiate autumn vibes, I recommend choosing colors in warm and earthy tones. Don’t be afraid to get creative and embellish your bouquets with pretty leaves, pinecones or anything else you might find on your chilly fall walks. After that, it’s time to relax, admire your flowers and soak up one of the best (and coziest) times of the year.
Literature is your first love. The only item on your birthday list? Books. And this is why you’ve decided studying literature is the only thing you’ll be happy doing.
You pay no attention to jokes mocking the redundancy of a literary degree. Every book in your library is a treasure. If this sounds even remotely like you, this list is definitely going to be relatable.
Insist on reading the book first
It seems like screenwriters are running out of ideas, so many modern films are based on literary works. Your friends are baffled when you refuse to watch the movie before you’ve read the book. But you know, in the end, the book is always better.
Even if you’ve never heard of it, it doesn’t matter. If it’s based on a piece of writing, you won’t be caught dead in a cinema without reading at least the first three books in the series. So, you’re usually alone at the movies or you have to stream it because it’s been three weeks since it left the circuit.
Literature essay examples for reference
It’s only a literature student who can understand the difficulty involved in writing the perfect essays or maybe research papers. People often underestimate the difficulty of writing around literature topics and forget that it’s a purist subject that needs expertise like any other subject.
As a student, your entire focus should be on delivering quality without worrying about what others assume and for that, you need external help. You can refer to Writing Bros, a well-known online database where you can refer to any type of literature essay samples or free. Students from universities around the world have been using it for years and have found it to be very valuable. What’s great is that it’s not limited to literature alone. It offers free essay examples on almost every subject.
An acquired sense of humor
You find words and literary devices hilarious. Not everyone will catch your drift, but you’ve made yourself laugh plenty. As much as an English degree doesn’t seem like much to a chemical engineer, you know where your strengths lie.
You can use puns better than anyone’s dad, spell onomatopoeia without spellcheck and you’re unbeaten in scrabble. The only things you fear in this life, math problems and your college professor handing out Chaucer.
Please read my essay
It’s like you’ve got “knows big words” across your forehead. You’re the only person anyone trusts to string a sentence together. Friends, struggling classmates, even your mom gets you to proofread their texts, essays and emails. It’s a wonderful compliment that the people around you trust your abilities.
No matter the length, you jump at the opportunity of being a grammar nazi by invitation. With so much to say about typos, incorrect use of apostrophes and misplaced commas, it’s no wonder you’re the chosen one on all things literature-related.
Your ideal husband lives inside a book
Mr. Darcy *swoon*. Maybe Gatsby’s dangerous dealings and undying devotion is your cup of tea. It was love at first read. And no earthling boy can compare to the dashing darlings of your imagination. You study every word that describes them. Their dialogue is committed to memory as though they speak directly to you.
What you’d give for just one more chapter, page or line about them. Hell, you’ve written enough fanfiction to last an eternity, spanning the wedding at Pemberly, to his dying words to you. It’s elaborate, heartbreaking and sleeps under your pillow every night.
Book recommendations
Everyone wants to see your summer reading list. They’ll get the scoop on the latest bestsellers, prize winners and newcomers of the year. Your recommendations are spot on, catered to every genre from the steadfast classics to your grandmother’s favorite romantic beach read.
You could write several pages about every chapter, character and scene. And you have no trouble predicting which book will top the bestseller list because you’ve got one of your own. The accuracy of your predictions wins you the “bookworm prize” every time.
Conclusion
Everyone knows your one true love is literature and language, which is why you’ve chosen to study it. You’re good at it, and it helps those around you in so many wonderful ways. You’re smart, funny (even if no one gets it) and you live in an infinite world powered by words and imagination.
The latest in a series of collaborative covers from Bill Callahan and Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy is a new rendition of ‘I Love You’, from the late outlaw country singer-songwriter Jerry Jeff Walker’s Ridin’ High. This one features an appearance from David Pajo of the influential post-rock outfit Slint. Check it out below.
Cimo Fränkel, a singer-songwriter out of the Netherlands, released a superb holiday single named ‘This Christmas.’ The song comes after Fränkel’s big self titled album release this year, which included songs such as ‘Gamble,’ and ‘Happier Before.’
With the holiday season underway, Fränkel will look to top the year with another well-listened, radio-loved song. Fränkel’s previous songs such as ‘Story,’ ‘All Comes Down,’ and ‘Picture Of Us’ all individually gained over three million streams via Spotify alone — making Fränkel one of the most listened artists out of the Netherlands.
Dua Lipa was one of the performers at the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball last night (December 10). In addition to performing the Future Nostalgia tracks ‘Levitating’ and ‘Don’t Start Now’, she also offered her own take on John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band’s ‘Happy Xmas (War Is Over)’ accompanied by a virtual Zoom choir. Watch her performance below.
Billie Eilish and Doja Cat also made appearances last night, covering ‘Silver Bells’ and ‘Santa Baby’ respectively. You can check that out below as well.
In related news, Dua Lipa recently received the Powerhouse Award at Billboard‘s Women In Music 2020 awards. The award was presented by Bernie Sanders, who said, “She knows the rules have to change, that it is time for new rules.”
2020 brought us no shortage of quarantine Radiohead covers. So when Irish singer-songwriter Rosie Carney wanted to cover ‘Fake Plastic Trees’ and realized howmany artists had already done so this year alone, she decided to take on the entire album instead. Following her stunning debut full-length Bare in 2019, as well as April’s i dreamed i was the night EP and collaborations with Haux, The Paper Kites, and Charli Adams, Carney’s The Bends features hauntingly beautiful acoustic renditions of tracks like ‘Black Star’, ‘Bones’, and ‘High and Dry’ that heighten their atmospheric qualities while showcasing the singer’s heartfelt vocals. But Carney and producer JMAC have also come up with inventive ways of amplifying and reinterpreting the heaviness of some of these songs – ‘Just’ swaddles you in an ocean of nightmarish, shoegaze-inspired sonics, dragging you further and further into a bottomless pit; ‘My Iron Lung’ has been transformed into a ghostly piano instrumental, while ‘Sulk’ is lead mostly by Carney’s distorted but still evocative vocals. More than just putting lie to the notion that acoustic Radiohead covers should be banned off the face of the Earth, Rosie Carney’s latest project offers an exciting glimpse into how she might expand her own sound in the future.
We caught up with Rosie Carney for the latest edition of our Artist Spotlight interview series, where we showcase up-and-coming artists and give them a chance to talk about their music.
Do you remember when you first fell in love with The Bends?
It’s funny, because I was never really a massive Radiohead fan. I mean, I’ve always been a Radiohead fan, but not to the extent that I am now. And it’s really since learning these songs that I’ve fully become a massive fangirl. But I think I started to listen to them in 2015 and I went to one of their gigs, and it was such a disaster. I had a massive panic attack just before they came out onto the stage and passed out and missed their first songs.
Could you talk more about that experience? What was it like returning to the album after all these years?
[laughs] That gig was just – it sucked so much. I went there with my friend, and we got there super early and we got right to the front. Seeing them live was amazing – Johnny Greenwood’s band opened, it was like him and [Israeli composer Shye Ben Tzur and the Indian ensemble the Rajasthan Express, who collaborated on the 2015 album Junun]. It was so good and I was so hyped and then that happened and I woke up in the first aid room and I was crying. I literally passed out as the lights went off and they were just about to come out. And eventually, when I regained consciousness, we ended up right at the back. And we had to leave the gig early because where I live in Ireland it’s like, literally in the middle of nowhere and we had to get a late bus back. So I was angry at myself and I left feeling really salty.
I remember I didn’t really listen to Radiohead for a while because I just felt so bad about it. And then I kind of started listening to Radiohead again when they released their last album, A Moon Shaped Pool. And I watched a film called You Were Never Really Here and Johnny Greenwood did the soundtrack to it and it was mind-blowing. So I kind of went down a rabbit hole again and I listened to The Bends and I skimmed over their work, ’cause there were albums of theirs that I hadn’t listened to. The Bends is definitely the one that I’m most familiar with, but then when I started to learn it, and knowing that I was gonna cover the whole album, it made me reflect on where I am now compared to where I was when I went to that gig. It made me feel really homesick but then I felt really at home in the record as well. It came with a bunch of emotions but it was mainly good.
Could you talk more about that? What do you think about when you compare where you were then and where you are now?
I feel like I grew up really quickly from a young age because I started doing music professionally from such a young age. I was kind of thrown into the deep end of the industry from the age of fifteen. And I thought I was kind of mature then, but when I think about who I was then and who I am now and how much I’ve grown and how much more self-aware – I mean, I haven’t got it figured out completely. This album has definitely taught me some really valuable lessons.
I know that for me, that record was really important growing up and especially in high school. And I know that you’ve been open about your struggles with mental health – I was wondering if listening to that record at the time or now has been significant to you in any way.
I mean, definitely now, this year, that album has become one of the most important albums to me. It’s really deeply impacted me. I was so lost this year, and I really was at a loss for words; I didn’t really know how to express myself and I was really struggling with my sense of identity. I struggled to articulate how I was feeling and whenever I started to learn these songs from this album, I was able to say everything that I wasn’t able to say. It really spoke to me and resonated with me on so many levels. So yeah, it has definitely become like a safety blanket for me.
Were there any songs in particular that you felt resonated even more during lockdown? I know that ‘Bullet Proof…’ just came out and you said that that was especially relatable.
The thing is, they all resonated with me in different ways. But I feel like ‘Bullet Proof’ was definitely the most challenging for me to record because I honestly felt so exposed when I was singing that song. I was feeling so vulnerable. But also ‘Street Spirit’, the last one, that was really emotional to record.
Was there any song that you didn’t really connect to as much at first but that spoke to you more after covering it?
Yeah, so the song ‘Just’. I mean, I love that song, I love the whole album. But ‘Just’ kind of freaked me it out, ’cause I remember my manager messaged me and was like, “Hey, have you started this one yet?” And I was kind of like – first of all, how the fuck am I supposed to learn this on the guitar? Like, the chords in this song are just outrageous and I just kind of didn’t really know what I was going to do with that one, ’cause it’s such a heavy, hard rock song. And then when I started to learn it, that was when I was like, Okay, I know what I’m doing. It’s definitely the darkest and the most experimental on the album; I was referencing My Bloody Valentine and I really wanted heavy, distorted guitars and shit like that. So it took me a little second for that one, but yeah.
There is one song that I wanted to ask you about, ‘My Iron Long’. Obviously, you chose to turn it into an instrumental. What was the inspiration for that?
In my first album, Bare – I mean, love playing the piano, I love piano instrumentals, and I kind of wanted to keep that as a tradition, from my first album having a piano instrumental, I wanted to carry it over into this.
When I listened to all these songs, I could hear myself breaking them down and making them my own, but when it came to that one I just felt like I couldn’t touch that and I just – it’s a really loud, hard song, I love it so much. And I think the only way to make it mine was to just kind of do that. I just didn’t feel like I had to sing for that one – I wanted to keep it very quiet.
How did you approach stripping back the louder songs in general?
The thing is, the real beauty of this project was that I really didn’t overthink it. Like, I was so present while I was on each of the songs, there was no actual plan. After recording ‘Bones’, I had an idea of how I wanted the album to sound but I didn’t really break down every song before doing it. It just came so naturally, which was really like a breath of fresh air.
What was it like working with JMAC for the project?
It was so great. He just got it straight away. I was given so much creative freedom. I don’t have a big professional setup – I mean, I literally recorded the bones of this album on Garageband on my laptop. But Jamie was really able to listen to the songs and amplify them in a way that did my sound and what I was going for such justice.
What do you feel you’ve learned from making this project and how do you think it might inform your music in the future?
I feel like one of the main things with this album – and I’m so grateful for this lesson – one of the main things it’s taught me is to just not overthink things, and to go back to my roots. I put so much pressure on me at the beginning of the year to – you know, everybody was jumping on livestream, it seemed everybody had their shit figured out and I – I felt folk was just uncool, and it really taught me to go with what feels right to me and what I’m good at. And yeah, it’s okay to simplify things, to just strip it back and be simple sometimes. That’s what’s needed.
Does exploring new sounds come with that as well?
Yeah, definitely. I’m currently working on my next album. I’ve just started writing again, because for a long time – another reason why I loved doing this album, it gave me a break from going into my own thoughts and trying to write music. It took me away from that for a while. And I wasn’t afraid to experiment with this album and it’s given me the confidence to explore that more with my next album.
If you could have any artist cover one of your songs, who would you choose?
Oh, God. That’s such a good question. I love Phoebe Bridgers, I think she’s amazing and I love the way she makes songs sad like I do so I’d love to hear her take one of my really sad songs and make it like, holy fuck, like really sad. [laughs]
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and length.
Rosie Carney’s The Bends is out now via Color Study.
