Johanna Warren has previewed her upcoming album Lessons for Mutants with a new single called ‘Piscean Lover’. It follows lead cut ‘I’d Be Orange’, which landed on our Best New Songs segment. Check it out via the accompanying video, co-directed by Warren and Richey Beckett, below.
Lessons for Mutants is set to arrive October 7 on Wax Nine/Carpark Records.
There’s a moment on ‘Less of a Stranger’, a stark highlight from Julia Jacklin’s magnificent third album PRE PLEASURE, that’s sort of magical. Rarely does the Australian singer-songwriter play tricks with the camera, but here, she turns the lens around in a way that’s both startling and revelatory. “When I look into the mirror/ I see my father/ When I close my eyes/ I see you,” she sings, an emotional truth that transcends the physical realities of the body she yearned to explore on a song like ‘Head Alone’. The “you” in question is her mother; the song is a plea to understand and be understood, to bend and finally align with the primordial line that connects them. Then, switching perspective, she asks, “When you look into the mirror/ Does your father appear?/ Eyes closed/ Do you see your mother too?” She’s probably addressing the same person she’s aching to feel less estranged from – to relate on this fundamental level – but hearing it, it’s hard not to feel like the light’s suddenly fallen on you. There’s a wall that breaks: What if the darkness, at least, means the same thing to those of us listening?
While PRE PLEASURE isn’t exactly cinematic, Jacklin’s awareness of how every thread of life reverberates into the present and onto others is constantly switched on. If it plays a little like a movie, she knows she doesn’t really have the power to direct it, and that there might be little to be gained from projecting it. After ‘Less of a Stranger’, Jacklin zooms out on the following track, ‘Moviegoer’, where the struggle to find connection through art is not only pointless but potentially damaging: “Moviegoers forty dollars down/ Nobody from work invites them round for dinner/ Movie director is going down too/ Forty million dollars still nobody loves you.” On opener ‘Lydia Wears a Cross’, she rewinds the tape back to her childhood – something she’s rarely attempted in her songwriting before – to examine the role religion has played in shaping her worldview, but you can also hear the chorus as a reflection of her fractured relationship with her chosen artform: “I’d be a believer/ If it was all just song and dance.” A lightly distorted guitar line accentuates the melancholy.
Her approach on PRE PLEASURE is to loosen the pressure, put in the work, and give it time. “The songs on this record took either three years to write or three minutes,” she remarked in press materials, and you can’t really tell the difference. She started a lot of the songs on keys rather than guitar; traveled to Canada and worked with a new producer for the third time; fell back in love with the theatrical pop of Robyn and Celine Dion. On some of the album’s biggest, most gripping songs, she communicates with an urgency that sounds fresh and rejuvenating, even if whatever joy they radiate is fleeting and volatile. On ‘I Was Neon’, she sees herself as “a floodlight/ Arms out reaching for everything in sight,” a vision so immense it’s a wonder the song, as propulsive as it is anxious, feels capable of carrying it.
To record, Jacklin collaborated with her Canada-based touring band, bassist Ben Whiteley and guitarist Will Kidman, who also play in the Weather Station, and standout ‘Love, Try Not to Let Go’ initially evokes the kind of poetic restraint that marks Tamara Lindeman’s songwriting; you can imagine Jacklin sitting down on the piano and finding her way through the song, gently leaning on the simple but eternal weight of words like love and time. Until, that is, it explodes with the same restless intensity that drives ‘I Was Neon’, the fear of losing hold of everything you’ve spent a lifetime trying to embody and express. “Can I give my love to everyone somehow?” she wonders, a thought that leaves her breathless and overwhelmed.
On the heart-wrenchingly intimate ‘Too in Love to Die’, Jacklin puts all her faith in that life-giving force, her voice delicate and enveloping, stretching out as she vows to “reach out a hand.” Her extraordinary commitment is a striking contrast to the wariness and caution with which she has learned to treat every relationship, the stories of internalized shame and “conflicting advice” she unpacks elsewhere on the album and that continue to haunt her. Despite a perceived lack of control, when it grounds itself in the present, PRE PLEASURE feels like seeing the world tentatively through new eyes. On the penultimate ‘Be Careful With Yourself’, she directly relays her approach to preserving a meaningful connection, which is deliberate and practical, yet sometimes, she admits on ‘End of a Friendship’, ultimately futile: “I sat there in silence, accepted our fate/ We always found it hard to relate.” Maybe doing the work alone isn’t enough; there’s always more hanging in the air. “All my love is spinning round the room/ If only it would land, plant and bloom,” she sings, devastated and still bursting with love that’s endless and free. Try to contain it, and you’d miss the perfect shot.
Tenci, the Chicago-based band led by Jess Shoman, have announced their new album: A Swollen River, A Well Overflowing lands on November 4 via Keeled Scales. The follow-up to 2020’s My Heart Is An Open Field is led by the new single ‘Two Cups’, which arrives with an accompanying video directed by John TerEick. Check it out below, and scroll down for the album cover, tracklist, and Tenci’s upcoming tour dates.
On A Swollen River, A Well Overflowing, Shoman is joined by Curtis Oren on saxophone and guitar, Izzy Reidy (Izzy True) on bass, and Joseph Farago (Joey Nebulous) on drums. The LP was recorded with with engineer Abby Black and mixed by Melina Duterte of Jay Som. According to a press release, it “explores a collection of well-like vessels – cups, puddles, fists – which hold tightly on to love and newfound joy. Each song forms a spell to ‘fill my heart back up,’ Shoman says, ‘by reframing complex feelings by turning my head sideways and seeing them in a different way.'”
A Swollen River, A Well Overflowing Cover Artwork:
A Swollen River, A Well Overflowing Tracklist:
1. Shapeshifter
2. Vanishing Coin
3. Be
4. Great Big Elephant
5. Cold Dirty Water
6. The Ball Spins
7. Sharp Wheel
8. Out of Body
9. Sour Cherries
10. Swallow Me Whole, Blue
11. Two Cups
12. Memories
Tenci 2022 Tour Dates:
Fri Nov 4 – Milwaukee, WI – Cactus Club
Mon Nov 7 – Minneapolis, MN
Wed Nov 9 – Toronto, ON – The Baby G
Thu Nov 10 – Montreal, QC – Casa de Popolo
Fri Nov 11 – Boston, MA – Lilypad
Sat Nov 12 – Brooklyn, NY – Baby’s All Right
Mon Nov 14 – Philadelphia, PA – PhilaMOCA
Tue Nov 15 – Washington, DC – DC9
Thu Nov 17 – Cincinnati, OH – MOTR Pub
Fri Nov 18 – Bloomington, IN – The Bishop
Sat Nov 19 – Chicago, IL – Sleeping Village
Melody’s Echo Chamber, the project of French musician Melody Prochet, has announced a new collection of seven rare and unreleased tracks called Unfold. Billed as the lost follow-up to her self-titled debut, which was recorded and co-produced with Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker, the album will be released alongside a 10th-anniversary edition of Melody’s Echo Chamber on September 30 via Domino/Fat Possum. Check out Unfold‘s lead single and title track below.
Speaking about ‘Unfold’, Prochet said in a press release: “To me this song captures the emotional ambivalence of a crossroad, like a child finding a special seashell hidden in the sand but the ocean’s creature still lives inside, I guess it’s the sound releasing of the beloved.”
Melody’s Echo Chamber released her most recent album, Emotional Eternal, earlier this year. Read about the inspirations behind the LP in our interview with Melody Prochet.
Unfold Cover Artwork:
Unfold Tracklist:
1. Pêcheuse de Lune
2. Ocean Road
3. Norfolk Hotel
4. Unfold
5. From Pink They Fell Into Blue
6. Pieces of Sound
7. The Cure
Julia Jacklin has shared another single from her upcoming album, PRE PLEASURE, ahead of its release on Friday, August 26, via Transgressive. This one’s called ‘Be Careful With Yourself’, and it follows the previously unveiled cuts ‘Love, Try Not To Let Go’, ‘I Was Neon‘, and ‘Lydia Wears A Cross’. Check it out below.
Mabe Fratti has announced a new album titled Se Ve Desde Aquí, which is set for release on October 14 via Unheard of Hope. Its first single, ‘Cada músculo’, arrives today alongside a video directed by Nika Milano. Watch and listen below.
“’Cada músculo’ is a song where Mabe Fratti explores the metaphor of how the world is shaped: every single part of your life, of a space, of our surroundings becomes automatically a part of you, of the way you experience and sense the world and how you transform along with it,” Milano said in a statement. “In the video, the voice is given to a space (that appears to be empty) using the microphone as a symbol, making reference to the lyric ‘every muscle has a voice.’”
Fratti described the sound of the album as “less protected” and “informed through the aesthetics of rawness, and a ‘dirtiness.” She explained: “I did layering but it’s more in specific moments. I wanted to be as raw as possible and try to avoid overdubbing the same instrument as much as I could, leaving space to break my own rules in the process.”
Se Ve Desde Aquí will follow Fratti’s 2021 sophomore LP, Será que ahora podremos entendernos?. Check out our Artist Spotlight interview with Mabe Fratti.
Se Ve Desde Aquí Cover Artwork:
Se Ve Desde Aquí Tracklist:
1. Con Esfuerzo
2. Desde el cielo
3. No se ve desde acá
4. Esta Vez
5. Cuestión de tiempo
6. Algo grandioso
7. Cada Músculo
8. Deja de empujar
9. Siempre tocas algo
Jerry Allison, the drummer best known for his work with Buddy Holly and the Crickets, has died. He was 82.
The news was announced on the official Buddy Holly Facebook page, with no cause of death provided. “Our sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Jerry ‘JI’ Allison, drummer in the Crickets, one of Buddy’s very closest friends, and the inspiration to drummers for decades since, who passed away today at the age of 82,” the message reads. “JI was a musician ahead of his time, and undoubtedly his energy, ideas and exceptional skill contributed to both the Crickets, and rock n’ roll itself, becoming such a success. Buddy is often heralded as the original singer-songwriter, but JI, too, wrote and inspired so many of the songs that would go on to be eternal classics.”
Born in 1939, Allison met Holly in the 1950s, and the two started playing as a duo before forming the Crickets with bassist Joe B. Mauldin and rhythm guitarist Niki Sullivan in 1957. The group soon became a trio following the departure of Sullivan. Allison contributed substantially to the band’s songwriting and is credited as a co-writer on some of their biggest hits, including ‘Peggy Sue’ and ‘More Than I Can Say’.
Following Holly’s death in a plane crash in 1959, Allison became the leader of the Crickets and continued to tour and record with the group into the ’60s and beyond, releasing a total of 13 studio albums between 1960 and 2005. In 2012, Allison was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Crickets.
Music has always been a vital part of people’s lives. A lot of people find that music helps them to relax, and it’s even been used at times to help reduce heart rates and blood pressure. At the same time, music is a major mood booster, with the ability to reduce anxiety and bring someone joy.
With so many benefits, it’s no wonder people turn to creating their own music or their own clips to share with the world. For a lot of people, sharing their own music is just as therapeutic as listening to other music, right?
But how can you be successful on places like YouTube? Well, check out some of these most viewed clips followed by a few tips to help you out.
Let’s start by diving into some of the clips out there with the most likes and views. This could help give you some basic inspiration to get you started.
These are the ones you will find at the top with a host of viewers attached to them.
Most of these titles you likely recognize, and many of them are by some of the biggest names in the music industry. But you notice that the #1 spot is taken by Baby Shark with more than 10 million views on deck. Of course, this is likely from parents simply trying to entertain their little ones and keep them happy – but it works!
Then, you have a few random ones in there. The thing about it is that while some of these are popular music clips, it’s the video that captivates the viewer and that’s where you need to turn your focus.
When it comes down to it, the goal should be to create content that attracts viewers and likers. So how do you do that?
Check out these tips.
The first detail that is the most pertinent is that you need to be able to capture an audience. Sometimes, it takes some effort to get started, and then the music clip could take off substantially. This is exactly what happened with Baby Shark. Once it took off, it took the world by storm.
Many influencer users even buy YouTube likes with cheap prices simply to get that initial start on viewing and engagement for a video. This is a great way to simply get the movement started. Once those initial views are in place, the video starts to be easier to find and therefore easier to see.
However, even if you’re going to pay for some likes, you still need quality content. You want something that is going to capture the eye of anyone who drops in to watch it. Make it worth their while.
Finding a way to get people to come to you starts with the very basics when you think about it. You see, this isn’t just about gauging a single music clip. It’s also about making a name for yourself and getting people to notice your channel.
Yes, you want likes and views on that clip you worked so hard to create, but you also want to grow your overall fan base as well. And how do you accomplish this? You need to make your profile and your channel attractive, just as much as that clip you’re boosting.
Start with developing your profile, creating a great bio, adding some hashtags, and coming up with a captivating photo and description.
Now that you’ve got your channel set up and you have a great profile, let’s focus on this video that is destined for growth. The trick to getting this particular video climbing the ranks is to optimize it, use some SEO, and fine-tune every little detail tied to bringing in the numbers.
Here’s an example. Every video gets a description. This has the ability to be substantial, but it doesn’t have to be huge. What it does need to be is SEO-optimized, informative, and quippy. You want to make it short and sweet, but make sure it’s built to entice someone to watch the video.
You need to take the same care when creating your titles. And don’t forget the thumbnail, either. YouTube automatically portrays a thumbnail, and sometimes it’s just plain black or some awkward part of your video. But you can improve it and choose your own custom detail for this piece. Find an image that will attract.
According to studies the most viewed video clips and music clips all have custom thumbnails, with only a few exceptions.
If you really want to have a successful experience, you want to place significant importance on your audience and their likes or demands. Take the time to learn what your audience enjoys and what they want to see.
YT equips every channel with the ability to view analytics. Use these often to find out what is or is not working and then make adjustments. When something works really well, keep using similar strategies. When something bombs, find a way to make it better or don’t use that tactic anymore.
With music clips, people really enjoy closed captioning so they can know the exact lyrics. Find some way to incorporate these, so your audience doesn’t have to try to wing it or figure it out. It’s a form of engagement and a popular way to enhance the experience.
Now, don’t forget to interact and engage with the audience as well. Your clip isn’t going to be engaging most likely so you need to find other ways to interact with the people. They want to feel important, and this will contribute to your success.
Take the time to encourage people to give you feedback or respond to you in some way. Then, interact with them. Respond to questions and comments. Discuss things with people and listen to what they have to say with care.
Don’t forget to ask viewers to like, share, and subscribe as well.
When it comes down to it, you can build viewers by putting in a lot of hard work and effort. Most of the time, those efforts will pay off if you’re willing to try. Whether you buy some likes to get traction or you work hard to promote, share, and boost you can find success much like those other popular clips at the top of the lists.
Being stylish when going out with your friends is one thing; being stylish when traveling, however, is an entirely different beast. We all know what most fashion-savvy people have on their minds when planning a trip: the pictures they’ll take at the most famous locations they visit.
For these pictures, many stylish tourists are willing to cram their suitcases with the most expensive, tailor-made pieces of clothing they own. But such an approach isn’t always the answer.
Fashion insiders have quite a few tips for traveling in style. Keep reading to find out how to look and feel your best when hopping on the plane from one location to another.
First thing first: Regardless of how well-dressed you are, if you don’t have the necessary documents, you won’t be able to travel, which is not the most stylish thing to experience.
For that reason, the first prerequisite is to carefully go through all the documents you need to take for your trip, pay all the necessary fees and, if some things don’t align, take the steps required to fix that. For instance, if passport pictures have a different format at the place you’re visiting, use a program to take visa photos online, and you’ll have your image ready in a jiffy!
Once you’ve settled these issues, feel free to focus on your wardrobe. There are several key factors to consider. The first one is the length of your stay. It’s straightforward: the longer you stay wherever you’re going, the more clothes you should take. Short trips translate to only a few pieces of clothing.
Yes, this may be devastating to some of us, but trust the fashion moguls. Adapt the size of your luggage to the length of your stay. You don’t need 20 pairs of shores and ten coats for a 2-day trip. Not only will you not get an opportunity to wear everything, but it’ll be more challenging to drag huge suitcases around when you can easily pass the entire trip with a single small bag.
In this vein, always know when and where you’re going, especially regarding the weather. The worst style mistake you could make is not dressing for the weather and temperature. You’ll be the talk of the town, regardless of how good you look, if you wear a winter jacket on a summer vacation or an embezzled crop top during a Christmas Trip to the mountains.
Weather apps should be your best friend. Before you even start packing, check what the weather will be like at the place you will be visiting during the days you’ll be staying there, and don’t forget to consider unforeseen circumstances. Rain can suddenly start falling even in the middle of the hottest of summers. By being dressed right for the weather, you’ll ensure your comfort for the duration of your trip.
This statement can be taken in various ways, which would be correct. Firstly, don’t pack too many pieces of clothing. It’s not practical, as you’re not at home and you can’t carry your entire wardrobe with you. Be realistic and smart with your planning.
Secondly, don’t pack crazy statement pieces that can only be pulled off in a single combination. Opt for flawless co ord or mix & match sets for ease. Rebellious Fashion have a wide collection of co ord sets for women online.
Mainly wearing neutral pieces that go well with everything will ensure that whatever situation you find yourself in, you’ll always look chic. A drop of ice cream on your favorite navy shirt? No problem – change into a navy blouse and act as if nothing happened.
Of course, there are exceptions to this rule, depending on your trip’s purpose. If you’re going to a Paris or Milan fashion week event, you’re expected to carry many crazy designer pieces.
However, having a business meeting will mandate that you primarily carry formal clothes. In contrast, sightseeing or romantic trips will allow you to significantly take casual clothes, with one or two more excellent pieces mixed in between, for a stylish night out.
For this reason, make sure you plan your trip in detail and know what clothes you’ll wear on what day. By having complete outfits in mind, you’ll avoid stressing over unimportant matters when time is pressing. Remember, even the best clothes will look bad if they don’t fit the occasion. Know your occasion, and you’ll know how to dress too.
Finally, don’t overdress. Don’t unnecessarily think of carrying some large, eye-catching statement piece that is clumsy to transport well, uncomfortable to wear, and awkward to pull off in pictures. Chances are that you won’t be visiting fashion events during your trip, and even if you do, dragging an elaborate costume on the plane is not the wisest decision for anyone.
Think smart and impress the people around you with a sleek, minimalist wardrobe that will show them how much you know what suits you well and you like dressing the part. Knowing your limits is the sexiest and most stylish thing you can master.
That being said, you can go and throw all of our advice in the bin! For all means and purposes, fashion is about experimenting and having fun, so at the end of the day, you should dress the way that makes you feel most comfortable.
Of course, you should think practically to make your life easier. But don’t stress – even if you do wear a ridiculous outfit while posing with the Eiffel Tower, for example, all you’ll do is create a picture that your children and grandchildren will laugh at for years to come!
We all know about “Netflix and Chill,” though the saying does mean different things to different people! Getting home from a long day of work, flopping down on the couch, turning off your brain, and turning on your favorite Netflix show is a great way to wind down. You don’t need to think about life, about work, about the dishes sitting in the dishwasher waiting to be unloaded. But what if you want a hobby that is a little bit more engaging? What if you would like to exercise your mind and maybe even your body while you take your time out? You could play fun games to pass the time, read a book, take up embroidery, or go for a power walk. There are so many hobbies out there to try that are as good or even better than watching Netflix shows, and we’re going to share our favorites with you now.
The world of podcasts is no longer just a fringe one. There are literally millions of podcasts across the globe covering millions of different topics. You can listen to shows and conversations about the occult, baking, how to survive a breakup, photography, or current news issues. The great thing about podcasts is that you don’t have to sit still in one place to listen to them; you can engage in two hobbies at once! Take a walk or hike, do the dishes or clean the house while you learn about rocket science, hear tales of mysterious disappearances, or come to understand a different political point of view. Podcasts can be as relaxing and passive or as informative and information-heavy as you like; there are so many to choose from!
There’s no better way to relax than to treat yourself to feeling good with sunlight spa supply. You don’t need fancy equipment to give yourself home spa treatments. If you have things like a foot spa, all the better, but you can use items that you have around the house if you don’t. You could give yourself a facial steam once a week using boiling water, a mixing bowl, tea tree oil, and a towel. You could give yourself a foot soak and pedicure using almost the exact same equipment and any nail supplies that you keep in your house. You could even just take a little extra time on your skincare routine, ensuring that all your creams and serums are thoroughly rubbed into your skin and your circulation is stimulated. Nothing feels better than treating yourself well.
Online academies like Udemy offer courses in everything under the sun. Learn more about how to use a camera properly, learn copywriting skills, and take a class in French cooking basics. These courses are usually very cost-effective, especially if you find one on special offer. You can fit tutorials into your schedule instead of needing to attend classes at a particular time.
Instead of relaxing in front of the TV all night every night, why not challenge yourself to learn some new cooking skills? Netflix might even be able to help with that! If you already know the basics, then you can challenge yourself to learn more complicated dishes, and if you don’t, start from the very beginning. Plan your menu in advance so that you can shop for all the right ingredients and ensure that nothing goes to waste, and take the time to read through all of your recipes before you begin.
Life is hectic, and we all need to put real effort into calming and restorative practices. Yoga is not only excellent for flexibility and fitness, depending on the positions, but it is also an excellent way to learn to be present in the moment and practice mindfulness. Yoga is good for the mind, body, and soul; you don’t even have to go out to a class if you don’t want to, as you can practice in the comfort of your home surroundings. All you need is a yoga mat and maybe a block, some clear space to move in, and a YouTube yoga practice to follow.
Many people who are inexperienced with art seem to think that to enjoy making art, you have to be “good” at it, but this is entirely untrue! Firstly, art is subjective, so the value of the piece or practice changes from person to person and beholder to beholder. Secondly, art is therapeutic, and everyone should have access to the joy of creating something simply because they feel like it. Paint with acrylics, draw with charcoal or pencil, make paper mache sculptures of your pets, or try a lino print. Go wherever the mood takes you.
Nothing could ever take the place of “Netflix and chill,” but there are so many options out there for you to try if you feel like you need to change things up.
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