Basslines and Protest Signs is Brett Callwood’s column looking at the intersection of music and politics. This week breaks down how Brexit is already screwing over touring musicians.
Not quite feeling the traditional holly-jolly spirit this holiday season? We’ve got you covered. Whether you crave a dose of Creepmas with a haunted holiday atmosphere, something whimsically gothic with noir undertones, or simply a break from saccharine sweetness, these 10 alternative holiday-themed films offer a welcome escape this winter. The Nightmare Before Christmas While Jack Skellington may have made a “terrible mess of Christmas,” Tim Burton‘s The Nightmare Before Christmas remains a whimsical marriage of eerie mischief and holiday cheer—a true “Creepmas” classic. Directed by Henry Selick, this stop-motion marvel follows Jack’s misguided attempt to commandeer Christmas, resulting in… Read more »
In tandem with their headlining tour launching tonight in Austin, TX, State Champs have unleashed their self-titled album and issued an official music video for “Save Face Story.” The track marks the group’s sole collaboration featuring Slope across the 12-track full-length. “’Save Face Story’ is one of our personal favorites from the record,” the bands shares. “It spotlights an unlikely friendship between State Champs and German-based hardcore funk band Slope, providing one of the most exciting and effortlessly cool collaborations Champs has ever done. On paper, the combination might not make total sense, but the result speaks for itself. It’s… Read more »
Life comes at you fast and music news can break even quicker. With everything that pops up every day, it’s easy to lose track of who’s releasing what, when your favorite artists are touring, and all the pandemonium that happens in between. Don’t worry though, we’ve got you covered. Every week, we track the latest new releases so that you don’t have to—from artists who are just starting to make their mark in the business to scene staples with so much more to deliver. This week, we heard singles from an assortment of acts including The Linda Lindas and Scowl,… Read more »
Alexander O’Connor, better known as Rex Orange County, was Downtown LA’s man of the hour last night. In celebration of his latest album, The Alexander Technique, an intimate crowd gathered at Pico Union Project, where Rex performed about a dozen songs. Grinning ear to ear while four years of work finally came to fruition. Rex commented, “This is an album I’ve wanted to put out for so long, and I’m incredibly pleased it’s out now.” ‘The Alexander Technique’ has been in development since 2020, making it the longest-coming and most defining work of Rex’s career. His previous album, Who Cares?,… Read more »
Tampa-based rap/metal fusion Nevertel has dropped their latest single, “SYM” (Shut Your Mouth). The song features high-energy verses from rapper and producer Raul Lopez and is bridged by vocalist Jeremy Michael’s blood-curdling screams. The track itself is a dynamic arrangement that seamlessly shifts its beats from pop to metal. Alongside its lyric video, “SYM” promotes a sense of self and the journey towards finding that person. Lopez shares, “‘SYM’ was written between a weird period in my life where I felt like I had lost all my confidence in who I was and what I was making.” Read more: The… Read more »
Today is a big day for The Story So Far! Not only does today, June 21, mark the 13th anniversary of their debut studio album, Under Soil And Dirt, but the pop-punk behemoths have also unleashed their fifth studio album, I Want To Disappear. In addition to the arrival of their 10-track collection, the group has also issued a music video for “Watch You Go.” The group originally debuted “Watch You Go” on The Least Anticipated Album Tour on June 8 in Maryland Heights, MO, supporting A Day To Remember. In a short and sweet message to fans on social… Read more »
Say Anything is a band that you can’t appropriately compare to any other band. Perhaps you could attempt to use metrics like ticket sales or song charting, but certainly not in any tangible sense of emotion, delivery, or downright weirdness. Say Anything kicked the doors down when they entered the scene with a huge “Fuck You” to any preconceived notion of what a “punk” or “emo” band should be. They didn’t give a shit about being a cog in the music industry machine—in fact, they were pretty loud about their despise for it. They wanted to share their passion for… Read more »
Dayseeker is stripping down their sound on their upcoming acoustic album, Replica. With the album announcement, they also dropped a reimagined version of“Burial Plot” featuring Beartooth frontman Caleb Shomo. The track, which initially appeared on the group’s 2019 full-length Sleeptalk, incorporates a handy-dandy guitar and elevates itself through other vocal additions. Partnering with two powerhouse vocalists like Shomo and Dayseeker’s Rory Rodriguez, generates an evocative sound that makes this reimagined rendition stand out above the group’s original version of the track. The reverberation in play with the vocals creates an atmosphere for the listener that assists with impacting the message… Read more »
Phew! We have officially reached 80 out of 100 Rising Artists You Need To Listen To In 2024. Which means we are in the home stretch! We’re back this week with our new installment of artists and bands that span across the sonic spectrum. From classic pop-punk headbangers to sugary indie tunes to emo-rap ballads, there’s something in this series for every listener. As we’ve done each week leading up to today’s featured artists, our goal has been to elevate the voices of these rising stars and to help you, the idobi listeners and readers, discover your next favorite artist… Read more »