‘Better Call Saul’ Viral Marketing is as Chilling as it is Hunger Inducing

Season three of Breaking Bad spinoff Better Call Saul won’t premiere until April, but marketing has already begun raising hype for the prequel, and the latest should send chills of excitement and terror down the spines of Walter White fans everywhere. It’ll also make you terribly hungry for chicken. Los Pollos Hermanos returns with a new ad, exalting the family values and quality of their food, which even features a guarantee from none other than Gus Fring. This confirms the long running theory that Fring would be making a return to Vince Gilligan’s universe this season, though more than a few hints to that effect were dropped throughout season two. Still, it’s great to see Fring’s fully intact face once more, and we can’t wait to see how he and Jimmy’s lives become entangled. Season three of Better Call Saul premieres in April for a 10-episode run.

(YouTube)

‘XX’ Trailer Promises New Visions of Horror

As a genre, horror works best in small doses. Short form stories often have more punch and impact than their longer counterparts, making horror ripe for directors to explore shorter narratives. While other genres have certainly tried using the anthology format, it never works quite as well as it does with horror. As such, any new anthology is reason enough for horror fans to get excited, and XX looks like it just might be top-notch. Featuring four tales written and directed by females, including one from Annie Clark of St. Vincent, XX looks to be another in a long line of fun and terrifying anthologies. XX premieres on February 17 on VOD, Amazon, and iTunes.

(Magnolia)

First Look at Joseph Fiennes as Michael Jackson and Other Weirdness in ‘Urban Myths’ Trailer

Remember last year, when our biggest concern for a minute was the fact that Joseph Fiennes was cast as Michael Jackson in a British TV movie? Well, we got our first look and it’s, um…certainly something. British channel Sky Arts unveiled its first look at Fiennes as the King of Pop in the first trailer for Urban Myths, which features short comedies culled from urban myths surrounding pop culture icons. The series also explores Bob Dylan (Eddie Marsan, Ray Donovan) as he searches for someone named Dave, Cary Grant (Ben Chaplin, Snowden) dropping acid with Tim Leary (Aiden Gillen, Littlefinger in Game of Thrones), and Hitler (Iwan Rheon, Ramsey Bolton in Game of Thrones) painting his friend (Rupert Grint, Harry Potter). The Michael Jackson segment follows Jackson taking a road trip with Elizabeth Tayler (Stockard Channing) and Marlon Brando (Brian Cox). I mean…casting Ramsey Bolton as Hitler was kind of genius? But there’s not much you can do to justify Fiennes as Jackson.

(Sky Arts)

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Spiral Stairs (Pavement’s Scott Kannberg) will release his second album under that name, Doris and the Daggers, on March 24 on the Nine Mile label in the US (pre-order here), on Domino in Europe (pre-order digital / physical) and on Coolin’ By Sound in Australia / New Zealand (pre-order here). Today he has shared the first single and video from the album, “Dance (Cry Wolf)” which you can watch over at Pitchfork. The video stars Jason Lytle of Grandaddy who plays the part of Spiral Stairs in the video.

The album features guest appearances from Matt Berninger of The National, Broken Social Scene’s Kevin Drew and Justin Peroff, Kelley Stoltz and Shudder To Think’s Adam Wade. Spiral Stairs has also launched a Pledge Music campaign where fans will have the option of buying archival Pavement and Preston School of Industry merch and memorabilia (or a DJ set, private show, trip to IKEA or a round of golf with Scott) along with their pre-order of Doris and the Daggers.

The Real Feel – the Pavement guitarist and Preston School Of Industry leader’s 3rd album (and first as Spiral Stairs) – arrived in 2009, just as Pavement were announcing a hugely successful burst of reunion shows through 2010. “Then, after the Pavement shows, I moved with my wife to go live in a house in the country near Brisbane, in Australia,” the amiable Scott remembers, of those years of seeming inactivity. “Then we had a kid, and that sort of got in the way. I tried to do music, but all of a sudden it was two years later and I’m mowing my lawn and tending my garden.”

A little while after that, Scott and family got bored of life in Australia and moved to Los Angeles. “I had the perfect set-up there, so I started work. The way I write songs is, I put on my electric guitar and walk around the house and play it and look at myself in the mirror,” he laughs, “and just make up stuff. But because the kid was off at school for three hours a day, I only really had an hour or so to do that. So it took a little time. It was my intention to have done at least a couple more records by now, things just got in the way.”

You can’t hurry genius – not even the genial, unforced and unpretentious genius that has long been Scott’s forte. What’s for sure is his second album as Spiral Stairs, Doris And The Daggers, is worth the wait. It’s some of the best music Scott’s been involved with, and also some of the most personal and emotional music he’s ever written, reflecting the life changes that occurred over those eight years. During that stretch, Scott weathered the loss of friends, treasured the joys of fatherhood, lived life as an Australian and even ate haggis meat – experiences that inform these warm, sweetly melodic and soundly honest songs.

Spiral Stairs
Doris and the Daggers 
(Nine Mile / Domino)
Street Date: March 24, 2017
Formats: CD / LP / Digital
Pre-order via BandCamp or Pledge Music

Track List:

1. Dance (Cry Wolf)
2. Emoshuns
3. Dundee Man
4. AWM
5. No Comparison
6. The Unconditional
7. Trams (Stole My Love)
8. Exiled Tonight
9. Angel Eyes
10. Doris and the Daggers

SPIRAL STAIRS LINKS:
Official Site
Twitter
Bandcamp
Label

The post Spiral Stairs (Pavement’s Scott Kannberg) Announces New Album ‘Doris and the Daggers’ appeared first on Glide Magazine.

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It’s hardly a coincidence that this is the third live album The Wood Brothers have released since vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Jano Rix united with siblings Chris and Oliver. In the interim since issuing Sky High and Nail & Tooth, the threesome has honed the natural chemistry in only the early stages of development there to reveal a spontaneity that oftentimes makes the trio sound like a much larger ensemble.

Captured at the rustic Woodstock New York studio of the late drummer and vocalist of The Band- Levon Helm- Live at The Barn doesn’t render obsolete the previous  collections of concert recordings. It does, however, boast the advantage of  mixing material recorded since those prior 2012 titles– “Honey Jar” comes from 2013′s The Muse–with tunes that go back to the Woods’ early days as a duo–“Tried and Tempted” is an excerpt from their debut album Ways Not to Lose (released the same year of 2006 that the Live at Tonic EP accurately summarized that phase of their career).

The 2016 concert recordings exemplify the understated charm by which the Wood Brothers beguile their audiences. For instance, they understate the ode to good times called “I Got Loaded,” in the same proportion they so wryly accept the less cheerful state of mind at the heart of “Postcards From Hell.” Such clear emotional expression is a direct reflection of the audio quality of this recording too; Chris’ runs with his stand-up bass, Oliver’s biting electric guitar fills and Rix’ punchy, emphatic drum work resonate equally on tracks like “Tried and Tempted.” And this immaculate sound also illuminates the economy with which the Wood Brothers interact instrumentally;  just as there are no wasted notes played or sung, neither are there unnecessary ones.

The black and white tones of the performance photo that adorns the cover of Live at The Barn belies the kinetic energy of the Wood Brothers’ musicianship as Jano Rix’ drumming underpins and punctuates it. And unlike so many of their Americana peers who have to reach for their own style, this band maintains an  intuitive feel for their influences even as they transcend them. So, “Ophelia,”  from the last great studio album by The Band, Northern Lights Southern Cross,  comes across as much as an expression of affection as a testament to roots, particularly in the way the Woods’ emulate the Band via the trade-off in lead vocals (and the blend of the siblings’ voices with Rix’ singing is only a little less uncanny).

It’s this kind of subtlety that makes that number as effective a closer to this single disc as it is for a Wood Brothers’ concert. And to extend that high compliment to its logical extension, Live at The Barn is the next best thing to seeing one of the group’s shows.

The post The Wood Brothers Waste No Notes On ‘Live at The Barn’ (ALBUM REVIEW) appeared first on Glide Magazine.

Immaculately produced, precisely arranged, and boldly unashamed of wearing their heart (and influences) on their sleeve, on the Electric Heart EP Far Shores mines the best of 80’s synth-pop, EDM, indie rock, and R&B. While the “chillwave” movement might have had a relatively short lifespan some years back, vintage synthesizers and a retro sunny pop sound has once again been significantly desired.

The Electric Heart EP is about rolling with punches, finding your identity, rediscovering confidence and pushing yourself to do things you didn’t think you could. Composer Nate Netti was in an indie rock and roll band called A Minor Bird that did well regionally, had a few label offers, and was about to start touring. After investing countless hours and endless energy into the project, they broke up. “I always had a flood of ideas and was constantly writing but never drove the creative process; it was more of a weighted democracy” says Netti. “This band was the only thing of public acclaim I had been part of so I naturally tied my identity, and subsequently my potential for success, to it. When it ended, I was devastated. We lost not only our band but our brother-like relationships.”

Some time later, Netti began feverishly demoing and tracking, and soon had a collection of over thirty songs at hand. Netti then decided to formalize the project, Far Shores was born, and the Electric Heart EP was created. For the Electric Heart EP Netti handled the producing, most of the writing and arranging, and performed all piano, synths, drum samples, drums, percussion, and bass, as well as some back-ground vocals and guitars. Thanks to the power of technology (and Dropbox), Netti brought in some collaborations for the project without anyone actually meeting. Jeremy Steckel – Columbus, Ohio – added some guitars, Akash Negi – Akron, Ohio – added lyrics and handled some of the lead vocals, while Kevin Embleton – San Francisco, California – of the band Embleton added lyrics and lead vocals.

Glide is thrilled to premiere “Electric Heart”(below) a bouncing dream pop scenario with contagious dance hooks and a relentless joust with synths and live drums. 

“It was winter time last year when I first started this track and I wanted to write something that pulled me out of that slow winter drab we all go through,” says Netti. “I also wanted an energetic track that was a killer mashup of synthetic and organic sounds so I layered blasting analog synths over pounding live drums to give the song tons of energy. I sent a demo of the track to my good friend Akash Negi who took it to the next level. He lended some incredibly hopeful lyrics and melodies to the song which really served the original purpose of pulling me out of a really low time. I hope it does the same for you.

Socials

Facebook

IG @Far_Shores

Twitter: @Far_Shores

Pre-order link

The post SONG PREMIERE: Far Shores Destroys Winter Drab With Danceable “Electric Heart” appeared first on Glide Magazine.

Born on the gulf coast of Mississippi into a family of Dixieland jazz musicians, it came as no surprise to many that Matthew Fountain made his way back to music after an extended absence. After picking up a guitar at age 9 and playing in metal bands through his early teens, Fountain spent his twenties instead focused on screenwriting before making the move out west in 2008 to reconnect with his musical roots and start a band in Portland, OR.

Matthew Fountain and the Whereabouts, featuring anywhere between three and eight of the singer’s friends as live accompaniment, have spent the past two years recording songs written by Fountain throughout the last decade, and their debut album Born On The Hook is the product of their labors. The album is due out January 20th and today we are excited to present an exclusive first listen of the tune “Written On Your Wall” right here on Glide. The song explores the human tendency to interpret other people’s words in the way that best suits our needs. “Alueeyualuah,” the repeating gibberish response to the protagonist’s call, is symbolic of that sentiment. The vocals have an almost Cake-like sound and the beat brings to mind Spoon’s “Don’t You Evah”, making this a tasty morsel of oddball pop.

In his own words, Matthew Fountain says, “This song is about never being able to truly know your partner, and how much of what we think we know is what we want them to be. The refrain response ‘aahlooeeyoualooah’ to the narrator’s call is a sort of sonic Rorschach, allowing the narrator and the listener to attach whatever meanings they want to those sounds.”

LISTEN:

Matthew Fountain and the Whereabouts release Born On The Hook January 20th. For more music and info visit facebook.com/matthewfountainandthewhereabouts.

The post SONG PREMIERE: Matthew Fountain and the Whereabouts Tap Into Eclectic Pop On “Written On Your Wall” appeared first on Glide Magazine.

As Boston Calling moves from City Hall Plaza for the first time, The 2o17 festival will take place n at the Harvard Athletic Complex in Allston and the lineup is its strongest yet This year’s event taking place May 26 to 28, will be headlined by Tool, Mumford & Sons and Chance The Rapper, and include 45 musical acts across the three-day event.

“Between our location and lineup, 2017 will undoubtedly be the most exciting Boston Calling yet,” said Boston Calling Events co-founder Brian Appel. “We are really in awe of the support and success the festival has seen thus far, and we are more excited than ever by the future. At the same time, we remain committed to our roots and very clear on the elements that make Boston Calling so special,”

The festival announced this past May its permanent relocation to Harvard (65 North Harvard Street), a move that allows it to expand its offerings while remaining “proudly located in Boston,” said Appel at the time.

“This year, in addition to its 45 act lineup performing across three outdoor stages, it will add a film experience curated by Academy Award-winning actress, producer and director Natalie Portman, along with comprehensive food, drink, and visual arts components,” according to a release. Specifics on this front are forthcoming.

Full Lineup

Tool

Mumford & Sons

Chance the Rapper

Bon Iver

The XX

Major Lazer

Weezer

The 1975

Sigur Rós

Solange

Cage the Elephant

Run the Jewels

Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats

Tegan and Sara

Brandi Carlile

Sylvan Esso

Majid Jordan

Flatbush Zombies

Wolf Parade

Mac Demarco

Oh Wonder

Danny Brown

Piebald

Frightened Rabbit

Modern Baseball

Car Seat Headrest

Buffalo Tom

Cousin Stizz

Mitski

Russ

Francis and the Lights

Deerhoof

Pup

Whitney

Strand of Oaks

Hiss Golden Messenger

Moses Sumney

Kevin Morby

The Hotelier

Lucy Dacus

Vundabar

Xylouris White

Tkay Maidza

Alexandra Savior

Mondo Cozmo

The post Tool, Chance the Rapper, Bon Iver, Sigur Rós, Run the Jewels Lead Boston Calling 2017 appeared first on Glide Magazine.

Woody Harrelson Tapped for ‘Han Solo’ Spinoff Movie

With Rogue One in the rearview, proving Disney’s gamble with producing Star Wars films outside the purview of the main story now proven successful, sights have begun to focus on the upcoming Han Solo stand-alone film. The already impressive cast—which includes Alden Ehrenreich (Hail, Caesar!) as Mr. Scruffy Looking Nerf Herder himself, Donald Glover (Community) as Lando Calrissian, and Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones) in an unnamed role—has gotten a little more impressive with the addition of Woody Harrelson. Though little is known about Harrelson’s role, he’s purportedly set to play Solo’s mentor, giving us an idea of how Han came to be the lovable pirate we all adore to this day. As it currently stands, the Han Solo anthology film is set to be released in May of 2018, but I wouldn’t hold my breath for that date. Disney already has that month pretty much locked down with the next Avengers movie, and between The Force Awakens, Rogue One, and most definitely the upcoming Episode VIII, they’ve been getting a nice end of the year/beginning of the year boon from the Star Wars franchise, so it seems reasonable to expect that this is the new norm.

(Variety)

Peter Dinklage in Talks to Join the MCU

Speaking of The Avengers, word is that Tyrion Lannister himself, Peter Dinklage, is in serious talks to join Avengers: Infinity War in an as-yet-unnamed role. The film is set to begin production soon in Atlanta and Scotland, with back-to-back shooting planned for the fourth Avengers movie as well. Originally billed as Infinity War part one and two, Marvel scrapped the titling last year in order to assuage fears of over-serialization. Dinklage is in talks to appear in both movies, though it remains to be seen if he’ll pop up in any other MCU films in the future.

(The Hollywood Reporter)

‘CHIPs’ Looks as Dumb as You’d Expect

CHIPs, the iconic TV series starring Erik Estrada and Larry Wilcox, has gotten a cinematic remake. The trailer debuted last night on Jimmy Kimmel Live. The new film features Michael Pena as Ponch and Dax Shepard as Jon Baker. Switching things up slightly, this iteration of Ponch is an FBI agent going undercover in the California Highway Patrol in order to root out corruption in the organization. From all appearances, the film seems steeped in the kind of mindless humor and half-baked jokes that plague these ironic remakes. Lots of dick jokes, fear about dicks jokes, and explosions. Maybe it’ll surprise us, but I doubt it. CHIPs is set to be released on March 24.

(Jimmy Kimmel Live)

Netflix Previews ‘iBoy’

Netflix released the trailer for their latest original film, iBoy, starring Maisie Williams (Game of Thrones) and Bill Milner (X-Men: First Class). Milner plays Tom, a young boy who is left with smart phone fragments lodged in his brain following an attack by local hooligans. Naturally, he gains superpowers. Screw it, right? That’s just silly enough to work. iBoy premieres January 27 on Netflix.

(Netflix)

The post Film Bits: ‘Star Wars’ Lands Woody Harrelson as Han Solo’s Mentor; Peter Dinklage in Talks to Join ‘The Avengers’ appeared first on Glide Magazine.

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If you squint your eyes and turn your head, you can almost kind of see the movie Ben Affleck wanted to make with Live By Night. Almost, but not quite. All of the elements of a great film are certainly there, but the gears to this machine are just askew enough to turn its potential brilliance into a muddled mess.

To say that’s disappointing is an understatement. Affleck has had a lot of luck with adapting Dennis Lehane novels in the past. Gone Baby Gone, Affleck’s directorial debut, convinced the world that Affleck was more than just a pretty face. The prospect of another AffLehane collaboration was too delicious to ignore, as the author’s sensibilities as a writer seem to match Affleck’s directorial vision, and gangster period pieces are always a great time.

Except, of course, when they’re not. Live By Night proves that to the best (worst?) of its abilities in a film that plods, meanders, and trips its way across a Depression Era landscape without ever seeming to make its point. That’s especially grievous because there are moments when the film proudly displays its chops, offering you brief glimpses at both its potential as a film and Affleck’s as a filmmaker.

Affleck pulls double duty in Live By Night, playing the Joe Coughlin, a sort of ronin gangster who thieves and robs and connives for his own gain, not for the gain of any boss. Though resistant to the idea of joining up with any official crew, Joe is forced to pledge loyalty to Italian family leader, Boss Pescatore, after running afoul with the Irish Albert White over a girl. , Joe becomes Pescatore boss of prohibition era Tampa, where he leads the rise of the family in the rum market, while dealing with competition from the White family, the KKK, and local law enforcement. As Joe pushes the family toward more legitimate money making operations, he’s forced to defend his position and maintain his personal code of integrity.

At its heart, this is a story about the slow corruption of choices over a long period of time. There are hints of The Godfather or even Breaking Bad as we see Joe evolve from an unwilling participant to biggest money maker in the organization. Joe never sees himself as the bad guy, of course, though as the narrative progresses it gets harder and harder to defend that position.

With a little editing and a willingness to leave a few subplots on the cutting room floor, Live By Night could have been a taut, deftly plotted musing on the nature of corruption. Too often, however, the film veers off into laborious territories, wandering too far from the main plot while, at the same time, wrapping up too many side stories with an overbearing narration that removes any nuance or subtlety that might have otherwise been present in the film.

Still, it’s hard to deny that when the film hits, it knocks it out of the park. There are some brilliantly filmed and beautifully choreographed moments of action woven throughout the film—some of which should give those who doubt Affleck’s ability to helm a Batman film a bit more to chew on—and even a few some great acting here and there.

Chris Messina is fabulous as Joe’s right hand man Dion, completely disappearing into the role and quickly becoming one of the film’s highlights. Elle Fanning delivers a stellar turn as Loretta Figgis, the troubled daughter of a local police chief turned tent revival preacher who puts a damper on Joe’s ultimate plans. Both of these roles serve as wonderful balances to Affleck’s Joe and add a bit of depth to the film’s thematic explorations.

But the highs are too few and far between the ever gain momentum, and too often does the film lose itself in the quagmire. Instead of the great film it could’ve been, we got a ham-fisted facsimile that can’t ever gain the traction it needs to fully take off. It’s not quite a dud, but boy, could that explosion have been something special. Better luck next time, Ben. I’ll be rooting for you.

Live By Night is now playing in theaters everywhere.

The post I’m Not Mad, ‘Live By Night’, I’m Disappointed (FILM REVIEW) appeared first on Glide Magazine.

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From the opening measures of I See You, it is clear that London trio The XX have broken their mold. “Dangerous” is a big, layered pop song with a dancehall beat and a “Thriller”-esque bouncing bassline. It still has some of the band’s trademarks, such as the sultry intertwining vocals of Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim, but it is a far cry from the sparse sound of the band’s previous records.

Credit multi-instrumentalist Jamie Smith for the shift. His solo album (as Jamie XX) In Colour showcased his club-filling beats and intricately layered sounds to critical acclaim. Croft and Sim were inspired by the album and, as a result, Smith has a much more featured role in I See You.

 That doesn’t mean The XX have sold out and gone electro-pop, though. I See You still sounds distinctively like The XX, with their moody lyrics, Croft’s serpentine staccato guitar licks, and some of the best vocal harmonies you’ll hear on any pop album. They just added more to their bag of tricks, utilizing less empty space but more percussion and melody.

“Say Something Loving” deftly combines the old and new XX style. Slow, sparse instrumentation in the verses transitions into the swirling synthesizers of the upbeat choruses. The dual tone of the song underscores its swaying between nervous, optimistic, and pessimistic. “Say something loving. I need a reminder; the feeling’s escaped me,” Croft and Sim sing in unison at one of the song’s bleakest moments. The crying out for love, however, is answered. “When I gave up I found love,” Croft sings. They’re still skeptical, though. “I do myself a disservice to feel this week, to be this nervous,” Sim sings.

The slow burning pop of “A Violent Noise” continues to build and tease a climactic dance drop that never happens. Croft’s guitar builds from slow arpeggio to a dirty blues riff while Smith’s percussion also builds in intensity without catharsis.“Performance” is vintage XX, with sparse grooves that allows the echo of silence to punctuate Croft’s soulful croon. “If I scream at the top of my lungs, will you hear what I don’t say?” she asks.

While The XX’s first two albums were both excellent, their biggest flaw was in being so monochromatic. Though the songwriting and harmonies were great, the albums were lacking in diversity. By bringing in more pop flavor, The XX has released their greatest album yet, one that is still rooted in what they do best while offering a richer and more eclectic listening experience. From the softest, most brooding moments of “Brave For You” to the most energetic dance intensity of “On Hold,” I See You is a triumph.

The post The XX Build Pop Triumph With ‘I See You’ (ALBUM REVIEW) appeared first on Glide Magazine.

If there is one stop on the Red Hot Chili Peppers new tour you needed to go to it was this past Tuesday night in New Orleans at the Smoothie King Center. Why? Because when they did their encore of “Give It Away,” nothing came close to when they brought out local musicians George Porter Jr, Ivan Neville, Trombone Shorty and the Rebirth Brass Band and unleashed the funk full force.

It’s common knowledge that the Chili Peppers love New Orleans and it’s vibrant music. For many years they have basted in the funky rhythms that the city’s melting pot jazz sauce has turned out. So when it was time to finale up their show in one of their favorite places, they brought out some hometown friends to help bring the house down.

And that they did. Almost no song prior to “Give It Away” compared to the energy voodoo’d up by those horns and that beat. It was on fire, especially for Flea, who ate up his bass duet with “my teacher,” former Meter George Porter Jr, like a kid in a candy store. Whereas during the Peppers’ regular set he was jumping around and hitting each end of the stage, for the encore he remained in the center of the funk, one with the music. And it could only happen in New Orleans.

Okay, so the couple of shows in Texas that kicked off the tour supporting their latest album, The Getaway, variously heard the band perform “Under The Bridge,” “Scar Tissue” and “Higher Ground.” But we heard them do those already, at last year’s performance at Jazz Fest and at their 2012 visit to this same arena. What we got on Tuesday night was special, a gift to the local fans who love their music and the people who make it. If the horns had played the entire show, I think we would have died and gone to music heaven (hint: hey Flea, make it happen next time).

I was a little surprised they didn’t include “The Adventures Of Rain Dance Maggie” since it has that meaty gravy bass line that oozes funk. But the Chili Peppers had some other beignets in store for the what looked to be sold out crowd, Josh Klinghoffer being one of them.

This skinny little guitar player was a Tasmanian Devil all night, spinning, jumping, crouching low, yet never spiraling too far out of control. His solo on the new “Go Robot” was like an electrocution while “I Could Have Lied” gave you a glimpse into a more bluesy side hiding underneath the layers of subatomic riffage. And in honor of the great Allen Toussaint, who passed away in 2015 and was a local icon, Klinghoffer settled down to sing the piano player’s “Southern Nights,” which Toussaint wrote and subsequently released in 1975 [Glen Campbell would make it a national hit in 1977].

Four songs from their current album made it onto the night’s setlist: “Go Robot,” “Dark Necessities,” “Goodbye Angels” and “Sick Love.” Fan favorites “Californication,” “By The Way” and “Dani California” were met with loud cheers. Prior to the encore, the callback noise was deafening, accompanied by the “lights” from cell phones. All Chad Smith had to do was walk back out onto the stage to cause the volume to increase. Smith, one of the most badass drummers in music today, pounded out a short solo before the band launched into “Goodbye Angels.” Flea walked out on his hands. And Anthony Kiedis was bouncing around all night like a firecracker, something he continued into the encore.

RHCP original drummer Jack Irons played a short instrumental set prior to Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, who pumped up the audience with “Slippery Lips,” “Craziest Things” and “Sistamamalover.” However, seven songs were just not enough for this hot band – which featured Pete Murano on guitar, Joey Peebles on drums, Mike Ballard on bass and on horns, Dan Oestreicher and BK Jackson. Many folks around town remember Troy Andrews, aka Trombone Shorty, as a four year old playing with his older brother, James Andrews, another New Orleans star horn player. What he brings to the party is a fun funk-rock-jazz hybrid of music that turns you on to the last drip of sweat drops off your body.

So America, if you missed the New Orleans show, you missed a cool ride on a funky mothership with some cats you won’t find in your city’s upcoming encores. I’m very sad about that. But at least you have Trombone Shorty and his band for the next twenty-plus dates. Go and get your funk on & hope they come out at the end for the encore.

The post Red Hot Chili Peppers & Trombone Shorty Give New Orleans Voodoo’d Up Funk Rock (SHOW REVIEW/PHOTOS) appeared first on Glide Magazine.

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For the last few years the Oklahoma based freak rock outfit The Flaming Lips have been dabbling with pop music history. From their reinterpretation of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band to their recent Miley Cyrus partnership, yet the group have stayed quiet with their own releases since 2013’s downer, drug fueled break up of The Terror.

Now they come back with Oczy Mlody and with the opening lyrics of “White trash rednecks/ Earthworms eat the ground/ Legalize it/ Every drug right now” the band drips back into their languid narcotic fueled sounds easily. This track, “How”, is a cryptic mix of skittering beats, warped vocals and electro pulses and it arrives after the gorgeous instrumental opening title track.

The tone is set and for fans of the band it will feel comforting in its psychedelic sprawl, but for everyone else those (along with the closer) will be the highpoints of this disk. When the Lips just float instead of being targeted on topics (the all-time classic Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots) or pop song focused (the brilliant The Soft Bulletin or underrated At War With The Mystics) they can become awfully dull to the un-chemically altered ears. That is the end result for Oczy Mlody; a spaced out, distant tone record.

Efforts like “There Should Be Unicorns” wander aimlessly for over five and half minutes while “The Galaxy I Sink” is a jumble of disjointed ideas. “Listening To The Frogs” goes on for what feels like ages and the best parts (eastern tinged strings, warbling background fuzz) don’t outway the sluggish pace. The piano and swelling sound that end “Sunrise” are neatly placed but there are too many tracks like “Nigdy Nie Never Know” which are simply filler.

A couple of the albums later tracks are pleasant (“The Castle” and the Miley Cyrus assisted closer “We Are Family”) and the overall tone feels more positive than The Terror or even Embryonic. One other major plus is the sonic quality/production as the band make every sound feel vibrant, yet things never congeal to any great purpose or truly joyful noise. The group aren’t going for individual songs here, more of an overall sonic environment; spacey mood music which, unfortunately never takes off.

The post The Flaming Lips Space Out Big Time On ‘Oczy Mlody’ (ALBUM REVIEW) appeared first on Glide Magazine.

Run the Jewels kicked off their “Run the World” Tour at Philly’s Electric Factory 1/17th in front of a sold out revved up crowd. They are touring in support of their critically acclaimed album RTJ3, which dropped on Christmas Eve digitally and released physically on 1/13. It was a very special night for those in attendance as they got to hear some of their new stuff first. Photos by Cathy Poulton

The post Run The Jewels Kick Off ‘Run The World’ Tour at Philadelphia’s Electric Factory (PHOTOS) appeared first on Glide Magazine.

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Coming on the heels of a pair of musical detours – Undercover, a set of songs that found them re-imaging some of their favorite cover tunes, and last year’s Ladies & Gentlemen, an album that featured several high profile guest singers of the female variety, Laws of Gravity finds the Infamous Stringdusters doing what they do best. Here again, they go back to basics while maintaing the modern tack that’s made them darlings of both the bluegrass crowd and the festival faithful.

Like the Steep Canyon Rangers, Town Mountain, Alison Krauss and Union Station, and others of that populist ilk, the Infamous Stringdusters excel at tapping tradition while infusing a modern sensibility into their sound. This time around, they go several steps further, exploring broader themes that have arisen in the wake of a divisive election year and one of the most fractious periods in American history. These are songs of perseverance and principle, a tack that’s especially evident in the titles of the songs themselves — “Freedom,” “Soul Searching” and “A Hard Life Makes A Good Life” in particular. However “This Ol’ Building” is especially pointed in its appraisal of modern circumstance:

“There’s no place to hide

If we keep up what’s inside

Ain’t no way it won’t go

Once the wrecking ball gets thrown.”

Still, for all their passion and purpose, the band still manage to do what they’ve always done best — that is, to make music that rings with rustic, rootsy reverence. It’s the sound of banjo, dobro, fiddle and guitars joined together to create a rousing sound. The ambition that’ springs to the fore on its grand suite of sorts, “1901: A Canyon Odyssey,” reflects that skill and verve while conveying a tale borne from a historic expedition. It’s stirring in in its execution, but then again, the same can be said for every one of these outings. An outstanding set of songs with adroit execution to match, Laws of Gravity elevates the Infamous Stringdusters to new and novel heights.

The post Infamous Stringdusters Tap Tradition & Modern Flair On ‘Laws of Gravity’ (ALBUM REVIEW) appeared first on Glide Magazine.

For Tommy Stinson, there were two things that were very important to him when he went to record his next record: for it to be recorded live as much as possible, in the studio with the musicians together, and for it to be a band, not just him banging out the songs on different instruments. And that is how Anything Could Happen became a Bash & Pop project instead of a solo album.

Resurrecting the moniker from the band Stinson had formed in 1992 following the break-up of The Replacements, Bash & Pop features Stinson doing vocals, guitar and bass. There are twelve tracks on the disc, from the catchy first single, “On The Rocks,” to the country twang feel of “Anytime Soon,” the riled up rockabilly flavored “Unfuck You,” the frisky new single, “Never Wanted To Know,” and the acoustic “Shortcut” with a surprisingly Dylan-esque essence that makes you wonder if Stinson has settled down from the Minneapolis delinquent that gave the Replacements their punk/alternative authenticity.

Although Stinson has spent the last eighteen years kicking up his heels in Guns N Roses, he is still often referred to as the kid from The Replacements, which he was in from age fifteen to their breakup following the release of 1990’s Grammy nominated All Shook Down album and tour. People forget he has also done two solo albums, formed the bands Bash & Pop and Perfect, and was in Soul Asylum for about five years.

With the GNR reunion tour in full swing with no signs of slowing down, Stinson is enjoying his time making music he has been working on for a while. Enlisting friends like GNR drummer Frank Ferrer and North Mississippi Allstars guitarist Luther Dickinson, whom he first met when Dickinson’s father Jim produced the Replacements’ Pleased To Meet Me in 1987, the album sounds fresh with a hip giddy-up.

With Anything Could Happen coming out this week on the 20^th, and a short tour just getting started, Glide spoke with Stinson prior to Christmas about working on his new record as he watched his youngest child get streaks put in her hair for the holidays. “She’s eight and normally a little too young for me to think about that but luckily they do it in a shampoo now so it’s not like you have to bleach her hair and that crap.” When I tell him he doesn’t sound very punk saying that, he laughs. “Yeah, well, the thing is her friends and all the kids in her class, they do it and I’m thinking, you fucking people, this is way too soon to start this ball rolling, because soon you’ll be paying for hair salon bills that are a hundred bucks a pop.”

So there you go, folks, the preeminent punk kid is now a father with the same concerns about his children as us normal people. Makes one wonder, has punk grown up? Not yet.

You have the wonderful Luther Dickinson playing on your new record, Anything Could Happen. When did you first meet him? Was it when you were working with his dad?

Yeah, that was it. Worked with his dad in 1986 on that Pleased To Meet Me record. I might have seen him once or twice somewhere in there but not really; it was kind of in passing, crossing paths. I ran into him playing with Soul Asylum in Spain. We were doing Soul Asylum and he was in the Black Crowes and I ran into him at a festival and we got to hanging out. I hadn’t seen him in forever and we got his dad on the phone before he died and got to chat with him a little bit from Spain. It was fantastic, it was magical and cool, and then we kind of stayed in touch after that. We kept talking and after that I went down to Memphis to do some recording with him and his brother Cody. We recorded a bunch of stuff. At some point I’ve got to resurrect that stuff and do what we’d planned on doing with it cause it was fun stuff. We just went and hacked out some songs together, just the three of us, and I scatted on them and we came up with the premise of a side band or band of some sort. But you know I was doing the Guns N Roses stuff so I kept getting distracted by stuff so I haven’t had a chance to go back. But there’s some good stuff in there. It was fun. Those two boys are good.

Did he come and play or did you send files back and forth?

No, no, no, I called him up, called all my friends up to come up to my place, my studio here in upstate New York, and do some recording and he came on up and we all met and hung out and we just had a blast. I just said, “This is kind of how the chords go to the song, here’s the melody and let’s play it like a band.” And we kind of just threw it up against the wall and the songs on Anything Could Happen that he’s on we did in like three takes. It was that kind of thing, that quick, in and out, live as much as we could, keeping the sort of sonic integrity as best we can so it didn’t sound completely crappy. I had to kind of redo some vocals and stuff, effects, to get rid of some of the room sound a little bit but I kept the live vocals in, kind of buried in another more, you know, better sounding vocal, I suppose. But we had a ball and that got the ball rolling for the Bash & Pop record. It was a band vibe more so than just me making a solo record again and it worked out really good.

How many songs does Luther actually play on?

Let’s see, two or three I’m thinking. I haven’t listened to it in a while. But there is also stuff we did that’s not on the record that I’m probably going to piecemeal out as we go.

Did you do the whole record like that?

The whole thing. I deliberately wanted to make a band rock & roll type of record. My last two solo records were pretty much me and I’d get a drummer friend or a couple of people over to play a couple bits and then I’d finish up on my own. I’ll end up doing it again at some point because I also still like doing that once in a while. But I’ve done enough of it that you know you tend to think too much, do too much and it takes longer cause you’re doing it all yourself. So I kind of wanted to do something that would be less laborious and more spontaneous and sort of live sounding.

Do you like to get in the studio and tinker around or do you prefer to just get in there and see what happens?

I like it all but I wanted to do something more along the lines, let’s do this live and throw it in there and see what happens, see if we can capture lightening in a bottle. If we can capture that, it’s great. And I think I did good with some of that stuff. It sounds like it’s got a vibe to it. It doesn’t sound like dudes in a studio reading charts.

How did you do it when you were in the Replacements?

It was kind of the same way. That’s kind of the vibe of it. Back in the early 1900’s, or late 1900’s I should say, when the Replacements were making records, the best ones we made really were the ones where we just sort of learned the songs and hacked them out and those are the songs people know and love. I mean, that was the way we knew how to do it, the way we were most comfortable and it worked out well. So that was kind of what I was aiming for, to kind of go back to that kind of vibe of getting more of a band feel and a cohesiveness of dudes in a room sweating it out.

Almost like being back in the garage

Yeah, if you think about it in terms of the best records, the greatest records of all time, most of them, the Beatles and the Stones, they recorded that stuff live. They might do a fucking hundred takes of a song before they get it just right but it was always done kind of altogether. So along those lines except I wouldn’t do anything a hundred times. Not that dedicated to that (laughs).

And that is the reason this is a Bash & Pop record instead of a Tommy Stinson solo, because you wanted that band feel.

Exactly, that’s exactly the reason

And you knew this before you went into it?

Yeah, I knew. I had these songs that we were working up and I was working on them as I went along and writing new stuff as I went along and just knew that after playing with Luther and Frank Ferrer and stuff, I just knew that was the way I wanted it to go down.

What happened with the first Bash & Pop? It didn’t last but a couple of years and then you disappeared. What happened?

Well, what happened was the record company really didn’t give me a whole lot of help on that and then I moved to LA and two of the guys that I was playing with didn’t work out so I got two other people and by the time I had run the course of that record it just seemed like, why? I started playing with some other people and it just seemed it was starting to turn into a whole other thing so I asked to be let go of my contract with Warner Brothers cause it didn’t seem like it was a good thing. I just kind of went, yeah, let me do something else here.

Are you one of these guys who has an endless well of lyrics and riffs always popping in your head?

Not endless but I have enough. Someone was asking me, how many songs do you think you’ve written in your life, two or three thousand? And I was like, no, a few hundred at best. I think about music everyday but I’m not the most prolific person on the planet and my life with family and all that stuff kind of hinders that creative thing once in a while but I get it done when I get it done.

When you were this young kid getting into music, were you more interested in being a musician or a songwriter?

You know, I kind of wanted to be a little bit of everything. I wanted to play drums, guitar, bass, all this different stuff, you know. I had aspirations to sing. So as time went on I kind of just wanted to be all of it.

You started playing bass when you were about thirteen. When did it become natural to you?

My fingers were small at thirteen but by the time I was fourteen. It’s still not natural, to be honest with you. I flop around so many – from guitar to bass or drums, whatever. It all has kind of come natural in some ways but in other ways, not so. I can’t play everything. I can play from feel what I know and what’s in my head and I can emulate other people’s stuff but if you put me in a jazz band or disco band or funk band or something, I wouldn’t be able to cover that. But in my own little world I can play what I need to play.

What instruments did you play on the new record?

I played guitar, bass, percussion stuff, sang; nothing too kooky (laughs). And all pretty much live. The only songs that I played bass on were the only ones I played guitar on when we cut the track and didn’t have the bass player in town. So I had to kind of put the bass on top after the two guitars and drums were down.

How long has this album been in the can?

It’s been in the can for a little bit, for a couple of months anyway.

What is the oldest song on the record?

The oldest song on the record is called “Shortcut” and I wrote it about twenty-five years ago. It just took that long for me to decide what way I wanted to put it out.

What was not right about it?

You know, I just never had it laid down in a particular way that was going to work for a particular record until this one. I did it acoustically and was like, this will work. It’s sort of intimate and simple.

Did it start off electric?

It was a wacky version of it that’s just got all kinds of weird samples and strings and shit on it and that will come out at some point. A good friend of mine actually sang the beginning of it and we did it as a duet.

I was wondering why you wanted to end your record with an acoustic song.

You know, I thought it needed a breath. The record kind of goes up and down and is more high energy and upbeat and I thought the last song should be like a sort of sigh of relief, if you will.

What do you see as the biggest difference from that first Bash & Pop album to Anything Could Happen?

I’m evolving in sort of a weird way. I don’t know what it is but I’m coming into a different place than I’ve been before and that’s a thing I can grasp onto the most right now.

Do you think the punk influences that you’ve always had are kind of fading away and you’re pulling in new influences more?

Maybe a little but not completely. You’re always going to have what you have in your skin. It’s like whatever your background or upbringing is it’s always going to be a part of you so you’re always going to go down that crash and burn kind of highway with an upbeat punk rock song one way or the other. They come to me and it’s like kind of my fabric, I suppose. But there are so many other things that are part of my fabric that I pull from. They’re all in there.

What song was on the borderline of not making it onto the new record?

None of them. They kind of all steered themselves right on the fucking thing. The stuff that I finished at the gate is the stuff that stuck. There’s a bunch of stuff that still needs to be finished up, quite a bit actually; probably a whole fucking record worth but we’ll wait until that happens to go there.

Are you going to be playing shows?

Yeah, we’re starting on the 12^th of January in Minneapolis and working our way east to New York and Boston for about two weeks. The record comes out on the 20^th.[They will also be playing SXSW in March].

Which guys are going to be coming with you on tour?

Joe Sirois, the drummer from the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, we’ve got Steve Selvidge, the guitar player from the Hold Steady, Justin Perkins playing bass and Tony Kieraldo, a buddy of mine up here that plays keyboard. I’ll have him out whenever it’s feasible. He’s a busy guy and some of the places are a little bit smaller but that’s pretty much the lineup from top to finish.

Anything happening in the future with the Replacements?

Never say never but I’m going to have my hands full in the very near future. But you know, we did that. We came and went and it was fun and all that. Now you move on to other fun shit.

Anything with Guns after the reunion gets through?

I don’t think they’ll need me after this one (laughs). It’s just a hunch. I’m just glad I had a good run with them and I’m glad they’re out there playing. I’ve seen them a couple of times and they’re great. We’re still all friends and everyone is doing great right now and that’s all anyone could ask for.

I was at both of the residencies for a weekend each time and you got to sing one of your songs but I’ve also seen you do a Sex Pistols song. Did you get to pick what you wanted to sing?

I picked my own songs and Axl was cool with whatever as long as I was doing something (laughs).

What was your first big “I can’t believe I’m here” moment?

It might have been Rock In Rio with Guns N Roses. It was like 500,000 people, or something crazy like that. It was ridic. It was so loud we couldn’t hear any of our amps or anything we were playing. The crowd was that crazy loud.

How do you handle a situation like that?

You just kind of jump around and have fun with it and just kind of pretend (laughs). Honestly, I couldn’t hear nothing so much I had to go kind of by muscle memory and just hope for the best on that. It was pretty nuts.

Where were you when you first heard one of your songs on the radio?

It might have been in Minneapolis the first time. Had to be. Probably in the car, most likely. I listened to oldies stations mostly when I was a little kid but yeah, probably in the car going somewhere.

Did it impress a young kid like you or were you more blasé?

The first couple of times you hear it it’s kind of impressive and kind of fun but then you go, okay, cool. How much better was I doing yesterday? Not really a whole lot (laughs).

What was your most painful injury that has happened to you onstage?

I slipped on the deck at a Guns N Roses show in South America and broke two ribs. It was raining out and my feet just went right out from under me. Fell on my back kind of at the end of the set and broke two ribs. It was really fucking painful.

Did you continue the show?

Continued the show. Didn’t go to the hospital till I got to the States about a week later and that’s where I found out I had a couple broken ribs.

You asked me about Tipitina’s in New Orleans earlier. Is there a story there I should know about?

Man, we played there way back in the day, when my brother was in the band. We came down to New Orleans and coming to New Orleans was a scary fucking bit. We came through from the Biloxi side, from like Florida, right, so traveling down in the south, and mind you this might have been about 1984 or 1985, somewhere in there, and when you’re going through Mobile [Alabama] on your way to New Orleans, at that time it was a lot of rednecks and things like this.

So cut to us rolling into a McDonalds right on the Gulf on our way to New Orleans and I’ve got like, you know, OshKosh B’Gosh red and white striped overalls on, makeup on from the night before, my hair is going crazy and I go to the phone booth on the Gulf side of the Thruway. I walked across this little freeway, whatever, to go to the beach where the phone booth was to call my sister. I get my sister on the phone, I’m chatting with her and I’m watching this guy walk all the way from the beach. He just looked at me and he must have been a fucking hundred and fifty yards away. He saw me walk to the phone booth and he came up there right in the phone booth and said, “You better get the hell out of here, fag, or you’re going to die.” I was like, “I better go right now.” (laughs)

And I go back to the van and my brother was like, “Fuck that, man, where is he?” And he’s ready to jump out of the van now and they were restraining Bob: “We’re not doing that. Let’s get the fuck out of here.” And then we get to New Orleans where it was like a safe haven in this weird part of the country. I mean, I don’t say this in a disrespectful way. There are a lot of nice, kind people down there. But at that time, going from point A to point B, going from like Birmingham and you cut down and go through some of these really southern places, these small enclaves of people living in the melting pot somewhat peacefully where we would play gigs and it wasn’t so much we’re playing like a redneck roadhouse or something. But in those middle places, you just got to stay in the fucking van and not get the fuck out.

But I remember when we got to New Orleans, and it was like the first time coming through there, I’m pretty sure we played Tipitina’s the first time. I might be wrong on that but I remember just walking around with my brother a little bit and just going, wow, the graves are above ground, look at that! And we’re mesmerized. And we met really great people and it was a cool place.

So cut to when I played with Soul Asylum for a while. I played with them for like five years after Karl Mueller had died and I came down there to record with Dave Pirner, he had a studio down there, and I remember going out, and he told me where to go, and it was like, man, this is something and it really kind of grabbed me, grabbed me right by the throat. I was loving it, it was great. We recorded some cool stuff and it’s never come out yet! (laughs)

Didn’t you go to school with Dave?

Yeah, we went to high school. I was in ninth grade and he was       a Senior, I think. He’s three years older than me. We used to all kind of hang out and stuff. There wasn’t a whole lot of inner band jamming so much but we used to play shows together when he was in Loud Fast Rules.

Was Dave a bad boy like you were in high school?

I wasn’t a bad boy, I just dropped out before it got real bad (laughs)

Are you happy with how Tommy Stinson has turned out from a delinquent kid who started playing rock & roll to now?

I’m getting there (laughs)

Would the young delinquent Tommy be surprised at who you are today?

Oh the young delinquent Tommy would be surprised I made it to fucking fifty years old, are you kidding! (laughs)

Live photographs by Leslie Michele Derrough; portraits by Steven Cohen

The post Tommy Stinson Reignites Bash & Pop Following GNR & Replacements (INTERVIEW) appeared first on Glide Magazine.

Steely Dan’s Beaon Theater residencies have become nights of themes and albums played in their entirety and now the residency shifts to the west coas. In 2017, Steely Dan founders Donald Fagen and Walter Becker will play a nine-night Steely Dan residency at the Opaline Theatre at The Venetian ® in Las Vegas, Nevada between April 12 – April 29. Tracks like “Deacon Blues” will never be as fitting…

Donald and Walter are again supported by “the best touring band on the stage today”: Jon Herington (guitar), Keith Carlock (drums), Freddie Washington (bass), Jim Beard (keyboards), Roger Rosenberg, Walt Weiskopf, Michael Leonhart , Jim Pugh (horns) and Carolyn Leonhart, Cindy Mizelle, and La Tanya Hall (backing vocals). Critics and fans now rightly evoke the legendary Big Bands of a previous era as the only apt comparison for the virtuosity, versatility, and vise-like cohesion of this Steely Dan musical collective.

American Express® card members can purchase advance tickets beginning Jan. 17 at 10 a.m. PT through Jan. 19 at 10 p.m. PT.  Tickets will go on sale to the public on Jan. 20 at 10 a.m. PT and can be purchased through ticketmaster.com, The Venetian Box Office, and charge-by-phone at 1-800-745-3000.  Tickets are subject to applicable service charges, and event time and date are subject to change.

Tour Dates

Wednesday April 12
Friday April 14
Saturday April 15
Wednesday April 19
Friday April 21
Saturday April 22
Wednesday April 26
Friday April 28 1
Saturday April 29 1

The post Steely Dan Plans Venetian/Vegas “Rolling in the Chips” Residency appeared first on Glide Magazine.

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After months of speculation about whether or not we were supposed to take a show called The Young Pope seriously, the first episode premiered on HBO last night, and it didn’t answer this question at all. Since the show didn’t waste any time diving face-first into its own weirdness, I don’t believe we should either. So, here we go:

It opens with the shot of a nude infant crawling over a pile of other nude infants, who you might assume were all dead, save for the fact that a few of them would open their eyes and look around. Anyway, this is where we first meet this young Pope, crawling out of a giant mound of naked infants. And we’re only about 20 seconds into the first episode.

The weirdness certainly doesn’t end there, either. The next scene showed the titular Pope, Lenny Balardo (Jude Law), walking onto his balcony to thousands of adoring fans in the pouring rain. As Lenny, the Pope, opens his arms to welcome the crowd, the rain stops, the clouds clear up, and the sun beams down on all. He speaks like a deified populist, talking about how the church has forgotten its followers, and he vows to change all that.

His inclusion doesn’t just stop with a general statement about devout Catholics being brought back into the fold, oh no. He freely speaks about the need to masturbate, the importance of birth control, how gay marriage is good, and even priests should be allowed to love one-another. As the crowds’ roaring adulation slowly starts to mute itself out of utter confusion, three cardinals do a full-on Mr. Furley-style faint, all in unison.

It’s grounded, Fellini-esque surrealism fused with a cheap Mel Brooks’ sight gag that he’d play for guaranteed laughs. Here, even in the context of a new Pope, a young Pope, announcing his plans to suddenly erode centuries of dogma in the Catholic church, it’s not at all clear what kind of reaction the show was expecting out of that. Which is what made it all so appealing.

Turns out, it was all a dream, but things didn’t suddenly stop getting weird once the show shifted its narrative outside of Lenny Belardo’s dream. It just becomes weird in a different way.

With the surrealism getting pushed (slightly) to the edges, we watch Lenny Balardo feel out the grace and power of his new position, all framed in a soft lighting and tinge of weirdness that echoes some of the masterpieces of Renaissance-era paintings. All the narrative peculiarities aside, the show’s lush, magnificent cinematography dutifully elevates what seems like a soap-opera subplot into something truly magnificent.

The Pope we spend the rest of the episode with doesn’t come off as a great unifier willing to forgive the sins of modernity on impulse. It turns out, the young Pope is devious, deceitful, antagonistic, and maybe just a little bit of a sociopath. The fact that he’s even the Pope is a point of contention within the church, namely with his mentor, Cardinal Michael Spencer (James Cromwell), who first appears on screen wrestling with two nuns in a bathroom who attempt to stop his suicide attempt.

The real mystery behind The Young Pope lies not how he came to be in his position, but how we, as an audience, are supposed to react to this character, or this show for that matter. Even meeting Sister Mary (Diane Keaton), the nun who raised the young Lenny Belardo, doesn’t give us any inkling of where this new Pope’s motivations really lie.

While the show’s clearly saving the mystery of Lenny Belardo’s ascension to leading a billion people for the rest of the season, the portrayal of his character is lavishly fawned over here. We watch him belittle everyone from high-ranking officials to his personal cook with the same kind of gleeful elation. He demands Cherry Coke Zero with his breakfast, and when asked if he’d be content with regular Diet Coke, he declares that settling for less would be nothing short of a sin.

Fittingly, it’s unapologetic in all the same ways its title character is, and gives us no discernible metric to compare it to. The fact that we get such a strong sense of Lenny’s character, but so little understanding about what he’s believes, may not be enough to draw in repeat viewers. Perhaps the best insight into Lenny Belardo doesn’t come from his dream as a Pope-turned-populist, but rather near the episode’s end, when he lights up a cigarette despite being told that the Apostolic Palace was smoke free. When he asks whose decision that was, he’s told it was made by an old Popes.

With the cigarette in his teeth, and without so much of a hint of irony, he snaps back “Well, there’s a new Pope now.”

All hail The Young Pope.

The post So, About That First Episode Of ‘The Young Pope’ (TV REVIEW) appeared first on Glide Magazine.

Celebrated as the best independent event for musical and artistic discovery, Pickathon is delighted to announce its diverse lineup for 2017. Taking place August 3–6, 2017 at Pendarvis Farm, the 19th edition of the Pacific Northwest’s curated music festival will feature performances by local, national and international artists spanning the genres of indie rock, folk, experimental, electronic, and beyond. This year’s lineup reflects a spirit of inclusion, with close to 50% featuring women, as well as international artists from Australia, Canada, Israel, New Zealand, Sweden, Thailand, Tuva, and the UK. The 2017 lineup presents:

Nestled in the wilderness just outside of Portland on Pendarvis Farm in Happy Valley, Oregon, Pickathon offers a truly unique experience for the festival-goer, where visitors enjoy a weekend full of performances by cutting-edge musicians on fantastical, artist-designed stages that are extraordinary to behold. Fully immersed in a beautifully crafted environment, attendees are provided infinite possibilities for entertainment and relaxation, from wellness activities such as yoga, massage, and acupuncture, to some of the best food and beverage Portland and the surrounding areas have to offer, including local food trucks, breweries, and wineries. Widely regarded as a pioneer in sustainability at a festival environment, Picakthon continues to implement innovative strategies that make the event 100% zero waste. This family-friendly event has made a name for itself as the go-to destination for those seeking an alternative to the standard festival experience.

Tent camping in the woods at Pendarvis Farm is included with Weekend Admission Tickets, or choose to upgrade to a specialty camping package. Pickathon’s Carefree Camping package provides a ready-made campsite with tent, bags, pads, and pillows at the cost of $400. Deluxe campsites are available, which provide tents, platforms, cots, bags, pillows, and chairs for $600. Camping at Pendarvis Farm is only available with the purchase of a Pickathon Weekend Ticket.

Early entry is available Thursday August 3rd for those with Weekend Tickets at the cost $85. Early entry passes must accompany Pickathon Weekend Tickets and are needed by each adult and teen arriving early on Thursday August 3rd.

Pickathon hosts 6 once-in-a-lifetime music, food, and drink experiences available to anyone attending the festival, entitled the Curation Series. Each intimate meal is capped at 55 people. The cost per person is $60.

Single Day Tickets include admission to all shows on Friday August 3rd, Saturday August 4th, orSunday August 5th.

Purchase tickets at

www.pickathon.com/tickets

The post Dinosaur Jr., Drive-By Truckers, Deer Tick Top 2017 Pickathon Lineup appeared first on Glide Magazine.

The idea behind the “tests” (presented in the form of dance concerts) stems from the growing theory that Ludwig Van Beethoven’s symphonies were encoded with eternal, healing, transcendent melodies meant to be reborn generation after generation, across both genre and cultural lines, as opposed to being stagnant museum pieces preserved lifelessly behind glass in seated and stuffy institutions.

Reed Mathis & Electric Beethoven are therefore taking this music back to the streets, performing ritualistic dance ceremonies with an emphasis on improvisation and groove exploration.  This is how and where Beethoven’s foundations can come alive again — not in symphony halls but on dance floors.  Hence, the world’s first CDM (“classical dance music”) band.

Under Mathis’ leadership, the current Electric Beethoven lineup features Jay Lane (Primus / Ratdog / Golden Gate Wingmen) on drums, Todd Stoops (RAQ, Rhythmatronix) on keys, and Clay Welch on guitar.

The inaugural “Resonance Field Test” outing will blaze a path up the coast, for first-time-appearances in select states beginning in Jacksonville, Florida on January 26.

Perpetual Groove frontman Brock Butler will jump on board the tour for two consecutive nights, providing special solo acoustic opening sets that will likely traverse the contents of your favorite dive bar’s jukebox.

The “Resonance Field Tests” then brings the band back to the Empire State, where they made a strong first impression at Brooklyn Comes Alive last fall.  On Friday, February 3rd, they will light up the famed stage of the Capitol Theater in Port Chester, NY where, in addition to performing their own set, they will join the Meters’ Leo Nocentelli, the Turkuaz horns, Jen Durkin and others for “Pink Talking Fish Stops Making Sense.”  Just two weeks later, they will take over the Brooklyn Bowl, where their “Resonance Field Test” will go fully electric, aided and abetted by the addition of the legendary, original Liquid Light Lab from the 1960s providing a pulsating, psychedelic visual accompaniment for the evening.

The post Reed Mathis & Electric Beethoven Performing Series of “Resonance Field Tests” appeared first on Glide Magazine.

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In 2014 the duo of Killer Mike and El-P put out RTJ2, the second album of their Run the Jewels partnership and quickly jumped to success and national critical acclaim. Now on their third release the duo up the ante for their protest rhymes, swaggering boasts and wide ranging beats; the album is a complete winner from beginning to end.

“Down” starts on a softer musical front allowing Killer Mike to introduce his wide ranging confident flow to the uninitiated. The track feels intentionally straight ahead with restrained music and direct rhymes from EL-P as well, then “Talk To Me” hits your eardrums. The track is classic RTJ as chaotic tense drums and electronic glitches raise the stakes as Mike discusses going to war with the devil who “wore a bad toupee and a spray tan” before the music explodes into a huge swelling bounce. A biblical quote splits the track and adds gravity before the boasts of El-P end things with the catchphrase, “We a good crew to fuck with/better to love”. There is a lot to love here.

The stakes are clearly raised and political culture seep in everywhere but at the end of the day all the protest and howling mean nothing if the music and rhymes don’t work; thank god they sure as hell work on 3. “Legend Has It” bangs out hard and fast with dance power and ferocious stanzas while “Stay Gold” finds both MC’s on top of their game over the powerful clanging. The crunching electric guitars and burping electronic funk color the grooving “Oh Mama” while “Call Ticketron” samples old school Ticketmaster commercials and will have the crowds at MSG and other huge venues chanting in unison on the next tour.

It should be mentioned that the production by El-P is simply world class. The disk manages to alternately sound futuristic and old school, sometimes from stanza to stanza. The constant experimentation and tonal shifts would be head spinning if they weren’t expertly stitched together and had the vocals/lyrics acting as a poetic glue.

The guests that join are once again well suited for the environment that the band have expertly created. Tunde Adebimpe adds a singing sense to “Thieves! (Screamed The Ghost)” a track that deals with police brutality while Kamasi Washington’s horn colors “Thursday In The Danger Room”. Trina pops up for the contractually obligated sex boast jam “Panther Like a Panther (Miracle Mix)” while (less successfully) Danny Brown nasally closes out the banging “Hey Kids (Bumaye)”. Two old friends Boots (on the hot “2100”) and Zack de la Rocha return as Zack helps close things out with “A Report to the Shareholders / Kill Your Masters”.

Everything on Run The Jewels 3 just feels more important and vital, the album plays long for hip hop in 2017 but there is no filler, only banging track after banging track. The group has no problem mixing sex rhymes with their thoughts on politics/cultural events and that ease of transition keeps RTJ vital in the musical climate that can feel stagnant and too often not any fun. The duo are clearly having fun and are perfectly matched as they ride a creative high having put out two of the best hip hop albums of the last decade.

The post Run The Jewels Up The Ante With ‘Run The Jewels 3′ (ALBUM REVIEW appeared first on Glide Magazine.

Wisconsin artist Brett Newski was once signed to a major label, but he felt he could handle things better on his own and eventually decided to pursue music on his own terms. As an independent artist, Newski has been able to craft delightfully eccentric acoustic pop tunes whatever way he sees fit. His tunes are always catchy and often veer into tongue-in-cheek humor not unlike acts like Jonathan Richman and the Mountain Goats. Last year Newski released his album Land Air Sea Garage, a collection of self-deprecating poppy gems with song titles like “I Won’t Die A Nun” and “Bending Spoons & Skipping Prayers”.

Today Glide Magazine is excited to premiere Newski’s new single “Everybody Knows You Can’t Sleep With Your Eyes Closed”, which is being released on Discos Del Demonio, a cool DIY label in Leipzig, Germany. The song was written while Newski living in Saigon, Vietnam a few years back and was recorded in his hometown of Milwaukee, WI. Newski exudes an angsty, slacker-like vibe, bringing to mind acts like the Violent Femmes, Pavement, and Weezer. It also carries a message that is especially relevant as we prepare to enter a dark and swampy time in American politics.

“‘Everybody Knows You Can’t Sleep With Your Eyes Closed’ is about avoiding the American Dream at all costs and breaking free of outdated ideologies of society created by old dead white guys,” says Newski.

LISTEN:

As a bonus, you can also check out Brett Newski’s cover of ”The World Is Alive” by Ezra Furman:

For more music and info visit brettnewski.com.

Photo credit: Emma McEvoy

The post SONG PREMIERE: Brett Newski Shares Acoustic Indie Pop “Everybody Knows You Can’t Sleep With Your Eyes Closed” appeared first on Glide Magazine.