I can’t believe it’s the end of March already.
In this week’s newsletter, I share some early thoughts on the new Bad Religion album and go through some of the albums and songs out this week that I enjoyed. I also go through my usual media diet and share a playlist of ten songs I loved this week. The supporter Q&A post can be found here.
If there’s a musical equivalent of the bildungsroman (bildungsrecord?), then Downhaul’s debut full-length Before You Fall Asleep certainly qualifies. Throughout the album’s 33 minutes, Gordon Phillips and company try to navigate their twenties – with varying degrees of success. When they do fail, which seems to happen fairly often, they at least come back stronger.
So it is, in fact, when the album begins. “Grace Days” is a slow, drawly opener that stops and starts back up again twice within the first minute, like the band is just getting used to this whole music thing. “Word reaches me that you’re not taking care of yourself,” Phillips sings in the first verse. If you’re expecting some profound words of comfort, you’d be disappointed. He doesn’t call or write to check in, “because I don’t know how to, and that’s something I’ve got to live with.” This becomes a recurring theme on Before You Fall Asleep, that feeling of powerlessness you have over your own life, not to mention those of the people you love.
All Better have shared a video for “Let Go.”
I the Mighty have shared the new song “Cave In.”
Ben Platt performed on NBC’s Today this morning.
Avail have sold out their first reunion show and added a second date.
Holy Fawn have signed with Triple Crown Records.
Elle Fanning has shared “Wildflowers” from the upcoming movie Teen Spirit. The song was penned by Carly Rae Jepsen, Jack Antonoff, and Tavish Crowe.
Fat Mike will release You’re Welcome, the debut full-length album by his Cokie The Clown persona, on April 26th via Fat Wreck Chords. Today he’s debuted the lead single “Punk Rock Saved My Life” with Travis Barker on drums and pre-orders are now up.
Members of the Icelandic avant-garde rock band Sigur Ros have been charged with tax evasion three years after authorities launched a probe of the group’s finances.
An indictment issued by the district prosecutor Thursday accused the prominent musicians of submitting incorrect tax returns from 2011 to 2014, evading a total of 151 million Icelandic Krona ($1.2 million).
MxPx have shared a new version of “Heard that Sound” featuring Five Iron Frenzy on Apple Music.
Read More “MxPx – “Heard That Sound” (feat. Five Iron Frenzy)”
Billie Eilish has shared a video for “Bad Guy.”