Lizzo performed in Washington, D.C. on September 27th with a peculiar instrument: a crystal flute that was originally owned by President James Madison. Presented to her by the Library of Congress, Lizzo can be seen here playing and twerking on beat with the heirloom.  The image of Lizzo twerking with such a relic provokes laughter, but the weight of the gesture coupled with her nonchalant manner, i.e. the twerking, holds more importance than just a talented flautist playing a few notes. Lizzo is also the first...

YEAH YEAH YEAHS Cool It Down (Secretly Canadian) Nearly a decade-long hiatus didn’t stop the Yeah Yeah Yeahs from bringing their all to Cool It Down. The project brings us everything we’ve come to know and love about the group, with some obvious evolution.The first single, “Spitting Off the Edge of the World,” reintroduces the beautifully haunting vocals of Karen O, mixed with the coos of Perfume Genius. Other standouts, like “Love Bomb,” are breathy and erotic, while “Wolf” delivers bouncy synths for what is destined to appear...

Big Joanie Back Home  “In My Arms” showcases the London-based trio’s seamless harmonies and tight musicianship with an infectious groove reminiscent of the best indie rock of the post-punk era. Replete with synths and swooning vocals, the storytelling on songs like “Insecure” and “Today” conjure the emotional introspection of the new romantics; the driving beat on “Sainted” evokes the fast cars and refracted lights of London on a rainy night. Emo for grownups, Big Joanie summons diverse eras and sounds with a unique alchemy all its own. This...

Demi Lovato has made her most loyal fans extremely happy. For those who loved her albums Don’t Forget, and Here We Go Again, which were released in the mid-2000s and written during her years on the Disney channel, prepare to rejoice. Rock and roll Demi is back. HOLY FVCK is an absolute banger and a stark departure from her previously pop-dominated albums. This album delves into Demi’s most vulnerable moments without a filter and explores a new gritty rock sound with poetic lyrics that expose her...

SantigoldSpirituals(Little Jerk) Santigold is back. Spirituals marks the singer/songwriter's first release since I Don't Want: The Gold Fire Sessions 2018 mixtape, and her first full-length since 2016's 99¢. The mom of three took advantage of 2020's lockdown to reconnect with her artistry, enlisting a prodigious set of producers and collaborators. As the title reveals, she tapped into the sustenance of Black spirituals for inspiration to get over a famine of creativity. "[The title] touched on the idea of Negro spirituals, which were songs that served the purpose of getting Black people through...

  GIVENCHY SHIRT; LIYA EARRINGS These days, every cafe seems to be playing a ’90s soul playlist and Forever 21 offers a variety of Aaliyah T-shirts. But when recording artist Kehlani emerged almost a decade ago, music rooted in traditional R&B wasn’t exactly in vogue, and it certainly wasn’t the go-to sound for young pop stars. Yet, when Kehlani released their first mixtape, Cloud 19, in 2014, their revealing lyrics, earnest vocals, and exploration of love and sex reflected the influence of artists like Brandy (their “original...

IBEYI SPELL 31 (XL Recordings) As an incantation against the weary and apathetic state of the world, Ibeyi bewitches with their third studio album, Spell 31. Afro-Cuban-French twins Lisa-Kaindé and Naomi Díaz channel the power of their family legacy by fusing Yoruban rhythms with soul, synth, jazz, and hip-hop.“Sister 2 Sister” offers a warm familiarity by sampling their 2015 single “River.” Upbeat without being overwhelming, lyrics like “Singing along with Shakira/Washing our souls in the river” are charmingly syncopated to twin heartbeats with some of the more powerful, unabashed...

 The iconic collaboration we never knew we wanted but absolutely need has finally happened. Grab your heels and get ready to run (not walk) to the club tonight because, Elton John and Britney Spears just dropped a remix of John’s 1971 hit “Tiny Dancer” called “Hold Me Closer”, and it’s time to dance the night away. Check out the video below and get ready to blast off. This electronic disco remix of John’s classic “Tiny Dancer” marks Spears’ return to music following the end of her...

Watching Sleater-Kinney, Courtney Barnett, and Fred Armisen cover Olivia Newton-John’s “Physical” on Saturday night in Oregon was a delightful surprise to conclude a show packed with knockout performances. Curated by Barnett herself, the touring Here & There Festival brought in a wide variety of artists, differing based on the venue location across the country, for an end-of-summer musical extravaganza.   For the closing act, Sleater-Kinney called the other musicians on to the stage for “Physical.” In addition to Sleater-Kinney and Barnett, the Oregon show featured Fred Armisen...

  Musician, feminist, and activist, Margo Price, has been multitasking, to say the least. First off there’s her new song, Been to The Mountain, and an accompanying video which is, uh, rather trippy. The song, according to Margo, “is part one of an introspective trip into our subconscious. It is the perfect continuation of my search for freedom in my art and freedom in the modern age.” Ms. Price’s latest musical gem combines fuzzy guitars, garage rock Hammond organ, and harpsichord which all work together perfectly complementing Margo’s...