Lifeguard Kick Off Your Summer of Noise With ‘Ripped and Torn'
Just in time for summer, Lifeguard have arrived with the kind of guitar record you can play loud all day without wearing it out. They're a young, raw art-punk threesome from Chicago, finally putting out their debut album with the hotly awaited Ripped and Torn, on Matador. They started making noise when they were still in high school — two-thirds of Lifeguard are still in their teens. But they've already got a fervent following. They released the twin 2023 EPs Crowds Can Talk and Dressed in Trenches; last year they dropped the high-energy single 'Ministry/Energie,' and did a Wipers cover on the flip side.
Yet that just hinted at the power of Ripped and Torn. Lifeguard have their own wonderfully brash power-clang guitar attack, jumping right in with the frantic 'A Tightwire' and keeping the buzz going for 12 jagged songs in barely over a half-hour, without a pause for breath. They sound willing to try anything, except being boring.
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Lifeguard come from the hopping teenage Chicago underground rock scene, the Hallogallo collective, with kindred spirits like Horsegirl, Friko, Answering Machines and many more. It's named after the art/music zine published by singer-guitarist Kai Slater, which he started up during the pandemic to keep the DIY scene in touch with each other. (In turn, the zine's named after a Neu! song.) In addition to Lifeguard, Slater has a completely different other top-shelf band, Sharp Pins, who just released an superb album Radio DDR, going for a mod lo-fi jangle-pop sound that bristles with intelligence.
If these bands have anything in common, it's their hyper-active youthful energy, cocky confidence, cool record collections, and a refusal to follow cliches. There's a family connection as well: Lifeguard drummer Isaac Lowenstein's older sister Phoebe plays in Horsegirl, who just released their own bang-up album Phonetics On and On. (The two bands collaborated last year for a giddy cover of the Stone Roses' 'I Wanna Be Adored.') These kids don't waste time, and neither does this album.
Ripped and Torn was produced by Randy Randall, from the excellent L.A. noise-punk band No Age. Slater, Lowenstein, and bassist Asher Case jump right in, with fiery rockers like 'It Will Get Worse.' Their sound is definitely in the Matador tradition — it makes sense for Lifeguard to drop this stellar debut thirty years after the peerless Matador spring of '95. That might be the hottest streak any rock label has ever had, cranking out stone-cold classics by Guided By Voices (Alien Lanes), Pavement (Wowee Zowee), Helium (The Dirt of Luck), Yo La Tengo (Electr-O-Pura), and Chavez (Gone Glimmering), all within a few weeks. But this album would fit right in, and that's high praise indeed.
'Under Your Reach' begins with 20 seconds of white-noise synth buzz before the rhythm section kicks in with a martial beat, leading to a harmony-drenched chorus. 'Like You'll Lose' is steeped in Eighties U.K. postpunk, with the dub-wise throb of the Raincoats, Gang of Four, or the Pop Group. Fugazi might be the loudest element in their sound, especially the quiet-to-massive bass breakdowns in songs like 'A Tightwire.' But you can also hear the Pacific Northwest roar of Unwound, with the stick-to-the-ribs crunch of their Midwest forebears like Arcwelder. There's also a surprising amount of early-2000s NYC dance-punk, especially the Rapture.
Yet Lifeguard turn it all into their own style of craftily melodic body-slam punk hooks, including a kinda-sorta theme song in '(I Wanna) Break Out.' Their Chicago roots run deep. The band released a 2023 video from a live session at Electrical Audio recorded by the late Steve Albini — a torch-passing of sorts, since they're steeped in the kind of uncompromising rock Albini spent his life making and recording. (Strange but true: Case and Lowenstein first met as tweens when one noticed the other was wearing a Tortoise shirt. Insert your own Millions Now Living Will Never Die joke.)
Ripped and Torn hits hardest at the end, in the enigmatic chime of 'T.L.A.,' a song of yearning where Slater sings, 'Words like 'tonality' come to me.' The abrasive guitar harmonics might evoke legends like Polvo or Mission of Burma, but as always, Lifeguard give each sound its own fresh twist. They pace the whole album like experts, hopping from idea to idea within the same song, never letting the pace drag. Spending the summer with Ripped and Torn is gonna be fun.
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Lifeguard Kick Off Your Summer of Noise With ‘Ripped and Torn'
Just in time for summer, Lifeguard have arrived with the kind of guitar record you can play loud all day without wearing it out. They're a young, raw art-punk threesome from Chicago, finally putting out their debut album with the hotly awaited Ripped and Torn, on Matador. They started making noise when they were still in high school — two-thirds of Lifeguard are still in their teens. But they've already got a fervent following. They released the twin 2023 EPs Crowds Can Talk and Dressed in Trenches; last year they dropped the high-energy single 'Ministry/Energie,' and did a Wipers cover on the flip side. Yet that just hinted at the power of Ripped and Torn. Lifeguard have their own wonderfully brash power-clang guitar attack, jumping right in with the frantic 'A Tightwire' and keeping the buzz going for 12 jagged songs in barely over a half-hour, without a pause for breath. They sound willing to try anything, except being boring. More from Rolling Stone How Lifeguard Unleashed the Melodies Inside Their Punk Noise Lifeguard Reveal Debut Album, Summer Tour Noise Rules the Night in Austin Lifeguard come from the hopping teenage Chicago underground rock scene, the Hallogallo collective, with kindred spirits like Horsegirl, Friko, Answering Machines and many more. It's named after the art/music zine published by singer-guitarist Kai Slater, which he started up during the pandemic to keep the DIY scene in touch with each other. (In turn, the zine's named after a Neu! song.) In addition to Lifeguard, Slater has a completely different other top-shelf band, Sharp Pins, who just released an superb album Radio DDR, going for a mod lo-fi jangle-pop sound that bristles with intelligence. If these bands have anything in common, it's their hyper-active youthful energy, cocky confidence, cool record collections, and a refusal to follow cliches. There's a family connection as well: Lifeguard drummer Isaac Lowenstein's older sister Phoebe plays in Horsegirl, who just released their own bang-up album Phonetics On and On. (The two bands collaborated last year for a giddy cover of the Stone Roses' 'I Wanna Be Adored.') These kids don't waste time, and neither does this album. Ripped and Torn was produced by Randy Randall, from the excellent L.A. noise-punk band No Age. Slater, Lowenstein, and bassist Asher Case jump right in, with fiery rockers like 'It Will Get Worse.' Their sound is definitely in the Matador tradition — it makes sense for Lifeguard to drop this stellar debut thirty years after the peerless Matador spring of '95. That might be the hottest streak any rock label has ever had, cranking out stone-cold classics by Guided By Voices (Alien Lanes), Pavement (Wowee Zowee), Helium (The Dirt of Luck), Yo La Tengo (Electr-O-Pura), and Chavez (Gone Glimmering), all within a few weeks. But this album would fit right in, and that's high praise indeed. 'Under Your Reach' begins with 20 seconds of white-noise synth buzz before the rhythm section kicks in with a martial beat, leading to a harmony-drenched chorus. 'Like You'll Lose' is steeped in Eighties U.K. postpunk, with the dub-wise throb of the Raincoats, Gang of Four, or the Pop Group. Fugazi might be the loudest element in their sound, especially the quiet-to-massive bass breakdowns in songs like 'A Tightwire.' But you can also hear the Pacific Northwest roar of Unwound, with the stick-to-the-ribs crunch of their Midwest forebears like Arcwelder. There's also a surprising amount of early-2000s NYC dance-punk, especially the Rapture. Yet Lifeguard turn it all into their own style of craftily melodic body-slam punk hooks, including a kinda-sorta theme song in '(I Wanna) Break Out.' Their Chicago roots run deep. The band released a 2023 video from a live session at Electrical Audio recorded by the late Steve Albini — a torch-passing of sorts, since they're steeped in the kind of uncompromising rock Albini spent his life making and recording. (Strange but true: Case and Lowenstein first met as tweens when one noticed the other was wearing a Tortoise shirt. Insert your own Millions Now Living Will Never Die joke.) Ripped and Torn hits hardest at the end, in the enigmatic chime of 'T.L.A.,' a song of yearning where Slater sings, 'Words like 'tonality' come to me.' The abrasive guitar harmonics might evoke legends like Polvo or Mission of Burma, but as always, Lifeguard give each sound its own fresh twist. They pace the whole album like experts, hopping from idea to idea within the same song, never letting the pace drag. Spending the summer with Ripped and Torn is gonna be fun. Best of Rolling Stone The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
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On Tuesday night, Tod's hosted a cocktail party at its Madison Avenue boutique to celebrate its new coffee table book 'Italian Hands' and signature Gommino loafer. The Italian touch was evident throughout the store, as trays of quiche, arancini balls and cocktails circulated around the room to guests decked in Tod's looks. Katie Holmes was an early arrival, catching up with Tod's chairman Diego Della Valle as 'The Pitt' star Isa Briones sipped a bellini nearby. Christian Slater stopped to chat with Holmes en route to the shoemaking demo, where an aproned artisan was in the middle of hand-constructing a Gommino loafer. More from WWD WWD to Present Awards at Saudi Fashion Awards Ella Bleu Travolta Hosts Tod's Luncheon, With Olivia Holt and More Ella Bleu Travolta Hosts Tod's Luncheon in Luxe Leather Tunic Dress to Celebrate New Italian Diaries Campaign 'I'm a huge fan of the brand,' said Slater, dressed head-to-toe in Tod's. ' One of the people that works for this company, our kids go to the same school. So that makes it a very small world, and makes it feel more personal to be here.' The actor recently returned to the city after wrapping production on 'The Hole,' directed by Kim Jee-woon. ' I just got back from Korea, so I'm a little jet-lagged,' said Slater. 'It's definitely a psychological thriller. Theo James is great, and the director was amazing. I loved it. I was there for about a month,' he said of the film, which just announced a theatrical deal with Amazon MGM's Orion Pictures. Other guests stopping by throughout the evening included Andrew Scott, Penn Badgley, Rachel Brosnahan, Jason Ralph, Danai Gurira, KiKi Layne and more. The orange hardcover book, which celebrates Made in Italy craftsmanship, was displayed throughout the store, where guests could flip through pages of photos depicting artisans working with glass, terracotta, brass and bronze, and pesto. 'People love it,' said Della Valle about the reception to 'Italian Hands,' which launched with a party during Milan Design Week in April. The celebrations will continue around the world, as the brand plans to host its next book event in Asia. ' Craftsmanship. The colors, the glamour, the livability. It's everything good,' said Nicole Ari Parker of the Tod's appeal. ' I went to private school my whole life, as a girl, second to 12th grade. So I appreciate a crisp shirt, a nice loafer. Tod's is very comforting to me.' The actress attended the party alongside her 'And Just Like That' costar Sarita Choudhury as both prepare for the show's third season, which premieres on May 29. 'We're excited. It's a season of summer. We're not in furs and boots,' said Choudhury. 'And hardship in the sun is different. You know when you're sweating but you're like, I look better? It's almost like a sheen.' Dylan Efron has been in the New York sun for about a week, and recently attended the red carpet premiere for 'Mission Impossible' at Lincoln Center. But his humble brag wasn't the Tom Cruise moment. 'I've been here about six times this year, and I've had the most beautiful weather every time I've come,' said the 'Traitors' star. 'I think I've brought the sunshine every time.' The newly minted reality star is no stranger to Tod's, having worn the brand often during his press tour. 'It just kind of fits me well,' said Efron, who accessorized his Italian-made look with a Japan-made point-and-shoot Contax T2 film camera, hanging from a crossbody strap. ' It's easy to forget when you're traveling where you went, what you did,' he said. 'It's a nice little way to look back at all you've done.' Launch Gallery: Katie Holmes, Penn Badgley, Andrew Scott and More Attend the Tod's Cocktail Party Best of WWD A Look Back at SAG Awards Best Dressed Red Carpet Stars SAG Awards Wildest Looks of All Time on the Red Carpet, Photos From the Archive: A Look Back at Marc Jacobs Annual Holiday Party [PHOTOS]
Los Angeles Times
03-06-2025
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Ministry's Al Jourgensen announces the end of his iconic, industrial band. But first, one last album and tour
After wreaking havoc and dishing out dissonance since 1981 — evolving from its early synth-pop dance roots into the industrial thrash metal chaos it's best known for — Ministry's band leader Al Jourgensen is finally ready to call it quits. He's preparing to put an end to the band's relentless run of recording and touring — this time for good. But not before one last album and a final world tour, as 'Uncle Al' prepares to bring the band's legendary career to a close. Speaking on the phone from a tour stop in Canada, he discussed Ministry's current Squirrely Years Tour — a special run of shows that focuses exclusively on the band's first two albums, 'With Sympathy' and 'Twitch.' For the first time in decades, Jourgensen is performing early songs — largely steeped in synth-pop — which he once dismissed, now embracing the full arc of his career. The frontman opened up about reuniting with longtime collaborator Paul Barker, the band's final album, his disdain for violent mosh pits, and why he never read his autobiography. When did you decide to bring Ministry to an end? Was it a process or something more abrupt? Oh, it was a process. After 17 albums, I feel like we've pushed the boundaries as far as we could go with this band. I know I've got one more album left in me that'll stretch those limits even further. But I don't want to end up like one of those bands doing the same riffs for 40 or 50 years — it just gets old. This has been coming for a while. It's not tied to my past health issues; it's just time. After our final album comes out next year, we're doing one last world tour. Then that's it. I'm done. Time to let the kids take over. So you're stepping away from Ministry — but are you stepping away from music entirely? Not entirely. I'll still do film scores. I just did one for a documentary called 'Long Knife,' about the Koch brothers ripping off the Osage Nation. It's kind of a follow-up to 'Killers of the Flower Moon.' That kind of work still interests me. But being on a tour bus and constantly talking to people? I'm over that. How's your health now? I feel great. It's a gift to go out in good health and a clear frame of mind. At one point in the early 2000s, I didn't think I'd ever tour again. I had a ruptured artery in my stomach and was bleeding every day on the road. I just said, 'Nope, this isn't worth it.' But now we're wrapping everything up intentionally — bringing back people like Paul Barker, recording in old places, ending things right. You've said before that you hate mosh pits. What's the energy like on this tour, especially with the older material? Man, this tour is a psychedelic freakout. We're playing 40-plus-year-old songs, and somehow there's still a little bit of moshing happening — but not violent. It's cracking me up. These shows feel like a one-off trip into the past. People are just dancing and enjoying the moment. It's more like a weird, dark, electronic hippie dance party. I didn't expect to enjoy it this much. Is it a different mindset performing the early material versus the heavier Ministry songs? Oh, hell yeah. But the fans know what they're getting into. Nobody's screaming for the '90s metal stuff. It feels like stepping into a hot tub time machine. We've put real work into this setlist, and it's paid off. I'm genuinely enjoying it. Will your final tour represent the full scope of Ministry's career? Absolutely. It'll be a two- to three-hour career retrospective. We'll be covering every era — all 17 albums. We might even bring back two drummers like we did in the '80s. The final tour won't just be a greatest hits set — it'll be a curated journey, and maybe even feature some old friends. You've been open about your battles with addiction. How did that shape you? Like everyone, I've evolved. Twenty years ago, I was a different person. Now people call me 'Uncle Al,' and I like that. I've been through enough that fewer things bother me. And the things that do matter? I'm more focused on them than ever. I'm grateful for all of it, even the madness — it brought me to where I am now. Did music help you survive those darker times — or did it make them worse? Both. Some days, it saved me. Other days, being in the music business made me want to blow my head off. It's a double-edged sword. Ministry has always taken on injustice. Are you still fighting the good fight? That's the irony of this tour. With everything going on in the world, this felt like the right time to step back and let people remember what joy felt like. That said, the next album will be laser-focused. I haven't stopped speaking out — if anything, I've sharpened my aim. Is it true you never read your autobiography, 'Ministry: The Lost Gospels of Al Jourgensen?' Never read it. I didn't even write it. I told stories to a Rolling Stone writer over a gallon of vodka, and their legal team cleaned it up. They handed it back to me as a finished book. The first interview I did about it, they asked, 'Did you read it?' I said, 'Why should I?' Same thing with watching concert footage — I lived it. Why relive it? Do you think Wax Trax! Records and the early Midwest scene are overlooked in Ministry's legacy. Sometimes, yeah. But real musicians know how important that era was. Wax Trax! was its ecosystem. It's wild now seeing 14- to 18-year-old goth kids in the front row, right next to 50- and 60-year-olds who were there back in the day. That's the reward. What does the very final chapter of Ministry look like? The new record will be done by Christmas and out by June 2026. Then we'll hit the road for one last world tour starting next September. Every continent except Antarctica. One year. One final ride. Then it's over. And I'm good with that. Ministry's Squirrely Years Tour stops at the Hollywood Palladium on June 4, with support from Nitzer Ebb, My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult, and Die Krupps.
